February 23rd, 2012 at 12:42 PM ^
given the 4 guys we have in or coming in from 2012, plus a couple 2011 guys like Clark and Morgan. But, if we can get these 2 guys, then fergodsakes, go for it I say. If that happens, we'll be set at LB for a while and Hoke will have turned one of our weakest positions coming in, into one of our strongest.
February 23rd, 2012 at 2:20 PM ^
Don't forget Antonio Poole.
February 23rd, 2012 at 11:51 AM ^
Good start to keeping your nose clean and yourself out of trouble!
February 23rd, 2012 at 11:55 AM ^
he was an ohio target until they found that out.
February 23rd, 2012 at 11:51 AM ^
Awesome. It would seem that Mattison is soon to make Michigan into "Linebacker U."
February 23rd, 2012 at 11:54 AM ^
I am buckling up.......just in case!
February 23rd, 2012 at 11:59 AM ^
I'd probably hold off on Levenberry until the Spring Game. However, once that rolls around, I think we can begin to secure out safety belts (in general, I think that's going to be a huge day for us).
February 23rd, 2012 at 12:49 PM ^
With the boys from Maryland coming to the spring game I am hoping for a lot of movement during the spring game.
February 23rd, 2012 at 12:02 PM ^
If you want to act a fool and get yourself in trouble and make your family look bad and your school look bad, they're going to send you home.
Awesome quote by his dad. "Act a fool" always gets a laugh out of me.
February 23rd, 2012 at 12:24 PM ^
old rap song, that had those words. I laughed every time that I heard it!
February 23rd, 2012 at 1:20 PM ^
Ludacris - Act a Fool
Favorite line...
"The pot holes in the street just bentcha rims
Tell me whatcha gon do? ACT A FOOL"
February 23rd, 2012 at 1:34 PM ^
Hoke and Fisher wanting him to be a productive citizen, and Saban? How does he do it?Hilarious.
February 23rd, 2012 at 1:56 PM ^
[Hoke] has strong Michigan ties from his assistant coaching days in Ann Arbor, which would seem to make his latest job his last assuming things work out at his alma mater.
So if the Ball State team keeps doing fine, Hoke is ours to keep? ESPN needs a fact checker.
February 23rd, 2012 at 12:07 PM ^
It's good to hear that we're in strong postion for him at this point in the process. I wonder if our strong LB haul in this past class will impact his decision at all.
February 23rd, 2012 at 12:16 PM ^
I doubt it. The haul from the last class pencils in at a different position than Levenberry who is looking like a SAM.
February 23rd, 2012 at 12:08 PM ^
Are we only taking 1 LB? I would have love a Dorian O'Daniel- E.J. Levenberry duo.
February 23rd, 2012 at 12:12 PM ^
Sam Webb said probably 2, maybe 3.
February 23rd, 2012 at 1:40 PM ^
I know that Ben Gideon, an OLB out of Ohio is pretty highly rated and was pretty high on us as well.
February 23rd, 2012 at 12:15 PM ^
We only need one, but once our needs are filled we will still have room for a couple "best talent available" players. I think that both Levenberry and O'Daniel would fit that role, if they both want to come.
February 23rd, 2012 at 12:22 PM ^
Does that mean after the first one commits, we'll hold off any commitments until after our needs are filled?
February 23rd, 2012 at 12:27 PM ^
No you just reserve spots for your needs. You don't need to take recruits in any specific order as long as you know what positions you want in the end.
February 23rd, 2012 at 12:12 PM ^
A recruit who loves Michigan but plans on taking his time? Reminds me of a couple of recruits who recently commited early. There's a chance he will still take his time, but if anything kids are accelerating their timetables for Hoke, which I hardly remember happening in the past.
February 23rd, 2012 at 12:13 PM ^
In the end, honesty, care and integrity win. That's why we're winning so many battles, in recrutiment, on the field, and in the broader world. Hoke uber alles.
February 23rd, 2012 at 12:21 PM ^
there's 8-9 schollies left, correct?
OL - 1 (Pocic or true center)
WR - 1 (Treadwell)
RB - 1 (Isaac)
DL - 2-3?
LB - 2
DB - 1-2
February 23rd, 2012 at 12:40 PM ^
But don't be surprised if they look at 2 more WR and even potentially another QB (who I assume would redshirt, but with not taking a QB last year it has some reasoning). I could see only taking 1 LB as well.
February 23rd, 2012 at 12:46 PM ^
As of now (unless there's more attrition), we only have about six spots left. History tells us that the number will almost certainly increase, but we're technically 2/3 full.
