Anyone have info on GERG's recruiting skills?
Alot has been made about defensive recruiting and I am wondering if anyone has any information on GERG as a recruiter. Is he known for solid recruiting or more for just "X's and O's"? Has he built a great defense before or just inherited someone elses recruits? Not sure how long he was at Syracuse, but that doesn't bode well for his recruiting resume. I'm too lazy to research so anyone with good info, please reply.
Secondly, does defensive recruiting fall exclusively on him or does Rodriguez get involved (beyond just a 30,000 foot view). RR seems to leave defense up to GERG during season but I am wondering if that leash is extended to recruiting.
October 28th, 2009 at 6:57 PM ^
J.Lehman, that needs to go during Illinois week!
October 28th, 2009 at 11:10 PM ^
I laugh every time I see that goofy picture.
October 28th, 2009 at 6:59 PM ^
recruiting is done mostly by the position coaches and coordinators have little to do with the recruiting process. I would hope that GERG would show off his Super Bowl rings to attract defensive recruits.
October 28th, 2009 at 7:13 PM ^
recruiting is done mostly by the position coaches and coordinators have little to do with the recruiting process.I seriously hope this is wrong, the whole staff should recruit, the current players should recruit, the committed player should recruit, that is how teams are successful year in and year out.
October 28th, 2009 at 9:48 PM ^
It's not wrong. Coordinators aren't usually too involved in the recruiting process. The position coaches do the vast majority of the phone calls, visits, etc.
October 28th, 2009 at 11:25 PM ^
I guess ND is an exception then, every opportunity the staff has they go out recruiting, even on the bye week, everyone who could visit did and that included our coordinators.
October 29th, 2009 at 1:57 AM ^
this explains why in recent years ND has had arguably more success recruiting players than on the field.
/epinion
October 29th, 2009 at 5:50 AM ^
Sam Webb (Ann Arbor WTKA) has stated that Michigan recruits are involved in getting in touch with other kids, so it's not like it's only the position coaches doing things.
October 28th, 2009 at 7:02 PM ^
I have seen mention he has no recruiting skillz. That he is an anchor tied to a slow boat (not referring to M here, just in general his recruiting). That we shouldn't look to him for any help with landing players.
Don't know why that is. Perhaps because he's been more NFL than college? He'll have to build contacts and recruiting skillz on the coat tails of his assistants and the offensive coaches.
Could be wrong, though. This is just what I've seen elsewhere and some conjecture added in for filler.
October 28th, 2009 at 7:10 PM ^
He said previously that recruiting wasn't something he focused so much on while at syracuse but planned to change his philosophy with his new position at UM. It was something to that effect.
October 28th, 2009 at 7:29 PM ^
You handsome devil! Nothing says Illinois football like a USA(!) tie, a mullet, and the Zooker. I'm curious: Will you be wearing your all-orange outfits in celebration of Halloween on Saturday?
As for recruiting, I am pretty sure that all of the coaches are involved and that while a recruit may have a primary recruiter or two, GERG and Coach Rod realize that it requires their personal involvement to seal the deal with the guys they really want. And, since the guys they really want are probably being recruited by several other big name schools, Coach Rod isn't going to stay at the "30,000 foot view" with any of them. That would be crazy and ineffective. Actually, it would be negligent if you asked me, which you did.
On an unrelated note, I read a disturbing trade rumor about Rip today. I hope it's not true! I still haven't gotten over Chauncey, or Grant Hill for that matter...
October 28th, 2009 at 7:57 PM ^
Recruiting is broken down among the staff by territory, not by offense/defense. Local areas are more than likely heavily partitioned, as well (i.e. you wouldn't have only one or two coaches recruiting Michigan/Ohio).
It would make no sense to have a coach on either side of the ball traveling to Florida, California, Texas, etc, just to recruit guys he likes. It is highly inefficient and costly.
That said, the staff at Michigan (and any BCS program) is talented enough to recognize a guy who plays the opposite side of the ball who is skilled and, if they feel a particular prospect is worth considering, he will have one of the guys who would coach him take a look at his film (to see if he likes him and if he fits into what they are trying to do in their scheme).
From that point you'd get some crossover, with that coach calling a recruit out-of-territory or, if he's badly needed, traveling to see him (like the CA recruit mentioned the other day on the main page).
I also believe the DC and OC are just as involved as any position coach, contrary to an earlier remark.
This is just generally how it works, but it is definitely a territory issue at the onset.
As far as RR goes, it's hard to know his level of involvement. I'm certain he's not a coach who plows through tapes like everybody else to find a kid. He probably watches and signs off on any kid the staff wants to offer and, with his involvement offensively, he may review those with the rest of the offensive staff. I'd bet he calls and visits all top recruits as his involvement speaks loudest.
October 28th, 2009 at 8:46 PM ^
Well, if GERG sucks at recruiting, I hope they give him Mackinac Island and western Wyoming as his territories.
October 28th, 2009 at 8:50 PM ^
We'd want the o-line coach to recruit Mackinac Island... all that fudge probably produces some huge dudes.
October 28th, 2009 at 9:56 PM ^
A great punter from the early 1980's - Don Bracken - came from Thermopolis, Wyoming.
October 28th, 2009 at 10:03 PM ^
The hot springs at Thermopolis = AWESOME
October 28th, 2009 at 10:52 PM ^
Killer kicking/punting combo! M was known for having terrible kickers and punters before then.
October 28th, 2009 at 11:51 PM ^
It's over 9000!
October 29th, 2009 at 1:19 AM ^
SICK PIC. DBZ was the shit.
October 28th, 2009 at 11:55 PM ^
From Maizeman (Scout's UM insider): Gerg doesn't recruit at all.
In fact, Maizeman has been really down on the recruiting by this staff for quite some time. Seems Rod Smith and one of the Tony's (I think it's Dews) are about the only two good recruiters on this staff (according to Maizeman).
October 29th, 2009 at 7:05 AM ^
Let's see...
We had the #6 recruiting class last year. And this year we've got 19 recruits before Halloween, despite going 3-9 last year. Yes, those are huge reasons to be down on the staff's recruiting...