Indiana's Football Recruiting Roll Continues

Brace yourself. Indiana football coach Bill Lynch is on a recruiting roll.

The Hoosiers boosted their commitments to eight when linebackers Kyle Kennedy from Indianapolis Cathedral and Max Pirman from Ohio, plus offensive lineman Ralston Evans from Indianapolis Arlington joined the Cream ‘n Crimson cause.

They can’t sign until next February, which is when Lynch will be allowed, per NCAA rules, to talk about them.

The 6-3, 198-pound Kennedy was swayed in part by IU’s upgraded Memorial Stadium in general, the North End Zone facility in particular. He’s smart and fundamentally sound. He’s the third linebacker signed in the Class of 2011, which gives you an idea of where Hoosier coaches are putting their priority.

Purdue, Iowa, Cincinnati, Boston College and Ball State were recruiting Kennedy.

The 6-4, 260-pound Evans was getting interest from Purdue, Ohio State, Michigan, Tennessee, Duke, Ball State, Toledo and Buffalo. He’s athletic enough to play baseball and basketball at Arlington. He’s run a 4.9-second 40-yard dash.

The 6-5, 218-pound Pirman picked Indiana over schools such as Kansas, Western Michigan, Northwestern, Ball State and pretty much the rest of the Mid-American Conference. Pirman has a knack for sacking the quarterback (he had eight sacks in a playoff game). He’s played linebacker and defensive end. He showed up at Saturday’s spring game with high school teammate Chase Hoobler, a linebacker who will arrive in Bloomington this summer.

That gives IU four in-state commitments, which also reflects the coaches’ priority. The Hoosiers also have received four commitments in the last three days,

All these players fit Lynch’s recruiting approach. You rarely see him and his staff go head to head college football superpowers for elite recruits unless they have a realistic chance to sign them. Mostly Lynch looks for versatile athletes who can be developed.

Oh. Lynch has done this despite having just two years left on his contract, with no guarantee he’ll get an extension. That’s a quite an accomplishment. Now all he has to do is what matters most –- win enough to make a bowl game.