Football recruiting - taking stock on June 2nd
A little pep talk for everyone, whether it's needed or not.
We are 8 months from National Signing Day.
Our coach has currently secured 13 oral commitments. This is on a par with programs such as Florida and Alabama (not Texas, but they're on a different plane).
We have a few high quality WRs, a top level QB, a top line DB, players that fit the coach's system, and some high quality O and D line talent.
We seem to have another quality commitment pending next week.
We are in with a serious shout with at least two highly regarded offensive linemen.
We likely will secure a top-quality punter after the Michigan kicking camp in 3 weeks.
All in all, Michigan is putting together a high-quality class that fits the needs and philosophy of the coach. Also, the recruitment of "deathbackers" and the like suggests that Coach Robinson is fitting well with the team, and will stop the annual defensive coordinator carousel.
The most important thing to remember is this:
Michigan has a top 10 recruiting class right now, after a 3-9 year. If the Rich Rod year 2 bump occurs, we will likely secure a few more really highly regarded recruits this winter.
The resurgence continues, with 8 months to get 12 more recruits. GO BLUE.
Go Blue
Co-freaking-signed.
Go Blue!
We don't have 12 recruits to get, we have 6 right now which is why some people are freakin out. They are worried we won't have room if some of the higher profile kids want to come with people already penciling in the likes of Mathis, Christian, Wilson and Knight. I don't care all that much, RR seems like a great evaluator of talent so rankings don't matter to me much. My only concern is we may be entering a slightly sleazy Sabanesque area if we keep filling up. That would be disappointing.
suggests 20 spots......I guess that would include Wermers, but I'd expect a couple more to leave.
Okay, say 8-9 more spots available. Plenty of room. No need to freak out.
We have more than 6 to sign yet. Expect the class to be 22 could be more could be less depending on 2 question marks on qualifying and any other possible departures. The Kelvin Grady situation could take one of those spots if he is be put on schollie as reports are stating.
This class will be no less than 21, but could be as high as 25.
it will be a big class, once again.
With the news that Kelvin Grady "should" be joining the team. He will get a scholarship.
just like we had room for 25 this year. we'll have big classes (22+) for the 1st 4 years of the RR regime.
We only have 85 schollies total so no we won't have classes of 22+ for the first 4 years unless we have no RS Senior class and we recruit kids who can't qualify.
If the rate of attrition remains the same and people like Toussaint, Gallon, and Turner don't qualify, I'd say those are steps in the direction of 22+ scholarships a year...
If those three don't qualify...that will be one MAJOR hit.
According to Sam Webb on WTKA this morning JT has the GPA and board scores to qualify and he is not worried about him. From everything I've heard Gallon seems to be making good progress on the GPA front which would drop his score needed on ACT to qualify also good news. Haven't heard anything on Fitzie.
I'm feelin giddy now! That is OUTSTANDING news.
Good news to hear on Turner. He's the one recruit we can't afford to lose.
Hooray!
well with witherspoon and hill not qualifying in the 2008 class, and the recent attritions of mcguffie, threet, wermers, and the like, is it possible we could sign a full class of 25 this year?
Don't forget the players that "may or may not leave" according to GBMW.
A lot would have to happen for 25, but 22 or so is realistic.
might "lose" a couple of the current verbal commits phone numbers.
i wouldnt be surprised to see some "commits" rescind that so-called "commitment"
if paskorz gets a notre dame offer i would expect him to follow it.
and not signing a full class last year
It'll be interesting how we manage our scholarship numbers. Here's what I believe we need to in order to fill our needs:
QB
1 RB (blue chip preferrably)
OG
OT
2 DT
1 DE/WLB
1 OLB
1 MLB
3 CB
1 S
That's 13 more recruits, and we're already at 12 right now. That would put us at a full class. Not sure how we're going to manage this situation if we're looking at possibly only 22 slots.
By looking at 22 slots you mean receivers right?
nice.
You do realize that RR has something like 150+ offers out right now, don't you?
Or... adjust sarcasm meter???
I think he meant 12+13 > 22
If we take commits at all the positions that west texas blue suggested putting us at 25, I think it is reasonable to expect a combination of atleast 3 de-commits/transfers given the rate we've had them in the past year.
It seems that lately our class size projections have risen as the year has gone on.
Not that it matters, but I thought Hill left the team in the fall of 08.
That's true. Witherspoon didn't qualify, but Taylor Hill did. He chose to leave the team later on his own volition.
IMO, RR is beginning to add depth to our team. By taking players at positions of need that aren't blue chippers, he's getting players that should stick regardless of who else ends up committing. This of course doesn't include the fact that we still are disastrously thin at DT, but hopefully that will be addressed in the coming months. And I would not call this a "top 10 recruiting class" just yet - we are recruiting quickly but we are not necessarily getting many guys that appear to have starting potential on a Big Ten championship team. I'd say that about a third of our recruits could/should be excellent, but believe that there needs to be more highly rated players pulled in at OL and every defensive position if we're to be the team in a couple years that we all seem to expect. I think we can do it, but we certainly aren't there yet.
