Recruiting director Matt Dudek responds to Twitter trolls...

Submitted by fharajli on

   So there is a small, but growing faction of people, who have been voicing their displeasure and concern about the '18 class. They claim that we are getting left in the dust in comparison to OSU's recruiting. When you look at the recruiting rankings and the classes OSU has coming in over the next few years, that may be true. That frustration boiled over in a heated Twitter exchange with recruiting director Matt Dudek. Looks like the trolls have finally gotten to him.

Links below:

https://twitter.com/Thee_Matty_D/status/942087402818023424
 
https://twitter.com/Thee_Matty_D/status/942139017096761344

 

Personally, I'm not a star gazer or one who puts tremendous stock in recruiting rankings, but there are many in the fanbase that do. True, there is a stark difference in talent that OSU has in the '18 class and what Michigan is getting star-wise. I think it's just a result of some misses on our end and a bad season and I think the '19 class will be as good as any and there's no reason to worry.

 

For those out there that are worried about the '18 class or the disparity in apparent talent that OSU is bringing in and what Michigan is bringing in, can you explain the rationale of why you're freaking out over one average class?

 
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Brian Griese

December 17th, 2017 at 10:10 AM ^

would harp this at me as I was learning the game. It took a long time for it to sink in, but he’s right. I thought I read sometime that around 60% (or more) shots that you take in a round are within 50 yards of the green.

Joined: 10/25/2014

MGoPoints: 30232

Yessir

December 16th, 2017 at 10:32 PM ^

My game improved dramatically when my iron play (2nd shot) improved. 

The drive can be scattered a little bit, but if you nail your 2nd shot, bingo.  

Drive - Recruiting

2nd shot - player development/coaching

Putting - Game coaching.

Nah, but I do think drive and recruiting class are analogous. 

Joined: 12/22/2015

MGoPoints: 7270

SpinachAssassin

December 17th, 2017 at 8:14 AM ^

I stopped watching pro golf when Tiger and Phil got broken and old, respectively. Yet back when those two were #1/#2, they sprayed it all over the place off the tee yet averaged 1.4 putts per hole or something ridiculous because their second shots were amazing and their short game was even better. Find your local course hacker and they are doing 2-3 putts per hole. That's 10-20 shots right there.

If you want to break 80, learn to putt after you've learned to hit an approach consistently to within 30 feet.

Joined: 05/23/2013

MGoPoints: 4869

Brimley

December 17th, 2017 at 12:45 PM ^

As your representative local course hacker, I strongly concur.  I'd add that it messes with your confidence for awhile when you're putting for birdie from 25 feet and walk off with a bogey.  That's why I now embrace my suck and just enjoy the company, weather and drinking.

Joined: 03/22/2011

MGoPoints: 11671

Lawyer12

December 16th, 2017 at 7:44 PM ^

The truth is that we need a game changing QB. That’s how you win the big games in college (and to a lesser extent in the NFL). Until that happens we won’t start to close the talent gap between UM and OSU.

Joined: 12/17/2012

MGoPoints: 3066

SpinachAssassin

December 17th, 2017 at 8:20 AM ^

But not a need to have. We can start with top 25% of all QBs. With that, we're probably 11-1 this year (only losing to PSU) and in the CFP last year.

We don't need a Baker Mayfield or Lamar Jackson. We need a 3:1 TD:INT ratio for a season, someone who throws the ball away to avoid a sack, can hit slants and sideline out routes and occasionally scramble for a 1st down. Send out the defense to suffocate an opponent after punting if necessary and we lock down 95% of games.

Joined: 05/23/2013

MGoPoints: 4869

SpilledMilk

December 16th, 2017 at 8:51 PM ^

But what about entitled man children who tweet back at trolls while trying to brag about eating a steak dinner (using money that UM has paid him). I could care less but Matt doesn't look any better than the trolls in this situation

Joined: 10/15/2017

MGoPoints: 2895

SalvatoreQuattro

December 16th, 2017 at 7:53 PM ^

when Harbaugh have not been met. Hence, the bitching. UM had classes like this under Carr. This is not a new development in UM’s recruiting history. I do think UM has a serious problem with negative fans who expect more from a college football than of themselves. They have the potential to seriously damage the program has rabid fans have at Tennessee and Notre Dame. This is my manin concern in regards to UM football. Nutbag fans. They are no better than rival fans. In fact, probably worse since they are supposedly on the same team.

