Bad Vibes on Danny O
I was very surprised to hear on today's Recruiting Roundup that Sam Webb has a gut feeling that Danny O'Brien won't come to Michigan.
He thinks it could come down to Tenn and MSU. With Matt Godin and all the time he has been spending in Ann Arbor, I thought Michigan was the team to beat.
September 23rd, 2011 at 9:50 AM ^
September 23rd, 2011 at 9:52 AM ^
September 23rd, 2011 at 9:59 AM ^
"I am not a douchebag"
"Bartender...Vinegar and Water!"
September 23rd, 2011 at 10:04 AM ^
Dantonio is a Dantonio.
September 23rd, 2011 at 9:57 AM ^
September 23rd, 2011 at 10:22 AM ^
I don't think Sam Webb has ever aided a recruit in "throwing people of the scent" by declaring a gut feeling about a player heading elsewhere. Unfortunately, this seems pretty conclusive that Danny O will not be sporting the winged helmet.
September 23rd, 2011 at 9:59 AM ^
Almost all the signs have been pointing to us not getting him. DT's have been saying all summer that we'd only take one DT. Then after Pipkins committed there was some confusion on his part on whether or not we still wanted him. Had we really been going after him hard and told him that we would hold a spot for him no matter what there never would have been any confusion.
When O'brien said that Hoke was cool and told him to take his time his time most people read that as a good thing but I thought we were slow playing him. Just seemed we would take him if a scholarship opened up or something. With 6 players already committed to the D-line and 3 of them potentially being able to grow into the 3-tech position I can see how the coaches maybe weren't going that hard after him.
And with a visit right after a commitment date it just seems like the final nail in the coffin.
September 23rd, 2011 at 9:59 AM ^
Aziz Shittu, come on down!
September 23rd, 2011 at 10:07 AM ^
Its between Cal & TAMU. Doesnt look like we're taking another DT in this class...
September 23rd, 2011 at 11:17 AM ^
makes no sense.
September 24th, 2011 at 12:54 AM ^
why doesn't it make sense?
September 23rd, 2011 at 12:16 PM ^
That's what he wants you to think.
September 23rd, 2011 at 9:59 AM ^
After watching the middle of our DL struggle and knowing that Martin, RVB, and Heininger are graduating why wouldn't you load up on elite DT prospects? Other than WR there is no other position that needs attention this badly. Unless they think they can move some of the recruits from DE to DT I don't see why you wouldn't put the full court press on an in-state DT who has played well. This sounds like Hankins all over again!!!
September 23rd, 2011 at 10:06 AM ^
September 23rd, 2011 at 11:11 AM ^
Im not hugely athrilled with anyone except Godin switching to the 3tech..
Wormley is athletic and fast not a squat huge immovable object (think we would waste his far superior talents putting him inside)
And Strolbel is a SDE if ever I saw one. The point in the 4-3 over of the SDE is to be able to take on a TE and T combo stand up and prevent them from chipping off to the SAM. On passing plays, its chuck the TE and beat a T 1 on1 .. that is Strobel all day.
Im not high on anyone of these guys mostly becasued they are all 6'5.. which tends to make it more difficult to get under the pad level and keep leverage on the inside (see BWC)
September 24th, 2011 at 3:41 AM ^
The 3 tech is a penetrating defensive tackle and therefore doesnt need to be an immovable object. I actually think if Wormley comes in and plays his Freshman year at about 280-290 he will be at a great weight. Also, while being tall definatley makes it harder to play with great leverage there are many players in college and the NFL who do so at 6-5 and even taller. I think Campbell's issues stem from a lack of coaching during his youth football days through high school.
September 23rd, 2011 at 10:19 AM ^
I don't like throwing that out, but if you can't trust this staff to evaluate their needs on the DL what can you trust them to do?
September 23rd, 2011 at 11:24 AM ^
Going into next season we will most likely have no proven players at DT except for arguably Campbell, who will be a senior. When you have so many question marks, you have to have numbers. I was as pleased as anyone to see Pipkins commit, but (as with any recruit at any position except maybe punter) he is a prospect and there is no guarantee that he will be effective at the college level. The position would look a lot better with O'Brien, a high school DT with a DT build, than with "maybe we can move one of these tall, lean DEs to tackle".
September 23rd, 2011 at 3:58 PM ^
If there's one position group that people should stop questioning about recruiting, it's D-line. Hoke is a D-line coach. Mattison looks like he knows what he's doing. We also have our uber recruiting Beyonce coach there.
