OT-Will RR try to recruit Michigan?
I hesistate to bring this up, but I think it is an interesting question that I don't really know.
On one hand hand his coaches have had to establish some relationships with local coaches like Wilcher. His staff probably had some preliminary contact with many of the current class of kids. I would think he would have plenty of "remember me" phone calls over the next few weeks.
On the other hand he has much more talent rich states closer to him in Texas and California and why waste resources in Michigan where Hoke and Dantonio look to have this thing pretty locked down.
My guess is maybe a kid or 2 that is a borderline Big Ten recruit he may steal this year or next(but not steal any Michigan recruits) while he still has some ties and then basically leave the state.
Still think Dorsey is an obvious fit to Arizona.
December 9th, 2011 at 9:14 AM ^
That would be my guess.....
December 9th, 2011 at 9:17 AM ^
Coaches will recruit just about anywhere there's a talent that fits their program, so I'm pretty sure Rodriguez will try to recruit a kid here or there out of Michigan. But even when he was at Michigan, he tried to recruit heavily in Arizona, Texas, and Florida. I'm guessing he'll recruit even more heavily in Florida now, since he's closer and since Florida kids probably won't be quite so hesitant to live in another warm-weather state like Arizona.
IIRC, more than 20% of Rodriguez's offers while he was at Michigan went out to Florida kids, so...that's a lot.
December 9th, 2011 at 9:24 AM ^
"Coaches will recruit just about anywhere there's a talent that fits their program, so I'm pretty sure Rodriguez will try to recruit a kid here or there out of Michigan"
then, lock thread. it's common sense, really.
December 9th, 2011 at 9:28 AM ^
Since when is Florida closer to Arizona than Michigan?
December 9th, 2011 at 9:38 AM ^
I wasn't talking about distance, really, but as far as climate goes. I guess I should have made that clear.
December 9th, 2011 at 10:15 AM ^
Looked pretty clear to me:
"...and since Florida kids probably won't be quite so hesitant to live in another warm-weather state like Arizona."
Tucson has a really great climate save the hot summer months when most students will be back home. Even then a Florida kid will probably find the summer heat of Tucson more inviting then the humid weather of Florida.
I remember a few of RR's recruits mentioned no cold weather states as a reason (excuse) not to come to Michigan so he might have an advantage in that aspect.
December 9th, 2011 at 10:28 AM ^
How many football players, between the need for year round strength training/conditioning and summer classes, actually go home for the summer? I honestly don't know, but I'd imagine the bulk remain on campus unless they are very local.
At least Tucson's better than Phoenix in the summer.
December 9th, 2011 at 9:29 AM ^
It is worth noting that Ann Arbor is much closer to Florida than is Tuscon.
December 9th, 2011 at 9:39 AM ^
Ann Arbor-Gainesville 1040 miles
Tuscon-Gainesville 1917 miles
Central/South Florida would be similary different.
Pensacola cuts the margin to only 600 miles.
Not that this changes your central point.
December 9th, 2011 at 10:29 AM ^
Everyone's already hit the distance points, but there's another factor. Because of historic migration patterns having to do with African-American employment in the auto industry and the migration of many blacks to the South in the past 20 years, African-Americans in the South are far more likely to have relatives in Michigan than Arizona. (And that's who we're really talking about RichRod recruiting)
I think Arizona's going to be a tough sell to Florida recruits despite the weather. Most recruits are going to have other warm weather offers far closer to home. Most players do care about being able to get home and have their family and friends see them play in person. Arizona currently has no players from Florida, the bulk of their roster is from southern California. ASU has 5 players from Florida and over half their roster from California. While RichRod's contacts there can likely lure some players from Florida, if he's going to be successful, he better start hiring people with experience recruiting California.
On the other hand, the contacts he established recruiting Roh and Lewan may pay off well.
December 9th, 2011 at 10:39 AM ^
If I remember correctly, the only Florida kid on Michigan's roster when Rodriguez came to Ann Arbor was Orlando's Greg Mathews. So he has a history of overhauling the demographics of a football roster.
