Michigan's NSD went as expected, they didn't flip any recruits, got 1 new commitment, and every player signed that was expected to. The minor drama came from the transfer portal and of course the NCAA, who for some reason loves to get in the middle of Michigan's business.
Let's get to the transfer portal news first. Michigan received a commitment from Maryland LB Jaisham Barham who was a former 4-star recruit and a 2 year starter for the Terps. I've mention this a couple times but he was the player that picked off JJ at the end of the 1st half this year. PFF College rates him as the #1 LB in the portal and is a welcomed edition to a LB room that is super athletic next season!
Then later in the day, walk-on RB Leon Franklin decided to enter the transfer portal and look for a new school to play at. With 2 new guys coming in the 2024 class, the road to the field for Leon didn't look great and he is going to consider some new opportunities. Good luck to Leon!
Burgergate is nothing new, Michigan got 4 level 2 violations that got elevated to a level 1 because they said, Harbaugh misled investigators about buying a recruit a cheeseburger. As far as NCAA stupidity goes, this one takes the cake cheeseburger. Harbaugh has done his time and Michigan has 90 days to respond to this ridiculous waste of time and money.
New commit was expected: 4 -star Lugard Edokpayi is an athlete with an unlimited upside. He is 6'6 230 pounds Edge prospect and a great fit for Michigan's S&C program. 24/7 is the highest on Lugard ranking him 169 in the country and the 12th edge prospect. Offers include: Maryland, Minn, FSU, BC, Rutgers, CAL, Tenn, Texas AM, VT, Wisconsin and more.
NSD Thoughts:
- I don't like it when Michigan finishes outside the top 10 in any recruiting class but I'm going to need to get used to that feeling. Why? You might ask,. Unless something changes, Michigan is not going to pay for recruits to come to Ann Arbor. The top players in this class are getting Millions in NIL money to play for these schools, many require a visit fee, just to visit a campus. Michigan will not play that game. Case in point, 49'ers starting and MVP candidate QB Brock Purdy makes $870,000 this year. Texas back up QB Arch Manning NIL payments were $3.4M. When OSU, Miami, FSU, and others are throwing around huge money. Michigan is building its roster with young talented athletes with something to prove.
OL = A
TE = A
QB = A-
RB = A-
WR = B
DL= B+
Edge = A-
CB = A-
S = None
LB: = B (better grade with Barham)
Michigan has also done an excellent job with filling needs through the transfer portal. Great athletes with with upside are great, but proven talent at the college level is even better.
24/7 Rankings = #15 (composite)
Rivals = #12
On3 = #17
How did we stack up against our rivals (24/7 composite):
#4 Ohio State
#6 Oregon
#10 ND
#14 PSU
#18 USC
#22 Wisconsin
#48 MSU
11 comments:
Thanks for your signing day & recap material! I believe a strong class when combining HS recruits along with transfer portal arrivals, with the likelihood of becoming even stronger through additional portal landings and a recruit or two during February's signing period (Gatlin Bair) .
I agree Bob, 5* (top 10 rankings) are missing primarily because Michigan doesn't fork out the M$$$ for those incoming HS recruits (only cheeseburgers), instead rewarding those who stay & preform, hence not undermining the all important team cohesiveness.
Another couple subjects -
Couldn't quite understand why Warde would skip the team's football award ceremony last Sunday, and instead was down in Miami watching the Dolphins hosting the Jets (with Stephen M. Ross?), is Warde looking for other opportunities?
Understanding the relationship between Warde & Harbaugh is at best frosty, and likely 1 of the 2 main obstacles in Harbaugh's delaying his signing extension. I would not be surprised at all to see Harbaugh signing his extension (this week?) if Warde is fact looking for other employment opportunities.
Also the NCAA continues their shadiness in their latest release of the 2020 cheeseburger violation weeks before the Rose Bowl.
Great job on NSD and yea what is the hold up on coach signing new contract?
I don't like the greed that N.I.L. has brought to college sports. Paying a recruit just to go on a visit makes me sick. That's why I got turned off by the NFL and their overpaid primidones. But at least it's all out in the open now. Some college teams have been paying their players for years (Alabama, USC, Ohio St).
Blue- I'm not sure what Team Bust protocol is for the A.D. Maybe Warde didn't want to blur the line of being the boss? I played division III and couldn't even tell you who our athletic director was.
Thanks Bob. As usual, great job covering NSD!
Great day.
If sending the letter to Mich on NSD doesn’t fully show how vindictive and corrupt the NCAA is, then I don’t know what does. They had 364 other days to sent it, and coincidentally chose yesterday!?!? Fucking amateurs.
Did anyone see where MichiganMan transferred?
Ready for more additions to the BIG? Latest rumblings are that Florida State will announce early 2024 of them leaving the ACC and joining the BIG in 2026, tagging alone will be either Miami or UNC.
One might ask what happens to the conference if Clemson also leaves (SEC?)? Another domino effect of teams leaving as in the PAC-12? As far as Norte Dame, I'm sure they'd stay independent and filling their schedule with more BIG games.
Blue- "BIG games". Lol
B10 handed down their "findings" on the week of signing day and while UM is prepping for the playoff run. coincidence? of course not, it testifies to the intent of the NCAA. They'd rather make mountains out of mole hills on the coaches and programs they dislike, then let the real problems the NCAA should be addressing go. They are a feckless pile of dung and deserve no credence. NCAA awards dbag coaches like Day who lies, cheats, steals and hires PI's while they crush coaches who don't drink at their trough and prefer to run programs for men, not gangsters.
Someone tell me the advantages of all these super conferences. I just don't see the logic in that many team in a conference.
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