Joined: 11/30/2010

MGoPoints: 79128

UMxWolverines

December 16th, 2017 at 8:42 PM ^

Our fans aren't any better or worse than other fanbases. Well maybe Alabama...we don't have any that killed anyone yet that I know. The difference is we don't win anything and OSU does, and has. They have 8 big ten titles since our last. People's patience is wearing thin. We've gone through Jim Tressel beating Carr 5 of the last 6, let's hire Rich Rod, he's gonna change the tide with his offense, nevermind we need a Michigan Man, Hoke is changing the tide in the rivalry, nevermind Harbaugh is our God. He'll out recruit everyone and beat our rivals. Well 1-5 against rivals three years later the shine is wearing off and there were serious concerns this year. Especially since everyone had written off MSU after last year and they had a better record than us. People just want to see results from the 9 million dollar man.

Joined: 03/01/2009

MGoPoints: 65474

SalvatoreQuattro

December 17th, 2017 at 9:07 AM ^

was in a rebuild year. Rational beings understand that UM has been achingly close to wins over MSU and OSU. That the 1-5 record could very easily be 3-3 or even 4-2. UM central problem is that it had no QBs when Harbaugh got here and he had little time that first year to find a competent one. It also had a poor roster in regards to the offensive line. The hurried and flawed ‘15 class and lack of quality at QB until Peters committed are major factors in UM’s struggles with rivals. If Rudock hits one deep ball vs MSU in 2015 the punt is irrelevant. If UM had a a good QB vs OSU last year they win the game in regulation. A good QB can cover up a lot of flaws as we see with the Lions. Unfortunately, they don’t grow on trees. They have to be developed and that takes time. QB development is a multi year process.

Joined: 11/30/2010

MGoPoints: 79128

UMxWolverines

December 17th, 2017 at 3:17 PM ^

Saban managed to win 12 games with a three star John Parker-Wilson at Alabama in year two. We are not the only school with these issues when another coach comes in. We are not the only school with "bad luck" in making these one plays that may have sealed it earlier. The bottom line is they didn't. We have multiple offensive lineman from last year that are on NFL practice squads, don't tell me we had a bad offensive line roster. They just weren't good enough in big games. It's time to step up, that goes for coaches and players alike.

Joined: 03/01/2009

MGoPoints: 65474

maize-blue

December 16th, 2017 at 8:03 PM ^

I think the hullabaloo is because they don't seem to be closing well on these last few spots. And they lost Ekiyor and Reese is probably gone too.

Joined: 01/10/2013

MGoPoints: 44662

Caesar

December 16th, 2017 at 8:22 PM ^

I'm really surprised he would respond to people on twitter like that. I wonder why he chose to these people or comments; there has got to be something more to it than random twitter trolls.

Joined: 03/25/2009

MGoPoints: 7711

golfer

December 16th, 2017 at 8:23 PM ^

stop looking at stars. you look at scores of each game. when you see a close game that is not stars. remember kids are taken into a program and worked to get better. that  is why those people are called coachs

Joined: 04/17/2017

MGoPoints: 239

EGD

December 17th, 2017 at 8:23 AM ^

Well, that depends in how M does down the home stretch. If a couple of the bigger targets like Friday and Patterson (the OT) go blue, ans Reese sticks, then it probably remains a top 15 class. This isn't a Hoke class where everybody is committed by August and the class is top-5, and then the ranking falls off as other teams land their guys.

Joined: 09/16/2009

MGoPoints: 35199

BroadneckBlue21

December 16th, 2017 at 8:48 PM ^

Being in the 90 plus percentile is above average. I mean, a 90% gets you an A in a class, dude. A 30th ranked team would be still slightly above average. Perhaps you mean these are just good classes? Of course 97% percentile would be elite, but one doesn’t drop from elite to average. Ask any P5 bottom dweller. Go ahead, ask Sparty.

Joined: 01/12/2015

MGoPoints: 6311

BroadneckBlue21

December 16th, 2017 at 8:44 PM ^

Guess what Clemson’s 247 team rankings were in 2012, 2013, and 2014–the foundation for the team that in 2015 was runner up and in 2016 won it all and in 2017 is top ranked now.... 20, 15, 16. Those are their numbers. UM’s this year: currently 15th after top 10 classes for past two years. Come on—rankings play a small part. Solid programs are built by stable and successful head coaches. Home was stable but shitty at progressing players at top of game. Harbaugh has a staff of development focused NFL level coaches. These players are developing. They are high-level 3-stars with offers from other P5 teams. This year was always about depth and potential. We will not get reloads of Top 10 classes until we win big with the last two classes’s top classes.

