Friday Recruitin' Just Ponders For Now
Today's recruiting roundup covers the latest on Gareon Conley, highlight videos of Derrick Green and Channing Stribling, a couple 2014 visits, and more.
Gone-ley? /Slaps Knee
It's been a week since Gareon Conley stated after a game that he intended to take visits, and as of this moment, at least, he's still a Michigan commit. 247's Bill Kurelic reports that may not last long at all, however, as Conley's step-mother says he'll "definitely [take] his visits," with plans to check out Ohio State and Oregon ($):
Angel [Conley] said her son is planning to make official visits to Ohio State and Oregon.
“Ohio State will be an official visit in the next month or so,” she said. “Ohio State and Oregon will be official visits.”
Nothing has been set up yet, at least, and Sam Webb noted on Scout's board($) that Conley has spoken with the coaches and knows his spot in the class is at stake—Webb also said Conley is still pondering visits, of course. In my opinion, it's tough at this point to see a scenario in which he doesn't take a look around.
If there's good news for Michigan, it's that they have one of Conley's closest confidants in their corner: his father, per Scout's Kyle Bogenschutz ($):
“Everything just seemed real good up there. I love Michigan and I’m pushing him to go to Michigan. But at the end of the day it’s still his decision. I’m rooting for Michigan.”
...
“As far as Oregon and Ohio State, those are all good schools too. I can’t put any of them down, but I root for Michigan. At the end of the day, like I said, this is all up to him. If he wants to go see them, I’m behind him, whatever school he goes to.”
Clearly, Mr. Conley is going to let Gareon make his own choice, but it can't hurt to have him pulling for the Wolverines. The longer this process is drawn out, the better it probably is for Michigan—few expected him to make it this far in the first place after last Friday's news.
[Hit THE JUMP for highlights of Channing Stribling and Derrick Green, news on a few 2014 recruits, and more.]
Watching Channing Stribling Running
247 compiled senior year highlights of Channing Stribling, and it's not hard to see why he pulled an offer:
We don't get to see too much of him in coverage, so we'll wait for a verdict on his coverage skills, but that's one rangy playmaker—doesn't look afraid to lay a hit, either.
Also at 247, Clint Brewster evaluates new commit Da'Mario Jones's tape; it's a largely positive take, though he does outline a few areas for improvement ($):
Jones is not the shiftiest player and needs to do a better job at making defenders miss after the catch and not running into contact. He can improve by using his hands to get off of man-coverage better and to get more separation. Jones is explosive coming off the football but needs to show that same explosiveness when coming out of his breaks.
Overall, Jones looks like an underrated prospect and has the tools to be a highly productive player at wide receiver or even on defense at safety.
Fox Sports Next has game film of Derrick Green; he put up great numbers, shows off solid speed, and runs well downhill, but I'd like to see him break a few more tackles in the secondary—he doesn't quite look like a five-star talent on film, though of course he'd still be a great pickup for Michigan.
Rivals has a free feature on Chris Fox, who recently received his Army All-American jersey, and there's also a local news article about Fox being a self-described "teddy bear" ... except when he's on the field:
"I have no friends when I play football," Fox said with a smile.
Aw.
Etc.
2014 IL CB Parrker Westphal has been to campus multiple times and tells Scout that Michigan currently stands out for him ($):
Josh Newkirk: What are some schools right now that are standing out to you in particular?
Parrker Weestphal: “Well the school that set the bar for my standard to compare other schools to is Michigan.”
Josh Newkirk: What is about the Wolverines that stands out?
Parrker Westphal: “Just the facilities, the program, the tradition around there is amazing.”
Westphal's father also had high praise for Michigan—they'd have to be the favorite for the four-star right now.
Another four-star junior DB, VA S Quin Blanding, named Michigan to his top ten, though Mike Farrell believes that Virginia holds the edge with Florida State the next biggest threat to land him ($).
A pair of four-star junior wideouts are planning visits to Ann Arbor in the near future: OH WR Derek Kief, who's also planning to visit West Virginia, Indiana, and Northwestern($), and IN WR Austin Roberts, who's set to visit for the Iowa game ($). Neither have offers but both are very much in the running for one.
If you haven't yet, run, don't walk, to Chantel Jennings's story on Michael Ferns and Logan Thompson, which has tear-inducing details that weren't available when the story first emerged a couple weeks ago.
November 2nd, 2012 at 2:17 PM ^
Ace, do you think there a chance that Conley stays with us and we still have room for Treadwell?
