Commitment Sunday?
So I hear that today could be big in recruitment, with lots of prospects deciding later this evening. 2-3 awesome recruits commiting to M would be the only thing that can cheer me up after the B'ball debacle.
Scout.com says Kozan is deciding today between Iowa and Michigan.Some recent reports and our shifted focus suggest he may be headed to Iowa, but I still want to believe that he will show up in AA with Jordan Diamond in Fall.
Speaking of which, what's the decision timeline for Grant, Diamond, Reeves?
January 29th, 2012 at 4:55 PM ^
a means of turning them away? Maybe that's normal, but I would imagine I'd get highly annoyed by it if it was me.
January 29th, 2012 at 5:01 PM ^
Beat Ohio!
January 29th, 2012 at 5:00 PM ^
My assumption is that checking in with a guy once a week when he's about to make his decision is normal in the industry. I've probably checked in less than most, and haven't bothered him to find out when he's deciding, because he has told me he's not doing interviews until he decides.
FWIW, he has said that he's had almost 100 people contact him within the last two days trying to figure out when he's deciding. I believe me asking him to contact me after he's decided is the least of his worries.
January 29th, 2012 at 5:11 PM ^
I was curious how much contact was made. Man what serious distraction to school work.
January 29th, 2012 at 5:30 PM ^
Aquaman, have you always been a semi-recruiting guru, or did you just decide to pick up the torch after TomVH went to the pros?
January 29th, 2012 at 5:36 PM ^
I've only been doing this for about a month and a half or so. Our site was never originally intended for recruiting purposes...it was only kind a niche that we fell into. Now that we're in there, we're trying our best.
It's an interesting thing to cover; there are some enjoyable parts to it, but there are some huge minuses in doing this constantly too.
January 29th, 2012 at 4:49 PM ^
Personally, I think it's going to be difficult to win the Reeves battle. When your best friend and godfather are pushing you as hard as they can in one direction, it's tough to go the other.
January 29th, 2012 at 4:54 PM ^
To avoid a let down, everyone should just believe Reeves=OSU until we hear otherwise.
January 29th, 2012 at 5:04 PM ^
From a family perspective it will makes sense for him to pick OSU. As much as his mother may have liked Hoke, it'll be much easier for her to hitch rides with "the godfather" to see her son play in Columbus. This may be a case where he picks where his heart leads him, rather than what makes sense. I haven't given up hope, just being realistic.
January 29th, 2012 at 5:06 PM ^
When I hear 50/50. I assume 25/75. If I remember correctly a recent big name recruit was 50/50 Michigan/Stanford. We saw how that went. I have a hard time thinking these recruits REALLY don't know where they want to go to school. Many of these kids have had over a year to decide on a school. This time a year its nothing more than playing on attention for most of these kids.
January 29th, 2012 at 5:09 PM ^
Yes, the kid who's not discussing his recruitment until after he decides is just dying for attention.
January 29th, 2012 at 5:19 PM ^
Oh, you're right, no one is talking about him are they?
January 29th, 2012 at 5:23 PM ^
Right. The last-second decision has everything to do with Reeves wanting attention and nothing whatsoever to do with the scandal/coaching overhaul at the school he was committed to up until not long ago.
Reeves went through his process and chose a school and as a result of circumstances outside of his control was forced to rethink that process and start anew, with a much smaller window to do so. Can't blame him for taking all the time he has (not to mention that it really is no business of a fan when he makes his decision)...
January 29th, 2012 at 4:56 PM ^
Just got off the phone with Reeves, he has committed to OSU. Mainly reason is the friends and the opportunity.
January 29th, 2012 at 5:00 PM ^
Derp derp
January 29th, 2012 at 5:00 PM ^
armani is not announcing tonight per bucknuts, but will soon.
January 29th, 2012 at 5:10 PM ^
Since his friend and godfather want him to pick ohio and he still hasn't made a decision I sense he wants Mich and has so far resisted their pressure.Perhaps it's a good sign he apparently isn't deciding today.
January 29th, 2012 at 5:19 PM ^
I agree. It seems like it's a competition between where he wants to go and where his friend and godfather want him to go, Otherwise, why wouldn't he have already gone to play with his best friend.
January 29th, 2012 at 5:13 PM ^
"Shifted focus," I would disagree. Assuming the coaching staff sees the same things we do, we really need a center. We can't afford another year without a center, otherwise we'll be starting Khoury (oh god Sugar Bowl flashbacks) and air until a true freshman takes over with no backup. I don't know the depth chart completely (or even what year Khoury is), so I'm not 100% on who our backup is, but losing Molk is arguably the worst to our team by far.
In fact, it doesn't even seem arguable, it seems absolutely certain. When Molk goes out, we suffer, and we've seen the evidence.
January 29th, 2012 at 5:17 PM ^
This actually frightens me. It's been evident the past 3 years, and that's not just on Khoury.
January 29th, 2012 at 5:21 PM ^
Indeed. I don't blame Khoury, and maybe he'll improve drastically once he's getting reps with the ones and game experience (it might just be jitters from never seeing the field behind a Rimington winner). However, unless we plan to force guys to the interior, we need to start picking up inside guys who fit there naturally.
Kozan, please go Blue! We need you more than you know and you could take over very quickly. Best decision you could make.
January 29th, 2012 at 5:53 PM ^
Does Kozan have family or relatives in Iowa? I can't see why he would want to play there over Michigan? Are the Hawkeyes even suppose to be a B10 contender here in the next two or three years?
