Small Willie Gay Update from Sam Webb on WTKA (Michigan Not the Favorite)

Submitted by ColeIsCorky on

I've been one to bring more uplifting news from Sam Webb, so here's an example of Sam being a straight shooter.

He talked with Willie Gay's mom some more and had some interesting comments about the school choices.

Long story short, it sounds like Willie Gay's favorite school is LSU at the moment. However, to say Mom would be disappointed in that choice is a bit of an understatement. The way Sam puts it makes it sound like basically LSU is not an option in HER opinion. Willie could still choose LSU obviously, but if her opinion has even a small bearing on his decision, then LSU better do something to sway her opinion.

Mississippi St. is the other option. Mom prefers either of Mississippi St. or Michigan while, again, Willie prefers LSU. Does this mean that Willie doesn't like Michigan? Absolutely not. 

Sam believes that it very well could come down to a "consolation pick," meaning Mississippi St. or Michigan. If that is the case, the question is whether or not he wants to stay closer to home. 

Sam made it clear that he no longer thinks Michigan is the favorite after his last conversation, but Michigan might be the pick that both Mom and Willie agree upon in the end.

After yesterday's plethora of good things, this is a bit of a disappointment. The Mom Factor is real with this one, however, and I have a feeling that it will mean something in the end based off Sam's comments. There have been many "pointed discussions" in the house lately about where Willie is going to go, so the battle rages on.

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Mr Miggle

January 27th, 2017 at 10:31 AM ^

to changing his mind, while his mother does not. While LSU may be Gay's current favorite, he does seem to like other schools too. That makes it less likely for him to make a choice his mother does not like. 

Also, to the OP. Sam corrected himself. He didn't mean consolation pick, but compromise.

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Caille33

January 27th, 2017 at 10:14 AM ^

If we don't get Martin at this point it would be very disappointing given the way the last couple weeks have gone.

I am hoping for 1/3 from Solomon, Gay and Collins with Martin also coming.  Ultimately the biggest loss will be Solomon if he ends up at Bama like it seems to be where he is leaning.

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maize-blue

January 27th, 2017 at 10:32 AM ^

Yup. Whenever I hint at the fact that UM may not be able to close the deal on these three big guys down the stretch, I get a lot of push back. I'm prepared to not get any of them, besides Martin. A lot of people will rationalize a way or scenario that these guys will pick UM and will twist every recruit quote to hear whatever they want. That's natural for fans to do. UM has done great in the recruitment of Gay, Solomon and Collins but I think we'll be lucky to get one of them. Two or all three and I'd be ecstatic.

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Kevin13

January 27th, 2017 at 10:38 AM ^

people don't like to hear the truth sometimes. I hope Michigan can land all the recruits we are still on. But, been saying for a while this class will close with Martin and the kid committed to Syracuse (can't spell his name). I think we will add a transfer or two once school finishes.

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UMfan21

January 27th, 2017 at 11:24 AM ^

I think it's more because the "experts" were trending blue, so if some poster with no confirmed ties is throwing out snowflakes, they will get called out. has less to do with maize colored glasses, and more to do with source credibility.

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ghostofhoke

January 27th, 2017 at 1:55 PM ^

Fact is that it's always going to be that way no matter how successful the program becomes. When you're in battles for these top kids, they have nothing but great offers. All you can do is hope our staff continues to do a great job in these types of situations and develops talent pipelines in different areas of the country that may help us win some of these battles in the future. But at the same time, even if we win the next two national championships, we're going to be in a situation like this coming down to national signing day. We'll be in on 4 or 5 top targets and we'll be realistically hoping to land 2 or 3 instead of 1 or 2 (like now) but it's never going to be a solid 5 of 5--that's not reality for any program, even Bama or OSU who are at all time recruiting heights right now.

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ghostofhoke

January 27th, 2017 at 10:11 AM ^

This kid is not going to pick a place other than LSU simply because "mom". Let's get real about this. Mom isn't paying, mom doesn't have to live and play there the next 4 years, it isn't mom's decision. This kid clearly has a mind of his own just based on those comments I remember reading him say about "tell them Gay is coming" (to LSU). He's got his own ideas and his own plan, I don't see mom swaying much. This was a long shot to begin with, I'd say save your breath and let's not mention him again unless we receive a LOI on the 2nd.



