Monday Recruitin' Is Still Waiting
Rather thought we'd have a hello post by now
Ahhh, that’s beautiful. @SheaPatterson_1 pic.twitter.com/NSOiHZkf0j
— Kyle Callahan (@kylecallahan14) December 10, 2017
The watched pot in which three potential Ole Miss transfers has failed to come to a boil and boy do I regret this metaphor right now but not as much as the people slowly cooking to death. What?
Anyway: QB Shea Patterson, WR Van Jefferson, and S Deontay Anderson all took in Michigan's comeback win over UCLA. All are expected to end up at Michigan, per Sam Webb and the rest of humanity with an opinion. You should be "amazingly optimistic" about Patterson per Webb; he also has a gut feeling about the other two but "red tape" is going to hold things up a little bit. Anderson will commit to Michigan, per Andrew Vailliencourt, but is waiting to announce until Michigan gets his transcripts and officially admits him. Vailliencourt tracked Anderson down for an interview; he remains optimistic that he and his cohort will be immediately cleared:
Although not officially declared eligible yet for next season, Anderson is highly confident that he will be cleared for next season — as well as both Patterson and Jefferson. The three share a lawyer.
“I’m very optimistic about it,” Anderson said. “We’re still waiting to hear from the NCAA, but they’ve been on our side the last couple weeks about it, so I don’t have any doubt in my mind.”
Jefferson is the only Ole Miss guy who made it up who has not been the subject of a direct assertion he is coming, pending transcripts. He is definitely gone from Ole Miss, per 247 Rebel guy Ben Garrett. And Webb is asserting that you should be optimistic. He's probably in; just not official.
BTW, Garrett is asserting that seven guys are absolutely gone from Oxford with another four on the fence. Greg Little is not one of them. Alas. He's just going to play out his last year and head to the draft posthaste, it appears, and doesn't want to muck around with maybe being eligible or maybe not.
Dual commit Thursday?
Thursday will be big for headline writers covering M and ND
GA TE Tommy Tremble has set an announce date. Folks who read the header will be unsurprised to find that it is Thursday. Tremble's coming off a visit to UCLA. The Bruins, UGA, Michigan, and Notre Dame are the finalists. Michigan is confident, per Lorenz. Tom Loy says he thinks it's Notre Dame, but it's close. Georgia is just a hat on the table; Tremble's dad was a UGA safety who had a cup of coffee in the NFL. It doesn't seem like UGA has a spot for him.
An enthusiastic gent like Loy thinking it's close is a good sign for Michigan. Meanwhile on the podcast I asked Steve if Michigan might sacrifice a third TE in this class to make room for the Ole Miss transfers. He shot that down, noting that Michigan is going after Tremble very hard. He didn't tip his hand as all in an interview with Rivals.
Also committing Thursday—maybe—is GA ATH Michael Barrett. Per Josh Newkirk, Barrett wants to commit on the 14th, his birthday. Wiltfong has a CB in for Michigan; Barrett is apparently deciding between an ATH offer from Michigan and a QB offer from Georgia Tech. Because he's a GT QB, man:
Michigan's been pursuing Barrett for most of the recruiting cycle—here's an early June post from Lorenz that asserts he's at the top of Michigan's board at RB. Barrett shouldn't be looked at as a late sleeper Michigan is forced into taking because of misses elsewhere. They've got two backs in the class, they've been after this kid for months. They just like him. He could end up at RB, as a Jaylen Samuels-style H-back, viper, linebacker, or even safety.
Other uncommitted officials
Michigan also hosted two OL over the weekend. Barrett's teammate and GA OL Jalen Goss came up and geared up...
Had A Great Official Visit With bro 〽️@mikebarrett_MB1 pic.twitter.com/TquGBcw0Ak
— Jalen Goss (@Almighty__jayy4) December 10, 2017
...and still kept everyone in the dark. Nobody's talked to him since. Or before, really. He's a ninja.
What we do know: at 6'7", 275, Goss is in the Frey mold as a big, rangy, athletic tackle. He decommitted from Florida in June. (Prescient.) Since he's been to Auburn multiple times and just set a late January official to Miami. Just based on his visit itinerary—nothing outside of the South except Michigan—this one seems like an uphill battle. If Barrett does commit his pull might be Michigan's best shot with him.
ASU decommit and CA OL Jarrett Patterson is a more likely bet. He's more or less down to UCLA and Michigan. Brandon Huffman caught up with him after his visit, which he said the usual positive things about when not implying that Arizona State players live in a cloud castle with bouncers:
"What stood out most was the football players even spend time with regular students," said Patterson. "Everyone is interconnected and the players are all laid back guys."
