Unverified Voracity Returns To Eeee Comment Count

Brian

Prepare the little girl screams. Tom broke OH OL Kyle Kalis's upcoming Michigan visit, then Kalis decommitted from Ohio State, and now guys who work for OSU's 247 affiliate (specifically Dave Biddle) are writing off not only Kalis but still-committed OH RB Bri'onte Dunn:

Source: OSU has "no chance" at Dunn or Kalis

Wow. This coming from the family member of an OSU player. These guys aren't just decommitting, they have written off going to OSU. Remember, there are current and former OSU players who went to the same high school as Kalis and Dunn respectively. Word going around at both St. Eds and GlenOak are that the Buckeyes have "no chance" at landing either of them.

What a complete 180 for Kalis. I'm not surprised in the least about Dunn. When I interviewed him two months ago and he said he was "opening things back up" that told me he was basically decommitting. But Kalis was Mr. Buckeye talking about how much he loved OSU and that he was going to recruit like crazy to get other top prospects to join him in Columbus. He reminded me of Brewster and Justin Zwick in that respect.

"Wow" doesn't quite cover it unless it's the sort of wow that goes along with a fondness for hot dogs. Flipping Dunn and Kalis would see Michigan graduate from drinking MSU's milkshake to drinking OSU's. It's gotten so bad for the Buckeyes that the Spartans are drinking OSU's milkshake, nabbing Se'Von Pittman. If Aldophus Washington commits to Purdue next week put the entire state of Ohio on suicide watch.

What are Michigan's chances of flipping the decommit(-ish) duo? Well, Kalis's visit in particular seems to coincide with last weekend's OL visit madness—if he is going to jump ship he's got to do it quickly and it appears Michigan is pretty much his list outside of OSU, about whom see above. Dunn is wobblier since he hasn't actually committed yet and Penn State is a factor, but if the above is reliable Michigan would have to be the favorites.

Later Biddle says Brady Hoke is "negatively recruiting the hell out of OSU," which causes the requisite amount of swooning from the daintier folks in the thread. Specifically:

He's telling these guys that OSU will get hit harder than USC and they "shouldn't fall for the same (stuff) Lane Kiffen sold all those SC recruits."

Heavens to Betsy.

NFL not so much. The National Football Post has a really interesting, extensive piece in which Michigan's seniors are evaluated for NFL potential. No one other than Mike Martin rates highly, but some of that is because of Michigan's zone system. David Molk:

A shorter, compact lineman who looks nearly maxed out physically, despite weighing 288-pounds. Looks a little tight hipped trying to sit into his stance, but has a quick first step and snaps and steps very quickly. Creates leverage for himself consistently, extends his arms and can easily reach and seal on the plays off his frame. Displays a compact, sturdy punch and can stun defenders at the point. Looks really natural when asked to quickly reach block on runs to the perimeter, as he’s coordinated getting his feet around and can seal the edge routinely. Displays natural range/balance getting into blocks at the second level as well. Breakdowns well showcases the ability to routinely seal on contact.

This is three years of UFR on Molk in one paragraph. Molk is praised as a "perfect fit" for Michigan's run-first spread offense but only a potential starter in a zone scheme. If he's big enough he could end up one of those guys who gets drafted in the seventh round and plays for a long time for a good team whilst remaining totally anonymous.

Whole piece is worth a read; it's really interesting to see a professional break down Michigan players after you've formed your own opinions of them. Nothing seems particularly off base.

Hybrid until you die. I've tried to make the case that the 4-3 under is halfway between a conventional 4-3 and 3-4. My basis for the assertion usually revolves around the idea the strongside defensive end and three-tech defensive tackle are more alike than the three-tech and the nose tackle or the SDE and the weakside end. Here's a bit more ammo for that POV from an interview on Touch The Banner with Matt Godin:

"We have the main position which I'm going to play, which is the 5-technique. I guess you'd consider it more D-tackle, but I'll also play outside...I'm only going to have one guy blocking me. It's more of an outside position, actually, but I'm going to be run stopping a lot, too."

The confusion in that statement is considerable, but when he says "outside" he probably means he's going to get a look at WDE. I'm guessing that look will be brief since he's already 270 and with Roh/Beyer/Black/Ojemudia/Brown hanging out at that spot he's probably not going to bring as much pass rush as the winner of that derby.

