Some recruiting tidbits
I posted the other day that Michigan made the top group for Bolingbrook (IL) Bolingbrook linebacker Tyler McLaurin. Well, Steve Lorenz put in a crystal ball for him to pick Michigan, which is the only crystal ball pick for McLaurin so far. He's a 3-star, the #26 outside linebacker, and #406.
Spanaway (WA) Bethel linebacker Will Latu named Michigan to his top 11. He's a 4-star, the #11 athlete, and #267 overall. He hasn't visited and Michigan just recently offered. I have a feeling this one is going to go the way of a lot of west coast recruitments: early interest turns into no visit and a commitment elsewhere. But being in the top 11 is better than not being in it.
Also, Westlake Village (CA) Westlake defensive tackle Victory Vaka committed to Texas A&M. That's disappointing from a name perspective, but Michigan reportedly backed off on recruiting him a little while ago. He's a 4-star, the #13 defensive tackle, and #204 overall.
Here's Tyler McLaurin:
How would you rank McLaurin to all the other linebackers we’re pursuing (oddly enough we’re pursuing a lot for how many we’ve taken in the last couple years) in terms of best fit for Michigan’s defense? Comparing between Junior Colson, Jamari Buddin, Tyler McLaurin, Jaydon Hood, Deshaun Alleyne, Will Latu, and Jamon Dumas-Johnson.
If Michigan got Colson and Hood, I would be happy.
Buddin and Dumas-Johnson would be in that next tier.
Then Alleyne, Latu, and McLaurin in the third tier.
Not that they're bad players, but I just don't see them being difference-makers.
mclaurin looks like a big kid. 6' 3", 215 or thereabouts?
Close. Says 6’2” 210lbs on 247
Agree with you 100% Magnus. Hood/Colson LB combo would be great, what is interesting to me is the way the staff is recruiting LB/Viper. It is known DBrown never rotates his starters at LB, and heading into 2021 we would have potentially 15 scholarship LB's if nobody transfers/McGrone leaves early? Specifically lets say we add Hood/Colson/McLaurin that would be 12 LB's that are FR or SO eligibility. Is DB trying to potentially deploy a never before seen 1-7 Defense?
If you don't recruit/develop top-notch defensive tackles, then you could see more 3-man fronts. And with the success of DE/OLB types like Chase Winovich (who was a DE) and Josh Uche (who was an OLB), maybe Brown wants to get more of them on the field.
I think there's a lot of turnover at LB for Michigan because they play the best guys, and the backups transfer. That's why you see Jordan Anthony, Devin Gil, etc. planning to wear different uniforms next year. We're definitely going to see some transfers from this group.
They don't need any defensive tackles
Forget the /s there, Chez?
That'll cost ya in the time of quarantine!
Can I ask for speculation on why they backed off of Vaka?
Getting Scary Terry's possible sibling will make the Redskins fans on here happy.
Harbaugh is going vegan, no Vaka allowed
He's not a 3-star.
Magnus-you commented last week that you felt our recruiting strategy needed to change to include less developed players with more potential upside.
Have you considered doing a deep dive into current M recruiting, where it's at now, why we're where we are now and what, if anything, should be changed?
I know you've followed this closely for a LONG time and know more about what's going on inside the team than virtually anyone here. Would love to read your thoughts on this, either here or at TTB. Or both.
I'll hang up and listen.
I'm about 2.5 bullet points into a post on TTB but it's stuck in drafts for now. It might be up later this week or hopefully no later than the beginning of next.
I definitely look forward to reading it. Thx.
Michigan recruits on national a vs regional playing field and typically knocks it out of the park when we get kids on campus.
It seems like Covid has handcuffed one of our advantages which is a great campus and a great team atmosphere.
I don’t disagree but really this is an excuse. Not getting top talent and having it go to your rival is a problem you can’t blame on COVID. If the staff hasn’t evolved their approach to recruiting and their only silver bullet is to get kids on campus and camp, we are in trouble. Unfortunately this may be the case. Recruiting has been on the decline since the satellite camps went away.
I don’t think it’s an excuse as much as a reality. Kids are more likely to have visited schools closer to home earlier in their process. You are more comfortable with what you are familiar with. We are getting positive reports on Michigan doing all kinds of creative Zoom meetings. And yes the satellite camps were genius.
Here is Michigan’s recruit rankings with Harbaugh with year-NR/BTR
21-estimated top 10 and 2/3
20-14/2
19-8/1
18-22/3
17-5/2
16-8/2
Every school in the Big Ten would be happy with that except OSU and UofM.
Question for the board regarding rankings and Covid. Are the rankings stuck in a range where they are not going to move up or down because of shut down? Are kids committing earlier because of this? I’m wondering if staff rankings may not mesh as closely to the ranking services.
Buddin is trending away from us with some Michigan State momentum.
Belleville strikes again!
Following Michigan recruiting can be awfully soul-crushing when the staff appears to "back off" of top talent only to gain momentum with Mid-Power 5 recruits.
As I've said before, I wouldn't mind if Michigan was snagging oh-hum recruits and developing them into worldbeaters. Unfortunately, the majority of the staff are only good developers not elite. Just good developers with oh-hum recruits gives you the results on the field that we've seen in the last three years.
