2009 Recruiting - What prospects are most likely to close out the class?
So we're at 21 commits and likely to sign about 4 more. So who are the most likely candidates to close out our 2009 recruiting class? The only one I feel is coming to A2 with any level of confidence is Big Will. Outside of that it's a bit of a crapshoot in terms of what I have been reading. I guess if I had a wish list these would be my 4-5:
William Campbell
Quentin Washington
Jayron Hosley
Tana Patrick
Jelani Jenkins
I think we've done pretty well on the offesnsive side of the ball and can afford to wait until 2010 for the WR recruits we have coming in. Defense, especially linebacker, is a concern so to land Patrick or (by some miracle of God) Jenkins would be awesome. All-in-all I think RichRod has done a nice job filling needs and the future is looking bright.
December 15th, 2008 at 10:28 AM ^
It seems to be the exciting and en vogue response on these message boards to say that, after Barnes's de-commitment, Michigan needs more than three linebacker recruits this year. I say, why?
The team has Mouton, Ezeh and Fitzgerald in place for the next two years. Evans and a couple others are already there (Demens). Even with Barnes leaving I see three on the board this year. Why do we need a fourth, or fifth, this year? I'm of the belief that three is enough this year. Take two every year going forward and the team's LB core should be fine.
December 15th, 2008 at 10:34 AM ^
I'm slightly concerned about the lack of inside linebackers on the roster. Ezeh and Fitzgerald are fine, but what if one of them gets hurt? Herron, Mouton, Evans, Hawthorne, and the freshmen safeties/LB's (Bell, Jones) are all OLB's.
December 15th, 2008 at 10:45 AM ^
i think kenny demens is an inside LB...i know he was coming out of high school
December 15th, 2008 at 11:04 AM ^
He is a WILL linebacker.
December 15th, 2008 at 10:57 AM ^
Won't Michigan be running a 3-3-5 more into the future? If so, Ezeh in the middle, Mouton and Fitzgerald on the OLBs.
Perhaps safety and cornerback are the positions of concern. I think the current roster has enough for the next two years for LB - I don't think the same for the defensive backfield.
December 15th, 2008 at 11:04 AM ^
Nobody knows whether more 3-3-5 is coming or not.
Regardless, if Ezeh or Fitzgerald gets hurt...that means we have no backup MIKE.
December 15th, 2008 at 11:06 AM ^
because Mike Barwis's training techniques prevent injuries from occurring.
Threet, stop laughing at me.
Carlos, pay attention to your weightlifting.
Here's an icepack, Sheridan.
December 15th, 2008 at 11:41 AM ^
gah i hope we don't run the 3-3-5. i dont care who we have on D, you arent going to get much pressure on the QB with 3 lineman
December 15th, 2008 at 11:57 AM ^
would like to have a word with you on that
December 15th, 2008 at 12:13 PM ^
would be the formation whenever we play a spread team, and then there is even less of a need to recruit linebackers since only Ezeh and Mouton will be on the field.
December 15th, 2008 at 10:57 AM ^
So I don't necessarily think the players on our current roster are going to make huge improvements although I could be wrong. And we haven't necessarily gained any true LB commits this season, the guys coming in are being converted from the secondary. I'd like to see us get some guys who have the size and truly play the position coming out of high school. Of which would be guys like Jenkins, Patrick, and even Marry.
December 15th, 2008 at 11:01 AM ^
....but players only get better through continuity and experience. In year two, that will be cause for improvement.
Ezeh only needs to be functional. Mouton, as we've seen, has the makings of an above-average player. We don't know about Fitzgerald. In front of them? Martin, Graham, Van Bergen, Sagesse, Lalota, and hopefully Campbell. Things will be fine.
December 15th, 2008 at 11:06 AM ^
I like your optimism, but I don't know how you can be confident in our LB play when it was bad this year with Johnson, Taylor, Graham, and Jamison in front of them. Our defensive line will most likely be worse this year than last.
December 15th, 2008 at 11:11 AM ^
because I have Minnesota football season tickets (alma mater, Michigan is my lifelong obsession though). I watched an awful team become okay, from 1-11 to 7-5, simply because of continuity and experience.
