Kevin Newsome Abandons Ship
Aw, hell. Rivals has an article titled "Kevin Newsome back on the market" and he's not looking to scoop up foreclosed houses (topical ZING!): the rampant rumors from a month or so ago have come to fruition and he's decommitted. No schools have been mentioned yet; the scuttlebutt before was that Virginia Tech and Penn State were the main suitors. Michigan remains explicitly in the running, but it's extremely rare for a kid to re-commit to the school he decommitted from.
Some comments from on high about the reaction:
- Please check to see if there's already a thread about it on the message board before posting the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, or 6th thread.
- Don't be that asshat who posts something misleading in the subject line only to say "ha ha not really" in the text. This is never funny and makes people think you are mildly retarded.
- Criticizing kids who decommit is always tiresome; skip it.
- Not quite as tiresome but nearly so is the sarcastic overreaction post.
I'm bummed because I thought Newsome had enormous upside and the kind of dedication required to reach it. Tate Forcier is visiting for the Utah game, and a consolation prize that completes more than 70% of his passes ain't shabby. We'll see if the rumored Michigan love is for real; Forcier now has a powerful incentive to jump ASAP.
August 19th, 2008 at 4:16 PM ^
August 19th, 2008 at 4:18 PM ^
I'll be surprised if Forcier doesn't commit shortly after his visit.
Although I AM intrigued by Eugene Smith. I'd like it if the staff took a long, hard look at him.
August 19th, 2008 at 6:14 PM ^
August 19th, 2008 at 6:55 PM ^
Hard to tell how tall Forcier really is. All the numbers the recruiting sites post are usually exaggerated to a degree. I'd say 6'0 is a good guess. I don't necessarily think that's a bad thing though. Chase Daniel and Troy Smith were both 6'0.
As for being cocky about landing him, eh. Assuming he's not a psychopath, all signs point to Michigan having the inside track. The "insiders" think there was a really good chance of him picking Michigan even with Newsome on board, and although competition is something that DOESN'T bother him, Newsome being gone now certainly increases the odds of Forcier picking M.
August 19th, 2008 at 4:27 PM ^
August 19th, 2008 at 4:34 PM ^
August 19th, 2008 at 4:44 PM ^
August 19th, 2008 at 4:48 PM ^
August 19th, 2008 at 4:58 PM ^
August 19th, 2008 at 4:58 PM ^
August 19th, 2008 at 5:02 PM ^
August 19th, 2008 at 5:11 PM ^
August 19th, 2008 at 8:20 PM ^
I... ahhh, called LSU's AD earlier this year (in the spring), claiming to be Russell Shepherd. Tate Forcier helped my out with the phone # with his online list of offers. I BS'd my way through a couple of secretary who were very pleasant to speak with, and missed talking to Les Miles by about a minute (secretary #2 said he had just left). Instead I had a chat with Gary Crowton, the OC (also a really nice guy). He said he was looking forward to winning a couple more NC's with me. Haha
I think I'll call back and tell him I broke up with my girlfriend and being in the same city as her is no longer an option.
August 19th, 2008 at 9:29 PM ^
August 19th, 2008 at 5:05 PM ^
The Oldsome can go to fo$u for all I care. Tate Forcier was my fist preference anyway. We are going to be just fine. Tate and Shavodrick will be a great combo for us.
August 19th, 2008 at 5:11 PM ^
August 19th, 2008 at 7:33 PM ^
August 19th, 2008 at 10:02 PM ^
Good to see you back!
Don't worry Newsome will be going down the toilet just like fo$U.
General rule regarding Michigan recruits: if you spurn UM you will be a bust.
August 19th, 2008 at 5:17 PM ^
August 19th, 2008 at 5:26 PM ^
August 19th, 2008 at 5:41 PM ^
Just give me some Beaver!
Seriously, not that Newsome is a bad kid or anything like that, but I just like everything I've heard/read about Beaver's attitude.
