#HarbaughEffect: #1 Player in California to visit 3/13
5* LB Caleb Kelly to take an unofficial visit March 13th. He is 100% crystal ball'd to Oklahoma, but they have a serious lack of Harbaugh. Like they don't even have one Harbaugh.
http://michigan.247sports.com/Bolt/Michigan-Will-Host-Calis-Top-Player-…
This per Steve Lorenz twitter per Steve Wiltfong twitter, the latter of which also says California 4* QB KJ Costello may visit Michigan this week. Very high on USC, Stanford, and Michigan. An ominous "decision could come at any time" is included. Though he's visited Ann Arbor before, so he could in fact be leaning to Michigan. Perhaps visit Michigan + decision at any time means good things?
http://247sports.com/Board/30/Contents/Loaded-weekend-on-tap-at-the-Pyl…
February 28th, 2015 at 9:49 PM ^
Great to hear! Hope we can not only start getting these west coast kids to visit but to also commit! I feel like Costello committing would open up the Californian flood gates. Work your magic Jimmy!
February 28th, 2015 at 9:50 PM ^
says a boatload about sincere interest. he's paying his own way. he wants to talk to some people here. this is a good thing, a very good thing.
February 28th, 2015 at 10:14 PM ^
I don't follow recruiting much. Why isn't he just taking an official? Has he used them all up already?
February 28th, 2015 at 10:21 PM ^
I believe you can't take an official visit until your senior year of HS
February 28th, 2015 at 10:24 PM ^
NCAA rules. You aren't allowed to take an official visit until the first day of your Senior year. So players can't take their 5 official visits until late August/early September.
February 28th, 2015 at 10:45 PM ^
Really dumb rule - I think the cut off should be something in the spring of their junior year. Makes sense to allow officials during spring break/summer than during their fall semester and football season. Seems like allowing them starting the spring of their junior year would have a less negative impact on their education.
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February 28th, 2015 at 11:30 PM ^
I can see why they do it though. I mean schools would probably prefer to be able to bring the kids in and enjoy the Gameday atmosphere and see the campus on a fall Saturday afternoon with all the fans going wild. That's going to attract the recruit more than visiting campus during spring break or summer when the campuses are fairly dead. If a kid gets all of his official visits done (they only get 5) by June, schools will lose out on presenting that gameday atmosphere to the kids.
I think a rule could be implemented where the recruits get to use 1 or 2 officials starting in the spring of their Junior year. Then use their remaining starting in the fall of their Senior year. Still allowing for 5 total, and if they don't use them in the spring, they roll over to the fall. Still giving schools the gameday experience with the kids, while still allowing kids with early commit timetables to see schools across the country if they so choose.
I see what you're saying, and I agree with a lot of it. However, there are still a lot of kids that want to make their college choice prior to their senior year, and that number seems to continually grow year after year. Some schools just have to be crossed off the list because of the fact that they can't afford to visit (especially with family).
I think that the kids who want to see that gameday atmosphere and make those late decisions are still going to do that whether or not they have the opportunity to check out the campus on an official before their senior season. I don't think the timelines for a decision of many recruits will actually change much with earlier official visits, but it will give recruits and their families who want to make those earlier decisions a real good look at the schools they are truly interested in no matter the required distance traveled. Some families have the money to do those things on their own, and some don't.
Your mistake was assuming that the educational interests of the student-athlete are an actual consideration in NCAA rule-making.
February 28th, 2015 at 11:21 PM ^
Aug 6th is when some schools start school in Cali
February 28th, 2015 at 11:51 PM ^
Strangely but not surprisingly perhaps, the sole exception to this rule is men's basketball. If you're being recruited for that, you can start taking official visits after January 1st of your junior year. The NCAA specs out what may and may not happen on official visits right down to the use of transportation as well, which is morbidly amusing.
I mean where else you going to vacation if you already live in Cali?
February 28th, 2015 at 9:51 PM ^
most fertile recruiting grounds and powerhouse feeder schools. I remember when Michigan was always a presence in CA.
February 28th, 2015 at 10:06 PM ^
Your comment and avatar reminds me of this classic, I assume Harbaugh likes it also....
February 28th, 2015 at 11:01 PM ^
That classic always reminds me of this not-so-classic:
Michigan always grabbed a kid or two from Cali & if they didn't they came in 2nd for the services of a lot of Cali kids. I'm barely 30 and it seems that until around the mid-2000s we went away from our national footprint & focused on Florida/Ohio as far as out of state. I'm talking recruits we had a legit shot at. We used to attack the Midwest but always go hard in Cali, Washington, Texas, Louisiana & random Southern states. Most times we pulled a kid from those areas even if one from each or couple. Michigan can't truly compete without Cali, The South, Texas & the Carolina/Virginia areas. I'm glad we're going back hard.
February 28th, 2015 at 9:54 PM ^
Bringing Michigan back starts with recruiting.
February 28th, 2015 at 10:16 PM ^
Harbaugh!
