Lattimore, White, Clay, Brown, Lamb, Hill etc?
With the recent commitment of Stephen Hopkins to fill one of our “big-back” roles, I pose a few questions. If you were RR…
How many more backs do you take for the 2010 class with Minor, Grady, and Brown all graduating this year?
Of these back how many fill “big-backs” roles i.e. Minor vs. speed back roles i.e. Brown.
Also quite a bit has been discussed in regards to M. Lattimore, A. White, B. Clay, M. Brown, and C. Lamb as of late… so who do you have the best shot(s) @ landing currently and why? I do understand that some consider Tony Drake a running back, but this thread is based on the assumption that he will fill a more specialized role.
Last but not least do you offer Nick Hill and if so when?
i hope nick hill gets a spot, preferably after we secure a top big RB. but being a local guy, i'm just pulling for him to get an offer.
I would love to see him at Michigan. All the comparisons to Hart and has the break away speed.
What's your hometown team? The three games I remember him dominating (300+ yards) were vs Adrian, AA Pioneer and Mason.
We need at least one blue chip RB recruit that can have an impact immediately. Toussaint should be good, but he still needs to qualify. I'm not sold on Mike Cox; Shaw needs to get it together on and off the field. Hopkins and Drake will be good down the road but need a few years to develop.
Lattimore = perfect fit for our offense; not happening though
Austin White = solid prospect but I don't see him as a feature back in the Big 10
Clay = would be an excellent pickup but doesn't look like he will leave the West Coast
Corvin Lamb = would excel as a returner but not a great RB prospect
None of them are huge, bulky bruisers like Minor. Lattimore can be physical though. Brown, Lamb and Hill are more speed, with White and Clay sort of in between.
If I had to put them in order from most likely to be Blue to least likely, I'd go:
Hill
White
*Lamb
Clay
Brown
Lattimore
Hill is the type that would probably commit on the spot, but White is the #1 back on Michigan's board right now; they want him to be a part of the class, that's for sure. Lamb likes Michigan, but he also likes Florida and Miami. If Miami offered (which isn't a sure thing, hence the *), he'd probably be a longshot for Michigan. I'd say the only reason Michigan is hanging around with Clay is because of Tate. Brown is interested, but with SEC schools all over him I wouldn't get my hopes up, and Lattimore just isn't happening.
I can understand that you don't want to get your hopes up about Lattimore, but why does everyone say "Not happening" right away with 5 star recruits? Rich Rod got Noel Devine (5 star) to West Virginia!! I can see saying "Not happening" to a guy like Seastrung (who is, was and always will be a Longhorn lock), but why is Lattimore a "Not happening" guy? I don't understand.
He got Devine to WVU because Devine couldn't get in anywhere else.
And Lattimore grew up in a South Carolina family and is a Gamecock fan. Quinton Washington was very much the exception, not the rule. Unless something drastic changes, like a coaching change, Lattimore isn't leaving the South.
I'm sure the coaches want one more RB and prefer an all-purpose back - the bruiser and the scat back positions are in good shape with Hopkins and Drake.
We should all be hoping for Austin White, and he seems to be the staff's No. 1 RB priority now. Clay would be a fine replacement - probably preferred - but, other than the "if he gets to campus and Tate does his thing, anything can happen" thing, Clay seems like a big risk for directing our recruiting focus. Brown likely an even bigger ling-shot.
Cassius McDowell and Nick Hill are little shifty guys we'd probably now only take if scholarship slots are open. Dietrich Riley is probably not a RB
We'll take Lattimore if he wants to come no matter who else has already committed, so no worries there.
Corvin lamb is the wild card.
I kinda like White, but I'm not sure why we should be all hoping for him. He's a shifty guy, but he doesn't really have an extra gear and I'm not sure he's the best prospect available. Plus, there are all the disciplinary issues.
I'd be happy picking him up, but like other posters have said, I'm not sure he's best guy available.
I see no shot at Brown. He listed his top 4 and UM was not one of them.
Why is there absolutely no shot with Lattimore? I'd be extremely surprised if he came to UM but he keeps saying UM will get an official so there must be SOME chance.
There's no chance with Lattimore because his mom wants him to go to South Carolina. If he doesn't go there, he'll probably stay in the southeast, perhaps Bama or LSU. I really think he'll be a Gamecock, but I did see him wearing a Chris Webber #4 jersey last Wednesday at school...
