Wayne Morgan Update

Submitted by Nosce Te Ipsum on

Just got a text from a friend with a Scout membership and was informed that Michigan and Wayne Morgan have parted ways. He was the silent commit as well. It sounds like Jarrod Wilson is who the staff is after now to fill that last DB slot. These guys don't mess around.

JimLahey

June 2nd, 2011 at 6:57 PM ^

I'm confused. The coaches backed off a 4 star top 150 defensive player but recently accepted a pair of generic 3 stars? Admittedly, I don't know shit about football recruiting but it seems a bit odd. Academic or character issues maybe?

Nosce Te Ipsum

June 2nd, 2011 at 7:17 PM ^

Are you asking what evidence I have that the coaches stopped recruiting a top rated player from New York to pursue a player who is good but not as well received by the scouts from various websites so they can maintain a presence in the lower regarded player's state?

BlueDragon

June 2nd, 2011 at 7:25 PM ^

Maybe there's a few other up-and-comers on the guy's team, or someone from the HS coach's staff knows somebody from the Michigan coaching staff.  There could be any number of mitigating factors here.  Maybe we just want to maintain momentum in Ohio.  Who knows.  I just find it hard to shut the door on some kinds of speculation as opposed to others when Ohio HS programs are producing a lot of recruits this year, and will have similar good years in the future.

Nosce Te Ipsum

June 2nd, 2011 at 7:33 PM ^

It's all good. Although Morgan was really highly touted I had wanted Wilson in this class from the first time I saw his film and heard his coach (Ricky Powers who is a former UofM football player) talk about his game and what kind of person he is. I feel like this staff won't sit on their hands for a recruit and this kind of proves that. They are setting a precedent and I love it. Get on board or we'll move on and find someone who REALLY wants to be apart of Michigan. That is my opinion, anyway.

ND Sux

June 3rd, 2011 at 8:00 AM ^

I posted something similar (above, and 13 hours later!). 

I LOVE the precedent...the train's leaving the station, get your arse aboard or someone else will take your seat.  IMO this is why we're getting so many early commits.  Pipkins and Shittu...this class goes mega-platinum with your commitments. 

Space Coyote

June 2nd, 2011 at 7:07 PM ^

No offense to him, but Morgan could play Safety or CB, as potentially could Standifer.  Gant, to the eyes of most, is the most athletically limited.  I personally felt they should have waited until he camped to extend an offer to see if they were full with people who IMO seem to be better prospects.  Maybe they didn't think Gant would commit so fast, I'm not sure.

Oh well, hope this all works out and hope the coaches get the guys they want

rockydude

June 2nd, 2011 at 7:50 PM ^

I know what you mean about versatility, but I am looking at it a little differently. Part of what I like about Gant is that he is a true, hard hitting, run stopping safety. I get that he isn't so likely to step in at safety, but is that such a bad thing? I'd rather take two true safeties and two true corners if I have my choice, as opposed to four catch-all DBs. Let's just wait and see how this plays out - it may work out for us quite well in the end . . . 

Space Coyote

June 2nd, 2011 at 7:50 PM ^

I have seen Animal House, but I'm also a samurai from the 1800s feudal Japan.  I know from experience that staying too true to your past and not looking to future leads to Meiji Restoration which leads to WWII which leads to 2 atomic bombs which leads to one of the largest technological revolutions the world has ever seen. 

Samurai + Nintendo = $$$

FreddieMercuryHayes

June 2nd, 2011 at 7:08 PM ^

While you could possible make that argument for Gant, taking a legacy kid in OH really helps keeps relationships up.  But the generic 3-star argument shouldn't work for Standifer.  He's already started to gain steam in recruiting circles, and it's lucky we got him early.  His film is very impressive, and the only thing that's gonna keep him from being a truly elite prospect is his speed.

