OL Kyle Kalis Visiting Michigan This Weekend
Ohio State OL commit Kyle Kalis has been caught in the mix with the Ohio State allegations. He said that he was set to decommit from the Buckeyes until interim head coach Luke Fickell talked him out of it. Kalis then went on to say that he does have interest in Michigan and a few other schools. He told me tonight that he and his father will be visiting Ann Arbor this weekend. Here's a look at his film and what he had to say.
TOM: Is there any chance that you head up to Michigan this week for their camp?
KYLE: Yeah me and my dad are going up there this weekend to meet everyone for a visit. We're driving up Friday night then staying all day Saturday.
TOM: What prompted this visit? I know that you've been saying you are interested in Michigan, but why visit now?
KYLE: It's pretty much for the past few months I've become really good friends with Tom Strobel and he said I would love it up there, he fell in love with it. Tom was up there last weekend and he was talking about me with the coaches, they were joking around saying we could be roommates. I think Chris [Wormley] will be up there too [TomVH ed: I confirmed with Wormley that he is visiting this weekend]. I'm closer with Tom, but I am friends with Chris.
TOM: Is that important for you to have people that you already know there, too?
KYLE: Yeah, a big part of me liking Michigan is being able to come in with guys like Tom, maybe Chris [Wormley], being able to know that I'll practice with guys that are going to make me better.
TOM: I'm assuming your dad is an Ohio State fan too, what has he said about all this?
KYLE: He's actually not an Ohio State fan, he's indifferent. With him he's already been through this so he tells me to go with my heart. He's told me to get up there and talk with Coach Hoke, get up there and meet them in person.
TOM: What are you looking to get out of this visit
KYLE: The main thing is just getting a chance to sit down with Coach Hoke and a big thing is also to meet with the strength coach. I want to sit down with him and see his tactics. I also want to sit down with Coach Funk and maybe meet a few of the players.
TOM: Is this your first time up there?
KYLE: Yes, this will be the first time. Tom [Strobel] said when you get up there it's just a different place.
TOM: What's next after this? Are you taking any more visits?
KYLE: This summer I might get out to Auburn, Alabama, Iowa, or Miami. I probably won't get out to all of them, I want to enjoy my summer so we'll see.
OSU is in serious, serious trouble.
No question, they're HIT!!
Poor #59. Dude got abused by Mr. Kalis.
wow!, bussy night Tom, thanks a lot
BOOM +5
....hilarious. The schadenfreude is almost overbearing it's so intense.
WOW. did not see this coming. Thanks, Tom.
With all those visits planned, and him really wanting to play with his friends, do you still think he ends up at OSU? Or does it depend on the sanctions coming?
This would be a huge get!!
literally as well as figuratively . . .
Long term goal would be to see him rocking Maize and Blue for four years.
At the very least, the short term puts pressure on some of the bigger names, this is what a Michigan offense is all about!
Wow this must be the BIG news Tom mentioned on twitter. This is very exciting.
He looks to have good technique and is only going to get bigger and stronger. Would love to have him on the good guys side and not have to battle him for the next few years!
I'm imagining an OL class of Peat, Diamond, Kalis, Magnuson, Braden, and Stacey...
Yeah, I'm hard.
/tmi
the staff is operating on a first-come first-serve basis for the final spots, and given the timelines of the remaining guys on the board, those first 3 guys might not have spots.
I think you might be right about that. It seems like Blake Bars and Trey Keenan are really high on Michigan right now. To be honest it is great to get the guys with 5 stars to their recruiting profile, but if the coaches are willing to except a commitment from others I'm happy with that.
The whole point of recruiting rankings is that they're really fricking predictive of college success. If you get a bunch of high 4 stars and 5 stars interested in you, you do what you can to get some of them, even if it means holding spots open.
Those are good players but if the staff allows them to fill up the class while all the great prospects are still available and interested that would not be ok with me. Not to mention all the great talent out there at other positions as well.
Who are you two to be pissed at the coaches accepting one of the 4 stars versus a different 4 star or 5 star, obviously they know how to evaluate talent for the system they want to run, which may have different rankings than rivals or scouts generic lineman rankings. Also, did't we just have 10 different posts last month how offensive line is the hardest positon to predict and the sites do the WORST job at evaluating lineman.
The fanbases that typically talk about how OL rankings are hard to predict are the same fanbases that strike out with the top 100 kids. You won't hear USC, Bama, etc. having that discussion bc they are getting those top kids. We need to reach for the stars, even if we fall short we'll still land on the moon...
I thought it went "shoot for the moon, if you miss you land among the stars".