If they are in agreement that they probably don't need another DT, it means they have some sort of plan about that spot, or are worried more about other spots (OL and WR come to mind). I'd trust their skills over all of the people FREAKING OUT MAN on the internet on the hypothetical commitment of a highly rated high schooler.
September 23rd, 2011 at 10:00 AM ^
Sam was really talking up all of the other defensive linemen already in the class (Strobel, Godin, Wormley as possible DT's) but I would still like to get O'Brien because he already plays DT in HS. I don't think any of our other guys currently play DT besides Pipkins and we are sooooo thin at DT after this season.
I also noticed Sam mention that we are not really the leader for any of the O-linemen we are still pursuing. He feels we have the best shot at Diamond and Banner, but that we are merely in "good shape" not the outright leader for either.
I'm too lazy to Google for it, but this would be the perfect place for one of those "I HAZ A SAD." cat pictures.
Based on both of those bits of information, I can't help but wonder if the Final Four might look like: 2 WR (Darboh and Payton), 1 DB (Wright) and 1 RB (Dunn or "other").
September 23rd, 2011 at 10:00 AM ^
Come on down, Yuri Wright.
September 23rd, 2011 at 10:01 AM ^
O'Brien's recruitment has been one of the most difficult ones to understand. At various times, Michigan has been out of it, at others we've been the favorite. At times, he's supposedly cooled on us, at others the coaches supposedly had cooled on him. Who knows how it will end? I hope that he goes Blue, but if he doesn't I hope that he goes to Tennessee as I would hate to face him for the next four years.
September 23rd, 2011 at 11:18 AM ^
We tend to forget sometimes that these are kids. It's especially easy to forget with linemen because they are physically huge. Kids are prone to changing their minds, and you never know what "hot button" is going to work and what one isn't. No recruit is going to ruin a great class with his absence. There are plenty to go around. Also, as one poster mentioned, Mattison and Hoke should be trusted, and they will find a way to put a decent defense out on the field.
I definitely agree that I don't want to see him end up in EL, though. I hope a little bit of "southern hospitality" goes a long way in this case.
September 23rd, 2011 at 10:04 AM ^
Please be wrong Sam. I've had visions of Pipkins and Obrien caving in the middle of opposing O lines for months. Please don't crush my dreams
September 23rd, 2011 at 10:19 AM ^
Mine were already crushed when Sheldon Day committed to the Domers. Man, I wanted to see Pipkins (NT) and Day (DT) crushing fools for 3-4 years. Then, I finally got over losing Day to ND when it seemed like we had overtaken UT for O'Brien and now....crushing despair...again.
(Hyperbole used for dramatic effect)
September 23rd, 2011 at 10:04 AM ^
as much as I would like to get the top talent in the state, we are by no means short on talent in this class at DL, I would almost prefer getting Dunn, 2 WRs and Banner
September 23rd, 2011 at 10:06 AM ^
Yeah Sam made it sound like it was less about Danny O cooling on Michigan and more about Michigan cooling on him. I think the staff decided if they are only going to take one more defensive recruit they might rather have a DB like Yuri Wright. 3 of the final 4 spots will go to an offensive player (Diamond/Banner, Dunn - fingers crossed, and Darboh/Payton) and only one will go to a defensive player so I have no problem with it.
With Godin, Wormley, Pipkins, Strobel, Ojemudia, and Pharaoh I think there are plenty of guys who are on the DL (with Godin and Wormley as possibilities to play on the inside). I think CB may be a bigger priority because Standifer may move to safety and therefore Terry Richardson would be the only CB in this class. And as talented as Terry is, it is not a sure thing that a 5'8-9 170 lb. CB will ever see the field. Yuri Wright is a stud and given the choice of him or Danny O I'd take Yuri.
I think Danny will be a stud but I think with scholarships low, we need to address our needs more.
September 23rd, 2011 at 10:14 AM ^
If I had to choose between Yuri Wright and O'Brien, I'd also take Yuri. Being greedy, I'd still like both.
It makes me feel better when I remind myself that this is just one recruiting class. Each year this staff is going to bring in more quality defensive lineman, so in a few years our depth will be outstanding and the players will know the system and be all coached up. There...I feel better now.
September 23rd, 2011 at 11:08 AM ^
yes, given the limited schollies and the # of top recruits on the board, i still question the FB scholarship. i would think we could get an adequate preferred walk on at FB.
