Harbaugh wanted Viramontes to play QB

Submitted by Wee-Bey Brice on

247's Clint Brewster reporting the exact opposite of what we've all heard/assumed, Jim Harbaugh had every intention of Vic Viramontes starting out at QB when he got to Michigan. Looks like he fell victim to some negative recruiting:

"We have been told that Viramontes was given bad information from a member of his camp that Michigan wouldn’t give him a shot at quarterback and he would immediately be a fullback or linebacker, which is completely false. Jim Harbaugh see's Viramontes as a high ceiling prospect at quarterback that has a lot of similar qualities to Colin Kaepernick."
Michigan staff is actively trying to get him back on board.

 

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MotownGoBlue

December 8th, 2015 at 10:53 AM ^

Shane Morris has a live arm (maybe too live) but he didn't perform nearly as well as Peters in high school or at camps, if I remember correctly (granted Morris did contract mono prior to his senior season.) However, Borges/Hoke hand picked Morris while Harbaugh hand picked Peters. Harbaugh also sees Morris as #3 on the current depth chart and redshirted him for a reason. Let's not forget we still have 2 full years of O'Korn, 4 full years of Gentry, 4-5 years of Peters, and whomever else Harbaugh acquires via transfer and future recruitment (in addition to whatever happens with Morris, Speight, and Malzone). I too would like Vic on this team but his acquisition is not vital to the program. I wouldn't be the least bit surprised to see Harbaugh land 1 elite QB prospect and 1 top 25ish QB prospect every year. This position will be stacked and because of that, some QBs will look elsewhere.

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Don

December 8th, 2015 at 10:52 AM ^

Wasn't Vic quoted as saying after his committment to the effect that "he'd play anywhere the coaches want him to play?" It doesn't make sense for him to say that unless the staff had suggested playing at another position than QB.

Then there was this comment from the de-committment thread yesterday:

Michigan Updates24/7 @michigannews247

Viramontes was told that he would be competing at fullback or linebacker... not quarterback at Michigan via Sam Webb

 

 

 

 

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Rabbit21

December 8th, 2015 at 11:23 AM ^

Maybe this is like that kid from Nebraska who threw a holy fit because he says he was told he wouldn't get into Michigan without football.  

I am wondering if this was something along the lines of, "We'll give you a shot to play Quarterback, but if it doesn't work out we think you would make an excellent fullback or linebacker." and what the kid and his camp heard was, "We see you as a FB or LB."  Combine that with a school pushing QB only, along with any other kinds of outside factors: distance, weather, etc. and you have the recipe for people hearing what they want to hear. 

There also may be a bit of retconniung by the coaching staff in realizing that the approach they thought was working suddenly wasn't and scrambling to get back on board.  

It's basically Rashomon, what happened and when probably depends on your perspective.

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gbdub

December 8th, 2015 at 1:36 PM ^

Yeah I don't get why so many people are surprised when a teenager and his entourage of various supporters takes something the wrong way. We're talking about kids here, and the people used to telling them how great they are. We get this stuff second or third hand, filtered through the entourage, and rarely ever here from the recruiter's side since they aren't allowed to talk directly about it.

All this content needs to be taken with a heaping spoonful of salt.

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Ghost of Fritz…

December 8th, 2015 at 11:08 AM ^

Maybe VV would be willing to play at any position the coaches thought he would get on the field.  But maybe he was willing to do that only if also given a full and fair chance to first compete to be the eventual starting QB.

I agree with those who have suggested that Harbaugh's M.O. is not to tell a guy he won't be allowed to compete...at anything, including compete for the eventual starting QB spot.

But maybe VV was told 'sure you can compete at QB, but in all honesty have to tell you that we believe that you will probably end up at LB, FB, etc.'   

Who knows?  Just making inferences from incomplete data...