UCLA is this weekend and Patterson will decide between the two schools in January. Patterson sounds like a late riser and possibly a candidate to play early:
Sun Devil Source’s Chris Karpman called Patterson “one of the polished performers at this stage of development,” and added, “the coaching that Patterson is getting at the high school level leaps off the film and is going to make for an easier transition to college football than the vast majority of his peers.”
I'd imagine Michigan would take both him and Petit-Frere.
""They're going to need a bigger boat" –Ace Anbender" –Brian Cook
I promised Ace that I would Michael Scott him about this development, the biggest Happy Trails of all time.
I am 1000% committed to the university of Minnesota. Please respect my decision. #RTB #SkiUMah pic.twitter.com/1VkgjpiaVR
— Daniel Faalele (@DanielFaalele_) December 10, 2017
The impossible dream has died and committed to Minnesota, where he will team up with Vic Viramontes as PJ Fleck tries to assemble a team comprised entirely of weird MGoBlog recruiting obsessions. No doubt he's trying to arrange a LEVITICUS PAYNE transfer as we speak.
Etc.
Name alert: 2021(!) instate OL Rocco Spindler. You may remember Marc Spindler from his Lions days; that's his dad.
Baumgardner talks to MI OL commit Jalen Mayfield.
FL QB commit Joe Milton dropped almost 100 spots in the latest Rivals revamp; he now sits 189th. Can't argue with that given his stats. Happy trails to CA S Bryan Addison, who picked UCLA. At least now when someone picks UCLA over Michigan it makes some level of sense. Losing guys to Jim Freakin' Mora was a drag.
Michigan will practice at Berkeley Prep in preparation for the Outback Bowl. Berkeley Prep is the home of former Michigan kicker Garrett Rivas... and five star FL OL Nicholas Petit-Frere.
December 11th, 2017 at 12:48 PM ^
Not only for 3 of the Ole Miss Rebels, but for Tremble, Patterson, and Barrett. if not 5, let's make it all 6! Tremble appears to be choosing between ND and the Wolverines and academics actually matter to this young man.
December 11th, 2017 at 12:50 PM ^
And I really like your posts. Hot damn, umbig11!!
As always, thanks for the info!
December 11th, 2017 at 12:56 PM ^
The only thing I don't like is that with roughly six spots available in this recruiting class, all six kinda fills up our spots. And there are still some names on that board we need to focus on getting. More names remaining than the decommit rumblings. And that rumbling is one we want to hold onto as well.
If scholarships get tight, are we looking at bad press again for shady recruiting tactics?
December 11th, 2017 at 1:00 PM ^
December 11th, 2017 at 1:04 PM ^
... but I want it nowwwwww
December 11th, 2017 at 1:04 PM ^
Appreciate it as usual!
Any insight on how long it may take to cut the red tape for the three Ole Miss transfers?
December 11th, 2017 at 1:06 PM ^
Just a couple of days. All 3 have given the staff the okay.
December 11th, 2017 at 1:37 PM ^
Hey so I know you're super plugged in and all the info you give is always so great. I guess I just have one question in general
Any idea how the staff feels about this year overall and what changes may occur?
Obviously it was a big dissapointment but when I see stuff like a wildcat formation that no one uses anymore or play action on 3 and forever, it just seems to me that when they had to get creative it was either not there or it was so obvious they weren't used to it that it always looked horrible. They looked lost at times.
I guess I'm more curious about coaching shakeups, or decision tree changes. I'm sure I'll get negged and this might be so redundant around here but I don't visit as much as I used too so, eh.
Thanks!
December 11th, 2017 at 1:52 PM ^
Several teams used it against us with a fair amount of success.
December 11th, 2017 at 1:56 PM ^
I don't remember most of them sending their QB out wide and leaving a RB all alone like we did? Penn State just slid barkley over at the last second.
December 11th, 2017 at 2:58 PM ^
Auburn used it quite a bit this past season.
December 11th, 2017 at 2:09 PM ^
Play action on third and foever worked at least twice to create open spaces on the field against OSU...alas...
December 12th, 2017 at 12:01 AM ^
December 13th, 2017 at 9:01 PM ^
Might want to revist this opinion, doesn't appear we are getting any of these kids besides already locking up Shea. Others no trending elsewhere
December 11th, 2017 at 12:49 PM ^
December 11th, 2017 at 12:50 PM ^
December 11th, 2017 at 1:46 PM ^
Never open your mouth until you know the shot!
December 11th, 2017 at 1:51 PM ^
Whole milk is for Closers
December 11th, 2017 at 1:00 PM ^
December 11th, 2017 at 2:29 PM ^
but I'm guessing they are still some 4th year juniors who won't be coming back next year. Not that they will open up enough slots for what appears to be all the recruits and transfers UM is going after but it would be a start.
December 11th, 2017 at 1:01 PM ^
December 11th, 2017 at 1:06 PM ^
December 11th, 2017 at 1:13 PM ^
anyone is overlooking that.
