Kevin Newsome Abandons Ship
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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.
Newsome is 18 years old and is getting offers and adulation that would drop a 40-year-old to his knees. I don't see any reason to bash a kid for being honest about his intentions, nor do I think it's a character flaw if he has second doubts about a decision as important as this.
His father was honest and forthright in his comments. I mentioned this way back when, but his current coach does not like kids to decommit once they've made up their mind. I'm guessing, but I strongly believe that Newsome started to look around and Coach Prunty told him to let Michigan know ASAP.
If you're going to lose a commitment, this is the time to do it. What sucks is when it's National Signing Day-eve and you've already told ten other kids that you've got your QB of the future and then lose the guy.
I mentioned that I'm an NC State fan...back in 1993, we had our QB of the future. He was named Trot Nixon. Once Nixon committed, we stopped recruiting the #2 guy on our list, Mike Bobo. Whoops. Needless to say, about two years later...right around the time that Nixon would have been handed the starting job, we had a massive hole behind center and had to fill it with a redshirt freshman that we had actually recruited with the intent on making him a safety.
A couple of years ago, our QB of the future told us two days before national signing day that he was coming to Raleigh. We fed-exed him a jersey so that he could hold it up at his signing day presser. And then he proceeded to pick Tennessee. That was Brent Schaeffer and that actually worked out to our benefit, since he got thrown out of school, and then ended up in JUCO and then claimed he was coming here again only to pick Ole Miss. And yes, we have a big-ass hole at QB.
So...if you're going to lose a guy, lose him today. Right now.
I was watching you tube and I really like the throwing motion/mechanics of S. Beaver. Especially the way he sets his feet and gets some spring into it. He goes into a coil and then pops out. But even when he sets himself, he doesnt always throw, sometimes he will spring out of it and run.
Forcier never quits on a play. He's heady, he knows where to be and when to do moves to get open or deliver the ball. Equally impressive.
Yes Terelle will score points for tOSU. That's ok though because we will score points as well on tOSU. There are players on both sides of the ball for Michigan you can only hope to contain. There are games where a defensive coordinator will call the perfect game. He will take the star for the opposing team right out of the game. If the star is a QB he will bump and run the WO and shut down the running game and the QB scramble. With Pryor you want to limit his ability to connect. Make his pride come out and allow his pride to force things through his will. Because big time players who feel the need to make big time plays often make big time mistakes in crucial moments of the game. But there are games when a player like this can go 5-7 for 97 yards passing and 60 of those can come on a bomb in the 4th quarter to beat you. He's a good player, but it's the supporting cast that make a QB great. I hope for his sake he can handle class and injuries with class. They both happen in Big Ten Football. He will get nic'ed and dinged up.
god you people are weird
Sam McGuffie, just before Signing Day, had decided to reopen his recruitment and was leaning heavily toward going to Cal. It took perseverance and good recruiting to coax him back into the fold. RR could end up doing the same thing with Newsome.
What RR does NOT do is get huffy with the wavering kids and say "well then fuck you!"
Go Blue
I didn't mean to rip Newsome, I just said he was a selfish traitor!
http://www.wolverineliberationarmy.blogspot.com
"The Bad News Bears only exist in a movie."
tanner > eckstein.
kelley leak > barry bonds
Engleberg > weis
Harvard: The MICHIGAN of the East
Alternatively, Beaver has remained solid blue because he wants to play QB, TCU was our closest competitor for him at that spot, and his well-known favorite team (Texas) wanted him for a WR.
Listen people. Rocky is a fictional character. Rudy only played one damn down. Georgetown beat Princeton. The Bad News Bears only exist in a movie. Danny Glover is not flapping his arms on the Michigan sideline. True "underdog" success is rare. Not every low ranked player is just waiting for his moment to burst out and prove the world wrong. Good players win. You want good players. Good players make your team better.
Wolverine Liberation Army
Rudy was offsides!!!!!!!!!!
God Bless Your Cotton Pickin' Maize & Blue Hearts
imo
I want to win the right way dammit.
Grateful Blue,
What has Newsome EVER done to "remind you of Justin Boren" and that he "plays for himself"? Do you know him? Do you know Justin Boren for that matter? Making character assumptions about an 18-year old kid based on 3 or 4 quotes you read in a paper, then assasinating their character based on those assumptions is idiotic.
Newsflash: Every single highly-rated recruit that comes here does so because they haev NFL aspirations and, of their options, Michigan gives them the best opportunity to fufill those aspirations. All of them. Beaver isn't coming because he's a "Michigan Man" or "Love Michigan". He's from Texas. He's coming because he feels that it presents an opportunity to get to the NFL. Newsome clearly wasn't positive it was his best option - that's fine, that's his business.
