December 4th, 2009 at 5:40 PM ^
Carr "grayshirted" a couple of guys. I remember Joey Sarantos being a grayshirt.
December 4th, 2009 at 2:11 PM ^
i dont think these offers mean all that much. come one week before signing day, a lot of "commitments" are going to be getting courtosey calls informing them that they should look somewhere else.
December 4th, 2009 at 2:15 PM ^
I feel bad having to do that too kids, but as a fan right now I wish we could just stick with those higher rated guys and not fill up our class with guys not as high on the board. I hate loving speculation but, I am interested to see how this all plays out come signing day.
December 4th, 2009 at 2:15 PM ^
Courtosey calls are the worst.
December 4th, 2009 at 2:16 PM ^
but whether the acceptance of the offer is accepted does. RR is not going to accept an acceptance at this stage if he does not want them on the team, he would slow play them like he did with that kid who commited a while ago whose name escapes me.
December 4th, 2009 at 2:19 PM ^
Travis Williams, I think?
December 4th, 2009 at 2:20 PM ^
it's time everyone that is vehemently against this type of situation should brace themselves as it's prevalent at all major programs. i just hope instead of a week before it's closer to a month before. they aren't strongly pursuing this many prospects without the idea of taking some more commitments. essentially, anybody that has been offered or officially visited in the last six wks you can safely assume they will take a commitment from. the ramifications and sorting out of the scholarships will be despised by some so get ready for it. we should abstain from speculating on how the coaches will do this and dropping names though. i just hope the coaches are having open communication with the commitments that this may apply to.
December 4th, 2009 at 2:49 PM ^
Thank you. I didn't realize that I was going to come off as supporting the action with that statement (Nor did I realize that I was spelling like a Buckeye).
I don't like it, at all, but it is what it is. NCAA Football is a cut-throat business. If some feelings have to be hurt to get the best players, then feelings are going to be hurt.
December 4th, 2009 at 2:13 PM ^
defensive players. The rest will have to adjust itself out(code for ugghh think it but dont say it).
December 4th, 2009 at 2:14 PM ^
are taking visits to other schools. It seems that this has been the quietest year in recent memory in terms of news of our verbals taking other visits. Is that the case?
December 4th, 2009 at 2:18 PM ^
that have been rumored to be looking at visits are
1. Gardner = but he squashes the rumors at every turn, so I don't put much stock in them.
2. Terry Talbott = he seems interested in other visits but as of yet hasn't taken any. Also, his coach is good friends with RR so that may help in keeping him in the fold.
Other than that, it's been pretty quiet on any commits taking other visits.
December 4th, 2009 at 2:15 PM ^
OMG HE'S A WHITE SAFETY!
December 4th, 2009 at 2:19 PM ^
20 years ago...
Brad Cochran
Doug Mallory
Dave Ritter
Pat Maloney
Todd Plate
December 4th, 2009 at 2:57 PM ^
Both of Iowa's starting safeties are good(one a first team All-Big Ten player) and yet,..wait for it...white. One is among the leaders in the country in int's and third on the Country charts(kidding about the Country charts).
December 4th, 2009 at 2:33 PM ^
White pigmentation = slow and unathletic!!!
December 4th, 2009 at 2:35 PM ^
White pigmentation = slow and unathletic!!!
(this post smells of sarcasm)
My bad on the double post
December 4th, 2009 at 2:36 PM ^
In an attempt to use Google to find how many white safeties play in the NFL, I accidentally entered what I believe to be a white supremacist website.
If the government comes knocking, I'm blaming you.
December 4th, 2009 at 2:40 PM ^
He's just like Wes Welker!
Jim Leonhard, for serious though, is a short white safety playing in the NFL:
December 4th, 2009 at 2:41 PM ^
Maybe he's the next John Lynch.
December 4th, 2009 at 3:22 PM ^
Or Chuck Cecil.
