Monday 30 January 2012

Ergh...

Just a bad few days for UM! I woke up today to discover that Sam Grant has committed to Oklahoma over Michigan, unbelievable! I don't think anyone saw this coming; UM were clear favorites and it seemed like only a matter of time before he joined his teammate Kyle Kalis in Ann Arbor.

Possible reasons for his Oklahoma commitment: (Pure guesses at the moment)

- Oklahoma run a passing offense that recently sent a TE to the first round of the NFL draft.

- He's frustrated that UM waited so long to offer after he thought he had an offer back in the spring/summer but it turned out to be false.

- Did he grow up an OSU fan? Growing up in Ohio, there's a high chance that he rooted for the Buckeyes and maybe he just couldn't bring himself to suit up for the Maize and Blue!

As for the rest of class, it now means that Jordan Diamond and newly found DT Willie Henry are the only prospects we are 'in' on. Henry is easily the most likely to join the fold, and logic suggests that UM can't possibly strike out with 3 OL prospects in one week, so we have a decent/good chance with Diamond. I think Jordan took his last official visit to Wisconsin though this weekend, and this is worrying as before UM came back into it for Diamond, I was projecting him to the Badgers. If UM does strike out with Diamond, would they give 3* OL Dan Gibbs an offer? They really want at least five OL in the class, so maybe they will.

It's been a crazy few days with several surprises that haven't gone our way, but this is still an extremely good class. We started so outrageously well on the recruiting trail that it was almost impossible for the finish to match the start.

If you go over UM's class though, you can't help but smile:
- Adding Diamond to the OL class will make it an extremely good haul
- We have two tall, rangy wide receivers
- We have a RB who runs a 4.35 forty at 200lbs
- We have a talented pass catching TE and a big physical blocking TE
- The DL is already strong, and adding a guy like Willie Henry (high upside) gives it even better potential
- The linebacking core is very, very good.
- We have one very good CB, a ballhawking safety (Wilson), and a strong safety (Gant)

Ideally we'd like to add another corner to the class, but its not a necessity. UM already has Blake Countess locking down one CB spot for the next 2-3 years, and Delonte Hollowell has shown promise. Then we have guys like Tamani Carter, Raymon Taylor.

Conclusion: IF we can land Diamond, then its mission accomplished with this class. All the key positions of need will have been filled, expect perhaps QB but we have Shane Morris in 2013.

46 comments:

  1. I am staying positive. Lets land Diamond and end this class the way we started. Lets get Diamond and Henry. That would be 25 solid commits. Bank the rest for next year which is already looking like its going to be a strong class. If we land Diamond a 5 star OL on scouts everyone will be happy again and we can all talk about how we have the best OL class and LB class in the country.

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  2. Well reasoned post. It sucks to lose out on these last-minute decisions, but they are last minute commitments. As you say, Benji, we have had one hell of a class from last summer.

    Let it not be a winter of discontent.

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  3. Wow,it's great to be a Michigan Wolverine! Love the news you keep posted on this page Benji, thanks for what you do. Sad to hear about all the recruits who have passed up on Michigan the past few days though.
    I have read most of the blogs here on this page, are there any possible recruits that Coach Hoke is keeping "close to the vest" so to speak? On a brighter note, tomorrow I will be watching an OSU fan sing the "Hail to the Victors" in my MI jersey in the chow hall. To uphold a bet lost during MI/OSU game. I have all the respect for Coach Hoke, and the rest of the staff to have Team #133 ready for Sept 1st in Dallas. A wise man always told me, the grass isn't always greener on the other side. Be greatful for what you have, not what you don't. God Bless "GO BLUE"

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    1. Just remember that this is just like LC at the end, He couldn't close on NSD either. For all of us Michigan will always be Ohio's little brother.

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    2. Thom please leave and go screw around on Mlive - no need for your b.s. here. 40-34 remember? 6-7 for osu remember? Scandals galore, probation, bowl ban, embarassing program, cheat cheat cheat - remember?

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    3. Look at this way. Your an eighteen year old kid. Who do you want to spend four years with, Brad Pitt or Oliver Hardy?

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    4. if either of them are from ohio. i would take the one that is not from ohio. meyer will do the over the limit recruits. just like the sec does. i guess once you get to ohio you all become crooks sooner or later.

