The other Brian, Magnus, TomVH, Tim 2011 recruiting ?
Guys I wonder if you can, and will, tell us who the priority recruits are for 2011. I hear lots of names being tossed around, but are there any that are fight to the finish, balls to the wall, gotta haves, that the coaches are targetting? I don't mean to slight other recruits, I just wonder who the "big fish" are this year.
Also I would like to know how hard will UM recruit Lawrence Thomas with him seeming to be such a pipe dream?
Note: why any serious football player would want to go to Michigan State over Michigan is a total effing mystery to me, bias aside, what have they done in the last 20 years. 2 sucky seasons does not equal a lifetime of suck, as anyone who is a HS senior has endured, rooting for the green weenies.
February 15th, 2010 at 5:13 PM ^
I don't think the recruiting board answers this question. I believe the answer last year was Devin Gardner, Marvin Robinson and Cullen Christian. I don't know who the top two or three priority recruits are this year so I think this is a pretty good question. We need lineman but I don't know if there is a must get in the group.
February 15th, 2010 at 4:46 PM ^
When you summons the Gods much like Zues, Apollo and Posiedon you must sacrifice a fatted calf to expect a response.
February 15th, 2010 at 4:50 PM ^
A full-grown fattened cow...
February 15th, 2010 at 5:34 PM ^
GET IN ME BELLY!!!!!!!
February 15th, 2010 at 7:43 PM ^
Shamu...
Somewhere, Mike Gittleson is crying tears of joy.
February 15th, 2010 at 4:49 PM ^
bevel it, i implore you. especially this week.
February 15th, 2010 at 5:00 PM ^
why any serious football player would want to go to Michigan State over Michigan is a total effing mystery to me, bias aside.I'm not sure you know what the word 'bias' means. Maybe a kid just likes MSU better. It happens. It's not the end of the world.
February 15th, 2010 at 5:21 PM ^
Ask Deshawn Sims and Manny Harris why they went to Michigan over Michigan State. Michigan State has a better program.
February 15th, 2010 at 5:38 PM ^
Can anyone actually find the matchups between Michigan and msu history? I can only find that we're ahead by 20 games or so (91-71).
I realize that the last decade is not representative of this, but we did also have big time punishments for the fab five in that decade as well, or at least the after effects.
February 15th, 2010 at 5:56 PM ^
Most kids don't care about all time records. It's a "what have you done for me lately" mentality.
February 15th, 2010 at 7:37 PM ^
Precisely, and to be absolutely honest, if MSU came knocking it would be hard to turn them down. We've been to the Tournament once in the last ten years and MSU has sent every player that has been there for four years to a Final Four during their career, during that same span.
February 15th, 2010 at 6:03 PM ^
I know we're all Michigan fans and like to think the past decade was just a blip before we return to regularly contending for the Final Four, but if you're an 18 year old recruit that wants to go to the Final Four in the next four years, what school do you think is more likely?
Not saying it can't change (that historical record shows it's likely, or at least will even out), but until it does change it'll matter more to recruits than all time records.
February 15th, 2010 at 5:57 PM ^
...er, hold on a sec.
February 15th, 2010 at 10:43 PM ^
Michigan does have that whole "academics" thing going for it...
February 15th, 2010 at 5:10 PM ^
I get the feeling that DeAnthony Arnett, Lawrence Thomas, Trey DePriest, and Hasean Clinton-Dix fit that category. I also think they'd really fight for Zettel, but he's a heavy Michigan lean anyway. This is a relatively strong class for in-state recruits, and I have a feeling the coaches will try to fight hard for in-state recruits that they really want.
Michigan has offered a lot of highly sought after recruits. Some of them are very good players, but they're destined elsewhere. So while there are other guys out there "worth fighting for," I don't think the coaches will necessarily spend the effort. I'm talking about guys like Desmond Jackson, Curtis Grant, Jalen Grimble, James Wilder, Jadeveon Clowney, etc.
February 15th, 2010 at 5:23 PM ^
farmer.
February 15th, 2010 at 5:33 PM ^
Eh...he's a big-time recruit, but I don't think Michigan's pursuit will last long/be extremely intense.
February 15th, 2010 at 5:43 PM ^
Do you think Frost is pretty much a lock at this point? And are the coaches considering him an imperative part of the class?
February 15th, 2010 at 5:59 PM ^
I don't think he's a lock at all. In fact, I'm not optimistic about him, but perhaps that's because of Rodriguez's failure to recruit good linebackers for two years in a row.
I do think the coaches will pursue him hard, though. They've already visited his school this winter, which says a lot, I think.
February 15th, 2010 at 7:46 PM ^
completely. at this point you should be very optimistic about him. things change in recruiting of course but right we lead for the kid
February 15th, 2010 at 8:12 PM ^
I just don't have a good feeling about him. Spencer Adams and Robert Blanton said good things about Michigan early in the process, too...
February 15th, 2010 at 9:15 PM ^
to include robert blanton in that one? that was RR's first year, same with spencer adams. RR got there in january and had like a month to recruit.
February 15th, 2010 at 9:41 PM ^
This comment by his coach is the only reason I assumed he is a lock. Our huge LB vacancy won't hurt the cause either.
http://obsrecruiting.blogspot.com/2010/01/butlers-juniors-in-line-for-n…
February 15th, 2010 at 9:48 PM ^
JC has been in contact with Frost and his coach as well. Michigan is very much in the driver's seat.
February 15th, 2010 at 10:08 PM ^
It's not just the coach - it's the school, too. IIRC, Blanton committed to Notre Dame prior to the football season, so he said nice things about Michigan early...and then went to ND. Adams said nice things about Michigan...and picked Clemson.
