MLive article on Cole Huff (EDIT: Michigan in Huff's final four)
Courtesy of an article from Brendan Quinn, there's further clarity on where Michigan stands with Cole Huff, the 6-8 sophomore forward transferring from Nevada (who would have to sit out 2014-15 and have two years of eligibility after that). There's clear mutual interest, but Michigan has only one scholarship left, and it has been offered to Aubrey Dawkins, currently on an official visit to Dayton after visiting Michigan last weekend. If Dawkins commits to Michigan, there will be a scholarship to offer to Huff only if Mitch McGary leaves for the NBA.
If McGary enters the draft, Michigan would again hold an open scholarship to potentially offer Huff.
"I guess I'll know more after this week," Huff said.
Should there be a scholarship available, Huff said he'd like to have a visit scheduled with Michigan by early next week. U-M typically does not make formal scholarship offers until a recruit visits campus.
As of now Huff is visiting Creighton on Sunday, Iowa on May 2, and Dayton on May 9. On Wednesday, a day after meeting with Jordan, he welcomed Iowa assistant Andrew Francis and Creighton head coach Greg McDermott to Reno.
One thing that's clear: Michigan's interest in Huff does not indicate that the Michigan staff thinks already knows that McGary is leaving. Also, note that the article clearly states that Michigan currently has one open scholarship. There's absolutely no mention of any contingency involving Austin Hatch's scholarship.
One other thing to note is Huff's reason for leaving Nevada:
"It was more about how I was being used (in the system)," Huff said of his decision to transfer. "Nevada did a great job using me as a pick-and-pop player and putting me down low with my back to the basket, but that's not all of who I am. I think I can be used for more than that.”
At Michigan, he wouldn't be expected to play with his back to the basket even if he played the 4, so it seems like the coaches should be able to make a good argument to him about why he would fit in quite well at Michigan.
EDIT: As I posted below, Huff's former AAU coach has tweeted that Huff has a final four of Creighton, Dayton, Iowa, and Michigan, so UCLA and USC are apparently out of it. Decision "will be made shortly after his visits." No Michigan visit has been announced yet, presumably because they're waiting to see if a scholarship will be available.
"Nevada did a great job... putting me down low with my back to the basket, but that's not all of who I am."
Well that's probably a good thing...
The article mentions USC and UCLA having reached out to Huff, but Huff's former AAU coach hasn't tweeted anything about either of those schools recently. His last tweet regarding Huff mentioned only Dayton, Iowa, Creighton, and Michigan:
@Sunny_in_So_Cal all the coaches recruiting cole seem to be genuine legit dudes #Dayton #Iowa #Creighton #Michigan
— clint parks (@Brotherhood05) April 24, 2014
The quotes from Parks in Quinn's article make Michigan seem like an ideal place for Huff to land:
"That's why he'll be going to a school where player development and a strength program are a lifeline of the program," said Clint Parks, Huff's former AAU coach with Team Eleate out of Riverside, Calif. "If you're going redshirt, you do it right. Next year will be the most important year of Cole's career and he knows that."
. . .
"He's the type of guy that they (Michigan) bring in and developed," said Parks, who has worked with Huff since he was 15. "He's already super-skilled -- a knock-down shooter that can handle the ball and is a willing and able passer."
I agree to trust the coaches generally but this one puzzles me a bit. Why wait on Dawkins? Seems like Huff would be a better fit at the 3/4, why not put out offers to both and see which one wants it more. I understand Dawkins would be available next year but it's not like he is really needed at the 2/3 next year anyway with Caris, Irvin, MAAR and others.
April 24th, 2014 at 10:02 AM ^
That strategy might work if both players were making their decisions around the same time. But Dawkins seems likely to decide in the very near future, whereas Huff has visits scheduled out to May 9.
Also, Dawkins isn't really a 2/3 player, at least according to Sam Webb. At Michigan, Dawkins—who Sam says is now closer to 6-6 than the reported 6-4 or 6-5—would primarily play the 3 but could even see some time at the 4, so he could help fill the void left by Glenn Robinson III's departure.
April 24th, 2014 at 10:17 AM ^
So then if McGary does to the NBA, would Michigan take both if they both wanted to come?
April 24th, 2014 at 11:00 AM ^
Yes. If Huff wanted to come here and Dawkins wanted to come here. With Dawkins, Dayton has been a long time suitor. With Huff there are multiple suitors.
Kudos to Coach Jordan for making an impression. That said, I think we have a policy of no offer until you visit campus in bball so he'd have to come out to AA soon if Mitch leaves.
We do have an "insider" who knows his dad who appears to be a teacherso maybe in between the classes we'll have an update on that end.
Word is Dawkins measured in at 6'6 (from the interwebs) rather than 6'4 so that is basically Irvin size - hence the view of a 3.
In a perfect world I'd like to get Huff first and hold out on Dawkins (both would compete at the 3) until Mitch makes up his mind because frankly Mitch has 3 days to do so and Dawkins is in Dayton right now. But we already offered and I don't see Beilein saying "hey dude, can you wait until Mitch says something - we offered your spot to someone else." At this point I wish Mitch would just make a decision - not sure what is going to change in 72 hours for him, so that UM bball can move forward with certainty.
The way they are going after both with Irvin still on the team has me thinking Chatman is going to play 4 (next year) and/or (dreamz) the 2 (2 years from now) ;) His dad says he is a point guard mentality and even said something like UM could use him as a 1. I am all for 6'8 SGs .... after Caris leaves of course.
