Kiante Enis de-commits
Winchester (Ind.) Community 3* ATH Kiante Enis has de-committed from #Michigan - https://t.co/w9lyVh51bz pic.twitter.com/SktyZTiKk1
— Josh Helmholdt (@JoshHelmholdt) January 21, 2016January 21st, 2016 at 10:50 AM ^
January 21st, 2016 at 8:32 AM ^
Need more difference makers on the lines, particularly OL.
It's easy to imagine Enis racking up 200 yards on us if he goes to IU.
January 21st, 2016 at 9:15 AM ^
Meh. Everybody that plays for IU will rack up 200 yards on us. And we'll still win 56-52.
It's just what #CHAOSTEAM does.
January 21st, 2016 at 10:32 AM ^
so if defense can improve to average, Indiana will be a pain in the ass for all teams who has to play them.
January 21st, 2016 at 8:32 AM ^
January 21st, 2016 at 8:44 AM ^
January 21st, 2016 at 9:57 AM ^
January 21st, 2016 at 8:57 AM ^
The problem isn't some kind of ethical failure of the recruiting process. The problem is that the word "commitment" shouldn't be used to describe what happens before signing day. So you're right, a commitment in recruiting doesn't mean "yes," but everyone - recruits and schools alike - is aware of that, so it's not an issue.
If you're concerned about a commitment not meaning "yes," then you should also be concerned about us recruiting prospects who have committed elsewhere, like Kareem Walker, Dylan Crawford, Quinn Nordin, Lavert Hill, and Jordan Elliot, because we didn't respect their former "commitments."
January 21st, 2016 at 9:01 AM ^
this is like a politician saying "you shouldn't label me as (insert whatever label has been used for years)"
January 21st, 2016 at 9:18 AM ^
+1 Insightful.
It's more like a wink on Match.com
There's mutual interest there. Maybe we'll get together, maybe we won't. But the chase is on.
January 21st, 2016 at 9:47 AM ^
The problem is that people insist that the team and the recruit have reciprocal obligations. This isn't true. The school's obligation is absolute; the kid's is tentative.
If the coaches don't want to commit to the kid, they shouldn't accept his commitment. If they have buyers' remorse after accepting the commitment, that's too bad for them.
The school gets to pick 20-30 recruits, the recruits only get to pick one school. That (and the ages of the principals involved) are why obligations are not reciprocal.
January 21st, 2016 at 10:02 AM ^
I don't think you're correct that "the school's obligation is absolute."
It seems like there's a category of recruits where Harbaugh will accept a conditional commitment. This gets reported as a commitment like any other, but it appears that, with players like Rashad Weaver and Kiante Enis, Harbaugh makes it clear to the recruit that their spot at Michigan is conditioned upon them continuing to improve, there being room in the class, or other factors.
From the outside looking in, it looks like Harbaugh is going back on his word, because we just see "commitment" followed by there not being a spot. But I think the situation is more nuanced than that with a lot of recruits. We just don't have a term like "conditional commitment" to describe that situation.
January 21st, 2016 at 11:44 AM ^
The trouble seems to stem from everyone believing that a firm "offer" was extended, when that likely isn't the case.
If Jim Harbaugh & Friends are in these kids living rooms saying "I want you to be a Michigan Wolverine and if you say yes now, you are guaranteed a spot", and then they renege in the shadow of signing day, well that's not a good thing. If they're doing this, then I share in the outrage.
But none of us have any idea how the conversation is phrased or any conditions attached. And I can't just assume that our coaching staff is so cut-throat that they're actively deceiving borderline athletes. More likely they are explaining that they will continue to recruit the position and that it's a fluid situation, and these kids are hoping to hold their place with a prestigious program that they might not have expected to show interest in the first place.
Like Blueph, I think a restructuring of the verbiage would help most. How about "Reservation"? Michigan offered a reservation to Erik Swenson. Erik Swenson still holds a reservation for the 2016 class. Michigan has cancelled Erik Swenson's reservation.
Does that take the edge off? I dunno. It's a work in progress.
I've just helped myself by understanding that an "offer" can only really be made on 2/3/16, and a "commitment" is only made when that pen hits paper.
Until then, this is a giant game of musical chairs.
January 21st, 2016 at 3:32 PM ^
pretty sure harbaugh explains to all those committing earlier in the process that they must continue to improve, work hard, maintain their grades, attend class, etc and earn the offer bc theyll likely continue evalutating until the end of the process.
the coaches might not do so for recruits committing later in the process or after a certain date or with some dudes like gary and the cream of the crop types but most recruits likely most must demonstrate consistent effort and improvement in all areas in order to secure their spot by signing day.
and as long as theyre up front about it, thats the best method
January 21st, 2016 at 8:36 AM ^
If I recall his tape wasn't the most impressive (I haven't watched it since his commitment), but I thought his track verified speed and crazy stats suggested he was a pretty good player. I know it is against bad competition but still.