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ghostofhoke

January 27th, 2017 at 1:58 PM ^

What dumb is to declare that your situation and your mom's informed opinion about a school for it's quality of life and quality of education in your situation is in anyway similar to Gay's mom's insight and knowledge of the ins and outs of a football program at one school from another. If your mom is paying the bill and/or went to Michigan or Columbia or has knowledge of them that is a wholly different decisionmaking process. This is an athlete who has visited the programs, met with the coaches and has to base what the next four years will be like under those people extrapolating from their lifetime of experience with coaches. Maybe school will be a large part of his decisionmaking but I get the impression he cares about playing football and that is driving his decisionmaking process, until someone shows me something different then I'm going to stick with the assumption that mom doesn't know what it will be like to play for one program vs another. 

I never said that mom's input is never valuable in the college decision process but to say it's going to be a big factor here is just silly.

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maize-blue

January 27th, 2017 at 10:16 AM ^

Tough to beat the south in these things. If one of the big three remaining recruits picks UM, I think that would be good. I'm prepared to hear that all three are staying down south.

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BklynGoBlue

January 27th, 2017 at 10:46 AM ^

i think you're right...solomon to bama, gay to lsu, and collins to ga...really, really, hope i'm wrong but this seems to be the reality.  i guess we'll know for sure soon enough...regardless, this will still be a great class and finish in the top 5 so lots to like.

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lhglrkwg

January 27th, 2017 at 10:32 AM ^

It's hard to pull top guys out of the SEC. Our hit rate is so low down there (outside of Florida) that I'm starting to think it's a waste of Michigan's time until we win a national title or two. What top 100-type guys have we pulled from non-Florida SEC territory in the last decade?

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Maynard

January 27th, 2017 at 10:43 AM ^

Yup. Been a waste of time for years. Our greatest success came during times of great recruiting in Ohio since it is still a good football state. If we dominate Michigan recruiting and get a few of the absolute studs out of Ohio and neighboring states we would be just as good. I am not saying we abandon the best states (Florida, Texas, California, Georgia) but just that we not set ourselves up to be trolled each time by the SEC. I'm sure I will get attacked for saying this by the "Harbaugh knows better than anyone" crowd but it's just an opinion. I believe in being efficient with less areas rather than spreading yourself too thin and a throwing darts everywhere approach. If you win, recruits will come to your program. Knowing geography and culture plays a part in it too. People who live in Florida have more connections to Michigan than people from Texas or Mississippi for the most part. Same goes with California. Establish yourself as an expert recruiter of Florida and California as well as the Midwest and you will do fine. You don't have to chase Texas and Miss. recruits that you are ultimately going to miss out on almost every time (at least 5 and 4 star athletes).

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Don

January 27th, 2017 at 11:40 AM ^

I disagree that it's a total waste of time, at least for Harbaugh and his staff. Recruiting is heavily influenced by relationships, both with the kids and their coaches. The effort spent on recruiting Solomon or Gay may not pay off with Aubrey or Willie, but it might with other kids from their schools or communities a few years down the line.

Recruiting is like agriculture or business development: you have to plant the seeds first.

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Maynard

January 27th, 2017 at 12:03 PM ^

True. That's why I said I wouldn't give up those areas entirely. But I wouldn't spend as much time as the areas that need to be dominated by Michigan. As my grandpa used to say, "Shit in one hand, want in the other. See which ones fills up first." The results need to happen first, which is why Meyer was able to get so many recruits from Texas and the other non-traditional recruiting bases for Midwest schools. So we're in good shape with Harbaugh, but I would like to see it stepped up a bit in Ohio and maybe not as much time spent in Mississippi or Alabama. Personal opinion. If you're recruiting Ohio you don't need to overcome weather concerns or things of that nature. If half or 75% of your team is filled with solid guys from the area (or from the north), then you can specifically court the superstars of the south with even more persistence and come off as more credible to those recruits. The way we're doing it is fine. I don't mean to come across as complaining in any way. I just want to start pulling more guys from Urban in Ohio because that is the first foe that needs to be defeated before any national championships can occur. Can't win the playoff without first winning the B1G.

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Don

January 27th, 2017 at 12:17 PM ^

My only reservation about recruiting elite-level kids in the south is if it's at the expense of going after slightly lower-rated kids up in the midwest who are far more likely to commit. I don't know if Harbaugh is actually doing that, but it's somewhat of a gamble in the short term, especially if you need to fill certain needs right now as opposed to three years in the future.

There's no substitute for winning the big games, though. That will help our recruiting efforts bigtime.

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