SF Chronicle Najee Harris Update

Submitted by poppinfresh on

http://projects.sfchronicle.com/2016/najee-harris/recruiting/

Continues to have an Alabama vs Michigan theme and reads like its trending our way frankly. Bama (in this article) sounds a bit desperate with the negative recruiting and surprised that Saban is not visiting on the bye week.

Could be that this bay area writer just likes Harbaugh more, but man do I continue (against my better judgment) to get more and more excited about this recruitment

charblue.

October 28th, 2016 at 3:46 PM ^

while inisisting that every week is a Super Bowl for Alabama. Saban left Michigan State because he could not compete with Lloyd Carr and Michigan football tradition. Fact. Historical truth.  Saban took his career to the South where the players are, just like Urban Meyer.

Harbaugh is a big part of both Michigan football tradition, and a successful coach wherever he's been, college and pro levels. He actually coached in a Super Bowl. He has made every program better that he's coached. If our coach goes to your school to watch you play on his off week and has previously gone to your school to host a football camp, that says more than any coach who uses a helicopter to impress recruits by dropping in on them for a 10-minute meet and greet before lifting off to his next gig.

Saban is hardly Mr. Warmth. He suceeds because he demands success and wins with great talent. No question, great coach. His Midwest and Ohio roots are undeniable. The three best coaches in the game, all come from the same area. It goes without saying.

But  it matters not whether Michigan gets this kid, because you can see the influence of Michigan coaching on every running back on this team. They all rock. Harris can't make a bad decision, but hopefully he makes the best decision and chooses the Maize and Blue over the Crimson Tide.

maize-blue

October 28th, 2016 at 1:15 PM ^

Getting Harris is a luxury, probably not a necessity. It's great if we get him but I'm OK if we do not. Besides, Walker will be coming off a redshirt so effectively he will be an additional 4/5 star RB in 2017.

Perkis-Size Me

October 28th, 2016 at 1:18 PM ^

Saban probably thinks he doesn't need to visit Harris. Or shouldn't have to. He probably thinks his results speak for themselves. And to a degree, he's right. Whatever RB he gets to come to Alabama will be a star. 

I will preface by saying that this is pure speculation on my part, but Saban probably views Harris as another cog in the wheel of the Alabama machine. Harbaugh views him as possibly the future face of his offense and a game-changer for his team. 

Not that Harris wouldn't be a gamechanger at Alabama, but remember that Harbaugh is still in the process of building this program in his image. Saban's Alabama program is a finished product. And whoever he recruits will be a great player. His track record speaks for itself. So it might make more sense why Harbaugh is willing to put in the extra time to lure Harris in. 

Ali G Bomaye

October 28th, 2016 at 1:34 PM ^

"Whatever RB he gets to come to Alabama will be a star."

This isn't even close to being true. Remember Alvin Kamara, Corey Grant, Eddie Williams, Cyrus Jones, ArDarius Stewart, Shawn Burgess-Becker, Burton Scott, or Devonta Bolton? Those are a few of the top-250 ranked RBs who committed to Saban at Alabama since 2008 that didn't turn into anything. Sure, they produce some stars, but they also have a lot of guys fall off the map.

Perkis-Size Me

October 28th, 2016 at 1:49 PM ^

If you want to get technical about it, then yes, you're right.

The point I was trying to make is that Saban always finds at least one guy who emerges as his bell-cow, and who becomes one of the better running backs in the country. If not the best. He already has two former RBs who've become Heisman winners. And it could've very legitimately been three.  

Even if Harris doesn't make his way to Alabama, they will be just fine without him. Saban will find someone else to produce at an elite level, and the drop-off would be minimal to non-existent.

If we miss on Harris, it won't kill us, but we would be adding a total game-changer to the offense. While we haven't seen yet what Walker can do, we don't have a RB on the roster who can bring everything to the table that Harris brings. 

BuckNekked

October 28th, 2016 at 5:07 PM ^

Are you sure? Can he pick up a blitzing LBer? Is he even willing to do so consistently? His highlight tape is awesome but it doesnt show him blocking. Harbaugh will demand he does so. For some kids thats a dealbreaker. It requires selflessness. Not all kids are taught that.

Mojo Hall

October 28th, 2016 at 1:19 PM ^

In article, Alabama recruitor claims "every game is a super bowl" at his school.  Funny, next year they play Florida State, Fresno State, Colorado State, and Mercer in the non-conference.  Rigghhht.  Sure thing coach.

trueblueintexas

October 28th, 2016 at 3:16 PM ^

And that's a step up from Alabama's usual OOC schedule!

Alabama is the absolute king of playing one and only one good OOC game and playing three absolutely horrid teams. 

Some recent examples:

2016: USC, Western Kentucky, Kent State, Chattanooga

2015: Wisconsin, Middle Tennessee, U Lousiana Monroe, Charlston

2014: West Virgina, Florida Atlantic, Southern Miss, Western Carolina

2013: Va Tech, Colorado State, Georgia State, Chattanooga

And it's not changing going forward:

2017: Florida St, Fresno St, Colorado St, Mercer

2018: Louisville, Arkansas St, UL Lafayette, The Citadel

Notice the good team is always the first game of the season when Saban has the most time to prepare and can get maximum exposure for a good win. Also note, the last OOC game every year is not the fourth or fifth week, but always the week before the Auburn game because Alabama and Auburn have an agreement that they will always play an absolute crap team the week before they play each other (this is true). 

It's perfectly legal, but I wish announcers would recognize that Alabama gives itself a pretty strong scheduling advantage that many other teams do not. How nice would it be to play the worst local college team you can think of at home before The Game every year instead of a conference opponent potentially on the road?

 

WestQuad

October 28th, 2016 at 3:36 PM ^

I think I agree with you, but wonder if I have a regional bias.   I'm guessing Florida Atlantic and Western Carolina are worse than Connecticut and Akron, but I really don't know.   Bama's one tough OOC foes tends to be really good (Michigan, Wisconsin, FSU, USC) at least when they scheduled them.

We traditionally have two good teams (ND, Colorado for example) and two MAC level teams.