Tu Quoque, Dear Diary
On Wednesday morning, under pressure to do so in time to headline a Signing Day ceremony at his school, Cass Tech running back Mike Weber decided on Ohio State over Michigan by the slimmest of margins. On Thursday, Weber's position coach and lead recruiter for Ohio State left for the Chicago Bears. Weber:
He also removed all references to Ohio State from his profile.
Michigan fans jumped on this because it's in our interest that every recruit and coach of a recruit and parent of a recruit believe Urban Meyer a slimy salesman (he's not). Ohio State fans jumped to defend it by characterizing Drayton's departure as a surprise to everyone including Drayton, and equating it with signing a junior transfer quarterback after Gentry's LOI was in.
When Ohio State does something shady (or not shady but treated as such in the weird morality of college sports), Ohio State fans will be the first to tell you that everybody does it. They're right to a degree, but the degree is the difference between how much heat the Earth radiates into space, and the Sun. Regardless of whether Urban knew Stan Drayton was leaving beforehand, or if Drayton knew he'd get the job until then, what's clear is they didn't let Weber know the coach he was committing to was likely to walk away as soon as they had his signature on the dotted line.
Purposely fraudulent or unbelievably unfortunate timing, the real lesson here is that coaches are free to make the best decision for themselves, and players are manipulated into signing away that liberty.
And for nothing. Signing Day, really, is only the first day of a period that stretches through April that schools may receive official commitments, in the form of a "Letter of Intent." That letter is merely a non-compete agreement in which the school the player signs with provides nothing in return. The scholarship offer is a completely separate deal.
Since Weber already sent in his LOI, his choices are to stay at Ohio State, wait a year for the LOI to expire then transfer and wait another year, or ask Ohio State to release him, in which case he still has to wait out a year under NCAA transfer rules CORRECTION: would be free to choose any school. Ohio State can hold him to the LOI, or release him only to schools they choose. They can also rip away his scholarship for just about any reason.
The recruits are finally starting to get wise. Roquan Smith is still unlikely to end up at "Michigan University," but he was moments from sending in his LOI when news (that reporters meant to embargo until after Signing Day) broke that his coaches might not be there. Because he waited, he can now take another week to consider his options.
A Florida commit's father yesterday explained why his son is holding off too, tweeting "…Florida making too many coaching changes this is not a game it's my son's life." He followed up in response to angry idiot-who-tweet-at-recruits fans with the central moral question:
It's not, except in the warped morality of the NCAA and its apologists who think "amateurism" means players shouldn't be entitled to the same rights as every other citizen.
Signing Day is a total boondoggle. Recruits who have any sort of leverage should never sign a LOI, and should never feel pressured to commit on Signing Day. They should ask to sign a financial aid agreement only.
Meanwhile the NCAA should look at allowing players to transfer and play immediately if their head coach or primary recruiter leaves the school. It would prevent players from getting bait and switched, give coaches more job security, and ultimately plateau coaching salaries as schools come to value longevity instead of flashiness in their hiring of them.
How Karan Came. Michigan did get a highly rated running back in the class. Brian already linked to it in yesterday's recruiting post but if you missed it, Karan Higdon's coach is a MUST READ for anyone interested in how this process plays out:
I immediately called the Michigan football office and spoke with a secretary. I told her that there was a running back in Sarasota that may be worth a late look and she advised me to send and email with his profile. I sent his recruit profile and his HUDL highlights. I was contacted almost immediately afterwards and spoke with Chris Singletary. The first thing he asked was what type of kid is Karan and what his grades were.
Meta: Cumong! Brian's eye dialect for "come on!" has an origin. That diary is way more investigative and thorough than you thought it was when you saw it floating on the sidebar all week.
It also got me thinking about just how old this site is, and some of the other characters from Brian's section to be immortalized in these pages. Like "UNACCEPTABLE!" guy. And the narratively adorable moppet from the first great MGoBlog game column. That kid is probably in an English lecture right now. Which reminds me: happy 10th birthday, MGoBlog, belatedly (it was December 4).
Softball is Fun and Has a Woodson.
Sierra's gloves are purely hypothetical by now. Photo: The Californian
Softball has been initialized. This year's team will have to overcome the graduation of a great class, but returns shortstop Sierra Romero and three candidates for best pitcher in the nation. South Bend Wolverine has your full preview, to which I'd like to add my take.
