Football visitors this weekend
Michigan has a decent group of visitors coming in this weekend. They're going hard after Iowa tight end Thomas Fidone, who's the #1 tight end in 2021, but this weekend California tight end Brock Bowers (the #3 TE, #101 overall) is coming in. It will be interesting to see how the tight end position shakes out, because I think the TE group on the roster is pretty thin right now and Michigan probably needs to take at least two guys. Here's the rest of the list:
I never met a Brock who wound up as an accountant.
All the Brocks I know are gym leaders
Underrated comment right here
How do you feel about Erick All and Luke Schoonmaker? I think the TE position will be in good hands with them after Eubanks departs next year. I agree with bringing in a top prospect, but I don't think the situation is dire.
I know you weren't asking me but I think All will be one of the best Te we have had at Michigan when he's done. Kid looks like a beast. He adds some good weight to add to his blocking violence and speed look out.
I think Magnus was talking about numbers regarding the TE situation not the talent level. Next year we will have 3 on scholarship/maybe 4 if you count BVS and only 1 underclassmen in HIbner.
My question for Magnus is when do you think we will see our next wave of commitments? Feels like sometime during spring practice we need like a 5 commit weekend.
I love All, and incorrectly predicted a breakout for him last year. That was pretty dumb, given he was rail thin, but he's a very willing blocker at TE and was rumored to have excellent hands. I think this year is the breakout.
Are we that thin? Eubanks, Schoonmaker, All, and Hibner* on the roster this year. Ben VanSumeren is going to get some of those reps at H-back so consider him a .5 or .25 TE. I think that's fine. Ben Mason is there for some snaps as well.
Assuming they bring in one guy in 2021 and you've got the same number. That seems fine for a team that's no longer running a lot of two TE sets.
*Note that according to 247sports, Hibner finished as the #7 TE and #133 player in the country in the 2020 class. This puts him ahead of... drumroll... Ohio State's Joe Royer, who was the #8 TE and #209 player in the country.
We are not thin at all this year. Next year Eubanks and Mason will be gone. All and Schoonmaker and BVS will be Juniors and Hibner will be a Sophmore. Need to start filling in depth. What if Hibner gets hurt or doesn't work out? It's not dire. You just need 2 guys in this cycle. We still run a a lot of sets that include 2 guys that can block and catch whatever you want to call them.
We’re thin on talent. No difference makers at the position.
A spring break weekend doesn’t seem optimal.
It seems to me - and I don't know this for sure, my only knowledge is lightly reviewing some message boards and this site, occasionally listening to Sam Webb - that Michigan is having these smaller groups in for weekend visits. Seemingly used to be larger big weekends with as many recruits as you could get, but now smaller. JJ McCarthy is coming in, so you know this Fidone kid is important and you want them to build a relationship. Maybe the coaches can spend more time with the recruits this way, more individual attention?
I'd like to hear anyone else's thoughts - this is just my speculation looking at what's happening this year vs. prior years.
I can comment from the OSU side of things and say that's how Ryan Day is doing it. He's intentionally bringing in small groups for visits, and you frequently see a committed leader in the class being there at the same time as the uncommitted top targets.
There was a vocal part of the fan base upset that Day did away with the big recruiting weekends (no huge Junior Days, no more Friday Night Lights - which was the equivalent to BBQ at the Big House) after seeing Clemson get a number of commitments from theirs, but all of the reliable outlets that cover OSU recruiting stated multiple times that this is how Day wants to go things.
In related visit news, Donovan Edwards and his teammate 2022 athlete Dillon Tatum are in Columbus today with Ron Bellamy. With Edwards being the #1 RB target on both of our boards, this next month will go a long way in determining where he ends up.
Speed in space...