Possibility of a Larger than Expected 2015 Class?
The current conventional wisdom has UofM pulling between 12-15 recruits for this cycle.
Does anyone expect Harbaugh to go higher maybe up to 18-20 range? Possibly granting some grey-shirt scholarship offers? Or preferred walk on status?
off topic question: Does Ty Wheatley Jr get free or discounted admission as his father is a UofM employee?
I know everyone hates the idea of oversigning, but isn't it very likely there will be some level of attrition once spring / fall practices begin in earnest? I would not be schocked to see 3-5 kids leave the program in a normal year, let alone a year in which there is a coaching change.
January 22nd, 2015 at 2:20 PM ^
My wife's father was a professor at Michigan for 40 years. Three of his four children attended UM. They paid full tuition (in-state, of course). There were no discounts. Same was true for my wife's friend, the daughter of Harold Shapiro, who also received no tuition discounts.
I am not aware of any state school giving these sort of discounts to professors, coaches, or other employees. Maybe there are some that do give discounts; I don't know for certain. The schools that I am aware of providing these discounts are private schools, like Case-Western.
January 22nd, 2015 at 2:26 PM ^
gives free tuition to the offspring of professors
I think things have changed
maybe when current students wake up from their afternoon nap they can help us out
January 22nd, 2015 at 2:36 PM ^
despite the public school sounding name/
January 22nd, 2015 at 2:38 PM ^
OSU give 50% off tuition for employee's children. Still not a bargin!
January 22nd, 2015 at 8:39 PM ^
crayons too.
January 22nd, 2015 at 4:53 PM ^
January 22nd, 2015 at 2:01 PM ^
That makes sense to prevent abusing other scholarships to help the football team.
Hypothetically speaking, let's say there's some freshmen engineering student with a small academic scholarship. He played soccer in high school, so his fall semester he decides to try out for kicker on the football team. He could not walk on without counting against the total number of scholarships?
I like the rule, just seems like it could be unfortunate in a few rare cases.
January 22nd, 2015 at 10:28 PM ^
He is also a walk on for two of their varsity sports. While his coaches are trying to deal with the notion that neither of them are in a position to dictate his options, his scholarship status does not effect either of the teams of which he is a member. Is that because he is a graduate student or are the counting rules more complex than just "every scholarship counts?
January 22nd, 2015 at 1:43 PM ^
January 22nd, 2015 at 1:24 PM ^
This article about potential flips to UM says they are looking at about 17 total spots--the current 6 plus 11 more.
http://247sports.com/Article/Michigan-Looks-To-Flip-Several-Committed-Elsewhere-Before-NSD-34959975
January 22nd, 2015 at 1:29 PM ^
We have 70 scholarships allotted - that is 15 openings.
We all assume Glasglow bros and Kerridge get 3 of those. That leaves 12.
Yes you'd need to grayshirt to get to a # like 17.
There is also a gray zone this year with the new regime. i.e. new sheriff in town that some won't mix with. So if they leave in spring and you "oversign", you allocate those spots to the future departing members. That is a risk of course.
If we are over 12 it will be interesting to see how they handle it. I think someone posted Sam Webb said Jim is telling recruits there are only 6 openings to be had.
January 22nd, 2015 at 1:35 PM ^
Maybe not all come back?
I could see a RS senior just wanting to graduate / prepare for their post football life as opposed to being pushed everyday by JH
January 22nd, 2015 at 1:45 PM ^
There are 8 RS SRs
The 2 on defense are starters
3 on offense are starters (at least last year)
http://mgoblog.com/content/michigan-depth-chart-class-0
I don't know Jim's "firm handshake" policy but if he had one you'd think it would be in effect before Feb 4th.
January 22nd, 2015 at 1:47 PM ^
i was counting in relation to scholarships available
January 22nd, 2015 at 1:32 PM ^
I don't think Michigan will get to a class size of 18-20. Too many departures would have to take place in the meantime for that to happen.
January 22nd, 2015 at 1:32 PM ^
6-8 sounds about right. Im excited for the first Hello post of the Harbaugh era.
January 22nd, 2015 at 1:36 PM ^
January 22nd, 2015 at 1:38 PM ^
Care to elaborate?
January 22nd, 2015 at 1:47 PM ^
day is approaching and it is inevitable that we will land a recruit or two in the period leading up to that. Source: I am a private investigator and have an increased ability in deductive reasoning.
January 22nd, 2015 at 1:50 PM ^
Reasoning like that I would have accepted that you stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night.
January 22nd, 2015 at 1:36 PM ^
January 22nd, 2015 at 2:29 PM ^
in 2014. Hoke will have a rebuilding project on his hands. :-)
January 22nd, 2015 at 1:38 PM ^
There was a suit filed in federal court last year seeking to overturn the NCAA scholarship limits. I hope the plaintiffs succeed.
January 22nd, 2015 at 3:08 PM ^
January 22nd, 2015 at 3:42 PM ^
Michigan was a helluva powerhouse back then too.
I have a feeling that schools will eventually be forced to directly compensate their players in some form. Luckily, Michigan is one of the few schools that could afford to do just that.
Either that or we go with the Ivies.
January 22nd, 2015 at 1:39 PM ^
Also - walk-ons, I believe, don't get all of the same perks that scholarship players get. Things like training table, etc. TWJ, or anyone else for that matter, is not going to pass on those perks just to help Michigan gain an extra 'ship.