But cut the shit where we tear a kid apart because...gasp!...he doesn't want to play for our favorite team.
http://www.wolverineliberationarmy.blogspot.com
chitownblue, take it easy. Read my post again. My intention was not to rip Newsome, just to point out that we should be giving more love to Shavodrick Beaver. That's why the title of my post wasn't hating on Newsome, but encouraging us to recognize that we've got a great commit lined up.
There is no possible way to take
From the beginning, he reminded me of Justin Boren, that is to say a
guy that plays for himself rather than for his school or his teammates
As anything other than a direct, personal, attack on Kevin Newsome.
Wolverine Liberation Army
You guys are right, I was too strong in my criticisms. It's Newsome's right to decommit, just as it was Boren's right to transfer. Both guys saw a better situation elsewhere and decided to back out. My intention was simply to point out that we haven't given Beaver much praise.
Alright, Newsome is gone and I for one am not that upset about it. From the beginning, he reminded me of Justin Boren, that is to say a guy that plays for himself rather than for his school or his teammates. Meanwhile, a quiet kid from Texas with a funny name has been absolutely unwavering in his desire to play for the maize and blue. Let's look at Shavodrick Beaver for a second: he watches Newsome commit in April, and sees the subsequent SI.com article and glamorous weight-room spread, and decides to commit five days later. This is a guy that obviously isn't afraid of a little competition. Even though we've all been gushing over Newsome for months, Shavodrick Beaver has been solid. Now that Newsome is gone we've immediately started talking about Forcier and Smith because their names are a few spots higher on the Rivals QB list. Well, from what I've seen so far, Beaver has already backed down Newsome, and I wouldn't bet against him winning the top QB spot next fall. So c'mon, let's hear it for the Beav! This guy is the type of player we want at Michigan.
"Kevin Newsome is not coming to Michigan."
did he drop us? did we drop him? signing day is 6 months away. the 1st WED in Feb, that's when we'll know if he's coming to M or not. IOW, snake oil bitches.
even the rational are irrational around here.
Harvard: The MICHIGAN of the East
With Newsome, Beaver, and Forcier, they all plan on enrolling early. Since Winter semester begins ungodly early, that means we would know probably in just 3-4 months.
Still, far too early to start cutting yourselves.
I'm pouring my thoughts out because I'm at work...RR is a liar.
I shouldn't have put it like that. I should have said "It sucks that he has decommitted" or "that he is no longer committed"...you get the idea. In fact, I would bet that Newsome is still considering Michigan. He said he rushed into a decision and is having second thoughts--fair enough. I doubt he will re-commit if Forcier commits though. I think it is important to keep in mind that he committed to Michigan after his visit because he liked something about the place (obviously), although re-commits are rare.
Pray for your kids, pray for your wife. I might take her, she kinda look a'ight.
We lost out on a recruit... Good god, the sky is falling!!!! Other coaches are saying bad things about our coach... What terrible people would do such unspeakable acts??? We all need to have a beer, watch some football this season, and try to relax (which may be a challenge with our QB and OL situations...).
One of us is fretting that RR can't recruit. Give the guy a break, he hasn't coached a single game yet. Its surprising that he has landed as many quality recruits as he has without anyone knowing what this team is going to look like.
Another one of us is talking jibberish about the player being above the system yada yada yada. We are talking about high school kids. They change their minds and one day one shiny object interestes them (Michigan scholarship) and the next day another shiny object catches their eye (staying close to home).
Who knows, maybe Newsome got a new girlfriend that is staying instate for school. Maybe a family member is sick and he wants to stay closer to home. Maybe he got sick of all of us nut jobs virtually stalking him. Who knows? He is one recruit, who I was hoping would end up in AA, but it didn't work out. One player, regardless of his potential, does not make a football team.
Go Blue!
there are plenty of 6'3'', 220 lbs QBs who run a 4.4 and will only get better and better out there
TP is a phenomenal athlete. A guy like him comes around just every so often. The solution to him going to OSU? Find a way to shut him down (and I certainly think that Scott Shafer is capable of doing so). I can't believe that people said that they would rather have Steven Threet (no offense to Mr. Threet). It's important to keep in mind that these kids are choosing a college like millions of other teenagers. I remember visiting Michigan and immediately knowing that it was where I wanted to spend the next 4 years of my life. I fell in love with it. (One win over top-ranked ESU and a Heisman trophy later, I can't say it was a bad decision.) If a recruit feels that way about a school he visits, even OSU, I have to respect that. (Fine, maybe not if it's OSU.)