Oh well, really hope this one doesn't haunt us. We don't exactly have the best track record of picking RBs over Indiana.
January 21st, 2016 at 8:40 AM ^
He has been taking visits as well. It's been a wacky couple of weeks here. I can't wait to see the end of the class and the end of people on the interwebs saying our coach is being creep and pushing kids out because he is the devil. OSU fans are on super troll alert the past 2 weeks.
January 21st, 2016 at 8:45 AM ^
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January 21st, 2016 at 8:48 AM ^
Why do we care so much about what OSU fans say? We can point to shadiness in Columbus under Tressel, as well as the mess their current coach left in Florida. Do they care? No, the world keeps on spinning and they have a national championship. That said, do I want Michigan coaches to sell their souls for a national championship? No, but I don't believe that's what's happening. I think people are just wary that the coaches are wandering too close to that line.
January 21st, 2016 at 10:04 AM ^
January 21st, 2016 at 8:42 AM ^
Enis and then Weaver were and are expected to leave the class. Looks like Johnson was told there is no room as McDoom is coming here.
Here's the thing, most all of this is totally OK, take away the Swenson scholarship pull (and we'll never know the full story) and it's all been handled fine. But what us fans get upset about is we get emotionally involved with rooting for these kids. Enis had a monster year and it was fun to follow him this season, he has great speed and I was looking forward to him in Maize and Blue, so when the staff tells him to look elsewhere it's tough for me and other fans to just move on.
Best of luck to Kiante, seems like a great kid and a good football talent.
January 21st, 2016 at 8:50 AM ^
January 21st, 2016 at 8:56 AM ^
I'm guessing a guy like JH does the morally right thing 99% of the time but sometimes the struggle becomes what is morally or emotionally right vs. what can I best to make this a national championship level program.
It stinks that guys like Snyder magnify this and stir the pot but that's life in the big boy world of college recruiting.
Swenson comes from a stellar family and he appears to be an outstanding bright young man. I am sure this will drive and motivate him to a level he never even expected. He is a winner and has taken the high road and will do well in life regardless.
Onward and upward peeps.
(((GO BLUE)))
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January 21st, 2016 at 10:48 AM ^
I guess you are thrilled that we have 5-star Machiavelli ...
January 21st, 2016 at 8:47 AM ^
January 21st, 2016 at 8:52 AM ^
January 21st, 2016 at 8:52 AM ^
January 21st, 2016 at 9:22 AM ^
What do koala juries do?
Just pick whoever smells the most like eucalyptus leaves?
Sounds fair.
January 21st, 2016 at 9:30 AM ^
They don't have juries in the same way. We usually fight or get ostracized.
January 21st, 2016 at 9:56 AM ^
people here shoot first and on rare occassions ask questions later
January 21st, 2016 at 8:52 AM ^
I cant handle these swings!!
January 21st, 2016 at 8:56 AM ^
an overall upgrade to the recruiting class? And going to get a slew of brand new commits?
Reading the comments from Drevno regarding Swenson, it certainly seems like that's the case.
January 21st, 2016 at 9:06 AM ^
Yes, although it may not be position for position.
They are clearing space for recruits they really want, in positions of need. So a marginal OL recruit may be traded for a more-needed LB recruit.
Cold, but efficient.
It will be a better overall class for Michigan's needs the day after NSD than it was the day after New Years.
January 21st, 2016 at 9:16 AM ^
Could you provide the link to the Drevno comments, I'm sure the NCAA would like to know about that violation.
January 21st, 2016 at 9:23 AM ^
Easy there, don'call the NCAA just yet. This is what he was referring to....
“Coach Drevno just said they’re trying to put the best recruiting class they can together,” Molinari said. “They’ve gained a ton of interest from a lot of recruits they never thought they’d have interest from. It wasn’t just a coach Drevno thing. They sat down and thought there wasn’t going to be one for Erik at this point — not a full scholarship, a preferred walk-on.”
It was a quote from Swenson's HS coach
January 21st, 2016 at 8:57 AM ^
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January 21st, 2016 at 8:58 AM ^
Let's not do this again next year.
No more offers to marginal 2/3-stars in June.
January 21st, 2016 at 9:04 AM ^
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January 21st, 2016 at 9:12 AM ^
I wonder what it was that drove the (unnecessary, IMO) early offers to the marginal 2/3-stars?