BigBlue4Life

June 8th, 2011 at 4:36 AM ^

once the ball dropped on Tresselgate Hoke and Company have seen a kink in the fence around Ohio.  and if you can take talent from Ohio you should prefer it to a kid from the east coast.  take that talent away from your competition.  especially if Morgan doesnt go to the big ten.  its strategy to lock down the recruiting scene localy and push Osu Msu Notre dame etc.  it brilliant IF we get equal talent.

MgoblueAF

June 2nd, 2011 at 6:59 PM ^

Can we possibly hope that this is just an amazingly clever way to re-implement the suspense of his announcement, considering the way his "silent commitment" went not-so-silent?

TomVH

June 2nd, 2011 at 7:00 PM ^

I was tipped off about Wilson a little while ago, I'm trying to get a hold of Ricky Powers. One of Morgan's coaches mentioned the fact that Michigan was still recruiting DB's even after Wayne's silent commitment. Mentioned as in they weren't happy about it. I'm not sure why since we all knew they have told other DB's how many they would take.

FreddieMercuryHayes

June 2nd, 2011 at 7:12 PM ^

Hmm, that is a bit interesting.  When Morgan was the silent commit, Richardson was our only other DB, so wouldn't they know we were still gonna go after some more?  Confusing, but oh well.  I really like Wilson, espeically his protoypical size for a safety, so if we can get him, it would be OK to me.  Really like Morgan though.

Blaze09

June 2nd, 2011 at 7:21 PM ^

I think the coaches have confidence in Standifer staying at corner and wanted another sure safety in the class, bringing us to where we are at today.

I think Morgan's spot was taken by Gant. If Gant doesn't commit on Tuesday, Standifer's commitment is probably for the first safety spot, and Morgan still announces today. Then Gant ends up the one left out in the cold.

Either way I hope Wayne the best and I'm sure he will succeed wherever he goes.

EDIT: Just saw the posts saying it might have been Wayne who stepped back first (which makes more sense seeing the events with him the past few days). Still wish him the best.

BiSB

June 2nd, 2011 at 7:12 PM ^

He was probably scared off by this new investigation of Denard running drugs for a Mexican drug cartel after escaping from prison by digging a tunnel under a poster of Rita Hayworth.

/OSU 247'd

Geaux_Blue

June 2nd, 2011 at 7:18 PM ^

Is claims he was selling tickets for shit tons of money. Tickets to WHAT?! Michigan was bowl-less for one year and I doubt UM family Cap One tickets were stunning. What a joke

Erik_in_Dayton

June 2nd, 2011 at 7:59 PM ^

Take this FWIW, as I didn't read it myself, but my OSU-fanatic friend who religiously reads Bucknuts and OSU's Scout site said that not too long ago a poster was claiming to have purchased Denard's game tickets for a game (the OSU game?). The "forced him to stay" thing is obviously total crap...I won't be surprised, though, if OSU fans start to try to get Michigan players in trouble. That sounds a bit much as I type it, but we're talking about a bunch of lunatics.

rockydude

June 2nd, 2011 at 7:40 PM ^

I know, I know - read the above posts, etc etc, but just so the slow among us (AKA me) can follow, am I correct in reading that UM cooled off on Wayne, then he cooled on us? Seems a little like the Ron Thompson thing, if that is the case.

Can anyone tell me anything interesting about Jarrod Wilson? I had mostly been looking at the guys that seemed more likely, Morgan and Reeves.

And good luck to you Wayne, wherever you decide to go. We would have liked you here, but you have to go where you feel comfortable.

EDIT: It's probably all over for Wilson - I see that Sparty has offered him, and they are a national power . . . 

neoavatara

June 2nd, 2011 at 7:41 PM ^

It sounds like we still wanted him, but were still recruiting other guys.  He didn't like that, cooled off on us.  It seems to happen every year, c'est la vie.

As for Wilson...he is a huge Safety prospect in Ohio.  A lot of friends in OH are shocked that TSIO is not recruiting him.  Duane Long, Buckeye blogger, loves him.