2011 Early Enrollers: Dee Hart & Greg Brown
In a special to the Freep (print link) Josh Helmholdt of the Wolverine.com expands on his earlier report that Greg Brown is no longer a soft commit ($) and lists Brown and super-recruit Dee Hart as January early enrollers at Michigan.
Fremont (Ohio) Ross cornerback Greg Brown, who became U-M’s first commitment in the 2011 class back in Sept. 2009, is on track to graduate high school and enroll early. He will take his official visit to U-M next weekend, and start classes in Ann Arbor a month later. "I'm just focusing on finishing my high school education next month and in those following couple weeks, I will be enrolling at Michigan to play ball for the Wolverines. I just can't wait to get in the Big House in front of those 110,000 fans and play some football."
Orlando (Fla.) Dr. Phillips four-star recruit Demetrius Hart is likely to play for U-M next year because of his exceptional talent and play-making ability as a running back. The 5-8, 190-pound Hart is the other commitment scheduled to enroll, and having him in spring ball should hasten his first appearance in the Big House.
We knew this about Frost (thanks, Tom), but Helmholdt goes on to list Michigan recruiting targets Avery Walls and Kris Frost as likely early enrollers.
Several of Michigan’s remaining targets in the 2011 class are also planning early graduations, including four-star Georgia safety Avery Walls and Charlotte, N.C., prospect Kris Frost, who took his official visit to U-M last weekend.
Brown's visit to Syracuse appears to have solidified his commitment to Michigan and the early enroller status for Brown and Hart will give them clear head starts on their development. With Hart likely to compete for the starting RB assignment and Michigan's desparate need for secondary depth, this certainly qualifies as positive news.
November 24th, 2010 at 8:38 AM ^
You can kiss Hart goodbye.
November 24th, 2010 at 8:41 AM ^
You forgot the - (No Homo).
November 24th, 2010 at 8:49 AM ^
On the contrary. Hart has reaffirmed that he can play at UM in any system. I think he just loves UM that much that he is not totally consumed with who is coaching the team.
November 24th, 2010 at 9:22 AM ^
You don't make your coaching choice based on an incoming recruit's status. If the recruit doesn't like the new coach, what do we care. If the assumption is that a new coach is an upgrade, then, losing one recruit doesn't alter the equation.
No one can ever say, a particular recruit is guaranteed to be good. Everyone thought TP was God's gift to the QB position. Not so much, right? How about Bryce Brown, who supposedly was the best running back the year he came out... is he even playing D-I football now? Etc etc. You never know. Can't keep a coach just because he got a particular recruit.
November 24th, 2010 at 10:00 AM ^
Agreed, but I think a consideration every AD must consider before deciding on a coaching change is how it would affect recruiting in general combined with potential transfers. You still can't base a coaching decision on that factor in a vacuum, but it is still a valid consideration.
November 24th, 2010 at 10:34 AM ^
"I was prepared for some attrition when I became Michigan's coach. I can honestly say we did not lose a guy who really could have helped us. I didn't lose any sleep over anyone who quit that spring..."
November 24th, 2010 at 10:51 AM ^
"Man that really sucked losing all of those players. We sure could have used them. In fact, we probably wouldn't have went 3-9" Is that what he is supposed to say?
November 24th, 2010 at 11:05 AM ^
The quote you responded to is from Bo, not RR.
November 24th, 2010 at 11:09 AM ^
That sucks. The point I was trying to make is that every coach in the country would probably say the same thing. I think that still stands no matter who the quote is attributed to. I definitely took the quote out of context, though. my bad. Carry on.
November 24th, 2010 at 11:58 AM ^
This was a test of my douchebag trap. Hell, it doesn't even need tweaking. It grabs them and gathers negs all at the same time, especially the ones who appear to be out of their element. Thanks Bo!
November 24th, 2010 at 11:44 PM ^
didn't have to worry about scholarship limits. Attrition is a bigger deal when you have to manage an 85 man roster
November 24th, 2010 at 10:04 AM ^
O has gone from awful to fabulous with two years of recruiting and three years of tutelage and almost everyone returns. D's another story and needs some serious work, but when you have very few upperclassman playing you have to wonder why? What does that say about past recruiting? We should have some RS seniors, seniors and juniors that have the talent to play. If not, why? Oh yeah, it's RR's fault even though he's only had two years of recruiting.
November 24th, 2010 at 10:55 AM ^
Mouton and Ezeh fit the bill for what you are looking for on the defense. Would you say they have improved, stayed the same, or gotten worse in the last three years?
November 24th, 2010 at 11:15 AM ^
Would you say that Stevie Brown (partly as a result of his new position) improved, stayed the same, or got worse in '09?