So when you're looking at the recruiting class you can roughly bin the three-tech DTs with the SDEs; many of those guys will flip from one to the other like Ryan Van Bergen and Brandon Graham before them. If Michigan's two committed SDEs, Godin and Tom Strobel, are really 6'6" each they're a bit taller than you'd like at the three tech, which should leave a spot open for a Danny O'Brien who's more of a fit there, but rumor has it that's not the case. Like everyone else on the internet I'd much rather have a DT than a fullback or a sixth OL, but the internet does not call the shots.

This institution is mad under control, yo. The 65-page Notice of Allegations lodged against UNC yesterday contains many, many allegations headlined by one of their assistant coaches acting as a runner for an NFL agent. It does not allege the dreaded lack of institutional control, which should have Trojan fans running to Los Angeles Torch & Pitchfork.

Stewart Mandel notes this and suggests Butch Davis could keep his job as a result:

Blake's nefarious role in all this (which includes his own unethical conduct charge for withholding information from investigators) is the biggest source of mystery as to how his boss, Davis, managed to avoid the NCAA's wrath. In a document outlining its Principles of Institutional Control, one of the acts the Committee cites as "likely to demonstrate lack of institutional control" is if "A head coach ... fails to monitor the activities of assistant coaches regarding compliance." But it then follows that up with: " ... the head coach cannot be charged with the secretive activities of an assistant bent on violating NCAA rules." Apparently the school did a bang-up job portraying Blake as just such a character, absolving Davis and the school for failing to uncover his secret employer.

Because of that, North Carolina may have staved off the most severe imaginable penalties, but you have to imagine they're still going to be pretty rough. Maybe it's a one-year postseason ban instead of two. Maybe it's 10 docked scholarships instead of 20. Either way, three years' worth of wins are about to be vacated.

The biggest question: Will Davis keep his job? That one will be entirely up to the school.

I'm baffled. I'm not sure how you can possibly suggest anything was under control at UNC. I'm also in favor of removing that bit on not charging the head coach for secretive activities of his assistants. Here the canard about how you can't follow 100 college-age kids around is even more ridiculous: Butch Davis has nine assistant coaches. He should be expected to know whether one of them is working for Gary Wichard.

Mandel's just speculating when he says the UNC case will cause a smaller ripple than those of OSU and USC. I think he's likely to be wrong about OSU if only because we've already got a meaty notice of allegations in the UNC case and until that document hits for OSU we've got no idea what the NCAA will decide is impermissible in Columbus. But if he's right it's going to be a blow to this whole We're Serious Now, You Guys, Seriously campaign Mark Emmert is running. The document the NCAA produced on UNC should be enough for a firebombing.

Meanwhile, Oregon has managed to dig up some more stuff they got from Will Lyles: four spreadsheets with erratically reliable information about 2012 and 2013 recruits sent in February and March of this year, more than ten months after Oregon wrote him a check. The NCAA can't possibly buy what Oregon's selling, can they?

The next year is when the NCAA decides whether implausible deniability is a proper defense. Here's hoping the answer is

batmanbitchslap

Reverse Righthaven. Rivals' Tom Dienhart sat down with Rich Rodriguez for an interview. It's the same boilerplate you'd find in any interview with a guy who'd like a head coaching job in the near future save for this small bit on Pryor:

Are you surprised by what is going on at Ohio State?

"I know some of it because we were close to the situation when I was at Michigan and part of the rivalry, the recruitment of Terrelle Pryor and all of that."

Ok, then.

It's about 1500 words. The Detroit News took 750 of them as an "excerpt" for an article in the paper without so much as linking the original piece or writing anything around it. The News just up and took half of a published article and republished it. The only explanation is there's some sort of content sharing agreement, but since Scout's Sam Webb writes for the news and Rivals' Josh Helmholdt for the Free Press, that doesn't seem likely. The News is so internet hood, yo.

The best part is that when I C&Ped the News article into Live Writer to get a word count it automatically inserted a "read more" link to the News. False.

Request. MVictors has a request, and a reward:

I summarized my take on the mascot situation in one tweet: The Michigan mascot in my head wears fierce armor made from pieces of the stadium halo, and the ’93 Final Four banner as a cape.  

Make that happen and I’ll sign on.  Someone sketch that out for me and I owe you a beer.

Etc.: Via Michigan Hockey Net, OSU hockey's schedule release says Michigan will visit Columbus for a series. Presumably this means the outdoor game is off.

Lonnie White got paid at USC back in the 80s. Also, The Daily (not that Daily) figured out this ASCII thing.

Grantland commissions Brian Phillips to write on Roger Federer, a great example of the site picking the cream of blogging-type people and not just the Klostermans of the world. Only problem is the obvious one when writing a footnote-laced article about Federer: you have giant posthumous looming competition.

