This recruiting cycle, it’s become particularly evident that there are different recruiting methods regarding how many offers to hand out. Jim Stefani has mentioned this several times already this year. Ohio State has given very few offers to 2010 high school prospects, whereas Michigan seems to have offered everyone under the sun:
The Michigan coaching staff had better be on top of their scholarship management when it comes to the Class of 2010. They have about….
….125 offers out there, and with 9 early verbals that leaves room for probably about another 13-17 commitments. They are handing out…
…”offers” like candy this year. It is a fine balancing act between offering kids early to maintain interest and being selective enough..
…..to hold out for the top kids. RichRod nd staff will need to be master jugglers this year. Interesting thing is that Ohio State….
…is taking the completely opposite approach and has been more selective than any other school in the nation in making early offers.
Also: Jim Stefani doesn’t understand the point of Twitter.
I’ll explore this in further depth later, but for now, I’d just like to point out that there is no “right way” to do it. Florida, for example, seems to offer everyone, much like Michigan. Texas, like Ohio State, is very selective with who it offers. Both schools are riotously successful in the recruiting game (as is Ohio State, and Michigan will hopefully get there with a little better product on the field).
So, I ask you, fair readers: What do you think? This discussion may be colored a bit by the semi-controversial commitment of Drew Dileo, but I’m interested to hear what the fans think.
Posted under Coaching, Football, Recruiting
Tags: boring offseason, florida, ohio state hate, texas
The only potential problem the shotgun approach creates is that you have a finite number of schollies and you have to slow play some guys waiting for the higher ranked guys make their decisions. I would compare it to trying to get a prom date; whereas you ask the hottest girl you know and hope she says but if not, you can always take that girl that plays in the band, right/
The truth of the matter is where are 3-9 and we need lots of help and I trust these coaches are a lot better at evaluating talent than anyone employed by Scouts or Rivals, etc. They can be more selective once they have a solid two-deep .
I thought it was funny that more people were being negative about Dileo when he actually has the potential to help your team and could turn into a great player than when LC gave a full ride to a longsnapper, which is still the dumbest move ever in college recruiting. Michigan has 40K undergrads, one of them could be the longsnapper.
Yeah, I was planning on posting the whole magnum opus on this topic today, but the Dileo commitment really seems to have struck a nerve with a lot of M fans, so I figured I’d gauge fan opinion, and include some of that in the post.
You raise some good points, all logical, and I think there’s a little more strategy than we fans could ever really realize. Florida and other schools are still wildly successful using the shotgun approach, and they don’t end up with toooooo many lesser-rated guys.
Certainly it gives you pause when you see these unhearlded names signing on to play for Michigan. But recruiting is a bit of a crap shoot anyway, and 18 months before they play their first down at Michigan you really don’t know enough to be too upset either way.
I suspect that Rodriguez tried the shotgun approach this year for several reasons:
1. We were hopelessly thin at many positions last year and needed quality depth.
2. He realized how important it was to have players that fit his system up and down the roster, including guys who mostly will only see the field in mop-up duty.
3. Our record isn’t helping us recruit right now.
4. He’s trying to cast a wide net to get Michigan’s name out there and develop new recruiting ties.
5. At WVU he probably had no choice but to use the shotgun approach. It is what he knows.
I can’t say that I’m not concerned. But the most important thing is to address the needs of the roster and make sure you have a handful of spots open at signing day for those big fish. Right now I see those needs as being almost purely defensive, and that’s what worries me most – who are those defenders that we’re going to sign?
QB – Need one more guy, perhaps developmental
RB – Keep a spot for a stud at the end
WR – We’re thin on campus, but have plenty of recruits now on the way.
OL – Reading MGoBlog I feel really good about the OL depth with the last 9 recruits and the returning players.
DT – Anyone? Hello? Are high schools even playing this position anymore??
DE – Not urgent, let’s take one decent one.
LB – If you can play LB, we want you. Sign up now!!!
CB – One project (one of the WR?) and one stud would be nice.
