Monday Recruitin' Balls Too Hard
Today's recruiting roundup covers the latest on Derrick Green and Laquon Treadwell (this has been a recorded message), Cameron Hunt getting a little too hype, and more.
Hello, Brooklyn?
The current front page of The Wolverine teases a Mike Farrell video interview with VA RB Derrick Green, and the headline speaks for itself: "Green says Michigan has the edge". Lo and behold, that's exactly what he said($), confirming what most have presumed since Auburn and Tennessee fired their respective head coaches.
Green does, however, say that he's still open to other schools—and says recruiting is "picking up again," so it sounds like new schools are in contact with him—and his recruitment could stretch to signing day. That's a change from his earlier intentions to enroll early, and one that doesn't favor the Wolverines—Green's only visited Michigan, Auburn, and Tennessee, and would obviously be the favorite if he chose without seeing other schools.
Josh Helmholdt catches up with IL WR Laquon Treadwell, who says he still has Ole Miss out in front, followed by Oklahoma, then Oklahoma State and Michigan ($). Treadwell previously took an official to Ole Miss and will take his to Oklahoma this weekend; he hasn't scheduled any further officials but leaves open the possibility for the other two schools in his top four; he's eliminated any other schools from contention.
As you're probably well aware at this point, former Michigan commit Gareon Conley pledged to Ohio State last weekend during his official visit. The Wolverines will obviously keep pursuing Leon McQuay III, and it looks like they've already identified their backup plan for Conley: OH CB Reon Dawson, and Illinois commit who was offered last week.
[Hit THE JUMP for an update on Cameron Hunt, interest in a new '13 prospect, and more.]
Don't Let Me Get In My Zone
CA OL Cameron Hunt, still a Cal commit for now, was originally scheduled to take an official visit to Michigan this weekend, but that won't happen until January as his team advanced in the state playoffs. Scout's Greg Biggins has the latest on Hunt, who details a rather frightening incident from last weekend's playoff game ($) [emphasis mine]:
Hunt started to cramp in the second half and it got so bad, he had to leave the game and be taken to the hospital.
“I drank a ton of water and ate two banana’s [sic] before the game,” Hunt said. “It was kind of scary but my calf started to cramp and then my whole body cramped up, I couldn’t move. I went to the hospital and they said I had so much adrenaline in the 1st half, that in the 2nd half, my body couldn’t take it. My kidneys released some hormone for my body to stop and it made me cramp up and go in to shock.["]
Hunt was released from the hospital the next morning and says he's fine to play this weekend, so this was thankfully a temporary issue. He says he'll "for sure" visit Michigan in January, and he may not be a Cal commit by that time—he's waiting to hear if the Bears retain their OL coach, a decision that could come down as soon as today. If he's gone, Hunt likely is as well.
Etc.
GBW's Kyle Bogenshutz reports that Michigan is in contact with another 2013 prospect committed to a school undergoing a coaching change, this time CT LB Marquis Little, a Boston College commitment ($). The article contains the likely explanation for why the Wolverines have begun pursuing linebacker recruits again [emphasis mine]:
“Apparently [Coach Mallory] told Marquis you’re our number one guy that we’re looking at and he mentioned that somebody had a knee injury on the team or a recruit and that opened the door for a scholarship,” said Pizzoferrato. “At that moment that he left here on a Tuesday he was going to get back to us later on that night and speak to Marquis’s mom about getting them out to Michigan.”
This is almost certainly not an issue with a current commit—Ben Gedeon and Mike McCray are just fine, thanks—but freshman Kaleb Ringer missed the 2012 season after undergoing knee surgery last August. His status hasn't been updated since the offseason.
As it stands, Little doesn't have an offer but could take a visit; like Hunt, he's waiting to see how many BC coaches are retained before making a decision on his commitment status.
Dawgman.com reports that MD OL Na'Ty Rodgers, one of Michigan's top targets on the offensive line, has a top three of Washington, Maryland, and South Carolina, in no particular order ($).
Tremendous gets an update with 2014 Florida prospects Mason Cole and Artavis Scott. Cole has Michigan and Notre Dame atop his list and would like to make his decision this summer. He and Scott maintain that they would like to attend the same school together.
Tremendous also has a primer on 2014 offensive line prospects.
December 10th, 2012 at 7:01 PM ^
I think that might have been the case on ESPN (though I'm not positive), but ESPN isn't that great with their recruiting coverage so...meh.
December 10th, 2012 at 5:31 PM ^
Whether we get Treadwell or not (probably not), I'll feel good about the closing of this class if we get Dawson and Green. Anyone else big (LM3) would be a bonus.
December 10th, 2012 at 7:38 PM ^
December 10th, 2012 at 8:28 PM ^
I don't know who would start first (a lot goes into that), but Smith isn't going to break Hart's rushing record.
December 10th, 2012 at 9:16 PM ^
December 10th, 2012 at 7:53 PM ^
December 10th, 2012 at 8:29 PM ^
Michigan stopped recruiting him.
December 10th, 2012 at 8:11 PM ^
December 10th, 2012 at 8:23 PM ^
I have a feeling some.........roster management is about to come about there. I think some recruits are going to be encouraged to look elsewhere, along with grayshirting, non-qualifiers and other madness. Doubt that number holds up through NSD.
December 10th, 2012 at 8:20 PM ^
December 10th, 2012 at 8:25 PM ^
LOL, me too.
That said, I don't think we get any of the three five stars remaining. Treadwell has been long gone, Green would have joined up already if he were going to(my opinion), and McQuay seems destined for one of the Southern schools as well. I think Dawson comes back in the fold and then the staff goes looking for two sleepers to round out the class and presses with Deveon Smith as the prime RB this year.
December 10th, 2012 at 8:44 PM ^
I'm hoping the staff gets Dawson back in the mix and then tells Green, Treadwell and LMIII first 2 to say yes are in. If all 3 end up some place else I'd be fine with just taking 23 this year.
December 11th, 2012 at 7:51 PM ^
I, too have been looking to hear more about Dawson. Seems like he may come in on the 14th, get a kick in the pants and get his offer back (assuming one of the other OGs doesn't commit first).
Is Dawson, Green AND McQuay out of the question?
December 11th, 2012 at 12:38 AM ^
December 11th, 2012 at 12:48 AM ^
Have you seen Michigan's class? What about it makes you think that the only great player Michigan has committed is Shane?
December 11th, 2012 at 7:54 AM ^
it doesn't matter that we hauling in great guys in the trenches. /s Seriously though, kids go by what they see. If you're a running back or wide receiver, we haven't shown how they are going to get highlighted, and thus they are listening to other coaches telling them how other schools will get them to the NFL. Unless the redshirt OLine has a break through year next year, I think we suffer one more year in this mire. Plus the Hoke/Borges manball run first penchant is going to hurt us versus passing spread teams for top WR prospects. The coaching staff is building inside out though. Assuming Borges moves out of his DeBord choke phase, this will get better.
December 11th, 2012 at 7:55 PM ^
December 11th, 2012 at 1:48 AM ^
It would be nice to pull in one or two of the top recruits left. Overall, I think the coaches are doing one heck of a job. In a few years the 5* will come a knocking at our door!
December 11th, 2012 at 6:33 AM ^
December 11th, 2012 at 8:02 PM ^
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