2019 in-state recruiting

Submitted by Bluey on

I'm going to guess this won't be a popular topic, but after reading the various reports from Sam Webb, Allen Trieu, and Steve Wiltfong from the Ohio Opening regional combine yesterday, I couldn't believe to hear how much UM is and has been strugling on the recruiting trail, especially in-state. Per the 247 player database UM has offered the following players from the state of Michigan:

1. Logan Brown (committed to Wisconsin)

2. Devontae Dobbs (MSU leading the crystal ball)

3. Julian Barnett (committed to MSU)

4. Mazi Smith (UM leading the crystal ball)

6. Marvin Grant (UK leading the crystal ball but sounds like UM has backed off its pursuit)

8. Lance Dixon (MSU leading the crystal ball but per Wiltfong and Trieu PSU and Wisconsin are out front currently. Wants to decide before the season)

10. Michael Fletcher (MSU leading the crystal ball)

11. Sam Johnson (BC leading the crystal ball)

12. Karsen Barnhart (committed to UM)

13. Spencer Brown (committed to MSU)

14. Adam Berghorst (committed to MSU)

17. Tre Mosley (MSU leading the crystal ball)

19. Roderick Heard (committed to Northwestern)

20. Marcel Lewis (committed to MSU)

I realize some of these guys were pursued with various levels of vigor and that not every one of these offers are or were commitable, however even taking that into account UM hasn't struggled this much in-state since the Rich Rod tenure. Assuming Brown, Dobbs, Barnett, Smtih, Dixon, Fletcher, and Barnhart are guys that are or were definitive takes, UM is looking at the very real possibility of going 2 for 7 in it's own backyard just a year after getting pretty much whoever they wanted. Maybe this is just a one year blip that a good season will fix - although it didn't help to read that the #1 player in-state for 2020 Justin Rogers has Gerogia and OSU leading - or maybe it's part of a larger problem that started to take shape at the end of the 2018 cycle. Whatever it is, I have to admit watching this unfold has given me an uneasy feeling.

(Brought this here and not the UM 247 board because there is no way the mods and posters over there could handle this topic with civility and honesty)

jblaze

May 6th, 2018 at 6:15 PM ^

The question/ analysis that needs to be done is if Michigan is getting better players (overall or for their system) as compared to the in-state kids going to MSU.

M-Dog

May 6th, 2018 at 6:42 PM ^

UM is looking at the very real possibility of going 2 for 7 in it's own backyard just a year after getting pretty much whoever they wanted.

Maybe this is a 2019 problem then, and not a general Michigan problem . . . 

 

goblue16

May 6th, 2018 at 6:45 PM ^

Why is it surprising that we’re struggling in recruiting? This was expected. 2 disappointing seasons in a row will do that to you. This is why 2018 is so very crucial. If we can beat msu and osu and win the division all will be well again. Mayb not immediately but in the coming seasons recruiting will bounce back. But if we win 9 games with loses to both rivals the ship will start to sink. How fast just depends on how well msu and osu do next season. Not to mention seems like Patterson mayb be a one shot deal so we have to make it count

Bluey

May 6th, 2018 at 7:07 PM ^

The 2016 season may have been disappointing in the sense that Michigan didn't make the CFP, but if playing in a NY6 Bowl game and having 11 players drafted into the NFL is something you think hurts recruiting or you deem disappointing, then I really don't know what to tell you.

As far as last season, UM absolutely had a down year, but that still doesn't explain why their recruiting class finished ranked behind several programs who had worse years - many of whom also went through coaching changes. 

I'll answer your question with a question, what was the level of recruiting you expected in Year 4 when Harbaugh was hired? For me it certainly wasn't this.

goblue16

May 6th, 2018 at 11:14 PM ^

Off course I expected much higher level of recruiting but you see in his first few seasons he was selling a dream which may or may not come true. Typically that’s the hard part. But when you get the players and can’t produce year after year eventually 4-5 years later players stop believing. I think that osu TE whom I hope we kick his ass in the future said it best. He doesn’t consider the Michigan osu game a rivalry game. And why would he? Since he was born we have beaten them twice. Once when he was 3 and once with Adam Sandler as their head coach. We need to change the tide. The fact is osu can get any player that we want if they choose to go after them. MSU is not that far behind us and ARENT going anywhere as long as Dantonio is their coach. Stop disrespecting their program based on the guys success on the field. I want to beat the snot out of dantonio but he is an ELITE head coach on the field and is going to retire as an all time great. Get over it. If you hate him so much embarrass him on the field instead of typing bullshit on a blog

BigBlue02

May 7th, 2018 at 11:44 AM ^

Wait, so you are arguing that 25 wins is better than 28? I would think the very definition of mediocre is having a really good season, then a clusteruck of a 3 win season, then a good 10 win season. Did you just completely ignore a 3 win season to make your point?

goblue16

May 7th, 2018 at 1:25 PM ^

WHy the fuck do people keep mentioning that 3 win season? shit happens sometimes it was clearly a one time thing any dumbass can see that. You would trade a a playoff appearence and 3-9 for a 10 win season and an 8 win season?? Are you a fucking idiot??

