Willingham to UCF
February 3rd, 2011 at 9:40 AM ^
good luck to him down there...
February 3rd, 2011 at 9:41 AM ^
I always wanted to go to UCF when I grew up, but unfortunately I couldn't get in.
/Harvardofthesouth
February 3rd, 2011 at 11:41 AM ^
Sorry, more like Michigan State of the south.
February 3rd, 2011 at 12:28 PM ^
How did you miss that? I mean, really? If I were your doctor, I'd order a CAT scan, stat.
February 3rd, 2011 at 1:20 PM ^
Actually, more like CMU for Florida.
UF:Michigan::FSU:MSU::UCF:CMU
February 3rd, 2011 at 4:01 PM ^
Where does Miami fit in?
February 3rd, 2011 at 4:03 PM ^
Western?
February 3rd, 2011 at 9:41 AM ^
oh well, good luck to him. He must prefer Disney World and Universal Studios.
February 3rd, 2011 at 9:48 AM ^
Woah woah woah, you're either a Sea World guy, Disney guy or Universal guy...
February 3rd, 2011 at 10:20 AM ^
That or the plethora of hot coeds at UCF.
Dumb, but very attractive.
February 3rd, 2011 at 10:49 AM ^
with mom.
February 3rd, 2011 at 1:23 PM ^
not ALL of the hot coeds live at home with mom. i can personally vouch for that.
February 3rd, 2011 at 3:51 PM ^
You got a couple locked up at your house, don't you?
February 3rd, 2011 at 9:43 AM ^
Same has been reported by the Orlando Sentinel:
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/college/knights/os-recruiting-lei…
February 3rd, 2011 at 9:44 AM ^
wow his cousin must have had a mjor influence on him as well as his high school teamates. but it worked out for brandon so i hop him all the best
February 3rd, 2011 at 9:46 AM ^
I still say this is a huge lose for the recruiting class, however, now we have another scholly available for next year. We can now go after some elite OL DT's next year. Next year should be all about DT OL TE and WR's. That will also be dependent upon who stays and how well our players play this year.
February 3rd, 2011 at 10:08 AM ^
of his thoughts re: next year's needs.
February 3rd, 2011 at 10:08 AM ^
Funny thing is, I have no clue what Brian thinks. I don't care what Brian thinks and don't ever listen to what has to say. Not being mean I just don't read his posts and have never listened to him on the radio. So say what you must about me being a parrot to Brian's thoughts that is fine, but get your facts straight before you make an accusation.
February 3rd, 2011 at 12:21 PM ^
Man, chill out. Brian is the only reason all of us can even come to mgoblog and post comments (parroting or not) and he maintains this site to the highest standard of any sports blog I've ever been on. You may not always agree with what he has to say but he tries his best to give the best information and analyzation out there. If you don't care about what Brian thinks why do you get so riled up about some other person's inane comment?
February 3rd, 2011 at 2:00 PM ^
Dude that was a hit to Brian at all, I was simply expressing the fact that I don't listen to Brian on the radio nor have a read any of his posts. You are exactly right when you say this site is the best in all of sports, I never knocked MGOBLOG one bit. The posters commented about me being a parrott, which I simply trying to disprove.
February 3rd, 2011 at 4:03 PM ^
So are you saying you're simply here for the board?
February 3rd, 2011 at 4:20 PM ^
I'm not going to attempt to explain myself to someone I don't even know. Just that it was not a dig to Brian at all. I simply don't listen to him on the radio and don't read his posts. As for the comment about caring about what he thinks, I don't he is his own person, he has his views and I have mine. If I pissed you off by my post so be it. I am not your friend, nor am I attempting to be. I hardly ever post and when I do, it is people like you and the jack wad that initiated this that prevent me from doing so. Just because my thoughts and beliefs differ from yours gives you nor anyone else the right to call them into question. Neither of you know who I am nor what I am thinking and that it the way it is going to be.
February 4th, 2011 at 9:24 PM ^
I was just surprised that someone would participate on here if they didn't read the owner/main contributors material. Quite simply it's fascinating...
BTW- I'm not your friend, guy and you're not my guy, pal (or something like that)
February 3rd, 2011 at 10:09 AM ^
by taking someone else's opinion and dumbing it down a bit (... a lot)
February 3rd, 2011 at 10:11 AM ^
Another scholly for next year is a load of crap. In essence, due to the time it takes for player development, it means you have lost a minimum of one year.
As Brian rightly posted last night, we have essentially lost five scholarships this year. Sure, you can add them next year, but you have lost five player years of development time and that plain sucks.
February 3rd, 2011 at 10:21 AM ^
As young as this team is, I really don't think that is going to be a major concern. I do understand your point and agree with you to to a certain point, however, I just don't see as a big of a concern as you are making it out to be. There are players out there that are ready to play now in the B10. Hoke and Co, just need to go out and find them. This is just my opinion. I really think we will be just fine in the long run.
February 3rd, 2011 at 10:30 AM ^
All signs say we could have signed Lucien or Flowers if we wanted them at WR. This was a deliberate decision by Hoke & Co. So putting that on DB and the Decision is disengenuous at best. It's not a simple numbers game as we all like to make it seem...
