Jacob Fisher decommits for now
This is not good news. Fisher is a huge deal for this class. Hoke needs to find a way to keep him in this class. While this may just be semantics (since he's visiting other schools, he's not committed), I'm thinking that his mind changed this weekend.
The competition looks stiff: Oregon, Florida, Michigan State. Fisher visited State this weekend and had good things to say about it.
I honestly believe that Fisher should be target #1 for this team right now. He is that important. In fact, he is our only pure Tackle in this class (Posada likely a guard, and if Bryant comes, a Guard too).
Here's a link (paywall): http://michigan.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1177079
January 16th, 2011 at 3:28 PM ^
Now guys like Goudis and Crawford are seriously looking at Miami or have already committed. You know, a school that also just went through a coaching change. Only they handled their change with regards to the short term as well as the long term. Unlike DB, who seems to have abandoned the short term in favor of hopeful stability in the long-term.
January 16th, 2011 at 5:27 PM ^
January 16th, 2011 at 3:07 PM ^
I love how Spartanmag is the first one to break that story. On the bright side at least the staff is filling out. How we have not paid some top DC a ton of cash yet is beyond me. With the amount of money we saved from getting Hoke instead of Harbaugh or Miles we should be able to get the very best DC.
January 16th, 2011 at 3:12 PM ^
Hoke has certainly made his mark this recruting period. Filthy.
January 16th, 2011 at 3:18 PM ^
Wait a second. Havent you been reading the board lately? Hoke is, without question, the most awesome of awesomist coaches and we are LUCKY......LUCKY I tell you to get him given the crush of teams looking to hire his away from San Diego.
Don't you let the silly recruiting decommits fool you into thinking the players are underwhelmed by his selection. He is the bombdiggetty of coaching excellence.......
January 16th, 2011 at 3:29 PM ^
This is all on DB.
January 16th, 2011 at 3:35 PM ^
Oh i know. I've grown weary pointing that out to the board........
January 16th, 2011 at 5:36 PM ^
January 16th, 2011 at 4:46 PM ^
At some point Hoke's "recruiting prowess" is going to have to start showing. I agree though, DB shares the brunt of the blame for what could shape up to be a major recruiting disaster.
January 16th, 2011 at 3:22 PM ^
I think you have to blame DB more than Hoke just based on the timing of the hire. How is Hoke expected to come in with two weeks left and establish a relationship with a kid who may have been coming primarily to play for RR? That's s tough call for a kid to make.
January 16th, 2011 at 10:40 PM ^
I agree. Hoke has done a horrible job recruiting. He has no new recruits in the past 5 days, while you've been busy posting over 100 comments on MGoBlog in that same time period. You're such a productive machine!!
/s
January 16th, 2011 at 3:13 PM ^
I don't have time to run down all the reasons why Michigan would be his best choice. Hoke should run these by him. If he is considering MSU then good riddance.
January 16th, 2011 at 3:18 PM ^
He just has cold feet. 18 young men tend to have very little foresight. Didn't we all. Our recruiting right now is "fluid" as the now overused popluar phrase implies.
January 16th, 2011 at 3:18 PM ^
I would like the bleeding to stop.
Now would be a good time. Or soon.
January 16th, 2011 at 3:28 PM ^
me too
January 16th, 2011 at 3:20 PM ^
I'll trade in Fisher for Bryant though. Seems Posada is still solid with us as well. Hopefully it remains that way.
January 16th, 2011 at 4:36 PM ^
How about we just get them all to sign on National Signing Day...I think there is enough room for them all. With 7 commits + 3 soft verbals, unless we're trading recruiting classes with Alabama, I think we are in dire need of Fisher, Bryant, and Posada
January 16th, 2011 at 3:20 PM ^
How are we supposed to reestablish strong recruiting ties with top Midwest recruits when we bring in coaches who have recruited at SDSU and Ball State? Yes, I know Ball State is in the midwest, but might as well be a different landscape.
January 16th, 2011 at 3:27 PM ^
Because MAC coaches develop relationships with high school coaches, as well as talking to kids at camps before Rivals and Scout have labeled them as "Can't miss, Top 100 prospects!!!!!!!!!!1!"
Also, the Michigan brand goes a long way.
Come on man, use your head. The sky isn't falling.
January 16th, 2011 at 3:35 PM ^
I'm not giving up on this recruiting class.
I'm not giving up on Coach Hoke.
I'm not giving up on Michigan.
January 16th, 2011 at 3:48 PM ^
HOOAH!