TBH, Coach Hoke did a darn good job of recruiting, from his first full class until everything unraveled beyond repair mid-season this past year and several players decommited from what looked to be the makings of a top-15 class. But Hoke's classes tended to be much more from the Midwest than the nationwide net Coach Harbaugh has been casting so far.
It's Harbaugh's version of the four-corner offense, recruiting from all four corners of the country and all points in between.
February 28th, 2015 at 10:36 PM ^
This on many levels!
Both Harbaugh and Durkin have said that the foundation for future teams is here right now. And Harbaugh even thanked Brady on TV during NSD for not leaving the cupboard bare. I have yet to hear the standard "coach needs 3-4 years to recruit his players" because 1. Brady had decent to great classes and 2. The schemes are more easily adjustable to players strengths.
I have no doubt the Harbaughing is upon the college football nation but I'll be happy to see Hoke's recruits, atleast for the next year or two, finally get the correct coaching and development that changes the culture to one of winning championships instead of watching them from home. Harbaugh über alles!
Then allow me to be the first to give you a version of "coach needs 3-4 years..." The cupboard isn't bare, but it also isn't filled the the type of players Harbaugh will recruit, nor have they been developed as he would.
I just hope expectations for 2015 don't get too high. We were 5-7 in a mediocre conference last season. A 7-5 season wouldn't thrill me, but it wouldn't be particularly surprising or disappointing.
February 28th, 2015 at 11:29 PM ^
When Hoke came on board, it was expected that he would recruit California hard. It wasn't just because he coached at San Diego St; it was because he helped recruit a lot of talent from California while he was an assistant coach at UM--just a few examples include Tom Brady, Charles Drake, Courtney Morgan, and Zach Kaufman. All of those guys were very high on Hoke when he was hired, which makes the lack of focus on Cali recruiting so confusing.
February 28th, 2015 at 9:58 PM ^
Crystal Balled to Oklahoma? Seems random.
Oklahoma recruits heavily in California. Over the last few years, they've grabbed Hatari Byrd and L.J. Moore out of Fresno.
And Joe Mixon.
February 28th, 2015 at 10:01 PM ^
But, can he play QB?
February 28th, 2015 at 10:08 PM ^
Pain* QBs.
February 28th, 2015 at 10:45 PM ^
and his measurables. I'm not convinced his paws are big enough or that he's tall enough to be able to see over the linemen. On the other hand, he looks to be plenty quick, apparently has good reading ability, and is more than willing to study the playbook.
Another intangible - I think he's got an innate killer instinct.
February 28th, 2015 at 10:10 PM ^
Where is ANDREWGR? I am sure he has an opinion about Harbaugh's ability to recruit.
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February 28th, 2015 at 10:22 PM ^
Where is MGoJohnStamos?
February 28th, 2015 at 10:17 PM ^
Wonder what the 100% crystal ball prediction to OU is about. Seems like someone either has inside info or just tossing out a wild ass guess. KJ Costello come on down!!!
February 28th, 2015 at 10:35 PM ^
when you can get them from California, Florida, and Texas.
February 28th, 2015 at 11:00 PM ^
Michigan does. It's always been that way.
Only the best...
Considering Michigan's decline began when Lloyd let Tressel shut him out of Ohio and pursued a Cal/Texas/Florida strategy, I'd say sticking to Ohio is a good idea.
both now!
I'd say most people disagree with you.
Edit: Without Woodson, would we have won the nc? That's exactly why we need Ohio.
February 28th, 2015 at 10:40 PM ^
Will be interesting to see what Costello does. It seems Brandon Peters is looking for an opportunity to commit, but Costello may beat him to the punch
February 28th, 2015 at 10:48 PM ^
This is indeed the purpose of Costello's visit. if he clicks with Harbaugh and the staff he commits on the spot. He tried to commit to Hoke and then got beat to the punch by DeWeaver and does not want this to happen again. The big question is whether the staff takes Peters if he still wants to commit after Costello.
I know the class is small but I dont see how you turn down Peters even if Costello commits. Recruits dont always pan out as we all know and competition is how you build a team.
February 28th, 2015 at 10:42 PM ^
I wonder why Kelly would want to go to Oklahoma in the first place. It's definitely not a place on the rise.
February 28th, 2015 at 10:58 PM ^
auntie M, it's a twister!
February 28th, 2015 at 11:33 PM ^
I thought Auntie M lives in Kansas?
February 28th, 2015 at 11:54 PM ^
That was until the twister carried her house to Oklahoma
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if Munchkinland is in Oklahoma, no wonder the Sooners are recruiting California.
Well it's a program that has performed a thousand times better than us over the last decade. So there is that.
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A thousand times better is strong.
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@bluebots,
Also said in East Lansing and Columbus when kids committed to Hoke.
Just a funny comment in a glorious glass house...
There is something to be said for sustained excellence. Committing to Oklahoma now is like committing to Carr at any point in the 00s. I would assume you would not be scratching your head at why kids commited to Michigan in 2003 would you?
Michigan went 10-3 in 2003 with a win over #2 Ohio State. A lot more impressive than this past year at OU
I get your point though.