Is it possible that DB ...
I wonder if DB had under estimated just how loyal those big name recruits, we were all hoping for, were going to commit to Michigan because of RR and not because of the school and it's tradition. I know DB said that "The School" is more important then one year or a few recruits but it seems to me that this situation is going to effect more then just one year as recruiting classes can potentially have a four year impact. As much as people say RR didn't focus on defense the way I see it is his first FULL year recruiting he went after players to play in his style offense and this was his second full year of recruiting and look at who we may have had coming: Zettle, Lyons, Walls, and Frost who are now committed to other schools and guys like Crawford, Countless, and Breyer who are still coming to Big Blue.
Again back to my original point I am left to wonder if DB thought he or the next coach could keep the recruiting class together because of us being Michigan. Instead we are now finding out that the kids were indeed committed because of RR and his staff. Any thoughts?
January 9th, 2011 at 3:01 PM ^
He probably wasn't worried about recruits because there's still three weeks until signing day and we'll probably have a coach by Wednesday.
January 9th, 2011 at 3:08 PM ^
I understand that a lot can still change between now and signing day, but guys like Frost and I believe Zettle have already mentioned that the CC has really eliminated Michigan. I have been a life long Michigan fan and do hope that things go better then they have so far but it is just very dissapointing to see the Michigan hat left on the table twice yesterday specially on one recruit who was rumored to be a silent commit all along.
January 9th, 2011 at 3:21 PM ^
Maybe with Zettel being a "lifelong fan" etc and our need on the D-Line. No idea what it would keep for Frost.
January 9th, 2011 at 3:09 PM ^
"we'll probably have a coach by Wednesday"
ugh.
January 9th, 2011 at 3:03 PM ^
If Les is the new coach (or if Harbaugh was) you likely assume you had a reasonable opportunity to retain many of those guys. Both are solid recruiters. I still stand behind that belief if Les is hired SOON (not if this keeps dragging out).
Seems like that may be the case. Rivals is reporting that those parties that objected to the hiring of Les three years ago have "signed off" on the hire. Guess this is now going to end in Les' hands to say yes or no.
January 9th, 2011 at 3:04 PM ^
I'd say that Gruden also has a shot at keeping all/a vast majority of these kids already committed and finishing the year strong on the recruiting trail.
January 9th, 2011 at 3:08 PM ^
it probably wont happen but i would rather hold out hope for him than resign myself to the fact that we are probably getting Hoke.
January 9th, 2011 at 3:04 PM ^
Please don't refer to Michigan as Big Blue.
Edit: And I'm hard pressed to believe that DB didn't realize this was going to have a significant impact on recruiting.
January 9th, 2011 at 3:08 PM ^
Inevitable that guys who feel invested in a coach are going to have some second thoughts after the coach that recruited them got let go. However, you hope on some level that they were also sold on the school and those that were will stay if you can bring in a coach thats to their liking.
January 9th, 2011 at 3:12 PM ^
But a lot of these kids want stability too. Going to college is the biggest transition all of them have had up this point in their lives. The coach that recruits you almost feels like family to a lot of these kids, so divorcing him always creates custody issues.
January 9th, 2011 at 3:10 PM ^
Sorry about that, wasn't aware that was not preferred on the boards. Been a long time follower or MGOBLOG but just started an account. Noted and will not happen again.
January 9th, 2011 at 3:20 PM ^
It's just that Big Blue refers to the University of Kentucky.
January 9th, 2011 at 3:26 PM ^
Lee Corso refers to us as Big Blue, which makes me hate it even more.
January 9th, 2011 at 4:06 PM ^
Big Blue = New York Giants. Sometimes also referred to as "Big Blue Wrecking Crew."
January 9th, 2011 at 7:01 PM ^
I read "For Michigan Fans Only" and one of our former players that committed in the 80's said he's going to big blue. Someone out of Columbus and a big time recruit.
January 9th, 2011 at 3:29 PM ^
No need for apologies. Show support for UM however you see fit.
Go Blue, big, small, short, tall or whatever...supporting the team is all that is important.
Welcome
January 9th, 2011 at 5:31 PM ^
Big Blue has been used to refer to Michigan in the past.
January 9th, 2011 at 3:23 PM ^
Thread on use of Big Blue here: http://mgoblog.com/diaries/big-blue-or-please-just-stop
As the OP of that thread stated, Corso seems to favor that term. It's one of those things that I always notice and confess that it does rub me the wrong way.
January 9th, 2011 at 3:32 PM ^
But it does rub you
January 9th, 2011 at 4:08 PM ^
I don't like it when Lee Corso rubs me. Something just feels wrong about the whole situation.
January 9th, 2011 at 3:37 PM ^
Lee Corso has a HUGE head. He looks like a white Little Richard.
Big Blue = IBM.
January 9th, 2011 at 5:19 PM ^
He looks like a white Little Richard
So does Little Richard...
January 9th, 2011 at 9:02 PM ^
I think that's the Oregon Duck head on Lee Corso's body you saw. /s
January 9th, 2011 at 3:03 PM ^
Yes. Unlike this speculative message board post, it is also true.