January 16th, 2011 at 4:25 PM ^
I curious what the value of UM's football brand is to teenagers now? After the last 5 years of poor performances in clutch moments (except for 1 FL game), probation, the coaching carousel, et al...I wonder what the perception is of UM for top tier talent? When I take off my maize colored glasses, the landscape looks pretty rough.
January 16th, 2011 at 3:35 PM ^
"Hey, you know that guy, his name I think was Charles Woodson? Yeah. I recruited that guy to Michigan." :Flashes National Championship ring:
That should be his recruiting pitch.
January 16th, 2011 at 4:17 PM ^
Just curious: how many 16-18 year olds remember Charles Woodson at UM? I bet most are more impressed with recent recruiting efforts-not something that happened when they were 6 or 7.
<br>
<br>The question remains valid, where are Hokes major recruiting ties?
January 16th, 2011 at 3:32 PM ^
how Goudis Fisher supposed to be?
Too soon?
January 16th, 2011 at 3:39 PM ^
Its never too soon
January 16th, 2011 at 4:55 PM ^
amirite?
January 16th, 2011 at 3:43 PM ^
quit freaking out about 17 year old kids
January 16th, 2011 at 4:36 PM ^
And we only have 19 days left until signing day and 7 solid commitments. Apparently you aren't in the "we need more talent and more depth" crowd. Good to know.
January 16th, 2011 at 3:50 PM ^
At this rate, we are going to have like 10-12 guys in this class. Not much room for error. On the bright side, we will have more schollies for the 2012 class. Positive waves.
January 16th, 2011 at 3:51 PM ^
I'm sure for now a lot of kids are considering going elsewhere until Hoke reaches out to them or they figure out if this is a good fit for them. My guess is that most of the recruits will come back into the fold by signing day. What is important now, though, is for Hoke to get his staff together NOW and then start trying to convince kids to come to UM again. A big-name DC would definitely help, especially one with ties in the south. I doubt it will happen, but he needs to keep the pipeline open to kids like the Pahokee crew.
January 16th, 2011 at 3:51 PM ^
Ladies and gentleman ... Daaaaaaaaaaave Braaaandon!
January 16th, 2011 at 3:52 PM ^
If the player doesn't want to come, i think it's better for him to decide now. I don't want to see more attrition 1-2 years from now.
January 16th, 2011 at 4:02 PM ^
January 16th, 2011 at 4:06 PM ^
We are not going to miss u
January 16th, 2011 at 4:08 PM ^
The reason everyone is negative is because it's a fact that EVERYTHING FUCKING SUCKS HAVE YOU BEEN LIVING IN A CAVE
January 16th, 2011 at 4:13 PM ^
Check ya later, bro
January 16th, 2011 at 4:42 PM ^
DAMN IT, BRIAN!!! I told you to change the f'in' banner...now we've lost Blichty! Now, look at our 2011 class! Thank you, Mr. Sharp...I mean Cook
/s
January 16th, 2011 at 6:34 PM ^
Let me be the first to say that because of Dave Brandon we lost Blichty.
January 16th, 2011 at 4:03 PM ^
This fucking sucks...
January 16th, 2011 at 4:09 PM ^
WHAT THE FUCK, IS OREGON GOING AFTER EVER RECRUIT IN MICHIGAN????
January 16th, 2011 at 4:07 PM ^
From a distance I understood Greg Frey to be one of RichRod's "good" coaches (as opposed to Tony Gibson and GERG). I wonder if Hoke considered keeping him?
- - -
It will be interesting to see how this plays out. I can certainly understand why Fisher would want to look around, but Hoke has (by all accounts) always put emphasis on "the trenches," so this player would seem to be more important than most.
January 16th, 2011 at 4:56 PM ^
Shame we could not have kept Frey and Tall. They are both very good coaches and did an exceptional job coaching the lines.
January 16th, 2011 at 4:08 PM ^
I get a coaching change and there will be defections. But defections after the coach is named are telling. I understand if you are a slot receiver or a dual threat QB, but kickers and lineman? Why couldn't we have kept one or two more assistants that would have give us some continuity in recruiting?
My expectation is that Hoke salvages a decent class as we keep getting told what a great recruiter he is. It is much easier to keep a kid committed than to go our and get a new kid. I understand he has had little time, but as we keep getting told, this is a special place.
He can't be judged for a few weeks but he better not sleep for the next two weeks.
January 16th, 2011 at 4:16 PM ^
To answer your question. Fred Jackson is awesome, and the rest of the assistants were fired because they were no Fred Jackson.
January 16th, 2011 at 4:22 PM ^
January 16th, 2011 at 4:31 PM ^
it's not the end of the world.We have 3 really good tackle's returning.If we don't get him back,we will have to get 2 to 3 tackle's next year.GO BLUE!!!