Malik names a top group devoid of Michigan.

Submitted by MichiganMan14 on
Just saw on the FSU rivals page that Malik named a group of 6 teams including FSU, Bama and MSU as his focus group. I think Michigan has really slid in his recruitment and this had a Diamond...Treadwell feel to it all along. Not saying its over....but Michigan is definitely on the backburner. Malik's dad is apparently a big FSU fan. Brady will need to pull some magic here.

MDot

January 1st, 2014 at 9:59 PM ^

You know how many kids Michigan has pulled out of Ohio that grew up "lifelong OSU fans"? More than u think, dude. Trust me. Those that ended up at Mich did because they thought they fit in better here, whether it be earlier PT, they clicked better w/ the coaches who were recruiting them, fell in love w/ the campus on visits, etc.

 

A different sport, but Tyus Jones will end up at Duke, though earlier in his HS career said he grew up w/ MSU as his favorite school...and MSU is considered an ELITE bball program. Problem is, Izzo isn't producing lottery picks. Kyrie was #1 a couple years ago. Jabari could follow this year. When it came down to it, MSU wasn't even in his top 3 or so.

 

We can give examples all day, point is, kids ending up at schools they didn't grow up rooting for ALL THE TIME. I will give u that the "academics/lifelong fan" isn't the same "canned answer that sounds good". Whenever a kid says that tho, all that means to me is he'll definitely consider that school, but not a lock by any means, especially if they didn't grow in said state of school/has family ties to it.

 

That's not "program cynicism" at all, its "I've been a HS recruiting nut for far too long to just those type of quotes w/o a grain of salt". Cynicism of the information these kids are willing to give annoying "recruiting analysts" that keep blowing up their phones? Thats probably it.

 

...and I never said anything about Mich's "scheme". Don't know if you were directing that at me or not.

I Like Burgers

January 1st, 2014 at 6:11 PM ^

The whole "I've been a lifelong fan...but I'm not going there" is really indicative of how bad things have gotten for Michigan.  If they were still a top program and winning 9, 10 games a season on the reg, then they would be pulling in the majority of these types of kids.

But the fact of the matter is, the program isn't very good, so despite being big fans of Michigan, the kids find it in their best interest to go elsewhere.  Its sad.

MJ14

January 2nd, 2014 at 12:56 AM ^

He took it off a while back, but I am not worried. He is good friends with Peppers and even tweeted today saying how much of a role model Peppers is for him. Peppers will keep him around. 

Also he is playing as Michigan on NCAA. Come on now, everybody knows that whoever you use on NCAA is your dream team. 

 

BIGBLUEWORLD

January 1st, 2014 at 4:51 PM ^

The best news I have to offer is an unsubstantiated rumor [from Ace Williams that is certainly fabricated because it came from Ace Williams.]

\grasping at straws

ED:BISB - NO ACE WILLIAMS.

BIGBLUEWORLD

January 1st, 2014 at 5:34 PM ^

"unsubstantiated rumor" and ""emphasis on rumor" is clearly not quoting anything.  Is it?  Keep it straight.

But now that you mention catapult, Johnny of Jimmy could catapult Michigan into the Empyrean heights of college football in a heartbeat.  Do you want to try to tell me stranger things have never happened?

Thank you.  Seriously, cool dog BiSB.

991GT3

January 1st, 2014 at 4:53 PM ^

You don't go through a season like Michigan with players saying they did not have their heart in it without consequences. As well as Hoke can recruit, the stench from this season has become toxic. The coaches need to be all over these recruits trying to keep them in the fold. Let's hope the MIchigan brand with its outstanding academics will prevail.

Don

January 1st, 2014 at 6:04 PM ^

We've had an enormously disappointing season that ended about as poorly as you could fear,  which in turn simply amplified the growing questioning of our coaching staff's abilities that arose during the season. The success of MSU has brought to the forefront the issue of developing talent, and right now it doesn't look favorable to UM.

Combine this background situation with the fact that so many kids are committing so early these days, and I think that it's just human nature that some kids will be privately wondering about the direction of the Michigan program, and I think it's likely one of those will break ranks and bolt. Other schools don't back off just because a HS kid verbally commits to UM, and if one of those schools has a football program that at the moment is on the upswing, it will be very seductive to at least some of those kids who are wavering.

If Hoke & Co. manage to keep all the present commits and add a couple more quality kids with the remaining scholarships, it will be a tremendous sales and marketing job.

Don

January 1st, 2014 at 6:07 PM ^

I'm just thinking of the class of current verbal commits, that's all. Believe me, I hope I'm dead wrong. If anybody can keep the class intact, Hoke is up to it, but I think it will be a very tough task.

Jack Daniels

January 1st, 2014 at 4:58 PM ^

It sucks, because I bet if Michigan had won 9-10 games (PSU, Iowa, Nebraska) then a lot of this would've died down. It would've still been an underachieving season if they had pulled out those wins but 9-4 or 10-3 looks a hell of a lot better than 7-6.

robmorren2

January 1st, 2014 at 5:00 PM ^

Go figure ... with a HC that is clearly a DL guy, a DC that is a "great recruiter" and also a DL guy ... the area we're having the most trouble recruiting is DL. I remember everyone arguing where Hand/McDowell/Mone would line up. That won't be a big issue now.

LSAClassOf2000

January 1st, 2014 at 5:01 PM ^

There is, of course, a NOLA.com article from yesterday - HERE - which still includes Michigan on the list and reports that he does not yet list a favorite.

"I feeling all of them a lot right now," he said. "I wish I could go to all of them. It's going to be hard. It's going to be real hard."

It may not be us in the end, but this is simply to illustrate that not all sources believe we are more or less out of it as the OP seems to suggest.