Um. This happened. Why does Eastern have a football team again?

Comments

MilkSteak

June 22nd, 2011 at 6:27 PM ^

The Dunn news is great! I know his dad is saying he's still firm to OSU, but I have a good feeling about him following the other Ohio kids here. What a stable of running backs and lineman we would have if Dunn and Kalis both flipped. 

Does anyone have a timetable for either of their decisions?

TrppWlbrnID

June 22nd, 2011 at 6:45 PM ^

BH doesn't negatively recruit, he just POINTS out the facts. And those facts are mostly that there is a lot of uncertainty in Columbus and there is a lot of opportunity in Ann arbor.

M-Wolverine

June 22nd, 2011 at 8:02 PM ^

He just blanket throws every coach who's gotten a recruit from OSU under the bus. Like he's ever been privy to anything any coach says. Like was said, no negative recruiting is necessary...the kids aren't stupid, they can see what's going down. I get the feeling they've forgotten down there when a lot of the best and brightest used to leave Ohio.  As Bo would say "only the good ones". EVERY player hasn't always been OSU's birthright.  Until cars came with the deal. 

The funny thing is, from everything I've heard, Hoke doesn't even talk that much football when recruiting. Sure they get into positions and fit and all that, but a lot more of it is education, Michigan, the future, family atmosphere (loaded, I know).  The football is almost an afterthought. So other programs is WAY down the list.  Biddle's flailing, and full of crap.

rockydude

June 22nd, 2011 at 9:28 PM ^

Given that Biddle has never been, and never will be, with Brady Hoke as he recruited a player, it would certainly seem that his insights into Coach Hoke's recruiting are speculative at best, libel at worst. He might want to consider saving his semi-literate sobs for the folks over at 11 Worriers rather than 247 . . . . 

BRCE

June 22nd, 2011 at 10:28 PM ^

No that is negative recruiting. And there is nothing wrong with it. Part of the game, not against the rules, and proven to be effective; do it or be left behind.

It is not a "FACT" that OSU is going to be hit harder than USC. So if he says that - and I have zero problem with it if he does - that is negative recruiting. So what?

We've probably lost plenty of recruits through negative recruiting the past few years so if this evens the score it's a great thing.

 

Feat of Clay

June 23rd, 2011 at 2:31 PM ^

The convenient thing about accusing Hoke of negative recruiting is that it continues to be Hoke's fault no matter what non-OSU school the kid picks.   Even if a kid doesn't come to U-M, it's still U-M's fault for souring him on OSU.  In Ohio, it's always better when you can pin your problems on Michigan.

MHNet

June 22nd, 2011 at 6:48 PM ^

Under the photo at the OSU link is tiny texted "PDF Schedule."  In the PDF the Jan. 14 game is listed as "TBD" for location, so I'm assuming they're still in negotiations for the outdoor game.  Hopefully the Buckeyes don't screw this up.

D.C. Dave

June 22nd, 2011 at 7:16 PM ^

You're right. Definitely worth a read. The evaluation of Michigan's prospects will seem spot-on to anyone who has watched the team. A phrase the writer used a few times is to note players who don't stand out as "dynamic" in any part of their game (Shaw, Van Bergen).

But at least these guys have another season to develop. I can see Martin improving this year, and Koger, too. Martin is one of those guys who will make it into the D-line rotation with an NFL team, he's just so relentless. It was interesting to note the number of flaws the writer saw in Martin on the film.

Molk (6-2, 288) should set his goal as becoming the next Jeff Saturday (6-2, 295). He can definitely find a place in the league if he gets on the right team. With Mike Shaw, it is what it is. He's just not all that strong, especially in the lower body, and it's hard to imagine him making an NFL team when he isn't shifty enough to escape tacklers in college and not strong enough to run through them.

Hopefully, the stock on our guys goes up with a strong 2011 season.

 

 

 

Bighousemike84

June 22nd, 2011 at 9:26 PM ^

is that Batman screenshot something that Cook posted from memory or just a google image search that fit the bill? I would be interested to know cause wow, thats obscure.

Magnus

June 22nd, 2011 at 9:47 PM ^

The thing with the 4-3 Under is that, essentially, if the SAM isn't blitzing, the 5-tech has to "set the edge."  He can't let things get outside of him.  

That's why I think Godin had a hard time putting into words what his role will be.  Sometimes he will essentially be a DT trying to get a push up the field.  At other times, when the SAM drops into coverage or bumps back into an Over look, Godin will have a DE's duties.