November 24th, 2010 at 11:22 AM ^
2009: 11 GP, 66 tackles, 3 TFL, 0 sacks, 2 INT
2010: 10 GP, 102 tackles, 7.5 TFL, 2 sacks, 2 INT
Sorry the defense still sucks (since Mouton is one of only three competent upperclassmen on the entire roster) but Mouton has gotten dramatically better this season.
The coaching staff have done everything they could to replace Ezeh with two walk-ons and finally replaced him with a guy in the middle of his sophomore season who was loads better. Some guys just aren't able to play football at this level. Having one of them on your team and no one else on the roster to play MLB doesn't mean you are a bad coach.
November 27th, 2010 at 8:01 AM ^
Fair to say Mouton has shown improvement - thanks for answering the question. How about the other guys? In response to the point about Stevie Brown I'd say Craig Roh playing out of position for most of the year and needing to ask to be switched back to DE is a fair counter point.
November 24th, 2010 at 11:13 AM ^
I'd concede that RichRod's '09 recruiting effort on defense already looks miserable and that it will hurt the program for years to come.
- - -
To your main point, save your energy. No amount of logic and reason is going to convince RichRod's detractors that not having any cornerbacks in the '06 recruiting class can be blamed on anyone else. Similarly, they'll never admit that *maybe* Lloyd's recruiting slipped a bit near the end. NO MORE EXCUSES HIM HAVE THREE YEARS ME NOT HEARING ANYTHING ELSE!
November 24th, 2010 at 5:55 PM ^
better than he's ever going to get credit for (and I'm also apparently alone in thinking Jibreel Black was under-starred as a 3-star when you look at his offer list).
Unfortunately those guys are freshman and incoming freshmen and youth is apparently now an "excuse" when they start en masse.
November 24th, 2010 at 9:10 PM ^
If you ran the same bunch of current freshman onto the field next year and the year after with a different D coordinator (or with GERG, for that matter) they will be unquestionably better. The anti RichRod crowd won't acknowledge this...for obvious reasons.
November 24th, 2010 at 10:07 AM ^
The problem with your argument is that we could lose some of the recruits we already have and lose out on some of the top targets that we pursuing. Now, one recruit a class does not make, but how about two or three and missing on some targets? We desperately need defensive talent. Would frost, walls, lyons, countess, myriad other targets.. want to come here and go through another coaching change? I don't know.
As far as a "particular" recruit not being a guaranteed star: I don't think Hart is an absolute can't miss, but UM is surely hedging its bet with the #1 all purpose back and the #3 all purpose back(hayes). Would a coaching change get them to change their minds? I don't know. That's the frustrating part. We don't know what a coaching change will do as far as recruiting. But, you can't say that the recruiting landscape should not be a part of the equation-because it is.
I'm not saying that the status of a committed recruit should direct the decision behind keeping or firing a coach. It should, along with the rest of the class, be taken into consideration when evaluating the direction/future of this team. Is a coach looking at the teams deficiencies and trying to remedy them by getting talent in those positions? This is a question that is probably being considered, as it should be.
November 24th, 2010 at 5:57 PM ^
in the Detroit News as basically saying that he's staying if Fred Jackson stays. Considering that Jackson is one of two guys from the current staff that I think a new coach would strongly consider keeping (Bruce Tall being the other) I think Hayes commitment is secure. No idea on Hart though.
November 24th, 2010 at 11:13 AM ^
So we won't judge a Head Coach based on the response of a couple of players.
Like Mallett, Clemons or Boren.
I'd actually agree with that. Particularly insofar as Clemons is the only guy who even attributed his departure to an honest disagreement with a cocaching scheme. Mallett and Boren were likely far more psychosocial, way beyond the personage of the Head Coach.
November 24th, 2010 at 11:44 AM ^
but i do think you can keep a coach based on an amazing recruiting class. if we were top 3 with a few 5 star guys coming in i think that could make a difference
November 24th, 2010 at 9:14 PM ^
Ron Zook salutes you!
November 24th, 2010 at 4:46 PM ^
A coaching change can also result in some potential new recruits (remember Roy Roundtree?) to offset potential losses. Personally, I hope RR is back, so I'm not using this as an argument to replace him, but in the extreme hypothetical, isn't it possible that some of Stanford's top ten incoming class are more committed to Harbaugh than to a Stanford team with a new staff?
Again, I am not advocating the change or suggesting that Harbaugh would be the guaranteed replacement, but the decision to change coaches should not be driven by the fear of losing current commitments.
November 24th, 2010 at 11:05 AM ^
Two things aren't certain:
- RR will be replaced
- If he is replaced that Dee Hart would bolt
Steve Schilling said at a press conference recently that he didn't come to Michigan to play for a particular coach. Hopefully most guys feel that way. Michigan and a handful of other schools have a built in advantage of having a complete package (academics, winning tradition, history of sending players to the pros, top notch facilities, and passionate fan base). I give credit to most of the recruits for seeing the big picture and I trust that Dave Brandon would have conversations with key recruits and their families IF a coaching change were to take place.
