Denzel Ward has spoken to coaches about taking visits elsewhere

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January 4th, 2013 at 12:09 PM
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Sinsemillaplease
Joined: 01/01/2011
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Denzel Ward has spoken to coaches about taking visits elsewhere

I dislike these threads but thought I could start one and title it in a way that would not cause panic. It's January 2013 and Denzel Ward may have committed too soon and that's ok. He spoke to the coaches about taking visits and was told he would need to decommit first but would still be a UM recruit. He's thinking about visiting Florida, Purdue, ASU, Stanford and UCLA. There is no cause for concern. Michigan is on the minds of several big time 2014 OL and the haul will be Tremendous no matter what.

via Rivals $

via ESPN $

Edit: Ward has this to say on Twitter:

Just got done working hard and I come back to tweets and threads about me and my Michigan status, tell the fam and Coach Hoke I'm All Blue!

Imo, this is just another kid who wants to travel for free and capitalize on the opportunity he's worked so hard for. Don't we all wish we had that opportunity? Nothing to see here.

2014 Offer List BOYCOTT ADIDAS

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January 4th, 2013 at 12:13 PM | Stop with your... (Score:5 Normal)
MGoShoe
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Joined: 04/23/2009
MGoPoints: 19325

...pitiful attempts to assague our concerns. This is a BIG DEAL. Teenagers are not allowed to change their mind if it negatively affects Michigan.

LSA '89 - MBB Natl Champions, Big 10/Rose Bowl Champions | @MGoShoe

January 4th, 2013 at 12:14 PM | PANIC (Score:5 Normal)
JCV16
Joined: 06/29/2011
MGoPoints: 472

PANIC PANIC PANIC PANIC PANIC PANIC PANIC PANICPANIC PANIC PANIC PANICPANIC PANIC PANIC PANICPANIC PANIC PANIC PANICPANIC PANIC PANIC PANIC tremendous PANIC PANIC PANIC PANICPANIC PANIC PANIC PANICPANIC PANIC PANIC PANIC

Tremendous!

January 4th, 2013 at 12:15 PM | At least he's doing it now (Score:5 Normal)
reshp1
Joined: 10/31/2011
MGoPoints: 775

At least he's doing it now and not closer to signing day when people we've turned away for his spot are commited elsewhere. Kid should definitely have a chance to explore his options if he feels he didn't adequately do so before he commited.

January 4th, 2013 at 2:14 PM | With his signing day about 13 (Score:2 Normal)
GoWings2008
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Joined: 01/26/2011
MGoPoints: 1580

With his signing day about 13 months away, there's still plenty of time and opportunity to recover.  No big deal. 

The Team, The Team, The Team

January 4th, 2013 at 12:16 PM | I hope he just decommits and (Score:0 Normal)
January 4th, 2013 at 12:16 PM | It is literally over a year (Score:3 Normal)
hail2thevict0r
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Joined: 12/01/2008
MGoPoints: 9802

It is literally over a year from now until the 2014 class even signs....not too worried about it, especially considering our OL depth in this class and the last.

OH-HOW-I-HATE OHIO STATE

January 4th, 2013 at 12:16 PM | Purdue ???? (Score:1)
Indiana Blue
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Joined: 09/19/2010
MGoPoints: 1525

Seriously ... this has to be a typo.   They don't even have a coach ... do they?  Maybe Gene Keady will try football now ... hair still looks the same ... hahahaha

Go Blue!

No place on earth I'd rather be on a football Saturday than Michigan Stadium !

January 4th, 2013 at 12:26 PM | it would be close to home for (Score:2)
david from wyoming
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it would be close to home for him, no?

Are you a park ranger at Yellowstone? Say hi to Yogi Bear for me. - the_big_house 500th

I may not be a 70 year old man. - Herm

January 4th, 2013 at 12:40 PM | Rivals shows him holding two (Score:2)
DonAZ
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MGoPoints: 699

Rivals shows him holding two offers -- Michigan and Purdue.  That might explain the inclusion of Purdue in the mix.

Midwestern born and raised ... now living in the heat of the Arizona desert

January 4th, 2013 at 12:40 PM | Darrell Hazell (Score:0 Overrated)
January 4th, 2013 at 1:26 PM | Tressel's staff (Score:1)
funkywolve
Joined: 10/08/2008
MGoPoints: 1974

Does that include Bollman as the OC?

January 4th, 2013 at 2:55 PM | What are the tattoo parlors (Score:2 Normal)
M-Wolverine
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Joined: 10/04/2009
MGoPoints: 39227

What are the tattoo parlors like in West Lafayette?

