UM Football Recruiting - by WM Wolverine

[Jeff Buchanan]

The lack of top recruits in this year's class is concerning, but we're Reading too much into a down year in my opinion. Return to success next year and the recruits will be back.

I don't think so. Shit the bed like Harbaugh did this season and it takes a couple of years of going to the BCS play-offs to overcome.

I also think that Harbaugh is just not that great of a recruiter. e.g., we're going to Paris this spring to practice does not trump you will playin the BCS and we will put you in the NFL if that is where you want to go.

[WM Wolverine]

Back to back seasons where M hasn't lived up to expectations... M lost 3 of last 4 in '16 and last 3 in '17...

I didn't have high expectations for the '18 recruiting class with so little ability to sell PT after back to back very large and excellent recruiting classes. Need for a good class was low however M missed on every blue chip target and has nearly an entire class of plan B types...

I'm not concerned about the '18 recruiting class too much, my worry is the trend and it creates a need for an EXCELLENT '19 class and given the trend I'm not optimistic M is going to recruit at the level they did in '16, '17.

I'm concerned about the offensive coaching staff and position coaches having clear roles. I'd prefer an offensive coordinator who had a clear vision, identity of what he wants to do. You need to do something really well and style of play M wants to do requires much better OL and QB play than other offenses...

Most of M's offensive issues go back to those two things, no ability to give the QB time to throw, keep the QB (Speight) healthy and no depth, talent at the most critical position on the field.

[WM Wolverine]

It's been really disappointing as the defense was plenty good enough they only needed a game manager type at QB and an OL that could give their QBs time to throw and keep them healthy.

The brutal schedule in '18 will hurt but the talent is there for an excellent season if the manage to do what they haven't been able to do the last couple seasons, win their 'big' games against rivals. M needs to win at least two of ND, Sparty, PSU and Ohio.

[WingsFan]

Unnamed blogger biggest Harbugh slappy , has turned

Nobody inside Schembechler Hall can understand how Drevno remains employed.

Harbaugh chose to fire strength coach Kevin Tolbert, but the players are upset about the move because they see Tolbert as the scapegoat for Tim Drevno’s bad offense.

Frey, a renowned offensive tackle guru, was hired last year to work his magic on Michigan’s tight ends and tackles. But Drevno told Frey, in so many words, “I’ll handle the offensive line.”

Harbaugh didn’t step in to correct the situation.

[Jeff Buchanan]

I think this sort of thing, if this info has been vetted and is coming from a reliable source, depicts the kind of squabbling among coaches that will absolutely kill a football team. It's a huge hit on Harbaugh's leadership and organizational skills if he failed to step in and tell everyone to STFU and get on the same page, including Tim Drevno.

This kind of shit killed Rich Rodriguez. It started when he sided in a coaches squabble with his long time friend, Tony Gibson, when DC, Scott Schaefer was let go. The shit went downhill from there.

As much as I hate to say it, there's a good chance that Harbaugh is like a lot of football coaches that hang on to allegiances too long and get a sort of gratification by acting like the Pope, handing out gifts and getting their rings kissed.

[SeattleLionsFan]

It is inexplicable that Drevno has a job. He’s been in charge of the run game and oline. Both of which have dragged the team down. He’s also a shit recruiter.

So where in the “meritocracy” has he earned his spot?

Talent, what would UFM have done with a Drevno?

[WingsFan]

He’s also a shit recruiter.

I wish I had a nickle

[Jeff Buchanan]

I'll answer that ..... ufm would have fired him probably shortly after the hit on Peters that concussed him, maybe as early as the hit on Speight although Speight's neck injury didn't occur from the hit itself but rather from his neck getting hyperflexed by some big dude piling on him after he was down.

I also don't think line play was noted to be bad until it was obvious that big runs were few and far between and no QB was safe back there, including O'Korn.

[SeattleLionsFan]

JB if you are implying that the line play before this past year was acceptable/good, I take issue with that and I think most would.

[hack]

Unnamed blogger biggest Harbugh slappy , has turned

Nobody inside Schembechler Hall can understand how Drevno remains employed.

Harbaugh chose to fire strength coach Kevin Tolbert, but the players are upset about the move because they see Tolbert as the scapegoat for Tim Drevno?s bad offense.

Frey, a renowned offensive tackle guru, was hired last year to work his magic on Michigan?s tight ends and tackles. But Drevno told Frey, in so many words, ?I?ll handle the offensive line.?

Harbaugh didn?t step in to correct the situation.

1. Where precisely did he turn, if not on his blog? He'll have to find a way to say what he has to say on his blog. If he's a blogger.

2. All that's comforting because it makes sense and jives with reality. A lot more than presumptions about Harbaugh suddenly being fat and happy and collecting a paycheck.

3. Well, as for Frey, zone shit didn't work. Gap shit did. But that's definitely uncool.

[iam416]

An assistant probably gets 2 years under UFM. They have to coach and recruit. If they’re really good at one but not the other they make get some extra time.

He doesn’t have a perfect staff. I’d jettison the LB coach pronto (first year, though). And we’ll see about DBs (Coombs was a big loss). But, overall they all recruit and most really coach well, too.

Drevno would be gone. No doubt. He fired Withers after the 2013 debacle on defense. He fired Warriner and Beck after the 2015 disaster + Clemson disaster. He upgraded on each occasion.

[hack]

He never seems to have a group or inner circle he's attached to. Has worked with so many. Admirable.

[iam416]

He has an inner circle, but they’re not coaches. Marriotti, his strength guy, has been with him forever. And I think Mark Pantoni, his director of recruiting or whatever, is hugely important. But yeah, staff-wise he’s looking for ability. Plus, I think he needs to be a certain way with his staff (excessively demanding?) that makes being too friendly tough. Vrabel couldn’t wait to get out of town (aside from wanting to eventually be an NFL coach).

[hack]

So the pure on-the-field-stuff guys change, but the indirect ones don't? Does Pantoni evaluate talent (pun, heh) or handle the more organizational aspects?

[iam416]

Correct and correct.