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Recruiting Update 6-16-08

The Board.

Added:
AR CB Darius Winston. He has decommitted from Arkansas, and the Wolverines are considered to be among his top schools.
NV DE Keenan Graham. Michigan and USC appear to be at the top of his list. He recently visited Ann Arbor (info in header).
FL LB Frankie Telfort. Michigan has offered.

New Information:
IL OL Chris Watt. Has he dropped Michigan? Since he has visited a couple times, he’ll remain on the board until more info comes out.
PA WR Todd Thomas. Michigan makes his top 5.
GA S Darren Myles. He plans to visit Michigan this summer.
SC OL Quinton Washington. He will make a decision after his senior season.
SC S Stephon Gilmore. Article with no Michigan mention. The Wolverines were recruiting him as a backup QB-type. Should he be dropped from the board soon?
GA DB Donavan Tate. Michigan is among the schools that has offered to let him be a two-sport athlete.
SC S Damario Jeffery. Michigan outside his top 6.

Removed:

Etc.:
OH RB Commit Fitzgerald Toussaint. He hasn’t been running track because of a lingering injury.
MI DT Commit William Campbell. Sam Webb fluff in the News.
Fluff on Pahokee High.

Posted under Recruiting

Recruiting Update 4-28-08

The Board.

New Information:
AZ DE Craig Roh will visit Michigan this summer.
VA QB Kevin Newsome participated (well) in the Penn Relays.
PA OT Eric Shrive. He has a Nebraska offer, and now one of his teammates will be a Husker.
Article on various prospects including Morgan Newton, Stephon Gilmore, and Quinton Washington.

Not a lot of action this week. Players that I haven’t seen anything about lately (in terms of link to Michigan) may on the cusp of getting dropped (a couple of the quarterbacks, maybe a running back or two, probably safety).

Posted under Recruiting

Recruiting Update 4-18-08

I’m digging this Monday-Friday recruiting update schedule when there isn’t a ton going on. I’ll probably keep to it except in the case of big news like commitments. Speaking of which… a couple of bigtime visitors are coming in the weekend, including Bryce McNeal. I wouldn’t be shocked if McNeal pulled the trigger for Michigan. On to the update… (full board here).

Moved to committed:
OH RB Fitzgerald Toussaint. This is what I get for publishing before doing all my due diligence.

New Information:
SC QB (DB to most other schools) Stephon Gilmore says that Tennessee is his favorite, but he isn’t close to finalizing a decision.
OK RB David Oku. Pontificates on Michigan and Ohio State. By the way, he has a top 6 with neither in-state school.
IL OL Chris Watt visited Notre Dame for the 7 millionth time, I think it’s fair to say they’re his favorite.
FL QB Aaron Murray is the first player selected to the Elite 11 camp.
OH OL Marcus Hall. Ohio State, Southern Cal, and Illinois are his favorites.
LA DT Chris Davenport has a top two (LSU and USC) and a decision schedule (Spetember or October). He is a candidate for removal soon, since the Wolverines appear to be out of the race.

Most importantly, this:

TX QB Shavodrick Beaver is really wanted by TCU. A quote from Beaver:

“I was just about to make a decision here for TCU, but now I don’t know… but now that Michigan has offered that made me want to change my mind.”

Sounds like Michigan and TCU are atop his list. The entirety of the “open letter” response to Beaver’s comment (warning: it’s really stupid):

“Dear Shavodrick,

Its COLD as HELLLLL in Michigan and its a long ways from Wichita Falls. Don’t get wrapped up in all the hype. The new TCU offense will be a mirror image of Michigan’s and you WILL get playing time here instantly. Do the coaches in Ann Arbor even know how to get to Wichita Falls? No they have no idea. They offered just to offer. Don’t let them cloud your vision of being a superstar here at TCU. *See University of Texas if you want an example of players told one thing and receive another. Transferring after finding out too late would really suck and sitting out a year would suck too. Plus, your mom can watch you EVERY SINGLE WEEKEND here in Fort Worth.

Your future biggest fan,

Zammers”

  • First things first: it does indeed get cold in Michigan. That may be the only part of the letter that makes sense (then there are the counterarguments of having to play in the cold in the NFL, non-conference CFB games being played in cold weather (or even conference games for about half of the Mountain West), and the fact that summer camp in the south is brutal).
  • The new TCU offense will be a mirror image of Michigan’s, eh? Then why would you play at a less prestigious school with a coach who didn’t invent the scheme?
  • Instant playing time? Have you seen Michigan’s depth chart? Offering just to offer? I think it might be offering because Michigan needs a good dual-threat QB.
  • Superstar at TCU != Superstar at Michigan.
  • What does UT have to do with players being told one thing and experiencing another at Michigan? And what, exactly, are you saying that Rich Rodriguez will lie about?

Again, dumb.

Removed:
NV DE Justin Chaisson. Committed to Oklahoma.

Etc.:
A depressing comparison of all the recruits at OSU’s spring game as opposed to Michigan’s. And Alabama’s. How about a hundred at Nebraska?
Freep recruiting articles: Sam Webb, Quarterbacks (albeit with a limited number of targets).
The Columbus Dispatch covers Michigan recruiting. Please, try to convince me they don’t have a complex of some sort.
MVictors covers the kickoff the The Official Rich Rodriguez Whirlwind Tour.

Posted under Recruiting

Recruiting Update 4-7-08

Since a flurry of updates over the past couple weeks, it’s been 5 days since the last recruiting update. Once everything settles down a bit more (i.e. no commitments), I plan to probably do 2 updates a week. The collaborative board with MGoBlog is still in the works; I’ll give an update to you when I know more about it. For all the info, make sure you visit the recruiting board. I may be adding an all-star game field to the board soon, so readers will know which Michigan prospects are headed to the Army game or the ESPNU game.

Added:
MD RB Tavon Austin. He now sports a Michigan offer.
SC QB Stephon Gilmore. He has been offered by Michigan.
FL S Jonathan Scott. He has reportedly been offered by Michigan.
MD CB Travis Hawkins. Reporting a Michigan offer.
(The last two pieces of information come from Scout articles, but the information itself is apparent from the headlines).

New Information:
SC DE Chris Bonds will officially visit Michigan.
FL WR Nu’Keese Richardson video.
AZ DE Devon Kennard fluff.
OK RB David Oku. Has a Brightcove video diary. Entry 1. Entry 2.
IL OL Chris Watt’s older brother Kevin plays for Northwestern.
IN QB Jordan Luallen has GT as his favorite (premium article, but the info is in the headline).

Removed:
PA WR Je’Ron Stokes. He has committed to Tennessee.
TX S Craig Loston has officially narrowed his choices down to Clemson and LSU.

Posted under Recruiting