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Has anyone seen absolute confirmation that Peppers will be at the BBQ? I've only seen people assume he would be without official confirmation.
He obviously he wants to, it's just a matter of whether or not he can get there. As far as I know, it's not confirmed one way or another.
I know I'm replying out of order, but I've been saying since forever that Fournette is not going to LSU. I'm under the impression that every member here gets one Raback, sort of like a coaches challenge. I'm using mine. Fournette will play for the University of Michigan. It's my gut feeling. Crystal ball it. You heard it here. If I'm right, I will not let it go, not that anyone on here would care.
Stick it in the general comment section like the rest of us
That would be great in a perfect world, I highly doubt he goes to Michigan. I think he plays in the SEC but if he comes to Ann Arbor I would be ecstatic!!!
I'll give you him not going to LSU. But I think you may be drinking a bit too much of the blue kool-aid. If you are right, however, I will retroactively +1 insightful this post. I have this thread bookmarked.
BKfinest pulling a RDT here?
As long as he doesn't go to Bama or Ohio I'm fine with wherever. If he joins the good guys I will vote for you collecting a million points.
I'm not as far out as you are, but I'm ahead of most...I'm actually waiting for this weekend (which is kind of cheap, I know). If Peppers is there and they have a great weekend...I'll jump in the boat with you. I still think it would be ahead of most people (and understandably so), but there was once a time when we had no shot at Green or Hand...this is creeping into that territory.
I sacrificed three goats and a donkey to appease the commit-god.
Any chance the commit-god asked carlos hyde to sacrifice a drunk chick?
Please don't associate the university of Michigan with Carlos Hyde in any way shape or form, even if its a joke
Please don't use Michigan and Carlos Hyde in the same sentence, even if it's an overly touchy reply.
With Derrick Green as the front runner to step into starting RB spot in 2014, our primary selling point will be a dual RB system. I will very eager to see how well Green and Fitz work together this year. That could be huge in getting Fournette to commit.
This actually brings up a question I never thought to ask: what kind of runner is Fournette?
I didn't know anything about him until Peppers stepped in and got him to visit. I pretty much know he's a RB, the #1 recruit in the country, and expected to stay down south. Just curious how his playing style would meld with Green's. Any good scouting reports or posters' general impressions on the type of player he is?
Every time he touches the ball he scores a touchdown. Does it really matter how he does it?
He destroys
So you're saying he's Ivan Drago?
He's like Ivan Drago except more Russian and with a better left hook!
"But faster."
with fewer steroids.
aka the Black Russian
very un-Dude-like
Last year it was Derrick Green, now Leonard?
Now that you mention it, "Antimatter" wouldn't be a half bad nickname for Fournette, were he to choose Michigan
He's received comparisons to Adrian Petersen. While I personally don't think anyone has the right to be compared to AP, especially a high school player, it goes to show the kind of talent he has.
That is probably true, but if this kid is even 80% of Adrian Petersen, I still think I want him in Maize and Blue in 2014.
Fournette is a much better talen than Green in my opinion just by comparing films. Also all the recruiting sites agree because he is the consensus number 1 RB in the country whereas Green was number 1 on some sites and much lower on others.
Looking at his highlight reel, he definitely seems to have more speed than Green...an North/South runner but one who is not afraid to get to the outside. He also seems to have nice pass catching skills out of the flat. A comparison of Green/Fournette to Ingram/Richardson may not be that off base.
I think the prudent thing to do is wait for Fred Jackson to give us his assessment of Fournette. I hope his head doesn't literally explode while doing it.
Here's a preview:
Like De'Anthony Thomas, but faster.
Like Trent Richardson, but stronger.
Like Barry Sanders, but shiftier.
Like Jesus, but holier.
He's like Bo Jackson in Tecmo Bowl, but faster and harder to tackle.
When you look at his highlights, he kind of is Bo Jackson in Tecmo Bowl, nobody tackles him. Like ever. At all.
He's no Barry, Come on Man!!!
He is the good kind of runner.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YiiFKr2MGs
Watch this if you haven't seen it yet. I know it's a highlight reel, but the fact that it's 6 minutes of touchdowns is extremely impressive.
I'll just say that whether we get him or not, I'll follow his career with some interest. He looks more impressive than any back I've seen coming out of high school maybe ever. Given, I haven't had access to film other than maybe the past decade, but still, he looks really, really good.
Disclaimer: I've only seen Fournette's highlight films.
That being said, my mind leaps to a bizarre-sounding comparison, but I think it's accurate. Fournette reminds me of Mike Hart. It really looks like he has good vision and instincts, knowing exactly how to slow up, turn the defender around, etc. That's one thing you can't teach very well. Thomas Rawls' lack of relative success thus far is just one of many examples. Of course, Fournette has a lot more physical tools than Hart does, but to me, vision and instincts trump the rest when you're looking for a running back. Take this with a grain of salt.
3:35
lolwut
This is honestly the most accurate possible comparison of the run at 3:34 in that video.
poop is considered currency in Argentina.
When I watched his highlight reel, the thought that popped into my head was "if we get this guy, he will be like our Reggie Bush and Green will be our LenDale White."
to these two although Fournette is much bigger than Reggie coming out of h.s., so I think we're getting two of the same, if that were to happen. Kid weighs around 220 right now. His speed must be significantly faster-I don't know that-for OP to make that comparison
I saw awhile back that he was getting compared to Adrian Peterson.
Edit: whoops saw that someone already mentioned it early.
Hopefully that holds true!
TVH just confirmed we will have 3 instate RBs and 1 out of state RB visiting this weekend.
So Michigan will have at least 3 out of state RB's and one in state RB on campus this week/weekend: http://insider.espn.go.com/insider/michigan/forums/_/the-den#!/topic/1367858063-297-163 …
I'm just excited Fournette isn't just stopping by, but commiting to a 3-4 day visit.
Weber, Fournette, Hilliman... Antonio Williams? (!!)
I hope it's Williams.
It's probably Harris
I would prefer Harris even more but I'm pretty sure he has team camp that weekend and can't make it.
I think you wrote that backwards. TomVH said three out of state RBs and one in-state RB will be visiting this weekend.
Yup, good call. I should have stopped by the Sunday Drinking Thread first.
Wow, that'd be great if he's staying for that long. Honestly I wasn't expecting any more than him heading into town for the BBQ then heading back out. Bama and LSU are still the schools to beat until Fournette actually comes out and says otherwise, but hey, with this coaching staff, you get a kid on-campus and anything can happen.
Hopefully the commissioner can make his way into town, too.
That's the thing, has he ever said its those two to beat to begin with? If he's COMMITING a full weekend of his summer it's a phenomenal thing and I would say we have as good a chance as anyone at this point in the game. Especially when we have The Commish on board.
I don't know if he's ever actually said that LSU and Bama are his favorites, but I know those have been the presumed favorites for a long time and he's never said that assumption was wrong. So we just have to take the info we can get.
I just really try to err on the side of caution with recruiting, but if he has a good visit, I agree that Michigan has a great shot. I think Jabrill already being committed is huge. Fournette knows how good he is, and he obviously wants to play with guys who are just as good at their respective positions as he is. Hand being really interested and being a presumed favorite only helps our chances, too.
Actually, he frequently says that assumption is wrong. Every time he gives an interview, he insists that he's wide open and has no leaders.
That said, the "LSU vs Bama" take on him is still almost certainly correct.
Yeah, bc people in the south are so logical. Similar to Spartys, their simple minds think college football started 5 years ago - theres no way a kid would want to get out and leave SEC country.
You set out to prove it's not true and say he says it's wide open. But at the end you say the lsu vs ala is true. Is this just a ploy to make sure we all don't get our hopes exceedingly out of control? Cuz its not working, I'm getting very excited about the possibility!
I'm giving the fact that when Fournette gives interviews, he goes out of his way to insist that he has no leaders. If you ask him, he won't confirm that LSU and Bama are his leaders, he'll say he's wide open. So, factually, its not correct that Fournette won't refute the LSU/Bama thing, he refutes it every time he talks.
However, what recruits say to media and what they actually think are very often two different things. An easy example: Peppers told our commits privately that he was Blue months before his announcement, yet he insisted he was open and talked about "secret visits" and things until the very end.
In Fournette's case, all the analysts/reporters who have sources close to Fournette say its LSU vs Bama and that LSU has the edge. Now, I'm sure some of the tone of absolute certainty that comes along with that comes from history not directly related to Fournette (top recruits from SEC country rarely leave SEC country, and LSU is typically good at locking up Louisiana) and some of it is simple groupthink, but I don't think there's much doubt that the LSU vs Bama line has a solid basis in reality, regardless of what Fournette says when he's on the record.
edit: I'm excited for this weekend though. The BBQ is a great event, its where the Derrick Green recruitment really turned in our favor last year, Coach Jackson is an excellent recruiter who just so happens to be from Louisiana, Fournette is staying for multiple days, he brought his dad along...there's a lot there to be optimistic that this weekend could really put us in the picture.
