brandanomano

January 3rd, 2016 at 11:34 AM ^

We aren't. There's a difference between deceiving kids into signing a LOI and then fucking them over, and parting ways a month before signing day. Recruits often leave their options open after they commit, I don't see what the big deal is if a school does the same thing. Circumstances change and both sides are allowed to change their minds based on that.



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Don

January 3rd, 2016 at 9:45 AM ^

for a lack of integrity when it came to the academic management of UM players when he was a player here, it would be more than a little hypocritical for him to then secure a scholarship for a kid who supposedly needs an "exemption" from UM's academic requirements.

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FrankMurphy

January 3rd, 2016 at 10:01 AM ^

Fair point, but I think Harbaugh's comments were focused more on how players are shuffled into certain majors and discouraged from pursuing other majors rather than the extent to which the admissions bar is lowered for football players. After all, Stanford also recruits players who would have no chance of being admitted if they weren't blue chip athletes.

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Don

January 3rd, 2016 at 10:16 AM ^

but let's be honest—IF Little (or any other player) is supposedly so academically challenged that they need an exemption to get accepted, is there any chance of them undertaking an academic program at Michigan that is comprised of anything but easy courses?

And FWIW, it's far from clear that Little is even the player Webb originally referred to, so this may all be a moot question.

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EThos92

January 3rd, 2016 at 11:41 AM ^

I don't know if the bar for academics for athletics scholarships is severely lower than for general admissions, but if it's not, I wouldn't posit that it makes one academically challenged if they don't meet it. Maybe the kid isn't a genius. I'm not suggesting that Michigan should go that route, but cuffing the football program beyond the rules that are already in place so that Michigan fans can brag about academics while the team continues to get blasted by schools that don't give a shit doesn't seem like the best route either. If Harbaugh wants the kid to play for Michigan, and can make sure he works hard in the classroom once he does, I'm all for it.

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Vote_Crisler_1937

January 3rd, 2016 at 12:28 PM ^

Don,

Please clarify for me: do you think all Michigan football players could get accepted to Michigan academically?

It sounds from your comments that you think an academic exemption is rare or shouldn't be given because of Harbaugh's integrity. In my experience every school tells the coaches each year how many exemptions they get and the coaches fill those spots. There are more than a few recruits each and every year that don't stand a chance of getting in to Michigan but get to because football. Harbaugh has never avoided this to my knowledge.



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Don

January 3rd, 2016 at 1:50 PM ^

No, I'm not that naive. Fielding Yost had players on his squads who were less than academically qualified to be at Michigan while he was coach, and the practice has continued ever since then.

I was simply pointing out the incongruity of our head coach supposedly having no problems with bringing kids into the program who need academic exemptions after he lambasted Michigan for academic policy shortcomings while he was a HC at another institution. I believe Harbaugh's criticism of Michigan was self-serving and disingenuous PR on behalf of his employer at the time—Stanford—that he very conveniently made his peace with when it was time to become coach at Michigan.

 

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Don

January 3rd, 2016 at 1:58 PM ^

"If you don't like JH or the way he does things then you can go cheer for someone else. Personally I don't give a crap if any of our guys can even spell their name, just win."

You proclaim unquestioning loyalty to Jim Harbaugh—who specifically criticized the coaches he played for at Michigan for not allowing him to major in history, and for generally steering players into easy course loads that would not prepare them adequately for life after football—while asserting that you don't give a shit if his players are functionally illiterate.

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ish

January 3rd, 2016 at 10:03 AM ^

Another Scout reporter (i.e. not Sam) conceded that Greg Little is not the guy Sam was referring to and who Brian referenced in the Friday recruiting post. But he wouldn't say anything more than that.



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Rodriguesqe

January 3rd, 2016 at 10:12 AM ^

People always want recruiting latest and  rumors but complain if they don't come to pass.

Not me.

Lie to me. Spit in my face. Treat me like a whore.

When Michigan was about to land Deshawn Hand and Leonard Fournette to go along with Peppers I couldn't have been happier. Who cares how it actually played out.

Why wouldn't Greg Little want to come to Michigan? Best O-line coach in the country, plenty of friends in the class, team is on the up, and Harbaugh.

Flipping the #1 rb from OSU and the #1 OT from the SEC plus landing overall #1 player would be about craziest recruitng storyline I can recall. 

 

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Seth

January 3rd, 2016 at 10:28 AM ^

Take Henson with a grain of salt. He knows John Arbeznick, who gets things from Harbaugh sometimes, but I have never seen any evidence that Harbaugh talks to his friends about recruits.

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UPMichigan

January 3rd, 2016 at 10:43 AM ^

It has been revealed that it is NOT Little. There is someone planning on visiting this month but if the school he's committed to finds out it may railroad the trip from happening really quickly. There will be no hints on who it is.



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LKLIII

January 3rd, 2016 at 10:57 AM ^

FWIW, Edge of the Internet is saying its neither Little nor Upshir. After reading Mr. Yosts essay, I agree with him. Not that we can stop a fan base from talking, but if Harbaugh & crew are on the offense this recruiting season and trying to poach a highly ranked kid from another school, as a group we are much better off just keeping our collective mouths shut and letting them "hunt" in peace.



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LKLIII

January 3rd, 2016 at 11:07 AM ^

Actually if it isn't Little or Upshir maybe we keep talking about them as if it's viable and provide a little misdirection. Reminds me of Gulf War 1 when we landed some special forces on the beach. The media was waiting there as they landed but it was all misdirection if I recall correctly. Anyway, it isn't our best interests to in any way highlight any actual moves Harbaugh may or may not be making right now. We should collectively be going into a "Recruiting Submarine" until NSD.



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Templeton Peck…

January 3rd, 2016 at 11:28 PM ^

It wasn't US Army Special Forces during the Persian Gulf War, and they didn't actually land on the beach. It was a supposed amphibious landing by the Marine Corp. Media members were at a briefing where General Schwartzkopf snowballed them into reporting that there would be an amphibious landing into Iraq, hence the deception. It never actually happened though.

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GoBLUE_SemperFi

January 3rd, 2016 at 11:16 AM ^

But I'm not seeing it sourced by anyone other than Gregg Henson. On top of that, he doesn't seem to have a "source", just a lose interpretation of a recruiting insider's ambiguous update.

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MichiganAggie

January 3rd, 2016 at 11:44 AM ^

Little has had some very shady dealings once his handler took over his recruiting. It was not a surprise Ole Miss then landed his commitment. I don't think Harbaugh would play Little's game.



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Mr. Owl

January 3rd, 2016 at 1:47 PM ^

Throw a bunch of stuff out there.  When you're right, you're first.  When you're not you ignore it & point out the times you guessed right.

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Michology 101

January 3rd, 2016 at 2:38 PM ^

The Oklahoma fan base got excited a couple of days ago and threw around rumors about Little decommitting and coming to their school. Little said none of it was true and that he wasn't visiting Oklahoma. If he finds out about us making this noise, I wonder will he give another statement.

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