Recruiting: What impact *would* (not *will*) Harbaugh have?
Like everyone else here, I'm hoping that Jim Harbaugh becomes Michigan's new football coach within the next week. (And if anyone doesn't want that, I hope you're laying low. And maybe you need to have a mental assessment.)
In the event that Michigan does become Jim Harbaugh's destination, I'd like to know the impact on recruiting. I have heard regular reports that some recruits are waiting and watching to see what happens with the coaching search. Iman Marshall is at the top of that list, with Osa Masina not far behind. (EDIT: I mistakenly accepted Scout's list, which had Cole listed as a recruit and not a commit.)
In addition, there are former running back commitments Damien Harris and also Mike Weber (who has said he is solid to Ohio State, and won't change his mind.) There is Keisean Lucier-South and Chris Clark. There is legacy Tyrone Wheatley. (EDIT: I mistakenly accepted Scout's list, which had Kinnel listed as a recruit and not a commit.)
I literally don't know which "ships have sailed." More than getting uncommitted recruits, or flipping back former commits, I'm wondering if there are any 5 star recruits out there committed elsewhere who would seriously consider an offer from Michigan with Harbaugh in charge.
Ever since Michigan football went into a tailspin, I have stopped following recruiting. It was completely understandable that few recruits would commit to Hoke, and given the last 7 - 8 years, skepticism on coming to Michigan. Now, with Sam Webb and John Bacon so positive, I'm wondering how quickly Harbaugh can turn things around.
Anyone with insight on recruiting, or a link to a post or article covering this, please let me know! I'd like to get back to the normalcy of Michigan competing for recruits, and stocking up to compete on the field.
December 23rd, 2014 at 1:18 PM ^
December 23rd, 2014 at 1:32 PM ^
What does it mean to commit? I could see Harbaugh talking to a commit, to find out how solidly they were committed. If a recruit out there said, "Thanks for the call coach, but my commitment is solid," well, that's one thing. But if he called and the recruit said, "Thanks for calling. I'm currently committed, but I'd be open to sitting down to talk with you and my position coach," well, that's a horse of a different color.
December 23rd, 2014 at 2:09 PM ^
I don't believe any coaches strictly abide by this purported "honor code." It's totally fine to keep recruiting players who've given verbal commitments elsewhere. Commits are fair game until they sign or say "please stop recruiting me."
December 23rd, 2014 at 1:21 PM ^
I don't think it will hurt recruiting. (?!?!) #pleasestop
December 23rd, 2014 at 1:25 PM ^
papi don't jump the gun.
December 23rd, 2014 at 1:30 PM ^
Uhh...positive?? Is it possible for recruiting to get any worse?
December 23rd, 2014 at 1:39 PM ^
I wonder if Harbaugh and his team would elect to bank a bunch of those scholie's for the next class to give them access to better talent. We are currently pretty stacked at a lot of positions; besides recruiting the essentials we could certainly get by on such a strategy.
December 23rd, 2014 at 2:05 PM ^
No. We have serrious depth issues coming up in 2 years in quite a few spots. It is already a small class, we are not going to bank 4 scholarships in a class of 16. It if was a class of 25 maybe a few.
You have to look out at the 2017-2018 teams to see where these recruits fill out. There are a lot of spots we are in danger right now - if Lewis continues to ascend and Peppers leaves both could leave for the NFL in 2017; you don't have any experience outside of a Stribbling type at corner on the 2017 team. You need about 5 corners (3 staters for nickel and 2 backups) DE is a similar situation. At S we have nothing after Wilson graduates next year that is solid - just a lot of guys we are hoping on etc. . We are in no position (no team is) to take a 12 man class. We saw what a donut hole class of 2010 did to Hoke.
December 23rd, 2014 at 2:04 PM ^
Hard to say what our decommits will do. Generally, though, Harbaugh's arrival would no doubt have a sensational impact on this recruiting class. He's one of the true coaching rock stars. He'll pull at least a few big recruits. Also, given his reputation with QBs, don't be surprised if he makes a serious run at one of the most coveted QB recruits -- to go along with Malzone, presumably. (Given that M has no established QBs, I could see Harbaugh taking two this year. Yes, it's a small class. But all coaching changes bring attrition, and this class could easily exceed 16). Four of the top QB prospects -- Rosen, Town, White, Browning -- are from California, where Harbaugh's reputation looms especially large. All four are committed elsewhere. But here's guessing at least one of them would return Harbaugh's calls.