Based on what I read on Scout from his father, academics are important and he refers to Coach Jackson as "Freddy J." So Michigan may be in a better position for LF than most people think.
Has he or his parents expressed how much academia will be involved in his choice?
I watched a quick interview with him and he said his parents always taught him academics first so I'm assuming that will play a big role on where he goes.
It lists his gpa at the end of his highlight video, so Im assuming grades and academics are at least somewhat important.
In honor of the impending visit, and for those who may have not seen any highlights quite yet, here are some for your perusal. Yes, Fournette and/or Green in the offensive backfield would be a nice quandary to have if it could happen.
His thighs look too big.
Don't want.
TOUCHDOWN
Mother of god
Play a drinking game while watching this video and drink only when he gets tackled.
they'll be hanging Les Miles in effigy down in Baton Rouge for letting Fournette get away.
Is he THAT good whereby theyd burn Miles? I doubt it
All I keep envision is one of my all-time favorite Michigan players: Orleans, LA native Leroy Hoard. Thunder and lightening kids!!
Don't forget the ATrain. Freddy J has big time Louisiana connections
My ears are burning...
Boles and Hoard...Fournette and Green...I like it.
+1 for the epic Robot Jox gif.
How do we give a score of 10 on comments?
Probably my favorite movie as a kid. Still have the VHS tape.
When Les Miles was reached for comment.
dare to dream.
has anyone heard how Green feels about the possibility of him coming?
With the OL we have recruited and the RBs we have recruited / are recruiting, the running game is going to be scary good in the coming years. #obviousbutstillfun
If you build it [bad ass OL],
They [bad ass RBs] will come
Commence the dumb and dumber, so your saying there's a chance photo
Great news to have him up here so long. He looks like a bit heavier version of TJ Yeldon to me - seems tall like Yeldon, maybe a tad bit slower but even bigger body wise, but just making those kids in his highlight reel look like ... well kids. AP is AP - I am sure the comparison is based on size but there is one AP and not going to compare just like comparing Peppers to Woodson is silly - we should be thrilled to get a Ty Law type of career out of Peppers. I feel very good that any kid spending this much time with the staff and feeling the family atmosphere and seeing the campus and facilities is not going to downgrade Michigan on his list of choices.
Totally overrated. Watch the recruiting video for while. There's at least two plays in there where he fails to even score a touchdown. Not Michigan material.
Next.
he barely touched the ground at all in 6 minutes of film, he looks special indeed.
I went to rivals to check on his stats and it showed that he had 1,735 yds., a 10 yd./carry avg. and 22 TD's and i thought to myself, it looked like that's how many TD's he scored in the reel I watched and after further examination, I noticed that that was his Freshman year in 2010, just fucking wow!!!
Can you imagine what will happen to Fred Jackson if we get Fournette?
The New Orleans connection should absolutely help, and obviously he's the RB coach. Hopefully Dileo is around too.
It may be starting to be a a real possibility that #1, #2 and #3 could all be wearing Maize and Blue in 2014. Future National Championship Talent.
I would love it, but it takes a certain type of person to wear the winged helmet for Hoke. Hoke recruits even better than Bo and that's because he goes for raw talent and Bo had 105 ships to give away. However, they must still possess the same character, as Bo liked to call it to be considered for an offer to MI. Now Peppers certainly fits that bill. Things slipped somewhat duruing the transition to Mo and Lo and although by and large we were still getting plenty of quality kids, i.e. Dhana Jones, we were also getting our share of players getting in off the field trouble. Gone were the days of Cannavinos, Dufeks, Mallorys, et.al., and talent first seemed to be a priority. Character wins out and Hoke knows this. However, he is also aware that the mix of both makes for a much better combination. I don't know anything about LF and his grades or his future plans. If he wants a solid education and has the grades to indicate such, then this would be a good fit. If he wants to showcase his talent for the NFL, the SEC would be a much better fit.
Also, I saw on 247 that Peppers being at the BBQ is a "likelyhood" now...that can only help with Fournette having a good time!
