Michigan's coaching staff has done a really good job on the recruiting trail. The staff has landed a number of 4 and 5 star players who are strong in the classroom. Most of these players have committed to Michigan early in the process and for the most part have stuck with their commitment all the way up to signing day.
So what's the issue?
We are few weeks from National Signing Day (2/5) and the Wolverine coaches in the past two years have not closed their classes as well as they have liked. I give Brady Hoke a pass on year one, since he had about two weeks to put a class together. The past two years have been heart break for the Wolverines who have lost some big names at the bell or right before signing day.
What does a big close look for Wolverines this year?
With a small 2014 class and about 40% of the class already enrolled there is not a ton out there for the Wolverines. There are two players on Michigan's big board which would equal a big finish for the Wolverines.
#1: Is local boy DE Malik McDowell. MM doesn't discuss his recruiting too often but we know he is taking a ton of visits. This summer there were some reports he was ready to commit to Michigan but didn't. Then he wanted to announce at the Army All American game but he still had some official visits to go on He went to Alabama and Florida in December and will be at FSU this weekend, LSU next, and finishes the month at OSU. This recruitment is very hard to predict and some have said, he is leaning more towards MSU then Michigan now. Your guess is as good as mine in this one, he does seem like a kid that wants to take some visits to see different universities but will stay close to home. Which leaves Michigan, MSU and OSU.
#2: RB Jeff Jones MVP of UA Game. Jeff was in the area last summer for the Mind and Body camp and stopped by Ann Arbor. He didn't receive a offer, even though it seemed he wanted one. Senior year goes by and Michigan flirts with a couple RB's but nothing happens. Then Jeff tears up the UA game and the Michigan coaches wake up and offer him right after. He committed to his hometown school Minnesota in December but continues to look around. He is scheduled to take a visit to Florida on the 24th but the Gators just took a new commitment from another RB last week. Jeff is expected to visit Ann Arbor on the 31st. It seems like it's a 50/50 battle between Michigan and Minnesota and I will take the Wolverines in that battle (if he is serious about leaving home).
I'm not a big fan of "banking" scholarships and I believe the Michigan coaches agree. In the past few years, when they have missed on their top options they have filled their classes with quality players like Dennis Norfleet and Willie Henry. I would imagine the Wolverines are putting together their plan B list as we speak.
The one player that Michigan turned down early in the process that I wished they reconsidered is current MSU commit Safety Montae Nicholson from Pennsylvania. Montae was very high on the Wolverines this summer and might have been on the verge of committing when Michigan stopped recruiting him due to a numbers crunch. This recruitment could haunt the Wolverines as he is a very talented high school player and Michigan's safety play needs improvement.
- Freddy and Chase get their 4th star from Scouts. Freddy is already a freshman in Ann Arbor.
5 comments:
The failure to 'finish' the recruiting class has certainly been an issue. Missing out on guys like Garrnett to Stanford, Fischer to Oregon, Hand to Bama, Washington to ohio, Kozan and Diamond to Auburn, treadwell and tunsil to Miss coincides with the quality of football being played.. As we've fallen from being a contender and a regular resident in the top 25, our recruiting clout has falled as well.
I think we all agree the new OC was as good a move as we could have made. We, arguably, have two of the very best coordinators in college football, we have a staff that is very effective in recuiting, now we need to win... Winning and being in the National Championship conversation heals a lot of wounds. Winning is likely all that's missing from being able to 'finish' the recruiting class with icing, instead of plan b.
GO BLUE!
fallen, has fallen...
Winning and the running game will be synonymous. Once we can run it and stop the run, then and only then will Michigan get back to being a National Power. The quality of athlete that is needed to do those 2 things has been recruited and this should be the year where the benefits of those recruiting classes are realized on the field. Time will tell, but as I said, the running game will be the key.
Garnett and especially Treadwell were the big losses in my opinion. Especially Treadwell. By the way, we also lost Ty Isaac which has turned out to be a blessing as his upright running style hasn't translated well even when he has gotten playing time at USC.
oh, and dunn to ohio...
M Live mailbag addressed the question, Will we be looking for a OC at this time next year?
Nuss is definately going to be a HC somewhere, sometime. The blessing and the curse for us is, the greater our success in turning the offense around, the sooner he'll be leaving.
That being said, if he can make this offense work, and we contend for a Big Ten title next year, who cares!
Hopefully there is someone on in the offensive coaching staff who is a mentee, working closely with him and poised to take the reigns when he departs.
Go Blue.
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