"I love him, he's a great coach, he's a great mentor, he's a great friend. He's every single thing you want a college coach to be, and he does it flawlessly." -David Molk

January 4th, 2013 at 12:17 PM | Here's hoping he'll return to (Score:2)
ReadYourGuard
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Joined: 08/21/2008
MGoPoints: 6223

Here's hoping he'll return to the nest.

"the Spirit of Michigan...is based on a deathless loyalty to Michigan and all her ways....and a conviction that nowhere is there a better university, in any way, than this Michigan of ours" - Fielding Yost
January 4th, 2013 at 12:19 PM | The Mayans were (Score:1 Normal)
NFG
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Joined: 04/24/2012
MGoPoints: 2251

The Mayans were right.....

 

/sss

January 4th, 2013 at 12:20 PM | Long time till 2014 (Score:5 Normal)
detrocks
Joined: 08/18/2010
MGoPoints: 736

I'm not surprised by this.   Given that he's new to HS football, he probably wasn't expecting all of the interest that he's getting.   He was probably shocked when he got the Michigan offer and just jumped on it.    Now that other schools are recruiting him, of course, he's interested in seeing what's out there.   It's different from other early commit guys like Michael Ferns or Shane Morris who had interest from a number of schools early on and had a much better understanding of their options before committing early.

It's a long way till 2014, if he's going to look around, it's best for everyone that he do it now as opposed to waiting until later in the process like Conley or Brown did.  

 

January 4th, 2013 at 12:21 PM | Interesting note (Score:4 Normal)
MGoVoldemort
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MGoPoints: 404

He told reporters at the UA game that he wanted to find the best place for him, and a place where he could play the earliest. Coming from a kid that is 110% headed for a redshirt, followed by heavy work just to get into the rotation, I found this comment weird. Honestly, Michigan's recent O-Line classes will most likely prevent Ward from seeing the field soon. He hasn't been playing football for that long, so people around him pushing the idea that he needs to play early are ridiculous.

January 4th, 2013 at 12:22 PM | Correction (Score:2 Normal)
MGoVoldemort
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MGoPoints: 404

The UA combine. He's at the UA combine.

January 4th, 2013 at 12:29 PM | You mean a giant 17 year old (Score:2)
FreddieMercuryHayes
Joined: 12/29/2010
MGoPoints: 4991

You mean a giant 17 year old kid is over-estimating his abilities?  Didn't RJS say he was only going to play three years in college?  Seems this happens a lot.  I agree that he's an RS all the way and will need a year or two to get all the technique down at least.  But at the same time, we've got some talented linemen already in the fold, and the path to playing time may be quite cramped regardless. 

January 4th, 2013 at 12:32 PM | I often wonder what people are telling some of the recruits. (Score:2)
LB
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MGoPoints: 5168

The last thing I want to see is a player that feels he was forced into playing for Michigan. No, that is next to last - the last thing is a freshman starting on the OL. Go ye forth and visit, enjoy yourself. Eat mushrooms (with your steak) and ponder the state of the universe while reading Casteneda. Live fast, drive fast (but stay off the front page, please). When you're finished, call Hoke.

May you have a strong foundation
When the winds of changes shift

January 4th, 2013 at 12:36 PM | While I agree that "early (Score:2)
RakeFight
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Joined: 02/21/2012
MGoPoints: 1391

While I agree that "early playing time" can mean very different things depending on position (like OL vs. RB, for example), there is still such a thing as early playing time for OL.  consider that we will likely be playing a RS Freshman or two next year at OL... while not ideal for the team, still counts as early playing time for the kid.  But our 2012 and 2013 OL recruiting classes have to look pretty daunting to a 2014 kid who wants to play as soon as possible.  So it seems reasonable to see how the situation is shaping up at other programs showing him interest.

January 4th, 2013 at 12:40 PM | Yes and no (Score:1)
MGoVoldemort
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Joined: 07/08/2011
MGoPoints: 404

While our O-Line will be very young in the coming years, Denzel JUST started playing football. It's quite logical that he wouldn't see the field until his red shirt sophomore year.

January 4th, 2013 at 12:55 PM | Yes, and he may very well (Score:2)
RakeFight
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Joined: 02/21/2012
MGoPoints: 1391

Yes, and he may very well realize that.  All I'm saying is that given our more recent OL recruiting, he's less likely to see the field even as a RS sophomore than he might at other programs.