I'd take two more RB recruits in this class. Drake should be a slot.
As for who we have the best shot at, I'd say Austin White and Corvin Lamb. I'm not worried about getting another big back if Hopkins sticks. Michael Cox still has four years of eligibility left.
I'd wait until fall to offer Hill. Hill would probably jump on it, and I'd be a wee bit disappointed if our RB class ended up with Hopkins, Hill, and White. I'd like to save a spot for a guy like Mack Brown, Dietrich Riley, Roy Finch, etc. There are better guys out there than Hill, and even though they might be long shots, it's still very early in the process.
Would you like to take a shot at breaking down how many schollies we'll give out during this cycle and what the positional breakdown will (or should) be?
Brian has already done this:
http://www.mgoblog.com/content/2010-michigan-football-recruiting-board
If we end up only having 17 scholarships to give, here's how I see them spreading out:
QB - 2
RB - 3
WR - 4*
OL - 1
DT - 1
DE - 2
LB - 1
CB - 2**
S - 1
*I think either D.J. Williamson or Jerald Robinson will end up on defense, at cornerback or safety, respectively.
**I expect Cullen Christian to commit, who I think will end up at safety.
updated it recently. Anyways, I have some time, so I'll do a breakdown.
QB (2)-Forcier and Robinson are the only returning QB's. Sheridan is either a walk-on or on scholarships based on availability. Cone will likely not get a 5th year.
RB (5)-Shaw, Cox, Jones, Smith, Toussaint. I'll count Jones here based on Brian's chart.
FB (0)-Far as I know, Moundros is in the same boat as Sheridan.
WR (6)-Rogers, Stonum, Hemingway, Stokes, Gordon, Roundtree all return.
Slot (4)-Odoms, Feagin, Robinson, Gallon
TE (3)-Webb, Koger, Moore
OL (16)-Not going to list them all. Only 3 candidates for non-renewal. Schilling, Dorrenstein, and Ferrara. Schilling is getting a 5th for sure. You don't dispose of starting OLine. I'd imagine at least Dorrenstein is getting a 5th, but who knows?
DT (4)-Sagesse, Martin, Helmuth, Campbell
DE (6)-Banks, Patterson, Van Bergen, Watson, LaLota, Roh. Do Banks and Patterson get 5th years?
LB (9)-Ezeh, Mouton, Evans, Herron, Fitzgerald, Bell, Hawthorne, Jones, Demens. Only Ezeh and Mouton are up for non-renewal. They'll be back.
CB (6)-Warren, Woolfolk, Cissoko, Turner, Witty, Floyd
S (4)-Williams, Smith, Gordon, Emilien
K (1)-I doubt Wright gets renewed, leaving Gibbons as the only schollie kicker.
This gives us 66 returning players, leaving 19 spots open as of now (assuming some of the non-renewed players that I did). Also, there are potentially 2-3 more who won't be brought back. Make room for knuckleheadedness as well and I think it could end up being a 22 man class or so.
The final number almost certainly will be higher than 17, but it's hard to guess how much bigger. I expect Wright to be gone after this year, but I think all our other guys with potential fifth years coming (Dorrestein, Ferrara, Patterson, Banks, Schilling, etc.) have a very good chance of returning.
With Ortmann leaving, that opens a spot at tackle for Dorrestein to compete. With Moosman leaving, Ferrara could compete at guard. Patterson and Banks would be on a pretty thin defensive line, so they could conceivably get a good deal of playing time, too.
is low.
I hear that they want 5-6 DBs in '10 class.
April 14th, 2009 at 11:13 PM ^
That would be tough with only 17 scholarships. You have to make cuts somewhere...
When you say "schollies" I can only think of Coner Boner's sweet ass rap
April 15th, 2009 at 12:52 AM ^
i know this is a biiiigggg and i mean biiiig stretch.. but maybe getting just one more rb..with a bruiser like hopkins who is supposed to have a lil speed.. and with shaw who has great speed..won nationals in track..and toussaint who is qualified if my people down here in ohio are correct.. what if..here is the stretch..what if we take a person like a gallon or feagan who were ath..and turn them into a sort of percy harvin type..can run the ball out of some formations and catch the ball out of the backfield..would that maybe clear that up?