December 11th, 2017 at 1:17 PM ^
Is it Michigan that chooses the location for their bowl practices, or is it the bowl, the NCAA, someone else?
December 11th, 2017 at 1:10 PM ^
Shea Patterson just committed via Twiiter...
December 11th, 2017 at 1:15 PM ^
Go Blue!!
December 11th, 2017 at 1:10 PM ^
December 11th, 2017 at 1:12 PM ^
Shea just cucked you hard.
December 11th, 2017 at 1:12 PM ^
Who on the M football support staff has what appears to be a DuckTales tattoo on their left hand?
December 11th, 2017 at 1:14 PM ^
Sonny
December 11th, 2017 at 1:13 PM ^
Is there any concern with the three transfers and further imbalancing the class sizes? Michigan already has a small 2018 class and big 2016/2017 classes. Taking transfers over freshmen seems to exacerbate the class imbalance.
December 11th, 2017 at 1:44 PM ^
We're bringing in the QB to increase competition, but that also increase the chances of an eventual transfer. This is not inherently a bad thing; QBs transfer for playing time which means at worst we lose a backup that we wouldn't have had otherwise.
We're bringing in a WR after a huge WR haul last year. This again means that someone is likely to transfer for lack of playing time, especially since WRs compete with TEs for snaps in this offense.
As for safety, we're thin to the point of starting guys with iffy tackling by default and Brown will frequently play three safeties, so it's a spot that will seldom have excessive depth.
Point is that even if these guys essentially increase the 2017/2018 classes, at least two are playing positions where we both need depth now AND will have too much depth later. So at least two have a very high chance of getting the fifth year "firm handshake".
December 11th, 2017 at 1:59 PM ^
So that's 19 freshmen. Compare that to the 2014 and 2015 classes of 16 and 14. One upside to some of the increased roster turnover we've seen is that it does help balance out class sizes.
December 11th, 2017 at 3:16 PM ^
December 11th, 2017 at 4:05 PM ^
Seriously. We go through this every year. Sam Webb, Steve Lorenz and others tell us how many commitments Michigan is planning to take. Posters wring their hands continuously about how the number can go that high. Yet it always does, because the coaches know about attrition that's coming and we don't..
December 11th, 2017 at 1:15 PM ^
THIS POST IS ALREADY OUTDATED
December 11th, 2017 at 1:21 PM ^
It just amazes me someone that good is only a 3* and also doesn't have more offers. Plus he's one of the most versatile looking athletes we've seen being recruited in a while.
December 11th, 2017 at 2:13 PM ^
Yes, I agree, he looks like one of those "football player" types that Harbaugh likes to find.
December 11th, 2017 at 3:13 PM ^
I thought the same thing about Khaleke Hudson in 2016. Three star? Okay, whatever.
December 12th, 2017 at 5:10 AM ^
Evidently, it is a better predictor of ability to "look" like a football player than it is to "sound" like a football player.
December 11th, 2017 at 1:21 PM ^
Rocco Spindler's father had some good flow...
December 11th, 2017 at 2:11 PM ^
Spindler went to Pitt, I believe. Pretty good defensive tackle and I remember he was tight with Chris Spielman. I remember Spielman saying they two "threw up in the same bucket before a game."
December 11th, 2017 at 4:22 PM ^
I a summer job working in the Deli department of Whole Foods in Rochester and he would come in all the time. He ordered 5lbs of Proscuitto di Parma ($19.99 a pound back in the day). I had it weighed out and tagged when he looked around, asked if I had it weighed yet. I shook yes my head and he grabbed a handful and shoved it in his mouth. He then looked at me and said "Don't tell my wife, she's just around the corner."
The guy was a riot.
December 11th, 2017 at 1:22 PM ^
Next year the NCAA will pass a rule that bowl practices are only allowed to occur at your home facility or at the bowl venue itself.
December 11th, 2017 at 1:26 PM ^
"red tape"
Sam Webb said this morning that he would bet on UM getting 2 of the 3 Ole Miss transfers. All three were a good possibility.
December 11th, 2017 at 1:38 PM ^
I like how the top part of this post was relevant for about 10 minutes!
December 11th, 2017 at 3:39 PM ^
December 11th, 2017 at 4:41 PM ^
nearly a month ago. I'll be shocked if the NCAA lets a case get to court. I think it's as close to 100% the players will be eligible as you can be with the NCAA involved.
This is not a battle the NCAA wants to fight. It's easy for them to waive the standard eligibility rule because of the special circumstances. It wouldn't apply more broadly and they'll make that clear. Go to court and their entire rule could get challenged. That may happen someday. When it does, the NCAA will not want to be saddled with Ole Miss type behavior on their side of the case.
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