OT: One last Dunn thread

Submitted by wisecrakker on

I will preface this by saying I have no empirical evidence to support this claim but my source, who is very well connected to football in TSIO and other schools, has never given me any info (well in advance of it being published) which didnt turn out to be true.

So here it goes:

Meyer told Dunn he would pull his offer if he visited Michigan.

JimLahey

December 19th, 2011 at 10:43 AM ^

I agree with the overall aim of your post but I have one problem and its the same problem I have had with most threads about Dunn:

Dunn may be a great prospect but he is not "elite". You mention Pryor and Henderson. He is not even close, not even in the same universe, as those two players as high schoolers and college prospects. Bear in mind, Dunn isn't even a fringe top 100 player on Rivals. Our very own Kyle Kalis is ranked 114 spots higher than Dunn. Kalis is an elite prospect and I would freak out if we lost him. Dunn is not elite, nor did we ever lose him.

 

MilkSteak

December 19th, 2011 at 10:57 AM ^

Beautifully put. I'm also less concerned because running backs are very difficult to grade coming out of high school. Every year there are a few "can't miss" prospects like Marcus Lattimore or Michael Dyer, but there are also guys like Kevin Grady.

While I'd love to see Brionte Dunn flip to Michigan because there is a chance he could be very good, he's not a sure thing like Pryor and Henderson.  

The Baughz

December 19th, 2011 at 12:11 PM ^

If this kid was a PSU or Wisconsin commit, nobody would really care if he had any interest in Michigan. But since he was a Buckeye verbal, everyone wants him so we can stick it to OSU. Is  this kid good? Yes. But again, he is not elite. We are making this too much about bragging rights between schools. Id love to have him, but certainly will not be upset if he sends his LOI to tsio in Feb. I think it is time to get our priorities in order and look at the bigger picture. Ive said this numerous times, and I truly believe this: Ty Isaac>Brionte Dunn. Im a million times more worried about getting Ty for next year than I am about getting Dunn this year.

mgowill

December 19th, 2011 at 10:40 AM ^

Except that there is a difference in saying we no longer consider you committed and you no longer have an offer.  One is the coaches protecting their interests.  The other is Urban Meyer being an ass.

The proof is that we are still recruiting Brown.  Urban's threat looks to carry a death sentence.

Look Up_See Blue

December 19th, 2011 at 10:34 AM ^

He's already been to Michigan numerous times with the exception of an official. Maybe he will get cold feet at some point. I think the only chance we have is if Ohio gets hammered with sanctions, which at this point won't be announced until next year.

In reply to by Look Up_See Blue

hart20

December 19th, 2011 at 10:53 AM ^

Are being announced this week. At least that's what some people on this board and a few others are saying. A part of me believes that the only sanction that Ohio will get will be that they can no longer serve cream cheese with bagels at team breakfasts.

One Inch Woody…

December 19th, 2011 at 10:41 AM ^

Michigan, I believe, has not pulled any offers to any highly rated prospects even if they've commited to other schools (Armani Reeves, for example). The scholarship offer still exists for the recruit if they want to come play here. What Urban is doing is straight up classless. Tell all the kids who grew up rooting for Ohio State that if they visit anywhere besides Ohio State, they no longer have an opportunity to go there.

One Inch Woody…

December 19th, 2011 at 11:32 AM ^

No we don't.

Pharoah Brown received a visit by Mattison after he went to visit Oregon. He's just no longer committed. It's not like we've told Pharoah he can never show his face here again. Our coaches want our commits to stay committed. The offers, on the other hand, don't change. Pharoah can still commit again if he wants to.

maizenbluenc

December 19th, 2011 at 10:56 AM ^

Meyer plays with brass tacks: "are you in our out?" A month and a half out from signing day, I think it is fair to get your ducks lined up, figure out which ones are still waddling around, and plug the holes with solid commits.

On the flip - all these people saying "we didn't want him anyway. Good riddance." Nice, classy ...

My take: it is Brionte's choice, and I can totally understand if he is torn both ways, but thinks going to his home state school is probably the way to go. To which I would say, thanks for your consideration, I think you made a good choice but not the best one, and I look forward to watching Michigan compete against you on the playing field.

Who knows, maybe we still have a shot anyway.

elaydin

December 19th, 2011 at 10:57 AM ^

Prospects can change their mind.  No reason coaches can't.

Recruiting is hard enough without kids comitting, then looking else where.  It makes planning difficult.  This just removes a variable.

