Michigan RB/DB target Allen Stritzinger of De La Salle commits to Syracuse
They recruited him as a RB, which he wanted to play. We couldn't / didn't make that commitment.
No loss.
Good luck to him. He seems like the type of athlete that will achieve.
If Mike Hart recruited me heavily I'd probably committ, even if it was for the towel boy.
Oh wait --- he was the De La Salle (my alma mater) RB who was a Michigan target (and eventual recurit) from 30 years ago.
30 years --- I'm getting old.
If they had the star rating system back then, he would have been a 5* almost certainly. He was part of an epic Michigan haul of running backs in 1986 that has not been equalled since: Jefferson, Tony Boles, Leroy Hoard, Jarrod Bunch, David Key, Huemartin Robinson, and Tracy Williams. (Interesting to note this class also included Warde Manuel and Greg McMurtry). I was never sure why Bo took so many backs in that class - 7 out of 23. Unfortunately, Jefferson's Michigan career was sort of a disappointment as he was hampered by injuries including a broken leg. Of that group though, Boles, Hoard, and Bunch ended up being the stars
3 things can happen when you throw the ball, and 2 of them are bad.
So when your running back is injured better have another guy who is willing to run into a wall and fall forward for a few yards.
4 yards and a cloud of dust mentality.
a run-first coach. So, he obviously placed a high premium on good RB's vs. WR's. But this was also a time when he had The Harbaugh as his QB, who was a pretty good passer. My guess as to why he took so many backs that year was he just had an extraordinary number of commitments from the guys at that position he recruited. And and that time, being a different era of recruiting, Bo accepted all commitments unconditionally (or almost so).
fun fact, Allen Jefferson was my coach in high school for 1/2 year. He got fired for body slamming a kid.
per his Linkedin, he's a Track Coach at Country Day now. Guess the bodyslam didn't permanently derail his career.
This will be an interesting kid to follow his career. Great athlete, great track hurdler, a little on the thin side. He was hurt for a lot of his junior year. Michigan wanted him as a defense of back, but he went to a place where he can play running back. We'll see if Syracuse keep him there.
He was counted on to be a big piece of the in-state 2017 class.
What you wrote sounds EXACTLY how someone would have described Sam McGuffie. To a tee.
not really. McGuffie wasn't "skinny" as much as he was shorter and his running style allowed defenders to square him up and blow him up ala Ed McCaffrey. He was also never going to play defense so there's that.
Good luck to him! Michigan will be okay.
David Brandon is that you???
+1 if I could.
Was he really a target? I haven't seen his name come up in a single recruiting update that I can recall.
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
He was an early offer as part of the pipeline 9. Michigan seemed to cool on him since as he wanted to play RB and Michigan wanted him at DB. Not sure he would be a top target at DB anyways...
The Pipeline 9 thing seems kind of silly now. Stritzinger was a part of it and in state commit Paea wasn't. Also, it reportedly pissed of Antjuan Simmons that he wasn't included.
Yep. I was a little surprised that the Pipeline 9 thing became, well, a thing. It kind of makes it seem like they're the only nine players in the state who are worthy of Michigan offers. I think at this point, Michigan has offered 13 or 14 in-state prospects, so that term went out the window. Paea was okay with it, but Simmons wasn't.
the Pipeline 9 originate?
When I read about it, I believe a recruit said that the coaching staff was calling them "the Pipeline 9." So I got the vibe it came from the staff, not the players themselves. If the players came up with it, then there's nothing you can do about it if it hurts other players' feelings.
I'd bet we can blame Twitter or other social media for it becoming "a thing" without full explanation or intent. Can't ever control how it works with high schoolers, that's the bottom line. It doesn't surprise me that one kid would be upset by it and another wouldn't care. Personally I'm just glad to see not all offers are committable at all times and maybe we don't find ourselves in the same situation where the staff catches flack for what looks like the pulling of offers--even though we all know they were either justified or blown out of proportion. Either way, I'm glad to hear that maybe offers are subject to other factors as they transpire.
because of the pipeline nine. I am sure he is a bigger boy than that.
Yeah. He probably could have committed at one point and could have been a part of the class (excluding a David Reese situation), but he waited himself out of a spot. I think he wanted to see what other big offers he could get, and none came that were as big or bigger.
Syracuse actually got a couple commits this week that were guys who chose them as "fallback" options. Ft. Lauderdale (FL) St. Thomas Aquinas WR Joshua Palmer named Michigan his leader at one point, but he wasn't a take at this point, either.
Good luck to him. My guess is that UM will keep in contact, but it sounded like there wasn't mutual interest.
"It's a tremendous honor and a blessing to have that offer," Stritzinger said. "Being recruited by coach (Tyrone) Wheatley, it's a great deal (with) him being from the area and me and him keeping contact like we do. It's a fun thing."
Good luck to him, and what a fun story that has to be for the future, being recruited by both Tyrone Wheatley AND Mike Hart. Nice indeed.
Good luck to him.
Oh well. Best of luck, my friend.
I know Rutgers is our biggest rival and everything, but Syracuse is slowly taking their place for my East Coast sports hatred needs. In all seriousness, good luck young man!
I could feel that one coming given the way the class was filling up. Kind of a shame as he seemed to be one of the most enthusiastic. Best of luck to him with Mr. Hart.
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
Sounds like we cooled on him. But if there is anyone I'm ok losing a recruit to it's Mike Hart. I still have my I <3 <3 shirt.
Just wanted to post this photo of our own Grant Perry making a nice grab against solid coverage by Stritzinger. Seemed relevant enough.
May the next time they play against each other be in the NFL.
I totally forgot that Mike Hart was at Syracuse now.
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
He's quickly moving up the coaching world. Won't be surprised to see him as a power 5 coach soon
He is a power 5 coach right now
I was going to add a Big East related slur when I remembered that Syracuse is now in the ACC. They are the Purdue of the ACC, but they are in the ACC.
but i'll be dead and buried by the time Purdue makes it to two Final 4's at all, much less 2 in 4 years.
You think Sparty will look at him? He did basically resurrect their program from a 50 year coma.
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad