Exit Aaron Alexander
Per Steve Lorenz at 247
3* LB from down the road at Belleville
December 16th, 2021 at 2:12 PM ^
So was this a case of getting "processed" or simply de-committing? Or one following the other?
December 16th, 2021 at 2:15 PM ^
The linked piece by Lorenz doesn't really tell us anything we hadn't already been told elsewhere, and obviously much of the latter part of it was written prior to early signing day.
December 16th, 2021 at 2:22 PM ^
This makes me hopeful he's not too upset about our parting, whether he initiated it or not. With how many players the coach was retweeting it hardly seems shocking to me he might have been talking about someone else. Or I guess he might just be playing it smart and not burning any bridges and is still pissed.
December 16th, 2021 at 2:24 PM ^
no mention of thanks to harbaugh says a lot
December 16th, 2021 at 2:28 PM ^
That and the staff as a whole part
December 16th, 2021 at 2:32 PM ^
It's all in the "events that have transpired."
December 16th, 2021 at 6:28 PM ^
yeah, that sounded damning but why thank coaches for giving you the opportunity to play for them if that opportunity was taken away?
December 16th, 2021 at 3:40 PM ^
Other than Harbaugh = head coach, why are the fingers only pointed at him? Don't the other staff members bear some responsibility, maybe some of the same coaches that he thanked, if it is indeed true they moved on from him? Maybe Jim wasn't that involved in his recruitment, and that's why he did not mention him? It could be that Jim let his defensive coaches make this decision. So it seems to me the fact that AA does not seem bitter likely means that this event isn't the disaster that we are speculating about.
December 16th, 2021 at 2:30 PM ^
Either Harbaugh is NOT part of the staff or you have to be from Chicago to understand.
December 16th, 2021 at 4:03 PM ^
He also misspelled the defensive coordinator’s name, so…??♂️.
Belleville had three FBS players not sign yesterday at all. Caldwell seems like a blowhard control freak.
December 16th, 2021 at 6:14 PM ^
How?
That makes no sense when you consider that Harbaugh wasn't his recruiter and Harbaugh is part of the "staff" he referenced.
December 16th, 2021 at 3:01 PM ^
There's nothing in Alexander's tweet that indicates obvious animosity or anger toward the U-M program.
The program is at a disadvantage in that it can't comment on things like grades or other off-field issues that might have impacted this decision, while the high school side is free to take shots if they want.
December 16th, 2021 at 2:20 PM ^
If it turns out they did process him, and Crowell is livid with UM again, I am going to sit he and Coach Harbaugh down and have this conversation with them:
"Listen, you two have tried. You have come here every week, talked, and tried hard to find common ground. But it's just not working out. Your differences are too profound. For your own good and the good of the children, I would suggest a trial separation. Take some time apart. Think about what you want out of life. In a few recruiting cycles, maybe you two can talk again. With time, healing, and some patience, who knows?"
December 16th, 2021 at 2:33 PM ^
I feel like pissing off instate high schools is a bit precarious given Dante Moore will be a huge recruiting battle going into 2023 and Thomas Wilcher is now on the side of the bad guys over at MSU.
Hopefully this doesn't have any lasting impact.
December 16th, 2021 at 2:41 PM ^
Naturally, I am joking above. I really hope this isn't what it looks like and/or there has been some kind of misunderstanding that is easily fixable. Not only is it a bad look to other schools and Belleville players in the future, but it's also unethical.
Now, if Harbaugh and company made it clear to Crowell and Alexander that this offer was contingent on other players' actions, and they are nevertheless pulling this crap, then it is on them.
December 16th, 2021 at 3:12 PM ^
I still think you shouldn't give a kid a committable offer then in June if you want to make it contingent, especially if it's Belleville. Alexander is the type of recruit you could jump back into late and likely snag from Marshall or wherever he was headed if the numbers were different, so I don't see how offering him and seemingly taking his commitment but then say "you know, this is still contingent on a bunch of other guys" makes any sense.
I know this happens a bunch of places a bunch of times and I don't think the world is ending because of it, but FFS Michigan just started to mend fences with this school and then they pulled this crap. I honestly don't blame Crowell for being pissed - I'd be if one school kept doing this to me.
December 16th, 2021 at 4:22 PM ^
How can an offer be commitable and contingent at the same time? I doubt that is what happened.
Michigan, like literally every other major programs gives out probably 4-5x then number of offers as players it has room to take.
Almost everyone knows that offerees have a pecking order, and that if you are Plan B or C guy you might be forced to wait and see how things shake out at your position. Everybody knows this. Its how the entire industry works.
Most of the evidence suggests that Michigan is usually pretty forthcoming in letting players know where they stand in the pecking order. Notwithstanding, im sure must be dissapointing if you are kid who wants to come to Michigan, receives an offer, and then the Plan A and B guys at your position wind up taking your spot.
So while some hurt feelings are understandle, there's no evidence here to suggest that Michigan was anything other than forthcoming, or that this anything different than the dozens of other guys that UM offers and subsequenty moves on from in every recruiting cycle.
December 16th, 2021 at 7:34 PM ^
I am hoping this is the scenario, and I wish young Mr. Alexander luck and success.
December 16th, 2021 at 8:53 PM ^
What's "different" in this case is the history with the school.
Once you accept his commit you have to honor it in the name of building bridges, mending fences, or whichever construction themed analogy you prefer.
If he just wouldn't qualify, or did something un-Michigan which would preclude his admittance, then the "sources" will leak it.
Otherwise? You follow through on your commitment!
December 16th, 2021 at 3:38 PM ^
It's interesting how even once you've made the team, your position as a starter is never totally secured. Like Coach says your status is as a renter and being the starter and playing time are competed for and earned. It's a meritocracy.
The coaches are in a tough position making multiple offers, filling positions of need and doing their best to land the best prospects. Students do the same, oftentimes committing to one school until a better school comes along with their offer, then decommitting.
And I've heard it explained by coaches this way. If you get a scholarship offer early in the cycle, if you don't improve, if you don't have a great senior year, you can definitely lose it. What's not stated explicitly, "If we land a top recruit near signing day in your position, you may be out of luck."
And the school may be doing the student a favor so they don't waste their college eligibility sitting on the bench.
It's the ultimate game of musical chairs.
Life can be a bitch, a whore.
December 16th, 2021 at 3:57 PM ^
When hasn't Crowell been pissed off at Michigan? I haven't seen Harbaugh have a problem with anyone else in state.
December 16th, 2021 at 9:36 PM ^
Bingo. No other coach is at war with JH and Crowell now has 3 guys unsigned. Plus, Crowell went sideways with UM about Dobbs & Barnett - and they were problematic at MSU.
I think that I’ll side with JH … until proven otherwise.
December 16th, 2021 at 2:39 PM ^
So this means we are out on all the Belleville kids until someone patches things up? Its bigger than on recruit that got processed (if that's the case) Not exactly catastrophic either but it means Sparty, Ohio, Iowa . . . are going to be the favorites to land all the kids from Belleville now..
December 16th, 2021 at 3:11 PM ^
I've said before and I'll say it again. The next player out of Bellville that does something of note in college, will be the first.
December 16th, 2021 at 3:19 PM ^
Ian Gold begs to differ.
December 16th, 2021 at 3:51 PM ^
If you have to go all the way back to 1995 and can only come up with 1 player, you pretty much made my point.
December 17th, 2021 at 9:42 AM ^
I think Keyvon Merriweather is the starting CB over at Iowa. He had a good season and played really well in the Big 10 Championship game. I think it depends on your measure of successful. Is it being a starter, making all league, all American, drafted, making an NFL team . . . He has a little brother that plays varsity there as a freshman DL. He could be a take in a few years. They did just win a state championship too if I'm not mistaken. They are generally a top 10-15 team in the state every year in recent years.
December 16th, 2021 at 3:20 PM ^
Ian Gold was pretty good I guess.
December 16th, 2021 at 4:05 PM ^
He came out of high school 26 years ago… If Michigan misses out on one impact player every quarter century, I think we’ll live.
December 16th, 2021 at 3:29 PM ^
Ian Gold would like a word
December 16th, 2021 at 3:36 PM ^
Ian Gold was also in a different era altogether.
December 16th, 2021 at 3:49 PM ^
They have a freshman QB who looks like he could be special.
December 16th, 2021 at 3:55 PM ^
If Belleville kids and their coach crave having their asses kissed, let Sparty do the kissing, Also, if the players don’t value a free education at The University of Michigan, they’d be better off going somewhere that doesn’t require them playing school.
December 16th, 2021 at 3:56 PM ^
We had a great season without their help. They can leave and don’t let the door hit them in the ass on the way out.
December 16th, 2021 at 5:52 PM ^
Ian Gold is an awesome example to help put this in perspective. Ian Gold is old enough to have a grand kid.
December 16th, 2021 at 7:22 PM ^
Last I checked high school athletes don’t need their high school coaches permission to choose a school. Sure the coach can have influence but parents aren’t going to keep their kids from choosing a premier college strictly because the high school coach has a hard on for a particular coach. If Crowell hasn’t figured out yet that recruiting is a two way street, he never will.
December 16th, 2021 at 3:05 PM ^
No way in hell I would sit down with a creepy clown to get relationship advice.
December 16th, 2021 at 4:16 PM ^
Crap...I didn't know there was a camera in the room...
December 16th, 2021 at 4:16 PM ^
“So, how’s the face makeup going?”
“oh, pretty good, easier in the cooler weather. It’s the floppy shoes that are really pulling me down..,”
December 16th, 2021 at 4:27 PM ^
Think of the children. What about the children?
December 16th, 2021 at 5:35 PM ^
Is this how you and mom split?
December 16th, 2021 at 5:06 PM ^
Processed, also didn’t have another p5 offer,, wasn’t even a Mac offer on the table for him. He might get one.
Crowell, if he’s angry at Michigan why didn’t he make Myles Rowser stick to his Michigan Commitment? If he is angry at Michigan for playing this recruiting game he needs to look in the mirror. Michigan doesn’t owe an athlete a scholarship, esp if they gave him things to do, work on and he didn’t. And even if he did, it’s part of the game. The lack of offers from any other p5 or even group of 5 school tells that tale. Didn’t see Crowell tweeting to Rowser to live up to your commitments..
Add to that, how many de-commits did Michigan have or flips away? Exactly, our staff also flipped a few our way after a great season.
December 17th, 2021 at 6:47 AM ^
Rowser didn't send his LOI either. Sounds like a Bellville problem.
December 16th, 2021 at 2:13 PM ^
That article needs a copy editor. Quite a few things wrong there despite it listing a publish time of 11 minutes ago
December 16th, 2021 at 2:25 PM ^
Me thinks it just happened to be written in “Grey”scale! Sometimes these things aren’t as clearly thought out. Thus, the typewritten responses seem sorta jaded at times! Anywho, GO BLUE!!!
December 16th, 2021 at 3:00 PM ^
AI has its downside. It no football write good.
December 16th, 2021 at 2:15 PM ^
Damn. Was hoping, if nothing else, to start healing that rift between UM and Belleville
December 16th, 2021 at 3:47 PM ^
There's no rift. Read thank gratitude letter by Alexander. It's obvious he saw Rolder and Wilson and decided to go elsewhere, probably MSU.