Detroit News Annual Recruiting Q&A with the Recruits

Submitted by nmumike on

This is something that I always look forward to reading. They ask each of their "Blue Chip" athletes about their best and worst experience on the recruiting trail. 

Interesting read. Question for the recruiting folks here on the board, is this a weak class, or did we just not do a good job in the state this year? 

Link: http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/high-school/2015/02/02/blue-chip-players-talk-best-worst-recruiting/22761193/

 

julesh

February 3rd, 2015 at 7:47 AM ^

I remember hearing early in the 2015 cycle that the in-state talent this year was having a down year. Not sure if that proved to be the case or not.

Mauresi

February 3rd, 2015 at 7:47 AM ^

Maybe players in the state this year aren't as good as previous years. I wouldn't say just because Michigan didn't offer you should conclude we didn't do a good job. Perhaps the talent this year was below average.




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oriental andrew

February 3rd, 2015 at 10:29 AM ^

I think the point is that Michigan didn't even bother offering guys like David Moorman and Dior Johnson (or even Grant Perry until just recently) for whatever reasons. But it's often been said by many on MGoBlog that if Wisco is offering an OL, then it's a good bet that he's a pretty good player. 

Bb011

February 3rd, 2015 at 8:17 AM ^

These recruits seem a lot more honest this year. I feel that in the past if one of these players weren't offered by MSU or Michigan they would give some bullshit reason about why they didn't like the school and that is the reason why they weren't going there, when in reality they never got offered and never were going to get offered.

M-Dog

February 3rd, 2015 at 8:50 AM ^

OK, whoever writes these, please do a little research and if a kid was not offered by Michigan and Michigan State, don't make them have to embarrass tthemselves and say that they did not even get an offer.  Ask them why not CMU or WMU or some place they were actually offered.

What's so hard about that?  If you are too lazy, throw Ace a few bucks and he'll tell you were they were offered.

Magnus

February 3rd, 2015 at 9:04 AM ^

I see they talked to Malzone, but I know there have been issues with talking to freshmen who are enrolled early in the past. If a freshman is enrolled early, sometimes he is barred from speaking to the media.

MH20

February 3rd, 2015 at 11:14 AM ^

"The top 15 players on The Detroit News Blue Chip list talk about their best and worst recruiting experiences and more in this question-and-answer with David Goricki"

I know it's semantics, but if you're going to put together a list and call it the "Blue Chip List" then it seems you should be listing everyone on that list, regardless of whether they did a Q&A session with you.  Also seems to me in the past they have listed recruits who wished to not be interviewed or were precluded from doing so by their school (I am nearly certain Michigan has enforced this before).

Unless this isn't the true "Blue Chip List" and only the top-15 who agreed to be interviewed, in which case it's not a very useful list.

Aaaand I'm spent.

JonnyHintz

February 3rd, 2015 at 9:51 AM ^

Brian Cole's high school team was very bad this season. He also missed a game from suspension. But what I'm guessing is that he didn't perform well statistically enough, maybe since he enrolled early at Michigan he wasn't available for interview, or he just didn't want to do it.

Who knows really. Who cares? He's talented and he's on the team.

Chad Henne

February 3rd, 2015 at 8:22 AM ^

Admittedly I've paid almost no attention to recruiting this year, but that seems like an exceptionally poor instate class. When we offer only 5 guys, you know something is up.

Magnus

February 3rd, 2015 at 8:30 AM ^

There aren't a lot of high-quality prospects this year, and a couple of the high-quality prospects come with character concerns. However, I do think there are a few "lower tier" prospects within the state who could end up being pretty good.

MgoblueAF

February 3rd, 2015 at 8:31 AM ^

I think some of it might just be idiosyncratic. It sounds like some of them grew up in an MSU house and some felt their position was too deep for playing time this year (Kelly). The ones that stick out in my mind as misses are Stallworth, Alabi, and Tyriq Thompson (legacy)

M-Dog

February 3rd, 2015 at 8:45 AM ^

Read Weber's quotes:  

Why not Michigan? "I grew up a Michigan fan and it's always been a school I wanted to go to, play for, and that's why I made my decision to go there early. But when it went downhill and they lost Brady Hoke and (I) didn't really know what they would bring in, [Ed: but you certainly do now.] I decided on Ohio State. I wanted to try something different and sometimes that can guide you in the right direction."