Was it to promote the camps? Did the staff not think they had better options and wound up surprising themselves on how well they could recruit? Was it something they thought they had to do only for the first year until they got established? Were they not as good a judge of under-the-radar talent they thought they were for some of these guys?
Whatever it was, I hope it was a one-time thing.
January 21st, 2016 at 9:28 AM ^
I think the immediate success, especially the 3 shut-outs and the bowl game domination, surprised a lot of people. We're being talked about as a pre-season top 5-10 team and the favorite to win the Big 10 and even the NC next season.
I think a lot of kids that thought Harbaugh would need some time to turn the program around are giving us a second look.
January 21st, 2016 at 9:51 AM ^
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January 21st, 2016 at 10:44 AM ^
January 21st, 2016 at 9:38 AM ^
Who knows, but I trust the staff on talent evaluation. Anyways, I don't care if it's a one-time thing. So long as the staff clearly communicates expectations, they should get in on under-the-radar prospects. Butt hurt feelings and outside perceptions be damned.
January 21st, 2016 at 9:55 AM ^
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January 21st, 2016 at 10:27 AM ^
It's not the offers that are the problem ("offer" just means "I'm interested, kid"). It's accepting commitments from these lower-level athletes when you don't know if you can honor your commitment. When an adult organization commits, that's far different than when an individual 17-year-old does. The adult organization looks fraudulent when they break their commitment; a 17-tear-old just looks like they are 17 years old when they break theirs.
So, school offers good as token, school commitments bad when they are not genuine.
January 21st, 2016 at 11:05 AM ^
I think it's all of the above. I remember reading somewhere on this site that this was a common practice of Harbaughs at Stanford. It feels dirty and I can't rememeber any of the previous staffs releasing a commit based on performance or better options being available. It always seemed to be something that was below Michigan standards.
I understand the positives of it from Michigans point of view and I'[m fine with it as long as this is clearly communicated with the recruit throughout the process. From now on these recruits need to continue to take all of their visits. They'll need to be conscious of the fact that they need a back up school or two that they stay in contact with just in case Michigan decides a month before signing day that they're no longer wanted in the class.
January 21st, 2016 at 11:35 AM ^
I've been trying to think of the implications of this from a lower star recruit if they were strategic about it. How they could use UM as a springboard really knowing their chance of remaining here is very low in the end. How they could go to a camp, impress, get the UM offer - then immediately start taking vistis elsewhere knowing they have to prepare to be jettisoned. It's 180 degree from Hoke where the minute you commited you were expected never to chase another skirt. With Harbaugh he almost forces the hand of lower end recruits to chase other schools. The implications are interesting. Also from what parents of those type of recruits will advise as well as their HS coaches: "i.e. now son the "commitment" is nice and all but you know it doesn't mean anything at Michigan, let's go get you into VA Tech for an official in a few weeks ok?"
And also how Ace will be writing 45 Hello posts a year to fill 27 spots. And how we fans should not really get to excited on anyone ranked lower than 250 who commits in July because chances of him remaining are low.
Frankly I already looked at the 2017 class and and am going 1 by and 1 and thinking who won't be here....
January 21st, 2016 at 12:04 PM ^
had an effect on the way this class is turning out. Once the lower rated recruits filled up many of the available spaces, Harbaugh had to slow play some recruits like Terrance Davis and maybe Quinn Nordin, until he got an idea of the remaining space.
Now JH is pulling out all the stops, but it remains to be seen if the class turns out the the way we hope. Looks like we may have to settle for some 3* talents after all. I think that Harbaugh is still learning the ropes of recruiting with the Michigan brand/success and will be changing a few things next year. Hopefully, more selective offers.
This year seems to be the craziest recruiting year in history. Moreso with all the last minute decommitments and new visits from recruits that were never on the radar. Recruits that see a committment as a simple place holder, until they get a better offer, and vice versa. May be a sign of the times.
Swimming lanes no longer exist. They've taken down the floaters and it's one big swimming pool. Who knows where the finish line is hidden.
Fasten your seat belts....
January 21st, 2016 at 8:59 AM ^
January 21st, 2016 at 9:00 AM ^
I liked his junior film, haven't watched his senior film, but he always seemed a bit like an odd fit. I personally like him as a RB prospect, but not so much in Michigan's system. At Michigan, I think he could have turned into a solid WR and he had the skill set (though not sure about the mentality; not much to his defensive highlights as far as hitting people) to be a good safety.
I personally think he'd be a really good fit at Indiana as a RB. And along with OSU and MSU, Indiana has produced really good RBs the last half decade. So that wouldn't be a bad landing spot for him.