If you look at top 20 DTs according to rivals, there are two prospects from areas that you listed.  If the talent is not there we have to look to where there is talent.

It would really suck to have defensive guys from the same area of the conference that has won the National Championship the last four years in a row.  Why would we want any of their type players?

superstringer:

Where are the Michigan / Ohio / Illinois kids???

Tom -- actually this is sort of depressing.  Our key defensive prospects are all in SEC territory (save one or two)???  This is setting ourselves up for disaster year after year, isn't it?

Back in the day -- like, when we HAD a defense -- we'd get a handful of the best from Illinois and Ohio, and grab the best 3-4 defenders in Michigan, and stock up with those guys.  What on Earth is going on?  RR is so intent on building the SEC North, we're keying on southerners?  Wisconsin and Iowa have pretty good D's, and it seems they don't recruit Florida, Carolinas or Louisiana real well. 

I'm becoming numb to the notion we're stuck with RR for another year, maybe two; but seriously, shouldn't we have like a handful of the best Michigan prospects in the fold or on the radar?   Or did we already lose them to MSU?

Here's a core list of our Michigan commits/serious recruits:

B. Beyer, J. Hayes, S. Conway, D. Hollowell, J. Fisher, D. Morgan.

And here are some Ohio additions:

J. Miller, C. Rock, A. Traylor, G. Brown, D. Grant.

Not all of these guys will be in Blue next year of course.  Almost all of them will.  It's about half of our 2011 recruiting class.  MI and OH.  In a year when Michigan might have been a bit thin on top quality linemen and MLB's, and when OSU's massive success under Tressel has them recruiting up a storm, most particularly in Ohio.

The straight answer to your question is that we do "have like a handful of the best Michigan prospects in the fold or on the radar?"  And we did not "already lose them to MSU."

I'd also point towards the coaches' backgrounds as well as the difference in the era. In the era you described, Bo, Gary, Lloyd had midwestern (specifically Ohio and Michigan) backgrounds. That's where they built their inroads and had the relationships/clout/etc. as well as where they focused their efforts.

Rich Rodriguez has worked at Tulsa, Clemson, West Virginia. Why would he turn down great talent from areas in which he has had success? I love to get Michigan players as well, but I have no problem with the coaching staff recruiting A.) the best players and people they can get excited about playing for Michigan and B.) where they have had past successes. Why do you see Nick Saban occasionally pulling guys from Ohio and Michigan when he has access to all the top-notch recruits he needs within 250 miles.

EDIT: Meant to point out Mark Ingram as exhibit A.

Doing something different just for the sake of doing it differently doesn't seem to be a recipe for success either. If Rich Rod and staff feel they can put the best team together recruiting Florida, Louisiana, South Carolina, whatever (those states also happen to produce a ridiculous number of D1 and NFL players), more power to them.