February 3rd, 2011 at 12:32 PM ^
I am not blaming Brandon, although the timing was his doing. It is an opportunity lost, plain and simple.
I completely disagree with your comment that it is not a numbers game, because it is. Recruiting and player development is always a matter of timing. If you are stocked to the gills with talent at all positions, that's one thing. Unfortunately, Michigan isn't and that's why to take fewer talented players this year or any year than you are capable of recruiting should always be looked at as a loss.
February 3rd, 2011 at 9:52 AM ^
this makes little to no sense to me - i thought for sure Michigan would land this kid. Oh well leaves a spot open for a 5star LB next year :)
Go blue!
*EDIT - best of luck to Willingham at UCF, I think this kid will wind up being a real good college linebacker.
February 3rd, 2011 at 9:50 AM ^
I get that he would want to be with his buddies, but that's pretty unbelievable. I hope he realizes his family and friends out in Colorado are going to have a tough time finding his games on TV without a really nice satelite setup.
February 3rd, 2011 at 10:04 AM ^
It takes a really long time to read your post in the voice of your avatar.
February 3rd, 2011 at 9:52 AM ^
but in this case I do: if LW values a degree from the University of Central Florida over a degree from the University of Michigan, then we're better off in the short and the long run. Good luck to him.
February 3rd, 2011 at 9:53 AM ^
US News Rankings:
UCF: #179
Mich: #29
February 3rd, 2011 at 10:12 AM ^
He was planning to business school. Ross is Top 5, dont think UCF business school is ranked anywhere
February 3rd, 2011 at 1:16 PM ^
of getting into UCF Business School than getting into the B-School. B-School is nearly impossible to get into unless you have 4.0 GPA in college and has outstanding extracurricular activites.
February 3rd, 2011 at 10:13 AM ^
Nevermind the degree, if he cared about his future as a football player he would never have made this decision. Michigan and UCF are not comparable in terms of national/NFL exposure. If this kid was serious about either academics or football, he could not have made this decision. Probably better saving that scholarship.
Yes, the bitterness tastes sweet in my mouth.
February 3rd, 2011 at 11:41 AM ^
Saw the same article - How the heck are USC and UCLA ranked ahead of us?
February 3rd, 2011 at 9:50 AM ^
see you never
February 3rd, 2011 at 9:52 AM ^
It's disappointing to lose a recruit, but I'll book this under late starts and "consequences of The Process".
In the future Hoke and staff should be able to get into high schools much earlier in the process and "influence the sale of UM" to recruits all the way to its conclusion.
February 3rd, 2011 at 9:59 AM ^
You're absolutely correct that next year will be far more advantageous to Hoke and staff. However, I also think that kids reveal themselves by the choices they make. LW hasn't had much more contact with UCF than he did UM, and the fact that he allowed himself to be swayed by friends and whatever else UCF offers—while he had a Michigan offer on the table— speaks volumes about him. While it may not be apparent now, I think this is a case where we're winning by losing.
February 3rd, 2011 at 10:13 AM ^
this is just such a typical college football fan message board post:
He chose a different school!?
Whatever, we never wanted him anyways!!!
umm... yea, okay...
February 3rd, 2011 at 12:23 PM ^
It makes sense though. You want kids with the right priorities, and this decision says to me that Willingham values friends and social scene above his football career and his academics.
I want Michigan players to hold themselves to Michigan standards.
February 3rd, 2011 at 1:28 PM ^
if you have NFL aspirations, NFL scouts will always find you regardless of locations. They travel all over the country and go to several schools to watch practices and watch school game films(5-6 game worth). Saying that choosing an inferior school will hurt your football career is not true.
February 3rd, 2011 at 4:19 PM ^
It has nothing to do with scouts and everything to do with preparation. At UCF he is going to be playing against lesser competition, have access to lesser facilities, and presumably be coached by someone lesser than Greg Mattison.
February 3rd, 2011 at 10:41 AM ^
I think you put too little weight on the influence of family/close friends. Sure, from a purely objective standpoint his decision doesn't make sense, but you can't just rule out the influence that family and friends can have. I don't hold it against him for "allowing" himself to be swayed by family. Best of luck to him.
February 3rd, 2011 at 9:52 AM ^
More room for Ross and RJ-S
February 3rd, 2011 at 11:36 AM ^
He should have a year of eligibility left!!!
February 3rd, 2011 at 1:10 PM ^
Someone made a post today on Scout's board, with quotes from RJS on his twitter account saying, "SMFH thats BS!! Im diffently not looking at no more schools in MI!! ALL OF THEM JUST LOST MY INTREST! ALL OF THEM PLAY GAMES
LIFE GOES ON IF U WANT TO SEE ME PLAY COLLEGE BALL COME DOWN SOUTH!"
Things can obviously change but I don't think he's to happy about not having a offer yet.
February 3rd, 2011 at 9:55 AM ^
This is not a huge loss. Save the scholarship for next year when you have 2 big in-instate LB recruits.
February 3rd, 2011 at 9:57 AM ^
If I had an offer for a UM athletic scholarship and degree vs. UCF, man, no brainer.
But for some people they just hate cold weather, I guess.
Even if they do hate it, man, an offer for a shot at a UM degree is a sweet deal IMO.