S – We should be okay here.
Wouldn’t this approach force some kids to make a decision before all the offers were gone? If a kid really wants to play for michigan or any school he knows there are only so many offers available and he should be proactive in making a commitment. Besides kids back out all the time right up till signing day now as it is.
@ Michigan he can be more selective. I find it interesting how Urban Myer is offering everyone and their brother too, being from Utah he had the same problem that Rich Rod did (and probably worse). Both ways will work when you have a program like Michigan imo, although 125 seems excessive to me. Maybe he feels that 3-9 means he has to do that.
I dont think that Coach Rodriguez is so stupid as to think that he has to offer everyone under the sun like at WVU just to fill a class. Some fans might think im drinking the Kool-Aid but I just think that at this point the coaches have done nothing to make me lose my trust in them. If in 2-3 years we are having this discussion then I might be more willing to point a finger at Coach Rodriguez but its still to early to judge yet
Urban Meyer has a similar tactic to RR, and has riotous recruiting success. The giving of offers isn’t itself a disturbing trend. Now, if it results in a bunch of lesser-rated commits and classes, that might become an issue.
I’m willing to give RR the benefit of the doubt for now. Has has been able to get pretty far finding some gems before.
That said, if he is able to juggle commitments around for someone he’d like more later, great.
But right now I think it is too early to form any fair conclusion.
Urban Meyer has won two National Championships.
Rich Rod knows more about recruiting than any of us. He can do what he wants. Everybody should just quit’cher bitchin’
Tim, you said, Urban Meyer throws out offers like there going out of style, but he is offering 4 and 5 star guys, with the occasional 3 star. RR is offering 3 and 4 star guys, with the occasional 2 star (Dileo & Drake). However, none of this will matter is RR can convert all those lower-rated recruits to wins. I guess we will see.
Tend to agree with Michigan4204. You can take RR’s 3/4 star guys and I’ll take the USC/Florida/Suckeyes 4/5 star guys and we’ll see how things stack up in 5 years. By the way, since when did adding a marginal guy ever add to depth? It just adds another cheerleader. If I were a marginal guy and UM offered me I’d jump on it before I could blink. If playing time potential entered my mind later I could back out. We’ve seen plenty of that lately.
Rivals has 12 five-star recruits. Michigan has offered 7 of them (Seastrunk, Luc, Jeffcoat, Henderson, Hurst, Joyner, Lattimore).
So saying “RR is offering 3 and 4 star guys with the occasional 2 star” is a wee bit off the mark.
Ok, your right Thunder. I should have said gets commitments from 3 and 4 star guys with the occasional 2.
No, you shouldn’t have said that, either, because Will Campbell was a 5-star.
Maybe you should just quit.
The premise and assumption is that you offer kids that you would like to have on your team should they say “yes” to your offer, and that would include even those lesser lights that are flying under the radar.
We have to assume that Michigan has a rating system of their own; they know what they like; know what they want and they’ve watched all of these kids and they’ve graded up to their standards. If not we’ll be having a different conversation in a few years.
Ur right Thunder, 2 5 star recruits (Noel Divine is the other) in 9 years means be consistantly brings in the top recruits right. Ur a moron
Michigan4204: You can NOT be serious. Since you’re clearly counting Rodriguez’s years at WVU against him (a place that wasn’t a powerhouse before he got there and was therefore difficult to recruit), then why didn’t you count Urban Meyer’s years at Bowling Green and Utah against him?
From a quick review of Utah’s and BGSU’s recruiting classes, it looks like he got exactly ONE 4-star recruit…and the rest were 2- and 3-stars.
But those facts don’t fit your argument, do they?
Yep. I’m definitely the moron.
Michigan had the #7 recruiting class in the country three months ago. He’s a shitty recruiter, isn’t he?
I’ll argue with facts. You argue with childish names. This will be fun.
@Thunder @Michigan4204
Considering that both you guys are just complete polar opposites I’ll try to be an “objective” middle man.
