Putting Hokeamania into perspective on the recruiting trail

Submitted by iawolve on

 

My head is spinning from this insane run of early commitments to a staff that has not even coached a game. Hats off to those guys, they are doing an incredible job. Since I was feeling chest puffy, I decided to look around the league to see how things were currently stacking up to our 14 (!).

Team

Commitments

Illinois

2

Indiana

0

Iowa

1

MSU

4

Nebraska

2

Northwestern

4

OSU

8

PSU

8

Purdue

1

Wisconsin

4

 

That is absolutely lights out considering those are all veteran staffs with the exception of Indiana. Obviously OSU should get a TBD for the moment, but whatever. There has to be more people beyond the paranoid at MSU that have to be a bit worried about what is being assembled in AA. I think James Hetfield said it best “Then it comes to be that the soothing light at the end of your tunnel, was just a freight train coming your way”. Look out.  

Zone Left

June 1st, 2011 at 11:39 PM ^

Numbers aren't really the best way to go about this. Michigan has 22 available slots (?) this year and has 14 commits. Last year, Tennessee signed 24 players and had seven four stars according to Scout with no five stars. That was good for the 13th place in Scout's rankings. Michigan has seven four star recruits to Scout on June 1st. That's impressive. 

If Michigan maintains 50% four stars and 50% three stars and signs 22 players, that would have been somewhere around 9th place last season. That assumes things haven't narrowed down and Michigan is focusing on higher end players.

Hill.FootballR…

June 1st, 2011 at 11:42 PM ^

I agree with you completely. Its not the size I am impressed with, its the quality. i also completely agree that we will become more selective now and almost every guy from here on out with be a 4 star (not that I am a stars guy). Time will tell but I am starting to believe we take more than 22, just too much of a perfect situation leaving us in on a ton of big time recruits. 

mackbru

June 1st, 2011 at 11:42 PM ^

Seems like Hoke is doing great. But why do people get excited by the number of commits? As if there's some risk that we wouldn't get enough players or something. 

._.

June 2nd, 2011 at 12:10 AM ^

because it's june and we have fourteen commits

before hoke has coached a game or last year's recruits have seen the field

 

and they all seem like good players, so we're impressed by the quanity because of it's quality and the time

tenerson

June 2nd, 2011 at 12:09 AM ^

I remember when we hoped for a top 20 class this year. Now, I don't think Top5 is out of the question with the linemen that we are in good position with on both sides of the ball, not to mention Dunn who could very well switch. This could be a very special class in terms of rankings. Now, imagine we win 10 games next year. What will the next class look like?

Tater

June 2nd, 2011 at 12:22 AM ^

I think it is much more a case of "Mattison-mania."  Ultimately, though, it doesn't matter, as long as Michigan pulls in a top ten class this year.  

BlueinLansing

June 2nd, 2011 at 12:34 AM ^

I couldn't figure out why you would quote the former Clemson and Arkansas headcoach, but that was Ken Hetfield.

 

I think James Hetfield said it best “Then it comes to be that the soothing light at the end of your tunnel, was just a freight train coming your way”. Look out. 

OverTheTop

June 2nd, 2011 at 1:35 AM ^

that guys being recruited this hard, this early in the game are guys which the coaching staff believe will make the team great. Make no mistake about it, none of the guys being brought in this early are considered second best as far as Hoke and Co. are concerned (to hell with the stars our coaches have their own, and quite frankly superior, method of player evaluation).  I believe in what our men are doing and this is nothing short of top, top performance.

Promote RichRod

June 2nd, 2011 at 10:25 AM ^

but why does everyone get so worked up about the speed in which we gained committments from these guys?  It's not like we'd ever not fill the class.  Getting signing day committments from a 4 star = getting a May committment from a 4 star.  Actually, the late committment is arguably better because it leaves the other schools fewer options and no time to find a backup option.

The only thing I can come up with is that it gives the staff more time to focus on some big names down the stretch.  I guess I'll believe it when I see it. Then again, as we all know, coaches have to continually recruit every player, even when they have given Michigan a verbal.  I'm not sure the early committments give too much in the way of comfort.

Promote RichRod

June 2nd, 2011 at 11:49 AM ^

I'm not complaining about the early commits - I'm just saying I'm basically neutral as to when they occur.  I do not understand why people are beating their chests over the speed with which we are filling our class.  If you want to get pumped about anything, get pumped about the quality of the players committed, not when they committed.

bluenyc

June 2nd, 2011 at 3:58 PM ^

I am guessing that getting these guys nice and early is important for some because it's almost summer and what else do you have to do besides hoping for some recruits.  If you look at how many people we got, it's nice to have guys who want to be at Michigan.