Sam Webb Michigan Football Recruiting Update

Submitted by BlueCube on

Sam Webb has a 2014-2016 recruiting update in the Detroit News. One interesting target is 2015 Offensive Tackle Jake Fruhmorgen son of the former Alabama standout. Many say he is an Alabama lock but his father says he wants him to make his own choice and appears sincere about it. There are some Michigan ties there including him being friends with Tyrone Wheatly Jr. Getting this 4* recruit out of Florida would be great. Let's go Nuss!

Good Article. Link

ama11

January 19th, 2014 at 10:12 AM ^

I was wondering this also. I read on Maize N Brew's interview with Tyree Kinnel that Kinnel says Harris is as good as gone and will decommit, but I haven't heard anything on how Nuss' visit with him went. I hope he doesn't, but if he's gonna do it, I hope he does it now vs. later in the year so M can get in on other talent if Harris is definitely not going to M.

samsoccer7

January 19th, 2014 at 10:57 AM ^

Doesn't sound good in the article, it he also didn't say much overall. We don't know if Harris is just upset about the Borges firing, or if he had other negative things to say about Michigan in general. You would think growing up a Michigan fan he would be susceptible to getting swayed back the other way by Nuss and FJax visiting. Let's see...

evenyoubrutus

January 19th, 2014 at 1:05 PM ^

Sam talked about Harris this morning on the GBW radio hour and (I only tuned in after they started but) he made it sound like we shouldn't be getting our hopes up that Harris will stick with his commitment.  It sounds like the whole process, including interaction with fans on Twitter, is really wearing on him and he doesn't want to talk with the media for a while.  While he hasn't really given any indication as to whether he is wavering it seems like a logical conclusion since he was really close with Borges.

I'm paraphrasing but that was a basic summary of what Webb said on the air about 4 hours ago.

Cold War

January 19th, 2014 at 10:04 AM ^

Making a nearly one hour commute into Ann Arbor gives me a chance to listen to Sam's morning show on the way in. Now I have to hear the podcast of the ones I miss! Time burner!

TheGeneral

January 19th, 2014 at 10:21 AM ^

Harris was tweeting about Stauskas last night. People need to chill. The kid hates the process and the spotlight. Silence means nothing because he doesn't like talking to reporters. If he decides to decommit we'll hear.

Hoke is the ne…

January 19th, 2014 at 10:54 AM ^

not re: tweeting about stauskas (i don't closely follow what these high schoolers tweet about) but more as relates to hating the process/spotlight and not liking to talk to reporters.  main difference is he has already "committed"

i am interested to see if/where borges lands on his feet and whether harris follows based on the good relationship those two appear to have.  has BBrown spoken with or attempted to speak with him?

Victor Valiant

January 19th, 2014 at 10:58 AM ^

Harris is a child. Children are fickle. When I was that age I could barely figure out what shirt to wear to school, let alone what university I was going to play major sports at. He will waiver on his commitment because that is what kids do, they question themselves and their decisions. One way or the other his commitment (or decommitment) will work itself out on the field next year. Calm down.

Ezeh-E

January 19th, 2014 at 11:20 AM ^

Impressive generalities here.  Child, really? Child, please. By 11 they are early adolescents, so at least go with teenager.

Children can be fickle. Teenagers can be fickle. Adults can be fickle.  Of all things to call an athlete who is making a life decision based on a continuously fluid situation, fickle is not the one I'd use.  There is nothing fickle about considering other schools because the coach you built a relationship has been let go.  I'd go with smart or mature instead fickle. 

If he starts talking about wanting to go to a school based on their local candy store, and then changes to say he prefers another school because they have a good fire department, then you can start slinging around fickle.

 

I do agree with your conclusion, however.  Also: Fickle is Einhorn.

Ezeh-E

January 19th, 2014 at 12:05 PM ^

but for clarity, I'm not calling 11-year-olds teenagers.