I don't think he's going to get a look at the WDE position.  He's too big and stiff to be a weakside rusher, and he would be a liability if he had to drop back into coverage.

Jon Benke

June 22nd, 2011 at 11:09 PM ^

Someone actually said this...

I think the fact these guys are jumping off shows what kind of character they have. 'When the going gets tough....leave'.

...so, ugh, what does that make Justin Boren?

I know, I know .. some hate when Boren is mentioned, but..

fire lloyd carr

June 23rd, 2011 at 8:28 AM ^

The buck recruits haven't actually played for Tsio and transferred to U-M. I have to admit that I am enjoying all of the drama.
<br>
<br>Anyone know when we will be receiving anymore hannukah, Christmas or kwanza presents from SI, NCAA or any other entity?

DustomaticGXC

June 23rd, 2011 at 12:15 AM ^

When you have no sense of accountability, nothing is ever your fault.  There is always somebody else to blame, whether it be the coach you don't like, the media, or the kid himself.

Maizedout1982

June 23rd, 2011 at 3:28 AM ^

Ole woodson doesn't believe that Hoke is negatively recruiting OSU. I know for a FACT that hoke is. I am glad that you are reporting the same thing. maybe he will wise up and realize that the new fat Michigan coach is a complete jerk.

 

How does he know this? Is he affraid of Coach Hoke? 

 

 

these guys have no character whatsoever. they are all big osu guys and at the first sign of adversity they jump ship!! anyone want these guys on their team??

dunn is afraid of smith, ball etc and competition and kalis is like a school girl who can't make up her mind. stroebel too. how are you some big osu guy and then jump ship to scum of all schools. these guys don't even know what any sanctions will be and if most of the sanctions take place just this yr, it doesn't effect them at all.

don't worry though, one class won't make a difference. the roster as it sits right now for us and scum is night and day.

 

Gotta love how they call us Scum when they are picking on kids who are 17 and i would love to see any of them say this to their faces. 

 

My feeling is this Dave. I have NO issue with these kids looking elsewhere with the current stuff that is going on at OSU. HOWEVER, there is absolutely NO EXCUSE for looking at or committing to scUM. Dunn and Kalis should have their scholarships pulled the minute they step foot in Ann Arbor IMHO

 

Gotta love that one. They would gladly welcome them back on campus and they all know it. 

 

Kalis has been a flake from day one. I'm surprised you guys (media) fell for his claims to be a leader in the class of 2012! (You guys and Kalis were the only ones to believe the hype). Think about it - on the phone with Fickell for an hour on Memorial Day just to be talked off the ledge. Then he turns around and states that HE expects the 2012 commits to show solidarity at Saturday's Senior Camp. What a blowhard! He could have handled this completely different manner. He could have made visits without de-commiting. I would understand any of the 2012s doing that under the circumstances. Signing day is 7 months out. Things will clear by then and kids will be in a better position to make a decision. The fact is he was looking for an out. Five stars or not, we don't need kids like that. Just ask the 2011s about Ejuan Price. Good riddance - fake Buckeye 2.0.

 

No way i could live in that state...ever

Sorry for looking at their boards, but as you can see their fanbase is one of the worst .

 

GO BLUE!!

UM Fan NY

June 23rd, 2011 at 6:41 AM ^

why we will only take one DT in this class?? i can't imagine hoke would pass up an opportunity to take both pipkins and o'brien. i say load up on all the quality OL and DL you can. take 3 more DL and 3 more OL. that leaves 4 spots i think. S (wilson) is def one and then either one RB and two WR (i might include thompson in this) or the opposite (a HB and FB with one WR).

pdgoblue25

June 23rd, 2011 at 10:01 AM ^

These kids are aware of how fast our recruiting class is filling up.  I can't help but worry that some of them may commit just to secure a spot, will continue to look around, and may eventually change their mind.  Am I the only one?

BigBlue62

June 23rd, 2011 at 11:44 AM ^

I don't think so.  I think the sooner they get in, meet other future teammates - most, if not all are a lock.  Especially this year with all the hype.  Besides, its MICHIGAN. Where else can they go that has 1. Better tradation, 2. Better facilities, 3. Better academics, and (especially this year) a chance to play early?

saveferris

June 23rd, 2011 at 12:56 PM ^

Did Hoke approach any of OSU's recruits and suggest their head coach was suffering from a debilitating and degenerative disease to try and deter them staying committed to Ohio State?  No?  Then Dave Biddle should shut the f*#k up about negative recruiting.