Darrin Kirkland visiting ND tomorrow

Submitted by winterblue75 on
@SWiltfong247: #Michigan Top247 LB commit Darrin Kirkland Jr. will visit #NotreDame tomorrow, talks #Irish interest & more: http://t.co/MLQzkijtM8 #ND

The Geek

October 3rd, 2014 at 10:44 PM ^

ND appears to be back under Kelly. 

Personally, I'd never go to school in South Bend; and I'd never want to play football for Brian Kelly. But that's just me. 

Glen Masons Hot Wife

October 4th, 2014 at 12:09 AM ^

I think you could. Coaches come and go. Programs go through dips. I am confident we will have new, qualified people in place soon enough. I believe in this school.

If nothing else, I'd still be sending my kid to the greatest school in the world.

taistreetsmyhero

October 4th, 2014 at 12:57 AM ^

you've got a guy like dee hart who made the seemingly easiest choice ever to go to alabama. amazing team, offensive line so good that they make any rb look enticing to pro scouts.

but there's too much competition and he doesn't get any playing time.

so i think in the end it's all a game of chance and luck, and you just gotta go with your heart, and my heart bleeds maize and blue.

m1817

October 4th, 2014 at 7:41 AM ^

I would absolutely encourage a NFL prospect son to go Michigan knowing that a U-M degree and the alumni connections are going to benefit him for a lifetime after he graduates.  

No matter how highly rated a high school player is, he faces overwhelming odds of making it in the NFL, much less staying in the league more than a year or two.  

alum96

October 3rd, 2014 at 10:59 PM ^

Well per Hoke's rules that opens up Kirkland's spot as he is no longer considered a commit.

The main (only?) argument to keep dead man clapping around for 7 weeks seems to be "It's not Michigan's way" and "to keep the recruiting class together".  I don't think the kids are stupid nor is there any viable conversation I can see Hoke having about him being here next year for these kids. 

Not that firing him without a replacement is going to help either.  This season went so downhill so fast it is different than knowing in game 10 your coach is fired, and keeping recruits around for 3-4 weeks.  Not too common you have a lame duck coach in the first week of October.  This is going to be 2+ months of dead air space. 

Dec 1 can't get here fast enough.

LSAClassOf2000

October 3rd, 2014 at 11:09 PM ^

I suppose that it isn't the size of the class for me so much as the question - what has been the tenor of recruiting for the past few weeks? It has gotten off to a rough start, but I do wonder how things are being framed right now. I certainly don't mean to make an evaluation here, of course, but I am more curious as to whether the staff and the department have managed these things well enough. 

alum96

October 3rd, 2014 at 11:35 PM ^

I am curious too.   You have to have a heavy dose of self belief to be a coach.

Based on his comments and demeanor when he said "we still can win the big 10 championship" post Minn I am sure in his own version of reality he believes they can... and he will be here in 2015 to defend it.

Maybe that tenor changes in 3-4 weeks.  But for the next few he can at least go into that Peter Pan world.

Also we have to keep in mind's parents are involved as are opposing coaches.  I can only imagine the negative recruiting going on right now.

BannerToucher85

October 4th, 2014 at 1:35 AM ^

I'll be interested to see if Hoke sticks to his no visit policy. He has essentially lost all leverage at this point. Marquee program? Nope. Rrecruits flocking to Michigan? Nope. At this point we are at best a fall back option for highly ranked kids and they can afford to laugh in Hokes face regarding his policy.

ifis

October 4th, 2014 at 8:17 AM ^

My opinion is that the potential loss of talent currently on the team  should be the primary consideration for any coaching changes.  Recruiting is important, but one of the main differences between Rodriguez and Hoke is the long term health of the program.  Whether Hoke stays or goes,  we need to preserve what he built to the maximum degree possible.  If we lose a recruit or two (or six) from this fifteen person class, that will be unfortunate, but it won't be catastrophic.  If we lose a lot of our rising talent that is already on the team (this team is loaded with pure athleticisim), then we are back to square one of another four to five year rebuild.  The main reason to give Hoke another year is not recruiting; it is because every coach, especially one who inherited R.R.'s mess, should enjoy a presumption that he will have time to implement a system with his own players.  Admittedly, Hoke's performance probably overrides the presumption, but this year's recruiting should not be a major factor in the decision.  Retention of the players we already have should be a factor, though. 

SysMark

October 3rd, 2014 at 11:01 PM ^

The saving grace is it's a small class.  I don't know how much room we have for optimism but there's a lot riding on tomorrow night.  I live in the NY area and have heard surprisingly little about the game here but expect it to get amped up by tomorrow.  Looks like it's going to be a pretty rainy affair.

Chameleon Eyes

October 3rd, 2014 at 11:03 PM ^

I've been squinting since last Saturday night and I've yet to see the upside to keeping Hoke around for the rest of the season. Recruiting is pretty much finished for him. What's he gonna say to a kid/kid's parents?

Perkis-Size Me

October 3rd, 2014 at 11:18 PM ^

The kid can go where he wants. And honestly, with all the turmoil happening right now, I'm not offended he's looking elsewhere. I can only hope that whoever our next coach is that he can convince Kirkland that Michigan is still the right place for him.

If not, happy trails.



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Jevablue

October 3rd, 2014 at 11:29 PM ^

makes the concern over the current recruiting classes perspective on this topic totally moot. Losing is the biggest problem all the way around. Talented high school players watching other highly ranked players going to a team that seems to suck the talent out of them is the problem.  Hoke, stumbling and bumbling through a 2-10, 3-9 or whatever season, is as powerful a "recruiting repellant" as you can possibly conjur.  And what competing coach wouldn't talk about the abject absence of development that M has displayed for what seems now like forever? Coach Interim or Coach TBD > Coach Hoke.  Get 'er done.

WineAndSpirits

October 3rd, 2014 at 11:39 PM ^

I'm not close to this at all.

Understand why kids would look around. If he is, it's about this kid's best interest. best of luck, son. Michigan is a good school. Make sure it's right for you.

aiglick

October 3rd, 2014 at 11:48 PM ^

So it goes I mean I'm not blaming him.

This is the least of our troubles. If we can partially right the ship and maybe get some wins to close out the year and, if it comes to this, we get a big hire the recruiting class probably stabilizes somewhat.

Time as always will tell.

ghost

October 4th, 2014 at 3:01 AM ^

I understand a recruit wanting to look around when a coaching change is imminent, but Kelly has openly flirted with the NFL on multiple occassions.  One of these times he is going to leave.  It is pretty well known he isn't long for college football.

aiglick

October 4th, 2014 at 9:09 AM ^

I'm not really sure why tonight would do it but Minnesota wouldn't. I think Rutgers is at least as good as Minnesota if not better. That WSU was pretty good especially as an away team to the West coast. We are also playing on the road which has always been pretty bad in the Hoke Era and at night. It would be a minor miracle for us to win tonight and I'm surprised the line is so low given 1) our recent historical performance against teams with a pulse and 2) against teams on the road.

Maybe you're saying if we lose tonight there is no possible way for this season to be salvaged? If so, then yes I agree.

joubertly breathing

October 4th, 2014 at 9:46 AM ^

But there's blood in the water for the program right now, so you know that they will create that narrative throughout the broadcast, complete with interviews, damning quotes accompanied with less-than-flattering stock photos, and extreme close-ups of coach's reaction following negative plays.  If you like wallowing, tonight could be a great game to watch (and DVR)!