December 4th, 2009 at 2:17 PM ^
While I know it's high school, at least he plays like a safety, which would be a step in the right direction when compared to our "safeties". The kid looks like he enjoys hitting, closes fast, and reads the play well.
December 4th, 2009 at 2:19 PM ^
We did beat out Bowling Green, Kent State & Air Force for his services.
December 4th, 2009 at 2:37 PM ^
Hahaha...seriously?
December 4th, 2009 at 7:47 PM ^
yeah.. we're robbing these players away from the MAC...
December 4th, 2009 at 2:23 PM ^
Does this put the Murphy-Grimes tandem pending commitment in doubt?
Hankins/Big Tex for Murhpy?
Cullen/Vinopal/Witty replace Grimes?
December 4th, 2009 at 2:44 PM ^
I hope it doesn't mean that.
December 4th, 2009 at 2:32 PM ^
Electric Boogaloo
December 4th, 2009 at 2:43 PM ^
TomVH has talked about how last year quite a few recruits were pressured to take it or leave it. This year, with the exception of Travis Williams, they seem to have accepted whomever got offered and decided to commit. From what it was reported, only Onwukaife was turned down either because we already had enough commits for his position, or he didn't want to switch position. Now there's highly ranked prospects that want to come for visits later or announce on signing day, and here's RR accepting committments from other less buzz-worthy prospects. Asumming that RR will get Michigan rolling at full power again soon, recruits will be competing to get in. On the positive side, we will know who really wants to play for the block M. On the negative side, it seems like we might be missing out on some top recruits that usually like to drag things till signing day. I see some Texas-style recruiting going on in the future here.
December 4th, 2009 at 2:44 PM ^
I guess I just have to put my faith in the people who know what's going on behind the scenes. Also, welcome Ray Vinopal!
December 4th, 2009 at 2:44 PM ^
If this is true, you're right.
December 4th, 2009 at 2:51 PM ^
both sites are reporting it and Scout has quotes from the kid that he talked to RR on Wednesday to commit. He just wanted to wait until after the state title game today to announce.
December 4th, 2009 at 2:44 PM ^
ray vinopal
December 4th, 2009 at 4:30 PM ^
matt damon
December 4th, 2009 at 2:45 PM ^
weird feeling. i admit to not being enthused about this particular commitment.
December 4th, 2009 at 2:47 PM ^
Has anyone clarified whther it is actually Vinopal yet?
December 4th, 2009 at 2:51 PM ^
Rivals and Scout front page.
December 4th, 2009 at 2:47 PM ^
We've gotten this far without anyone using the phrase "player ratings don't matter," or making any reference to Pat White or Colt McCoy.
Oops... my bad.
December 4th, 2009 at 2:50 PM ^
To the OP: just b/c it's premium information on Scout doesn't mean you can't post it here. You arguably can't post the text of the article, but this idea that they can prevent you from sharing facts that they've uncovered is ludicrous. I don't care what it says in their Terms of Use. So, next time, you should feel free to put the commit's name in the title.
December 4th, 2009 at 2:51 PM ^
Sigh, I don't think Michigan will ever land an elite safety prospect ever again, and yes I don't count Marvin Robinson because I think he doesn't have coveted speed and will move to Stevie B's position eventually.
December 4th, 2009 at 2:52 PM ^
He is from Youngstown Carindal Mooney.
It is a football factory. They grow and train football players and they have a rep of being a very physical program.
I'll take a player from Mooney every time. No questions asked.
Rodriguez has really replenished Michigan's ties in the state of Ohio. Our presence in the state, or rather our success recruiting the state, had been lacking from 2005-07. Big time.
The classes that have signed and are being created since his arrival have changed that, and thats a very good thing that foreshadows future on field success.
Michigan cant win they way we want them to unless its #2 in Ohio after you know who. From 2005-07 we were the worst team in the big 10 recruiting Ohio. Go figure that we're the worst actual team in the Big 10 right now.
