UM Football Recruiting - by WM Wolverine

[WingsFan]

Nice job WM Tiger! I cant believe we hauled in Solomon !! When you your recruiting against cheating Alabama and Satan you really think no matter what you hear - he's not going Blue. Great finish to this class. How about Sparty and the kid in Jail, what a moron, no problem though - im sure Dantonio has come up with bail $$ by now (and a ride) lmao


I was listing to Sam Webb this weekend and he could not stop gushing about Ambry Thomas, thinks he could be one of the best DBs ever at M by the time he's done and in the Woodson/Peppers mode play offence too.

[Mackenzie]

Well it's time to revv up the investigative machine. Thank you, AA, for showing us the need to get out of our own media bubble and be skeptical. I would be horrified if we were expecting to increase our recruiting footprint in the south and yet making a mockery of their finest cultural export. That would hurt our recruiting goals as well as the values, history and inclusive spirit of the university.

JH should hire the undisputed #1 BBQ chef (smoker, person, etc.) on the planet--guess that includes the south--and fly him/her in for the BBQ on the Mjet (with lots of media fanfare). Call it BBQ For The Stars. Wonder if that would be against NCAA rules.

[AlabamAlum]

At least it would be a BBQ then.

[WM Wolverine]

The SEC would immediately attempt to put a stop to it.

[AlabamAlum]

Nah, just serve the BBQ at a sleepover for the recruits in Italy

[Da Geezer]

the value of a five-star recruit:

https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-much-is-a-five-star-recruit-worth-465-000-by-one-estimate-1485900554

[Jeff Buchanan]

Geezer ..... paywalled.

[hack]

Srsly, I'm pretty sure they have a proper pitmaster, but I couldn't find where I read that.

[AlabamAlum]

I imagine the "pit master" up there is the guy responsible for pouring ketchup on top of the charred burgers they served.

[Da Geezer]

sorry about the paywall. Here is the google "look up" link: The value of a five star recruit

https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=wsj%2Bvalue+of+a+five+star+recruit

D. Asiasi is pursuing a transfer to a West Coast school.

[Jeff Buchanan]

I thought this little blurb, (pirated from mgoblog) was interesting. The lead in headline was, "we have an early signing period, sort of ....."

The 2017 recruiting class seemed to have less late drama than years past, and that could have something to do with the growing number of early enrollees. Among the top 50 prospects in this class, 26 were midyear enrollees, which included 11 of the 15 five-stars. And of the top 150 prospects, 54 enrolled early.

I know the lack of drama for NLOID was mentioned up thread but this is the speculation about why it was so uninteresting. M had 11 EEs, a record.

I hate the recruiting drama. HATE it. I think it an enormous waste of time, albeit a profitable venture for those reporting on it. I'm also strongly in favor of an early signing period.

[Mackenzie]

Saw over at Maize n Brew where M took a few walk-ons. Josh Wilk's, QB from De La Salle, film looked pretty good. Although he plays several positions--ST, WR, and QB--kid looks like he has a pretty good arm and some wheels to boot. M also got a walk-on tight end and long snapper.

http://www.maizenbrew.com/2017/2/12/14590652/josh-wilk-earns-spot-on-michigan-after-walk-on-tryout-de-la-salle-football-wolverines-football

[Rocky Bleier]

Jimmy's playing chess, while Dantonio is playing checkers!

Harbaugh hires father of elite 2019 QB recruit for staff position.
Michael Johnson, Sr. has 10 years of NFL experience as well as serving as interim coach when Ricky Neuheisel was fired from UCLA. He's currently the head coach at The Kings Academy in Sunnyvale, CA. He also has a son (Michael Jr.) who is being recruited by Michigan at QB.

[Jeff Buchanan]

This hire is interesting .......

It illuminates the length that coaching staff's are willing to go to advantage their rosters and Harbaugh is matching bets with all of them.

In light of the revelations of the Soloman recruiting saga, UGA's HC Kirby Smart and the firing of his DL coach Tracy Rocker (see the mgoblog piece), the unpleasant underbelly of what it takes to compete for NCs gets revealed. It's not pretty.

Personally, I don't have a problem with aggressive "roster management." I'd feel better about it if players were paid, like they should be paid ..... but that's another discussion.

I can't say I'm not happy to see Harbaugh working to take Michigan to the elite level by playing the same games those already there are playing, but I'm also not entirely comfortable with it.

I suspect Hannibal, whose called for more aggressive strategies and tactics in recruiting and roster management himself, is entirely comfortable with it either. There's a dark side to it and it is not dishonest or unethical but it is a step beyond what we seem to have been comfortable with that brings Michigan to 10-3. To get from there to 14-0 and the NC worth the price? We need to be thinking about that.

[The Oracle]

Price of what?