The recruiting business is dirty and we all know it. Whether it's giving a kid $10K to come to a school from a booster or pulling a kids scholarship offer after he has been committed to you for 8 months. The bad sometimes can out weigh the good. Now comes another issue, assistant coaches recruiting kids right up to NSD and then leaving for NFL the next day.
There are three high profile examples right now and two have Michigan impact:
Let's start out with the highest profile and non-Michigan impact with CeCe Jefferson. He is one of the top players/DE in the nation and picked The Florida Gators on signing day. Then he heard his defensive line coach (who had been there two months) is heading for the Miami Dolphins. CeCe hasn't sent in his LOI and won't be anytime soon. He needs to decide what his next move is going to be.
Leo Jefferson @frog2567
Yes we are holding out. Florida making to many coaching changes this is not a game it's my son life
Next example is one we have discussed already with Roquan Smith. After he picked UCLA on Wednesday, he got a text from the Georgia staff that UCLA's DC was heading to the Falcons. He is holding his recruitment for at least a week and has spoken to Michigan, Georgia, UCLA and Texas AM to confirm he still has a spot. His final 2 on Wednesday were Georgia and UCLA.
Now comes the recent news about Ohio State and Mike Weber. Stan Drayton the RB coach at OSU announced yesterday that he is taking a new job with the Chicago Bears. Stan stayed up late Tuesday night/Wednesday morning speaking to a torn Weber recruiting him to Ohio State. Stan talked about coaching him in Columbus and how Mike would honor Detroit, etc. Mike was torn and had told Harbaugh that same night he was coming to Michigan. Weber was very conflicted and Stan put in the time to sway Weber to Columbus. The next morning Michigan took another RB commit and Weber decided that was the signal he was looking for between the two schools and picked OSU. He announced his choice at about 11:00 AM that morning. Then sent in his LOI to Ohio State.
Then less then 24 hours later Stan heads to the Chicago Bears. Did Stan know he was leaving for the NFL the night before? Of course he did. Did he mention it to Mike? No, he didn't.
First off, I have no problem with guys changing jobs or making more money. The issue is integrity in talking to a kid until 1:00AM and then the next day taking a different job. If they were honorable men, they would have announced it before NSD and told all the kids they were recruiting. Of course they would never do that because that would effect each teams signing day. This is a huge bush league move.
The other issue is the LOI. Once that is signed, all the control goes to the school. The kid is locked in and now would either have to sit out or pay their own way to a school. OSU could let Mike out of his LOI but they could also dictate which teams they would release him to.
So how is Mike taking it?
· 16h
BTW: if your wondering............reports are that Gentry was told Michigan was looking to add a QB transfer before signing day. Also we are still expecting Stanford DB Wayne Lyons to join the team as a graduate transfer as well.
Mike Weber @mikeweber25 · 
12 comments:
Great article... food for thought > although I'd rather have a double whopper w/cheese with lots of extras!
Lets compare a little......
Austin Hatch is given full scholarship from coach B, knowing he will not likely be a contributing player in his 4 years at Michigan. (How many basketball scholarships are there?)
urban liar pulls scholarships from 'injured players' to satisfy his over booked recruiting class.
mike weber, do you think we followed the 'right sign'?
Classless in Columbus, the new ESPN behind the lines segment.
What needs to happen here is the media needs to keep this story about Urban Lyer on the front page and probe the hell out of this stopry. Ask and demand answers! Do not let the story fall in between the cracks after 48 hours and allow those slim balls at OSU to just kick the story under the carpet. That means ESPN, Sout, Rovals, 247, and blogs need to keep the heat on OSU. This story deserves attention because a 17 year old kid and his blue-colar family placed their trust in OSU and they were lied to and taken advantage of by a corrupt program that is thriving in a system that otherwise seems to condone such behavior by ignoring the problem.
URBAN LIAR.
Dennis Green said it best, "They are who we thought they were!"
Rob, I totally agree, but don't count on that happening.
The best we can do is not let it die ourselves and hope enough attention shines on it to create some interest.
Share that story on facebook, twitter, where ever you can...
