WNY in Savannah

January 19th, 2018 at 6:01 PM ^

What drives me nuts about recruiting is that you can't win consistently unless you consistently get great recruits.  But you can't get great recruits unless you win consistently. But you can't, etc.

You have to somehow beat the system and win without a bunch of great recruits in order to get a bunch of great recruits.  But if you can consistently win without a bunch of great recruits, then why do you need great recruits?  Because you can't consistently win without a bunch of great recruits...

It's like some Mobius strip of hopelessness.  Or Abbott and Costello's Who's On First.  I'm not sure which.  But I sure miss the days of Michigan winning the conference.

Joined: 09/18/2013

MGoPoints: 638

YoOoBoMoLloRoHo

January 19th, 2018 at 6:38 PM ^

class is the “double wins” by Urban - did he really need Ruckert or Friday? No, but he certainly knows the importance of TE and DT spots in this UM class. He landed two very good players and hurt UM at the same time. JH has a long road ahead to close the gap with OSU and this class just might imply 3-4 years for UM to get truly comparable talent on the field at key positions.

Joined: 11/01/2012

MGoPoints: 18054

YoOoBoMoLloRoHo

January 20th, 2018 at 10:51 AM ^

But we need comparable talent at KEY positions. We have ample talent in my spots and this staff can turn 3/4* into elite players at a bunch of positions (TE, OG, LB, WDE), but top recruits really differentiate at a few positions. The DL is imperative to any program wanting to compete for CFP - and the last two years of DT recruiting are not top notch for UM (Solomon was the sole elite guy). OT is crucial in Harbaugh’s offense. We have some good recruits but not the elite guys who can dominate early in their college careers. A couple of glaring late misses the last 2 years. RB position has still not been manned by a powerful, punishing 3-down back. Higdon has burst and Evans is elusive, but we need a guy who makes 3yds when necessary and 50 yd runs against even top defenses (a la Dalvin Cook). A playmaking safety or two would also turn Brown’s D into a juggernaut. It took Dabo 5 years to really dial in his recruiting (albeit shady tactics) to stock the positions that he deemed crucial (DT, QB and WR) - he hasn’t stockpiled anywhere near the # of stars as Bama, FSU and OSU. This staff absolutely needs to hit for the cycle in the 2019 class and get great athletes into the key positions.

Joined: 11/01/2012

MGoPoints: 18054

Jimmyisgod

January 20th, 2018 at 11:23 AM ^

If you go by composite average player. There's a bigger gap in talent between OSU and us than there is us and schools like Purdue, Duke, Utah, Indiana, Syracuse and Arizona. Any of those teams has to really have a lot to their way to beat our talented team. By composite, our best recruit would be their 15th best. That's not good.

Joined: 01/24/2012

MGoPoints: 10342

pawolverine

January 20th, 2018 at 12:29 PM ^

Every time a recruit picks OSU or Alabama over UM, it's obvious that he is not meant to be a Michigan man.  This may be definitionally true, but also the choices could not be more different, in many ways.  As soon as I heard TP say "THE University of Ohio State," I was relieved that he had made that choice (well, after I got done laughing).  It's not sour grapes to say that if the recruit really feels that Michigan is not the best fit, then it's not. 

It's only a disappointment if it comes out later that they made their decision based on information that is incorrect, for whatever reason.

Good luck to him, and may he never experience a win over the wolverines.

Joined: 09/16/2009

MGoPoints: 516

Uomsosd

January 20th, 2018 at 12:47 PM ^

Go ahead. I'm waiting for someone to tell me what we've done with this class that will pull OSU, MSU or PSU's cocks out of our asses. Take your time. I'll wait for your irrational responses that are oozing with fact and substance.

Joined: 01/19/2018

MGoPoints: -2

reddogrjw

January 20th, 2018 at 3:34 PM ^

PSU is 1-2 against Harbaugh

MSU is 2-1 - our 2 losses were on a fluke play and a 5 turnover effort

OSU game in 2016 went to double OT - 2017 lost with our 3rd best QB

this team is solid QB play away from being really good - no different than your Spartans going from 3-9 to 10-3 with a healthy Lewerke

 

no ggo back home

Joined: 07/06/2016

MGoPoints: 9845

gobluerebirth

January 20th, 2018 at 6:56 PM ^

I understand what you're saying. and I agree. buy, I'm tired of long winded excuses. I think we all are. time to put up or shut up. Harbaugh feels the same way. I know he does. he's the most competitive man in football. team will b ready

Joined: 10/11/2009

MGoPoints: 1674

Craptain Crunch

January 20th, 2018 at 6:05 PM ^

One player isn't going to make or break a team, especially if that player is not a QB. 

Michigan has enough depth that this doesn't hurt as bad but what does hurt is that Michigan was on this kid for a long time and was top of their board.

This reinforces the fact that winning means everything. And right now, Michigan just doesn't have "winning" to lure certain players. 

Start winning and we'll see these battles being won by Michigan.

Joined: 05/20/2016

MGoPoints: 1526

reddogrjw

January 20th, 2018 at 6:48 PM ^

recruit better - which is why we are turniong over part of the staff

 

Notre Dame had the #10 class after a 4-8 season

Texas is # 3 after a 7-6 season this year

Spart went 10-3 last year and is sitting at 26th

 

not saying winning doesn't help, but we are fixing the staff in part to have better recruiters too

Joined: 07/06/2016

MGoPoints: 9845