January 9th, 2011 at 3:06 PM ^
This would have been RR's third 'full year" class, not second. And I'm sure Brandon knows that some in the class were wedded to RR much more than to Michigan, while a few were the opposite.
January 9th, 2011 at 3:06 PM ^
I think Brandon is aware of how the recruiting process works.
January 9th, 2011 at 3:06 PM ^
We need to get this over with fast IMO. Everone's head is going to explode. I'm exhausted and I think I'm going to drink some more.
January 9th, 2011 at 3:09 PM ^
tl:dr + annoying thread title
January 9th, 2011 at 3:22 PM ^
Thanks for letting us know, chief.
January 9th, 2011 at 5:22 PM ^
No Problem sport
January 9th, 2011 at 3:09 PM ^
Announce the head coach tom. Just like florida and the heisman ceremony. All about branding. They will be talking about it throughout the ncg. Branding or brandoning so to speak?
January 9th, 2011 at 3:17 PM ^
Kids, whether recruits or kids already on the roster, are going to tell authority figures who have just pulled their world out from under their feet exactly what they want to hear to get them to STFU and GTFOD. But the minute the authority figure leaves, the real feelings come out. I find it ironic that DB said (in not so many words) that players' loyalty to the coach would be one of the factors he used, but has totally ignored it in making his "decision."
David Brandon is now in the unenviable position of having to hire a coach who can undo the damage he has done to the program and this recruiting class, while being or at least appearing to be loyal to Brandon, who of course is the person who did the damage in the first place. If it's not a spread guy, it will have to be a master manipulator.
That is one of the reasons I won't be too sad if Chucky ends up being hired: he can "out-Brandon" Brandon and make everybody, from media and fans to players and recruits, like him while he does it. And by the time his act gets tiresome, there is a guy named Harbaugh who should finally be ready to "come home."
That works out to about a five year shelf life. And by the end of those five years, there won't be such a dichotomy between pro set and spread; they will have influenced each other to where many offenses in both college and the NFL are hybrids taking from both. There is already one in New England, for example.
I am expecting that Harbaugh will be on top of the trend by then.
January 9th, 2011 at 3:12 PM ^
DB can coach the team! Barry was both coach and AD for WI a few years back. All DB would have to do is hire he best spread OC and best DC in the country.
January 9th, 2011 at 7:27 PM ^
Problem solved!
January 9th, 2011 at 3:14 PM ^
has no idea what he's doing?
January 9th, 2011 at 3:35 PM ^
Someone to coach up our kickers and i can roll with that at this point
January 10th, 2011 at 12:31 AM ^
at this point, its more than academic.
January 9th, 2011 at 3:16 PM ^
"Losing" the fickle recruits of the wrong coach using the wrong system is not a loss.
That said, I sort of feel for Dee Hart, future third stringer for Saban. Greyshirt city.
He will do well as a gunner on punt coverage, though.
January 9th, 2011 at 4:36 PM ^
Actually, Mark Ingram declared for the NFL draft. So Dee could see some playing time.
January 9th, 2011 at 5:20 PM ^
with a new coach signing a long term deal. Many recruits saw a tarnished image of the Michigan brand, a coach who had one year to right the ship, and we all know RR fate. As a result, some kids that had an interest in Michigan looked elsewhere. Some of these kids who were not even on our recruiting radar, may re-consider, I think with a name coach our recruiting class may even be stronger. Obviously, Dee Hart for example, is lost, but the class overall may suprise us.....
DB my marriage needs you to sign a coach......soon
January 10th, 2011 at 12:32 AM ^
no, no, wrong and no again.
January 9th, 2011 at 3:23 PM ^
I now know why all the disdain for Les Miles. Why all the love for Gruden? I see a guy like that as a total wild card who doesn't think long-term at all, and would leave at the drop of a hat for a better offer. I don't think he has to have Michigan ties per se, but a respect for our traditions is important. Can a guy like Gruden offer that?
January 9th, 2011 at 3:26 PM ^
...it's a one-year issue. The new coach is a multi-year issue, and getting that right trumps all else.
January 9th, 2011 at 3:30 PM ^
A good coach will bring recruits. 1 recruiting year is not a huge deal in the grand scheme of things.....getting the right coach is.
January 9th, 2011 at 4:48 PM ^
One off year in recruiting is OK when you are hitting home runs every year with Top 10 classes. This has not been the case for Michigan recently.
January 9th, 2011 at 6:06 PM ^
every year with Top 10 classes. This has not been the case for Michigan recently.
That's not a good long term strategy. Are we now content w/ Top 20 classes? Or are we willing to take a hit this year to get back to Top 10 classes?
January 10th, 2011 at 12:30 AM ^
really, a new coach is guaranteed top 10 classes? and what did lloyd carr do with top 10 classes? lets take a trip into reality here.
January 9th, 2011 at 3:44 PM ^
Yeah it is pretty sad and tiring. I've read that Blake Countless might be re-evaluating which sucks. I hope we can get this settled before we lose all hope for this class.
January 9th, 2011 at 3:50 PM ^
Walls & Lyons were not going to commit to Michigan,.....