I cannot stand Urban Lyer either and would love all this to drop him, but I don't anticipate anything.
Hasn't the SEC, especially Saban, been over recruiting for years?
For Myer and OSU it is all about cash and wins. So what that a few kids get lost in shuffle and their lives ruined.
Bama has not done anything to stop it and I do not anticipate OSU will either. I hope Michigan and Jimmy don't start over recruiting to keep up...
Thoughts?
Interesting article from "eleven Warriors".....Some in Ohio at least have a concious; http://www.elevenwarriors.com/forum/ohio-state-recruiting/2015/02/49807/stan-drayton-effect
The NCAA needs to step in on this one.....Immediately (imagine that)
Here it is from "Eleven Warriors"...Too precious not to see:
OHIO STATE RECRUITING FORUMShare on Google+Share on Twitter0 Share on Facebook0
45 COMMENTS
Let me preface that I'm deeply grateful to Stan Drayton for his years as a top notch coach. In short, he was phenomenal.
But all that goodwill has essentially been wiped out by his recent move. As an Ohio State fan, and a general human being, I am disgusted with how this was handled. I have zero problem with coaches going to other teams and positions. Zero problem. Do what's best for you and your family; however, do it the right way.
In a tight race for Weber with scUM, he committed to Urban, OSU, Coombs, and Drayton. It was a courageous commitment as he went against family, coaches, and I'm sure his friends. In short, it took guts and he made a strong commitment to OSU in the face of a lot of hate from those around him.
How do we repay this commitment? What does Drayton do the very next day? He leaves. If Drayton told Weber he was leaving, then he made the commitment on his own terms; however, it appears from Weber's tweet, that he had no idea Drayton was leaving. This is appalling. Drayton was even bragging about his wife's personal relationship with Detroit (she was raised there) and how angry she would be if he didn't let Weber represent Detroit. Just restating this story makes me angry.
Also, what's the urgency to immediately take the job?!? The NFL is in it's offseason and their off season workouts don't even begin until April 6. That's 2 months! On top of that, the month after NSD is essentially a month long vacation (and much deserved) for the coaching staff. He does nothing for the next month and continues to make $295,000, plus his $73,000 bonus. Wait a month, a week, anything but the day after NSD.
I feel how this was handled will have a MAJOR negative impact on recruiting. Far more of a negative effect than the positive of signing 1 player. Every single one of our rivals will site this specific event in recruiting going forward. Every one and for years to come. And you know what, they're right. This was classless on all accounts.
For the first time, in a long time, I'm disappointed as an OSU fan.
funny story.... keyshawn johnson is running his mouth, saying that's just part of recruiting, it isn't fun, but it's the same everywhere......
THEN.. he says Michigan promised Weber he would be the only RB taken, and they go back on their word and take another RB in the class.....
What a jackass!!! So osu, lying and deceiving this kid to trick him into committing under false pretense is OK, but taking another recruit and expecting you to have to compete for playing time isn't ok....
Keep in mind Weber wasn't committed to MI, so why would they pass on a RB and run the risk Weber doesn't come, screwing the team out of a RB in the class.....
I won't be surprised if Weber's tenure at osu does not span 4 years, he'll be transferring out at some point.
Bob,
Are you hearing any rumbling about Weber asking to be released from his LOI?
If reports are true, that he was ready to commit to Michigan, and Drayton was on the phone with him until 1am 'recruiting' him.... There's no way he can forgive and forget.
urban liar is a sleaze ball, but i don't think he wants the PR bashing that will come if he refuses to release Weber, or releases him but blocks him from going to a Big 10 school.
Weber's so pumped up about his commitment to ohio that he took all the pictures of him in ohio gear off his twitter profile...
Go Blue, Mike Weber, Go Blue!
http://timmysportsnow.sportsblog.com/posts/1782136/new_ohio_state_recruit_not_happy_and_wants_out.html
Not sure if this guy is real, or just someone spouting his opinion.
The reality is some schools miss out on top recruits because they WON'T lie to them, while others get them by lying to them.... Taking the high road usually pays off in the end.
GO BLUE
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