UM Football Recruiting - by WM Wolverine

[*JD*]

The #3 center in the nation for 2021 chose the Maize and Blue on Sunday. Michigan's class is now rated #9 overall.

[iam416]

It's going to a pretty "normal" HARBAUGH!!!! class. Probably top 10 this year with Donovan Edwards running out of options and now on Plan C. Heh. Throw in Davidkov and another couple decent guys and you're right around top 10. If you get Spindler away from ND then I'd say about 7.

His recruiting is only a "problem" if measured against initial program expectations when he arrived.

[WM Wolverine]

Yup, a normal recruiting class in the seven to twelve range which is way too far away from contending with the elite. They are taking too much low hanging fruit and not chasing the difference makers..

??????Edwards I'd be very surprised if he went elsewhere, he's one of those difference makers that M doesn't get enough of. Spindler they'll actually need to recruit or he'll end up in ND, Garrett Dellinger isn't likely going to happen and Damon Payne won't happen.

The two Kings aren't losses, which M took a PR hot for not taking, neither I liked that much.

Spindler and Edwards are the two critical recruits in this class, M needs both, you can't let recruits like that get away.

[iam416]

Fortunately for M, Edwards was in no rush to decide. I'm not sure where he goes if it's between OSU/M/Georgia. I think he goes to Ohio State. But, he had his chance to commit early. OSU then gave Pryor a chance to commit, which he jumped at, and Georgia has Carroll, now. I really do think OSU and Tony Alford were going to get him. But, after last year's RB debacle, I get the move to take Pryor as RB2 and not chase Edwards -- because M was still definitely a player.

In any event, I'd be shocked if Edwards doesn't wind up at M. They'd have to have a really bad turn of events AND someone else would have to get really active.

Spindler -- I get the sense that he's going to ND except that ND's recruiting seems really weird at the moment.

But, yeah -- it was quite the in-state year for elite players.

On M recruiting in general, Warriner is going to be Warriner. He's average at best and absolutely willing to settle for kids he thinks he can turn into players. From his OSU days, I can tick off his massive reaches turned transfers for awhile. And, at the end of the day, most of OSU's quality OL were your predictable 4* kids. That said, M is going to sign a good OL class this year.

I also think Don Brown has a unique recruiting philosophy that isn't necessarily geared to beating elite teams. I don't think he settles like Warriner, but I do think his parameters for what he wants in a recruit don't equate to elite. He does a nice job of identifying players that are underrated and he then develops them in his scheme, but his approach, IMO, has a hard ceiling. Like 118 points in two games hard ceiling.

[lineygoblue]

I wonder what a spring football season would look like. I mean, when would the season start? March?

Michigan Stadium, .. football in March, April and May.

Yow.

[Jeff Buchanan]

Too early to tell, Liney, but that's not an unreasonable scenario.

[WM Wolverine]

Brown needs elite pass rushers for his high risk coverage scheme to work. M's DL is losing talent for the last three seasons. Defensive back talent is getting worse too.

[iam416]

I find that Bosas are good pass rushers. Don Brown should get him one of those.

[Jeff Buchanan]

It could be that his "high risk coverage schemes" are more difficult to coach and require the rare breed of hybrid LBs that are both quick enough and strong enough to defend both the pass and the run.

If I recall it - i.e., when I was paying attention last season - big plays occurred consistently because of coverage breakdowns. Sure, part of that was OC's exploiting what Brown was doing schematically, but some of it was players not reading the keys correctly, getting baited with their aggressive mind-sets, and not making the switches to get the right match-ups.

I suppose you could argeu that "elite" players don't make those mistakes or have the agility to make up for one if it's made. I still think what Brown asks his LBs, Ss and DBs to do in concert with each other is hard for 19-21yo kids to grasp. That he seems to be a bit stubborn also contributes.

[WM Wolverine]

Disagree that it's more difficult to coach up players. It requires more athletic corners and safeties to cover receivers man to man then zone. You don't notice this as much playing Pudue or Northwestern but its obvious when playing Alabama or Ohio State.

[AlabamAlum]

Speaking of playing Alabama, this is on the clearance aisle at Target:

Let me know and I can get it for one of you.

[lineygoblue]

I could use a couple wash rags for my cars. I'll let you know.

[iam416]

I see a flood of crystal ballz for another Don Brown Massachusetts Special. Ol' Don is stealing Hafley's lunch money out there.

[WM Wolverine]

Those guys perform like four stars though.

[iam416]

Diamonds in the rough!

Can't wait for Don Brown to put Rhode Island on lockdown next.