December 9th, 2011 at 11:10 AM ^
That's interesting, didn't realize the previous staff basically didn't recruit florida. But Michigan at least has the pull of being Michigan. The Big House, the name, the helmets, the academics, for those recruits that care. Arizona has good weather. Lots of places have good weather. They play most of their games at 1030 at night (on the east coast) on obscure networks. I'll bet the vast majority of recruits in Florida have never seen an Arizona game.
It'll be interesting to see how successfully he can recruit Florida. Like seemingly every conversation about RR, it will be a interesting test of how well he adapts to an unfamiliar situation. I'd think he'd be much more successful targeting SoCal, where recruits would be far more likely to consider Arizona.
December 9th, 2011 at 1:41 PM ^
They recruited Cali, especially when English got there...like Rich Rod loved Florida. This staff we have now seem to like Cali over Florida as well.
My thing is, why do you have to choose one? I understand coaching ties and whatnot. But RIch Rod has put some quality talent on this team from FL...you can't tell me Hoke or Mattison can't wait and establish relationships with Pahokee (Odoms, Hawthore, Smith), Apopka (Gallon), Ft. Lauderdale area (Denard), etc.
"Hey Coach, I know we've never met, but I have a kid named Denard Robinson on my team...may of heard of him?"
December 9th, 2011 at 2:26 PM ^
We will see since the 2013 class will really be Hoke's first recruiting class where he can be the first to establish relationships with recruits. I get the feeling that they are not going to hit Florida as hard as the previous staff. They are obviously going to offer the blue chips, but I don't think we will we the same amounts of offers go out to kids in Florida.
December 9th, 2011 at 1:42 PM ^
Arizona doesn't carry the same prestige as Michigan, but RR and his staff are familiar with Florida from their days at Michigan and WV.
They have already established relationships with HS coaches in Florida, so it wouldn't be a stretch for them to go back to recruiting.
I think you are right about the socal thing. Recruits must have seen at least one Arizona game this year from Pac12 play. He will have to go in and establish a good relationships with the coaches.
December 9th, 2011 at 10:29 AM ^
Pretty common sense answer from Magnus. Michigan tries to recruit wherever it can find players. Roh is from Arizona, Magnuson (sp?) is from California, Garnett from out there, Denard from Florida, Hart was from New York. Arizona is a good school, and I can see players liking Tucson. The key is finding guys who fit, and if I were a coach, I'd take them from anywhere . . . South Africa, New Zealand, American Samoa, Hawaii, the location of origin doesn't matter. I'd expect RR to look everywhere for the right guys for what he wants to do.
The other obvious thing (which Rodriquez didn't do all that great a job at) is to be sure to build strong relationships locally, and recruit well in your backyard. Being reasonably close to home is a good thing, and builds a pipeline. So for RR, that means to do well in AZ, CA, & TX (with the occasional guy from UT, CO, NM, & NV.)
Living in the Midwest, I don't know how well many people realize how vast the distances are out West. For instance, it is about as far from Tucson to San Francisco (in the next state over) as it is from Ann Arbor to Panama City, FL (six states over.) Another example: it is roughly the same distance from AA to Denver as it is from Denver to LA. The vast, open spaces out there are for real.
December 9th, 2011 at 2:05 PM ^
Ann Arbor is much closer to Florida than Tucson is.
December 9th, 2011 at 9:18 AM ^
when he coached there. My guess is he surely won't while he's thousands of miles away
December 9th, 2011 at 9:19 AM ^
Well he didn't recruit Michigan while he was here, why would he start now?
/s
December 9th, 2011 at 9:22 AM ^
...a proven resumé of working with speedy offensive talent. Fergodsakes, all he has to show dual-threat QB recruits is a little tape of Denard from 2010 and he'll have Pavlovian responses.
Of course, he still has to sell Arizona, the school. A bit more challenging, me thinks.
December 9th, 2011 at 9:22 AM ^
THe south east states will be a fertile grounds, any way. I think he will create a national power there -- I should probably hold judgement until he names the DC.
December 9th, 2011 at 9:23 AM ^
Probably not a whole lot of Rodriguez recruits come from Michigan or the midwest really. I imagine he'll keep mostly to warmer states, just like when he was here - most of his ties are in the southeast and southern U.S. anyway. Now that he is closer to at least some of his preferred recruiting grounds, it may make things easier.
