Steve Wiltfong Crystal Balls Harbor to South Carolina
Steve Wiltfong Crystal Balls Harbor to South Carolina, I hope he’s wrong.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CoIQOADu5uC/?igshid=YWJhMjlhZTc=
February 1st, 2023 at 1:11 PM ^
never had my hopes up for this kid. good luck at thay armpit town Columbia.
February 1st, 2023 at 1:11 PM ^
Welp. We’ll never hear of him again 🤷🏻♂️
February 1st, 2023 at 1:17 PM ^
Woulda been better off at Oregon. The SEC will eat him up! I could be wrong but don’t see it. Having said that, the rumor was South Carolina had the biggest NIL package for him.
February 1st, 2023 at 1:21 PM ^
In the portal after his freshman year we will.
February 1st, 2023 at 1:12 PM ^
Wants to be a surgeon. (Checks SC academics)
February 1st, 2023 at 1:14 PM ^
Right, bc no physician has ever gone there for undergrad.
February 1st, 2023 at 1:35 PM ^
The academic ranking touting section of this fanbase is easily its most repellant. Academic rankings are a joke, you didn't get a better education at Michigan if your goal is to be a doctor than you will at South Carolina just like someone at Harvard isn't getting a better education than you. The low teacher on the totem poll making $60k a year to teach 200 kids organic chemistry isn't some genius at Michigan and a dumbass as South Carolina. Its all so stupid. Michigan is a great place to go to college. Pretty much every flagship state school is a great place to go to college.
February 1st, 2023 at 1:41 PM ^
Turn in your weapon & resign your commission ak.
After all this time you still don't know how to Mgoblog right!
February 1st, 2023 at 2:49 PM ^
Agree ak47.
Further, I don’t believe all these elite recruits are being purposefully misleading or inauthentic when claiming they want to be surgeons or engineers upon enrolling into college, only to end up in a general studies major after 1 year on campus. Many come in with strong academic backgrounds and a high GPA and expect that the same few hours a day of study that helped them achieve a 4.0 and honor roll will suffice in college.
In reality, how many Myron Rolle’s have we seen? The reality of the hours that go into being an elite college athlete in a major college sport make it nearly impossible and completely unrealistic to pursue a major requiring 10 hours of study and classes a day. There just aren’t enough hours in the day to do both for us mere mortals…the 99.9% of us that aren’t Myron Rolle.
And when you’re on scholarship for sports and not academics (and perhaps even receiving NIL these days), you sure as hell better not miss practice.
February 1st, 2023 at 2:59 PM ^
you didn't get a better education at Michigan if your goal is to be a doctor than you will at South Carolina
As a physician, would argue that the plethora of medical research (both clinical and bench) being done at Michigan (and the opportunities to participate it provided me as an undergrad) was instrumental in me getting accepted to med school.
Is this applicable to 99% of revenue athletes? Hell no.
February 1st, 2023 at 5:00 PM ^
I'll agree that student athletes probably don't care all that much when they have a high probability at NFL, but the rest of your argument is off. Schools matter. The level of competition, the pace of instruction, the grading curve. All that will be different and it will impact one's ability to get into better med programs, which will play a huge role in residency and career path. Sure, there are a lot of paths to becoming a general surgeon, but a top 25 school probably grants you access to more of them than the 115th best college in the nation. A 3.5 GPA at Mich means something different than a 3.5 at SC, and med schools know this. I'll acknowledge my snobbery, but don't go all joe everyman and act like some class hero.
February 1st, 2023 at 6:14 PM ^
Schools matter depending on degree.
For some degrees like music - your individual instrument teacher is who matters.
February 1st, 2023 at 7:25 PM ^
Your argument is a reflection on the value people place in rankings, not in the value of an education. Yes it is easier to get into a top med school from Michigan. That doesn’t actually mean your orgo class provides you with better information training than an orgo class at South Carolina. What the curve in a class is is meaningless from what you learn. It’s also not even consistently true across schools. The business school is highly ranked and also grades their classes to a b+ curve to make their students look better. Harvard is notorious for grade inflation, etc.
School rankings are mostly a joke. I’d much rather my doctor be in the top of their class at South Carolina than the middle of their class at Michigan
February 1st, 2023 at 1:13 PM ^
I give it a year or two before either we get him in the transfer portal or Oregon does.
