Beaver Gone. To Conference USA. Comment Count

Brian

Right, so that is Shavodrick Beaver's myspace and he's been flat-out lying to the mods at Rivals and Scout:

Tulsa received a quarterback commitment Friday afternoon when Shavodrick Beaver announced he'd sign at the University of Tulsa.
Beaver, a 6-foot-3, 185-pounder, is from Wichita Falls (Texas) Rider High School,and has been ranked the eighth-best quarterback in the country by rivals.com.
Beaver had given a commitment to the University of Michigan, but switched to TU after a home visit by TU coach Todd Graham.

This seems like completely farfetched crap, but Rivals has an article with quotes($) up, too. WTF? This one really bothers me because for months Beaver's been called up and has said things like "I'm ten thousand percent committed!" Man up and admit you're wavering.

Michigan now needs to scramble for a second quarterback in the class. They've been recruiting FL QB Denard Robinson and may look to get involved with WVU/Tennessee decommit Tajh Boyd; expect Eugene Smith to get a phone call, too.

UPDATE:

Comments

TheMichiganDif…

December 19th, 2008 at 7:29 PM ^

If he can't be held to his word then he is not a true Michigan Man.

In the short term, we are in trouble. In the long term, we are better off without him. At least we have a shot at landing a better QB before signing day now.

TomW09

December 19th, 2008 at 7:35 PM ^

Aside: Since when was he a "true Michigan Man"? I getting sick of this once revered title getting thrown around so much. Rich Rod has appointed himself it. Media folk are over using it.

You have to earn the right to be called a Michigan Man. And that only happens after several years of proud representation of the U.

zcw

December 19th, 2008 at 7:31 PM ^

Why do some top prospects spurn the major programs and head to, in essence, division 2 schools (when compared to the major bcs conferences)

The Other Brian

December 19th, 2008 at 7:47 PM ^

Gonna be really hard to keep that up when you've got a kid lying right to our faces like this.

I'm pretty sure "People said I'm not coming, but I'm coming. Tell them I'm coming." is going to stick in our craw for some time. This is just...ugh. There's no way to defend or spin this. Beaver pulled the wool over everyone's eyes.

CPS

December 19th, 2008 at 7:50 PM ^

Keep in mind that, from what I can tell, he was visited today by the Tulsa coaches and he made his decision today. He's an 18 year old that changed his mind on a dime. That's not anything new.

As for lying, we don't know enough yet. It's fishy, but I'll wait to see how things play out and then pass judgment, rather than lynch a guy.

Tacopants

December 19th, 2008 at 8:11 PM ^

I'm just of the opinion that if anything, you should be angrier about Tulsa's coaches sliding in on a "committed" recruit. It's an 18 year old kid, he's looking out for his best interests. He may believe that he has a better chance of becoming a good C-USA QB than becoming a starter at UM.

Yeah, its shitty that he lied to people paid to be interested in where he's going. From all accounts, it was a spur of the moment decision. We may yet get a chance to win him back.

CPS

December 19th, 2008 at 8:14 PM ^

"I'm just of the opinion that if anything, you should be angrier about Tulsa's coaches sliding in on a "committed" recruit."

Tulsa got some snakeoil and a wizard hat. We should know all about that.

Otherwise, I agree it was a spur of the moment decision, and we still have a shot to get him back.

CPS

December 19th, 2008 at 8:33 PM ^

Didn't know he was still planning to enroll early. Not that it's surprising.

Still, I think it was more of a spur of the moment decisions. From what TomVH was saying about how he changed his comments from day-to-day or week-to-week, he could just as well change his mind tomorrow.

I'm still not going to lynch the kid or the Tulsa coaches.

Jay

December 19th, 2008 at 8:39 PM ^

I hope nobody bashes the Tulsa coaches because if they did they would be hypocrites seeing as though we absolutely fucking loved it when Rich Rod stole Roy Roundtree from Purdue and Ricky Barnum from Florida.

pz

December 19th, 2008 at 7:49 PM ^

Guess the McGuffie transfer hurts x2.

Lets get out there and find someone else. Thank god for Tate Forcier; can't wait to see him get in and get going...

cpt20

December 19th, 2008 at 8:00 PM ^

Josh Helmholdt
TheWolverine.com Recruiting Analyst
Talk about it in The Fort

Speculation has followed Wichita Falls (Texas) Rider quarterback Shavodrick Beaver around since the four-star quarterback made his decision to commit to Michigan last spring. Now the 6-3, 185-pound passer is ready to put it all behind him and enroll in school.

"The plan is to come in January 5th for orientation," Beaver said. "This is the last week of school and I've got finals to take. I've got to make sure I maintain good grades on those.

Beaver plans to arrive in Ann Arbor on Jan. 5 for orientation "To be able to enroll second semester I took English as a summer class because it would have taken all year to take it in school. That was about it. Then I just had to finish my senior year classes. You've got to have 24 core credits to graduate and I'm well beyond that."