A great pitcher pretty much owns in softball, and Michigan is filthy rich in them. The lefty/righty combo of Haylie Wagner and Sara Driesenga could easily be the best duo in the country if both seniors regain their forms after somewhat disappointing (for them) 2014s. Sophomore Megan Betsa is due for a season on par with the best of the Wagner/Driesenga era. They also added the top pitching prospect in the nation in Tera Blanco out of California. Like Driesenga, Blanco is as dangerous at the plate as on the mound.
And there's Romero. As a sophomore, Sierra was one of three finalists for softball's version of the Heisman. Most of that is her Cabreraian bat, which is already bopping out national records. My favorite of those: Career Grand Slams—the NCAA record is nine; half-way through her Michigan career Romero already has seven (tied for third all time with 2005-'08 Wolverine Samantha Findlay).
Last year Sierra also finished tied for seventh all time for walks in a season with 67, 20 of which were intentional (the most you get is about 250 plate appearances so that's quite a lot of walking). Since Michigan graduated her protection and two top-of-the-order bats, we could end up seeing that number skyrocket if Coach Hutch doesn't find some hitters to fill the bases ahead of Romero and clear 'em behind her. If she does, this is a national championship team.
A Special Hell for Terrible Michigan Coaches
There is a place where they man-block with Patrick Omameh, run Denard Robinson under center, and never use counters. In this place they run a 3-3-5 defense that only ever rushes three and tells its middle linebacker to line up a foot in front of the guard whose job it is to put the middle linebacker in that spot. When they punt, and they punt quite often, they only use two gunners, because that's what NFL rules say.
No, this place isn't some nightmare mashup of the worst parts of the last six years of Michigan. It is called San Jose State.
- Offensive coordinator: Al Borges
- Defensive coordinator: Greg Robinson
- Special Teams coordinator: Dan Ferrigno
I know I shouldn't watch. But I have to.
Etc. The first quadralingual med student to play for Michigan. We're gonna press.
Your Moment of Zen:
February 6th, 2015 at 11:26 AM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
February 6th, 2015 at 11:41 AM ^
I don't know if Drayton told Urban he had a foot out the door, or what Urban might have done in that situation. We love to demonize him because he's Ohio State's coach and that position entails trying to screw Michigan, but I find it as hard to believe Urban would okay an obvious bait-n-switch toward that regard as I do to believe Drayton didn't know on Wednesday there was a good chance he'd be taking another job.
I think Urban is on the slimy end of recruiting, and that he internally justifies this by a real belief that other coaches are being just as slimy and that the players are truly better off playing for him. But it's a big leap to go from "slimy for a college football coach" to "a slimy salesman," who doesn't think past closing the deal.
February 6th, 2015 at 12:03 PM ^
You're willing to accept one obvious point -- that Drayton already knew he was about to take another job -- but not another, equally obvious point -- that Meyer knows when one of his assistants is considering or about to take another job? Care to explain?
February 6th, 2015 at 12:24 PM ^
He could have done a scummy thing. I think a Michigan fan saying "this makes him scum hey everybody look how much he's scum" better have more than that to back him up.
Been chatting w/ the good OSU bloggers--the ones who'll at least consider the possibility that Tressel wasn't God and Urban isn't the best guy at things other than football coaching--and they seem to think Drayton tolk Urban he wasn't going to get the job. Everybody's waiting for information. Meyer met with a bunch of Ohio coaches today and said he and Drayton talked to Weber for 30 minutes, then only gave a "we have to move on" comment, which can mean all sorts of things but sounds to me like Weber hasn't and Urban intends to make him do so anyway.
February 6th, 2015 at 12:49 PM ^
There are apparently some sane osu folk (although I've never really met one) and their input is valuable (or at least interesting beyond just anthropology).
February 6th, 2015 at 2:07 PM ^
Just an occasional poster. I would very much like to see Urban apologize to the young man, tell him we still really want him, we do, but if you feel you don't want to be here we won't sto you from leaving.
I have both told emplyers I was leabving when I was staring to look for a job and other times have not. It was situational. One time I was forced to because of security clearance requirements.
February 6th, 2015 at 12:40 PM ^
I didn't write this post to call Urban a slimeball, and if I started trying to prove that it's all anybody outside our little world of Michigan fans might see.
I wrote this post to say that LOIs and Signing Day create a situation where college programs can screw over players, and that's wrong, and the players and the NCAA whose job is to protect them* can do something about it.
