Wednesday Recruitin' Welcomes Matt Goudis Comment Count

Tim

Remember, all-time updates can be found on the 2011 Michigan Football Recruiting Board. If you have any recruiting tips or questions, you can e-mail them to me at [email protected] or tweet @varsityblue. For game updates on Wolverine commits, check out the Friday Night Lights series.

Matt Goudis Goes Blue

For the fourth week in a row, I don't have to think of a creative title for Wednesday Recruitin' as Michigan has once again picked up a commitment. This time, it's CA K Matt Goudis. Local commitment article. Matt was also named All-League as a senior. For more info on Goudis, check out the Hello: Matt Goudis post.

Happy Trails, Anthony Zettel

Though many Michigan fans (myself included) had long expected him to end up in the Wolverines' class of 2011, it was not to be as he selected Penn State last night.

Don't be so quick to criticize David Brandon and Rich Rodriguez's job security in this one, though. If Zettel's concerns were about Michigan's coaching situation, he probably wouldn't have picked one of the few schools in America with a cloudier coaching situation than Michigan's.

Assume The Position: Tight End

Michigan's coaches are set on landing a tight end in this class, and the options are dwindling.

NJ TE Jack Tabb will announce a final decision shortly after the New Year. He and his mom both enjoyed their visit to Ann Arbor, and Michigan seems to be one of the top couple choices. He is a Kevin Koger-like TE.

The Wolverines have offered TX TE Andrew Peterson, who's seeing college interest increase after releasing his impressive highlight reel:

Peterson looks massive on the highlight tape, and capable of both blocking and catching - with surprising elusiveness after the catch. He'd be perfect for the Martell Webb role or the Kevin Koger role in Michigan's offense.

OH TE Frank Clark will take all five officials before coming to a decision. His trip to Ann Arbor will be for the January 7th weekend.

Michigan has a couple other potential options at the position, such as NJ TE Tanner McEvoy, so we'll have to wait and see what unfolds with their top choices.

Etc.

Tom's weekly update was a handy rundown of decision and visit timelines for some of Michigan's top remaining prospects.

The Dee Hart decommitment watch rolls on.

SC WR Hakeem Flowers will not visit Michigan State or NC State, so it sounds like his final three is Michigan, Oregon, and UCLA. He's been selected to the USA v. the World All-star game.

CA WR Devin Lucien will announce in January ($, info in header).

FL Slot WR Prince Holloway will commit to Michigan on his official visit, if he can. Grades are likely the #1 holdup with him.

Rivals video fluff on NC WR/LB Kris Frost. Also he likes snacks, and was named his area's Defensive Player of the Year.

FL OL James Elliott has made no secret of the fact that he loves Michigan, but he insist's that doesn't mean he's bound to commit to Michigan ($, info in header). Well, yeah, because committing to Michigan requires a commitable offer. Should IL OL Chris Bryant pick Michigan as expected, that means no offer for Elliott.

Michigan is still "in the mix" for MD DT Darian Cooper ($, info in header). Michigan's coaching situation will affect his final decision.

PA DE Deion Barnes earned Philly Defensive Player of the Year honors, and has narrowed his choices to Penn State, Pitt, Michigan, and Georgia.

MI CB Raymon Taylor calls his Michigan offer a "dream" and "a blessing," ($, info in headers) and will visit ann Arbor for the January 7th weekend.

Sam Webb of WTKA and GBW thinks Michigan is in good position for a few receiving targets.

2012

OH OL Taylor Decker has visited Michigan, but his current top three is Ohio State, Cincinnati, and Notre Dame.

MI DE Matt Godin is paying attention to Michigan ($, info in header).

DC CB Kenny Crawley holds an offer from Michigan, along with Virginia Tech, Penn State, and a couple other schools (HT: Big House Blog).

Coming Soon...

Next Wednesday's update should be action-packed, as plenty of things are about to happen with recruiting:

  • The Contact Period for coaches resumes next Monday.
  • The Under Armour All-American Game is next Wednesday.
  • The U.S. Army All-American game is next Saturday.
  • Michigan's coaches are hosting the next big recruiting weekend next Friday-Sunday.

...and who knows, maybe the 4-week streak of commitments will continue in the meantime. Expect coverage on all that (and much more) next week.