April 24th, 2014 at 10:46 AM ^
I have no idea, but I would say don't discount Dayton's chances of landing Dawkins, which would make the issue moot.
April 24th, 2014 at 10:41 AM ^
April 24th, 2014 at 10:04 AM ^
Thanks for consistently keeping us in the loop on WBB and MBB news.
April 24th, 2014 at 10:43 AM ^
I don't understand how it is "clear" that Michigan's interest in Huff indicates that Staff thinks McGary is staying. The only way Huff can committ is if Dawkins doesn't OR McGary leaves. What am I missing?
April 24th, 2014 at 10:57 AM ^
There were people the other day who took Michigan's interest in Huff as an indication that the Michigan staff knew that McGary was leaving. All I'm saying is that—and Sam Webb said the same thing the other day—Michigan's interest in Huff does not mean McGary's leaving.
Sorry if that wasn't clear (I've edited that sentence in the OP to perhaps make that clearer).
April 24th, 2014 at 11:02 AM ^
Yes and the majority of the board is under the presumption that Dawkins will choose UM over Dayton because well Michigan. Dayton was an elite 8 team that was recruiting Dawkins for a long time - we are the hot supermodel who showed up a few weeks ago. There is just as good of a chance Dawkins picks Dayton and UM still has that 1 scholarship so at that point it's all moot and you offer Huff even if Mitch returned. Have to keep CROOOOOTING to account for all contingencies.
April 24th, 2014 at 12:04 PM ^
Am not a fan of transfers... when things don't go exactly their way with the coaches, they leave? Sure, there are exceptions.....
April 24th, 2014 at 12:07 PM ^
Kind of like when coaches leave or force players out? David Carter promised Huff he would be a 3 and reneged.
April 24th, 2014 at 12:23 PM ^
I think you could construe it as at least mildly positive news on the McGary front. They're playing it out right now like they have one scholarship. Whether they're waiting on McGary or they actually know he's staying is too hard to tell, but it's a lot better than having them both be offered right now
Umm, so it's implied here that a player sitting out a transfer year (Huff) will take up a scholarship spot. Can someone just confirm that this is true?
I think if they are made to sit out, the school should be granted an additional scholarship for a guy that can play. Doesn't that make sense?
but that's not the way it works. Someone sitting out a year after transferring takes up a scholarship spot just like someone sitting out a redshirt year.
Yes, guys who sit out due to transfer rules still count against the limit.
I'm not sure if your proposal would really make sense. A transferring player only has to sit out one year. If teams could recruit other players to fill the spot, what would they do after the year's over? They'd have one too many players.
Ok it is now 4 pm and our Huff insider has not commented so I think maybe Huff's dad has told him to stay quiet ;)
No UCLA or USC in Huff's final four:
Cole Huff final list is Creighton Dayton Iowa Michigan a decision will be made shortly after his visits #Eleate
— clint parks (@Brotherhood05) April 24, 2014
Interesting. No West coast teams so that helps. Thought I read last week Iowa was a leader if he was coming to the Midwest which boggles the mind with what UM offers both in academics and basketball.
Iowa is the leader because we have not offered.
Freep now has an article out that basically covers the same ground, with some new quotes from Huff's former AAU coach.
“He’s the type of player coach Beilein has recruited going back to West Virginia,” Parks said. “He’s not a one-trick pony. He’s a high IQ kid. He can shoot it (40% from three), he can handle it, he can pass it, he can post you up. His biggest thing moving forward to maximize his potential is the redshirt year is so important.”
There was a strong connection and U-M obviously has the most visibility of the programs he’s considering.
“As far as Cole goes, it’s Michigan,” Parks said. “And when a school like Michigan calls…”
We’ll see if there is an official chance to answer.
In a few days, it should be apparent whether he can get a visit and possibly an offer.
“As far as Cole goes, it’s Michigan,” Parks said. “And when a school like Michigan calls…”
Sounds like he wants in from that comment.
Since he and Dawkins both play 3, and Huff has more upside at 4 in a pinch with an extra 2 inches plus is an established NCAA player I'd really move that first offer to Huff and then Dawkins would be based on Mitch. Dawkins at most will be backing up Irvin for 6-7 minutes a night next year at 3 so you could get some of that out of Chatman or heck move Caris up to 3 for 5 minutes a night and let MAAR get an extra few minutes at 2 he would otherwise be sitting on the bench for.
Only issue is that "we don't offer you until you get on campus" rule Beilein has.
thread. Happy we are getting Cole but pretty disappointing because of the reason why.
Best of luck to Mitch.
April 25th, 2014 at 10:13 AM ^
You've made quite a leap there. Huff choosing Michigan is no sure thing. He hasn't even set up a visit yet, nor does he currently have an offer.
April 25th, 2014 at 10:21 AM ^
see if a scholarship was available and that question has been answered.
April 25th, 2014 at 10:28 AM ^
Sorry if I misread that, but I think it's almost impossible to detect sarcasm in what you wrote.
Anyway, we'll see what happens. I think it's unlikely that both Dawkins and Huff pick Michigan, but there's no reason Huff can't set up a visit now.
April 25th, 2014 at 10:35 AM ^
Hopefully Dawkins goes to Dayton, get Huff and press Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk/Eron Harris/Tashawn Thomas.