It sucks that Kevin Newsome is not coming to Michigan. He could have tons of potential and he seems like he would be a great representative of the athletic program. I can't believe it. I mean, I thought he quashed the rumors, then this comes out of nowhere. Maybe wishful thinking on my part. But this doesn't mean that Beaver or Tate (if he commits) can't develop either.
Anyways, what's up with Devin Gardner? Is he supposed to be very good? (Yes, we are all guilty. I am no exception.)
Pray for your kids, pray for your wife. I might take her, she kinda look a'ight.
Michigan will sign a top dual threat QB talent in 2009 be it Beaver or not. All this hand wringing about a single high school kid makes me laugh.
Good Blue! Kill the Buckeyes! Celebrate on the O in 2008!
....Ryan Mallett was presented his diploma, he fumbled it.
Guststus Similis Pullus
Reporter: Coach is it possible that a freshman could start?
Rich Rodriguez: Yeah, more than possible.
I absolutely LOVE all this information on recruits/recruiting....but I will actuall WORRY about it/HAVE AN opinion on it....saaaay around SIGNING DAY?
"I believe this movie. A dude could jump off a mountain and not hurt himself, 'cause he did brace himself, and knew something about the levels of gravitivity and polarity."
Just logged on....only to be confronted with this bad news. Tate's lucky stars are completely lined up for him to step forward and to commit!
Is it me or does anyone else think that New-New will do a flip-flop?
Maize & Blue...nothing better!
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.
I still can't believe people still delude themselves into thinking that we're better off without Pryor; that kid is a phenomenal athlete and will be quite the challenge for us the next several years. Newsome's loss stings but if we land Forcier, we will be fine with him and Beaver.
I don't think we need to delude ourselves to think we're better off w/o Pryor. I personally never thought he was that great and think Beaver, Newsome, and Tate are better talents. Yes he had the measurables and we could've used him this year, but he played against crappy talent (not always a precursor to a bust, but still) and couldn't throw for shit. I want my QB to throw for shit, thank you very much. Plus he speaks like a freakin moron.
tOSU had better OL recruits, was closer to Terelle's home and having a Coach everyone loves to hate in "Coach Tress", that was about it to offer. Meanwhile Michigan offered Terelle the Big House. Michigan laid out for him and offered him everything. He passed. tOSU was the safest bet with less entropy. Established coach, proven winner, good recruiting, will be worked into the system slowly to ensure MONSTER stats and NFL gagillions. Michigan said," Be the archetypical hero and legend of whole new realm of Michigan Football." To me that is the ultimate window of definition. Those two realms. Even if I was not a fan of Michigan I'd want to go blue because you want to be there for those moments. To build something. He chose to go with something already built. Was it his dad? Charlie Batch? A new Corvette? D. all of the above. Who knows? He did or chose with a business mentality and save playing the hero for when some losing team drafts him for a gagillion. Not my type of player. Not my type of Wolverine. Is he good? Hell yeah dude. But we got some kids that are real deal hell raisers as well. We'll get ours dude. If you are a gamer, a baller or whatever you call it. You CRAVE to be where Michigan Football is at now. We got gamers on this squad. True tough kids who love football. That's why I can live with a walk on coaches son as a starter. It's symbolic. Michigan is in a position to rock the powers of College Football this year with a team that no one believes in.
As per Bo's philosophy, whomever doesn't want to be on the team can leave, but those who stay will be champions. I believe that philosophy is still firmly in place with RR's regime. The practices are getting tougher, the system is different, we're not attracting all the top-level guys but those who buy in will be champions. If Newsome doesn't want to be here, he wasn't fit for the system anyway. Michigan has a longstanding tradition of not whoring itself out to the big-namers, but rather attracting that hard working, high achieving type with reputation and tradition. Terrelle Pryor has undoubtedly already faced some questionable ethics with the car thing, so IMO he went to where that kind of thing is commonplace and he'll be protected. I agree with Ellipses Man, not my type of player. If indeed Tate Forcier commits, then we know that we have a true Michigan man at the helm who wants to be here.
As per this whole freaking out about Newsome thing... C'mon people! The #4 rated dual threat in the country left, and now we're in position to scoop up the #5 or the #6 with the #8 already locked down? I think we're going to be OK, Michigan faithful. Just be patient.
The Eckstein is strong in this one
Wolverine Liberation Army
I just reread all of my posts since the start of Womans Gymnastics & watching Bela Karolyi's talks/commentary on NBC. And I realized that my inner monologue when writing or speaking is now comepletely Karolyian. I would like to hear Karolyi say the name Shavodrick Beaver.
Whats up Joshua, and Feelin Blue.
I had an old boss that used to tell me that one monkey don't stop no show. I would pull the offer and go after Tate.