November 2nd, 2012 at 2:24 PM ^
At this point I'd be surprised if Conley sticks, but I think they can make it work taking both him and Treadwell if that scenario plays out. There'd have to be zero attrition from the current team for another couple spots not to open up; we all know that's unlikely even in the best of times.
November 2nd, 2012 at 2:35 PM ^
November 2nd, 2012 at 3:12 PM ^
If Conley decommits to take his visits, do you think the staff would accept a recommitment? With past decommits, its seems to be a burned bridges attitude.
November 2nd, 2012 at 3:35 PM ^
The difference with Conley is that he hasn't been sneaky with his plans. Brown took a visit to Oregon without even telling the coaches. Michigan coaches were actually tipped by Florida coaches about Dawson wanting to take visits.
Conley seems like he is trying to handle it the best he can. He already admitted that he committed without visiting other places. Maybe the coaches don't consider him a commit anymore, but they don't pull his offer like the other two situations.
November 2nd, 2012 at 8:50 PM ^
November 2nd, 2012 at 10:11 PM ^
November 3rd, 2012 at 7:02 AM ^
I agree, all blanket statments are silly.
No really though. I do agree with what you said.
November 2nd, 2012 at 3:38 PM ^
Be any different than getting Treadwell, Green, and McQuay? I would think the numbers crunch only comes if one assumes you're going to get Green and McQuay along with keeping Conley and getting Treadwell. And I think the odds of getting all three (WHILE keeping Conley to boot) isn't very high.
November 2nd, 2012 at 2:31 PM ^
Channing has probably been our most productive db in this class. Some games don't list any stats for him, but in 7 contests he's put up something like a minimum of 20 tackles, 5 ints with one pick 6, 7 pass break ups, and a forced fumble or 2. He's also made 12 catches on offense for 238 yards for nearly a 20 ypc average and 4 touchdowns, and also returns kickoffs and punts, including 1 kick return td, and a punt return for 67 yards. Not to mention his team played Mallard Creek High and he covered 6'3" Rivals top 100, in state #1prospect, and #8 WR nationally Marquez North who didn't register a single catch in the game.
http://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-Marquez-North-131522
http://touchthebanner.blogspot.com/2012/10/recruit-tracker-channing-stribling.html
November 2nd, 2012 at 2:27 PM ^
November 2nd, 2012 at 2:33 PM ^
You know, I totally read goner wrong.
November 2nd, 2012 at 2:26 PM ^
November 2nd, 2012 at 2:30 PM ^
On Stiblings 45th punt return TD (of that game?) he totally let up at the end & was caught from behind.
NOT MICHIGAN MATERIAL.
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November 2nd, 2012 at 2:46 PM ^
FWIW, he reminds me a little of Biakabutuka. He's not a home run hitter, and he's not going to run everyone over, but he's a big guy with quick feet.
November 2nd, 2012 at 2:49 PM ^
Um...in all due respect Eric Touchdown Timmy WAS a "home run hitter" averaging over 6 YPC his last two years. And I would love, love, love to get another one like him on this squad.
November 2nd, 2012 at 3:08 PM ^
My memory is that he had a big YPC without the 75 yard runs that Wheatley had...Either way, I'll gladly take another Biakabutuka too. Watching Michigan since 1989 or so, he's the best RB I've seen suit up for the Wolverines, IMHO.
November 2nd, 2012 at 2:54 PM ^
That Chantel Jennings article has me sitting in my cubicle wiping away tears. A beautiful story.
November 2nd, 2012 at 3:12 PM ^
I wish the best to Conley as he makes his decision (which I think will end with him in Oregon) but I have to admit it's a little strange to me that his step-mother is the one leading the charge for him to go elsewhere while his biological father is pushing for him to stay with Michigan. I understand that step-parents can be influential in a kid's life, but I wouldn't think it would outweigh his biological parent's advice.
November 2nd, 2012 at 3:34 PM ^
IIRC, his biological mother was also pushing him to open up his recruitment and visit CA schools. If a step mom and a biological mom get on the same side of an issue, I can see the pressure chipping away at him. Also, the kid didn't visit other places, so maybe the advice to look around at his options resonates with him.
November 2nd, 2012 at 3:37 PM ^
The quote from the stepmom was that he will take visits. That's not saying she wants him to do one thing or another, just a simple statement of fact. She may or may not have a lot of influence on Gareon, but that quote doesn't demonstrate it.
November 2nd, 2012 at 3:31 PM ^
who started cutting up onions in my office while I was reading that Logan Thompson story?
November 2nd, 2012 at 3:31 PM ^
Ace, Stribling can lay the wood and his ballhawking skills are apparent, as he often made plays on balls thrown to receivers he wasn't covering. Any chance he transitions to free safety for M? We all know he has the size. Thanks
November 2nd, 2012 at 3:41 PM ^
Anything is possible once he gets on campus, but I think he sticks at corner because we lack corners with his height. If Conley sticks we would have two corners who are at least 6 ft tall.
Once JT Floyd graduates we will have no corners over 5-11.
November 2nd, 2012 at 3:48 PM ^
It's not out of the question. However, I'd say Stribling has the height, but certainly not the bulk. 6'2" 170 is not the size you want at safety, even if he can lay the wood. That's 40 pounds short of our current FS. If we're losing Conley, we need to keep Stribling at CB and let guys like Dymonte and Jarrod Wilson handle the safety spots moving forward (with help from Jeremy Clark and Allen Gant).
November 2nd, 2012 at 3:49 PM ^
Have seen Conley in person four times. Would be a huge loss. Kid is a player. Just seems to make things happen. I still feel like we have a shot. I mean, have you been to Ohio's campus? Might as well go to Gotham State. Oregon has the uniforms and all the weed, but we are by far the best choice. Right? God, I hope so.
November 2nd, 2012 at 3:55 PM ^
G-ddammit, Ace. Well that's just great. A grown man crying at his desk on a Friday afternoon. You couldn't just wait to put the link to the Ferns article up until after the workday ended, could you? WTF man!?
November 2nd, 2012 at 4:05 PM ^
Conley needs to listen to his dad, what do chicks know about football?
/s
November 2nd, 2012 at 5:19 PM ^
holy hell it's so dusty inside today
November 2nd, 2012 at 5:23 PM ^
I think the Mathlete diary on the value of a 5 star should be mandatory reading on MGo.
"On offense dreams of 5 star skill position players are fun, but coaching, player development, system and luck play a much bigger role in future success than they do on defense."
The piece last week on Borges philosophy on offense plus the Mathlete's actual data based justification puts the recruiting in a perspective that gives me a lot of confidence that we're going to do just fine even if we don't ever land that "elite" skill position player (except at QB, where we have Shane and a OC whose been very picky about who he's giving a 2014 offer to). Amazingly, the Mathlete's study shows that QB is the only offensive position where 5-stars really correlates to team success.
Just thinking about lining up any three of Dukes, York, Jones, Chesson, or Darboh, in a trips package, with Butt or Funchess at TE and Shallman, Houma, Smith, Rawls, or Green (maybe?) at back just leaves me tingling with anticipation. For all the Borges is so predictable talk, with that personell he could run a dozen different plays that capitalize a dozen different ways on the slightly different advantage each brings to the table, and the defense would have zero keys to play off of.
I'm really excited for Da'Mario, because as I understand it, he's worked his tail off compensating for the run heavy team he was on by putting in extra hours and traveling every weekend to work with his uncle. That's the kind of kid I want in a winged helmet and who's likely to succeed in a Borges offense. Lots of guys like that and a QB who can throw to anywhere on the field and run through progressions is as good a recipe for success as I can imagine.
November 2nd, 2012 at 5:29 PM ^
i want to wish conley luck with what ever he picks. hope outside people dont push him one way or the other. but this is the first time i seen channing stribling on flim and GODDAMN he can move, big hits, cover ground i see why he got the offer good job hoke & company. i think he just became one my favorite recruit.
November 2nd, 2012 at 6:01 PM ^
Assuming a guy is already verbally commited and wants to take visits and is up front with the coaching staff about it, ala Conley, is my assumption of the coache's stance accurate?
Coach: Gareon, if you want to take visits that's your choice but you must understand we ask that you don't commit to us until you are fully commited. If you take visits elsewhere that tells us you are not fully commited to us. That means that we will no longer hold your spot open and will begin to actively recruit a replacement at your position. Now, if you take your visits, then decide Michigan is the school for you, and the spot isn't filled yet, you will be welcomed back. However, the spot will be offered to other players and if filled it will no longer be available to you.
Is that about accurate? Any insiders I would appreciate if this is actually how this process works, or if the coaches say your offer is gone forever.
November 2nd, 2012 at 6:33 PM ^
Either way, that spot is going to get filled and be a part of a great D.
November 2nd, 2012 at 6:46 PM ^
November 3rd, 2012 at 5:47 AM ^
I agree on Green. He rarely breaks a tackle. He just kind of runs into guys and then falls down.
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