UM Football Recruiting - by WM Wolverine

[iam416]

Boy, I think he's still a toss-up. Here's the thing -- he's been to M two straight weekends. He knows M. There's not a great deal of need for him to take an OV there.

He doesn't know UFM at the moment. So, he needs to take an OV to figure that out.

What it all says to me is that he is still very much trying to figure out where we wants to go, and that the rumors of him being "silent" or "solid" for M after "The Game" are just that -- rumors. So, I'm happy he's at least going to take the time to listen to UFM. All in all, the kid as gone about this the right way, IMO.

And as a final comment - the one thing UFM has been able to do is set up two weekends of OVs that are preposterous and were unthinkable 10 days ago. Dunn's OV won't be alone (as it might have otherwise been). There will be some big-time recruits on the OV with him. To the extent that gives him comfort that OSU's recruiting class won't be trash, that's a benefit. And that's all UFM. Otherwise, I think the equation remains largely unchanged.

[SeattleLionsFan]

Serious question Iam. How do you feel about UFM either misleading or outright lying to Dunn about never having had a big back to use?

[lineygoblue]

I think he's handling it well also, but I get the opposite feeling from reading his quotes and from what those around him are saying. My feeling is, he probably wants to re-affirm his commitment to OlieO, but doesn't want to offend those who have been wanting him to flip to Michigan. So, this weekend will give him that opportunity to re-affirm with OlieO, in friendly territory.

I really won't disrespect Dunn if he re-affirms with OlieO. I'll be disappointed, because in addition to my loyalty to Michigan, I believe Michigan would have been a better choice for him from a football POV, because he would come in as THE top RB, and not one of several.

Meyer is not going to recruit other RB's in the same mold as Dunn. He's going to go for the quicker, more elusive types of RB that make the spread-option work at its best. Dunn will be seeing a bunch of these types coming in behind him, and will spend the latter part of his career at OlieO looking over his shoulder to see those guys coming in to take his place on the field. That's just the way the spread-option is.

Its the same as if Rich Rodriguez would have convinced Ryan Mallet to stay at Michigan. Mallet was not the ideal type of QB to run the spread. He would have had to look over his shoulder constantly to see if the "spread" QB was coming into the game.

[iam416]

SLF:

I'm not sure what or how UFM has lied to Dunn about. I think he wants to use a big back in his offense. At Florida, he started with Wynn. He then had Tebow.

Liney:

This gets to sort of the same thing. But, yes, I think by 2014 M will be lining up and using a feature back far more often than OSU. In 2012, I think both offenses are comparable. I'm not sure what 2013 will look like b/c DG is a wildcard..

That said, UFM wants big backs. OSU is pushing hard for Derrick Green in Virginia and just offered a 2013 kid in Illinois that is a "big back". IMO, UFM wants to run a "power spread" offense that utlizes a big back between the tackles, a good running QB, and blazers that can get outside. JMO.

But, yeah, I think Dunn, by the time he's in his 3rd year at M, would get more carries than if he's at OSU. TBH, he was made for the Tressel/Bollman I-formation "offense".

I've always said that with Dunn this is a "head" vs. "heart" battle.

[SeattleLionsFan]

Iam it's my understanding that Dunn reported that UFM told him the reason he never had a back put up any numbers is because he never had a big back like Dunn.

Which as you've stated is patently false.

[Jamie H]

Why would anyone expect Urban Liar to tell the truth? The man is a walking lie. He says whatever he needs to at the time to get what he wants.

[iam416]

Iam it's my understanding that Dunn reported that UFM told him the reason he never had a back put up any numbers is because he never had a big back like Dunn.

I haven't seen that. Wynn was his big back. Whether Wynn was "like" Dunn or not, dunno. I like Dunn more coming out of HS than I did Wynn. Considerably more.

I guess when you use language like that, it can mean a million different things. Yeah, Dunn is "like" Wynn -- they're both black, they're both RBs, they're both good size. Does Dunn have different skills that make him "unlike" Wynn? -- personally, I think so. I dunno, SLF -- it seems like a statement that the listener can take their own meaning from. JMO.

