Hello: Blake Bars
TomVH EDIT: This was a weird night. I sent a text to Blake Bars about 3 hours ago and asked if he had committed yet, he said not yet. I then got an email saying that he did commit about 30 minutes ago.
I then got a call from Blake saying that he has committed and he did it with all his family around. He said he decided to do it tonight because he asked his family why he hasn't committed to Michigan, so he just made up his mind and did it. They're all excited and he'll be bringing his mom up either next week or the week after that.
Here are some of the quotes I posted on Twitter:
Ten minutes ago I committed to Michigan. My family is cheering here, and we're pumped. I was just sitting here and I asked my family why did I not commit to them yet. So I called up Coach Smith and told him. I then called up Coach Hoke and told him. It's been a really exciting night."
welcome to the family bro!!! great to be home man! you're always welcome at my house!
so glad a childhood friend of mine committed to the same University I attend!
I welcome Blake..not to hijack but i noticed Notre Dame got a 3rd commit from a Safety today 3* John Turner ... i dont know much but i would think that doesnt mean they are really hopeful for Jarrod Wilson .. but maybe they are willing to take 4 Safeties
I asked Irish about this in the Recruiting Rankings thread:
http://mgoblog.com/diaries/big-ten-recruiting-class-rankings-6-26-11#comment-1137470
It's amazing how the decision of a 17 year old kid can brighten my mood so much.
Can't decide if I want the remaining class complete now in one climatic recruiting crescendo, or whether I would prefer an IV drip right until season kickoff (with a couple of 4-5 stars sprinkled in during the all star games. Hoke has me fiending!
In Blake commiting to UM had to be his aun't cooking , as he hinted after his visit. :-)
I have a question that hopefully someone can answer. On Michigan's rival page it shows that Jeremy Carter was offered a scholarship from Michigan and accepted it. Did Michigan recently offer him a scholarship, or are they still accepting him as a greyshirt commit? If they offered him a scholarhips, what does this mean with Wilson? I see that ND picked up another safety commit today (3 total), so I would presume that him going there would be lower then before. But, could there be something in the mix for Wilson to head to PSU that Michigan knows about that drew them to offer Carter?
Clark*
A greyshirt is a scholarship, he just gets on it a semester later then everyone else. For numbers' sake, he's a 2013 early enrollee, but for all intents and purposes, he's a 2012 commit.
Re: Wilson-Probably has zero to do with him.
Thanks wlubd. So, that means Michigan has two scholarship commits for the 2013 season and can only take now whatever fulfills the 85 limit for 2013?
Yes, consider him a 2013 early enrollee. Won't affect 2012 numbers.
Lots of insight there wlubd. Thanks.
Who is Jeremy Carter?
It was on old wooden ship used in the civil war era.
He is a greyshirt commit for Michigan. His story is the second one on the sites main page.
doesn't have the sense of family that Michigan has. Part of the reason we are so awesome.
Can't wait for you to run out of that tunnel on a gorgeous late summer Saturday, hit the Big Blue Banner, and have 110,000 passionate, supportive fans cheer the start of your NFL internship. You will be executing a pro style offense gelling with an OL filled with top talent from around the country, Magnusson Kalis/Bryant Miller/Bryant Stacey/Bars Diamond/Braden, with guaranteed stud quarterbacks (Robinson, Gardner, Morris) leading your unit for your entire collegiate career. You will be practicing against a pro style defense designed by the former coordinator for the Ravens. And both he and the Head Coach are former D Line coaches so you know that day in, day out, you'll be sharpening your skills against the very best.
And while you've put yourself in perhaps the best possible position to prepare for a career in the NFL, you will be getting a first class education from the University of Michigan.
Nobody plays football forever.
Congratulations Blake!
I think Blake Bars was very class in the way he announced this decision. No press conference, just followed his heart and announced his choice to his family. To me that shows character.
I know you had the whole SEC after you, but Ann Arbor is a pretty great place to live, and you are going to learn from coaches that send guys to the NFL. Congrats, and welcome to the Michigan family . . .
Who has Funk sent to the NFL? Not trying to be a smart ass but legitimately wondering.
Give me a few, and I'll see if I can give you names, but as I recall, he sent one from Ball State and one from SDSU to the NFL. . .
Robert Brewster from Ball St.
he went in the third round. i'll have to scratch my head, but I think one of the SDSU guys did too, but it might be that he went just after Funk left . . .
I like the kid and think he will be a good player for Michigan. He most likely ends up at guard though, especially if we land Diamond and Kalis. On that front Josh over at Rivals said that he would not be surprised if Kalis announces tomorrow. So maybe something we should watch.
I got Magnusson and Diamond/Braden at LT and RT respectively, and I think Kalis is a stud OG.. Would love to see Bars or Stacey on the RG.