January 29th, 2012 at 7:48 PM ^
BECUASE Iowa is a drive home to Colorado.. Michigan isnt.
But what is SHOCKING... is that Kozan or whoever wouldnt want to JUMP at the possiblity of starting as Denard's center, on his HEISMAN RUN his senior year.
January 29th, 2012 at 7:54 PM ^
BECUASE... he wouldn't be the starting center next YEAR?
January 29th, 2012 at 9:00 PM ^
From Castle Rock, Colorado to Iowa City, Iowa and back is a 26-hour round-trip. That's not exactly a drive home to do laundry at Mom's on the weekend type of distance, pal.
January 29th, 2012 at 9:04 PM ^
Is almost 13 hours a drive home nowadays?
January 29th, 2012 at 6:22 PM ^
We can't afford another year without a center, otherwise we'll be starting Khoury (oh god Sugar Bowl flashbacks)
Khoury played one series - three plays - against Va Tech. The only thing you could reasonably conclude from those three plays is that his shotgun snaps needed work, which is not unusual for a replacement center. (David Moosman, a pretty decent interior lineman overall, had massive trouble with shotgun snaps in his first couple starts at center in 2009 before getting it down.) You can't take anything from those three snaps and extrapolate it to 2012.
January 29th, 2012 at 6:26 PM ^
I know he didn't play much in the Sugar Bowl, but it was during the key opening drive where I was extremely nervous that the rest of the game would be terrible. Then there was the extreme uncertainty whether he would have to come back in or not, and focusing on Molk knowing there might not be a reliable backup. Not so much flashing back to actual plays, but more the feelings I had and dreading a repeat of the first drive.
I know it's nothing on Khoury, and mostly the snap problems as you said, but it still seemed indicative that we had no one prepared to assume the role should Molk go out.
January 29th, 2012 at 6:43 PM ^
I understand all that. After that first series, I desperately wanted Molk to return, too. But that doesn't mean that Khoury lacks the ability to ever play the position. QBs just tend to be very particular about the way they get the ball snapped to them in the shotgun and when you change centers, there can be an adjustment.
January 30th, 2012 at 6:40 AM ^
January 29th, 2012 at 8:59 PM ^
Why is everyone sleepin on Jack Miller? Heard nothing but positive things about him. Im sure he will in the mix for a starting job next season.
January 29th, 2012 at 5:22 PM ^
I've been itching for a Hello: post for a while. While I personally am expecting none of these guys to commit (I expected Garnett and that was quite the disappointment), it would be tremendous to grab a couple of these players. I would love to see us get Kozan and Diamond. Those two would round out what is an incredible OL haul. Reeves and Grant would be adding some salt to Ohio's wound. Let's hope we get these commits!
January 29th, 2012 at 8:22 PM ^
If I am a top OL, I look at school with 2 or 3 commits already and think "too crowded / worried about playing time". Short of free tats and Chargers, it seems it is real herd to bring in 4 major OL recruits in 1 class.
January 29th, 2012 at 5:26 PM ^
I had a dream last night that I saw a Hello: Armani Reeves post. Then I went to check the recruiting rankings and we were outside of the top 5 behind Syracuse.
It was a weird dream.
January 29th, 2012 at 5:51 PM ^
Is if we were offer Reeves a bball scholarship...
January 29th, 2012 at 7:54 PM ^
I think you need to quit eating chili before you go to bed.
January 29th, 2012 at 5:28 PM ^
Why cant they just decide now? I want decisions!
January 29th, 2012 at 5:39 PM ^
this is a huge decision and as my dad says "don't half ass it." Although if you want the better education then go to Michigan!
January 29th, 2012 at 5:32 PM ^
January 29th, 2012 at 5:49 PM ^
However it ends, the coaches have brought in some talent and character.
January 29th, 2012 at 5:39 PM ^
Who is going to be keeping us updated tonight? I'm still trying to get my site up and running before I start to really make inroads but I'd like to hear tonight, or will there be live updates?
<br>-Chet
January 29th, 2012 at 5:47 PM ^
If you best friend, who is more or less your sibling, is going to one school and you're 50/50 about whether or not you want to go there...
That says to me, he'd prefer to go to U of M, but can't decide if he wants to leave Carmen.
I think a similar thing was going on with Garnett, who wanted to go to Stanford, but his new BFF was going to the other school (and I don't the relationship Garnett has with Mags is the same as Armani's with Carmen). In the end, Garnett went with where he wanted to go. Hopefully Armani will do the same.
Just my 2 cents.
January 29th, 2012 at 5:55 PM ^
I think the toughest hurdle is Brent Williams, can't see a split situation. Going to be hard to get Armani blue, I think...
January 29th, 2012 at 5:55 PM ^
This is similar to Brionte Dunn's recruitment. I think he's very torn about where to go. On one hand, I think he really likes the idea of playing under Mattison and Hoke, but I have to believe that his friend is pushing him to go to Ohio and play under coach Meyer.
In many ways I do not admire these kids. This is a very difficult decision to make and I'd be taking my time and be just as confused as many of them are. Hopefully he goes blue in the end!
January 29th, 2012 at 6:55 PM ^
Did you mean ot type 'envy' instead of 'admire'?
January 29th, 2012 at 9:02 PM ^
Did you mean to type 'to' instead of 'ot'?
January 29th, 2012 at 5:58 PM ^
plays a very significant role in picking where he goes.
January 29th, 2012 at 5:53 PM ^
Well said Antoine, well said.
January 29th, 2012 at 5:54 PM ^
Devin Fuller to Arizona!
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<br>-Chet