I'm saying they're early adolescents by 11. So, for Damien Harris (age ~16), I'm not expecting you to use the developmental nomenclature of "adolescent", but at least go with teenager over child.

Child is both incorrect and can be demeaning. I'll let the amateur linguist Chad Ochocinco enlighten you on the intricacies of "child, please".

MaizeBlueCA

January 19th, 2014 at 12:15 PM ^

Is staying Blue. Peppers did the same thing by giving everyone the silent treatment due to false rumors that spread about him, going as far as blasting on twitter for all to see "I don't want to talk to anyone. Unless your name is Sam Webb" #checkyoursources So Harris is in the same situation now as Peppers had been before and is probably sick of it as well. I don't blame him. I understand these are young kids in high school but being highly touted top 10 player in the country, so many people trying to contact you all the time 24-7 for multiple reasons, it takes a different type of kid to want to stay in the center of attention and Harris isn't one of those. I read about a full interview Harris did while camping for junior all star combine. Once I find it I will post the link. But In the interview Harris reaffirmed his verbal commitment and even though Borges' firing was a negative due to his close relationship he and his high school coach has with him, he is committed to Michigan. Harris went on to say his mother is the only person that can pursway him elsewhere but she's been on board with Michigan since there very first visit to Ann Arbor. All n all, I don't think we have anything to worry about.

BlueCube

January 19th, 2014 at 12:41 PM ^

top recruits. He has a OC known for developing top running backs. When he looks at this picture, it has to be tough for another team to beat when you consider he has always been a Michigan fan. Even if he decommits, I don't see him going anywhere.

MGoBlue24

January 19th, 2014 at 12:43 PM ^

but the big picture is Michigan's team rcruiting. I'm just thankful that if we were going to fire a coordinator, that we brought someone on like Nuss who has a great reputation and an impressive resume.

bamf16

January 19th, 2014 at 1:06 PM ^

If he's really up around 290, then obviously he has the weight for the interior of the DL.  But given how Hoke/Mattison like to run the 4-3 DL with the 3 technique, I question how McDowell fits in that scheme.  He's probably not the NT (too tall, not heavy enough, not the body type to occupy two blockers), maybe the 3 technique (though again, his height may be an issue as maybe first step quickness).  I don't see him as the DE.

 

If he's going to end up a 4-3 DE, his weight might actually work against him some.  I'm going to roll with NFL stats b/c they're more valid (different college kids go against a wider range of schemes, level of opposition, etc.)  But here are the top DEs in terms of 2013 sacks.

 

Robert Quinn, DE, 19 sacks, he's 6'4, 264

Greg Hardy, DE, 15 sacks, he's 6'4, 290

Cameron Jordan, DE, 12.5 sacks, he's 6'4, 287

Jared Allen, DE, 11.5 sacks, he's 6'6, 270

Chandler Jones, DE, 11.5 sacks, he's 6'5, 265

Olivier Vernon, DE, 11.5 sacks, he's 6'2, 268

 

No pass rushing DE in the NFL carries the size & weight of Malik McDowell if he truly is 6'6 or 6'7, 290 or 292 as listed on 24/7, Scout and Rivals.  Tha'ts not to say that UM should not pursue him simply because of this (I hardly doubt anyone ever thought a guy 6'5 235 could ever dominate the WR position like Calvin Johnson does) but just to get some discussion about how McDowell would fit, that's what he's up against.  If he does come to UM, Mattison or whomever the next DC is if Mattison retires soon is going to have to likely try something different than the traditional roles for DTs and DEs to accommodate this different size and skillset.  I can't think of any NFL DTs who excel inside at 6'6+.  Who am I missing?

 

Personally, I'd love McDowell as a weakside DE in a 3-4 scheme.

 

 

 

shorts

January 19th, 2014 at 4:33 PM ^

I'm certainly no closet Sparty and I had the same understanding re: McDowell.

Wasn't it just a couple weeks ago when he came out with a top five or six that didn't include Michigan? Not that it necessarily means we have no chance (things can always change in recruiting before Signing Day), but I thought Michigan was not really considered a factor for him at this point.