Beaver admitted earlier in the process that there was a point last summer when he started to reconsider his decision, but he came to the conclusion that Michigan was still the place for him. That sentiment was reaffirmed after his official visit to Ann Arbor in October, but Beaver still could not shake questions about the strength of his commitment.

"People were saying I wasn't coming, but I'm coming," Beaver remarked. "I chose Michigan because they really need a quarterback who can run that system and they need leaders out there.

"I'm just laid back and I'm happy because I'm continuing my success. I'm going in with a positive attitude. My goal is to go on, be a leader on the field, in the classroom and in the workout sessions. I'm going to keep hitting the books and fight for a job everyday for the next four years."

A promising senior season at Rider was cut short by an injury to his non-throwing shoulder that required surgery. Beaver was in a sling during his official visit to Michigan, but said progress on his rehabilitation is on schedule.

"At this point, (the doctor) says I am ready, I'm healing fast, I'm getting my strength back up and I'll be ready to go pretty soon," Beaver said. "I'll be back before workouts with the team in March."

Throughout the process, Beaver has been one of the more social commitments on Michigan's list. He has kept in contact with most of the Wolverines' recruits and looks forward to joining up with them next month.

"I've been talking to some of the recruits, mainly the ones who are coming in early," Beaver said. "They're all pretty cool and we're like family now. I've been seeing who they are rooming with. I'll just see when I get there because it doesn't matter to me. We'll be seeing each other no matter where we stay."

Rivals.com ranks Beaver as the No. 202 player in the country, the No. 8 dual-threat quarterback and the No. 23 prospect in the state of Texas.

Clarence Beeks

December 19th, 2008 at 8:26 PM ^

Eh, whatever. I tend to take this more of a sign that Beaver didn't think he was going to be the starter next year at Michigan, in which case it would be unlikely that he ever would be. In that sense I think it's hard to blame him.

Crime Reporter

December 19th, 2008 at 8:30 PM ^

You know, I felt reassured after reading the Rivals piece the other day about Beaver, and now those words have me thinking: Does anyone still honor their word? I understand these guys are young, but when I give someone my word, I mean it. I don't change my mind if something happens down the road. Granted, I'm irritated right now, and I probably need to take a shit, but commitments still mean something to me. Anyone have toilet paper?

The FannMan

December 19th, 2008 at 8:36 PM ^

Tulsa??? There is something more to this. I mean Tulsa? If he committed to another major conference school I would get it, but C-USA??? Something is up. Either:

1) We are onto someone else we want more and let him know he should look elsewhere;

2) His arm/shoulder is not doing well and Michigan started talking to him about red-shirting or playing wide-out. Seems this could be the case since he didn't end up at other major school - course it was his non-throwing arm right?;

3) He lacks the metal to play in the major conferences and chickened out;

4) He wants to stay "close to home" but is not good enough for OU, Oakie State, Texas, etc.;

5) He got paid (just raw speculation on my part);

6) We have sunk that low that we rate eqaully w/ Tulsa.

If 1 through 5 are the case then I guess I don't care all that much.

If 6 is the case - we'll damnit that is just not the freaking case so screw him.

Either way, now is the perfect time for the guy in the "Wizzard's Hat" to rub some "Snake Oil" on another QB. We also really need Tate. I just can't take another year of the "Nick and Steve Show."

Is there anyone "in the know" who can say what happened? Is there a chance that this is just all BS?

Tacopants

December 19th, 2008 at 8:48 PM ^

Actually, I think it was

7. Aliens abducted the real Beaver and replaced him with one that likes inclement weather formations that would never hit Tulsa, Oklahoma (Why Hurricane instead of Tornado?)

8. Evil Zombie Anthony Fera ate his brains/trash talked him down away from Michigan.

9. Somebody at Michigan found out Beaver actually killed JFK and the government is moving him to Tulsa.

Elno Lewis

December 19th, 2008 at 8:33 PM ^

No more flinging of pooh and autoerotic behavior. This junk is getting serious. We have dispatched Bonzo to Texas to investigate this matter.

I knew we should have hired Chuck Martin.

ToledoWolverine

December 19th, 2008 at 8:35 PM ^

Heres my take. I imagine the Beav can read. Maybe he was intimidated by Forcier coming in the same year, even enrolling early perhaps. Maybe, just maybe, he didn't like his chances of beating out Threet, the incumbent, AND Forcier, the OTHER hotshot freshman. Im thinking Taj Boyd and Eugene Smith may be rethinking their choices. Hopefully one of them has enough confidence to think they could emerge from the impending scrum for the starting QB job at UM. Im thinking Beaver didn't like the idea that if he did get beat out, then what? 4 years on the bench after a redshirt, then maybe 1 year as the starter.