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QBs Not-quite-mailbag

RJ furnishes us with a link, summarizes by giving us this snippet of information:

Sam Webb said this morning that the days of Michigan recruiting players that only play qb. Brandon McGee and a few other dual threats who play other positions are what they are looking for. Tate Forcier and all the other qbs can be pretty much taken off.

I removed all QBs except two categories when Shavodrick Beaver committed to Michigan:

  • Guys who could play another position and learn QB for emergency situations.
  • Tate Forcier.

It now sounds like Forcier can be removed from that list. However, I think the scope of RJ’s message is a little overextended. For 2009, Michigan is probably done recruiting QBs (unless they are multiple-position guys), but in the future, if there’s a Tate Forcier-type guy, they would take him. So, for this year, it means Forcier is off the board.

Posted under Recruiting

Recruiting Update 5-2-08

The Board. One formatting note: I changed players’ names to links, so if you want to see previous updates involving a particular player, just click on his name in the main board. Soon I will remove a lot of prospects whom I don’t see mutual Michigan interest with.

Moved to committed:
Shavodrick Beaver. Commitment article from local paper.

Added:
FL RB Jaamal Berry. He has a Michigan offer, though rumors say I should be ready to remove him soon because he will commit to the Bucks.

New Information:
MN WR Fritz Rock. He has apparently had his Minnesota offer pulled. He is a candidate for removal in the not-so-distant future.
SC DE Chris Bonds plans to take a Michigan official visit, and will decide around Christmas. He is also Adam Patterson’s HS teammate, which I guess might be obvious, but I hadn’t realized until just now.
OH OL Chris Freeman. He is still wide open, and will visit LSU this month.
MI WR Cameron Gordon. Fluff.

Removed:
A bunch of QB recruits who aren’t guys that Michigan would likely take as the third guy in a class, and didn’t have offers yet (and would be unlikely to move to other positions).
FL QB Eugene Smith
IN QB Morgan Newton
IN QB Jordan Luallen
MS QB Clayton Moore
TX QB Kolby Gray
IL QB Darwin Rogers
MO RB Ronnie Wingo. No mention of mutual interest in any articles.
Dangerously close to removing MI TE Reid Fragel, who Michigan only wants at OT, and apparently wants to stay at TE.

Etc.:
Nice Rivals video piece on the QB commits. Freep article on same. Also from Rivals: article on Nike camp, featuring lots of UM recruits.

Posted under Recruiting

Shavodrick Beaver Goes Blue

Though many believed Kevin Newsome would be the only top-flight quarterback in Michigan’s class of 2009, improbably-named Texas QB Shavodrick Beaver has also committed to Michigan (Scout). Beaver (6-4, 200, 4.5), unlike Newsome, is not expected to enroll early.

Player Notes
Beaver is a run-pass quarterback, with a very good TD-Int ratio for a player with that distinction, especially at the high school level. As the second quarterback in this class, it will not be a surprise if he redshirts in 2009.

Recruiting Notes
Beaver was off the recruiting radar for Michigan fans for quite some time, despite his status as a highly rated dual-threat QB. Beaver wasn’t thinking much about Michigan either, as he was prepared to commit to TCU when his Michigan offer came. He quickly reconsidered, and Michigan moved among his top choices, sending TCU fans into a tizzy. After indications that a quarterback could commit this week, many Michigan fans were thinking it would be Tate Forcier yesterday. However, Beaver committed today instead.

It will be interesting to see what Beaver’s commitment means for Tate Forcier. Tate has said that Beaver would not scare him off from committing to Michigan, though he doesn’t plan to commit until a little later in the process. However, if Tate were to go blue as well, that may frighten Beaver into changing his commitment.

More on Beaver as it happens.

Posted under Recruiting

Quarterbacks

In case you were worried about Kevin Newsome’s speed, check out this video of his 4×100 team winning the large school division at the Penn Relays.

Newsome is the anchor leg in lane 2(? second from nearest at the finish line, the guy who wins). He brings his team the victory.

Also, according to Sam Webb on today’s edition of the Michigan Insider on WTKA, there may be other good QB news this week. Tate Forcier or Shavodrick Beaver may announce for Michigan this week.

Thanks to frequent commenter RJ for the tip.

Posted under Recruiting, Video

Recruiting Update 4-21-08

Not a lot of guys have updates, but some dudes got dropped. Board.

Added:
FL DT Antwan Lowery. He may be leaning towards Rutgers?
TN OG Alex Bullard. He is now reporting a Michigan offer.

New Information:
VA QB Kevin Newsome. A ton of people have e-mailed me with the MySpace thing, so I might as well post it. Apparently, he is blue? I wouldn’t read too much into it. Maybe he just likes 90s pop-techno. Also, interesting ESPN article that VT may redshirt Tyrod Taylor. That would have to make the depth chart here look even more appealing in comparison.
TX QB Shavodrick Beaver. Apparently TCU fans are up in arms over my post making fun of beloved member Zammers. I don’t harbor any resentment towards the guy, he just said a lot of dumb things championing TCU over Michigan. I don’t really care either way. Thanks to “mgoblu,” who apparently registered for the board just to defend my post. Also, TCU fans, all no huddle spread offenses are not the same. Sorry.

Removed:
FL QB Aaron Murray. He will commit on Thursday, picking either Georgia or Florida (probably Georgia over Florida). He never got a Michigan offer.
PA LB Dorian Bell. Lots of internets say he will commit to the Buckeyes today.
VA CB Damien Thigpen. Committed to Tennessee.

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