Comparing UM and MSU Recruiting Classes

Submitted by M Ascending on

Looking at 247sports composite ratings for M and MSU 2017 commits to date, I cannot recall ever seeing such a disparity in class quality between these two schools.  For example,

MSU's highest ranked recruit, OG Kevin Jarvis, has a composite ranking of.9039.  Michigan currently has 11 COMMITS with a higher composite ranking than MSU's top commit.

Michigan also has 19 COMMITS with a higher composite than all but MSU's top two recruits.

Finally, our recruiting AVERAGE of 91.02 is substantially higher than the ranking for MSU's top recruit.  That seems incredible.

Questions:  (1) Does anyone remember any year with a higher disparity between the recruiting classes, in either direction?

                    (2)  Does anyone have any information that would suggest that MSU might be able to narrow the gap at all between now and signing day with some quality late recruits?

reddogrjw

January 9th, 2017 at 10:51 AM ^

Going to be a brutal class for them

Very few of their recruits would be someone we would consider a take

Maybe one of their OL - Reid or Jarvis - might be it - and I think we passed on Reid

FauxMo

January 9th, 2017 at 11:06 AM ^

All true. The funny thing is, though, that I've been following recruiting since the Internet sites came online (2002 or so), and this class would be - historically - at the higher end of their range. They've had some pure dogshit classes over that span that would make this class seem fantastic, IIRC. Of course, the fact that they cannot do better than they are now after the last 5 years is truly ridiculous. I hate to do this, but it reminds me of how Beilein was unable to kick things up a notch in recruiting after taking a team to a NC game. Sad, but true... 

FauxMo

January 9th, 2017 at 11:15 AM ^

For fun, here are some sample rankings for MSU classes (from Rivals):

2003: 69th

2007: 43rd

2008: 47th

2012: 42nd

2013: 47th

So basically, they were super-awful at times, and even after Dantini had "results to sell," he couldn't sell them particularly well... 

Squash34

January 9th, 2017 at 11:51 AM ^

Yes, they are 31 currently. However, like mentioned in the first reply, they are not in on many players as of now. Therefore, they'll likely be passed by a few teams that finish the cycle strong that are currently behind them.
I'm not saying it for a certainty, but I would be very surprised if they hold off other teams to keep the 31 spot.

alum96

January 9th, 2017 at 11:57 AM ^

May I ask how old you are?   I don't ask that facetiously.  When you use terms like "ever" it makes me think you are relatively young.

I know we only know the context of our lives but people under 30 probably don't realize MSU Oregon and Baylor were hot garbage for most of us "older folks" lives.  So I know recruiting services didn't exist in the 80s and 90s but I am sure UM was crushing MSU by a wider gap then if they were around. 

Like someone else said, this current class would be pretty typical of pre 2010 MSU.  And probably a "better than average" class for MSU football going back to say 1970. And UM's class is a bit higher than what Carr would get on a normal top 10 year.  So yes there have been much wider variances and I bet 70% of the years since 1970 it would have been wider if such services existed then.

p.s. can you imagine Wolverine Devotee calling the enrollment office EVERY 2 hrs on the land line in 1988 checking early enrollees???

Alumnus93

January 9th, 2017 at 4:43 PM ^

Any of their success, save for Magic Johnson homegrown, was due to Michigan... yep...

Duffy Daughterty came from our staff.

Chris Webber put us under and Izzo stepped in the void and took it.

Bill Martin held Carr on too long and then hired a bad fit in RR, and Dave Brandon continued it, allowing Dantonio to fill void.

Webber and Martin should be in Sparty's hall of fame.

mGrowOld

January 9th, 2017 at 12:31 PM ^

I recruited for Michigan in the early 90's and the only schools we worried about were OSU, Notre Dame and Penn State (somewhat).  Michigan State existed as for sports as they did for academics, a nice back-up school to go to if you couldnt get in to where you really wanted to go.

