On Erik Swenson And Talent-Based Decommits
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Michigan's longest-standing commit is no longer one:
— Erik Swenson (@Eiek77) January 20, 2016
While that's a surprise it's less of a surprise since this week people started putting their name next to the assertion that he would not end up in the class. Mike Spath said so in a post on attrition; Wiltfong did the same at 247; Webb concurred. With Northwestern and Nebraska possible landing spots, academics are obviously not a problem.
Swenson committed to Brady Hoke's Michigan sometime during the Truman administration and hasn't wavered or visited elsewhere; like Rashad Weaver and Kiante Enis this appears to be a case where Michigan re-evaluated the players' talent after their senior season and did not like what they saw. Let's talk about how we feel about that, with the caveat that we are working with incomplete information here since neither side is offering much detail on what went down.
Editorial opinion on decommitting guys based on talent
Michigan's suffered a number of decommits this cycle. Some were not Michigan's choice, others are because of academic concerns, and a few look like Michigan straight-up pulling offers from committed recruits because they prefer other players. To date players in the latter category appear to be Enis, Weaver, and Swenson.
This could be anywhere from completely legit (Harbaugh tells them they may have to find another landing spot if things don't work out) to not great (this is not communicated). There's a post on the board from a gentleman claiming to be two degrees of separation from a recruit who consciously uncoupled from Michigan, and it was more or less the former:
He said the coaches meticulously laid out who his competition would be, and explained to him that they weren't done recruiting the position yet. Harbaugh also told him that his scholarship to one of the best academic institutes was absolutely still available to him, but he would need to work his ass off to see any playing time. Said recruit has decided that while academics are important, playing football is his true passion and wants to see the field sooner than later. He would rather fine tune his game on the field and get better.
Despite the parting of ways the recruit seemed fine with the overall result, as he got a ton more interest after "Michigan commit" was appended to his resume.
Enis and Weaver were probably given a heads-up a couple months ago. Enis made an official to Indiana in December; Weaver scheduled an official to Temple in November. In any case they are likely to find schools that are a better fit for them and have fine college careers.
This doesn't really bother me. These days "commit" is used about as accurately as "literally" and Harbaugh has adapted to that situation. If you want to visit, visit. Michigan is going to recruit as if commits don't exist, just like everyone else does. It can be infuriating for players, coaches, and fans as order and structure break down but that's life. I've never really railed about that practice; it's shipping guys out mid-career without a degree, against their will, that rankles. I don't think Michigan will be doing that and certainly hope they never do.
However, Swenson's situation is considerably more sketch. He has not made a peep since his commitment and was tweeting about signing with Michigan as late as January 3rd. Webb says "don't be surprised if a little mudslinging happens." Swenson took the high road, but if someone pops off after a LOI is safely faxed I won't be surprised, nor will I have much to say other than "seems accurate."
If Michigan was going to pull Swenson's scholarship it should have at least warned him about the possibility during the season so he could make a backup plan. That doesn't look like the case and it appears Michigan has pissed some people off. Not a good look.
If he wants to play and does land with the Wildcats or Huskers, he's probably better off. Michigan looked at senior film and decided he would not play.
I wouldn't want to go to a school that thought I wouldn't play and wouldn't tell me that; I would expect them to tell me that. By November at the latest.
This isn't so much a rug being pulled out from under someone as an order for a rug being canceled. Michigan does have to get more organized with this stuff going forward. Setting someone adrift approximately three weeks before Signing Day—the news took a week or two to get out—isn't enough time for them to find the best landing spot.
January 20th, 2016 at 1:38 PM ^
Easy there troll, why don't you go tell a kid he can't play after he's already on campus for a couple weeks.
January 20th, 2016 at 1:57 PM ^
It's just not a good look, regardless of the timing. It's never easy when this happens but don't take your anger out on me, I'm just here enjoying the conversation. Sorry if you feel the need to call names or insinuate that just because you feel other schools do it that it's justified but I'd check your facts before I go casting stones... glass houses and all?
January 20th, 2016 at 1:42 PM ^
top 5 next year
January 20th, 2016 at 10:55 PM ^
January 20th, 2016 at 12:39 PM ^
Hopefully Brian adds this to the post... though I guess I could understand if he didn't due to Mlive and all that.
January 20th, 2016 at 1:13 PM ^
We don't have a problem with MLive, just the Freep.
I'm not going to update; don't think it says much of anything we don't already know. TBH the idea that there was "no explanation given" doesn't ring true to me. You gotta know something of what's up, his departure has been rumored for a while.