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    5. Thom,
      Just one response. Urban at Ohio will be a good coach and recruiter. But keep in mind that he committed one of the mortal sins in sports.... he quit on his players. Above all of the other criticisms we have, in my mind he will never get a pass for that. In the sports world, quitters and losers and Urban will always be so classified.

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    6. Did Hoke quit on his players?

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    7. No, he took a promotion. No problem when Meyer did that from BGSU and Utah. That is natural and most coaches do this. Most coaches do not take a leave of absence, come back, retire citing alleged health concerns, then take another job one year later. Simple, Meyer quit on his players.
      I don't quite remember Hoke doing that, do you?

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    8. Ask the kids at San Diego State?

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    9. Mark n Macomb-
      mort-
      Scandals, embarasing the program, cheat, cheat, taking money.
      You must have blocked the fab Five era from you memory.

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  4. From Sam Webb:

    Little good news for #Michigan fans. We're hearing Willie Henry has verballed to the Wolverines. We're efforting him now for confirmation

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  5. @thom

    Get a life... go back to your OSU site. Hope you liked the Michigan vs Ohio game this year because there is more to come in the future.

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    1. I enjoyed the game. I enjoyed the ND night game. In fact I have enjoyed every home game for the last 21 years. Section 7, row 63. Just stating facts. LC at the end couldn't close. Ohio has always had better recruites then Michigan.

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    2. LOL! Little brother? Michigan leads the overall series by what...15 games? Considering you guys 'always get better recruits'....that's pretty pathetic wouldn't you say?

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  6. Willie Henry Committed to Michigan. one down and one more to go. Lets get Diamond and finish are class with 25 commits and a top 10 class on every site.

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  7. The only guy I see committing to UM is Henry. I watched his video and he has a lot of upside to him. I do not see UM getting Diamond or Muller( I don't know if UM had a real chance with). So I guess UM will be banking 4 or 5 scholarships for next year. How did UM go from not having enough scholarship to banking them?

    I still live the current VC and I am looking forward to watching team 133 play.

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  8. Hey everyone give coach Hoke his props for being named "Maxwell Football Club Collegiate Coach of the Year" Congrats COACH....

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  9. Thom.... just remember who clipped your nuts...ehhh... sonny boy.

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    Replies
    1. I clipped you nuts , sonny boy. All day every day.

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    2. Chucky-
      Does your mommy know you talk like this? If she does she might have to wash your mouth out with soap little man. Hopefully some day you will grow up. My my, you are trying so hard to be a big shot, but you failed.

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  10. A little good news UM landed Herny.

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    1. I really think this is a good pick up by Michigan cuz if he has the heart and I think he does then he can prove all the people who gave him 3 stars wrong and what a story book ending that would be...

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  11. Don't know much about him but hey maybe the Michigan coaches know something nobody else in the country knows.

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  12. Does it bother anyone else that at the last minute we use a scholarship on a 3* DT when we turned away a 5* DT in Tommy Schutt earlier this year???

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    1. No it don't and this is why Tommy Schutt has no heart and is a me first type player and I think Hoke and Co. seen something they didn't like about him as is with Yuri Wright.. So no not mad but I do trust this staff.. If there is something the coaching staff knows it's the D-Line......

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    2. How do you honestly say a kid has no heart...really? Do you know him personally? If not, let's keep the bashing of teenage kids alone. You should be embarrassed.

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  13. i see diamond at michigan. it will be a hop and a jump for his family to see the games. he is from chigago. that should do it and i will be happy to see one more. i wounder if hoak is stalking for a steal from another school.???

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  14. Ack,
    This kid will be a real sleeper. He has a great motor. But need work every where else. But that is coachable. I like this commit.

    Chris google him and watch the film.

    Gotwins,
    I don't think the coaches wanted Schutt. No heart.

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    Replies
    1. I've seen this kid on youtube and if he can put it all togather LOOK OUT.......

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  15. No because people who get sooooo wrapped up in how many stars a kid has are idiots. Braylon Edwards was a 2* recruit. Be serious, half of the recruiting rankings are biased and the other half is by people who don't know anything.

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  16. There are some report that he has not committed. That he wanted to wait til Tuesday. I hope he still goes blue?