*Ha! True, but ha nonetheless.
February 6th, 2015 at 1:09 PM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
February 6th, 2015 at 12:17 PM ^
That said, "(he's not)" suggests a conclusion that Urban is, in fact, not a slimy salesman, and I think that goes too far. While there is an inferential leap between what we know about his methods and that conclusion, there certainly is no basis to conclude that those who believe him to be that slimy necessarily are wrong. If anything, each recruiting season leaves me more mystified about why recruits keep choosing that school. (Sadly, each football season lately has reminded me why they do.)
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
February 6th, 2015 at 12:29 PM ^
And reports about an OSU beat writer sitting on the info for a while? The entire Bears staff was complete weeks ago except for RB coach. It takes a huge leap of faith to say Meyer didnt know, one his reputation doesnt deserve. The difference between Urban Meyer and Bobby Petrino is Urban Meyer has national championships. The guy is a snake and got too wreckless on this one.
February 6th, 2015 at 5:38 PM ^
"Michigan fans jumped on this because it's in our interest that every recruit and coach of a recruit and parent of a recruit believe Urban Meyer a slimy salesman (he's not)."
Might I suggest in the future that if you'd like to control a possible digression, please avoid painting all your fellow fans with the same disrespectful brush. Obviously we have a conflict of interest so I'm sure someone said something stupid, but this is the Internet. Someone is always saying something stupid and it's surprising that MGoBlog would play that card -- against its own, no less. Backing a rival's coach with an equally unsubstantiated, absolute assertion was adding insult to injury.
Next time just say, "Whatever you think of Meyer, keep it to yourself for now because there's no evidence at this time of what he knew and it's not helpful to speculate." More verbose, but gets the point across without being judge, jury and executioner of your fellow fanbase.
February 6th, 2015 at 12:19 PM ^
February 6th, 2015 at 11:29 AM ^
People can talk all they want about players committing to the school and not the coach. If a coach is recruiting a guy hard, then leaves for a new job immediately after signing day and never mentions this fact to the recruit -- that's flat-out dishonest.
It's really a shame that after Webber made probably the toughest decision of his life, he ends up feeling like he was played for a chump. Drayton didn't apply for that Bears job on Wed. night.
I'd feel the same way if Michigan did this to someone. Hopefully, players will learn to fight back against this wretched system.
February 6th, 2015 at 11:39 AM ^
A player "should" commit to a school but when a coach is convincing him the coach in many ways is the school at those moments. The coach leaves and what the kid thought was the school suddenly looks different. Is a shame, many of these kids look to their coaches as mentors and role models so when they leave like that it's a form of abandonment to them.
February 6th, 2015 at 12:00 PM ^
when a recruit commit to a school. They commit to the coaches especially position coaches who have recruited them. Relationship is a big factor in recruiting whether you like it or not.
February 6th, 2015 at 12:01 PM ^
I think it's dirty too. At the same time, it's very naive to believe that a position coach will be there for any length of time. If Drayton truly didn't know whether he would leave for the Bears until one week after signign day, then would you view this any differently? For instance, I wouldn't discuss my interviews with potential employers with anyone other than my wife.
My real issue is whether there are any transfer restrictions for kids that do want to leave a program and are willing to wait a year. I would hope Harbaugh wouldn't place restrictions on any such transfers even if the kids wanted to go to OSU or MSU.
In sum, I hate OSU like the rest and would never want UM to be like OSU (despite the on the field success). However, I think fans are making more of this simply because it involves a recruit who we had hoped would join our favorite team's class.
February 6th, 2015 at 12:01 PM ^
I think it's dirty too. At the same time, it's very naive to believe that a position coach will be there for any length of time. If Drayton truly didn't know whether he would leave for the Bears until one week after signign day, then would you view this any differently? For instance, I wouldn't discuss my interviews with potential employers with anyone other than my wife.
My real issue is whether there are any transfer restrictions for kids that do want to leave a program and are willing to wait a year. I would hope Harbaugh wouldn't place restrictions on any such transfers even if the kids wanted to go to OSU or MSU.
In sum, I hate OSU like the rest and would never want UM to be like OSU (despite the on the field success). However, I think fans are making more of this simply because it involves a recruit who we had hoped would join our favorite team's class.
February 6th, 2015 at 11:43 AM ^
Is Hoke interviewing Harbaugh? What is it with previous Michigan coaches interviewing their successors like a month after the hire?