November 24th, 2010 at 11:18 AM ^
Hart already commented on that subject when he committed and said he was choosing Michigan because of it's business program.
A coaching change to the candidate who everyone agrees is the only possible replacement might actually help in recruiting a better class. No one knows for sure.
November 24th, 2010 at 8:44 AM ^
Walls will be making his decision very soon -- not to be "that guy" who creeps on Facebook but he said last night that he is defriending everyone as he moves toward his choice (something along those lines).
November 24th, 2010 at 8:58 AM ^
So it doesn't leak or eliminating options and narrowing it down? If it's the first, why not avoid posting it on Facebook?
November 24th, 2010 at 9:04 AM ^
Probably just to avoid having his account blow up as fans of the non-selected schools make poor decisions online.
November 24th, 2010 at 9:04 AM ^
Yeah -- his picture is him making an "O" with his hands...FWIW.
November 24th, 2010 at 9:05 AM ^
Maybe he just wants donuts...
November 24th, 2010 at 9:56 AM ^
to the one, the only, Garrett Rivas.
Points for donuts!
November 24th, 2010 at 8:46 AM ^
Glad to see that Greg Brown is solid commit to UM now. We need the depth badly. I am also excited that Dee is an EE so that he can possibly contribute right away next year. His athletic ability is up there with the best.
Hopefully Walls and Frost commit to UM, having them as EE would be nice too.
November 24th, 2010 at 8:52 AM ^
Avery and Kris are also welcome to enroll early, I'll even pay for their first meal at Blimpy Burger.
Has there been any word on if Byron Moore would qualify as a potential early enrollee?
November 24th, 2010 at 8:53 AM ^
Even if he does, he's not coming to Michigan
November 24th, 2010 at 8:56 AM ^
Maybe I missed something but when did we fall out of the running with Moore?
November 24th, 2010 at 8:59 AM ^
Besides his interview with Tom, there were really no indications we were ever in it. In all interviews from other sites, he's never even mentioned us.
November 24th, 2010 at 9:00 AM ^
Many are speculating that he stays out west, IIRC.
November 24th, 2010 at 9:02 AM ^
YRC (You recall correctly, it's something I just ad-libbed there)
November 24th, 2010 at 9:16 AM ^
I typed slowly and didn't see your post until I posted my response. My bad.
November 24th, 2010 at 9:07 AM ^
Oh Hamburgers.
November 24th, 2010 at 11:51 AM ^
If you are a season ticket holder or affiliated with the university in any way, please do not buy them anything! I don't want you to become the Bartman of MgoBlog. If you are not considered a booster in any way, shape or form, by all means, buy them whatever you want.
November 24th, 2010 at 9:06 AM ^
That's good to know. I suspect he sees an opportunity to make an early impact given our secondary situation this year. Hopefully he can.
November 24th, 2010 at 9:11 AM ^
An early impact would be nice, but I'm personally hoping that we can redshirt all of our corners coming in this year.
November 24th, 2010 at 9:17 AM ^
Delonte and Brown RS. If we get Countess - he redshirts (and Kitchen too if we offer).
My guess is that Crawford doesn't. Nothing to substantiate this. I think he's more ready to play and has that CB/FS versatility. Might depend on what we do with Woolfolk too.
November 24th, 2010 at 6:02 PM ^
...at least the part I could see for free (darned paywall) was really, really positive on guy talking about instinctive knowledge of coverage/finding the ball with excellent footwork, etc. And remember, ESPN's evaluation of William Campbell was the only one that matched his performance so...
November 24th, 2010 at 9:03 PM ^
So that one example probably gives credit to every evaluation
November 24th, 2010 at 12:12 PM ^
I'd like to see basically all of our freshmen redshirt. If he puts in the work and earns a starting spot over some of the upperclassmen (assuming it's not based on the upperclassmen's shortcomings), though, I'd prefer that.
November 24th, 2010 at 12:28 PM ^
What about Greg Brown moving to FS and now redshirting? Admittedly, this is purely an "if we don't get Avery Walls" scenario, but in the event we don't get a true FS in this class, I'd like to see Greg Brown move to FS and compete with Vinopal right away. He'll have all spring to pick up the mental aspect of it, and all winter, spring and summer to add the bulk (most of the updated sites have him at 5'11" and 185, so another 5-10 lbs on that by August is doable and sufficient).
With all the other young corners we have, Brown will be behind a lot of people. If he moved to FS he'd have a good chance to contribute and his scholarship would be put to better use, IMO.