Any expected recruiting decisions this month?
Just a few recruiting questions.
- When is the "all clear, go ahead" signal expected on Kinard? I know we're waiting on something.
- IIRC, Frost is an early enrollee, so his decision, one way or the other, should be soon. Can he decide anytime between now and the beginning of the Winter Term? (i.e., as late as Jan. 2, say?)
- Are there any other undecided recruits who would be enrolled in January?
- Beyond the early enrollees, are there other recruits whose decision is imminent? It seems that many of those remaining will announce either at one of the High School all-star games, UA or Army, or on signing day.
If I have a sense of what's happening on the recruiting front, I can stop obsessively visiting Mgoblog. I'm with Brian, in thinking that the only opinion on the coaching front which really matters is that of DB. Other than the recruiting front, and a bit on B-Ball and Hockey, there's not a lot of threads that really matter to me. I'm tired of the pro/con RR/Harbaugh vitriol, and actually have stopped reading many of the threads. What's been said has been said ad nauseum, sometimes pretty vociferously. It all is now beating a dead horse.
December 1st, 2010 at 9:54 AM ^
I highly doubt anybody commits while Brandon is sitting with his information and not acting.
That is my personal opinion.
Also feelings on the following recruits:
Frost - Auburn
Walls - Oregon
Zettel - Penn State
Neg away, but with the cloud surrounding the program right now I wouldn't expect any more top flight recrutis to want to hop on board... there is a reason why nearly all "hot seat" coaches are fired after the season and before the bowl game. It's Recruiting 101. This waiting around crap is really frustrating.
December 1st, 2010 at 9:56 AM ^
No offense, but I hope you are wrong about those three recruits. But who the hell knows. I agree that this waiting shit is completely frustrating though.
December 1st, 2010 at 10:01 AM ^
I am very pleased with RR and I really want him to be given another year (my preference would be the length of the original contract. 5 seasons?), but DB needs to act one way or the other as soon as possible in my opinion. I am all for making a sound decision, but there is no way it should take an entire month. This is arguably the most important time in recruiting (after seniors are done with their season and before signing day), it's the stretch run. The leadership needs to be solidified one way or the other, quickly!
December 1st, 2010 at 10:10 AM ^
I agree, and i lost a little respect for brandon when he says it doesn't affect the recruiting at all because it is a year long thing.. Give me a break, that is one of the stupidest comments ive heard in a while..
While it is a year long thing yes, but when you are keeping everyone in limbo if RR is coming back or not, i personally think it's a joke for the recruits to deal with it.
The other side of it is, maybe everyone already knows whats gonna happen, he just hasn't told the media and everyone is keepin it hush hush
December 1st, 2010 at 10:10 AM ^
So 3 to go
December 1st, 2010 at 10:28 AM ^
It is a six year deal.
December 1st, 2010 at 12:23 PM ^
The six year thing is just for publicity. It is effectively year to year with a declining buyout if terminated or if he wants to leave.
December 1st, 2010 at 10:21 AM ^
I couldn't agree more. The recruits are looking for stability and right now, we are not showing much of that.
December 1st, 2010 at 10:56 AM ^
By "we" you mean the MGoBoard, right?
Because by not firing any coaches, by letting the coaches have recruits in for visits, and by preparing for the bowl game like business is as usual, that looks pretty darn stable to me.
No one is talking about instability surrounding the mens' basketball program - however, David Brandon WILL be conducting a performance review of the Beezer in April. If we yell loud enough that Beilein's employment is an issue, does that cause instability?
Sheesh.
December 1st, 2010 at 11:31 AM ^
I think we could both agree that this RR situation has a tad more steam than any other regular old coaching perfromance review. The Beezer (awesome, using it) isn't on PTI every night getting grilled. Something needs to be done. DB could come out and say something in a scheduled press conference that would halt all the gossip-he said she said-bullshit surrounding the football team right now.
December 1st, 2010 at 9:57 AM ^
You're probably right, however on the Defensive side of the ball, I can't imagine any DBs would have any issues either way. The need at that position is painfully obvious. Okay, maybe I'm a dreamer.. but still, it's not quite like the QB position on offense.
December 1st, 2010 at 10:09 AM ^
I'd rather a decision be made sooner, as the longer we go, the more questions recruits will have as to RR's future.
December 1st, 2010 at 10:26 AM ^
I would think the uncertainty surrounding JoePa's future beyond 2011 would also be a big question mark for Zettel, not to mention the fact that they, too, stumbled down the stretch to a somewhat disappointing finish.
December 1st, 2010 at 11:38 AM ^
PSU stumbled down the stretch? I would have loved to go 4-2 in our last six like they did. UM and Iowa stumbled. PSU actually started to gain some momentum.
December 1st, 2010 at 11:45 AM ^
You're right, they didn't stumble. For some reason I was thinking they went 3-3 to finish the season, with the last game a not-as-close-as-the-score-indicates loss to MSU.
I do think the JoePa uncertainty still has to come into question, because who knows if they promote from within (JayPa or Galen Hall?) or grab someone from outside (Schiano or Al Golden?) when Joe hangs 'em up, possibly after 2011.
December 1st, 2010 at 10:00 AM ^
Unless a recruit has a love for the Big Blue beyond who's coaching - expect status zero or decommits from here until the end of the year. Anyone who commits prior to the formal decison is a keeper.