Anyway, I'm not really here to argue about what is or isn't "true". I'll tell you what I know about Dunn's recruitment from the various sources of info I peruse. For example, if UFM did tell Dunn that, who cares if it's true or not vis-a-vis Dunn's recruitment -- all that matters is what Dunn thinks. UFM could tell him that aliens from Jupiter visited him during his sleep and told him he can't live without Dunn...and whether Dunn finds that persuasive is what matters in his recruitment.

Anyway, I have zero interest in changing the subjective opinions of UFM held by you and other M fans.

[SeattleLionsFan]

It's fair to paraphrase your answer to sat that you don't care if your coach lies to recruits so long as the lies don't affect the decision?

So if the lies do affect the 17 year old kid who is being lied to, then what?

[UMStan White]

"Anyway, I have zero interest in changing the subjective opinions of UFM held by you and other M fans. "

Jesus, could have fooled me!

[SeattleLionsFan]

And Iam. I'm not expecting to change any minds. I'm just trying to figure out where your mind is.

[iam416]

It's fair to paraphrase your answer to sat that you don't care if your coach lies to recruits so long as the lies don't affect the decision?

No. I said what I met. In the first instance, IMO it's not a lie. Dunn is different from Wynn in terms of his speed, size, skills combination. He's better, IMO. That was, apparently, the gist of what UFM said.

Regardless, for the purposes of Dunn's recruitment and discussing where he ends up, all that is relevant is whether that statement has any currency with Dunn. If it does, then it means maybe he's leaning toward OSU. If it doesn't, then maybe he's leaning toward M.

Finally, I have absolutely zero interest in monitoring what is or isn't said to recruits during the recruiting process. You know, for ten years OSU had a coach who never negatively recruited, didn't oversell kids, always told kids to take other visits, was a huge fan of the soft sell -- ended up being, according to a number of recruits, the hardest coach to say no to (though, many did), and was "boring," according to at least one (his in-home with Seantrel Henderson -- JT always talked about what it was like to be a student/day in the life stuff). I appreciate and respect that approach. UFM's approach is not that. He's hard core. He's a rockstar. I'm looking forward to watching recruiting under that approach. Really looking forward to it.

[WM Wolverine]

My projections aren't as good as anyone elses... Four sports; WR, OL, BRA, BRA... Those BRA likely go to RB or TE or Yuri Wright...

Wide receiver; Diggs supposedly is leaning elsewhere at this point, Payton leaning towards Cal but its really a 50% Cal, 25% ND, 25% M; that leaves Chesson as M's top target who is appropriately rated at high 3-stars... Madaris & Powe are fall-back choices if M goes 0-2 on Payton/Chesson...

OL... Joshua Garnett & Jordan Diamond at looking at that last spot, whoever wants it first probably gets it; if either takes it. Watch for any comments Garnett makes on M in the coming weeks, he's still in honeymoon phase coming off visit vs Ohio... Diamond sticking to guns and not announcing till one of the senior all-star games; he's shown quite a bit of interest in places other than Ann Arbor lately... This spot might not get filled if Garnett goes elsewhere...

Yuri Wright's CB (5-star, from New Jersey) new top 2 is Colorado & Michigan supposedly. Must've had a nice visit to Colorado, I'm hoping he's a Wolverine as much as anyone and he's the only DB option on the board...

RB - M's options are Bri'onte Dunn and Wes Brown; both top talents. Like both more than their 'rankings.' Both are great fits at M but both rooted for other schools growing up; Dunn (Ohio) & Brown (Miami)... M would take either but probably wouldn't take anyone else already have two backs in Drake Johnson & Siona Houma FB...

M has shown some interest in another tight end; bringing in Taylor McNamara (4*) to replace Pharaoh Brown (who isn't off the radar officially). M probably has too much room to make up with Taylor and won't get a 3rd TE unless they reach for one (I don't think they do) or Brown doesn't take the bags of cash from Oregon...

If M has troubles filling some of the spots above (TE, OL, RB); they'll be able to add a BRA or two; these guys will most likely be mild reaches, guys not on my recruiting board and plan B types. We've might've heard their names before but M probably hasn't consistently shown interest in them.

[WM Wolverine]

Still see this as a top 3-4 class, would be nice to land at least a couple of Payton, Wright, Dunn/Brown & Garnett. That is my 'ideal' finish at this point.

[SeattleLionsFan]

What about Evan boehm(??). The OG from Missouri?

[WM Wolverine]

He's off my radar as I thought he was a Husker.