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  17. Jerrel Worthy or whatever his name is for MSU was a 3 star DT out of Ohio. Kinda just like this kid had some offers but not any from any big football programs. This kid moves very well for a big guy. If he can put on 15lbs and not lose his speed this kid will be a beast.

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  18. re: Schutt, it doesn't bother me at all. First, he's not a "can't miss" type. Second, word out of the Chicago area is his perspective on the recruiting process was similar to Martez Wilson. Third, Willie Henry has promise and appears to be a poor man's Aziz Shittu at this point in his development.

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  19. I have to tell you I do not get the Grant commit to OU. He is the 4th. TE commit in this class. I don't get it.

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    Replies
    1. Me either but oh well his loss.. With 4 in that class I won't be surprised to him or one of the other TE's to transfer do to not playing... So we will have to run with just Funches and A.J. Williams this year.....

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  20. GoTwins - it does not bother me at all. I want Michigan to have good kids who want to play at Michigan. Maybe if they had pursued Tommy Schutt they would have gotten him. And maybe if I had bought Apple at $5 we wouldn't be having this conversation at all because I'd be someplace warmer right now and not paying as much attention to next season's recruits.

    Okay, to be prosaic, hindsight is 20/20 and crticizing the coaches for not being able to see every permutation of where each of these potential recruits would want to be seems pointless. Let's celebrate these coaches for having had a hell of a season and putting together a great recruiting class that will be top ten and will continue the great start we had last year.

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    1. I dont think there is any "if" with Schutt. He was ready to commit to Michigan and the staff turned him away.

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    2. Notre Dame and Michigan each wanted a true NT in this class and Michigan had its eyes on Ondre Pipkins and Notre Dame coveted Sheldon Day. Tommy Schutt was both schools "back-up" plan in the scenario that each schools top choice went elsewhere. When ND signed Day, Schutt quickly verballed to ND as well only to be denied. He then came running to Michigan, but we felt that we were in excellent shape with Pipkins. We said no as well so he panicked and went to PSU. Schutt wasn't a bad player or a diva or anything else, he was just not ND or UM's top DT priority. Schutt is a good player, but he certainly is not going to be a STUD like Pipkins.

      Henry will definitely learn technique from Montgomery, Mattison and Hoke. He has pretty good athleticism and will be about as prototypical height and weight as you can get for the 3Tech position. Henry may not be a coveted recruit, but this also could be Hoke trying to develop/strengthen a Glenville pipeline. It may not seem to be spectacular short-term pick-up (although appears solid), but it may impact the long-term recruiting plans as well.

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  21. Jer: Never heard anything about him not playing with heart but if thats what the staff thought, then I cant blame them. I had always heard that ND turned him away because they had their guy in Sheldon Day and then we turned him away because we had our guy in Pipkins and if Pipkins committed we didnt have a spot for Schutt.

    Akmed: I realize star ratings dont always work but most of the time they do. Guys like Braylon Edwards, Justin Blackmon and Kellen Moore are the exception, not the rule. Schutt is a consensus top 10 DT on all of the sites. If the staff all along thought Henry was a better player than Schutt, why did it take the staff so long to offer him a scholarship? Sounds like a Plan B guy to me.

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    1. I am sure Henry is a plan B. And UM never really recruitted Schutt very hard. They had who they wanted in PeeWee. And I believe Will Campbell was a 5 star across the board and that has not worked out to well for UM. Please don't get me wrong on Big Will I like him he just needs to work harder and trust the coaches. I see big things from him this season.

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    2. GO TWINS: I think alot of these 2* and 3* kids don't get the Hype like some of the others, because they don't attend many camps, or nike/sparq camps and combines to display their talents. Remember when Pipkens comitted he was a 3* as well, he "blew up" because of the All Army game.

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  23. When you start talking about successful programs, recruiting is one small part. I think the problem that most people have with this entire thing is that Urban came in and in basically 2 months recruited the best class in the nation. Mean while, Hoke has been viewed as missing out on closing deals and what not. I am disappointed in how things have transpired, but given that the talent coming is more suited to the system now, it is hard to imagine Michigan not being successful again next season. The only problem is the gauntlet we have to go through schedule wise. I said it before, we will be better this year but our record may say otherwise.

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