MrVociferous

August 25th, 2012 at 6:48 PM ^

I think we're definitely #2, but a distant #2.  But who knows, 17-18 year old kids are fickle and its a long ways to signing day.  Which leaves plenty of tiem for Auburn to (finally) get caught by the NCAA.

Candyman

August 25th, 2012 at 8:33 PM ^

There were easily as many people saying Poggi would go to Alabama as there were people saying he would go to Michigan. Green is in the same boat. It's very rare to get a consensus in recruiting before the player makes an announcement, and neither Poggi nor Green at all quaifies. What the "conventional wisdom" is will vary based on what people you're listening to, so obviously that kind of information is going to be inaccurate much more often than it's accurate.

The Baughz

August 25th, 2012 at 6:49 PM ^

I watched Derrick Green's game today on espnu and I came away very impressed. This dude is a beast. Very well put together for a high school kid. I really hope he chooses the good guys. I hope Michigan starts strong and Auburn struggles early in the season. Maybe that will help sway his mind to choose us.

ThadMattasagoblin

August 25th, 2012 at 6:56 PM ^

IIRC, Poggi was going to go to Michigan in April then he was most definitely going to Bama during the month of May.  I'm just saying that you know nothing about the kid from a couple of tweets, and he said almost the same things about Michigan at the BBQ as he did with Auburn last week.

Logan88

August 25th, 2012 at 7:31 PM ^

Will it really take that long for Auburn's check to clear?

For those who love to neg anyone hinting at unsubstantiated impropriety by other schools...this is a JOKE...sort of.

MichiganMan2424

August 25th, 2012 at 8:08 PM ^

I'm actually fairly confident in our chances with Green. We're in his top two no doubt with Auburn.

If academics are truely high on his list, we have a huge advantage there.

If he wants to play right away, I think he has a better chance here as well.

Touissant will be a RS Senior so after he's gone the competition will be wide open between him, Rawls, Smith, and the rest of the backs. He could definitely play as a freshman even just as a change of pace back or a goalline bruiser, so he could play right away. And while I don't want him to, there's a slight chance Touissant enters the draft if he does well enough, so that would open up playing time right away.

In 2013, Auburn will have a RB named Tre Mason who will be a true junior and will almost definitely be the starter, he's currently the second string back and played as a freshman as well. And depending on the route Javon Robinson takes, he could potentially re-enroll in Auburn as a 2013 recruit, and he's a talented 4 star RB who would challenge Green for time.

If he wants to decide in October, he already has us penciled in as a visit for October 20th. If he were to decide in Ocotber, that means that unless he visits Auburn the next week vs Texas A&M, we would have the last visit, which would bode well for us.

And looking at Auburn's schedule, they have a brutal first 2 months. They play Clemson in Georgia, at Mississippi State, vs LSU, vs Arkansas, at Vanderbilt, and vs Texas A&M are all games they have before the end of October, and all are very loseable. If they struggle early on, that may change his opinion of them a lot.

They also have a new OC, former Michigan QB Scott Loeffler, so how the Auburn Offense performs under him matters as well.

Auburn is also the presumed favorite for top RB Greg Bryant. If he committs to them before Green, it's assumed they won't have room for Green, and once again, that makes us the favorite.

Now all of this could very well be me with my Maize & Blue glasses on, but I really think he have a legit shot with him, and after his reaction to his first visit here, I really think we have a good shot.

 

In reply to by MichiganMan2424

Commie_High96

August 25th, 2012 at 8:16 PM ^

Fitz is gone after this year, do you think they plan on having 3 backs in this class if Fitz sticks around? Where do you think those extra three spots came from for this years class that is ow going to be 24-25 with only 21 scholies to offer?

In reply to by MichiganMan2424

denardogasm

August 25th, 2012 at 8:54 PM ^

In 2013, [Michigan] will have a RB named [Thomas Rawls] who will be a true junior and will almost definitely be the starter, he's currently the second string back and played as a freshman as well.

Sound familiar? Nice try.

