Dax Hill tea-leaves.
On a previous article written by Lorenz ($$ so I can't divulge much) Lorenz points out that Dax has a group text going with several other Michigan recruits.
Sam posted an article (also $$ so same rules apply) that Dax's biggest thing is the people he is potentially committed with but wouldn't name which school. From Lorenz's previous post and some other pretty revealing tea-leaves, I feel extra good about getting him now.
Also, Lewis Cine will be in attendance for an UNoffial for Nebraska, I believe.
I hope this is OK to post.
September 12th, 2018 at 11:24 PM ^
Boy could we use him... though the other day someone here claimed they spoke to him and he is all bama.. i hope it was a prankster......
September 12th, 2018 at 11:29 PM ^
They wrote it on the internet. How could it be false?
September 13th, 2018 at 2:46 AM ^
Link?
September 13th, 2018 at 9:44 AM ^
Unless I missed something, he never claimed to actually know anything. He was just a typical gloomy Gus who seeing that it was between Michigan and Bama, said that Michigan had no chance. Another poster sarcastically brought up his talking to Hill.
September 12th, 2018 at 11:31 PM ^
This is one where everything sounds like M has a really good shot, but if he does commit, I won't believe it until he's on the sidelines next fall. Even 'crootin follows some conventions and this one bucks every one of them.
September 12th, 2018 at 11:31 PM ^
I think it's kind of odd that Sam would travel all the way to Tulsa for two days to interview a recruit unless there's something going on that's unusual. I can't recall him doing that for any other individual recruit so far out of region.
Regardless, I can't believe he's going anyplace else than Alabama.
September 12th, 2018 at 11:53 PM ^
Tyler Friday respectfully disagrees.
September 13th, 2018 at 7:00 AM ^
Did Webb go to NJ to spend a weekend seeing Friday and his family? I honestly don't remember.
September 12th, 2018 at 11:57 PM ^
I thought Sam said something on WTKA about how he often goes to see recruits play, but he wanted to actually go and spend a little more time there to have a chance to speak to the player and his family in more detail to get a better feel. I'm not sure if he'll be doing it regularly or just for certain recruits where he's wanting to get a better sense of the situation.
September 13th, 2018 at 12:29 AM ^
I hope he did a good job packing his bags
September 13th, 2018 at 12:03 AM ^
Neither can najee harris!
September 13th, 2018 at 6:20 AM ^
It’s to a point I almost wish Sam was the team’s bagman.
September 13th, 2018 at 9:24 PM ^
shhhhh! You weren't supposed to tell anyone!
September 13th, 2018 at 8:38 AM ^
Sam would travel all the way to Tulsa for two days to interview a recruit unless there's something going on that's unusual.
Not trying to be negative or anything, but listening to Sam's podcast it seems like the visiting recruits thing is an effort to give their readers better, more in-depth information on the small list of remaining targets Michigan has.
Either way, the content should make you feel good about Michigan's chance to land him.
September 12th, 2018 at 11:31 PM ^
Sam has a fresh free one with a bit more detail from the parents. Biggest bits are in the closer (below) which can be read either way but solidifies the idea its a Michigan/Bama battle. Crootin' is fun!
“I think I know which way he’s turning and going,” Mrs. Hill said.
Added Mr. Hill, “I think the visit coming up will solidify some things for him because he goes back and forth.”
September 12th, 2018 at 11:42 PM ^
Based on my reading this could only mean that he is leaning towards Michigan. What would a visit to Michigan help to solidify if not that it's the right fit for him? If he were leaning to Bama the only reason he would visit Michigan would be to remind him that it isn't as good as Bama, which he sort of already knew but wanted to be sure. That's strange logic.
September 13th, 2018 at 9:09 AM ^
Exactly. He repeatedly mentions his relationships with other recruits as being very important...then goes straight into noting Michigan commits he is in conversation with. Evidently Christopher Hinton is an important player here too...would be nice for him to show up this WE. Interesting that Cade is showing up. Cade is a terrific kid and an outstanding leader. I'm not sure exactly how to interpret his attendance but I know he has been very actively recruiting Dax...and this would seem to be a good thing.
I would be fine with the Hinton boys showing up and we have another WE run of recruits :)
September 13th, 2018 at 7:11 AM ^
Reading the article convinces me even more that he's headed to Alabama.
September 13th, 2018 at 8:14 AM ^
Put me down in the same pessimistic curmudgeon until presently surprised as Don here.
Never the less: Dax - Go Blue! Michigan needs you to complete the puzzle. Bama has 'em stacked like cordwood. Playing time and world leading public university education here!
September 13th, 2018 at 8:20 AM ^
After reading the article I can see it either way. He's clearly comfortable with Alabama and seems to have more of a feel for what they are doing there after his recent OV.
On the other hand, the comment Mrs. Hill made about schools telling Dax how they needed him there, etc. made me think that Michigan has the upper hand in how they pitch the university/experience above solely football. Mix that in with the rumor about the group chat he has with UM commits...we'll see how this thing shakes out soon enough, but winning football games will certainly help our cause.
September 13th, 2018 at 9:29 AM ^
The cynic in me thinks of Deshawn Hand and his engineering degree.
September 13th, 2018 at 12:05 PM ^
Especially since Sam confirmed on-air this morning that Dax is interested in pursuing journalism. Guess which state university has a full-fledged Journalism department and which university has a grab-bag department called "Communications."
September 13th, 2018 at 12:29 PM ^
Jeter is a UM fan... players tribune hookup?
September 13th, 2018 at 1:09 PM ^
Actually Bama merged Journalism with Telecommunications and Film into one department "Journalism & Creative Media at the College of Communication & Information Sciences". So yeah, I guess Journalism is still in the title, but the college is a grab bag.
