Who was the "Worst Decommitment Ever"?
I realize this is a morose topic a few weeks out from signing day; however, as I prepare for This Month in MGoBlog History for January 2007, I came across the news of Indiana Safey Jerimy Finch decommiting. He was a 4 star and 37th nationally to Rivals and was set to join a young, untested Michigan secondary. On January 15 he decommitted and promptly committed to Indiana, though he would sign with Florida. Brian declared this the "worst decommitment ever". In hindsight, this wasn't that big a deal. Finch was later named the biggest recruiting bust for IU in the last ten years.
This has made me wonder if Brian's statement is still true. Finch was a highly rated player at a position of need. Given what was to come in the next few years, it probably didn't matter much one way or another. Three others come to mind since then that are probably bigger: Dee Hart, Damien Harris, and George Campbell. Hart and Campbell for what they would have meant to to the coach who recruited them. Hart was supposed to finally be the super athlete to thrive in Rodriguez's backfield. Didn't Campbell refer to himself as the "mayor" and was going to put together a magnificent recruiting class. Harris might be the biggest talent of any of these for Michigan to lose. Interestly but probably not coincidentally, all four of these guys decommitted from a coach who was out the door.
Are there any I am forgetting? Any who could have had a bigger impact on the program or had a lot of success at another program?
EDIT: I should have checked out Touch the Banner right away, but here's a great list of decommits and transfers.
January 16th, 2017 at 9:54 AM ^
January 16th, 2017 at 7:13 AM ^
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January 16th, 2017 at 9:50 AM ^
January 16th, 2017 at 12:39 AM ^
January 16th, 2017 at 2:11 AM ^
Ahhh I forget about Kirkland. Kid looked like a bull amongst baby calves on the field. Would've loved to see him with Don Brown.
January 16th, 2017 at 12:41 AM ^
He would have been more productive under Harbaugh's offense as a feature back.
January 16th, 2017 at 12:49 AM ^
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January 16th, 2017 at 2:15 AM ^
January 16th, 2017 at 4:40 AM ^
January 16th, 2017 at 7:58 AM ^
It's a joke Brian was using sometime midseason after Higdon had a couple of good games, and his YPC were higher than Weber's.
January 16th, 2017 at 8:09 AM ^
January 16th, 2017 at 8:27 AM ^
Ah-ha. I don't remember seeing that one.
January 16th, 2017 at 12:45 AM ^
I remember Dee Hart being probably the biggest decommitment.
As far as guys we thought might commit and didn't Deshawn Hand and Brionte Dunn come to mind.
January 16th, 2017 at 1:52 AM ^
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January 16th, 2017 at 12:51 AM ^
I know we're all talking football here, but right now, in basketball season, Tyus Battle really hurts.
January 16th, 2017 at 8:02 AM ^
Ugh, that whole Battle situation still pisses me off.
January 16th, 2017 at 9:51 AM ^
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January 16th, 2017 at 10:41 AM ^
January 16th, 2017 at 12:10 PM ^
January 16th, 2017 at 12:58 AM ^
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January 16th, 2017 at 1:06 AM ^
We tried to have a block party for him but it was too damn cold that weekend.
January 16th, 2017 at 11:28 AM ^
Why was it a blessing? Yes, TP was a dickhead, but he really could have saved Hoke. Certainly would have made a difference.
January 16th, 2017 at 12:58 AM ^
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January 16th, 2017 at 1:25 AM ^
January 16th, 2017 at 3:14 AM ^
RoJo was bad but kind of cancelled out by Warren since both were 5 stars who went to the opposite school of the one that they were expected to choose. And while RoJo was a serviceable player and managed to be roster filler in the NFL for a bit, he didn't exactly light it up in college or with his cups of coffee in the NFL.
January 16th, 2017 at 1:09 AM ^
Michigan suffers very few decommitments that aren't covered by someone close to the same talent level. At least it seems like we have fewer than some other top programs
I get more upset by the near misses than by guys who committ and decommit.
January 16th, 2017 at 1:38 AM ^
January 16th, 2017 at 1:38 AM ^
Uplifting topic. RoJo for me.
January 16th, 2017 at 1:39 AM ^
January 16th, 2017 at 1:55 AM ^
January 16th, 2017 at 2:10 AM ^
Dee Hart and Rojo killed me as well...
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January 16th, 2017 at 7:31 AM ^
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January 16th, 2017 at 10:27 AM ^
I don't think RoJo ever committed publicly. Although the whole verbal commitment is a strange one to judge.
January 16th, 2017 at 2:41 AM ^
January 16th, 2017 at 4:39 AM ^
January 16th, 2017 at 8:43 AM ^
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January 16th, 2017 at 2:37 AM ^
This post should decommit.
January 16th, 2017 at 9:56 AM ^
January 16th, 2017 at 2:59 AM ^
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January 16th, 2017 at 3:00 AM ^
Kai Leon Herbert.........JK............Not really this one will hurt a lot
January 16th, 2017 at 3:05 AM ^
Travis Johnson. DL in 2000. He infamously went to bed a Wolverine and woke up a Seminole on signing day. First round pick of the Texans. Capping a disappointing recruiting class during the good times that might have been the difference (along with special teams) between truly competing for a national championship in 2003/2004, or having 3 losses. There are probably worse examples that I am forgetting, but the combo of talent and how it went down was worse than any of the other examples mentioned in this thread.
January 16th, 2017 at 6:53 AM ^
Interesting. I don't have any memory of that one; thanks for sharing. It's interesting that this is about the earliest anyone has mentioned. If they happned in he 90s and earlier maybe they weren't mentioned? Or maybe it's a sign of a changing culture?
January 16th, 2017 at 10:28 AM ^
Travis Johnson was a big recruiting loss, but he was never publicly committed to Michigan. If we are talking about recruiting losses instead of decommitments, it changes this discussion a little.
January 16th, 2017 at 4:12 AM ^
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January 16th, 2017 at 4:48 AM ^
January 16th, 2017 at 8:45 AM ^
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January 16th, 2017 at 9:57 AM ^
January 16th, 2017 at 7:30 AM ^
Huge miss on Mikey (had him twice, allegedly), and many people may not remember the whole story on Greg Jennings. Was commited to Lloyd Carr and Michigan as a sophmore I believe, blew his knee out as a junior/senior and scholly was no longer available. Decided to stay home in kzoo, and was a great pro!
January 16th, 2017 at 7:32 AM ^