January 20th, 2016 at 1:21 PM ^
Exactly it doesn't ring true. Swenson is not going to say "Michigan told me I'm not good enough to play football for them." That wouldn't exactly help him find a different school.
January 20th, 2016 at 1:29 PM ^
Sure, he could go play for Florida.
BOOM! Roasted.
January 20th, 2016 at 1:25 PM ^
January 20th, 2016 at 1:28 PM ^
Exactly this. Lorenz just commented on the 247 board that he and Wiltfong have had a list(for a while) of targets that they believed would not sign with Michigan. Swenson was on that list. Hard for me to believe that Swenson would know nothing about this until 2-3 weeks ago.
January 20th, 2016 at 2:42 PM ^
(certainly, not Swenson) and who was it given to? And why?
January 20th, 2016 at 10:57 PM ^
January 20th, 2016 at 11:55 PM ^
January 20th, 2016 at 1:16 PM ^
Whatever the circumstances it seems like a bad break for the kid. He's highly rated and talented, hopefully he can land at a good school and do great there even with the short notice.
January 20th, 2016 at 1:44 PM ^
on NSD and kept looking? I am sure he will find the perfect fit and playing time, I know he would be disspointed now.
January 20th, 2016 at 2:30 PM ^
Malik McDowell waited due to his mom wanting UM and him wanting sparta. When Gary signs it'll be Malik who?
January 20th, 2016 at 10:57 PM ^
January 20th, 2016 at 1:38 PM ^
2016 OT Erik Swenson: "Harbaugh didn't talk to me. I asked for him, but never came in contact. Drevno called me a week ago."
— Shane R. Kinnee (@SRKinnee) January 20, 2016
January 20th, 2016 at 1:48 PM ^
Well, sleeping over at recruits's houses and climbing trees is pretty demanding, schedule-wise.
January 20th, 2016 at 3:24 PM ^
Just reading between the lines, it sounds like Harbaugh / Michigan had been signalling for awhile that they were going in a different direction, but Swenson wasn't getting the message or was in denial (which happens from time to time to the best of us).
January 20th, 2016 at 2:52 PM ^
The leaders and best when it suits us.
January 20th, 2016 at 12:36 PM ^
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January 20th, 2016 at 1:10 PM ^
For what little its worth, feel the same way based on the very limited information out there amizeblue402. Agree with others who have said we will probably never know the full story or both sides of the story. Admire the class of this young man taking the high road in this twitter post and wish him the best. Also still trust our coaches that if mistakes were made (not enough info to judge imho), they will do their best to learn from this and do better earlier going forward. Tough sport at many levels. Even honest speaking straight shooters can make mistakes and fall short sometimes. That said, I really admire how Mr. Swenson expressed himself in this Twitter posting. That is the only thing about this I feel somewhat qualified to judge though.
January 20th, 2016 at 12:36 PM ^
and even admirable in today's NCAA environment of big time ball.
"You have your scholarship...but here's the deal. This is the reality."
This is miles (and Sabans) away from pulling a kid's scholarship, no matter how much media or rival fan trolls would like to paint it as such.
Viva le Harbaugh Choo Choo Mofos.
January 20th, 2016 at 12:38 PM ^
No - it is not "miles away." It's the same thing, if not worse.
January 20th, 2016 at 12:44 PM ^
is it worse? Just curious how you arrived at that.
January 20th, 2016 at 12:47 PM ^
I agree that he absolutely should have been told sooner, and I agree with Brian in feeling a little disappointed in that behavior.
But that IS absolutely miles away from yanking a scholarship when a kid is already there. (Or the st. Nicks hospital for the not-talented-enough-to-play-for-bama)
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January 20th, 2016 at 1:00 PM ^
Saying that is basically telling him he is unwanted. Sure, he could have still signed and worked to prove them wrong, but he'd be behind the proverbial 8-Ball with the knowledge that he was unwanted.
Since it's not really known what was specifically communicated, making a judgement is difficult. Perhaps this was a test of Swenson's tenacity but, in any event, the optics are bad...
January 20th, 2016 at 1:02 PM ^
He was told that he absolutely can come if he wants? Baumgardner got a text from him contradicting that.
January 20th, 2016 at 3:22 PM ^
Said he got a text, Baumgardner has not to my knowledge shared it with anybody or even quoted. Baumgardner also said that Swenson claimed an official visit was pulled. A visit which evidently nobody else on this planet knew about.