September 13th, 2018 at 3:20 PM ^
I realize all this discussion might be moot since who the hell knows what Daxson Hill really wants to do with his life, but if we're focusing on academic programs that stress journalism, the Alabama program is dramatically more focused on journalism per se than Michigan's department of Communication Studies.
https://lsa.umich.edu/comm/undergraduates.html
You'll have to search the undergrad section at the UM program pretty hard for the word "journalism"—I haven't seen it yet. If it's there, it's buried pretty well.
Yes, the Michigan Difference and all that, but if the kid wants to become an actual working journalist with training in that specific field, UM's going to have to put media guys like Desmond, Charles, Rich Eisen, and Jalen in front of him, and they're not really "journalists" in the old school meaning of the word. They're talking heads on TV.
September 13th, 2018 at 9:33 AM ^
I would add to this that his parents mentioned "the 40 yr plan" which is something I know came directly from Michigan.
September 13th, 2018 at 12:21 PM ^
Recruiting.
September 12th, 2018 at 11:32 PM ^
Sam mentioned this on wtka.
September 12th, 2018 at 11:32 PM ^
No doubt IMO, this group of commits as a whole have been the best recruiters UofM has ever had.
And that's no disrespect to the many staffs, but these kids are closers.
September 12th, 2018 at 11:41 PM ^
Cade McNamara is making a surprise trip to AA to help seal the deal.
Dig the way he does business, a real leader.
September 13th, 2018 at 4:13 PM ^
What part of surprise didn't you understand?
September 13th, 2018 at 5:56 AM ^
They get the coffee. . .
September 12th, 2018 at 11:34 PM ^
We haven't won much and still in it for this. The michigan difference. Let's be honest, if a kid really cares about a good educational experience then bama got nothing on us. Stanford, Washington, NW, ND I can understand but bama in academic ? GTfo
Also for whatever reason M is recruiting well. If we win big this year watch out !
September 12th, 2018 at 11:39 PM ^
I heard Bama has a great engineering program...
September 12th, 2018 at 11:43 PM ^
Was this DeShawn Hand's rationale?
September 13th, 2018 at 12:06 AM ^
....and their dean is a real football guy!!!
September 13th, 2018 at 12:52 AM ^
They have a first class earthquake simulator!
September 13th, 2018 at 6:26 AM ^
Indeed. Alabamy is very good at engineering money bags to magically appear in your left and right hand while engineering your family a Cadilac Escalade in your driveway
September 13th, 2018 at 8:40 AM ^
They are not so good at engineering financial statements to not reflect that their football program spends $16 million more than other programs with no obvious reasons given.
September 13th, 2018 at 5:24 PM ^
What are they possibly spending that extra cash on? The rarely ever travel outside of SEC country, so it can't be travel expenses.
September 13th, 2018 at 11:24 PM ^
It's that burdensome cost of living. You know what they always say: when it comes to real estate and other expenses, Tuscaloosa is like the Manhattan or San Francisco of North Central Alabama.
September 12th, 2018 at 11:40 PM ^
Lots and lots of recruits talk about the importance of academics but it's usually just paying lip service. It's impossible to tell when they're really serious about it.
September 12th, 2018 at 11:48 PM ^
Sure. Not arguing recruits do lip service. Though I am asserting alabama has got nothing better in academics compared to michigan. Period end. If this guy or his parents do actually give a hoot about something more than football then Michigan is the correct choice. And will be for any rational person.
September 13th, 2018 at 6:22 AM ^
If they go to Stanford, they're serious about it.
Welcome to recruiting for Michigan, not quite academically prestigious enough for the nerds, not quite enough success on the field for the jocks.
September 13th, 2018 at 7:18 AM ^
I agree with you. This typical take is silly: unless a recruit chooses the most prestigious school they get into, assuming that it is Michigan, then academics truly aren't important to them. There are many factors for these recruits. Their saying academics is important does not mean academics is the most important or the only factor. Hell, when I chose to go to Michigan, it wasn't the most academically prestigious school that I got into, but there were other factors in my consideration that led to my choice.
By the typical logic, if an admit gets into Stanford and UM and chooses UM, academics weren't really important to him. Hell, if he chooses UM over NU that arguments can also be made.
September 13th, 2018 at 9:49 AM ^
Only stanford over M I'll take. I can argue that Northwestern, Washington, ND etc are all INFERIOR to Michigan in academics. See Medical School, Law School, Business school. End of argument.
September 13th, 2018 at 11:23 AM ^
For the life of me, I can't see how a big time recruit picks Stanford, even if they value academics. Michigan is right there with a number of Stanford disciplines, but if a recruit ever watches a Stanford game, they can see that no one cares about football there. With such an athletic environment gap and a smaller academic one (and of course, weather), it's puzzling how often we come in second to Stanford. I'd be interested in a comparison of the post-playing days lives of football alumni from both schools.
September 13th, 2018 at 11:42 AM ^
Well, even our coach lived there when his dad coached at the school, practiced there with the likes of some Hall of Fame qb types before eventually coaching there himself. And Stanford does have an incredible record in winning the NCAA all-sports trophy almost every year. So, I'd say the athletic environment in Palo Alto can't be all that bad or a difficult choice for certain recruits.
September 13th, 2018 at 12:48 PM ^
Have you ever been to Stanford's campus? I think the setting, the climate and the culture can all be extremely attractive, especially when combined with top academics. To me, it is easy to see why any qualifying football player would want to go there.
September 13th, 2018 at 9:48 AM ^
May be you didn't avail the M degree, but it opened many doors for me which otherwise wouldn't have happened if I went to OSU or some such garbage.
How? I challanged my self and networked. Michigan alumni everywhere and got into my career based on that. Not sure I can replicate it.
Stanford is elite, but Michigan is excellent. Alabama is ...well not so great.