That being said, this is the first I've heard of this with Dunn.  However, there were rumors that the same thing happened with Ryan Shazier and Meyer, and in that case, it back fired on Meyer.

 

WolverineLake

December 19th, 2011 at 10:58 AM ^

  So, even thought Meyer bent over backwards to get this guy on an official he'd pull the offer?  Of a 5-star talent?  From Ohio?  I'm calling BS.  (Not on the OP's insider information, but Meyer's actual resolve.)

 

  From a negotiatons point of view, that's SMRT.  He effectively told Dunn to, right here and now, make up your mind.  Either choose Ohio now and lose it forever, or risk going to a Michigan OV and not loving it.  No second chances.  Here and now or gone forever.  If I were an 18 year old kid with stars in my eyes, it's an easy choice.  Also makes more sense why he was suddenly 150% Buckeye.  "No Urban, don't pull my offer!!"

 

  Well, at least Hoke & Co. know what they are up against.  I'm curious to see how this plays out when we've got a recruit with a bona fide option between UM and Ohio.  I'm still thrilled to have who we have ... Urban's tricks will catch up to him eventually.

MgoblueAF

December 19th, 2011 at 11:06 AM ^

I'll get negged for this, but this was a good move by Meyer. I'm actually surprised Ohio let him tinker back and forth this long.
<br>
<br>The difference here whch doesn't make Meyer evil is that Dunn has had countless talks and visits to figure out what UM has to offer. If he doesn't know by now, it's just because he was waiting on sanctions. Simply said, he's already gotten his chances at exploring.

Magnus

December 19th, 2011 at 11:21 AM ^

I'm guessing the reason Fickell allowed Dunn to waffle for so long was because Fickell doesn't have the clout to do so.  He was an interim coach holding the place of a fired coach for a school facing sanctions.  He couldn't exactly strong-arm recruits, because being a dick on top of all that is probably a bad idea.

On the other hand, Urban Meyer has won two national championships and doesn't have "interim" in front of his title.  He can do these sorts of things and, whether it's dickish or not, has the clout to back it up.

Tater

December 19th, 2011 at 11:26 AM ^

I feel like Urban Meyer is lying to recruits and telling them there will be no further sanctions.  I hope Ohio actually gets punished and it blows up in his face.  I'm not giving up on Brionte Dunn quite yet.

Vader

December 19th, 2011 at 11:33 AM ^

So much for acting in the best interest of the kid. Forcing him into the most important decision of his football life. What a great guy

Magnus

December 19th, 2011 at 11:50 AM ^

Some of you people are such hypocrites.

This is almost exactly - if not exactly - what Hoke is doing.  Michigan has reportedly stopped recruiting Pharaoh Brown for taking a visit to Oregon.

Furthermore, Urban Meyer isn't "forcing" Dunn into a decision.  Dunn has already visited Michigan at least twice (unofficially).  Dunn has been waiting for the results of the NCAA investigation to make his decision.  Once the penalties come down, he will still be able to decide for Michigan if he wants.  I'm sure he has enough information from his Michigan visits to determine whether he wants to play in Ann Arbor or not.

If you look at one bit of information ("Urban Meyer said he'll pull Dunn's offer if he visits Michigan"), then it seems heavy-handed...

...until you look at the big picture and add some context.  And then it's not really important at all.

mgowill

December 19th, 2011 at 12:02 PM ^

I will be the first to admit, that without looking at all the evidence that I have now, that I do look like a hypocrite in my earlier posts.  I think my reaction went from -

Urban Meyer just bullied a kid

to

Urban Meyer did what Hoke probably would have done

 

I felt like there was a difference in the two because of the Brown situation.  Now that you have reported that we dropped all ties with him, there doesn't appear to be any difference whatsoever.  I guess I was looking to take a shot at Meyer and stand on my righteous pedestal, but it appears that stance is inappropriate now with the given information.

bluenyc

December 19th, 2011 at 12:08 PM ^

We all can be hypocritical at times.  The difference is really marginal to none.  It's the interpretation of the wording that people are following.  did brionte tell the OSU staff that he would be visiting us?  if he was straight foward about it, there lies some difference.  i dont think brown told hoke and staff.  but, basically, it's the same results, no matter how ones gets to the point.

fatbastard

December 19th, 2011 at 10:20 PM ^

Well, I probably agree.  However, if that is what went down, and I don't doubt it, there may yet be a window for Dunn ....

His Michigan offer is still there.  He's been here enough to know what we're all about, and doesn't need to take an official.  Just sayin' that I feel a little better about our chances in light of this development than I did last week when I hear the news.