TomVH

June 22nd, 2010 at 12:02 AM ^

I talk to Ed quite a bit, and it seems that a lot has changed since he got his Michigan offer. I talked to him tonight about the MSU offer, and he told me this:

I got an offer from them (Michigan State). Iowa and MSU are my top two right now. I heard some things from a few people about Michigan, so I'm not sure about them right now.

Being an inquisitive person, I asked what he had heard, and who it was from. He had this to say.

I just heard that the coaches might not even be there, and that I would get left behind. I had kind of heard it before, but I wasn't really thinking about it like that before.

He told me it's not over with Michigan, and he doesn't want the Michigan coaches to think he isn't interested, either. This "issue" that was recently brought to his attention has him concerned, and he wants to take his time with how he makes his decision.

Ed hasn't sat down with his parents and talked to them about his concern, yet, but he will be soon. Take from this what you want. 

BigBlue02

June 22nd, 2010 at 2:46 AM ^

You could sort of say they have been negative recruiting us for the past 3 years. If I read nothing but the freep, I wouldn't come anywhere near Michigan's football program. They managed to take the best dual threat QB in the nation last year and not include him on their dream team.

ldoublee

June 22nd, 2010 at 8:38 AM ^

The FREEP has arranged to have a "special edition" delivered to Ed Davis' doorstep each day.  In addition, Rosenberg and Sharp ride their bikes over each day to tell him how mean, bad, and nasty RichRod is. 

M.I.Sicks

June 22nd, 2010 at 9:07 AM ^

Maybe it's Toledo doing the negative recruiting here. I checked both his profiles on Rivals and Scout and both say he's a 3* player. So what's the big deal here? It's still June for ___ sake! Michigan has so few scholarships to give out this year. I would rather see them go to top flight players and not just blown on any kid. If he wants to go to Toledo or Iowa or MSU well maybe he belongs there. Michigan can do better IMO.

wolpherine2000

June 22nd, 2010 at 12:21 AM ^

...anyone would even have to bring this up.  I would expect that any young man about to commit four years to a school would already have this among his considerations, whether the coach in question was Coach Rodriguez, Zook, or Brewster. 

I mean seriously, if the equipment sponsor is a factor, coaching longevity is a factor.

me

June 22nd, 2010 at 10:27 AM ^

We were talking about where he heard "UM coaches won't be around."  You suggested that it was ESPN.  My point is that would have to had happened in the last couple weeks.

Is it unusual to change leaders after a visit?  Of course not.  But to come out of visits saying that he heard "UM coaches weren't going to be around" is disconcerting and would suggest that he did not hear it from ESPN.

me

June 22nd, 2010 at 11:23 AM ^

I'm not claiming any conspiracy whatsoever.  Negative recruiting is a way of life in College Football and if you don't recognize that I don't know what to tell you.  We are just seeing negative recruiting in action here.  Nothing more nothing less.  And this is one subject area that is ripe for this type of action.

 

And this is not to suggest that UM doesn't participate in negative recruiting as well, I'm sure they do.  We just don't hear about it over here.  But I bet if you perused the MSU boards you would find reports of similar stories.

Hannibal.

June 22nd, 2010 at 1:46 PM ^

 I sincerely hope that Michigan negatively recruits.  There's no virtue in bringing a knife to a gun fight and negative information is just as likely to be useful as positive information.  Half of recruiting is convincing recruits that you are the right fit, and the other half is convincing them that the other schools are the wrong fit.  Rodriguez and/or his staff need to tell Demetrius Hart that SEC schools oversign and then dump whoever they don't want.  They need to tell Ed Davis that MSU has a thug program and that if he wants to get away from those kind of people, Dantonio is not a guy he wants to play for.  And they need to remind Valdez Showers that Urban Meyer almost quit last year because of the immense pressure.  I'm not saying that they should make up shit or be dishonest, but bring to light the obvious flaws in competing programs.  Our competitors aren't going to volunteer that information.

Magnus

June 22nd, 2010 at 10:28 AM ^

Your version of the events:

1. Rich Rodriguez has been on the hot seat for at least the last six months, which is repeatedly stated on ESPN.

2. Ed Davis gets offered by Michigan and is seriously considering committing.

3. He visits other schools.

4. Ed Davis sits down to watch SportsCenter, sees a talking head saying Rodriguez is on the hot seat.

5. Ed Davis puts other schools in the lead.

Hmmmmmmmmm.......

FGB

June 22nd, 2010 at 12:24 AM ^

....."or you can come to State, where this staff will never get fired because mediocrity is considered success here!"

 XOXO

-M.D.

 

EDIT:  .....and did not refresh to read the above, so accusation withdrawn, but point still stands.

psychomatt

June 22nd, 2010 at 2:10 AM ^

The fact that RR and every member of his coaching staff are on the hot seat and might not be around for 2011 is something every potential recruit has known for months. Michigan's defense has been awful the past two years, resulting in the replacement of the DC at the end of the 2008 season and a defensive position coach at the end of last season. And you cannot read an article about Michigan or RR these days without it somewhere mentioning that this is a make or break year for Coach Rod. But, signing day is not until next Feb. and any recruits who would pick Michigan as their #1 if it weren't for this issue should be willing to wait until at least a majority of the 2010 season is over before deciding to commit somewhere else. If Michigan shows significant progress in 2010, this issue largely goes away.

Magnus

June 22nd, 2010 at 5:56 AM ^

...winning cures all.

If Rodriguez goes 8-4 or 9-3 or something like that, it will be more clear that Rodriguez will stick around.

Until then, recruits have good reason to be skeptical.

maizenbluenc

June 22nd, 2010 at 1:53 PM ^

Which is the same reasoning any potential USC Junior or Senior would apply.

Pros: There is an opportuntiy for immediate playing time at Michigan.

Cons: (In the USC case) Why would I go 2/3rds of the way across the country, when there is a risk of coaching hot seat chaos all season long, coaching change next season, and they haven't been full cycle with the NCAA yet ...

Recruiting is going to be a rough trail for Rich and staff until they get past the two monkeys on thier collective backs. Fortunately, signing day isn't until after the season. Just win baby!

john22

June 22nd, 2010 at 12:33 AM ^

MICHIGAN ONLY HAS IM GUESSING 19 SPOTS, SO THEY NEED ALOT OF REALLY GOOD PLAYERS. ARE CLASS IS PRETTY GOOD RIGHT KNOW, SO KEEP IT UP COACH RICH ROD. AFTER THIS SEASON EVERY MICHIGAN FAN WILL LOVE YOU.GO BLUE!!!!!!!!!!!