February 6th, 2015 at 1:49 PM ^
This one seemed a lot less awkward than the last. I think at the end of the day Hoke still loves Michigan and knows that Harbaugh is a better guy for the job.
February 6th, 2015 at 11:52 AM ^
Indeed. Perhaps those of us who criticize it should also consider whether we should follow/report it so obsessively. And I include myself in that.
As fans of course we are interested and passionate about who is joining "our" team and how it affects our future success. But maybe we don't have to be so obsessed with NSD.
February 6th, 2015 at 12:46 PM ^
OR I could use the increased interest provided by Signing Day to hammer the message to recruits and the NCAA that you don't have to send an LOI to play college football. We also ripped on Graham Couch mercilessly for calling out players who hold signing ceremonies.
Note that our coverage was a sponsored liveblog in which multiple writers were making this point, plus commit posts for guys who newly flipped. Nothing about MGoBlog's coverage of NSD reinforced the notion that players must send in LOIs.
February 6th, 2015 at 1:09 PM ^
As fans we (again, including me to a decent extent) spend so much effort following the details of recruits, commits, and NSD and I think we feed into the hype and drama that help make the announcement ceremonies and whatnot that is not in the best interest of student athletes.
I'm not naive to think that the genie is going back in to the bottle. Just that we should both call out the hypocrisy and also consider if we (the personal we, not the MGoBlog we) feed it.
February 6th, 2015 at 12:25 PM ^
Excellent write-up, Seth ... as always.
The recruits are finally starting to get wise.
and
Signing Day is a total boondoggle. Recruits who have any sort of leverage should never sign a LOI, and should never feel pressured to commit on Signing Day.
Agree, and it's one more log on the fire of my concern that we are witnessing the front-end of the eventual disintegration of college football as we know it. The playoff system is an accelerant for this.
College football is not going away. There's too much money in it for that to happen. But I believe it will very definitely split into a set of super-teams and a bunch of have-nots. Yes, that's already taking place ... it's going to pick up speed.
This is why the Harbaugh hire was so critical ... there's probably a five year window of time in which schools either commit to a strategy of competing in the super-team tier, or resign themselves to being in the next level down. By hiring Harbaugh, Michigan is signaling they are going for the former.
Ohio State is clearly in the super-team tier. Teams like Illinois and Purdue are going to slip back. Michigan State is doing well now, but the next five years are going to be very telling. The retirement of Dantonio will mark a transition where we'll see MSU's intent. We've seen one school drop football (UAB), we'll see more in the near future.
The top recruits will hold out as you say; teams undergoing coaching turmoil will fall further from favor in the eyes of recruits; the top teams will spend more and more to improve facilities and attract the best; those who can't keep up ... won't.
February 6th, 2015 at 11:58 AM ^
I think students being able to transfer without sitting out is acceptable. I am not sure why the NCAA has a year waiting period in between transfer for certain cases. Yet, I think it's important to remember (because many seem to have forgotten) that you are committing to a SCHOOL to get a free education and sports is the means in which it happens. Coaching changes happen all around the country all the time, so no student-athlete should be shocked when their coach changes positions. They probably will be disappointed but then again they did commit to the school that could give them the best education, right?
February 6th, 2015 at 12:06 PM ^
I think transfer restrictions on schools are ridiculous but waiting a year is reasonable to me. Otherwise, college football will become even more like professional football, and I can see Urban Meyer recruiting players from every rival team to join OSU (who basically consider every student athlete not on OSU's roster as a free agent).
To me, kids have some responsiblity themselves to pick the best school (not just coaches) for them, which is why I find it crazy that so many kids would pick crappy educational institutions over UM.
February 6th, 2015 at 12:08 PM ^
I think transfer restrictions on schools are ridiculous but waiting a year is reasonable to me. Otherwise, college football will become even more like professional football, and I can see Urban Meyer recruiting players from every rival team to join OSU (who basically consider every student athlete not on OSU's roster as a free agent).
To me, kids have some responsiblity themselves to pick the best school (not just coaches) for them, which is why I find it crazy that so many kids would pick crappy educational institutions over UM.
February 6th, 2015 at 12:00 PM ^
Weber's recruitment/commitment to OSU has everything to do with lies of omission vs. lies of commission, and how you feel about this situation probably determines which of those you think is wrong. Based on how things went down, I think it's safe to say we know where Drayton, Urban, and Ohio State at-large stand on this issue...
February 6th, 2015 at 12:10 PM ^
Does Harbaugh sound exhausted. I'm sure all the guys were burning the candle at all ends for this one. I appreciate the effort.
February 6th, 2015 at 12:10 PM ^
Signing Day is a total boondoggle. Recruits who have any sort of leverage should never sign a LOI, and should never feel pressured to commit on Signing Day. They should ask to sign a financial aid agreement only.But the thing is, a lot of recruits just want the process to end. Signing an LOI means the end of getting 200 texts and 50 phone calls a day from recruiters who won't take no for an answer. Signing a financial aid agreement doesn't. I think the NCAA should simply allow recruits to opt out of their LOI within, say, 60 days of signing - but as long as they're signed, other schools should not be allowed to contact them. So the recruit could choose if he wants to go through the process again or not, without being bound to anything during the coach-switching season.
February 6th, 2015 at 12:32 PM ^
Brian came up with an idea that I support 100%: Non-binding Letter of Intent. A player can sign one at any time before the signing period ends and at that point there are no restrictions on contact for his chosen school (who could really use that contact to help prepare him for college and guide his academic career to that end), and all other schools are cut out. If he wants to take an official elsewhere, he opts out.
It lets students who are seriously done opt out of the process, and prevents players from committing to one school to hold their spot while courting others.
You are right that the LOI's intended benefit to the player is to end the recruiting process. The thing is it should do that instead of lock a kid into a school, and there shouldn't be an arbitrary time restriction on it.
February 6th, 2015 at 12:20 PM ^
It may well be apocryphal, but...
A next door neighbor was just starting his career; but his employer wanted him to sign a non compete clause along with all the other paperwork he had to fill out as part of his employment. He felt that non competes were unfair. So, while filling everything out with a messy signature, he scrawled 'screw you' on the name line and handed the packet in. They filed the whole thing without really looking at it.
A year later, when he went to tell them he was leaving for a competitor who offered alot more money, they told him he couldn't due to the non-compete. He then asked them to read the document...
That was at least something between adults. This... drives me nuts. And I'm not 'OSU horrible' over this. Its more and more common. If my son is ever in this position I think I might tell him to wait 2-3 days after national signing day. Or maybe see if I can get an attorney to write up a contract ensuring my son's attendance if they meet certain requirements... (coach stays, etc.).
I don't know if it would work, but its worth the attempt.
February 6th, 2015 at 12:24 PM ^
There is no way Urban didn't know about Drayton's departure. Drayton must know that if he even wants to coach college football again that he needs to be open and honest with his head coaches--especially guys that the influence that Meyer does.
This was dirty, slimy, under-handed. And if U-M does it, I'll say the same thing.
I'm not going to give Meyer the blanket label of "slimy," but OSU played this kid, and they should rip-up the LOI if he asks them to.
February 6th, 2015 at 12:31 PM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
February 6th, 2015 at 12:29 PM ^
I'd feel for the kid, but since he has been a life-long UofM fan he should've known what he was getting into committing to Thee Scumbag State University. I get de-committing when Hoke was fired, many highly touted kids would, but going down there and being "hurt" when your position coach leaves is absurd. You made your bed, time to lay in it.
February 6th, 2015 at 12:41 PM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
February 6th, 2015 at 12:39 PM ^
February 6th, 2015 at 12:57 PM ^
First, I feel for this young man for as much as little as I know about the situation. You can say "commit to the school, not the coaches". Well, the coaches/team are part of the school, so these kids are commiting to both. Outside of that, I can only assume what happened.
However, I also don't agree with verbally commiting to a university/program and then going back on your word. Yes, a paper wasn't faxed in but verbally, a pledge was made. We seem to be pretty accepting when that happens though.
#GOBLUE
February 6th, 2015 at 2:06 PM ^
Just ignore.
February 6th, 2015 at 2:53 PM ^
he'll be eligible to play in 2015. The regular transfer rules don't apply to players that never attend a class. If they don't grant him a release, he has to forfeit a year of eligibility. The rules are more lenient and harsher at the same time.
February 6th, 2015 at 4:56 PM ^
Hoke talking Harbaugh about Michigan recruiting. Couldn't make it through
Plus CBS sticking Albuquerque in Arizona. Nice one
February 7th, 2015 at 1:28 AM ^
I like Sierra Romero, I like her a lot.
Comments