Opening the South Florida Pipeline through Satellites
You have to love the Nostradamus Bucknut types who said this 7 months ago: "Desperate coaches do desperate things."
https://www.eiseverywhere.com/file_uploads/709fe06a1ed6becf075ec4fa316aed52_CampFlyer.pdf
The South Florida recruiting grounds have so much talent, making recent recruiting gets there a real threat to FSU, UF and Miami long term. This was much more strategic then most people realized, especially when you look at the venue of the camp. Which is kind of unusual beacuase Stephen Ross being an alumni and having a Stadium. Anyone know what other strategic recruiting areas (besides AL and NJ) that are going to be a steady permanent pipeline areas under Harbaugh i.e. certain areas in Texas and California?
December 18th, 2015 at 9:25 AM ^
I would say the contiguous U.S. for now and maybe branch out to Hawaii/Alaska and then the U.S. Territories
December 18th, 2015 at 9:33 AM ^
December 18th, 2015 at 9:35 AM ^
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December 18th, 2015 at 9:45 AM ^
If they're good....
December 18th, 2015 at 11:54 AM ^
the girlfriends?
December 18th, 2015 at 12:13 PM ^
Sure. Why not. But they have to be hot too.
December 18th, 2015 at 11:19 PM ^
I'm in
December 18th, 2015 at 11:18 AM ^
Has underrated Eskimo linebacker JuJu jones ! Can smash through an igloo with no pads on
December 18th, 2015 at 12:49 PM ^
Austrailia is in play. Every team needs a punter.
December 18th, 2015 at 9:24 AM ^
1 notable commit (Bush Jr) in FL and we're talking about it being a permanent recruiting pipeline already?
December 18th, 2015 at 9:29 AM ^
I count 5 from the South Florida area, but I trust the coaches more than the recruiting sites.
December 18th, 2015 at 9:33 AM ^
December 18th, 2015 at 9:43 AM ^
We beat out louisville for Gil
Colorado and FAU for Mettelus
Yea we got those guys, but he said "a real threat to FSU, UF and Miami long term". I wouldn't feel ready to make such a bold proclamation.
December 18th, 2015 at 9:46 AM ^
I realize that Walker is from Jersey, but we've had two highly sought after players choose us over Florida State this week. If I'm Jimbob, I'd disagree with your threat assessment.
December 18th, 2015 at 9:47 AM ^
FSU got in the game late for Walker, but that's not what I mean....The Big 3 FL schools will, in general, continue to have their pick of talent in that state. Occasionally Michigan will get a big prospect from NJ, Florida, Cali, Texas, though.
December 18th, 2015 at 9:54 AM ^
I think that with a premium commodity at coach, those rules change a bit. I agree with you that we won't take over the state, but I don't think we'll leave empty handed as we have in the past.
December 18th, 2015 at 9:46 AM ^
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December 18th, 2015 at 9:47 AM ^
We also beat out FSU for Shelton Johnson last year, I believe.
December 18th, 2015 at 9:58 AM ^
That's true. I think this thread was started in reference to the satellite camps, though, and Shelton Johnson signed in February, four months before the camps started.
December 18th, 2015 at 10:19 AM ^
I thought Gil was from Omaha.
December 18th, 2015 at 9:38 AM ^
I honestly think that a large reason we are taking 2* and 3* guys from Georgia and Florida is to build a pipeline for more highly regarded recruits in the future. Not that those guys don't merit the offer, but Harbaugh seems to be targeting specific schools to get his foot in the door. That's why we have so many sets of teammates coming in.
December 18th, 2015 at 9:45 AM ^
There's a real chance guys like Rashad Weaver and Sir Patrick Scott, etc, might not end up in the class. Signing Day is going to look very different.
December 18th, 2015 at 9:51 AM ^
Neither of which are Prattville or Flanagan guys. Scott isn't even from the south.
December 18th, 2015 at 9:53 AM ^
large reason we are taking 2* and 3* guys from Georgia and Florida
Weaver is from Florida, correct?
December 18th, 2015 at 9:54 AM ^
Okay. I'll give you partial credit, then.
December 18th, 2015 at 9:52 AM ^
but didn't we do something similar with Denard and a less-heralded teammate Adrian Witty?
I mean look at what we are doing in New Jersey. I'm sure it helps with familiarity to have fellow players from the same state or region. One has to think Rashan Gary sees this as a positive and eventually punches his ticket to Ann Arbor.
