Ferns offered by Alabama as H-back (Per Steve Lorenz)
Our first 14' commit, Michael Ferns, has been offered by Saban as an H-back. Brady and co. have certainly done a great job of discovering talents.
Quoted content came directly from Steve Lorenz (free information)
Saban called the St. Clairsville coach today looking to talk to Michael, whom he eventually got on the phone with, mostly by chance. A long story short, Saban grew up in West Virginia and knows a lot of people connected to the Ferns family (grandfather, etc.), which is how the conversation began. Saban then offered Ferns a scholarship, somewhat surprisingly, as an H-Back TE. It's a total non-issue.
The Ferns' were concerned that one of the local sites would try to make something out of this, which it looks like they have. As you would assume, it's nothing but another notch on Michael's belt as far as scholarships go. He has a lot more than have been reported, but hasn't really bothered talking to coaches from other teams and has gone as far as telling his coach to tell other programs to stop coming by Saint Clairsville to stop wasting their time.
Not that surprising really. Ferns was recruited by Montgomery and now that he's left maybe Saban figured the door might be open a bit. It's a no lose offer for Alamamba (is that how you kids are saying it these days?) and look on the bright side.
Now that he holds an offer from Saban he's SURE to get that coveted 5th star. I've noticed that it seems the recruiting services are starting to up and downgrade their initial evaluations based on who offered them as much as anything else.
more selma please
This is supposed to be funny right? Because Selma is a town in Alabama? And that busty lusty is actually named Salma? If so the whole thing signifies on a remarkable level.
Saban down makes him 1 for 3 in the last few years against Michigan commits.
Good guys: Poggi and Ferns
Led astray: Dee Hart
Probably more I just can't remember.
That's a soft 1 for 3 as well because Dee Hart may have stayed a Michigan commit if the HC situation didn't get so fuzzy. Maybe not though.
And then you don't get the other 2, so in the end it's all a fair trade. Plus we now have Derrick Green and Smith who will be just fine.
Omar do scare.
Shane Morris also was offered by Bama.
Link to the article please?
I could not find Steve's write-up by searching, but here is the OVA article from which some of that information came - (LINK). I suspect this is where much of the background information came from, and it appears on some random message boards as well. A few Ohio sportswriters seemed to have tweets about it a little before this appear too.
One thing that is interesting, and in line with something the OP touched on about Michigan and Alabama competing for the same recruits, a rough count from the Michigan and Alabama offer lists on Rivals turns up, if I did this right, nearly a dozen names common to both offer lists among those players that are top targets or high choices. That we are competing for that many is saying something about how well this staff can sell Michigan even if recruits don't necessarily end up here.
I always love to see Saban waste his time. I hope it makess him die a little inside everytime he see's our commits have loyalty and don't buy the bs he sells. Outside of BCS championships of course. (Just to be fair)
I don't believe Saban is dying a little inside over this.
/thatsracist
/Kardashian'ed
/BOOM vampire'd
I mean, did you see his 2013 recruiting class? It's almost unfair how much talent he's bringing in.
Ferns should burn his phone, then we'll know he's really committed.
But then that hinders him at making Project135 grow D:
TomVH said on twitter there's nothing really to worry about that, he's committed to Michigan and to the task at hand.
Even though Ferns is going to play on defense at Michigan... it is a very good sign of things to come, that Saban and Coach Hoke are essentially battling for many of the same players now...
Big strong OL ... Big strong throwing QB who can move a little... big power RBs...a couple little RBs who are quick sprinkled in... big TE who can catch balls...big TE who can block...big WRs who can run and go up and get it... and a couple smaller slot guys too...strong punter and kicker.
all good things to come for the Michigan offense
Don't forget about the Big Strong Longsnapper!
Ferns should tell all these coaches to come visit very often, make them use their recruiting budget and time on a player they can't get.
Only if he is a cross between Bo Schembechler and Nate Scarborough, the original one.
it shows one reason Saban is so successful recruiting. Most coaches would probably not waste their time calling Ferns. But 1) Saban has learned you just never know if a kid might actually jump at an Alabama offer so he tries anyway, and 2) it's an opportunity to get in with the coach of the school for future players. Having those NC rings will get most kids' attention at least, so he figures he has very little to lose except a few minutes on the phone.
I don't see how this is much different from M recruiting Drake Harris. Nature of the beast.
What does the "H" in "H-Back" actually stand for? "Hybrid?"
I've always wondered this.
...after that Salma gif on previous page....What? Other people are posting their thoughts?
I'd love to see one of these with the Bama logo on it posted somewhere by Mr Ferns...