CalifExile

January 19th, 2014 at 4:51 PM ^

I just googled MM and got the following:

ESPN lists several schools on his list. It appears to be alphabetical except that OSU appears before UM and MSU. It doesn't reflect a degree of interest.

247 lists M, MSU, OSU and Fla. St. as having "warm" interest. I'm surprised Alabama isn't on the list.

Rivals lists those 4 plus LSU with "high" interest.

Scout lists those 5 plus Alabama and Florida with "Medium" interest.

Magnus

January 20th, 2014 at 1:50 AM ^

Nobody really knows what he's thinking. Nobody who claims to know anything actually knows anything. The bottom line is that he's visited/visiting Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, and Florida State. All signs suggest that he will choose one of those schools and sign his National Letter of Intent in a couple weeks. I don't understand why it matters whether Michigan is #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, etc. Do we get an award for finishing #3? No. The only "reward" we get is if we finish #1, and nobody knows whether we will or not.

I'm sorry. I follow recruiting as much as anybody. But all this nonsense about whether Michigan's in his top three or top five or whatever is silly. In this case, "If you ain't first, you're last."

meatchoke

January 20th, 2014 at 9:05 AM ^

Magnus, I couldn't agree with this post more. The up / down flip/flop nature of 'who's going where, based on X information' surely gets old, especially when the true insiders are basically only ever making educated guesses. Some posters assume all recruiting sites are required to be notified by each recruit everyday: what they had for lunch, every thought that pops up into their head, etc. It's insane.

MM indeed has a tough decision to make. It often makes me wonder what would go through my head if I was put into the shoes of a recruit -

MSU surely looks like a great option. At what point does it come into play that Narduzzi will more than likely leave for a head coaching gig before a current recruit graduates?

Will FSU remain on top, after their superstar QB leaves in another year / two max?

Will the tradition / family pull of MI come into play, and if so, how much?

What about OSU? They have looked quite good since Urbs took over, and I doubt that ship will sink anytime soon..

It's no wonder these kids often want to keep to themselves...even from the outside I would have a tough time figuring it out, and I don't have people representing a school filling my head with relevant / non-relevant info.

 

Jimmyisgod

January 21st, 2014 at 10:30 AM ^

Closet Sparty?  Not a chance.  Call it like I see it though, and I would be shocked at this point if we landed McDowell.

I'm basing this off this week's quote from McDowell himself, "I'm just liking Michigan State a lot right now," McDowell said. "It's all the coaches and there's a good chance I can come in and play early. Plus I like the type of weather here because it's cold. I like that."  For a kid who has been extraordinarily tight lipped throughout the process, he's certainly sounding like MSu is his favorite.

Coupled with the fact that Dantonio will have an in home with he and his folks today and it's likely Malik is taking an official to MSU this weekend rather than LSU.  He also talked about OSU being off his list now.

I think McDowell is an important recruiit for us.  He fits what we are trying to build perfectly, but I just don't see him coming here.

 

Magnus

January 20th, 2014 at 1:54 AM ^

At a certain weight, you presumably lose the ability to chase down quarterbacks, beat tackles with a speed rush, etc. Michael Strahan was one of the bigger 4-3 defensive ends in the NFL, and he was 6'5", 275 lbs. I'm not saying McDowell is too big, because frankly, most of these listed recruiting weights are exaggerated (a guy listed at 6'7", 290 lbs. is probably 6'6" and 275 lbs.), but if his body matures as most do, then he's going to be over 300 lbs. soon. He would have to be a freak athlete to manage playing DE at that size.

CoachBP6

January 20th, 2014 at 2:06 AM ^

Kaepernick is a QB that when on he can beat you in so many ways and make a lot of nice throws. However, within him exists an inconsistency that has killed the 49ers in crucial moments in critical games. The kid is very young so I anticipate his game continuing to advance. It will be interesting to see how he responds going forward.