December 23rd, 2014 at 2:19 PM ^
I really hope Mike Webber from Cass Tech comes back into the fold so SalvatoreQ can explain the right way to spell his name. You remind me a lot of Oscar from The Office...
December 23rd, 2014 at 2:33 PM ^
How would it impact, Magnus?
December 23rd, 2014 at 2:40 PM ^
December 23rd, 2014 at 2:43 PM ^
hear it directly from some of the recruits:
http://usatodayhss.com/2014/michigan-all-staters-might-consider-wolverines-if-jim-harbaugh-is-coach
December 23rd, 2014 at 3:05 PM ^
I think the 2016 class could be where things really take off. Kids would want to play for Harbaugh. He's a very proven coach, and a winner, who knows what it takes to get kids to the NFL. I'm guessing with his West Coast roots, we could get a few good CA prospects, and a very solid QB commit. All they'd have to do is look at what he did with Andrew Luck and Colin Kaepernick. That's where I think he could be a better recruiter than even Hoke. Hoke sold Michigan's past and a potential, unrealized future. Harbaugh can sell current results and big time NFL success. And a big future. And if there's time, throw in the "we have great tradition here."
If the ship starts getting righted next year and we move toward a 9-10 win season, you can probably expect top-10 recruiting classes from there on out. Maybe even a few top-5 ones.
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December 23rd, 2014 at 3:09 PM ^
December 23rd, 2014 at 3:10 PM ^
There is not enough room for a class of 25. It will probably be around 15-16, at most. Harbaugh will easily be able to get to at least 10-12 high profiled recruits.. If Hoke did it then Im pretty sure Harbaugh would be able to.
December 23rd, 2014 at 4:05 PM ^
Consider what Meyer did in 2011 after arriving, and you see the impact of a name coach has on those top tier undecided kids. I expect JH to land a couple big fish.
December 23rd, 2014 at 5:34 PM ^
I have no doubt Harbaugh will have an impact but keep in mind Meyer was hired sometime earlier in Dec and Fickell was coaching the actual team while Meyer was free to do nothing but recruit for a few weeks. Major advantage.
The most important thing to remember is Harbaugh maximizes talent. His very top rated offense had all of three 4 stars on it in 2010 for examlple And one of of those three was a lightly used WR. So it was basically the QB, the RB, and a backup WR. All the rest were 3 stars or worse.
Obviously the brand of Michigan itself is going to recruit itself along with Harbaugh on top of it. But more important than any of that is a coach who gets kids to the top of their potential along with position coaches he identifies who can do the same. That's going to be the main change. Hoke recruited just fine.
December 23rd, 2014 at 6:57 PM ^
Yes, Meyer came at the end of November and his class size was large. Yet, there is one currency that appeals to every kid coming into college at this level, and that is NFL knowledge. It has been GMat's calling card, and JH has it in spades. Look out.
December 23rd, 2014 at 4:58 PM ^
Bob Stoops, Sean Payton, and Greg Schiano are my top 3
December 23rd, 2014 at 5:02 PM ^
December 23rd, 2014 at 5:13 PM ^
...Coach Harbaugh.
December 23rd, 2014 at 5:27 PM ^
hopefully the new coach (harbaugh?!) focuses on QB position ASAP (as im sure they will). if they do not see "it" in malzone then hopefully they can quickly flip someone more to their liking or they take a flier elsewhere.
bc as great as harbaugh has been will QB development / production, hoke and borges did not leave championship-ready QBs on current roster. lets face it, limited QB play eliminates otherwise great teams from title contention every single year and poor QB play (even on run-centric teams like florida or msu or stanford) usually dooms teams in bigger games, its that important.
so hopefully the new coach evaluates his roster and potential prospects and then adds several legit QBs over the next few years. harbaugh is smart enough to tailor his O scheme to fit his players abilities, particularly QB, but still gotta hope he can find great athletes and accurate passers (bc while i have not seen malzone, hokes QBs currently on roster might just struggle to win big games, especially given lack of true homerun hitters at RB or WR etc).
but if harbaughs the guy, im confident in his ability to build a competitive roster (and huge benefit is 2016-2017 recruiting classes will be significantly larger than 10-12 in 2015) - all depends on jimmys batting average with QB recruits (bc andrew lucks dont grow on trees and harbaughs not a spread guy) just like most other pro-style O programs