December 1st, 2010 at 10:08 AM ^
to IBM if they love them so much. We only need MICHIGAN MEN!
/s just a bit, yeah
December 1st, 2010 at 12:30 PM ^
To be fair I think you should know that Ufer called Michigan "Big Blue".
December 1st, 2010 at 10:27 AM ^
To be fair I think you should know that Ufer called Michigan "Big Blue".
December 1st, 2010 at 10:11 AM ^
Kentucky?
December 1st, 2010 at 10:02 AM ^
I basically agree on Frost and Walls, especially Walls. I really think Frost likes us, but I wonder if he has any confidence in the coaching situation.
Disagree on Zettel...I think he is Blue.
Walls is certainly leaning toward Oregon. One reason, I think, that we are going after Lyons hard.
December 1st, 2010 at 3:43 PM ^
I was under the impression that Walls and Lyons would play different positions for us.
December 1st, 2010 at 10:08 AM ^
Depends on how much each individual recruit values who is the head coach, his position coach, and the school. Doubt we can say anything on those items that is not a wild ass guess. I doubt that most recruits follow the coaching rumour stuff flying around very much based on what we have read around here. Until they enroll or send in a signed letter of intent, they can always change their minds. Most of the stuff we read in terms of comments by potential recruits and those supposedly already verbally committed are about fit and other players and liking the school and what not.
December 1st, 2010 at 10:09 AM ^
I think it could be a lean December. I hope it isn't, but the rumormongering has too many kids waiting to see if there is a system change. A lot of kids get sold on a school and will go to it anyway. Before the spread option/pro set dichotomy became so pronounced, the coach was a major factor, but not always a LOI-killer. Now, though, when the media goes ballistic and basically creates a story, it puts everything on hold.
If it wasn't for the MSM creating all of the uncertainty and negativity, how many discussions would we have had here about the "RR hotseat" since Saturday? I am guessing it wouldn't have been nearly as many.
December 1st, 2010 at 10:59 AM ^
Except, Tater, that the uncertainty has been created by:
0-9 versus Ohio State, Michigan State and Penn State
repeated butt whippings against the winning teams in the conference
the worst defense since Saddam Hussein in 1991.
RR had a number of ways to quell the media storm. He did not do so. He's part to blame.
December 1st, 2010 at 11:08 AM ^
Lets be fair, the Saddam Hussein defense of '91 was way overrated.
December 1st, 2010 at 10:10 AM ^
Nothing good is going to happen this month because 3 years of coaching isn't enough for DB to make a decision on RR. He needs to see what happens in one more game THEN he'll know what to do. You're going to kill our recruiting pizza man.
December 1st, 2010 at 10:16 AM ^
about recruiting, and I am sure there is no one he could consult with if he had a question. I am guessing the recruiting belongs to him more than it does "us".
Pizza Man?
Toward the Michigan Athletic Director, regardless of his name? What are you, a deep plant from the RCMB?
December 1st, 2010 at 10:32 AM ^
He's a college AD not the President of the United States. Relax.
I happen to think that him not thinking that 36 games is enough to make the call is absurd.. But 37 that's when he'll know what RR is made of.
December 1st, 2010 at 11:01 AM ^
You're operating under the false assumption that he hasn't already made up his mind.
This is the same thing as silent commits like Cullen Christian - just because you're not being spoon fed information through the media, doesn't mean that something hasn't already happened. Some people do have restraint and composure and can keep their own counsel.
December 1st, 2010 at 3:27 PM ^
with all that thinking, did you?
December 1st, 2010 at 10:25 AM ^
HAHAHA. That was funny. Who knows what pizza man is up to, but I think he knows what he's doing.
December 1st, 2010 at 10:13 AM ^
to stop recruiting Frost for my flag football team.
His athleticism is off the charts, but we only have one more spot to fill. What my flag football team really needs is an influx of grit. I'm not saying that Frost doesn't have grit - I'm sure he does. We are simply seeking out that special recruit that just simply reeks of grit 24/7. Seriously. The dude has to smell something awful or he won't get an offer (tru grit do be stankin'). anyway. that is the only recruiting decision I am privy to at this time. I hope it helped relieve the concerned look on that pretty little avatar face ya got there.
December 1st, 2010 at 10:13 AM ^
they're planning on waiting until after the bowl game so that they can assess the program and results in full before making a decision, as they have said they would do from the start of their recruitment. lynn henning, fwiw, expects all of them to make a decision by noon today.
December 1st, 2010 at 12:43 PM ^
Honest question here so no neg bombs please.
If in fact DB already has an agreement with Harbaugh, when is it ok for Harbaugh to begin recruiting or mentioning to recruits that he's headed to Michigan?
December 1st, 2010 at 1:05 PM ^
Not until it's made public, that's for sure.
December 1st, 2010 at 2:52 PM ^
he's no longer an employee of Stanford
December 1st, 2010 at 1:26 PM ^
The problem is right now the recruits know what is going on.. and it's not helping. Right now< Michigan leads or is in the top group for Frost, Bryant, Zettel, Walls, and Tabb, but this is the time to close, and it's hard for the coaches to. Yeah, they're going to recruit them just as they would, but the recruits know that something is up.. so it's not going to help.
Especially when Frost and Walls have to decide soon as they are early enrollees. It's just a bad spot Michigan is in, and it won't be any better if a new staff is brought in and has to get new players in a month, which is basically no time.