Fun Fact: Adrian Witty is still playing college football for UC Bearcats. Look it up. Like 6th year medical hardship senior or something. Yeah, he's 25.
December 18th, 2015 at 11:50 AM ^
The difference in NJ is that the catalyst there was a can't miss 5* with a very high profile...
I do agree that getting the familiarity/trust of the coaches will pay dividends, but IMO I don't think the staff is taking lower rated guys to establish pipelines when we have limited spots and many positions of need.
December 18th, 2015 at 5:52 PM ^
NJ is a different situation. It's in the B1G footprint and is much closer to MI without the huge weather issue you see with some southern recruits.
December 18th, 2015 at 10:46 AM ^
Well the 5 for '16, and the 3 (who will all play next year) more in '15. I would have to say the work done in S.Florida has been undeniably significant.
Harbaugh has done well in not only in Florida, but obviously NJ. Texas is starting to looking promising as well with Elliott and potentially Jean Delance.
Recruiting on a national scale is wayyy more exciting than just hitting the midwest
December 18th, 2015 at 9:38 AM ^
Because how would any of us know?
But whatever, I'll answer it without trolling. Georgia.
Gerogia churns out D1 prospects at a similar rate to Florida, Texas and Cali. In fact, I think they're #4 right behind the big 3.
OH, PA, LA are all hotspots as well, but Georgia.
December 18th, 2015 at 9:49 AM ^
Per Capita Rankings :
Lousiana
Alabama
Florida
Georgia.
I think Georgia is a real good spot to start hitting on and if Smart cant get things going these kids are going to look elsewhere. I trust the staff is onto this notion and knows what they are doing and will start attacking other states with rich talent as they did Florida this year.
December 18th, 2015 at 9:55 AM ^
Right. Follow the offers. That's all you can do.
By my count, Michigan has offered 24 players in Georgia for the class of 2017. That's roughly one-sixth of their offers so far. So when 16% of your offers are going to one state far away, I'd say that's a pretty good indication of a place Harbaugh wants to recruit. So far it has panned out with Taylor and Holloman.
December 18th, 2015 at 10:03 AM ^
We should have a Tongan fullback and an Australian punter on the team at all times.
December 18th, 2015 at 9:52 AM ^
Leroy Hoard, James Hall, Chris Howard, Anthony Thomas. Those are some good building blocks to get more guys. Plus LSU is the only competition in that state. Considering LA is right next door to Texas, it also makes it easier to drop in on kids when going back and forth to TX.
December 18th, 2015 at 9:59 AM ^
True. And the Mad Hatter is likely gone after next year. Even if he's not, his stronghold has to be suffering due to the hot seat.
December 18th, 2015 at 10:09 AM ^
December 18th, 2015 at 10:05 AM ^
As Carlos Spicyweiner said, we are not a "threat" to the big Florida programs yet. Not when recruiting Florida's top prospects.
OSU has been signing some of Florida and Georgia's best players for the last few years. They are much more of a threat in SEC country than we currently are.
December 18th, 2015 at 10:12 AM ^
December 18th, 2015 at 10:56 AM ^
Considering that we have virtually stopped recruiting Ohio, building these pipelines in places like South Florida is a strategic endeavor for us.
December 18th, 2015 at 11:18 AM ^
I will admit that I've been curious as to why that might be, considering that Michigan recruited Ohio heavily in the past. I wonder if it is something relatively simple such as the relationships that the current staffs have when it comes to recruiting being largely elsewhere, but all the same, this staff has its hands in places where the talent is the most plentiful, it seems.
December 18th, 2015 at 12:20 PM ^
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December 18th, 2015 at 2:58 PM ^
will be easier after a successful 2016 recruiting class since that is where Urban will guard the strongest. Plus, Harbaugh knows he was already in a hole trying to recruit in Ohio for 2016.
December 18th, 2015 at 3:22 PM ^
There was a good article on here about that. I think Brian may have indicated that his take is that we aren't necessarily AVOIDING Ohio, but that we haven't gotten around to targeting it yet, either. I mean, we did pick up an Ohio HS coach for a recruiting position, right? I'm sure we'll be sneaking around in OSU's backyard sooner or later.
December 18th, 2015 at 11:19 AM ^
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December 18th, 2015 at 6:57 PM ^
December 18th, 2015 at 7:35 PM ^
It probably doesn't us (and others) being able to recruit in Texas when Charlie Strong and UT are struggling.