MICHIGAN 2007 Recruiting Class No. 6 Biggest Underachieving Class in Decade
From Matt Hinton as Dr Saturday on Yahoo NCAA Football.......
His top 8 underacheiving recruiting classes of the Decade
6. Michigan (2007). If they weren't scarred for life, the members of Lloyd Carr's final signing class were at least traumatized enough by the Wolverines' loss to Appalachian State in the first game of their college career that they went into a shell and never came out. Four years later, only five members of the entire class, cornerback Donovan Warren, defensive end Ryan Van Bergen, offensive linemen Mark Huyge and David Molk and cornerback Troy Woolfolk, had even emerged as regular starters, much less good ones.
Of course, the gem of the group, five-star quarterback Ryan Mallett, quickly fled Ann Arbor and the specter of Rich Rodriguez's spread offense in 2008 for a record-breaking career at Arkansas. But no one could have imagined then that his teammates – the top-ranked incoming class in the Big Ten – would sit so idly by as the program descended into the Dark Ages.
So, guys, while we may all wish that the current 2011 class was higher rated, let's remember that highly rated classes can have their issues too!
February 2nd, 2011 at 4:15 PM ^
That class was acknowledged as being subpar at the time. Outside of the 2 5 stars (both of whom panned out) the only 4 star guys were Michael Williams, Toney Clemens, Van Bergen, Webb and Austin Panter (a JUCO).
I mean, yeah, we didn't get much production out of the class, but I don't think anyone really expected it to be an awesome class on signing day.
February 2nd, 2011 at 4:17 PM ^
Hemingway and Molk too at the least
February 2nd, 2011 at 4:19 PM ^
but they were 3 star guys, so that doesn't really fit in with the "disappointing" meme.
February 2nd, 2011 at 4:32 PM ^
I guess if you use ESPN's ranking some would consider Hemingway a disappointment. I other the other hand think Hemingway has been a good player for us. He will be big for us next year.
February 2nd, 2011 at 4:37 PM ^
I would hope some would just consider ESPN to be fucking awful at grading recruits.
February 2nd, 2011 at 5:57 PM ^
I consider ESPN to be just plain fucking awful. Period.
February 2nd, 2011 at 4:25 PM ^
Rivals had the class as 12th and Scout had the class as 10th overall. That tells me that they thought we had a pretty good class that turned out to be a lot worse than we thought it would be for any number of reasons......
February 2nd, 2011 at 4:15 PM ^
of reality for those currently freaking out.
February 2nd, 2011 at 4:18 PM ^
that class emphasizes the importance of signing day. It was a thoroughly "meh" class that had 2 headliners and little depth. It basically needed everyone to pan out to be a good class . Instead, Mallett transferred, Clemons transferred, Williams was a bust, and the three star guys didn't really step up.
It's a class that demonstrates why getting a ton of top tier guys is pretty damn important.
February 2nd, 2011 at 4:28 PM ^
It was still the top-ranking Big Ten class that year.
Also, I'm a little confused by your argument:
It basically needed everyone to pan out to be a good class .
Then you go ahead and name four things involving a ton of players from that class that led to its disappointment. Do you honestly think the class would be terrible if ONLY Williams busted? If ONLY Clemons transferred? If ONLY the three-star guys didn't overachieve?
February 2nd, 2011 at 4:29 PM ^
If everyone had performed exactly to their star level.
February 2nd, 2011 at 4:31 PM ^
Michigan was 12th in the country to rivals that year, so being the top class in the Big 10 was more a function of the Big 10 struggling than people thinking Michigan's class was exceptionally strong.
February 2nd, 2011 at 4:15 PM ^
So, guys, while we may all wish that the current 2011 class was higher rated, let's remember that highly rated classes can have their issues too!
^^^^^^^^^^
Thank you.
February 2nd, 2011 at 4:18 PM ^
February 2nd, 2011 at 4:21 PM ^
I hate saying bad things about guys but Williams just looked lost everytime he was out on the field.
February 2nd, 2011 at 4:26 PM ^
True but MW is a sick talent. #5 DB by scout I believe too. Some guys just aren't football players though. I did think he had a chance to break out last year if healthy, as he was pretty young prior to that, but it was hardly a certainty. Some guys just don't have the instincts and understanding of the game to match their natural talents and athelticism. You take guys like that every time out of HS though.