LastOfTheBrohicans

May 6th, 2018 at 7:32 PM ^

Spot on assessment. We need to WIN NOW to combat the negative recruiting. We will not be able to touch OSU until we beat them. Harbaugh needs that feather in his cap more than anything. I'm trying to envision a successful 2019 campaign without a victory in The Game, and I can't do it.  

Good thing is, I believe he knows that. The story about the sign on his desk saying "Just Coach the Team" or whatever makes me feel like he understands all the gimicks and public relation stunts ring hollow without wins over rivals. GO BLUE!

goblue16

May 6th, 2018 at 11:06 PM ^

Thank you for your rational assessment. I think we have a great shot to surprise. Our expectations are trash low so the only way forward is up. Let’s shock the college football world and shut the haters up!

Coldwater

May 6th, 2018 at 7:13 PM ^

I simply don’t know how State can out recruit Michigan instate. Is it as simple as the head to head matchup? Obviously State owns the rivalry currently. But MSU is a train wreck with Nassar and the medical school dean. A degree from State is laughable compared to Michigan.



ldd10

May 6th, 2018 at 8:36 PM ^

Probably because most high school kids don't care about Nassar and it doesn't involve the football program. Plus they've been darn good for a decade and handled UM.

If you're a high school kid in Michigan the better program basically the whole time you've been old enough to follow has been state.

goblue16

May 7th, 2018 at 11:43 AM ^

Exactly I don’t see how that relates to their football team in any way. Not to mention I doubt any high school athlete even cares about this story. It made national headlines for a week and then disappeared

MichiganStan

May 7th, 2018 at 2:35 AM ^

Did you seriously just say that 2019 is a weak in state class??? Have you even looked at it? The two 5 star Oline recruits alone make it good. The other 7 4 stars make it arguably the best in state recruiting class in the modern recruter rankings era. Michigan isnt like Georgia where they have multiple 5 stars every year. This is rare

The fact Oline is our biggest need and theres 2 of the best oline recruits in the country right here in Michigan make this situationally the best in state class in recent history......or it should be but it wont be because we arent getting either of them

lol you simply do not know shit

clarkiefromcanada

May 6th, 2018 at 8:05 PM ^

This would be my nominee for Worst Thread of the Year.

Concern Troll City.

Topics covered:

a) All your elite Michigan based recruits are not belong to us

b) That's bad. Very bad.

c) 2018! 2018! Michigan needs to win this year! This year, dammit!

d) Top Ten class now but later...

e) Harbaugh is not meeting recruiting expectations

The early signing date is almost 8 months away. Long time out.

Gonna go back on a walkabout, again.

Neversatisfied

May 6th, 2018 at 8:35 PM ^

I think Michigan is recruiting certain types of personality types, and athletes. Maybe these guys just werent a good fit, or maybe Michigan just isnt where they wanted to be. The last Matt Dudek article I read was pretty insightful. We run of the mill Michigan homers dont know the entire story. I leave the recruiting up to the guys that do it, and hope what they do pans out for us. But it's a given mgoblog doesnt know the entire story on the recruiting path.

ToledoWolverine

May 6th, 2018 at 9:13 PM ^

Pennsylvania

New Jersey

Georgia

New Jersey

Pennsylvania

Florida

Florida/Ohio

California

Michigan

Ohio

Florida



Yeah the defense is totally fucked cause there aren’t enough Michigan guys. Gtfo with this shit. It’s the 21st century, not 1960, these guys literally come from all over the world....

Great_Greene_W…

May 6th, 2018 at 10:08 PM ^

right thru to the end, anyone who joined in the last month.  Um No.  Sorry, just not my cup of tea.  I think we'll be OK.  And I will sleep the same at night regardless, Go Blue!

Quailman

May 6th, 2018 at 10:48 PM ^

Got damn folks.

If you aren't busy overthinking everything, you're even busier being dicks to each other and acting butthurt.

Y'all got too much negativety in your lives.

BlueinLansing

May 7th, 2018 at 1:15 AM ^

where the 2019 class stacks up with other State of Michigan classes.  Is it strong, weak, meh.  I personally cannot answer that question.