February 1st, 2023 at 1:15 PM ^
cant get him in the portal. south carolina credits are the equivalent of kitty litter at Michigan. But, you know... academics was *super* important!
February 1st, 2023 at 1:18 PM ^
Sounds good. Actions speak louder however.
February 1st, 2023 at 1:13 PM ^
Never want to hear the phrase, “Academics are very important to him which gives Michigan an edge.”
That has never proved true. Ever. It is pure bullshit that a 5 star prospect that will likely go to the NFL gives two shits about academics, no matter how good a student he is.
February 1st, 2023 at 1:19 PM ^
Agree, this is just a stark one, so it's funny. Like, saying that academics are important then going to another big ten is one thing. Okay, those are still places to get a quality education. We are talking about schools that are bottom tier here. No one going to Bama puts academics on the list, so at least they are honest. Hopefully he doesn't Clowney us in 3 years.
February 1st, 2023 at 1:23 PM ^
I think it was a major factor for Rashan Gary (or at least his mom).
February 1st, 2023 at 1:37 PM ^
The idea that Michigan academics are some superior gift to athletes is a bigger lie than recruits talking about it like it matters to them because academic rankings are stupid and mostly meaningless. People need to stop caring about them like its a thing, its not why any football player is choosing michigan and it wouldn't make any sense for a football player to choose michigan because of academics
February 1st, 2023 at 2:25 PM ^
I agree that many over count the impact of Michigan academics on recruiting, but you may be undercounting. Certainly, a percentage of recruits genuinely care and it matters. Maybe that number is 20%. You can't build a competitive team off 20%, but it does matter for some athletes and their parents. I doubt we get Gentry from his mission if we have poor academics.
It may matter more for grad students in the portal. Olu and this years' Stanford transfers were likely attracted to the prospect of a free Michigan graduate degree alongside their UVA and Stanford bachelor's. It's not the reason to choose the school but it vaults the school into a set of possibilities.
February 1st, 2023 at 1:43 PM ^
Academics are very important to his parents, and his track coach went to Michigan - which things put Michigan in the running.
Nothing more.
February 1st, 2023 at 2:26 PM ^
Agree, this is just a stark one, so it's funny. Like, saying that academics are important then going to another big ten is one thing. Okay, those are still places to get a quality education. We are talking about schools that are bottom tier here. No one going to Bama puts academics on the list, sonat least the are honest. Hopefully he doesn't Clowney us in 3 years.
February 1st, 2023 at 11:14 PM ^
BUT BUT I WAS TOLD THE GUY GOING TO BAMA IS COMING HERE DUE TO ENGINEERING????????? (20?) (19?) whatever year
February 1st, 2023 at 1:13 PM ^
Thanks Warde
February 1st, 2023 at 1:13 PM ^
For many months, he was nearly guaranteed to go elsewhere. Other than for clicks, not sure what anyone was thinking from UM standpoint.
February 1st, 2023 at 1:18 PM ^
Yeah, I really don't get why people thought they had much of a chance with a guy who really wants to play track and be on offense when it's pretty clear UM wanted him to play defense (and that's likely his best spot) and wasn't an historical track power. Oh also, he doesn't have a GF who goes to UM.
I suspect Harbor will play a year at SC, be annoyed he's pushed to defense instead of offense (because anyone who watches football can see how his blend of size and agility would be terrifying off the edge) and will probably transfer out. SC's defense is a big question mark because their recruiting on that side hasn't been great the past couple of years and it wasn't that good this year.
February 1st, 2023 at 2:35 PM ^
Drop a star or two from his recruiting profile and no one here on the board cares. Track guy who wants to solely focus on that and who doesn’t want to play the position he’d be best at is not a significant loss for the team.
I hope all his dreams come true but I do not think Michigan will miss having him on the team.
February 1st, 2023 at 2:49 PM ^
Semaj Morgan is a track guy
February 1st, 2023 at 6:20 PM ^
Semaj Morgan Sr. was a track guy.
Semaj Morgan Jr. Is a guy who ran track.
February 1st, 2023 at 3:07 PM ^
I think his athleticism on defense would be fantastic but if he's focused on track + offense it probably wasn't going to be a great match. Which is totally fine.
