Commmitments, why now?
I was just wondering if anyone has a theory why the committments have rolled in like this. I've only been following recruiting like this for a few years but I never remember anything like this happening. I know there was a huge visit yesterday but still.....
February 19th, 2012 at 7:54 PM ^
cuse were michigan!
February 19th, 2012 at 8:04 PM ^
*FERGODSAKES!
February 19th, 2012 at 7:54 PM ^
February 19th, 2012 at 7:55 PM ^
Why not?
February 19th, 2012 at 7:55 PM ^
Because recruits are like dominos!
February 20th, 2012 at 10:15 AM ^
fergodsakes!
February 19th, 2012 at 7:55 PM ^
Do you ask a dolphin how it swims?
No.
Or an eagle how it flies?
No.
That's right, you don't! Because that's what they were *made* to do!
February 19th, 2012 at 10:18 PM ^
Brady Hoke gon' bring the game back...and spit that Ramo on the train tracks.
February 20th, 2012 at 9:36 AM ^
....may god forgive me
February 19th, 2012 at 7:55 PM ^
Fergodsakes.
February 19th, 2012 at 7:56 PM ^
I think last season set a precedent that it's likely the class can be mostly filled very early. Therefore, if you want a spot, you might need to snatch it up quickly.
February 19th, 2012 at 7:56 PM ^
February 19th, 2012 at 7:56 PM ^
Brady Hoke had them goin during the visit this weekend.
Michigan + Brady Hoke Magic = Victory.
February 19th, 2012 at 7:57 PM ^
Go to tremendouses page and you will find out.
February 19th, 2012 at 10:07 PM ^
That was a really good piece from Tremendous...thank you for the link.
February 20th, 2012 at 9:09 AM ^
I think I need an intervention of some sort; I got choked up reading that blog post.
February 19th, 2012 at 7:58 PM ^
Question. Were all these guys on a visit yesterday? Some of them? Or none of them?
February 19th, 2012 at 7:58 PM ^
I'm not certain why, but it's pretty obvious these kids love Hoke and the rest of the staff and feel comfortable early that they aren't going to find a school that is better for them than Michigan.
February 19th, 2012 at 7:59 PM ^
Obviously Kate Upton
February 19th, 2012 at 7:59 PM ^
They want to be a part of national titles, big ten titles, beating ohio, you know the stuff that makes us Michigan.
February 19th, 2012 at 8:09 PM ^
They want to be a part of something that is the TEAM.
February 19th, 2012 at 7:59 PM ^
Positive feedback loop.
February 19th, 2012 at 8:00 PM ^
Most of the elite schools cleaned house. We got 6 yesterday, Florida did just as well with their 6, Texas has a great start to their class, etc. Elite programs can reel in elite talent early and avoid the grueling recruiting trail schedule.
February 19th, 2012 at 8:04 PM ^
Many times, the recruits like to garner attention from multiple schools, and take their time. However, because we've had some pull the trigger some time ago (Shane and Dymonte) and these kids know who they will be playing in front of for several years, some have decided that Michigan will be a good place. We have a head coach who wants the Michigan job to be his last stop, we had a ton of great games this year with great national exposure (UTL, Ohio, Nebraska), and there is a ton of evidence that you shouldn't wait until NSD to join the 2013 class. Think what Logan Tuley-Tillman must be thinking right now? Dude's gotta be a little concerned that if he wants to get in on the class he's gotta chose soon.
February 19th, 2012 at 8:06 PM ^
This domino-effect is a common human reaction to other's cues. Especially in unfamiliar circumstances (like recruiting)
In my opinion, there were 8-10 recruits who felt very strongly about Michigan but didn't really know what to do about that. They all knew or at least knew of one another and thus were watching what the others were doing. They were looking at each other's cues. That's why when a few started saying that they wanted to take their time and explore all their options, that's what they all said.
Yesterday though, the cue started to change. Boesch committed on his visit. Shallman planned to commit on scheduled a radio interview. This sent the cue to the other people on the visit that committing was the appropriate action if you feel similarly. Dawson and Lewis both really like Michigan and thus picked up on the cue (probably after being told about Boesh/Shallman) and committed as well. Fox heard about the recruits committing and did the same.
The ultimate test to this will be in LTT actually commits tonight and goes against what he's been saying for quite some time.
The ultimate caveat on this theory is that I only went my Psych 111 lecture three times.
February 19th, 2012 at 8:09 PM ^
Kate Upton.
February 19th, 2012 at 8:11 PM ^
College gameday was here and an atmosphere much like the Notre Dame football game inside Crisler. That'll bring commits in.
February 19th, 2012 at 8:19 PM ^
February 19th, 2012 at 8:20 PM ^
and they wanted to get their decisions out of the way before then.
February 19th, 2012 at 8:21 PM ^
Because they can.
February 19th, 2012 at 8:25 PM ^
I honestly believe Hoke has created a message about Michigan that resonates for a certain category of recruits. For others it won't, but for those it does, it really does.