True, but it's fun to rebel against a custom when it's so obviously stupid (hint: the stars are not closer to us than the moon).
I think the expression is, "Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you will drift aimlessly for centuries, but only after you die of oxygen deprivation in the vast nothingness of space."
This. Or you will end up on a planet ruled by apes.
So you're saying that if we hold out for the 4 and 5 star guys that we could end up on a planet ruled by apes!! Let me think. we could have 5*OL recruits and everything else would be the same or we could have 3* but live on a planet ruled by apes BUT there would be hot women that are mute........Well I for one would welcome our new ape overlords.
Hail Apes!
"hot women who are mute".
Warning...spoilers-
Yes, they finally did it....
Honestly, if that's the strategy, I'm not crazy about it. We're in the top lists for so many elite recruits that we can be selective. First-come, first-served seems like a strategy that gets you the least well regarded prospects you've offered, since those are the guys who might think that nothing equal/better will come around. I hope this coaching staff is willing to cool down on a few guys if they think that one of their dream prospects is thinking Michigan but wanting to take a little more time.
seems to be the route Hoke is taken. It sounds like Blake Bars is VERY high on us now. Tre Keenan loved his visit and from that interiew Kalis almost sounds like he has one foot out the door of OSU already. Some are saying to hold off on guys like Bars or Keenan. But Bars has offers from PSU, LSU, FLorida, and many others so he's no slouch. We are in on so many top flight Olineman and are going to fill up before some of the guys the posters think we should wait for decide. IMO Hoke and Co. are doing the right thing and they hold all of the Oline guys we are in play with in high regard and would be happy with any of them. Ben Braden is only a 3* right now but could be one of the best lineman we get in this class. Evaluating Oline prospects is hard and we shouldn't just look at stars and rankings as a barometer of talent.
Bars, I'd be fine with. From all accounts, Keenan did not have a good camp, and I still don't understand why everyone is so enamored with Olson. If he was really that good and cutting for academic reasons, he'd at least have an ND or Stanford offer. We are in on some superb recruits at this position. Banner has scheduled TWO officials, and we are one of them. I would much rather wait and see how things shake out with Garnett, Peat, Banner, Kalis, Diamond and Thurston. Yes, Ben Braden is on a tear and looks likely to earn that fourth star (from what I've heard, he's killing it at camp), but for every three-star Ben Braden who kills it, there's probably one who doesn't. I get that O-Line is hard to predict and that star rankings are not the end-all, be-all. There are quality players who are three-stars. Of course there are. But the players who are ranked four- and five-stars are widely considered to be much better (or more ready to play immediately, which certainly couldn't hurt). I don't understand the whole first-come/first-served mentality. I agree with an above poster that it probably nets you players who are less highly-regarded (since those in the top 150 generally take a lot more time to decide). I don't think there's anything wrong with telling Keenan/Olsen that we are considering many options at their position and not looking to finish off the position group until the middle of the season. If they like us enough to commit now, they'll still like us then.
Thanks Tom (Strobel).
This would be a monstrous signing in so many ways.
Hide ya kids, hide ya wife
But what about the BIG interview you were supposed to be typing up. I really want to kno...oh...my bad
They network and recruit for you.
This would be an amazing get and a slap to Ohio....double awesome.
very interesting
Top it off with Joshua Garnett naming Michigan in his top 5 AND he and Zach Banner professing a desire to play together and suddenly I can't stand up without it getting embarrassing.
The pace of serious elite OL visits is getting crazy. Giggity!
would be epic. Not only to snag a quality recruit, but to take him from OSU. Let the Buckeye meltdown commence.
Thanks for the interview. I love how Tom Strobel is helping recruit this kid also. This could end up being an insanely talented class for all positions.
Tom Strobel is trying to stick it to the OSU fans who were attacking him (verbally) for verbally commiting to Michigan instead of Ohio State.
VH & Strobel made my night. . . .well done, men.
GO BLUE!
i want him bad (phillip fulmer voice)
I don't know the reference, which makes this one of the creepiest things I've ever whispered to myself in my head.
"i want him. I want him bad." The Blind Side, Fulmer, acting as Fulmer. Funny to see all the coaches watching Oher practice. (Nick Saban, Lou Holtz, Cotton, all playing themselves.)
Wouldn't want you to stay creeped out in your head.
I love to get recruits from Ohio - since it gives us a potential pull for future recruits too.
This is great. He would be a huge get.
It'd be nice to start a pipeline with OSU commitments
I wonder what Dunn's reaction is?
Probably something along the lines of "been there, Dunn that".
Mmmm pancakes.
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