Now we know why so many fans have become content with Michigan on the field. Harbaugh is sticking with the status quo.
respectfully, we are far from 'oh-hum' recruits. we recruit top 10-15 in all of D I every year (someone please help me with some fancy stats), its just that we can't and probably won't keep up with the phenomenal level that the top 5-6 programs are at right now. we don't pay players, plain and simple, and while all of our guys might not be phi beta kappa, i think you'll find on the whole a greater actual investment in academics and a more rigorous education in general. over time, years and seasons, those things add up to make a difference.
Michigan is just fine at developing talent. They've developed 3 walk-ons into NFL draft picks in the past five years. Jon Runyan, Jr., Josh Uche, and Khaleke Hudson were ho-hum 3-stars who just got picked in the 6th, 2nd, and 5th rounds, respectively.
Harbaugh is only "sticking with the status quo" if the recruiting class ends with a bunch of ho-hum recruits. I've said this before, but Michigan trims the fat regularly. That's why you see guys like Nick Patterson, Micah Mazzccua, Tim Baldwin, etc. disappearing from the class.
Thank you again Magnus. Very well said.
And especially thank you for fixing the damn "oh hum" to the correct "ho hum".
That was driving me crazy.
Is there a difference between fine and good?
Is there a difference between the thousand accounts you have held here over the years?
The username
Alright. That was funny.
This account attempted to disguise itself by changing ho-hum to oh-hum, throwing everyone off.
Did it work?
Is there a difference between TuffBammBamm and TuffPebbles?
Here’s one for you. You are good at nothing but complaining fine points.
Plus 1 for proper ho-hummage.
Michigan should get Kendall and Colson this month.
For all the tents and porpoises isnt oh-hum just another way of spelling ho-hum?
Or is it intense porpoises? I can never remember
I just watched an old episode of Flipper last week.
That was one INTENSE porpoise!
Ewe guys our away two tents.
It is another way of spelling ho-hum, but its an incorrect one since there is no phrase such as "oh-hum"
When Runyon committed, I remember thinking Harbaugh was throwing a bone to pops and had low expectations. He blew up 2 years ago after getting turnstiled by ND.
Didn't Runyan commit to Hoke?
Runyan was a Hoke recruit. The last Hoke recruit to play at Michigan ...
Hey Magnus, have you heard anything about the rumors (Webb) that guys like Lavert Hill (post not being drafted) have been badmouthing Harbaugh to Jamari Buddin?
What exactly did Webb say? That would terrible, and unfortunately concerning. Last year, it was Higdon. At Stanford, it was Richard Sherman.
There were also rumors of DPJ badmouthing Jim, but not sure that those came from Webb.
Take it FWIW but there's LOTS of chatter here in Cleveland that DPP is not speaking very glowingly of his time at Michigan to his new teammates.
One thing I heard reported was a comment he made referencing his desire to finally get "real coaching" once things get back to normal.
Which may be fair. He had 3 position coaches in 3 years mixed with 2 OC's. Right?
If that is the case then I would agree with the kid. I think his best ball can be ahead of him.
Alabama loses their position coaches and OC's/DC's every year or every other year. The top programs always do. You could argue that Michigan didn't replace them with high quality coaches, but where's the evidence for that? Ronnie Bell had excellent development last year, and Nico Collins as well. Tarik Black and DPJ seem like they weren't, but coaching doesn't make you go out of bounds on a safety valve against Ohio State. And coaching doesn't drop balls like DPJ did against PSU and OSU. At least in my opinion.
Gattis has an excellent record at WR development.
The four man WR class' first year had a grad assistant as their primary position coach. That was a big mistake and it wouldn't be surprising if some of those players were pissed about it. When shark humper was their position coach DPJ had his best season by far.
Gattis the WR position coach has a great record for WR development. Gattis the OC's record for WR development is TBD. I definitely hope he keeps it up with the additional responsibilities, but do remember that Drevno was once a good OL position coach.
Drevno is probably more evidence that it's the player more so than coach. Or rather it's a mix of things.
You can be a good coach, but if the player doesn't want to effort your teaching, won't work.
You can be a good coach, player has skill and efforts, works really well.
You can be a bad coach, player is just skilled and has effort, still works.
You can be a bad coach, player doesn't effort, really won't work.
I mean DPJ was here 3 years, and you're saying for 1 of them he had a very good coach. I'm saying Gattis didn't forget his specialty in developing WRs one year removed from doing only that. So 2 of the 3 years he had great coaching. Neither of us can say his first year was a bad decision - the grad assistant could have been the best coach he ever has. Roundtree played the position and is now WR coach at GVSU.
Gattis clearly had some on the job learning to do as an OC and I'm not sure what to tell you if you don't think that splitting his time made in a less effective WR coach.
Are you actually suggesting that a GVSU position coach is acceptable quality for UM?
If you think a guy forgets how to teach WRs, after having an excellent record of it - and in fact that being the primary reason for, you know, actually getting the OC job -, in one year, I don't know what to tell you. It cannot be telled.
If you don't think a grad assistant getting a job as a WR coach is a good indication that he is a promising coach, and therefore probably did a good job with players, I don't know what to tell you. Also cannot be telled.
If you think you can judge the quality of that grad assistant's work with players there years ago despite being a project manager / data analyst / some guy in <insert generic industry here>, I really don't know what to tells x3.