Hand visit reaction (links)
I may take some thunder from the recruiting roundup, but I couldn't help but search for some news on the visit. Sorry that my sources kind of suck, but they're the only ones I've found with info.
FREEP (Tim) -
http://www.freep.com/article/20130318/SPORTS06/130318048/da-shawn-hand-michigan-football-recruiting
mlive -
http://www.mlive.com/wolverines/index.ssf/2013/03/no_1_recruit_dashawn_hand_i_go.html
It sounds like he enjoyed his time, but I think he will be one of those kids that are difficult to gauge. His seeming maturity makes him an even more important to bring into the fold. Sounds like a good kid. He's being smart and playing it close to the vest.
Perhaps, but both stories were posted today. So for those that only visit MGoBlog at work (shame on me), this may provide an entry point for the myriad of twitter updates posted on random open threads.
It's a good thread, I was just playing a bit and any chance to post muppets is hard to pass up. The articles linked have a tad (not much, but some) elaboration on the tweets that were out there during the weekend.
You might want to add something that says you've got info or links (into your title).
Because your title makes it seem like you're asking for visit reaction info/news and people on this board will downvote you to the depths of hell for such a thing.
are taking a very thorough approach to his recruitment and know what they want. It seems very similar to the Derrick Green recruitment. The good news is that Michigan has a lot going for it (us). Coaches Hoke and Mattison have already made great impressions on him - especially the latter. And having a relatively close relationship with Derrick Green doesn't hurt at all. MIchigan seems to have made some great progress this weekend. I think though we still need to overtake VT, but have a good shot relative to the other 3 schools on his final list.
Unfortunately, there are no moral victories for finishing second in recruiting. I get the feeling that we may never know who leads for him. We may have surpassed VT, maybe not.
You will eventually know who leads for him. Check back next February.
I thought I had read somewhere that Hand will likely want to be an EE, so in that case, the lucky fanbase may not need to wait that long.
Even if that's true, he won't make his decision before late Fall. It would be a huge surprise if he did.
On a recruits "official" visit just what exactly can be covered by the school when it comes to costs? I would assume travel is covered where on an unofficial it is not. What else is a schooled allowed to cover with being in violation of the NCAA?
Not sure I am qualified to answer your question, but as a recruit, there are events and places you can access on an official visit that you cannot on an unoffical. I don't know the specifics, but official visits provide more of a view of the program. I don't think the University is allowed to pay anything for an unofficial. Not sure about tickets to games and whatnot.
I believe on an offical you have to be housed "on campus" if you stay overnight, travel costs are covered as you mentioned, and there is a certain dollar figure you cannot go over if you go out to dinner (IIRC its not a very high figure so think Applebees and not a 20oz aged Porterhouse).
Maybe things have changed but when I took my official to NU we stayed in the Park Orrington, a very nice hotel in downtown Evanston, not on campus. Most places want you to stay with players who live off campus because its cheaper for the school and gives you "the full experience" (like hanging out in the baseball house hot tub and partying).
I never saw anything on an official that I didn't see on unofficial visits.
This is news to me. The best part of hosting recruits as a player was the dinner! 20 oz porterhouse was exactly what we ordered! With ribs too. Unless they had a 40 oz ribeye...
Definitely never went to Applebee's or any place like it on an official in the BIG.
http://www.sbnation.com/college-football-recruiting/2012/2/22/2816287/c…
Willie Williams was not treated to Applebees. But then again these aren't the good ol days in the Vice (until actually very recently) anymore. I would still think a school would be allowed to go somewhere a step or two or four rungs above Applebees even to this day for dinner. There's actually a link to a NYT article where he actually got his grub on while visiting FSU and clearly likes Bobby Bowden's wife more than the coach himself. He ended up committing to Miami though.
I want to get my hopes up about Hand, but I also don't. I feel like he is a lot like guys we have pursued in the past (like Treadwell) in that he seems interested now, but once the SEC teams start playing their tricks and getting their hands on him, he is going to become less and less tenable. I'm not trying to make it sound like a big conspiracy but there are just certain levels that Michigan will never stoop to that will make it extremely difficult to get the vast majority of these top prospects, particularly the ones that are not from the Midwest. Obviously there's a small amount of them (like Green) who see through the trickery, but these are still 17 year old kids and you just never know what things will push their buttons.
It's not a "trick" to be recruited to the SEC (the hottest league in college football)
You're right. I'm sure all those guys who were cut from Alabama, LSU and others because their talent didn't live up to the coaches' expectations do not feel they were mislead in any way, and would not have made a different choice had they known what would eventually happen to them.
At this point it's impossible not to know.
And yet Bama pulls in #1 classes like it's nothing...There are many benefits to playing SEC ball that can't be overstated.
Only on MGoBlog is SEC football a bad idea for recruits
While the odds are against UM landing Hand as its us against a bunch of good options, at least his family is very involved and he is serious about education.
Those two dimensions should minimize the risk with SEC tactics like hostesses and cupcake classes. He also talks about relationships with coaches.
I do think his situation is closer to Green than Treadwell, so UM has a decent shot.
It may "not be a trick to be recruited to the SEC," but tell that to the "hostesseses" who are providing the "tricks."
Mr. Hand