December 9th, 2011 at 9:23 AM ^
He may, but I suspect any success he has will be based on reputation, system fit, etc. and not on any relationships he made with MI HS coaches. IMO he will not be a factor here.
December 9th, 2011 at 9:24 AM ^
December 9th, 2011 at 9:27 AM ^
Frosted flakes and some orange juice. Every Thursday he will have three eggs, scrambled with cheese, bacon and two pieces of toast with grape jelly... I think we assumed this was a given
December 9th, 2011 at 10:57 AM ^
...I'd be eating mass quantities of Lucky Charms!
December 10th, 2011 at 1:09 AM ^
Organic granola from California, Florida orange juice, and Michigan Apple Jacks.
December 9th, 2011 at 9:25 AM ^
He killed our competitive edge against Michigan State while he was here because he didn't recruit in Michigan. He left all the top level players on a platter for State when many of them would have jumped at a Michigan offer. We are seeing that with Hoke .. He gets it .... He is taking all the top talent in Michigan and State is going to suffer once again.
December 9th, 2011 at 9:36 AM ^
Which super-awesome in-state recruits did Michigan not offer?
December 9th, 2011 at 9:40 AM ^
Tom Gholston /s
December 9th, 2011 at 9:37 AM ^
Be specific. List all of the kids -- "all of the top level players on a platter for State."
I hate stupid shit like this. These kinds of comments are a disgrace to intelligent Michigan supporters. They make this Board look bad.
Your list is probably not going to start with Devin Gardner or Will Campbell. Your list will likely include Will Gholston who was NEVER going to go to Michigan.
December 9th, 2011 at 9:42 AM ^
...'cause he definitely had a Michigan offer.
http://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/player-W…
You're basically looking at Nick Hill.
December 9th, 2011 at 9:43 AM ^
This post needs to be stickied and entered in the "best example of cramming as many hackneyed memes as possible into one post" contest. We have that contest, right?
December 9th, 2011 at 9:54 AM ^
This comment is ignorant.
December 9th, 2011 at 11:03 AM ^
You owe me a new monitor - I both spit and vomitted all over it after reading this. I am not one to usually rail against posters, but this has to be one of the the MOST idiotic postings I have seen here that isn't racist, homophobic, or written by a troll from another fanbase. Just stop.
December 9th, 2011 at 10:23 PM ^
Facepalm
December 9th, 2011 at 9:25 AM ^
has tiny slot receivers to fit his offense.
December 9th, 2011 at 9:31 AM ^
His success recruiting in Michigan will likely depend on whether Arizona is any good. If he turns them into a west coast juggernaut, then sure, I could see him luring some players that fit his system well. He was able to convince Noel Devine to come to West Freaking Virginia.
December 9th, 2011 at 11:02 AM ^
Maybe my memory is a bit off but I thought there were 'issues' around Devine that scared some other programs off.
December 9th, 2011 at 11:22 AM ^
There were.
December 9th, 2011 at 9:34 AM ^
Why start now? /s
December 9th, 2011 at 9:35 AM ^
I would think he'd go after Dennis Norfleet. If Rodriguez were still here, I would think he'd have been in our class. Fits the spread perfectly. And he's only committed to Cincinnati, so you might be able to lure him away to Arizona.
December 9th, 2011 at 9:39 AM ^
You should have went with the hesitation. Terrible topic from Ziff. Shocker.
December 9th, 2011 at 9:39 AM ^
The guy is gone. Its time he just went away.
December 9th, 2011 at 10:11 AM ^
I get so damned tired of these RR threads. He did a half assed job of recruiting the state of Michigan when he was here, which is one reason why little brother has some real talent. With Hoke as our coach there will be very few recruits in the state of Michigan that Hoke wants that Hoke (or Dantonio) won't get..
I just don't get this fascination with the guy. Three of the worst years in the history of the program and people anxiously await any morsel of news.
December 9th, 2011 at 11:49 AM ^
December 9th, 2011 at 9:49 AM ^
If there's a 3* slot receiver with offers from Indiana and Bowling Green, RichRod will be all over him regardless of where he is.
December 9th, 2011 at 10:04 AM ^
with snake oil in hand
December 9th, 2011 at 2:14 PM ^
Or a dual threat QB.