January 4th, 2013 at 12:46 PM | He can get his wish for early (Score:2 Normal)
Hannibal.
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He can get his wish for early playing time fulfilled, but it will almost certainly be at a shitty program.  At Michigan, he could live up to his ratings and still not get playing time until he is in his fourth year. 

January 4th, 2013 at 1:17 PM | Spot on ... there is a (Score:2)
DonAZ
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Joined: 12/05/2011
MGoPoints: 699

Spot on ... there is a consideration of priorities to be done -- early playing time, or quality skill development.  He can get good coaching even at lesser programs, but he won't get the opportunity to (a) play alongside other highly skilled linemen, and (b) be part of a school that is historically known as producing really good offensive linemen.

I'm confident the combination of Hoke and Funk will do the right thing to keep his heart Blue.

Midwestern born and raised ... now living in the heat of the Arizona desert

January 4th, 2013 at 12:35 PM | This is bad (Score:4 Normal)
ShruteBeetFarms
Joined: 09/25/2010
MGoPoints: 1544

Purdue is snake oiling us and they don't  even have a coach yet. I'll be out on the ledge!

/s

"I'm not a vegetarian b/c I love animals. I'm a vegetarian b/c I hate plants"

January 4th, 2013 at 12:45 PM | bologna (Score:1 Normal)
TexanGOBLUE
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bologna

'Try growing up in Texas a Michigan WOLVERINE'. Follow me on Twitter: RudygoBLUE

January 4th, 2013 at 12:49 PM | Purdue? UCLA? AState? I mean (Score:4 Normal)
turtleboy
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MGoPoints: 3264

Purdue? UCLA? AState? I mean come on. I'm kinda hurt. If he wanted to visit Bama, or Oregon, or Texas maybe I'd feel better, but Purdue?!

"that's why you don't go to Ohio State, Lawrence"

January 4th, 2013 at 1:08 PM | I would visit Arizona State.  (Score:4 Normal)
ken725
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MGoPoints: 4682

I would visit Arizona State.  There is talent at that school.

Greetings from Bolivia.

"It's special how the real true people hang together. And if you don't support the program you're not a true Michigan guy. It's that simple."  - Gary Moeller

January 4th, 2013 at 1:13 PM | There is talent (Score:5 Normal)
TexanGOBLUE
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'Try growing up in Texas a Michigan WOLVERINE'. Follow me on Twitter: RudygoBLUE

January 4th, 2013 at 1:17 PM | Are those maroon shorts (Score:5 Normal)
Indy Wolverine
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MGoPoints: 812

Are those maroon shorts painted on!?!?!

January 4th, 2013 at 1:29 PM | That's not real life. (Score:1 Flamebait)
His Dudeness
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Joined: 11/24/2008
MGoPoints: 13620

That's not real life.

or uh, Duder, or El Duderino if you're not into the whole brevity thing.

January 4th, 2013 at 3:42 PM |  I've been ASU campus and (Score:1)
B1G_Fan
Joined: 10/11/2012
MGoPoints: 340

 I've been ASU campus and I'll be the first to say these pictures do the women on that campus no justice. I'm assuming these pictures where taken by The University of Arizona  as a recruiting tool against ASU.

 I've been coast to coast and nowhere have I seen a larger collection of attractive women, down for whatever than Arizona State University. The only reason I wouldn't go there is the 108' night games

January 4th, 2013 at 1:21 PM | He'd better like two-a-days (Score:2)
DonAZ
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MGoPoints: 699

He'd better like two-a-days in the oven.  It doesn't cool down until late October.

The Phoenix area is a freakin' cooker in the summer.  Tucson (where I live) is hot enough at highs of around 105, but Phoenix is 10 degrees hotter because of the lower elevation.  115 is brutal.  And yes, the 10 degrees makes a huge difference, even when above 100 degrees.

But ... to you point ... yes, I think ASU is a program on the rise.

Midwestern born and raised ... now living in the heat of the Arizona desert

January 4th, 2013 at 1:17 PM | Even if I was a 16 yr old (Score:1 Redundant)
bluetell
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Joined: 07/03/2008
MGoPoints: 4770

that loved Michigan with all of my maize and blue heart, I would still have trouble saying no to people offering to take me on mini-vacations for free where they only tell me how much they like me

Rudy watches inspirational movies about Shawn Hunwick

 

January 4th, 2013 at 12:58 PM | If someone panics about a (Score:2)
mejunglechop
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Joined: 07/09/2008
MGoPoints: 6423

If someone panics about a commit thinking about taking visits 13 months from signing day they are an idiot and you should ignore them.