Whatever Texas AM did last class is what we'll do, but a little better. Did't they have like 16 3 stars or somethin. We'll be on that line but couple 4 stars and maybe a 5 star or 3.(Henderson?, Prater?...)
Wha?
I'm not sold on this being a great class yet, partly because of a lack of linebackers and partly because we don't have a big-time RB. We need corners, but there are enough of them who like us that I think that need will get filled. But with three RBs graduating and only mid-level recruits (Smith, Hopkins, etc.) filling those spots so far, I'd really like a good running back in this class. I think Shaw is going to be good, but he'll already be a junior by the time the class of 2010 enters the fray.
...would be a useful year for Shaw to redshirt, especially if Minor and Brown stay healthy and Odoms, Roundtree, T. Rob and Stokes play well in the slot.
That probably won't happen.
Agreed on the blue chip RB. It's a must that we land one for this class. Looks like Brennan Clay or Austin White at this point. Would prefer Clay as he doesn't have off-the-field issues like White and Clay can contribute to the return game also.
He, if he qualifies, shall be the star back that fans crave. Both shifty and explosive.
How excited were you when they signed Mike Hart? Just because the recruiting services call somebody a mid level recruit doesn't make it so. The coaching staff seemed extremely pleased with Mike Cox's progress this spring, Shaw is here, Vincent Smith had a great spring, but who knows how that translates (see Stevie Brown i.e. Mr. Spring). Who excited you more the 5* Kevin Grady or Hart and we know how that turned out.
...or someone else have a template ready when the "Mike Hart was a three star - Patrick Omameh and Colt McCoy were 2 stars" argument is brought up?
Other note - "Mike Cox"'s name is deliciously set up for unintentional humor. Reading it in the poster's sentence above made me chuckle.
I believe that was Chitownblue.
"Extremely pleased with Mike Cox's progress" that's classic!
I forgot that Mike Hart was a 3-star. Thanks for reminding me.
I retract what I said. I hope we get a bunch of 3-star recruits. They're obviously going to become our new all-time leading rushers.
or they could be a Alex Mitchell, Chris Rogers, Keaston Cheatham, Pat Sharrow, Jeff Zuttah, Jeff Jansen, Mister Simpson, Chris Richards, Jason kates, Perry Dorrenstein, John Ferrera, David Cone.
I think you guys get the point.
For every Hart/Branch type player there are a slew of players who don't even make it to there senior year or barely contribute to the team. So the fact that we 9 3* or less per scout at this point and in 2009 we had 13 3* or less is a point of concern in my opinion.
Remember RR won in the Big East with 3* talent littering the field, not in the Big Ten. He may be able to develop talent better and LC did, but saying every 3* will build competent depth goes against history.
Remember RR won in the Big East with 3* talent littering the field, not in the Big Ten.
I agree with everything you are saying. However, wasn't RR and wvu one win away (Pitt) from the MNC game? Big East or not, the bcs MNC is the MNC, not the junior MNC.1 win away, but how many teams can say that...Michigan in 2006 was 1 win away (OSU loss). I think alot of teams can say that they were 1 win away.
You're making my point for me, thank you. Which teams CAN say that? USC, Texas, UM ('06), etc... all great BCS top tier teams. And then you have WVU. The point is is that RR and WVU were in elite company with their 3* players all over the field.
Ok, this is my last post since I probably have at least 10 in this thread and it seems redundant at this point.
Kansas could have argueable been 1 win away 2007
Louisville & Wisconsin in 2006
WVU in 2005
Louisville in 2004
This is only in the last 4 years and there are 5 teams who weren't a top tier team (For example USC, OSU, UofM, Florida) who were 1 win away. This is only 1 year that WVU was in the race.
I don't know how long RR was at WVU, but from 2004 to 2007, in the Big East with his 3* players he only won the division outright once (2005) and lost 2 games on average for the other 3 years, let me reiterate in the Big East, not the Big Ten. No team in the Big East recruits on the level of OSU, PSU and UofM, but it seem RR is still recruiting on that same level as if he were in this Big East. So what makes you think that level of talent/recruits will make RR just as successful in the Big Ten against what should be considered a much more talented league?
Go back and look at RR's classes at WVU and then tell me that he's recruiting the same now as he was then. Count the number of 4 stars he had the whole time at WVU, I bet he has that many in this class and the last.
You're right. RR's almost doubled that wvu number in the '09 UM class alone. 9-14. Now add in the '08 class, and it isn't even close.
according to EVERYONE on this blog...."THE BIG TEN SUCKS!!!"