UM Football Recruiting - by WM Wolverine

[lineygoblue]

I'll start worrying about players who leave, when its a starter that leaves.

Posada wasn't going to see the field much this year, and neither was Stokes. Posada probably would have had a shot in the 2013 season, but apparently didn't want to wait. Stokes wasn't impressing anyone in fall practice, and right now, we have no shortage of receivers. Stokes probably didn't want to wait any more either.

We may lose a few more. I don't think its a coincidence that Brady Hoke posted his first depth chart of the season on Monday. One kid left Monday, another left today. There may be more, but I doubt that there will be a mass exodus of top talent.

[WM Wolverine]

Posada was going to be needed as a backup in '13, he has NO ONE in front of him to stop him from seeing the field as the previous few recruiting classes were low in numbers and high in attrition. I'd consider even taking a 7th OL in the '12 class, the numbers there will be that bad after the '12 class (Barnum, Omameh, Mealer) graduates...

Je'Ron Stokes had a great opportunity in '12 when Hemingway, Odoms & Grady graduate; now he'll go to somewhere like Pitt, get to use his redshirt season like he should've gotten here and benefit greatly from it. Hopefully this is just a playing time issue and not an academic one, academic losses are much harder on the APR.

[Pasadena Blue]

don't we need more attrition anyways in order to sign the class we want?
None of this sounds like bad news to me.

[WM Wolverine]

I wasn't very high on Tony Posada, he was an early offer that I soured on after he went to camps and didn't do particularly well. He 'peaked' early after getting rated highly as a sophomore and didn't do much developing from then...

Je'Ron Stokes (Jr.) wasn't going to see the field much this season as he wasn't even on the 2-deep behind underclassman like Jeremy Galon, Jeremy Jackson & Drew Dileo. With Stonum & Roundtree both returning in '13, his loss isn't significant if guys like Gallon, Dileo, Jackson & Jerald Robinson develop as hoped...

They are still losses in terms of 'depth', especially on the offensive line. It really forces the '11 & '12 OL recruiting class to produce early, a position that it takes some time to develop. Jack Miller and Chris Bryant have easy paths to starting positions as redshirt sophomores; M needs a high batting average in terms of OL with its '11 and '12 recruiting classes and they'll need 'numbers again at the position with the '13 recruiting class...

[Jeff Buchanan]

Michigan's okay on the OL for this season unless injuries crop up. Then it could get ugly. Projected starters: Lewan (a redshirt sophomore), David Molk (a fifth-year senior), Patrick Omameh (a redshirt junior), Mark Huyge (a fifth-year senior) and either redshirt junior Ricky Barnum or redshirt sophomore Schofield.

Backing them up are redshirt juniors Rocko Khoury and Elliott Mealer. These two could play and are probably ready to play but would be a drop off from the starters for sure. Beyond that, the line depth consists of the freshmen and a lineup of a half-dozen walk-ons.

M has verbals from five offensive linemen for 2012, and it will probably go to 7 now that Posada is gone.

Michigan's 1997 national championship offensive line featured redshirt freshmen Steve Hutchinson and Jeff Backus. So getting and then playing offensive linemen with only one year behind them in the weight room/getting snaps is possible if not optimum.

[WM Wolverine]

Your examples are NFL players, Jeff. I hope a couple of Kalis, Magnuson, Braden, Bars & Stacey are the caliber of Hutchinson & Backus too.

[Rocky Bleier]

don't we need more attrition anyways in order to sign the class we want?
None of this sounds like bad news to me.

Other than depth issues...I agree. Flush out the old, and bring in the new.

[Hannibal]

Tweet from Chris Barnett that he has left the program.

[Jeff Buchanan]

From Rivals:

Freshman tight end Chris Barnett, out of Hurst, Texas, reported on Twitter this morning that he is "no longer at the University of Michigan," and athletic department officials confirmed the news. Barnett becomes the third Wolverine in the past two weeks to opt out of the U-M program.

The 6-6, 245-pounder came to Michigan sporting high hopes, great size, soft hands and the desire to play early. He'd been rehabilitating and recovering from a knee injury suffered in his senior season of high school football in Texas.

Rivals.com rated Barnett a four star, the 14th-best prep tight end in the nation, the No. 32 performer in Texas and the No. 224 performer nationally among high school seniors.

Freshman offensive lineman Tony Posada and junior receiver Je'Ron Stokes have also left the program in the last several days.

Borton will post more details when In the Fort comes out today.

[whodean]

Barnett is a flake.

http://msn.foxsports.com/collegefootball/story/Chris-Barnett-took-winding-road-to-Michigan-031211

[Hannibal]

There are strong rumors that Isaiah Bell is about to take a hike if he hasn't already.

[Jamie H]

Barnett has transferred high schools five times, attended four different high schools and twice broke commitments to colleges.

While I AM getting worried about all the departures, it does sound like this is old hat to Barnett.

[Rocky Bleier]

I was concerned when they signed him and had serious doubts that he would stay.

[SeattleLionsFan]

I was concerned about his involvement with one of the recruiters that got texas or Oregon in trouble.

[SeanB]

While I hate to see a talented recruit like that leave, there are some real red flags there just in terms of committment. Not counting all the other red flags, too.

It's going to take a few years for Hoke and Co. to get the guys they want, the kind that want to be here, and then mold those guys into a Big10 Championship caliber team. Patience is in order here.

When I hear what folks on local radio are saying about expected wins/performance, I think there are going to be a lot of disappointed fans.