EGD

October 26th, 2018 at 7:28 AM ^

Okay, but M's misfortunes with 5-star RBs is mostly a fluke.  Grady had a drinking problem.  Baraka got tossed for weed.  Bass tore his knee.  Isaac had fumblitis.

The one 5-star bust I think was actually avoidable was Green.  Yeah, the recruiting websites loved him.  But he wasn't a great athlete and his film was not impressive.  He went down way too easily on contact and wasn't any kind of big play threat.  He probably should have been a 3-star or even 2-star prospect.  Michigan's coaches failed to identify him properly; I don't know if they got suckered by looking at Rivals.com or what, but whatever they saw in Green was fool's gold. 

Honestly, in retrospect I tend to think the main reason M got Green in the first place was that other major programs didn't want him.  IIRC his decision came down to M vs. Tennessee--another big-name program that had a dubious coaching staff at the time.  Plus Hoke had a pattern of swooping up offensive plauers with lots of stars but limited actual talent (Morris, Justice Hayes, Drake Harris, several OL, etc.).  Then there were other 5-star backs, like Damien Harris in particular, who probably would have gone to Michigan if a good coaching staff had been in place.

I realize Kareem Walker was close to a 5-star and didn't pan out.  But Harbaugh has proven he can identify and develop talent.  Sooner or later he's going to sign a 5-star RB and it's going to be awesome.

 

Space Coyote

October 26th, 2018 at 9:22 AM ^

This is hyperbole. In no world was Green a 2-star recruit coming out. Green lacked top end speed, which likely meant he shouldn't have been a 5-star and was a big reason why other big schools that had other prospects wrapped up passed on him. But it is reasonable to see him as a 4-star type recruit as a recruit (not hindsight).

While he lacked top end speed, he had great feet. His tape shows very good vision and ability to pick through holes in the LOS and get north-south. And with his size, had he learned how to run to his strengths, he could have been a very good between the tackles RB. But like with all recruits, there is some projection and a learning curve and things they need to improve on, and sometimes you can't predict that. That Green was never able to appreciate the physical nature of the game, that his size and frame would have flourished with, is a very difficult thing to project.

The other "high-stars, low-talent" guys you named are similar. Morris had high talent. Extremely high talent. He also had some rough edges he needed to clean up. They couldn't be cleaned up. Lots of schools were interested in him. Hayes had some ability that was probably better utilized in a different system, but there was some Demarco Murray traits in there. I could go on and on, but it's a bit revisionist to just claim Hoke went after stars and not talent when lots of schools wanted those same recruits for their talent. It is much more the lack of the staff's ability to develop offensive talent and some bad breaks/fits that some of the talent didn't develop as you'd hope.

Champeen

October 26th, 2018 at 9:25 AM ^

I remember after the army all american game, being completely underwhelmed by Green.  Then thinking it was just a 1 time game and not enough evidence, going back and watching all his film.  I was extremely vocal about, basically, how terrible he was.  It was very obvious.  He was a three star recruit IMO.

I still think Grady should have been a star though.  Im not sure what happened there.  Also think 
Baraka would have been one of the all-timers here too.

Double-D

October 26th, 2018 at 9:38 AM ^

Grady had a few things derail what should have been a solid career.  He played behind Mike Hart as a freshman and still had a promising and productive start.  He was a beast in short yardage and earned respect for his abilities to movie the pile in practice.  

Then we brought in Rich Rod and tHe spread was not really a fit for his style of running.  He didn’t have really quick feet or open field speed but he had good vision.  He also had a few fumbles.  I think in this transition he lost focus, a connection to the coaching staff and became too attracted to booze. 

JPC

October 25th, 2018 at 9:28 PM ^

The new coach smell is wearing off. They should still recruit at an elite level, but probably not out of this world like that last cycle or two. 

HelloHeisman91

October 25th, 2018 at 9:34 PM ^

The Georgia assistants aren't coordinating bag money after a few people were just found guilty in the SDNY.  I wouldn't want to go to jail for being involved in paying a kid either. 

jakerblue

October 25th, 2018 at 9:39 PM ^

The kids are getting smart. They commit so they can get the money. Then they can decommit and get paid again to go somewhere else in the SEC. what’s the first school gonna do, call the feds?

Paps

October 26th, 2018 at 9:15 AM ^

I know this is somewhat tongue-in-cheek, but I, as a life-long Atlanta resident, would be remiss if I didn't at least say that it is an awesome city that you should totally visit if you get a chance... I wouldn't exactly make it a vacation destination, but if you're trying to go to a Super Bowl, CFP game, NCAA final, etc., you would really enjoy your time, I think.

Mr Miggle

October 25th, 2018 at 9:39 PM ^

6 decommits, 5 were in-state. None of them have committed elsewhere. Emery's move is the only one that seems normal, since he's from Louisiana and LSU is unexpectedly good.