WINNING THE GAME - Recruiting Impact
What a win yesterday. Just like cold pizza, it tastes better the day after. Having said that, the recruiting impact of this win should be very good. I am not one that pays for information but rather scan Touch The Banner and 247 sites for free nuggets. Off the top of my head, it appears:
Berry, Sabb, Burke are all looking like they will be Blue. Hoping for Amorion Walker, Jackson, D Walker and even maybe we get lucky with Goodwin?
Go Blue! Beat Iowa!
November 28th, 2021 at 7:04 AM ^
Onwards and upwards. What recruit would not want to be a part of that scene last night?! We will be talking about this game for decades - most monumental win over osu since 1969.
November 28th, 2021 at 7:11 AM ^
1997 comes to mind but yeah, I get what you're saying!
November 28th, 2021 at 7:35 AM ^
I sort of feel more 1969ish because in 97, we clearly were the anticipated favorite. Yesterday I felt a bit more like an underdog and the 69 team had something similar to overcome.
But what the hell... FUCK ohio. All is right with the world today because they lost.
November 28th, 2021 at 7:34 AM ^
No mention of Josh Conerly?
He wasn't at the game which gives me pause..
November 28th, 2021 at 7:38 AM ^
You snooze, you lose..
November 28th, 2021 at 7:43 AM ^
Conerly couldn't make it this weekend because the plane tickets were too expensive due to the holidays. But Josh and his dad have been "liking" a bunch of Michigan stuff on twitter since the big win. Insiders still like our chances.
November 28th, 2021 at 7:43 AM ^
Some think Conerly is a Michigan silent commit. Who really knows. Yeah, forgot to add him but some reports he visited Oregon. Brandon Huffman, who is supposed to be a west coast recruiting guru is saying Conerly is strong with Michigan and they lead for sure
November 28th, 2021 at 8:18 AM ^
I posted a week or so ago that there is a pull to stay close to home. Do not be surprised if he still ends up at UW or any one of about 5 PAC-12 schools.
I think it's imperative to get him back even if just to see AA, see the staff, etc. Last I heard from a person who knows (not paysite BS as I don't sub to them and think the business model is gross) that it's starting to fade a bit and staying out West is trending up.
We'll see.
November 28th, 2021 at 7:52 AM ^
Sabb reposted his Clemson commit edits to his Instagram story after the Michigan game fwiw. I guess it doesn’t mean Michigan is out, but it’s certainly not a good sign.
November 28th, 2021 at 8:13 AM ^
Bummer
November 28th, 2021 at 8:23 AM ^
Yes. I know one UM staff member has kept on Sabb but before those posts I had already heard that he wasn't on a visit as much as tagging along with his brother who was visiting.
Now, is that clever wording to get past Clemson's no visit policy? I have no idea but I do know one UM staff member feels they have a good chance.
Plus, Sabb grew up like a little brother to Jabrill Peppers. His word means a lot and if JP has or were to give a recommendation it could or would help :)
November 28th, 2021 at 7:52 AM ^
Vocal impact: I can barely talk. The stadium was louder than I have ever heard. Cannot believe it. Wow.
November 28th, 2021 at 8:35 AM ^
The game was a huge love fest. Hugging and high fiving total strangers and no regerts. What a day!
November 28th, 2021 at 9:45 AM ^
Good, you don’t want any regerts! ;)
November 28th, 2021 at 7:55 AM ^
Posted this in diary on the same subject but this is game changing for recruiting. May not show in this class but this takes down multiple negative-recruiting lines about beating OSU and hopefully making it to the playoffs. It’s also an incredible argument for coaching, player development and talent identification. Beat Iowa and make the Playoffs and we are going to see more of these top 100 kids giving us consideration. Combine that with this young staff loving recruiting and there’s reason to believe we will see major differences. That’s said let’s also note the host of non-top 100 kids who played like 5 stars yesterday. Finally feels like we have a staff that can develop and get the most out of whomever
November 28th, 2021 at 8:13 AM ^
This win, I believe, does help change the narrative for Michigan by that the negative recruiting surrounding Harbaugh about not being able to win big games, etc is now no longer truthful. A recruit, assuming he is rational, would see right through any nitwit coach who continues to use that line. That being expressed, there are still things about Michigan that will always remain and that will hinder some top recruits from wanting to play in A2. Here's looking at you admissions! Michigan will also not play in the shady payment game like the SEC does. We know the SEC is dirty as a pig in a mud hole.
What yesterday's win should usher in is that long lost feeling that the boys in blue can do magical things. Recruits at the game yesterday saw that in all its glory and in front of 111,000+ fans. How many other times in their career will see an underdog bitch slap and dominate a power house team in such a fashion? That game was a thing of beauty. The last time I felt this way about a Michigan team was the 2011 team. That was a magical year for them. Let's hope the fun isn't over and this team finds a way to the NC game....or dies trying.
GO BLUE!
November 28th, 2021 at 8:22 AM ^
The dirty payment game is almost done. The local car dealerships are no longer giving the kids money and cars under the table. It’s now all tied with NIL.
Michigan needs to get with it and partner with some local dealerships. Or you know, there are a few car manufacturers in the Detroit area, do a partnership with one of those.