It is more than disheartening to read that coaches don't have what it takes, or players are no good, when a player may be learning his third offensive system in 24 months (I'm looking at Steven Threet), or may be playing for a coach completely changing a program (yes, Rich Rod, head bob to you). Think of all the garbage that went on at Michigan last year as Rodriguez set up shop. That time spent on the peripherals will be spent instead on recruiting, weight training, coaching and developing. We're all going to be in for a surprise this upcoming fall. Rich Rod, in particular, has very good teams in his second year. It will happen again. And if it doesn't, just be optimistic that it will happen in 2010.
December 15th, 2008 at 11:13 AM ^
I expect the offense to improve by leaps and bounds.
I do expect some improvement from the defense, if only because the defense was historically poor last year and (hopefully) the law of averages will dictate that it can't happen again.
December 15th, 2008 at 11:15 AM ^
...I think we saw some pretty good development by end of season this year. The line was good, and had the team had a healthy QB, things would have hummed along at a functional rate.
I think year 2 of this project is going to be fun.
The key is time of possession for the O, and limiting the ridiculous amount of fumbles (Odoms, 2 per game, er) and other turnovers.
December 15th, 2008 at 12:37 PM ^
It all starts at QB. This offense doesn't require a Pat White to be successful but if you look at the plays we’re running, we need a QB who can complete passes while his feet are moving. Nick was mobile but also a horrific passer out of the pocket. Steven was a statue who took advantage of HUGE holes created by the system.
December 15th, 2008 at 12:39 PM ^
I hope we can get a good amount of improvement from the defense. Now that the players now Shafer and his schemes, I hope they have plenty of time to work on fundamentals this off-season. I got the feeling all season, that fundamentals was something lacking on both sides of the ball. In the rush to change philosophies and learn new playbooks, there was little time for the basics. Our offense was very young so I feel they will improve the most by working on the basics, but things like correct angles and tackling seem to have been missing from our defense but masked by the athleticism of our players who have graduated. From what Gsimmons says, I feel Shafer may be the guy to correct that issue, and hope to see a much better defense next season.
December 15th, 2008 at 10:30 AM ^
excellent pick up this weekend in Taylor Lewan...the kid will be a fixture on our OLine for at least 3 years. his video really impresses me and combine that with the fact that he has only played OT for one year and i think we have a steal.
other recruits::
i would love to have jelani, quinton, big will, and tana but that is like hitting the lottery. i think we can realistically get 3 of these guys. big will is the only one i am super confident in... its gonna be hard to pull quinton washington from two instate schools clemson and s.carolina where steve spurrier is putting together a fine class thanks to taking advantage of the coaching changes at clemson and tenn.
i believe we can get a CB, either hosley, mike edwards, or mywan jackson (though i believe jackson winds up at unc)
we also need 1-2 more OL recruits. travis bond, quinton wash, and chris freeman are the likely answers.
what are your thoughts?
December 15th, 2008 at 10:37 AM ^
I don't know if I'd say Lewan will be a fixture for three years. Remember, he's got O'Neill and Omameh both only one year ahead of him at tackle. Due to their size and athletic ability, I don't think any of the three is likely to move to guard or center. So it will be a battle for playing time among those three, and that's not including Dorrestein or Schilling, who both have two years of eligibility left.
December 15th, 2008 at 10:45 AM ^
Wasn't Omameh listed as an interior lineman when we recruited him?
December 15th, 2008 at 10:49 AM ^
I don't think so, but I could be wrong. Rivals had him listed as a DE. He's been playing tackle in practice, but Rodriguez has said that most tackles learn guard and most guards learn center. Of the three (Lewan, O'Neill, Omameh), I'd say Omameh has the best chance of playing guard, but I still don't think it's likely.
December 15th, 2008 at 11:06 AM ^
Re: Omameh, not sure what the databases listed him as, but he was recruited as an OT prospect, fwiw.