I mean.. how can you argue with this.. if we had said in January 18th that we would possibly be starting in 4 years
Magnusson Kalis/Bryant Miller/Bryant Stacey/Bars Diamond/Braden
I cant wait for the running back interest for next year..
That is a great OL lineup, but I believe that Bryant has the potential to start over Miller.
+1 for everybody! (well, except for the trolls of course.)
Now I wonder where they'll land... Who will play the Left Tackle? Bars Kalis and Stacey are all 6'5" and under, but Magnuson and Diamond are only 6'6". I don't see "arm length" as an area to improve for either of them or Braden...
"Arm length" as an area to improve is still one of my favorite things to read. "Thanks coach I will get right on that. Who has a really big rubber band I can borrow?"
for kalis and diamond if they decide to join michigan. trolls need to relax
No, you don't get it. Diamond is a borderline 3-4 star like Bars.** And he has crappy offers like Vanderbilt and Kansas. We only want commits if they have five stars from everyone and no offers from Vanderbilt.
**Srs. If he were one rating lower on Rivals scale he'd be a three-star. Obvs he sux.
Jordan Diamond is a 5 star on scout.And a four star on every site.How is he a borderline 3-4*?
Rivals is the outlier for Diamonds rating. He averages just a few spots behind Magnuson across the board. ESPN has him at 103, 24-7 has him at 60 and Scout has him at 40 with 5 stars. Rivals tanked him but for most of his combine performances he played through a back injury and still gutted it out against some of the best prospects in the country. Watch his junior game footage and forget the Rivals rating. Magnuson got pushed to 169 by ESPN but he's the consensus highest rated commit we've got and he and Diamond are neck and neck. Saying a recruit sucks is not cool.
I think it was /s
twice for the /s but I thought it was pretty ballsy to trash a kid even with one.
Hey Sparty troll, how long will it be before he decommits?
Wow! One commit stirs up so much tension. I would take a 5 man OL class that consists of Diamond, Kalis, Magnuson, Braden and Stacey, but to add another player (whether he is borderline 3-4 star or not) would be great as well. I understand where some of the people who are not accepting his commit are coming from as I would also like a 5 star or close to player (Banner or Garnett), but he is a big body with good talent. The worst he can do at Michigan is be a backup and be productive. Realistically, didn't Banner and Garnett say they wanted to play together? So, if they both committed and did Kalis and Diamond, then that would put the OL class at 7. It does not seem like Peat has as high of an interest in Michigan as he does Nebraska and ND as indicated in his recent statement of ND.
Very well put.I wasn't expecting this and I wasn't to excited about it at first.But now I'm okay with his commitment.
Thank you. I don't believe many people were directing their attacks on yourself, there were two others on here who got most riled up. You came along and posted some meaning to your original post which would take the heat off of you.
I was just caught up in the moment and didn't use my common sense.
I think the overwhelming majority are happy with the Bars commitment. Myself included. I mean look at that offer list. He is an athlete we want on campus.
Ok. First, Blake's entire family is cheering his decision. He is PUMPED.
Secondly, hes a beast. Watch his film, he is only 17, and could easily grow an inch or two already at 6'5 and 270ish.. He absolutely punishes defenders on the run.
Dont get me wrong, I like Banner alot on film.
However, you cannot seriously sit there and say "we shouldnt take a kid that the best programs in the most dominant conference (national championships wise) all want" thats crazy talk.
You make some good points but one commit does not stir up the tension.
Trolls stir up the tension with their ridiculous ideas. This approach to recruiting seems to work quite effectively for Texas every year.
Time to bust out the spray for the trolls.
Congrats on committing to U of M Blake! Great choice and welcome!
He's good enough to play for Michigan. Whoever disagrees can kiss my a$$
late getting out??? Once it did they said his offers started really coming in and he would probably be at least a 4 star by the end of the year. I think this is a great get for us, welcome to a great University and family Mr. Bars!!!
Go Blue!!!
And anyone who actually had graduated from U-M and disagrees is called a troll or some profanity by the community college morons who inhabit this site.
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<br>As an alum, I will continue to tell the truth because the majority of you who have your noses so far up Brady Hoke's ass have lost your sense of smell and your common sense.
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<br>Three years from now, when the Mike DeBoard offense chugs back to another 8-4 citrus bowl year and all of you are happy, I will still be arguing for a winning Michigan program and not settling for a sparty citrus bowl.
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<br>The truth is most of you are no better than the morons on the OSU and MSU sites. So when you get a real education at Michigan and can use words other than troll, maybe there can be some rational discourse.
I am a Michigan alum and for you to suggest that views divergent from your own are moronic proves you are no better.
While I understand that your point of view - I trust the coaches to know what they are doing. They turned down Pitman (who is a 4-star recruit) for a reason. Similarly, they would have asked Bars to wait if they felt he was a backup.
Going to Michigan does not make you a Michigan man. Just saying.
I'm smelling banhammer...