600 kids have already signed up for the Paramus Camp - 200 more than the original capacity.

Submitted by ThatTCGuy on

and that's with them already having to raise capacity by 200 spots due to demand (the original cap filled up in 8 days) 

The full story (with an obligitory Freep link warning): http://www.freep.com/story/sports/college/university-michigan/wolverine…

If you don't want to click on that, I guess I'll copy and paste the full thing: 

"When Rutgers challenged Michigan with its own satellite camp in New Jersey, there was little chance that U-M football coach Jim Harbaugh would accept it meekly.
 
So instead of just attending and participating in the event, as U-M coaches will do at roughly 38 camps next month, the one at Paramus (N.J.) Catholic had to be bigger and badder.
 
Paramus president James Vail announced today that the Next Level Elite Camp on June 8 has had to cap registration at 600 kids. The original allotment of 400 filled up in just eight days.
 
It quickly expanded to 450 campers with the planned use of fields, lawns, the school gym, tennis courts, and chalk talk in classrooms. Plans for represented colleges moved from seven or eight to 37, plus one NFL head coach, the Baltimore Ravens' John Harbaugh.
 
But with Jim Harbaugh, when it becomes a competition, it's never enough. Now the Paramus camp is up to 600 participants from 200 schools and also will utilize the Bergen Community College fields across the street. There will be 80 college coaches from 40 teams in 10 states and Washington, D.C.
 
It also will be streamed live.
 
Rutgers coach Chris Ash has downplayed any competitiveness between the Paramus camp and his Tri-State Showcase with Temple and some Ohio State coaches at Fairleigh Dickinson University. He told the Asbury Park Press that his was in the works for months, though he declined to comment on the timing of his camp announcement in relation to U-M's.
 
Many prominent New Jersey high school coaches have said that they'll be sending their players to the Rutgers camp to support it. But the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association has ruled that in-state high school coaches cannot work at the camps because it is out of season."

Tater

May 25th, 2016 at 10:53 PM ^

Michigan already has everyone they want at their camp.  Ash can do what he wants, but he isn't going to affect Harbaugh's camp in the least.   All Ash is going to get are a bunch of wannabes who may be good enough to play at Generic Directional State College.

His camp will be reminiscent of Sparty: a bunch of kids who couldn't get into Michigan's camp.

ghostofhoke

May 25th, 2016 at 7:39 PM ^

If you're gonna be a bear, be a grizzly. Harbaugh doesn't fuck around. Competing with him is just stupid no matter what the game. I guess we know how to draw. I love that we're this loved by the younger generation. We've instantly become cool again.




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DonAZ

May 25th, 2016 at 8:16 PM ^

Driving up I-79 in West Virginia tonight, I was listening to WVU Sports Radio.  The topic was the summer recruiting camps.  They mentioned "Michigan" and "Jim Harbaugh" about a dozen times. 

The middle of West Virginia ... WVU = Big 12 ... and the focus is Michigan.

Ha.

CoverZero

May 25th, 2016 at 8:28 PM ^

There may be some truth to it...but its pretty stupid to look at these Camp Wars as Michigan vs. Rutgers ...or Michigan vs anyone else for that matter.  These camps are not about competing vs. other programs over who can do the best camp in that area, on what day etc. 

Its about two things:  1) Bringing fun and football to kids in a community  and 2) Increasing the exposure and reach of Michigan footbal for recruting.

Anyone who is using this "our camp is better...nya nya na nayaaa naaaaa Ash" etc. is misguided.  That includes the muckracking writer for that Rutgers website who keeps stirring this crap up. 

Dont buy in to it.  Its not worth it.  Be happy that JH is extending the reach of Michigan football, and also improving the experience for many HS kids who love the game.

 

ghostofhoke

May 25th, 2016 at 10:30 PM ^

It's not an issue of direct competition, it's a matter of when Harbaugh does something he does it big and he does it better than anyone else. He doesn't get involved unless he can do it right and smashes all expectations in the process. It's more a matter of being best in brand and being synonymous with big things and excitement. That is what attracts kids--whether or not it's about Michigan isn't the point, people are drawn to him and any event he tries to pull off. That will naturally lead to building the brand and the program. He has some serious gravity.




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jblaze

May 25th, 2016 at 9:17 PM ^

Harbaugh earned a lot of respect after last year's camp in Easton. He had almost every smaller north east and mid-Atlantic school represented (>2,000 kids and a ton of M fans). Rutgers doesn't stand a chance.

ThatTCGuy

May 26th, 2016 at 12:58 AM ^

I'm willing to bet that to most coaches that don't have a long-standing connection to the school (like Harbaugh has), the coaching jobs are just that - jobs. The rivalries also probably stop mattering. Once he moved on to Pittsburgh and doesn't have to deal with Michigan anymore, he probably let bygones be bygones and is willing to work with Harbaugh in a meaningful way. 

BIGBLUEWORLD

May 25th, 2016 at 11:13 PM ^

and they're trying to build their athletic program to be competitive in the B1G. Can't blame them for feeling a little desperate. 

Lie-Cheat-Steal

May 25th, 2016 at 11:35 PM ^

Harbaugh actually loves this....he's maniacal about football, can't get enough.  While this is recruiting work for other coaches, its ust pure joy for Harbaugh.  He would do these camps even if it didn't result in 1 recruit because he believes in football and believes in reaching different communities.

Nobody will ever out-work Harbaugh because he doesn't see this as work.  This is what has the SEC and all other big time programs/coaches concerned.

 

Everyone Murders

May 26th, 2016 at 10:37 AM ^

If a kid thinks that realistically he's not going to get a top tier B1G offer, but is from NJ and maybe good enough to go to Rutgers, he'd be wise to go to the Rutgers camp.  And if a kid just loves OSU for whatever reasons, he might also want to go to the Rutgers camp.  And if a lesser-tier college that he's interested in (e.g., D-II) will also be at the Rutgers camp, he might be well-advised to attend that camp.

All of which is just jim-dandy.  Michigan will have many players that it wants to see at its camp, and also spread the message of Michigan football to many others.  So if a kid wants to go to Rutgers alternative prom, best of luck to them.

And Harbaugh's staff should remind any kid that was torn between camps that he scheduled his first, and it was that twat Ash who decided he would schedule a camp on the same day.  It is petulance on the part of Ash, pure and simple, and NJ h.s. coaches should be reminded of that - because some of the best players would likely have benefitted from going to both camps had they been scheduled with kids' interest in mind.