February 19th, 2012 at 8:26 PM ^
I swear a kid I played HS football with chose a school because they sent him a t-shirt on his birthday...he was so jacked up about it, he made his commitment that afternoon...kids do things we can't have specific answers to...
with that in mind, winning 11 games, having Hoke and a stellar crew of assistants, being, well MICHIGAN...beating ohio not only in football but now prime time basketball while many recruits were here, it just brings it all to perspective. The fact that so many kids tweet and skype, etc...they all come connected before they set foot on campus. The roll of commits is no doubt part of that jump aboard a ship headed for prosperous shores is contagious.
I've been to more Michigan football games than I can remember...but follwing the game against ND under the lights, I can say I was about as ecstatic as I've been in a long time. The energy in a win like that over a huge rival is very powerful.
February 19th, 2012 at 8:27 PM ^
I don't think this is something we should get used to EVERY year, but getting a lot of commits before June IS. People forget that we had a bunch of guys commit earlier than what were used to LAST year.
And on another note, that's what made January so tough, people had forgotten the job the coaches did all spring/summer and decided to focus on 5-6 players from December to February.
But I think this staff does a great job of identifying kids and offering kids EARLY. They also look for early committments.
As for what happened THIS year, well a few things
#1 You had a big visit weekend...
#2 You had an emotional win over a rival in basketball --- atmosphere was AWESOME.
#3 You had Shane Morris on campus. This may have been the biggest, guys want to win and Shane's a GREAT QB who's looking for guys on his team. He's also a cool guy who guys want to play with.
#4 Momentum --- Once we got a couple, I'm sure there was some pressure or some feeling for everyone to commit. It's like "I love it here, these are my boys, f--- it, I'll come too coach!" "Me too!" "Ahhh, I'll ask my mom, but I want to come too Coach!" The fact that so many of the guys are committing definitely helped others feel like it was okay. They want to be included and on the team and feel like part of the group.
#5 Space...it's clear that we're taking commits early. If you're in a position like Jake Butt where we may only be taking one more TE. And you know Michigan's your leader. Why not commit now. I don't know the whole story, but I feel like Ron Thompson miss the boat last year and was left on the outside looking in (until something else happened that kept him on the outside for good).
#6 Brady Hoke sells MICHIGAN...and MICHIGAN has a lot to offer.
#7...*and this MAY be the biggest reason*...THE TEAM!!! This team is unique like no other. They're truly a family. And I think Michigan has always been and will always been a family...but I don't expect it to stay like THIS. Your star quarterback going to hockey games?! Your TEAM not in the special "we wanna be seen, but not do anything section"...No, they're in the Maize Rage jumping up and down and being just like everyone else. Then you hear stories of when they host recruits and the recruits are astonished at how they all get along, they're brothers, they do anything and everything for one and other.
For a kid getting ready to leave mom for the first time...who wouldn't want to be a part of that? To feel like "I'm leaving home, but I'll be fine --- I'll have my brothers."
And this is infectous because THIS recruiting class will be the SAME way when they get to Michigan. Hence them all committing at the same time, they want to play with and for each other. They'll have their own little family within the family and have a year to grow up, call/text/tweet/facebook, and get to know each other before they ever get to Michigan. That's huge.
February 19th, 2012 at 11:54 PM ^
When I read "space," I thought you would take it in another direction.
February 19th, 2012 at 8:28 PM ^
Shane Morris.
February 19th, 2012 at 9:34 PM ^
February 19th, 2012 at 10:57 PM ^
Wow! Let’s get the Michigan FB coaching staff down to the medical research lab ASAP. They are in the zone and can do no wrong! I just feel they might have something else up their sleeves. Oh, by the way let's get the Powerball and Mega Millions numbers from them for the next drawing.
February 19th, 2012 at 11:26 PM ^
We all woke up and realized that Michigan is awesome.
February 20th, 2012 at 12:44 AM ^
Surely someone has the clip from the Big 10 meetings last year where Hoke was asked, how do you recruit so well? Hoke says "this may sound arrogant but it is what it is, we're Michigan!"
February 20th, 2012 at 1:54 AM ^
Did anyone consider the fact that they came to a crazy basketball game against a hated rival in a crazy atmosphere? And that since Tate Forcier is gone all of our teams are a bunch of cool guys with a cool coach like Hoke? Saturday was super exciting and a ton of fun, especially for new recruits. They all probably bonded and saw what great guys are on the different teams, and then pictured Michigan Stadium, with ten times as many people and even more fan fervor.
February 20th, 2012 at 8:19 AM ^
In todays social media and camp world these kids meet each other earlier and build relationships. I also think this allows kids to talk about the process, and more kids I think are being smart and getting it over with so they can enjoy their senior season. Sure some coaches will continue to call, but most if told to beat it will do so and the kid can just have fun for his last year before college.
I seen a few people say to have Shane Morris DM them on twitter or call them before they committed and similar things from other kids. I point to Facebook and Twitter for the earlier commitments.