February 2nd, 2011 at 4:38 PM ^
February 2nd, 2011 at 4:21 PM ^
All these poor bastards that stayed having to settle for a Michigan degree.
February 2nd, 2011 at 4:30 PM ^
Anyhow, point is that you would expect to see more than 5 guys around for a top 10 class a few years down the road.
February 2nd, 2011 at 4:21 PM ^
problem i have with the article is that the ones that did end being starters are actually very good. I think sometimes people become so reliant on those ratings. I mean nfl scouts are wrong quite often, let alone college ones. When you are talking about the big picture, yes a higher % of five stars will be playing on sunday than three stars. But when you are talking about one kid vs. another, when you are talking about small sample sizes those rankings mean very little. Too many factors go into the evaluation, and add on top of that the development of players is so unpredictable.
February 2nd, 2011 at 4:22 PM ^
I remember that class basically being Mallett plus a couple of other big-name kids, so the fact it struggled doesn't really surprise me. Carr was running a little on fumes toward the end.
February 2nd, 2011 at 4:24 PM ^
Yah Carr didn't go too all out the last 2 years with the Parkinson's and everything else. I'm not sure the class is a complete bust as advertised, but oh well. I think it will be redeemed a bit if Hemingway and Woolfolk have the SR. seasons they are expected to. It's really too bad Warren didn't stay another year. Him and Troy at CB would have changed the whole D
February 3rd, 2011 at 9:48 AM ^
That seems like a pretty reasonable way to gain the boards favor, no?
February 2nd, 2011 at 4:42 PM ^
Some data as food for thought on Lloyd Carr, RR, and how our recruiting has been over the past 9 years or so......
2011: 21ST RANKED CLASS
2010: 20TH RANKED CLASS
2009: 8TH RANKED CLASS
2008: 10TH RANKED CLASS
2007: 12TH RANKED CLASS
2006: 13TH RANKED CLASS
2005: 6TH RANKED CLASS
2004: 5TH RANKED CLASS
2003: 17TH RANKED CLASS
2002: 16TH RANKED CLASS
February 2nd, 2011 at 5:20 PM ^
That might have been Lloyd's last full class, but a good chunk of the '08 class is his, too. Similarly, part of this year's class should be considered RichRod's.
February 2nd, 2011 at 6:27 PM ^
This just shows how much recruiting is overrated. The rankings don't mean anything if the coaching staff doesn't develop them into the players that they can be. Ask anyone on the Michigan defense the past couple of years. It is unreal that so many of these players make their signing a big deal using all these different props yet some of them won't even see the field next year.
February 2nd, 2011 at 6:39 PM ^
"Where are the cornerbacks, though?"
That was the last sentence from their evaluation of the 2007 class. I'm not trying to make apologies for RR, but that may have more to do with our poor defensive passing stats than the 3-3-5. The DL/LB issues can be placed more on the scheme.
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/recruiting/football/news/story?id=2757802
February 2nd, 2011 at 6:57 PM ^
I think it has more to do with the coaching change and transfers than a specific lack of talent. I think there's no doubt it underperformed, especially for Michigan, but there are more factors than simply the players lacked talent.
February 2nd, 2011 at 8:52 PM ^
i don't see why everyone sees hemingway as a bust. the offense he was playing is was designed to get the ball to the slot receivers. In addition he had Darryl Stonum in front of him on the depth chart. Roundtree is obviously the best WR on the roster and played in the position that received the most targets. This really means Hemingway hasn't underachieved simply been behind a better player at his position and played a secondary position for the reciever spot.
Hemingway's 2010 stats.
2010 | 32 | 593 | 18.5 | 70 | 4 |
Roundtree's 2010 stats.
2010 | 72 | 935 | 13.0 | 75 | 7 |
Stonum's 2010 stats.
2010 | 49 | 633 | 12.9 | 66 | 4 |
February 3rd, 2011 at 9:14 AM ^
February 3rd, 2011 at 9:50 AM ^
Until the last three games of the season (not including bowl game), he was pretty clutch when we needed him.