Why not Michigan State? "One of the reasons is they're kind of loaded at running back. [Ed: like OSU.]  Coach Dantonio is an excellent coach, but we really didn't communicate at the end and it didn't work out, but he did offer."

Bolds and [Ed:] comments are mine.  He certainly sounds like a kid that can be flipped back.

He's at Ohio State by default, forced there by circumstances that are no longer true.  He does not want the embarrassment of flipping back and forth, but you can tell he'd realy like to come back.

 

alum96

February 3rd, 2015 at 10:42 AM ^

All of UM's RBs are upperclassmen other than Isaac.

Meanwhile MSU has about 5 RBs who are underclassmen incl one of the top recruits in the country in 2015 guy Larry Scott.  So he is correct.

Meanwhile OSU has a Heisman candidate in Elliott and a freshmen behind him who many say is better than Elliott.  And they signed the #1 RB in 2016 already.

So actually we are less loaded than those 2 squads from a playing spot perspective.  Isaac is really the only thing standing in Weber's way at UM right now if you go 2 years out.

Everyone Murders

February 3rd, 2015 at 8:48 AM ^

Whether it's due to them being good kids (my guess), or well-advised (probably a bit of that, too), this group of recruits seemed very forthright on the process.  In years past, we'd see kids who had no chance of a B1G offer answer the "why not UM/MSU?" question with nonsense.  Several talked negatively about schools that they had no realistic chance of attending - whether due to grades or ability - but did not own the fact that they did not get a B1G offer.  (Full disclosure - neither did I.)

This year's group was positive and forthright.  A lot of honest "well, they (UM/MSU) did not offer" answers.  Best of luck to each of these kids as individuals, and to their teams to the extent such teams are not based in E. Lansing or Columbus.

michfanisbacka…

February 3rd, 2015 at 9:14 AM ^

Kind of a dick move asking someone why they didn't go to a school that didn't offer. That would be like someone asking me why I didn't go to Harvard or Yale, "Oh, ya know, I just didn't feel as at home there and they absolutely did not want me."

creelymonk10

February 3rd, 2015 at 10:58 AM ^

Just because they've been doing something a certain way for a long time doesn't make it right. It's a real dick move to ask kids why not Michigan or MSU when they weren't offered. What are they supposed to say?

sundaybluedysunday

February 3rd, 2015 at 9:09 AM ^

Crazy how the responses have changed from just a few years ago. Michigan no longer commands the awe that it once did, that's for sure. I don't think it will take a ton to bring Michigan back, but Harbaugh and Wheatley certainly have their work cut out for them.

alum96

February 3rd, 2015 at 10:45 AM ^

I am actually shocked how well UM is recruiting the past 3-4 years (credit to Hoke) relative to the on field product.

You have to realize that to most 16-17 year olds UM has been nothing but bad to mediocre save for 2011 in their entire teenage years.  It's a program they see lose to State almost every year, and lose to OSU almost their entire lives.

Most people on this board are 25 or older so they know a different Michigan.  Kids growing up today are seeing a bad product.  Thankfully they still have their dads around to talk about the good ole days and the brand name is also strong.  But just from product on the field they see with their own eyes - its not been something positive for teenagers nowadays once they got past age 10.

Caesar

February 3rd, 2015 at 9:09 AM ^

"It's a great school, but it didn't have the same family atmosphere I felt at Western. I had a better connection at Western and (MSU) didn't offer, either."

4EverBlueGirl

February 3rd, 2015 at 12:09 PM ^

Alex Grace closed his recruitment very early.  He chose to go to Western to honor a close friend that died in a car accident. His friend and work out partner attended Western yet passed before his sophomore year.  His family feel and connection makes more sense if you read the link below.

 

http://highschoolsports.mlive.com/news/article/-4746225260458348430/column-alex-grace-makes-sure-lucas-isoms-no-9-remains-a-constant-force-in-swan-valley-football-program/