Things are basically back to normal.  Normal isnt what's happened over the past 7-8 years.  Normal is this which is why we lead the series 69-35-5 and that's with them winning 7 of the last 9 games.

Mr Miggle

January 9th, 2017 at 11:55 AM ^

Their class is almost full and they would have to get lucky to add anyone to raise their average. Other schools are going to pass them by LOI day.

The last couple of classes were about as good as it gets for MSU, around #20. They need a bounce back year on the field or they won't see another class like those.

trueblueintexas

January 9th, 2017 at 5:07 PM ^

Not as bad as you think. I posted this in one of the 12,652 Najee threads this weekend. 

ESPN 300/247 Composite Top 300 Rankings:

OSU 16/17 verbal pledges

Michigan 17/16 verbal pledges

When looking at the top 300 recruits in the country, looks like Michigan and OSU are dead even according to two recruiting resources. Yes, OSU has more in the top 25, 50, 100, but recruiting is about filling holes and getting the best player for your system. I would rather have the #125 player which fits my system than the #50 player which doesn't.

 

trueblueintexas

January 9th, 2017 at 8:22 PM ^

Of course you want the best player at each position, but just because OSU may have the #2 ranked receiver and Michigan got the #4 receiver doesn't default to OSU getting the better player. The #2 guy may be a slot scatter bug type and the #4 guy may be a larger outside receiver. OSU needed a replacement for Samuels and Michigan needed replacements for Darboh and Chesson. So which team did better? I'd argue they did equally well even though the recruiting rankings would say OSU got the win.

yossarians tree

January 9th, 2017 at 1:18 PM ^

As an institution and a program to sell, MSU has a ceiling. Always has. The difference in the Dantonio years is that they have found some diamonds in the rough/done an oustanding job in developing players. They've been extremely well-coached. Also, they've found two All Big Ten quarterbacks who are now in the NFL. Even with their success recently they are a second-tier sell job. As Dirty Harry said, "A man's gotta know his limitations."

MGlobules

January 9th, 2017 at 2:32 PM ^

to what Dantoni has managed. Much as I am not a fan of his lemon-sucking demeanor. You have to feel a little bit surprised, taking a hard look at this, that he has not sought greener pastures. After all, Saban did. 

Then you visit RCMB, see how many fans are after his skin now, after one bad year. . .

bacon

January 9th, 2017 at 2:46 PM ^

I don't think that many people think he walks walks on water. More that he's done better than people give him credit for. Our history in basketball is not as good as people would want to believe and coach has had some success here. I think he's more Kirk Ferentz than mark dantoni

ijohnb

January 9th, 2017 at 12:23 PM ^

take a look over there sometimes just for something to read and some of the stuff that is said on that site........... man.   Not just the man-bro stuff about chicks and body spray but some of the comments on there would get people here sent to Bolivia, fast.  You really get a feel for the "essence" of a State fan from that site, and it is not a pretty picture.

In reply to by ijohnb

FauxMo

January 9th, 2017 at 12:35 PM ^

It's gross over there, but fun to lurk sometimes. I do have to say that I hate how many "UM fans" (whether real or not) go over there to troll. It's just dumb and gives us all a bad name. 

In reply to by ijohnb

flashOverride

January 9th, 2017 at 2:22 PM ^

I lurk every now and then, too, just for the pure comedic value. Never disappoints. Found a guy there the other day, the post was a bit lacking in clarity but it sounded like he was griping about how he actually made a Wikipedia page for the "Detroit Blue Wall media" or whatever they call it, and the site took it down. The essence of a State fan, right there. I mean, Wikipedia pages for your bitchy conspiracy theories about Michigan and the Detroit media. HA, HA, HA...

Squash34

January 9th, 2017 at 11:56 AM ^

Well, I a mean, he is a moster in the NFL. However, acting like he proves getting a bunch of two stars and "coaching them up" is the way to sustain a program -- at a high level-- is rediculous.
I mean the Glasgow's will most likely have long NFL careers, but you don't see michigan fans using this to advocate an opproach of starting a bunch of walk ons