UM Football Recruiting - by WM Wolverine

[Jeff Buchanan]

Geo .... SB is known to try to make a big story out of not much.

The link is an example.

I don't think what is revealed in the SB story is going to affect Zeke Pike's decision at all. Now if further digging turns up something substantial about the Newton recruitment this summer or before signing day for that matter (a long time), things could change for Pike and I'd say there is a fairly good chance that is going to happen.

[Chuck Mallory]

I wouldn't even take Pike now that we have Morris on board for '13.

[lineygoblue]

Well, I might not go that far. If Pike really wanted to be at Michigan, he'd be tough to turn down. Shame Morris could still redshirt with Pike on board, and still have 2 possible seasons as a starter.

[lineygoblue]

Great article from Rivals on Shane Morris. I didn't know this, but his coach used to work with Schembechler.

Michigan head coach Brady Hoke let out quite the yell when Class of 2013 quarterback Shane Morris (6-3, 190) of Warren (Mich.) De La Salle pledged to U-M earlier this week. That's because he had a good idea what he was getting, De La Salle head coach Paul Verska said - a potentially special signal caller and a great recruiter for the program.

Verska is one of the respected veterans in the Michigan high school football ranks, having coached in Ann Arbor and put in his time at Michigan camps under Bo Schembechler, Gary Moeller and Lloyd Carr. He's seen his share of great players, but he hasn't had too many like Morris, a lefty with a great arm and outstanding instincts.

"It's like stealing a kid [early], to be honest," Verska said of his standout's pledge. "In another two years he'll probably be the number one or two recruit in the Midwest, if not nationally. He's a great player and a tremendous athlete. If he were a receiver, he'd be the best receiver on the team. If he were a running back, he'd be the best running back.

"This is a kid who can stand still and dunk a basketball, and who has an 80-plus mile an hour fastball as a pitcher. His upside is he's a hard worker, dedicated in the weight room. As a sophomore he's benching 250-plus pounds and power cleaning 225."

And he's still growing, having shot up from 6-1 to 6-3 in the last year. A recent visit to the doctor's office revealed he's not done yet, still a baby with room to grow a few more inches.

Even if he doesn't, or if his arm strength didn't improve, he'd be among the best in his class, Verska said, pointing out that the 1,400-yard passer finished among the top five quarterbacks at the Michigan camp entering his freshman year, when he ran in the 4.6s (electronically timed) in the 40. He was in the top three at an Alabama Nike Camp and MVP of another camp, Verskas added, and his best days are ahead of him.

"We're throwing a little more each year," said Verska. "He had a good year with only three picks, and only one was his fault. He makes great decisions with the football and really knows how to manage the game. He's still learning what he's got to do. He knows what the quarterback does, and he's gotten what the wide receiver and running backs are supposed to do. Now it's 'what if a lineman doesn't know what to do?' So now he's working out with the linemen to learn as much football as he can. He is a true student of the game.

"If you've seen the Jon Gruden thing on TV, he must have watched that 100 times. He's a football junkie - just loves football. He's an exceptional kid, and the intangibles are such a big thing. He's a great leader and though he's not super vocal, kids just follow him. They get in a room and migrate to him."

Which is part of the reason Verska predicts big recruiting classes for the Wolverines in the near future with Morris doing his part. The sophomore already knows several in-state prospects from the classes of 2012 through 2014, and many have expressed an interest in playing alongside him.

"This is going to help Michigan and be a tremendous recruiting tool for them," Verska said. "He's really involved in that 7-on-7 stuff, and I know he's going to Dallas over the Fourth of July with Team Michigan. All of his buddies are on the recruiting lists, and he knows everybody. I know he's been getting it from them where they've been asking, 'where are you going to school?' They want to go where he's going."

Verska left town for a few days for a conference, but received a text from Morris after the pledge in which his quarterback raved about everything from the coaches to the weight room, flying high in the euphoria of the moment. Since then, schools like Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Notre Dame and Tennessee have called to see whether they still might have a shot.

Morris, though, is elated with his decision, and Verska backs it 100 percent.

"They are great people," he said of the Michigan staff. "Like I told him, you've got to be comfortable with the kids you are going to be around and the people there, and I know a lot of them. I trust them, know them and know what they are about.

[Chuck Mallory]

My God, sounds like a super recruit!!

[Jamie H]

Sounds too good to be true. Talk to me again in a year or so.

[Hannibal]

Legit electronically timed 4.6 speed is really impressive. He can probably outrun the majority of Div I defenders who play in the box and probably a lot of the starting corners in the Big Ten.

[lineygoblue]

First things first, .. I think this 2012 recruiting class is going to get even better. Its impressive now, but when the LOI's arrive in February, I think it will be one of Michigan's best recruiting classes since the Schembechler era.

Now, I'm not saying that the class is going to impress Scout, Rivals, and ESPN ... It doesn't matter what the recruiting services think.

But I think the class is going to address the NEEDS of this team with excellent talent, and will start a trend where the top HS talent in the country rediscovers Michigan football.

[Rocky Bleier]

This year's class is all about reclaiming Michigan, and a bonus is that this is a good year for in-state talent. Need to make more inroads in Ohio during Tresselgate.

[lineygoblue]

Agree re: Ohio.

Tressel is going to wiggle out of his problems with the NCAA, so the window of opportunity for Ohio recruiting will be a small one, and short lived.

We've got to make a favorable impression on fence-sitting kids to get the flow going again.

[jaadam4]

Can't think of anyone I'd rather have as Michigan's head coach. That includes JH.

Oh come on.. I'm drinking the kool aid too but i cant in good conscience agree with that.

[lineygoblue]

I would have been glad to get Harbaugh, but seeing how he went after the 49ers job, I'm glad we didn't get him. We would have likely only gotten 2-3 seasons out of him before he went to the NFL. We need a good long term guy. Hoke can be that guy, if he continues to recruit well, and make top notch coaching hires.

[Jamie H]

Even thought Harbaugh is probably a better coach than Hoke, that doesn't mean he would have been better for the long-term health of the program. It is obvious that he viewed the prestige and cash associated with coaching in the NFL to be too big of a lure to stay in college forever.

[WM Wolverine]

Yup but if you could've lured Harbaugh he could've rebuilt the M brand/program in an instant and left it in excellent shape for a sucessor, like Hoke. ;)

[Jamie H]

I guess I just have to disagree. Do you really think Harbaugh has permanently rebuilt Stanford? Or will they more likely just fall apart now that he is gone?

Regardless of the official word, Harbaugh was offered the Michigan job. He didn't want it at the money that was being offered. His loss. Unless you think Michigan should have tried to outbid the 49ers for him.