I do see guys like him and the ceiling is a Jevon Kearse/Clowney type who is just a freak disruptor. I think guys like Hutchinson were underrated for their athleticism off the edge but a 6'4" 270 lb guy who can run a 4.4 off the edge is objectively unstoppable one-on-one more times than not.
February 1st, 2023 at 1:14 PM ^
Clearly the academics put him over the top.
February 1st, 2023 at 1:45 PM ^
Oh shit tesla, ak's gon gitcha now!
February 1st, 2023 at 1:15 PM ^
Girlfriends remain undefeated.
February 1st, 2023 at 11:15 PM ^
Baam
NIL should be going 70% to girlfriends go forward. Or "closer to home" to move parents to A2.
February 1st, 2023 at 1:17 PM ^
The thing I find infuriating about these situations is that Michigan and SC are nowhere near the same. Over that past 2 years, there is a massive difference in the on-field quality of football. In addition, going forward, the trajectories of both programs is nowhere near the same. In my mind (and I know I'm a homer), there is almost no reason at all to choose SC over Michigan. None. Maybe location or NIL were factors. IDK. Recruiting is really odd.
February 1st, 2023 at 1:20 PM ^
Nitpicking here, but you say their trajectories are diff, and i would agree... but not in the way you stated.
Michigan is nearly at the top of the mountain - they have 1 more peg to climb or a thousand to fall down.
South carolina beat a main rival, Clemson, and beating the snot out of Tennesee. They did lose to ND but it was close.
Their trajectory is up. We hope ours stays level or slightly up.
February 1st, 2023 at 1:41 PM ^
There are a million reasons to pick South Carolina over Michigan. Maybe he liked their TE coach better, maybe he liked their offensive scheme fit better, maybe he liked the weather better, maybe he like their dorms better or their nutrition program or their track coach. Maybe he just liked that his GF was going there.
Just because you wouldn't pick Michigan doesn't mean its illogical and doesn't make the most sense for this kid. People assuming they know what is best for others in this situation are crazy. You are talking about another persons life with like 3% of the knowledge and making a declarative statement. Its nuts. Recruiting and fandom breaks people's brains.
February 1st, 2023 at 1:17 PM ^
The kid wants to be a track star as much, if not, more so than being a football star. I’m not sure he will maximize his potential as a player.
February 1st, 2023 at 1:25 PM ^
I don't think he really loves football. He loves track and whatever he's getting in the NIL package. When I heard he had hired a marketing team, in addition to track being very important to him, I didn't think he was too concerned about where he played football - or winning football games.
February 1st, 2023 at 1:19 PM ^
Good luck to the young man. May he transfer here when he realizes there’s not much money in track
February 1st, 2023 at 1:19 PM ^
I don’t fault the kid for wanting to be close to his girlfriend, if that rumor is true; but do they have good academics or a good track program?
February 1st, 2023 at 1:34 PM ^
The head coach of South Carolina is a sprinters / hurdlers focused guy who has coached a few dozen olympians and been an olympics assistant coach, and they just opened a new indoor facility in 2019. They're not a threat to win national titles but the decision makes plenty of sense for a track focused athlete.
February 1st, 2023 at 11:16 PM ^
Hoke cooled on him.
February 1st, 2023 at 1:21 PM ^
I remember the first time I heard of Harbor, he was in 8th grade and his track coach was a Michigan alum. He's been in conversation with us for that long and chooses South Carolina. He obviously knew us well enough. It's disappointing to lose out on a seemingly good kid and great athlete, but he's also a complicated case with his track aspirations.
February 1st, 2023 at 3:04 PM ^
Maybe the kid dont like Michigan and was looking at them out of respect for his coach and mother. The kid will waste his track talent here in Michigan where his joints will tighten up here in the cold months. In the south they will stay loose while up here, our runners hit their running peak in July so why risk it if he wants to run first
February 1st, 2023 at 1:21 PM ^
As good of an athlete he is, it sounds like he won't be playing football in year 1 and will be out of position after that. While he may end up a good player, I don't think he'll be the superstar he could be. A player like Jadyn Davis is much more important to get.
February 1st, 2023 at 1:21 PM ^
If Wingdings says so it must be true. /s
This sounds a lot like the D’shawn Hand and the import he put on academics. Instead we were told to talk to the Hand.
February 1st, 2023 at 1:21 PM ^
I know the kids deserve the NIL money but it seems to have created an more uneven playing field in recruiting.
I do wish the kid the best.