February 23rd, 2012 at 1:08 PM ^
Trieu keeps hearing 23 in regards to Michigan's class size. It sounds like that is what they are telling the kids they are recruiting.
February 23rd, 2012 at 1:12 PM ^
Yeah, there are a few guys I don't expect back in 2013.
February 23rd, 2012 at 12:20 PM ^
and to me he is the most impressive recruit on the board. He seems like a giant, compared to the rest of the guys on the field and he is quicker, faster and stronger than any of them too. What really impressed me is that when he hits someone, there is a good chance that it will cause an incompletion, or a fumble. I think there were at least 15 forced fumbles by him, in his highlight.
He is the #1 guy left (IMO)!!!
February 23rd, 2012 at 2:23 PM ^
I'm convinced.
EJ, our helmets have wings...come to Ann Arbor.
February 23rd, 2012 at 12:34 PM ^
because he rocks the 'stache. Not many can pull that one off
February 23rd, 2012 at 12:40 PM ^
Of the Rivals top 100, we have a realistic chance to land:
#15 E.J. Levenberry
#16 Shane Morris- commit
#18 Ty Isaac
#27 Ethan Pocic
#31 Laquon Treadwell
#37 Dorian O'Daniel
#46 Chris Fox- commit
#60 Kyle Bosch-commit
#77 Dymonte Thomas-commit
#96 Jake Butt- commit
10 top 100 players? Yes please.
February 23rd, 2012 at 12:43 PM ^
Also a "guaranteed" official visit from Su'a Cravens. Not holding my breath but DO WANT.
February 23rd, 2012 at 12:47 PM ^
Kendall Fuller?
February 23rd, 2012 at 12:58 PM ^
Unacceptable. No top 10 players. Coach Hoke and the staff need to re assess. These damn 4 stars, we need to be like Urban and get only 5 stars. And wait till Jan.
February 23rd, 2012 at 2:15 PM ^
I could have included Laremy Tunsil, Kendall Fuller, & Su'a Cravens, but like I said "realistic" chances. Fuller is visiting for the spring game, but all reports have him as an Virginia Tech lean. Tunsil is probably a Florida lean & I'm not sure about Cravens yet, but he wants to take an official here.
February 23rd, 2012 at 2:34 PM ^
No sarcasm, I think Tunsil is a possiblity. You are right on Fuller and I think Cravens may stay out west, my opinion. I like this early recruiting, and I am interested in 2014 kids already.
Do we think Bosch and LTT and Fox are tackles or guards. Dawson may be our center.
February 23rd, 2012 at 2:40 PM ^
I believe Tunsil just released his top 3 and Michigan is not in it.
February 23rd, 2012 at 3:39 PM ^
I think his comments about Coach Funk were fairly positive. I think his top 3 will change around.
February 23rd, 2012 at 5:36 PM ^
People think of Bosch and Fox as RT or G, with Bosch most likely being a G. Some have said Fox could maybe be a LT.
February 23rd, 2012 at 2:07 PM ^
By next fall LTT will be top 100 too. Book it
February 23rd, 2012 at 3:36 PM ^
He is on 247 Sports and he is close on Rivals. I would have to agree with you that LTT will probably be top 100 by the end of the cycle.
February 23rd, 2012 at 5:38 PM ^
Remember players can fall out of the Top 100 also. Didn't Marvin Robinson end up going from 95ish to out of the top 250? Would not surpise me to see players slip as other players get evaluated.
February 23rd, 2012 at 12:40 PM ^
by DMX..and yeah, the line is gold...
February 23rd, 2012 at 12:50 PM ^
"Michigan, they wrote me handwritten letters almost every day," he said. "I call them and they talk to me on the phone for a long period of time. They hit me up on Facebook. Michigan people (fans) hit me up almost every day (in social media)
That is a lot of correspondence. Good thing I'm not a coach because I would run out of things to say real quickly if I was talking to a kid that much that I barely knew. It's impressive that they can do all that and not seem insincere. I'm sure a lot of coaches do eventually start to reveal that they're just pandering to the player's wishes. Hoke uber alles.
February 23rd, 2012 at 12:59 PM ^
Football or basketball?
February 23rd, 2012 at 1:19 PM ^
Seems as if people always tend to underestimate how many players we'll be able to take. More often than not, due to natural attrition, next year's class won't end up being significantly smaller than this year's class (which was 25). Webb et al see this year's class at around 23. So there's still plenty of room.
February 23rd, 2012 at 1:22 PM ^
Quick, someone tell E.J's dad that Hoke was a criminal justice major in college.
February 23rd, 2012 at 2:28 PM ^
Hoke really does have an affinity for police officers. He treats his security guys very well. I bet EJ's dad and him really hit it off.