Additionally, like I said, Rodriguez hasn't recruited ONE inside linebacker to Michigan. Not one in two years. Sure, Isaiah Bell came, but he wasn't really recruited to play ILB. And it's not like inside linebackers can look at the current success of our starting ILBs, because that's been one of the biggest weaknesses of Michigan's defense recently.
So...I remain skeptical. I'm not saying it's impossible. It's just one of those things that I'll have to see to believe.
February 15th, 2010 at 10:23 PM ^
Neither of those guys is playing LB for their respective chosen teams, so maybe they realized it wasn't the correct position in the first place. Blanton plays CB for Notre Dame.
The fact that Frost is 6'3" 215 makes him a near lock to play LB in college.
February 15th, 2010 at 10:28 PM ^
I don't think Magnus was implying UM recruited Blanton as a LB, just adams. I can't really imagine Blanton in the front 7
February 15th, 2010 at 11:24 PM ^
Two recruits from the class of 2008 spurned Michigan, Spencer Adams and Robert Blanton. Both of them spoke highly of Michigan prior to committing to their respective schools, noting fellow Butler alum Jamar Adams. But they didn't really look at Michigan seriously.
Additionally, Rodriguez has been unable to recruit inside linebackers during his time at Michigan.
Those two items are unrelated. I'm not saying Blanton or Adams was recruited for linebacker.
February 16th, 2010 at 8:34 AM ^
I see what you were getting at. Hopefully we can break the Butler losing streak this year. That is definitely a school we want to be able to recruit from.
February 15th, 2010 at 11:04 PM ^
Jake Ryan not an ILB recruit???
February 15th, 2010 at 11:13 PM ^
He is an ILB, but assuming he redshirts next season, the coaches aren't going to automatically pencil him in as the starter in 2011. They definitely want to have a couple true ILB's on the roster, and it is possible they both play at the same time.
February 15th, 2010 at 11:25 PM ^
Jake Ryan was recruited to play Quick end.
February 16th, 2010 at 8:36 AM ^
So it's probably going to be a couple years until he sees the field.
February 16th, 2010 at 8:45 AM ^
Yeah...I'm pretty sure he'll redshirt this year. Wilkins is probably more ready to play, and besides, we have Roh and Herron.
Regarding what I said above, Jake Ryan WAS recruited to play Quick end, but I think he's best suited for middle linebacker. That might be one of those situations where he changes positions next spring or something.
February 15th, 2010 at 5:16 PM ^
What are our odds with him?
February 15th, 2010 at 5:22 PM ^
It largely depends on how we do on the field. When asked about Michigan, he's said that he wants to play for a winning program and that he's going to be watching us this year.
If we go 5-7 or 6-6, he's not coming here (my words, not his).
February 15th, 2010 at 5:55 PM ^
But Michigan has the most wins of all time!
TRADITION + "FAMILY VALUES" + BARWIS = WIN
February 15th, 2010 at 5:17 PM ^
hey, I heard Sam Webb on the recruiting Roundup this morning, say that michigan has little to no chance with Lawrence Thomas, claiming him to be a Michigan State Lock. I guess he's gone up there to see several games over the years, and has 3 classmates there or something. sorry,if you already knew this. i'm new on this board. Hope it helps.
February 15th, 2010 at 5:23 PM ^
Good info; terrible news.
February 15th, 2010 at 5:26 PM ^
Even if he doesn't come here, I can't imagine that he picks MSU over USC/Oklahoma/Florida etc.
February 15th, 2010 at 5:37 PM ^
Gholston did.
February 15th, 2010 at 5:40 PM ^
You really think Dantonio can pull that two years in a row?
February 15th, 2010 at 5:48 PM ^
Yeah, only because they have the kid really brainwashed into thinking MSU is the greatest, and he has friends there. I read an interview where his coach was pressuring him really hard to commit before the end of the summer.
It will be nice to begin our 10 game MSU winning streak this year, so HS coaches will become skeptical of Dantonio's bullshit.
February 15th, 2010 at 5:38 PM ^
Each individual has different personal priorities and preferences that attract them to each school. In the end, he may took at a look at those schools but if he personally feels like MSU is the best place for him to be not only as a football player but also as a human being, who are we to say that he should go to one of the big power schools? Plus, if he has the talent to play in the NFL, he'll end up there, no matter which school he attends. Isn't that the ultimate goal?
February 15th, 2010 at 5:58 PM ^
Bad grammar but a good message. +1
February 15th, 2010 at 5:56 PM ^
the more i hear about thomas the more it sounds like hes not coming here, which is a dong punch, id say.
February 15th, 2010 at 7:54 PM ^
Sure it may seem like a long shot but as we learn each year, it's not over til the fat lady sings. Coach Rod has shown he can win big name recruits over so I'm still optomistic until signing day. I'm not certain what msu's depth chart looks like but we can offer him a lot of playing time and chance for a starting job and that's always a plus.
February 15th, 2010 at 7:24 PM ^
Pardon the self-promotion, but this is precisely why I made this post the other day:
http://genuinelysarcastic.blogspot.com/2010/02/re-post-on-lawrence-thom…
February 15th, 2010 at 8:24 PM ^
I read your post Brian and found it informative, irritating, but informative nonetheless. It led me to wonder how much effort the coaches will put into Thomas as opposed to DePriest and Frost. I can see the headlines now, "RichRod fails to recruit in state stud at position of need", "St. Dantonio rules the state" and on down the line.
I suppose being objective in regards to MSU vs. UM is impossible for me, I was just thinking in my head, what are the big MSU to NFL success stories? Burress? Rogers? Duckett? The NFL is littered with stars that went to UM, but I probably put too much stock into that. Maybe its the nerd/women beatdowns that draws them in.