Comments

neoavatara

December 29th, 2010 at 11:42 AM ^

About Zettel, but agree...if coaching was the key thing, he could have waited one week.

That said, let us keep our fingers crossed and hope that this changes the dynamic for players like Cooper and Barnes.

UMaD

December 29th, 2010 at 12:50 PM ^

While PSU's head coach is obviously on the way out, the line of succession has had many years to be planned out.  Michigan wasn't unstable when Bo left and PSU's won't be when JoePa goes.  Likewise, Bowden's departure at FSU was fairly clean, despite some initial reluctance for BB to go.  The staff at PSU isn't going anywhere - only the patron/figurehead of the program.

Concluding that PSU's situation is unstable is the result of the thinnest analysis possible.

Michigan's coaching staff situation is infinitely more murky.  This is obvious to a 17 year old. 

AnthonyThomas

December 29th, 2010 at 1:40 PM ^

I don't think it's as obvious as it was a few years ago. There were rumors of PSU coaches sniffing around the Pitt vacancy. And wasn't Will Muschamp supposed to be the surefire replacement for Brown at Texas? That obviously didn't pan out.

I think Zettel simply liked Penn State more than Michigan. Perhaps it was campus wise, maybe he didn't want to stay so close to home, and he probably didn't want to play in a three man front. Whatever his reasoning, I don't think coaching changes was the main issue. He could have just waited literally a week if that was the issue. He probably was set on PSU a while ago.

UMaD

December 29th, 2010 at 1:49 PM ^

Zettel may have other reasons, but my point was that if coaching stability IS an issue, he'd have a legitimate view to perfer PSU to UofM.  Nearly everyone thinks Michigan's defensive staff, at least, will have substantial change.

Furthermore, are we sure a week will change much?  No concrete timeline has been given for a change (or not).  All we know is that evaluations will take place after 2010.  Even if its announced RR will return, it'll take probably take time to find a DC.  Even if Harbaugh is announced, there will be a great deal of change.  Its not like Michigan suddenly becomes a stable place when DB deigns it appropriate to clue us in on who the head coach will be next year.

kw_hanna

December 29th, 2010 at 12:40 PM ^

Not sure if he's just really good at getting off the ball, but I think half of the clips where he's blowing up a lineback he would definitely be called for a false start. He rolls out of his stance, which will be flagged at the college level.

Nonetheless, he looks like a giant among elves. After two years of learning the position at Michigan, and he could be a big-time playmaker.

Huntington Wolverine

December 29th, 2010 at 12:54 PM ^

Wonder if PSU coaches had any contact with Zettel during the dead period?  This was pretty out of the blue (no pun intended) to everyone it seems.  Most folks had it down to MSU and U of M.  It wouldn't surprise me if we keep after him and can swing him back.

UMaD

December 29th, 2010 at 1:21 PM ^

Are often wrong. 

In recruiting, there is often very little information.  One person's conjecture becomes another and in the echo chamber these things start to take on their own life.  Of course, the "unexpected" only adds to the drama, so the recruiting services play it up.

Not to say that PSU isn't doing something wrong, but given how frequently recruiting conjecture is wrong, what you're talking about isn't enough circumstantial evidence to make an accusation here.

The kid said he was "100% sure".  I'm not sure what (other than blind optimistism/homerism) makes anyone think he'll change his mind.

Wolverine0056

December 29th, 2010 at 12:58 PM ^

It stinks losing Zettel, but must move on. I wish him luck at PSU, but can't wait to see Lewan tearing him up (not trying to be a dick or anything, just saying).

Hopefully, we can still land Frost, Cooper and a few other big time guys (Lucien, Bryant just to name a few).

john22

December 29th, 2010 at 1:59 PM ^

Matt,peace Anthony,or maybe not.Something just doesn't make sense about this pledge.Once we blast msu,coach Rod will be retained and we will go after these guys again,Sammy,Avery,and Anthony.GO BLUE!!!

charliebauman

December 29th, 2010 at 6:17 PM ^

It's definitely disappointing losing Zettel. I sometimes just want to shake these in-state kids that go elsewhere and ask them how could they not want to put on the winged helmet? The best thing Michigan can do now is recruit and play well and make these recruits who didn't sign with Michigan regret their decision.