January 20th, 2016 at 1:07 PM ^
Where are you getting the information that he was told he can absolutely come if he wants? If you believe the text he sent to MLive, "Michigan recently pulled its scholarship offer and canceled his previously-scheduled official visit. He said the program did not provide a reason for doing so."
We can sugarcoat this as many ways as we want, but this is not a good look for the program. For those that want to believe this is "miles" from Saban's tactics, it's not. It's right there in the same ballpark.
January 20th, 2016 at 12:58 PM ^
It's certainly neither as bad, nor is it worse.
January 20th, 2016 at 2:13 PM ^
No, what's worse is not telling him until you get a committment from someone else on signing day. What's worse is not being able to get down to 85 by the start of fall camp and sending him packing.
What happened is not great. It seems like the staff dropped the ball and could have made the determination they made much earlier. But, he has a few weeks to find a landing spot in a time when teams still have class openings. I'd prefer it happened in a better way, but there will be far worse done to recruits before fall camp starts.
January 20th, 2016 at 12:43 PM ^
Let's not pretend this is admirable.
Being less bad is not the same as being good...
January 20th, 2016 at 12:46 PM ^
I wouldn't say "admirable" this late in the game. "Not a total dick move" is probably the ceiling, or "these are sometimes the victims of 'crootin". Swenson always remained pledged to UM, then UM apparently told him very late that he went from "acceptable" to "not competitive" despite (I assume) a number of conversations between when he pledged to Hoke and now. It was basically UM treating him as a seat warmer in case they needed another body and missed out on other kids. My guess is that this means they snagged another OT who is higher up on their boards (hooray, I guess), but doesn't change the bad taste in everyone's mouth.
January 20th, 2016 at 3:04 PM ^
I always hate the idea of pointing out someone who does something slightly more wrong as a reason you can do something slightly less wrong.
January 20th, 2016 at 12:37 PM ^
Geez, national discussion of our recruiting tactics here we go, complete with "Harbaugh is doing SEC recruiting and M is ok with it because they lowered their standards to win" takes.
January 20th, 2016 at 12:46 PM ^
but read between the lines and you will see that "Michigan is getting kick ass recruits and is having to fight them off with a stick." BRILLIANT.
January 20th, 2016 at 1:04 PM ^
This is the flip side of all the positive attention Harbaugh gets, when something negative happens it will also be covered. And this is something negative.
January 20th, 2016 at 12:38 PM ^
Aww, Hamburgers!
January 20th, 2016 at 12:39 PM ^
Nice to see that you don't approve of these actions either, but even nicer that you aren't trying to spin it in a way that makes it look like Michigan didn't do anything (at the very least)questionable.
Hopefully everything works out for Swenson as best possible, and moving forward we don't see any more of these situations.
January 20th, 2016 at 12:46 PM ^
Recruiting has an inherintly chaotic nature. Recruits themselves decommit from institutions all the time, so why can't the institution decommit form the recruit?
As long as both parties understand up front that nothing is certain until a LOI is signed, both sides have fair game to do what's in the best interest for them, knowing the other side is doing the same. (All recruits should be looking out for themselves, finding the best fit for them, including having backup plans at all times. Same with institutions.)
The shady buisness, in my mind, happens after LOIs are signed, not before.
January 20th, 2016 at 12:54 PM ^
January 20th, 2016 at 12:59 PM ^
I'm only a little bothered by this (sorry guys), but the weight of a high schooler picking what school he wants to go through and all of the considerations that go into making that decision is a lot heavier than a university deciding which 30 football players they want.
January 20th, 2016 at 1:08 PM ^
... don't get the "only bothers me a little" part...
January 20th, 2016 at 1:09 PM ^
I would argue the high schooler just has just one person to look out for - themselves. The institution has to look out for 30 other players that are all trying to do what's best for them.
The "burden" of a high school kid getting a full ride to a higher education in no way means he shouldn't at least take the time to have backup plans in place. All high school kids going to college need to have backup plans.
January 20th, 2016 at 2:08 PM ^
Now it kind of sounds like you're putting the blame on Swenson, which probably wasn't your intention.
I just don't think the situation on both sides is comparable, and if you don't get that now then there's not much of a point in me explaining that.
January 20th, 2016 at 11:01 PM ^
January 20th, 2016 at 1:10 PM ^
...dumping your fiance right as they are about to walk up the aisle (after a solid, if blasé engagement & a couple years of a committed relationship before that, and no word of warning), then saying --
-- well, I didn't put any ring on any finger, so it's understood I may've still been shopping around... why should that be an issue?
Best of luck to him.
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