September 23rd, 2011 at 12:57 PM ^
I also thought I heard Sam say that either Banner or Garnett as being a Washington lean at this time. I can't imagine that we pull both of them, and I am really starting to think the Diamond ship has sailed as well. Webb also touched on him and said he was up in the air and looking hard at Wisky and Illinois.
September 23rd, 2011 at 10:09 AM ^
The DT position is the only one I'm surprised about with this coaching staff. If they want to be able to rotate the DL, they don't seem to be recruiting enough for rotating the interior. Maybe they are just really high on some 2013 guys, and feel fine with Godin and Pipkins for the interior in this class.
September 23rd, 2011 at 10:09 AM ^
September 23rd, 2011 at 10:14 AM ^
September 23rd, 2011 at 11:15 AM ^
It's difficult for a "go to wide receiver" to emerge when the quarterback is spraying the ball all over the place. He's completed only about 43% of his passes over the past couple games, and not many of those incompletions have been drops.
September 23rd, 2011 at 11:32 AM ^
September 23rd, 2011 at 11:37 AM ^
I'm not saying you're entirely wrong. All I'm saying is that quarterbacks and receivers are reliant upon each other, and with Denard throwing the ball the way he has, it's not difficult to understand why a "go to" receiver hasn't appeared. And if Denard was throwing the ball inaccurately during practice as well, then I don't know why practice reports would have been glowing for the receivers then, either.
September 23rd, 2011 at 11:41 AM ^
September 23rd, 2011 at 1:57 PM ^
But wouldn't it make more sense for a 2012 recruit to look a Gardner or Morris as the QB that will be throwing to them? Denard will be a senior when they are freshman
September 23rd, 2011 at 2:09 PM ^
The things 17-year-olds do rarely make sense.
September 23rd, 2011 at 10:48 AM ^
I'm in total agreement here. It also might say something about our future formations. We've been bringing in a lot of linebacker types lately as well as DE/DT tweeners like Godin and Wormley. It could be a sign that Michigan is transitioning to the 3-4. In two or three years maybe we'll see a line of Godin/Pipkins/Wormley up front and then guys like Beyer as OLBs. To me, this seems like the best explanation unless some of the guys who are listed as DEs are going to fill out and move inside. I just question whether we have the depth to give guys like Wormley that kind of time to develop.
If that's the case, bringing in Payton and some of the other WRs we've been targeting would be good. Our depth at the WR position isn't overwhelming.
September 23rd, 2011 at 11:11 AM ^
BWC is a senior next year. After what does our 2 deep look like at NT.
September 23rd, 2011 at 10:21 AM ^
As it stands we'd be starting BWC and Pipkins next year (unless another DT on our depth chart blows up). We'd then have a year to grow one of the current DEs into a 3 Tech. Keep in mind in the 4-3 under, you have a DE playing like a DT. So clearly some of the DEs being recruited as a DT like substance.
I think the imperative thing is to get a nose tackle a year to keep depth there. Also anyone who can't develop as 1-Tech can compete for the 3-Tech spot (as BWC seems to kind of be doing). I really don't need to heavily recruit 3-Tech when you can fill it by growing your large DEs to fill it or moving a failed 1-Tech into it. It's a "tweener" posistion for lack of a better word.
September 23rd, 2011 at 10:27 AM ^
The thought of that makes me whince. I realize that it might happen. I don't mean to knock the kid, but how many true freshman DTs are ever very good?
September 23rd, 2011 at 10:33 AM ^
I cringe as well. Hopefully BWC is fully online as a 1 Tech next year and Pipkins can rotate the 3 Tech with a few others. Then Pipkins shifts to 1 Tech after BWC graduates.
September 23rd, 2011 at 10:49 AM ^
This reminds me why I think that Michigan won't be a real Big Ten title contender until 2013 or even 2014. They seemingly just won't have the D-line to do it until then. There's too big a gap between Martin & RVB and the 2012 class.
September 23rd, 2011 at 11:04 AM ^
Probably 2014 because even if we take an insane DL class in 2012, they would still be true freshmen for that season. ND has shown some promise from their insane DL class for 2011, but their line clearly isn't elite yet.
September 23rd, 2011 at 11:08 AM ^
Aaron Lynch looks like he's going to be a top ten draft pick. That kid is unreal for a true freshman...Kelly is going to turn them into a national title contender, I tells ya.
September 23rd, 2011 at 11:09 AM ^
September 23rd, 2011 at 10:20 AM ^
Brady Hoke is a D Line coach. I wouldn't worry.