Galileo was also chastised.

January 4th, 2013 at 12:59 PM | Grade A o-linemen (Score:1)
ontblue
Joined: 07/10/2008
MGoPoints: 72

Considering the 2012 and 2013 o-line classes, getting top notch o-linemen in 2014 could be a problem. I hate even thinking it, but I can already see tranfers in the future, especially if they take 6 this year. A1 o-linemen may have to wait again until 2015.

Bob

January 4th, 2013 at 1:10 PM | As long as OSU and ND (Score:1)
AZBlue
AZBlue's picture
Joined: 09/14/2008
MGoPoints: 981

aren't on that list it does not bother me at this point.

(Am i forgetting somebody?........Where's the threat?)

January 4th, 2013 at 1:47 PM | According to the ESPN (Score:1)
Smitdog6767
Joined: 11/27/2011
MGoPoints: 212

According to the ESPN article, OSU is indeed in the mix.

January 4th, 2013 at 2:15 PM | ahhhh EVERYONE PANIC!!!! (Score:2)
robbyt003
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Joined: 10/25/2010
MGoPoints: 2625

ahhhh EVERYONE PANIC!!!!

“When your team is winning, be ready to be tough, because winning can make you soft. On the other hand, when your team is losing, stick by them. Keep believing” - Bo Schembechler

January 4th, 2013 at 1:30 PM | He and LTT seem tight but I (Score:2 Normal)
Danwillhor
Joined: 12/02/2008
MGoPoints: 606

He and LTT seem tight but I always felt he was a classic "commit because I'm wow'd, happy and it's a major school" kid. Conley type commit, ya know. Still could end up here (!) but always had the feeling he wasn't crazy solid after about a week and the fuzzies wore off. I'd definitely still assume/think we are in the driver's seat but I think he eventually becomes a kid we have to fight hard to keep (I know that is true with all/most recruits regardless of status but you should get my point).

January 4th, 2013 at 2:16 PM | Exactly - this doesn't (Score:2)
WolvinLA2
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MGoPoints: 18039

Exactly - this doesn't surprise me at all.  You see this a lot when a kid gets a big time offer before he has really been noticed as a recruit.  Conley was like this, and we've seen others like this before.  Guy gets big time offer, jumps all over it right away, and when he has a bunch more big time offers a few months later second guesses.

I'm not saying this is bad either, because most of us would probably do that same thing.  I'm also not worried about this at all, because we have a killer 2013 OL class, and Denzel Ward is far from a can't-miss OL prospect.  He has a high upside, for sure, but we will be able to replace him if he chooses somewhere else.  Hell, we'll probably only take 4 OL commits at most in 2014, and with the guys we have on our radar, Ward might not have a spot by the time he takes thos visits.

January 4th, 2013 at 2:47 PM | Completely natural and (Score:1)
JimBobTressel
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MGoPoints: 131

Completely natural and normal...once he takes a look at those other schools it'll only reassure him that Michigan is the best place for him.

ATTN NBA Dads and Siblings: Have brothers / sons on the hoops come-up? 

Michigan = NBA Family U

January 4th, 2013 at 4:02 PM | This cuts two ways (Score:2)
StephenRKass
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Joined: 07/15/2008
MGoPoints: 4283

It certainly cuts against Michigan, because we would lose a commitment. However, it also cuts against Ward. How? I believe Ward has been offered more on his potential than on his actual performance to date. It could be the case that should he decommits, Michigan evaluates his film, and decides not to make another offer to him. Right now he is guaranteed a spot. Once that spot opens to others, there might not be another space open to him.

In the long run, this could help Michigan. Suppose someone who is 90% committed to Michigan decommits in order to look around and go on official visits. While they are taking these visits and looking around, the spot is given to another recruit of approximately equal ability, and there is no longer space available for the once-committed recruit. If the word gets around that spots won't sit open indefinitely, future recruits would start to think about whether or not it is worth decommitting.

"It does not matter how many times you get knocked down, but how many times you get up." Vince Lombardi

 

January 4th, 2013 at 4:29 PM | Ward's latest tweet (Score:3 Normal)
Wave83
Joined: 03/09/2011
MGoPoints: 558

Ward tweeted this 14 minutes ago (around 3:15):

Just got done working hard and I come back to tweets and threads about me and my Michigan status, tell the fam and Coach Hoke I'm All Blue!

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