December 15th, 2008 at 11:02 AM ^
Schofield, Khoury, Mealer, and Molk at center. There's a lot of potential talent on the O-Line for the next four-five years.
December 15th, 2008 at 10:30 AM ^
I think that's a good wishlist, but I wouldn't call that "likely". It seems like we have a slew of offers out to kids we have mediocre chances of signing. Obviously, we'll get some of these, but it's hard to term anyone as "likely" (it seems like the person most enthusiasitc in Michigan right now is Chris Freeman - the gargantuan OL). Also, I think it's moderately likely we get more than 25 players, as I believe we can make 2 of our early enrollees count towards the previous class (we had 24 players, and Stonum counts on 2007's class).
December 15th, 2008 at 10:30 AM ^
I think we have good chances with:
William Campbell
Quentin Washington
Demontre Hurst
Mywan Jackson
Dennis Thames
I don't think we'll get Tana Patrick. I'm not sure about Hosley.
And I don't have any real reason to think we won't get Jenkins, but I'm skeptical nonetheless. I think he could be our second- or third-best defensive player even as a freshman (behind Graham and, perhaps, Mouton). I'm hoping...
December 15th, 2008 at 10:37 AM ^
Consider the lottery hit. That'd be MONSTER for our class-- automatically bump us a spot in the top class category.
If we close with JJ and Big Will, we can't ask for much more from snake oil as far as I'm concerned. I don't think he's finished with the wideouts yet, but time will tell.
I love this whole "in the black about RR's activities" over the past week-- if he's under the radar it can only be a good thing. SNAKE OIL!
December 15th, 2008 at 10:39 AM ^
word is he likely to commit to Miss St. he had a good talk with former florida OC and new Miss St head coach Mullen. i think he stays close to home and helps rebuild the bulldogs class.
if jenkins comes, there is no doubt in my mind that he would become our second, third, or possibly fourth (BG, Mouton, maybe Donovan Warren) best defender on the field as a freshman. he has unworldly speed and play recognition at the LB spot.
December 15th, 2008 at 10:44 AM ^
Yeah, I think it's between Mississippi St. and us for Thames. I wouldn't be surprised either way, but...SNAKE OIL.
December 15th, 2008 at 10:43 AM ^
would be huge. He would fit right in at LB. He's too tight lipped on his recruitment. Oh, and whats going on with McPhee, the Juco player from Pahokee? anyone have any news?
December 15th, 2008 at 10:46 AM ^
From everything I've read, he loved his visit.
However, I think the Dan Mullen hire might be a bad thing for us. When a guy comes from a successful program like Florida, that has to be a draw.
December 15th, 2008 at 12:41 PM ^
Fuck. I was hoping we'd get McPhee.
December 15th, 2008 at 11:12 AM ^
I am thinking the last 4 spots will go to:
-Big Will
-Chris Freeman
- a DB (Hosely or Jackson)
-Q. Washington
longshots or guys we would over book for: McNeal, Jenkins, and/or Randle.
Chris will be for sure a redshirt, and Michigan needs one more corner for sure. I know with Taylor commiting we don't need Freeman and Washington, but I beleive those guys can be decent down the line.
December 15th, 2008 at 12:44 PM ^
hard is UM pursuing Freeman? He's definitely a project, i saw him play last season, along with Shaw, Moore, and Roundtree.
December 15th, 2008 at 11:48 AM ^
the 3 3 5 doesnt work...we better not be running it
December 15th, 2008 at 11:59 AM ^
Which is why WVU was a top-20 defensive team for 4 straight seasons.
December 15th, 2008 at 12:42 PM ^
But they were playing in the Big Least, which everyone knows is inferior to high school football, so that doesn't count.
December 15th, 2008 at 11:50 AM ^
The 3-3-5 CAN work if it's used properly and the players are given enough time to learn it. Changing to the 3-3-5 mid-season is probably not a good idea, though.
December 15th, 2008 at 12:15 PM ^
Imagine if you were Terrance Taylor or Will Johnson and had run one style of defense for four and a half years, and then were given 6 days to prepare to play a whole new style of defense.
And we wonder why it didn't work against Purdue.