Khalid Kareem to Bama
Disappointing, but best of luck to Khalid at Bama.
At least there's some good news possibly on the way later today.
Also: As a few posters in the comments below have said, Allen Trieu said Khalid was one of the "silent commits" that we've been hearing about over the past few weeks. Only 7 months til signing day!
I've posted about this before, but never doubt two of the most reliable of the top four recruiting heuristics:
1.) THE ALABAMA RULE
If you're in the top two with Alabama, you're not getting the recruit.
2.) THE "LEADER TOO LONG" RULE
If you've been the leader for more than a couple of weeks without a committment, you're not getting that player.
I will go to war with these two recruiting heuristics way, way before I trust any individual "expert."
Number 2 on your list has always had a very strong correlation in my mind. I'll never trust that we have a big lead for anyone that we lead for that seems to be delaying the recruitment. I'm sure there are examples, but I can't name a single kid that we've been the prohibitive favorite that continues to shop around and ends up coming to Michigan.
Big Will is the only one I recall and he danced us good before it happened.
Maybe that rule only applies if you are UM. I've seen other schools win out.
But with your history I can understand why you think that.
Let's put it this way: it would be extremely foolish to think Gary is anything close to a Michigan "lock".
When you are asking the prettiest girl at school to the prom, you've got to understand you have extreme competition. Even though she laughs at your jokes in math class, don't start renting the tux just yet.
/s
She seems to have plenty of energy for Mr. Alabama. She apparently likes the neighborhood he lives in.
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Can't be mad at the kid. Alabama is the premier football factory since the turn of the decade. However, I'm getting annoyed of all the "Academics are important." I'm sure they are, but you don't need to say they were a factor in getting you to go to Alabama.
Winning, getting to the pros, and all the sorority girls. You ain't gotta lie, my man.
Magic Decoder Ring:
CASE
WHEN (Recruit says academics are important) AND (Offer list IN ANY ('ALABAMA')) THEN FALSE
END
That leaves a bit of a mark. But we'll see if it sticks - long way to signing day.
Triple-post all you want. More of your avatar is a good thing.
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Nothing like 2 of the best kids in the state going to USC and Bama.
LOL this is why "taking kids from Michigan" is such garbage.
Good luck or whatever.
Because trying to recruit local kids is a "bad" idea?
Oh, nvm. Just saw the username.
We have been mediocre to terrrible for most of the last decade while these kids were growing up.
Good luck to him. Sucks he didn't pick UM, but it happens.
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Maybe Jay was intentionally eluding the news.
They can't even compete with the Big Ten in the playoffs. *ducks* /s
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I hate the ESS EEE CEE with every fiber of my being.
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Absolutley shocked, he was all Blue I thought.
And he cited playing time? He'll be 4th string at Bama. Good luck finding playing time in the SEC Khalid.
FYI he says that Bama being on the national stage is a big deal to him.
Kareem made up his mind last night and this morning. Says Alabama's on the national stage, national title contender.
— Nick Baumgardner (@nickbaumgardner) June 24, 2015Once Harbaugh starts winning, we will win more of these battles.
Well, I suspect one reason is to lower the intense pressure of the recruiting cycle. A kid like Kareem is constantly asked where he is going to go and he is constantly getting calls and mail from different schools (have you seen the piles of letters these guys get?).
Once he announced, he no longer got the question "when are you gonna commit?" And now he can say he is a Bama commit and a good bit of that pressure is off. He can always change his mind later if it doesn't sit well.
In fact, once you "commit" to a school, it changes your mindset. It makes your future more of a reality, which almost gives you a different perspective. So it may actually help him to make a NSD decision -- either it feels right or it doesn't, and both tell you something important.
Based on that alone, I'm going to say he'll reconsider before signing day. It's one thing to make up your mind the night before you announce something that will happen several months down the road. It's another when those months dwindle away, and faced with the prospect of actually moving that far away - in terms of distance and culture.
Alabama is going to add a shitload of DL between now and signing day, all probably higher ranked than Kareem. If competition at MSU was a factor, this kid will reconsider.
Top program in college football = early playing time for 4-star from Michigan? I wish I could close like Nick Saban.
Michigan's best don't want to play for Michigan (right now), because these kids were literally nine years old the last time U-M competed for a national championship on the last weekend of the regular season.
Have to win on the field this year. It's a must.
Chalk this up to sour grapes if you want, but I've been saying for a while that Kareem is overrated. I don't see him being a huge difference maker. Michigan has a shot with a few other guys who are better players, IMO.
That did make me feel slightly better...
How many years of eligibility do you have left, Mr. Graham?
Which guys specifically do you think are better who Michigan is a likely suitor? I don't disagree that Kareem may be overrated, but DE is definitely a position of need.
Ron Johnson, Daniel Joseph, Xavier Kelly... Caleb Kelly is a Buck linebacker, too. I really like the Brian Burns kid out of Florida, although I'm not sure how much Michigan is an option for him. Marlon Davidson says he's visiting. Isaiah Chambers has Michigan in his top group. So there are options.