Mike Weber - Vols #1 school
Just posted on Rivals message board. Mike Weber (Cass Tech RB) in an interview with InsideTenn blog:
"Up there it's just football, but down here it means so much more. There's a different passion about the sport and I love that."
"All the coaches here make you feel like family," Weber said. "They made sure I felt like I was at home."
"I don't have a decision or time table right now," he said. "I'm just taking my process. Tennessee is the top school right now. Wherever I go I want to come in and help the University the best way I can to win and win bowl games."
"The facility is crazy," the 5-foot-10, 185-pound back said. "It's by far one of the best, if not the best one I've seen so far. I can really see myself here because it would be a good fit for me. The weight room really stuck out to me."
FYI - It could be Mike putting out quotes to see if Michigan comes calling after the Harris commitment per Tim Sullivan
"Up there it's just football, but down here it means so much more. There's a different passion about the sport and I love that."
He's right. We don't have people who kill trees because their team lost a game. Southern pride!
Nope, we really care about the enviroment here - hence couch burning. <------STAAE Logic
for Brian Kelly
Better UT than MSU or OSU. EEEESSSSSS EEEEEEEE SSSEEEEEE
Did Weber accidentally visit the Curves in Ann Arbor and mistake it for Michigan's football facilities?
Lately Tennessee is the Illinois of the Big 10. They are the little sister. I'd rather be playing for the top team in their respective conferences than the average joes. I dont care how much passion they have, where do you have a better chance of winning a national championship. I'd say Michigan is far more closer than Tennessee.
Get on the bus or get run over. Go Blue !!
Championships are great, don't get me wrong, but there has to be more on the minds of these recruits than that. Now I don't know Mike Weber so this isn't necessarily what I'm saying he is thinking, but a big portion of their choice is probably based on where they can get the most exposure so as to attain their dream of playing in the NFL.
If I had to make a choice between a school where I would probably win a national championship but would be a back-up/role player as opposed to a school where I thought I could be the number one guy getting all the reps and having the opportunity to showcase my talents, but they had no hope of winning a championship, personally I'd choose the exposure and playing time.
Again, I'm not saying this is what Weber is thinking, I just wanted to point out that there is likely more that goes into a decision than "I think they will win a championship".
I don't think he is saying what you think he's saying. I thnk he just means that down south football is the be all and end all of life. Some people might like that, but personally I would prefer a place that has more going for it than just football. I don't have any hard feelings toward Weber for how he is feeling and won't regardless of his decision. He's a kid and people naturally have different thiings they look for when choosing a college, a home, a car etc. etc. etc..
But he is clearly salty about all the attention that came with the Harris commitment, which is not a judgment on his character...These are HS kids used to the spotlight. Borges loves having two quality backs like he utilized at Auburn, so I hope he isn't shying away because of fears of playing time and being "the man." Would love to have him, but if indeed UT is a better fit for the kid (coaches, facilities, whatever), then he needs to follow his heart. I do, however, believe his current state of mind and comments are impacted by the Harris commitment.
And the timing is really interesting (a day after Damien Harris commits). With Harris already in the fold and considering the depth of talent at RB in 2015, I think Michigan will be just fine if Weber doesn't want to be a Wolverine. And if he decides to go elsewhere, better that it is out of state and out of conference.
I think I more concerned about losing Alabi or Cole than Weber for the instate 2015 kids.
Early rankings from 247Sports:
"There's a different passion about the sport and I love that."
Phillip Fulmer must have shown Weber his Charles Woodson voodoo doll.
The states of Alabama, Mississippi and Arkansas don't have any pro teams in any of the major sports. Football on the college and high school level is huge!
The entire state of Nebraska revolves around Husker football. I have not spent much time in SEC land, but I can not imagine another location more emotionally attached to one sports team than Nebraksa.
A DT from Michigan a couple of classes ago said the same thing, and talking to SEC fans, they have all to a person pooh-poohed the GameDay experience in AA. Some of that is surely EESSS EEEE SEEEE BS, but I do think there is something to it and I certainly think he can get caught up in it. Hell, I remember watching the Charlie Daniels band in Memphis and he played Rocky Top, the crowd went wild and I have had a certain affection for the vols since then just because the whole thing was so much fun.
On the whole, there's a long way to go in this recruiting process and I'd say we should hold off on saying anything bad about the guy just because he's had a good time on visits and is reflecting that with enthusiasm.
"On the whole, there's a long way to go in this recruiting process and I'd say we should hold off on saying anything bad about the guy just because he's had a good time on visits and is reflecting that with enthusiasm. "
How about we never say anything bad about recruits simply because they don't choose our school? These kids are young and EVERYONE has different criterea for making decisions. Certain things aren't for certain people. I love my suburban, but I wouldn't make nasty comments about a person for buying a honda and saying they didn't like the suburban.
The bottom line is we can't get every recruit (regardless of the fact that Hoke seems to be doing just about that right now) and when someone doesn't choose us, just let them be. It's an important decision and we have know idea what they are using as criterea for making that decision. I'm sure it isn't anytihng personal against any of us, so we should stop taking it as such.
(I should say I'm not directing most of this comment at you, but those who always make such a fuss when a kid chooses someone else).
2015, right? And it's.... July of 2013? I'm not worried about who his #1 is right now. "There is time" is an understatement and this staff has everything in the world going for it.
Moving on for now.
and too many times we've been on the wrong side of the street. Such is college recruiting. I think Mi is his dream school, and I also believe he sees the writing on the wall. There is a very real possibility of him not getting offered by UM and IMO, in which I might be alone, I think its a move on his part to force a move on our part.
No big surprise Michigan isn't really going after Weber that hard I believe he's 4th on the wish list if they even take another back besides Harris.