August 19th, 2008 at 5:53 PM ^
i could further contribute to the rival/scout-ization of mgoblog. vivala revolucion!
August 19th, 2008 at 5:57 PM ^
If Newsome doesn't want to be one of the Leaders and Best, so be it. No player will ever be bigger than MICHIGAN. He obviously has no respect for our tradition.
Newsome wasn't very smart and probably couldn't handle the Ivy League academics here. I bet he wouldn't have qualified.
He probably bust his knee up on special teams at VT anyway.
August 19th, 2008 at 6:06 PM ^
August 19th, 2008 at 6:20 PM ^
Newsome isn't an idiot, he's got better grades and ACTs than probably 95% of all 3+* kids.
And Ivy League academics? I doubt many football players take Math 116, let alone a 400 level Physics class. Michigan takes football players with ACTs far below the published median, just like every other school in D1
August 19th, 2008 at 6:33 PM ^
get with it dude, playing football at michigan is the exact same thing as being on the new england patriots while attending harvard law school.
August 19th, 2008 at 6:39 PM ^
while researching cures for cancer in their spare time.
[We will leave the "while fathering the children of supermodels" part out - hits too close to home]
August 19th, 2008 at 6:37 PM ^
He obviously has no respect for our tradition.
Michigan is the only place that has a unique tradition??? Does that mean that someone going to another school, that person has no respect for the traditions of Notre Dame, USC, Ohio State, Nebraska, Alabama (those of you at RollTideRoll, please ignore), Texas, Texas A&M etc.????? I have several degrees from UM, and I have nothing but respect for the traditions at these other institutions. It's fun and is what makes college football rich as opposed to the sterile NFL. What an astoundingly boring world it would be if everything great=Michigan and everything and everyone else=suck.
Newsome wasn't very smart and probably couldn't handle the Ivy League academics here. I bet he wouldn't have qualified.
He probably bust his knee up on special teams at VT anyway.
I don't share your sources/information and clairvoyance.
August 19th, 2008 at 7:32 PM ^
August 19th, 2008 at 5:58 PM ^
August 19th, 2008 at 5:59 PM ^
August 19th, 2008 at 6:07 PM ^
I remember him saying in one of his pre-commit interviews that he wanted to be at a program that ran a pro-style offense, so I always thought it was curious that he committed to Michigan.
As an aside, should this give us cause for concern about RR's recruiting prowess? Little brother has been dominating us in-state, the southern excursion doesn't seem to be yielding any fruits, and Rodriguez hasn't fared any better nationwide than Carr did...
August 19th, 2008 at 6:21 PM ^
August 19th, 2008 at 6:39 PM ^
August 19th, 2008 at 6:56 PM ^
August 19th, 2008 at 7:05 PM ^
It's comments like this that really grind gears.
Once again, HOW exactly is Michigan State dominating us in-state? MSU has 9 commitments from in-state players, and Michigan missed out on exactly TWO of them, Edwin Baker and Chris Norman, who happen to play positions that Michigan isn't lacking in depth at
Other than that, what? Larry Caper? Doesn't fit RR's spread. Dana Dixon? No Michigan interest. Bennie Fowler? Typical MSU recruit that they stole from the MAC. Andrew Maxwell? Pro-style QB. Micajah Reynolds? Another MAC recruit that picked Sparty. Blake Treadwell? Son of an MSU coach.
The southern excursion isn't yielding fruit? Ricky Barnum, Justin Feagin, Martavious Odoms last year. Jeremy Gallon and Mike Jones so far this year, with Brandin Hawthorne and Vincent Smith committing at the end of the month. There are still a handful of southern kids Michigan has a realistic shot at this year. We're the clear #1 for surefire 5-star safety Marvin Robinson out of Florida next year. Ricardo Miller is a 2010 WR from Orlando who everyone is raving about as a 4/5 star top 100 talent last year, and he might commit the second in receives a Michigan offer in September.
Anything else?
August 19th, 2008 at 7:07 PM ^
August 19th, 2008 at 7:08 PM ^
August 19th, 2008 at 7:22 PM ^
August 19th, 2008 at 8:02 PM ^
August 19th, 2008 at 8:02 PM ^
August 19th, 2008 at 8:03 PM ^
August 19th, 2008 at 8:09 PM ^
And Feelin' Blue here. I changed my name because I started therapy and was put on Zoloft. Yay!
August 19th, 2008 at 8:08 PM ^
When I said Newsome was weak in his committment, it was an opinion. It's a hunch. I dont need to be right. In fact I said I hope I'm wrong in that sheridan blog post. And or I am open to being wrong, which may be why one gets it right or closer to center. Something to think about there. This will happen EVERY YEAR until Rich builds the monster to perferction. Think Jeremy Finch.....Then You take an Obi Ezeh. Comes from a well educated family, hard worker, converts from FB to linebacker. And is stellar! These are Michigan Students and Football players. Jay Riemersma, highly rated high school QB, loves Michigan, converts to TE, goes to NFL. Jason Avant, tough life-great human being...or a Mark Moundrous who just punishes defenders down after down without care for his personal well being or any recognition...these are the players who are the measuring sticks even Bo would tell you to compare these recruits to. The University of Michigan gets and produces great students, men and woman MUCH smarter than me! lol. And same with football. You cannot be above the system and play at Michigan. And that includes the coaches. I did not see that in Kevin Newsome. I did not see that desire in Terelle. They were men who were the system. They needed to be above it to function. And I think if you You Tube Shavodrick Beaver you can see the real reason why Newsome walked. He wanted the job handed to him. OPINION. The Forcier family knows Michigan Football. Their other son just got in behind another tough gritty QB in Mr. Chad Henne. Henne knew from Day One what it meant to wear that helmet. So that is why you gravitate towards a Forcier. And another thing, Beaver has, for the RR system, in my opinion WAY MORE UPSIDE. Do we lose anything besides a recruiting slot on rivals or scout with this newsome decom? No.
August 19th, 2008 at 8:09 PM ^
It stinks losing Newsome, who sounded like he would have been a nice fit, even academically, but Forcier would be fine as well. A little shorter and smaller, but still quick and that #1 Accuracy rating in the class from Rivals is pretty sweet. Maybe he won't have the deep ball arm we're all used to watching, but I think Tacopants will cease to be a major part of the offense with him.
Let's hope he commits after he visits. He's a spring enrollee as well if he comes, so he and Beaver will both have time to learn the offense in practice and possibly win the QB job for next season if they're good enough. Options are good. Good options are better.
If Newsome wants a "pro-style" offense, he probably shouldn't go to VaTech though, unless the pro-style he's thinking of is the Bears, i.e. offense can't move the ball for squat but the special teams is really kickass.
August 19th, 2008 at 11:04 PM ^
August 19th, 2008 at 8:22 PM ^
August 19th, 2008 at 8:22 PM ^
Ryan Mallett had a 3.8 in high school! He's now with Petrino and Fayethille ho's. I'm sure he misses Ann Arbor!
We are losing QB's though and this is a worry of mine. That's why I went bezerker in the Sherdian post. It is because I know what opposing coaches are saying to these guys about Rich and his offense. About Rich and QB's. It's obvious what they imply and whisper. They say things,"Michigan isnt Michigan anymore in the QB department. We here at Fock Lion University are more Michigan now than they are." Or something like that. And with Newsome going, it feels like we are losing the all around guys now. We are and we arent. I think we are losing the all around guys we dont need. It takes years to change the direction of a program and yet maintain it to the levels of excellence it was prior to your arrival. The guys, like Beaver, Stonum, McGuffie, who are committed to the University will slowly unite the old and the new. There will come a day when we may face Kevin Newsome in a BCS game. I know we will face Terelle this year on an end around or something to get Columbus into the game. Michigan will endure.
August 19th, 2008 at 8:33 PM ^
Ryan Mallett had a 3.8 in high school!
How many yards did he run?
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