December 4th, 2009 at 3:01 PM ^
But I was going to note the same general observation--it's not a bad thing that RR is rerouting the Ohio pipeline our way so to speak. If we can just dominate MI, come in 2nd in Ohio, and be in the top 6 in FL, we'd be in pretty good shape I think.
December 4th, 2009 at 3:01 PM ^
That said, it's more difficult to unearth "sleeper" prospects at schools which are highly scouted like Mooney. My guess is the evaluations on this kid are pretty accurate--a pretty smart player who lacks the athleticism of top end prospects.
With 3 +/- a few spots left, and with Knight and Parker still on the board, I'm a little confused on why they're so interested in Vinopal.
Congratulations Ray on becoming a wolverine!
That said, I'm not going to lie, I'm a bit confused and concerned.
December 4th, 2009 at 3:13 PM ^
Iowa did a pretty good job unearthing a sleeper when they signed Darrel Johnson Koulianas a middling 3-star recruit from Carindal Mooney. Or Notre Dame grabbing Kyle McCarthy, the 68th rated athlete overall and meh 3-star from Mooney. I'm pretty sure both were fully scouted and yet sleepers still.
Just sayin.
I think they like him because he knows how to play football. The kids coming out of Mooney are at Mooney to play football. Very well schooled kids as far as football goes. I am guessing he has a high football IQ and it shows on his highlight tape as far as always being in the right place.
I actually think players get downgraded a lot of times at powerhouse schools, because well, they're just more bodies coming out of a system. They dont stand out because they have better teammates than a lot of recruits who are far and away the best on their team.
December 4th, 2009 at 9:13 PM ^
I'll also take a kid who comes out of a program with success. I am tired of watching elite athletes getting beaten out by walk ons for starting positions.
December 4th, 2009 at 4:01 PM ^
I'm pretty sure one of the main reasons I lost so much hair/sleep/self-respect this season was from watching highly athletic individuals continue to make bone-headed decisions, plays.
So I'm glad you've endorsed this new commit as being a smart player - that's music to my ears!
Welcome Ray!
December 4th, 2009 at 3:06 PM ^
And here's another comparison, with a guy I've mentioned already a couple of times on other threads; Chris Borland of Wisconsin. The most outstanding defensive-side freshman in the Big Ten this year, maybe the top-performing freshman, period, in the conference. A Scout 2-star RB from a similar-type program in Ohio, converted to LB. Borland got to Wisconsin in large part because his dad and other familiy and friends had gone there. No other Big Ten interest.
These are all judgment calls that cannot be reduced to scouting-service rankings and numbers of stars, at least not completely. From what I've seen of RR's judgment on kids so far, I like it.
December 4th, 2009 at 3:19 PM ^
Excellent example.
If Michigan had signed Borland last year, I would be saying the exact same thing I am now about Vinopal.
Archbishop Altar. They know football there. I would take their best LB in my recruiting class everytime.
Overall, i just have a lot of respect for the state of Ohio as far as high school football goes. Love that the first three years of RR recruiting have seen Michigan's name all over the place on the state's top-100. A three-star from Ohio is a four-star from most other states, IMHE.
And, given how he's already turned an Ohio recruit that didnt even make the state's top-100 into a starter on the Offensive Line (Omameh), I not only give him the benefit of the doubt on Vinopal, but actually expect this kid to become a player for us.
December 4th, 2009 at 3:25 PM ^
Omameh was offered by Ohio State. Vinopal wasn't even offered by Cincy, an Ohio school who sprays offers everywhere and all around the country like Stanford.
December 4th, 2009 at 3:30 PM ^
Wasnt he offered by OSU like during the week leading up to signing day?
He's the best defensive player at a top flight football program that just won a state title in Ohio.
Thats really all I need to know that the kid has potential.
We'll see if he gets a late snake oil offer by OSU in February
December 4th, 2009 at 3:32 PM ^
day. If he was on their radar, he was low hanging fruit to them. OSU did not put this kid on RR's radar, and he will be starting on the OL next year. Great find.