January 22nd, 2015 at 1:44 PM ^
January 22nd, 2015 at 2:09 PM ^
From:
http://www.addictedtoquack.com/2013/7/26/4557792/oregon-ducks-football-…
Furthermore, naturally existing stratification between the walk-ons and the scholarship players are reinforced by the NCAA itself. The post-practice meal is a buffet inside the Pittman Room at the Casanova Center. Between practice and study hall, players get treatment and help themselves to dinner, a rare time to unwind and bond as a team. However, players who are not on scholarship are not allowed to have their food paid for by the school, as it is deemed an extra benefit per NCAA regulations. If they wish to eat the post-practice meal, they must pay for it themselves. Otherwise, they must leave and eat dinner at home. Federico was fortunate enough that his parents would pay for his meals. Brown and DePalo would not be eating with the team.
So - they have the option of training table, but it's not free. I beleive there are other "perks" similar to this that walk-ons don't get to take full advantage of.
January 22nd, 2015 at 2:11 PM ^
get to the back of the bus walk-ons.
Christ I hate the NCAA.
January 22nd, 2015 at 9:26 PM ^
You can hate the NCAA all you want, but that is false information now. Read the article I posted below.
January 22nd, 2015 at 9:25 PM ^
You guys do realize they changed this all just this past year? Walk-on players can eat all they want, whenever they want, just like scholarship players.
http://www.ncaa.org/about/resources/media-center/news/council-approves-…
January 22nd, 2015 at 1:40 PM ^
No idea if he is right, but I always thoguht that 12 spots was too low.
Link to free article:
http://247sports.com/Article/Michigan-Looks-To-Flip-Several-Committed-E…
January 22nd, 2015 at 1:45 PM ^
I understand why the coaches are saying this to recruits. It's the literal truth. But I'm sure the coaches know the transition will ultimately produce some attrition (and will therefore open additional spots). There will be guys who just don't fit the Harbaugh Way. Or don't want to fit. We'll likely see a few transfers by the time spring practice is done. Also, the whole "we only have a few spots left" is a helpful sales pitch.
January 22nd, 2015 at 1:51 PM ^
I'm sure the coaches have a good idea of how many flight risks they have, but what would be the fallout if they oversign and then don't have the attrition they expect/project?
If this happened, would they be forced to withold scholarships from some of the incoming freshman?
January 22nd, 2015 at 2:54 PM ^
We can offer the spots taken by walkons and 5th year seniors. How much attrition will occur is obviously guesswork at this point. Offering all of those scholarships would be a big risk, offering a few wouldn't seem to be.
In any case, I can't see any recruit being denied his scholarship after NSD due to numbers. If they had to, they would free up scholarships from 5th yr seniors and walkons.
January 22nd, 2015 at 1:52 PM ^
I would love to see MICHIGAN offer this kid. He just decommited from Tennessee. He was in a class with 3 other higher ranked DE's. He is a four star kid from florida. Would love Durkin to give him a call!!
January 22nd, 2015 at 2:04 PM ^
January 22nd, 2015 at 2:06 PM ^
None of us actually know how many scholarships are currently available. There may be other kids that have already told coach Harbaugh that they plan on transferring, or are leaving for what ever reason. Lets stop pretending that we are all insiders.
January 22nd, 2015 at 2:07 PM ^
*IF we sign Zach Gentry that puts us at 4 high caliber QB's. With that being said you would almost assume 1 Qb, most likely 4th on the depth chart would transfer. Who would be your prediction between...
Morris, Speight, Malzone or Gentry?
My best guess Starter #1 Gentry
#2 Morris
#3 Bellamy
RS Malzone
Transfer Speight
I hope not. But just being realistic.
January 22nd, 2015 at 2:11 PM ^
January 22nd, 2015 at 2:13 PM ^
I hope you're wrong. Gentry has some pretty clear mechanical issues... We're in for another long year if he's our #1 option at QB
January 22nd, 2015 at 2:24 PM ^
I would be shocked if JH started a true freshman next year. Unless he had to.
January 22nd, 2015 at 2:34 PM ^
Regardless of age or class Jimmy will start the best QB. He's not hear to please players like Hoke was. If the best QB is 18 or 21 thats who is starting. Im sick of age being an excuse. The best players will play. Period!
GO BLUE!
January 22nd, 2015 at 2:40 PM ^
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January 22nd, 2015 at 2:40 PM ^
I don't think this is an age issue as much as a talent/experience issue...
Do you really believe Hoke was intentionally keeping a better QB on the bench just to keep Gardner happy? If so, who was this QB that no one else seemed to notice?
January 22nd, 2015 at 2:58 PM ^
It's hard to start a kid straight out of HS as a QB. He's the game manager and all of a sudden you're putting him against significantly more difficult and talented opposition.
Which isn't to say it can't or won't be done. And I absolutely agree that if Hoke/Nuss thought that there was a better option than Gardner last year, that player would have started some games.
January 22nd, 2015 at 3:13 PM ^
Agreed. Its difficult for any freshman to play immediately, and usually the ones who can pull it off get billed as 'college ready' - or something like that - well in advance. I haven't seen any of that regarding Gentry
January 22nd, 2015 at 3:46 PM ^
Many people mention Chad Henne. Well, first of all, he wasn't going to start if Gutierrez wasn't injured, but Chad was very much college ready. That doesn't happen very often with freshmen, especially QBs, which is the most difficult position in the game of football.
January 22nd, 2015 at 3:15 PM ^