Josh Christopher Open Thread

Submitted by DevotedToWolverines on April 13th, 2020 at 12:20 PM

How are you feeling? Anybody know when this is happening? I could see him keeping people on edge and announcing at 11:59pm. 

NeverPunt

April 13th, 2020 at 12:25 PM ^

If Josh Christopher and Todd make it to campus, and we don't have to play OSU because of coronavirus, next year could be a very good year for Michigan.

Champeen

April 13th, 2020 at 12:37 PM ^

Oddly enough, adding 5 * instant impact one and done JC to our class raises our team recruiting total from 67.77 total points and the #4 class nationally, to 69.63 and the .... #4 class nationally (still behind #3 NC who has 69.74).

But realistically, JC is a huge, huge land.  My expectations are higher with him than any recruit since ... i dont know - LaVell Blanchard probably.  Many always miss on Blanchard, but he was a top 10 recruit (about #6 overall) and had an absolutely stunning high school career in a fairly loaded class.

 

 

Champeen

April 13th, 2020 at 1:19 PM ^

Taking Jace out, we lose .06 

I know it won't happen, but taking Jace out and adding Brown, we go to 70.37, which is STILL .03 behind Kentucky.  

That gives you some idea of what type of class Kentucky pulls in every year.  Getting the top recruiting class every year and then losing them and rinsing/repeating is not a slam dunk to win it all.  Not even close.  There is substance in getting kids ranked 50 to 150 and developing them.  I third/fourth year guy ranked 100 is better than a freshmen ranked 25.

 

Larry Appleton

April 13th, 2020 at 1:13 PM ^

“Cool story, bro” incoming:

I played against LaVell Blanchard in high school.  In football.  He had a 95-yard touchdown catch-run on us, but we wound up tying 16-16.  We were all pissed afterwards because aside from him, they were awful.

blueheron

April 13th, 2020 at 1:41 PM ^

He was the #1 recruit, #1 WR in the nation in football.

What are you talking about? I've heard he was very good and that he quit after his sophomore year. I've found nothing suggesting he was the "#1 recruit." 247 and Rivals don't generally rank football classes that early.

Champeen

April 13th, 2020 at 2:16 PM ^

It was i believe both Rivals and ESPN.  I used to subscribe to Rivals from 2000 on.  LeBron James was ranked #1 and #1 WR.  He was that good.  And he did play his junior year, but i don't believe he played his SR year as he devoted himself to Baskeball.  That  is probably why he is no longer listed, they probably took him off their lists sometime during his senior seasons.

But he WAS ranked #1 i specifically remember it as i was younger and heavily into paying attention to recruiting in my early years.

Larry Appleton

April 13th, 2020 at 8:24 PM ^

Wasn’t varsity.  9th grade.

I also played against Henson in a scrimmage.  I was a defensive end, and he ran a naked bootleg to my side.  I thought to myself, “Here’s my chance to be a legend!”  Well, I blink and suddenly he’s 35 yards downfield dancing in the endzone and I’m picking grass and mud out of my facemask.

AC1997

April 13th, 2020 at 1:25 PM ^

Thank you for giving Blanchard some props.  He's the forgotten blue-chip recruit.  He's the first name I think of regarding who would have benefit most from playing under Beilein instead of Ellerbe/Amaker.  Blanchard was the ideal 4 in Beilein's system - able to shoot from outside, able to play either forward, good rebounder, a decent handle.  

You could have probably said McGary for "....high expectations" since he signaled a new era of Beilein recruiting as a top-20 recruit (even though he dropped and GR3 passed him in the rankings by the time they arrived on campus).  I remember the coverage of McGary attending football games and being excited that such a big-time recruit was interested in us.  

taistreetsmyhero

April 13th, 2020 at 1:32 PM ^

LaVell was friends with my sister and used to come over to the house on occasion. Would apparently carry basketballs in a gym bag everywhere he went. Seemed like a cool guy, but I was 9 years younger.

I went to several of the Pioneer bball games that season when they won the state championship. That was hype. 

potomacduc

April 13th, 2020 at 1:46 PM ^

Blanchard is an interesting case. He led the team in scoring and rebounding for 4 years. He was all B1G for three years, including 1st team as a senior. His problem was more the talent around him and the coaching. I don't think he's ever a dominant, carry a team on his back kind of guy, but if you translate his achievements to a team with more talent and better coaching, I think we remember him even more fondly.