Joined: 01/12/2015

MGoPoints: 6311

tlh908

December 16th, 2017 at 10:07 PM ^

So really the question is, what is considered elite?  We know for sure we don't want to be only above average which would put us in the top 65 teams.  But is the top 10%(ranked top 13) elite?  Top 5%? or the top 1%?  Or top 0.01%?  Lets face it, Michigan has been in the top 1% once in the past 60+ years.  Does that mean Bo wasn't elite and instead a failure?  Harbaugh has accomplished a lot while at Michigan, more than was predicted, while he also has much more to accomplish.  I will enjoy watching Harbaugh lead while on the path to being elite.

Joined: 09/25/2010

MGoPoints: 2842

Roanman

December 17th, 2017 at 8:42 AM ^

The problem was and is Michigan, not Bo.

We have real issues attracting football talent to Michigan, one of which was clearly demonstrated this week. For starters we can't even begin to consider a raft of good football kids simply because they don't even begin to qualify. That's a problem you absolutely want to have unless you are a Wolverine of the Walmart variety and have no real clue about what Michigan is about, beyond football Saturday. We have idiots on this board crying, "not fair" about our academic standards. Some moron around here was actually advocating lowereing academic standards to get football kids into Michigan.

I'll lose a football game here and there in exchange for a degree with cache that has proven to be worth more to me than I can even begin to express.

Further, on the academic thing, The University of Alabama is all over the state of Michigan as I type offering a 100% FREE education, that's room, board, books and a stipend to 4.00 plus Michigan kids because Alabama would give their left testicle to be Michigan.

We have mid level high school football in terms of numbers. This is true in a huge way when compared to OSU who not only has way more football numbers at the high school level but at the power 5 football conference level has absolutely no instate competition as OSU is the only team that matters in the entire state of Ohio. Unlike Florida, Texas, California who have multiple major football schools competing for talent, nobody has the lock on instate talent that the Buckeyes do ... ok, ok, maybe LSU and Georgia ... maybe.

None of this is new, Bo Schembechler dealt with the same issues. 

So, here comes Bo to a world class academic instituition and establishes a standard for toughness, integrity, character and heart that saturated the entire place. What Bo Schembechler did here was extraordinary. Their is no institution in the world that even begins to compare with Michigan for the combination of world class academics and the extraordinary ideals that Bo infused into the Michigan psyche through Michigan football. Most of us, and I'm not talking about just former players, of a certain age are still affected, Harbaugh for damn sure is. 

And that's not even beginning to discuss his defenses which were as, and likely more innovative than anything being bandied about today as genius, on either side of the ball.

As an aside, Bo enjoyed some extraordinary advantages, not the least of which where "The Mellow Men" and the fact that the ever gracious and classy Bump Elliot worked his ass off politicking on Bo's behalf. Unlike at least one Michigan football coach I can think of who left the cupboard bare and then sulked off into retirement.

It's incredibly tough to win anywhere, while we enjoy some spectacular advantages in terms of wealth and facilities that only wealth can bring, it's still very tough to win here.

Only losers can't figure that out.

 

Joined: 07/08/2008

MGoPoints: 1415

UMxWolverines

December 17th, 2017 at 8:56 AM ^

Enough with the "we're so special and it's so tough to win here" garbage. We put out NFL talent in the 90s and 2000s in a top ten manner in college football, hell maybe even top five and we still got a lot of mediocre football out of it besides 1992,1997,and 1999. Top ten teams but not top ten results. Notre Dame is just as good of a school and look how much success they were having in the 70s and 80s. National championship caliber teams while we settled for Rose Bowl losses. The problem is us, not everyone else. It is 100% on us. How many times did Bo drop a random game while we were ranked #1, hell Harbuagh knows that all too well, they were #1 in 1986 and blew the Minnesota game. Would have been national champs if they didn't lose that game. 1985 same thing, they lost to Iowa but Iowa had a very good team that year, but Michigan goes and ties Illinois 3-3 two weeks later dropping them down to 9. They have nobody to blame but themselves. Treat every game like it's important, and the rivalry games even more. Whatever magic the 1997 team had they obviously proved it can be done here.

Joined: 03/01/2009

MGoPoints: 65474

Brimley

December 17th, 2017 at 1:02 PM ^

For the record, between 1970 and 1974, Bo lost 4 games and tied 1 in 5 seasons.  So, you're right; that's elite.  In addition, he showed he could be flexible in his philosophy as he adjusted from heavy option to more passing in his later years.  Being willing to adjust with the times is another elite trait.

Joined: 03/22/2011

MGoPoints: 11671