 

 

 

MichiganStan

May 7th, 2018 at 2:27 AM ^

I dont get why so many people get so defensive about pointing out the poor 2019 in state recruiting

2019 in state recruiting should be like a dream come true. TWO 5 star Offensive tackles in Logan Brown and Devontae Dobbs. Brown is committed to Wisconsin and Dobbs is leaning Michigan fucking state or Ohio State. And I see no chance we get Dobbs as he really doesnt seem to like us 

Then theres like 7 other 4 stars in state. The third best in state recruit, MSU commit Barnett, is getting rave reviews at camps

All we have in state so far is the #12 recruit

This is bad. We could seriously revive our Oline with in state recruiting alone this cycle yet we arent going to get shit

Coach Carr Camp

May 7th, 2018 at 2:26 PM ^

I don't think anyone really disagrees with you. Its just that recruiting is discussed in many places on here - making a thread that doesn't offer any new info and just says "Hot take - in case you didn't know recruiting is not going as well as hoped" is useless muck racking. Having a negative take that gets attention is just inflamatory click bait. In fairness, a lot of people here fall for it. But when people defend the 21st ranked recruiting class, they aren't saying we should be ecstatic. Its just trying to see the upside in things rather than focusing on the negatives.  

ericcarbs

May 7th, 2018 at 6:49 AM ^

1. Logan always loved Wisconsin and dream offer. I don’t care what you said about players not going to dream school. As long as Wisconsin wins 10 games again, he will attend their dream school. Recruits who don’t do that is because of $$$ or poor records.

2. Twitter convo with Belleville’s coach. Dobbs was offered LATE by Michigan and he took it personally. Furthermore, we originally offered him at D-line, which he never played. He went to BBQ and Devno didn’t talk to him AT ALL. So another Devno is a poor recruiter take.

3. Per coach again, Julian grew up a state fan and Michigan is stockpiled at skilled positions. Not too worried about this one.

4. Mazi - should get

6. Grant - didn’t recruit. UK seems to get players with poor academics too, so maybe that’s why.

8. Dixon - staff likes the OSU baseball guy more for same spot. Gotta trust coaches’ evaluation especially as multi-sport athletes tend to outplay rankings and his recruiting ranking isn’t accurate due to 0 camps and JUST released a tape a couple months ago.



The rest minus karsen - don’t think Michigan is recruiting them anymore.



So only the top 2 hurts losing (Dobbs and Brown). Not sure why brown loves Wisconsin so much but it is what it is. I hope he gives Michigan an OV. Dobbs, Devno dropped the ball and now kicking us in the butt. I do think if he gives Warriner a chance, he might reconsider but he seems to have a vendetta against Michigan now, which always results in him playing 120% against us, like Malik.



Bluey

May 7th, 2018 at 7:53 AM ^

You're wrong about Dixon, he's the top Viper target on UM's board, he just likes PSU and Wisconsin more at the moment. Can't speak to the rest.

Jimmyisgod

May 7th, 2018 at 10:43 AM ^

It is in fact a strong year for in-state recruiting.  Pretending guys are over rated just because they won't be picking us is folly.  Dobbs is a 5 star for a reason, he's a freak athlete for O line.  Logan Brown I am not as sold on, I know one of his coaches and have seen him play live.  Spencer Brown is way way under ranked and I still think we have a shot to flip him.Spencer Brown is a better athlete than Logan Brown and it's not close.

Julian Barnett broke his leg training, just got his cast off a couple months ago and still ran a 4.5 forty and had a 38" vertical.  He's over 6-1, and close to 195 lbs and has run sub 4.4 forties in the past.  He's a great athlete, but raw as a player IMO.  

Dixon is a great athlete at LB too, 4.50 forty time at 6-3, 200 lbs makes him a freak.  Mangham is one of the most pursued RBs in the country, he has over 40 offers.

It's one of the strongest classes in the state in recent years.  I think there are a couple guys slightly overrated, but there are a few way underrated.  We'll get great talent, and I think we'll pull a few of the top guys in the state, it's a long way until signing day.  I think some of this is just chance though, Devontae Dobbs just doesn't like Michigan.  Dixon has MSU, Wisky, and PSU ahead of us.  We cooled on Grant.  Offered Barnett too late.  Mangham is probably going out of state.  Logan Brown loves Wisky.  Just one of those years.

MichLax

May 7th, 2018 at 12:51 PM ^

Why do people follow recruiting? Genuinely curious. I get watching the film and checking the rankings of guys when the class is signed, but following the twitter and whatever of teenagers who may never sign with Michigan really confuses me. It seems unhealthy, as it is obvious this is keeping some unhinged people up at night.