MichiganMan2424

August 25th, 2012 at 9:25 PM ^

In 2013, Touissant will still be the starter, assuming he doesn't leave early, so that's wrong to begin with.

Also I don't know if I'd call Rawls the second string back, considering Vincent Smith is going to be getting a ton of playing time as well. He'd be the starter if Touissant went down/doesn't play due to suspension, but Smith will also be getting significant playing time as well.

Green would have a chance to start in 2014, when it would be a 2nd year Green vs a 4th year Rawls, both with 0 years starting experience. Assuming Green is as advertised and isn't a bust, I wouldn't be surprised if he surpases Rawls.

In Auburn's case, it would be a true freshman Green battling a 3rd year Mason. I'd expect a 3rd year player who has played significantly in the two years prior and was a top 200 player to beat out a true freshman, regardless of how talented he is. So Mason would presumable be the starter in 2013, and hold the role in 2014 as well, making it harder for Green to play right away.

In reply to by MichiganMan2424

denardogasm

August 25th, 2012 at 9:41 PM ^

Im actually with you in that i dont know why everyone's so sure Fitz is gone after this year, but everyone seems to be on the bandwagon so i'm starting to think i'm out of the loop on something. As far as Green beating out Rawls though, I think your putting too much stock in the rivals guys. Rawls has been getting rave reviews from our own coaching staff for playing the exact same bowling ball style as Green, and thats in college. He'll also have more experience. Rawls was always touted as an under the radar beast around these parts so I dont see why he wouldn't stay ahead of Green. I think at this point, to assume a current high schooler will beat out our backup rb as a senior who's looking very good as a sophomore is foolish.

Don

August 25th, 2012 at 8:26 PM ^

If I had a fiver for every recruit we've gone after who's said "academics are very important to me" who then committed to a school nowhere near to UM in academic standing, I could take Brady and Al and Greg to the Chop House, including cigars and brandy.

Kids always say it, and they rarely mean it.

Mr Miggle

August 25th, 2012 at 9:49 PM ^

So let's just say I'm a hard working HS senior with a B- average and comparable board scores. I truly care about academics. Where will I be better off, at MSU or MIT?

The recruits with high GPAs who talk about academics are usually looking for a highly ranked school or program, just like they would be doing if they weren't athletes. The academic concerns for many other recruits should be different. They could be focused on going somewhere they will fit in academically and have a good chance to graduate. While they may choose a school far below UM, it will often be above what they could have gotten into without an athletic scholarship. I find it hard to criticize those choices by recruits who say academics are very important to them.

 

Carcajous

August 26th, 2012 at 11:06 AM ^

I'd argue that they almost always mean it.  It is just they mean something different than you do.

When an football recruit says "academics" are important they likely mean academic support, assistance getting through the academic program, etc.  They mean they want to see an AD that is committed to helping them get through.  They don't mean "academic standing of the institution."  If they did, Stanford, Vandy, Virginia, etc. would be recruiting juggernauts.  

there_in_2005

August 25th, 2012 at 8:39 PM ^

everybody continues to focus on how well put together this kid is. i hope those who are impressed realize that, in addition to a large frame, he has matured much earlier than others in high school, and this advantage is going to dissipate in college. running backs at high-level colleges are pretty well put together. that's not what defines them. let's talk about vision and making people miss. the fact that he looks like a linebacker at age 17 does not cut it for me.

MGoStrength

August 25th, 2012 at 8:47 PM ^

What little footage there was of in that clip was impressive...big, strong, and fast.  He just plowed over some dude.  I would love to have him in our backfield.  He said academics and playing early are his biggest concerns.  He would only have to sit behind Fitz for a year...I'd guess he'd have a better track of playing early with us than Auburn.

mattkleppe

August 25th, 2012 at 9:27 PM ^

Interesting that both backs played on national tv today. I caught bits and pieces of each game...from what I saw DG looked more impressive. How much of this was due to a talent disparity in opponents is up for debate, but I would love to see Bryant commit to Auburn and make Green's decision to commit to U of M all the more obvious.