November 28th, 2021 at 9:04 AM ^
We have a staff that other colleges are gonna try and poach. Load the money cannon and keep these guys in A2.
November 28th, 2021 at 11:06 AM ^
Great post. Love the commentary by the posters on this blog. I keep coming back to read the posts on the board and experience the positive energy of us Wolverine fans.
Anything is possible. We have a high likelihood that we will now be able to change the recruiting narrative, and we proved that leadership, some talented skill position players and great coaching/game planning can overcome anything.
I hope that this blog gets back to being a good place to real articles. Alex does a good job, but Brian's negativity all year on Michigan has been an insult to our team and us fans. Not what you expect when you come to a Michigan blog that is dominated by football fandom.
Let's get one more next week and then history has been made. One of the three biggest victories in Michigan history without a doubt.
November 28th, 2021 at 8:04 AM ^
Most of the recruits commented on the insane atmosphere of The Game and how crazy our crowd was. The recruits were able to rush the field and experience our best win in decades!!
November 28th, 2021 at 8:12 AM ^
A lot of these guys you mentioned seem to be newer targets for Michigan (at least to public knowledge) so I had to look them up. Thought I'd share rankings for other people like me who aren't that familiar with these names (particularly the 3 at the top). All rankings will be from the 247 composite.
Zeke Berry S De La Salle (CA) .9121 rating, 227th overall
Keon Sabb S IMG Academy (FL) .967 rating, 80th overall current Clemson commit
(Didn't we recruit a Sabb in a recent cycle that ended up at Clemson? Is this a younger brother?)
Ethan Burke Edge Westlake (TX) Unranked (this is the only Burke I could find, is this the right guy?)
Amorion Walker ATH (Believe we were initially recruiting him as a DB, but now as a WR) Ponchatoula (LA) .8784 rating, 518th overall current Notre Dame commit who a couple of weeks ago seemed like a sure thing to flip, but it sounds like that's not as certain now
Domani Jackson Mater Dei (CA) .9965 rating, 6th overall. USC decommit, thought to be leaning Alabama, but who knows now as he visited for the OSU game and seems to be a guy who really gets swayed by his visits
Deone Walker DL/OL Cass Tech (MI) .9106 rating, 241st overall. We seemed to be in the driver's seat here until the Eugenio decommit, and as of a few weeks looked to be a major fight with Kentucky. Anyone got any more recent news on him?
Kiyaunta Goodwin OT Charlestown (IN) .984 rating, 30th overall, Kentucky commit. I've heard nothing about this guy and have no idea about our chances of flipping him.
So, based on what the OP wrote, sounds like our safety recruiting will finish strong. Too bad Conerly didn't make it as getting a second (or would it have been a 3rd?) visit from him would make it hard to believe we wouldn't land him.
November 28th, 2021 at 8:36 AM ^
Berry is relatively new as a legit option. Just decommitted from Arizona about a month ago. Good player and probably the most likely to leave AA a Wolverine.
Sabb has a brother that was on his visit. Keon technically was just with him as a tag-along bit Clemson also has a no visit policy like Hoke had so it's all a bit confusing. I know one UM staff member likes our chances.
Amorion Walker has been on the board for a while. Bellamy has been on him, trying to flip him from ND.
Deone Walker has been trending down since his buddy was no longer in the class and it remains that way. Some insider types swear it's all show and he's a UM lock but I don't buy that. However, unlike a few on this list I have no real info on it. I don't even have paysite info as I would never sub to one of those sites.
Burke is another guy that loved his visit and would be a great fit at UM. He's one of those dudes.
November 28th, 2021 at 10:27 AM ^
Wiltfong put in a crystal ball for Michigan to flip Sabb from Clemson to Michigan
November 28th, 2021 at 8:35 AM ^
U-M needs to get it together and develop a strategy to exploit the NIL rule. Stat
November 28th, 2021 at 11:13 AM ^
yes. This is the one thing missing. Hopefully, Harbaugh and Warde have enough leverage and commitment to NIL and can overcome a lame duck president who does not recognize what is happening with college sports and its impact on all facets of the university.
This applies to transfers too. It's not the regents that are impeding our ability to join the 21st century. It's our president. I will be happy to see him gone.
November 28th, 2021 at 9:28 AM ^
Any recruit who wasn’t hugely impressed by the game-day atmosphere in Michigan Stadium just doesn’t want to like Michigan. As an old guy who attended UM back in the dim mists of time—the 1970s—I can say that the game day environment today blows away anything I experienced firsthand back then. A huge part of this is due to the fans themselves, but a good part is due to the stadium additions. It’s simply a lot louder than it was before.
November 28th, 2021 at 10:16 AM ^
I know that marquee games have a different vibe, but I wish we could bottle that and have it for all home games. The Washington and Ohio games had insane crowds that had an impact on the game…how many false starts did Ohio have yesterday?!?
November 28th, 2021 at 11:00 AM ^
Five. (FIVE). FIVE!!
Although, to be fair, I think their tackles were terrified of Hutchinson and Ojabo almost as much as they were influenced by the noise. But, yes, it was loud — louder than I’ve ever heard it at Michigan, and comparable to a Monday Night Football game I attended in Seattle, where they specifically designed the stadium to reflect noise.