 

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UofM626

December 8th, 2015 at 11:02 AM ^

Personally I don't care what anyone here thinks they know or what they read from a site like 24/7. People here are ready to pounce because of something they read. I'm telling you what I was told Last weekend by him as I was sitting right there at the camp he was at watching him talk and tell the story to my buddies kid who happens to be a top recruit in the state of Cali. Myself and his dad both just looked at each other in disbelief. You think I wanted to hear this? Hell No, you think I want VV to de commit? Hell no. But to sit there and say dumb things and bash people for actually having some inside knowledge on a relevant topic is stupid. I hope he comes back I really do as I think he's going to be special. But I am not going to back off from what I heard directly at the camp. Sorry it doesn't work that way. I am a huge Michigan guy but times like this is what makes you think about why certain fan bases feel entitled to think they know more then they actually do. Wish I was wrong but in not and I don't care what is reported I heard and saw what I saw. I will not be reporting or commenting on this again as some here just don't wanna believe there is another side to recruiting that goes on everyday. For the record I hope VV comes back Blue. See everyone at the Citrus Bowl and the UA Game, I will be attending both as a guest.

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gbdub

December 8th, 2015 at 1:42 PM ^

The fact that VV says it doesn't mean it's what Harbaugh meant, at all, and it doesn't mean that he wasn't fed bad info from a negative recruiter. That's the problem with all of this, it's a game of telephone with "I overheard a conversation between him and my buddy's kid" spread anonymously on the Internet as the best source of info (and I'm not accusing you of lying or making something up).



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Don

December 8th, 2015 at 11:29 AM ^

I hope he does. I don't know why so many here think he doesn't have the requisite ability to play QB at the collegiate level, but there's no doubt he'd have a huge amount of competition for playing time at QB here.

I don't think we should dismiss the distance factor, either. Not every family has the financial resources to fly across the country multiple times per year to see their kid play, and having him at a PAC school makes access to his games much easier in cost and travel logistics.

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eth2

December 8th, 2015 at 11:25 AM ^

Curious how a recruit would decommit before actually talking to Michigan to discuss concerns/rumors.  Something doesn't add up here, and I think there is a bit more going on. Sometimes kids just change their mind and then some reason surfaces whether real or not to explain it. 

Given how final his signoff seemed, I'll be surprised if he returns to the class, but wish him luck either way. Seems like he has a great work ethic and enthusiasm for the game that would make him a great fit whatever position he plays.

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Michology 101

December 8th, 2015 at 1:10 PM ^

I'll be a little surprised too, if he comes back. Though I'm also rather baffled by some of the comments I'm reading. Most of us were excited about Vic coming here to get switched over to LB. It was all about linebacker this, linebacker that. Nobody was really pumped about the idea of him coming here to be our QB, especially with Peters and O'Korn in the mix. I think Harbaugh needs to back off, because now if this kid doesn't panout as a QB... we'd still be kinda forced to leave him as a QB. You can't switch him over to LB after all of this commotion, it's going to look questionable. It's either QB or nothing now. Do we still want him under those possible circumstances?

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JTrain

December 8th, 2015 at 11:45 AM ^

Let's get him back then! Vicious Vic has all the qualities we are looking for in film. Hope we have a chance at reeling him back in.
(((GO BLUE!)))



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Blueshoo

December 8th, 2015 at 12:56 PM ^

Don't have premium info...just off the quote in the top thread, but I can see how both are true. Maybe VV talked to the coaches and they told him they wanted him to try for QB, but gave him a realistic assessment that it's going to be tough and LB might end up being a position he truly excels at. 'Course, Colin Kap was also a high ceiling player, so anythings possible.

Point is, unless you're IN THE ROOM when the conversation is happening, all context and nuance is removed. It's possible UofM626 heard what he heard, and it's possible JH wanted VV to come and try out at QB, but tried to set realistic expectations.

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bronxblue

December 8th, 2015 at 3:41 PM ^

I still don't see it happening, just because it someone in his camp is telling him this stuff that means there are people actively undermining the recruiting, which will only get worse as time goes on.

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