UM Football Recruiting - by WM Wolverine

[hack]

Nope. I'll be in the gender-challenged sane persons wing.

[SeattleLionsFan]

You assholes know that Michigans class is higher in average rating than State's right? And that they are currently 16th with only 10 recruits?

Goodgotdamn some of you are awfully hard to take. Let the string play out and we can talk come November.

And if Harbaugh can win and put players into the bigs he will get his recruits.

[WM Wolverine]

Some of these offers concern me, how much trust should we have in this coaching staffs ability to evaluate talent? There is a clear correlation between star ratings and success on the field so it's a really poor strategy to have a class filled of three stars if you plan on contending in the B1G East...

Kingston Davis is no three star to me, he's a clear guy who will get a big boost when re evaluated.

[The Oracle]

They've offered over half the 5 stars and about 220 4 stars...besides forcing a kid to commit, what else should they do at this point? It's going to be a huge class, they're going to offer some of the lower "rated" kids that they like...you've said so yourself. They are in good shape for a lot of highly rated kids still. I'll say it again, I'll get concerned once the higher rated kids they are in on, commit elsewhere.

[iam416]

You assholes know that Michigans class is higher in average rating than State's right?

Using the 247 composite, MSU is at 88.36 and M is at 88.26. Penn State, IMO, is the B10 team that best-positioned to finish 2nd in the B10. And the fact that we're talking about M, MSU, PSU and OSU ought to tell everyone where the B10 East is going.

And that they are currently 16th with only 10 recruits?

Using 247 composite, M is 19th in average rating, so they actually drop a bit when eliminating quantity.

[Jeff Buchanan]

Yep, all you Pollyannas, don't let the facts get in the way.

Here's the deal. I love M football. It is a part of my blood and all of my 4 kids blood. It's genetic. While I understand it, I don't need to be called an "asshole" because I've started looking at the facts, weighing them in comparison to the unsupported subjectivity that is claimed to support the non-sense about HARBAUGH and the greatness of M football/Team 136. Team 136 isn't going to be great and without some talented HS players being recruited right now who can contribute right away, team 137 and 138 aren't going to be great either.

Sure, things could change for the 2016 class but the trend Harbaugh is setting with his current crop of HS recruits isn't encouraging in that regard. If it doesn't change and Harbaugh does not reel in some top talent to close out the class, M is going to have a tough time unseating the two best teams in the BIG right now, osu and MSU. Why is that? Because of the facts that are available to anyone that wants to listen to them.

I've just gotten more realistic about where M football is right now and where it is likely to go. I know that smarts for dyed in the wool M fans who have not yet made the transition from the starry eyed and unrealistically hopeful views of the Michigan faithful to the steely eyed realism supported by the facts that paints a more accurate picture for M football in the now and going forward.

Besides, with this POV, I'll be less disappointed by the losses Team 136 will sustain than I've probably ever been for an M team in my entire life. I'm looking forward to not weeping on Sundays and not being seriously depressed through about Thursday of the following week of the college football season.

[Hannibal]

You assholes know that Michigans class is higher in average rating than State's right? And that they are currently 16th with only 10 recruits?

Goodgotdamn some of you are awfully hard to take. Let the string play out and we can talk come November.

And if Harbaugh can win and put players into the bigs he will get his recruits.

This brings me back to what I asked earlier -- how long?

So far, there appears to be a consensus on a few things:

1. We can't beat Urban Meyer more than once or twice a decade and we won't beat MSU 50% of the time without great recruits.
2. We aren't going to get great recruits until we demonstrate winning again.
3. It's probably not reasonable for us to expect that demonstration to take place in 2015.

So where does that leave us? If 2015 is a mediocre year then that means that the 2017 class won't be a great one either since most of that class will have decided before our 2016 team gets a chance to prove itself. What if that team is mediocre too? How long until the talent is on par with OSU? How long before we are favored to win that game?

IMHO Harbaugh has to overcome #2. Has to. Otherwise, we are looking at another five years in the wilderness and in 2020 we will be wrapping up a 2-18 streak against OSU. Harbaugh has to convince elite players to come to Michigan before he demonstrates winning. So far, the early returns in that regard are not promising.

[hack]

Harbaugh has to convince elite players to come to Michigan before he demonstrates winning.

Disagree. He's got to pull some upsets, and he will.

[iam416]

Hanni:

To your point about recruiting and not needing to win big, some examples over the past 10 seasons:

Nick Saban's first year: 7-6. Recruiting class: #3 nationally. 90.51 average. Julio Jones. Barrett Jones. Marcel Dareus. Mark Ingram. Dont'a Hightower. Terrence Cody. All the foregoing were at least 4* except Cody, who was a high 3*.

UFM's first year at Florida: 9-3. Recruiting class: #2 nationally. 90.12 average. Harvin, Tebow, Spikes, Hornsby, Riley Cooper, Brandon James (low 3*).

UFM's first year at OSU: 12-0. Recruiting class: #2 nationally. 89.78 average. You're familiar.

Jimbo Fisher's first year at FSU: 10-4. Recruiting class: #2 nationally. 90.41 average. Jernigan. Wilder, O'Leary, Kelvin Benjamin. Probably a lot more, but I'm not overly familiar with FSU.

Brady Hoke's first year at M: 11-2. Recruiting class: #6 nationally. 90.63 average. You're familiar.

Butch Jones' first year at Tennessee: 5-7. Recruiting class: #7 nationally. 89.51 average. TBD.

Steve Sarkisian's first year at USC: 9-4. Recruiting class: #2 nationally. 92.83 average. We'll see.

Charlie Strong's first year at Texas: 6-7. Recruiting class: #9 nationally. 89.46 average. We'll see.

IMO, it's pretty clear to me that a new coach at a brand name school can land a top 10 class. I don't think that's an outlier result. JH *should* be able to land a top 10 class this year. Personally, I think M is positioned to make a run at the top 10, so it's definitely achievable. But, that goal is, IMO, entirely reasonable and fair. You didn't hire some no-name schmuck.

[Hannibal]

Talent -- I agree wholeheartedly.

[klondike]

No one questions Jim's coaching ability but it's understandable to question his recruiting. There's really not enough of a metric to determine this.

Had a short stay with Stanford and not nearly enough time to establish himself as a top recruiter. No comparison to the other coaches like UFM an be made.

Top 10 is possible but unrealistic to think he could walk in from the NFL and get a top 5 just on name alone.

[SeattleLionsFan]

I was using assholes lovingly Jeff Buchanan. I think the jury's out on whether Harbaugh will be successful, but it's silly to get worked up before the season.

Just a bit of patience will go a long way.

[Mike]

Jeff and Hanni: Attacking each day with a pessimism unknown to mankind. Ha!

[The Oracle]

Jeff and Hanni: Attacking each day with a pessimism unknown to mankind. Ha!

[The Oracle]

I was using assholes lovingly Jeff Buchanan. I think the jury's out on whether Harbaugh will be successful, but it's silly to get worked up before the season.

Just a bit of patience will go a long way.