First @Michigan4204 RR recruited his ass off when he first got here with the snake oils and then last year even though it was our worst season in school history. Hats off to him he can obviously recruit with the best of them. Secondly who are the players that are really lighting it up in spring practices? Vincent Smith 3* out of Florida. He can obviously pick the 3* recruits
@Thunder yes RR has recruited very very well the past 2 years and I’m sure has realized that he can get better kids here than at WVU but I’m sorry but I HATE the Drew Dileo commitment. We still have guys like Dejoshua, Shaw, etc sure fire OMG shirtless recruits who are slots. We already have enough WR’s in this class. That is where I take offense to this commitment if he played ANY other position I would be fine with it but he’s another slot/WR.
@people saying that we need quality depth. I have to agree with people who are saying “why do you cast out a huge net if your current depth is shitty”. RR can obviously recruit and knows more than all of us combined but if our depth is so piss poor it seems like it would be more beneficial to:
Slow play marginal players and take the kids who you really want. Oh and to actually take players where there is no depth! (DT, DE, QB, S, CB) Yes I know we are in on a bunch of players on defense but when our class is 5 WR/Slots (and yes I know some can go to defense but how many schools were recruiting these kids as defenders? NONE so they obviously aren’t that great of defensive prospects).
Yes I realize that we can’t make these kids commit but when a CB tried to commit we said “are you sure make sure that you’re sure” and he had actually been on campus… Dileo hasn’t even been on campus and we’re like “we have 4 Wr’s already this class COME ON DOWN”
It’s STUPID AND MAKES NO GOD DAMN SENSE
Even before the Dileo commitment, De’Joshua Johnson and Kenny Shaw were headed elsewhere. There might be better slots out there that we could get, but Johnson and Shaw don’t even belong in the argument at this point.
I am not arguing his recruiting abilities, he has done a great job and will continue to do even better, I am just saying right now he is focusing more on middle of the pack guys, or mid-majors. I understand he has only been here for 2 years and the year we had last year, but this is still Michigan, just like Notre Dame is still Notre Dame. Charlie Weis just is a great recruiter, but a horrible head coach, but thats another story. Im just trying to say that he seems to put more effort in securing a 4 star guy, than battling the big boys for the 5 stars. And I know he offered seven 5 star guys or whatever, but there is more to recruiting than just an offer.
I mean damn dude, were beating out schools like TCU, Tulsa, SMU, and Baylor for some of these recruits. Players used to come to Michigan because they produced pro-level talent. You have to have that talent first of all when you arrive on campus, and half of RR recruits simply don’t have that talent. Just because it worked in the Big East doesn’t mean it’ll work in the Big Ten. Trust me I hope it does, but I’m pessimistic.
Please stop. You have no idea what you’re talking about.
Michigan4204: Just to let you know, as soon as anyone says “Just because it worked in the Big East doesn’t mean it’ll work in the Big Ten,” I immediately write off whatever that person says. There’s nothing inherent in the Big Ten that will prevent Rich Rodriguez from being successful.
Despite what ESPN would want you to believe, conferences aren’t homogeneous groups. All teams don’t have to play the same way.
Paul, despite the level of talent, your right.
Thats it Thunder, thats all you could come up with. Dissapointing.
“Im just trying to say that he seems to put more effort in securing a 4 star guy, than battling the big boys for the 5 stars. And I know he offered seven 5 star guys or whatever, but there is more to recruiting than just an offer.”
You have no idea how much effort he puts into securing ANY of these guys. He could be camping outside of Seantrel Henderson’s house. You have no clue. Just because he doesn’t have a 5-star commit doesn’t mean he’s not recruiting them.
But I’m sure if Rich Rodriguez is reading this, he’ll really appreciate your tip that “there’s more to recruiting than just an offer.” That’s something that none of us here knew before you said it, so that’s swell.
Also, your statements from further above make it obvious you’re clueless. I’ve already debunked most of what you said, so I don’t even know what your point is anymore.
My cousin was a 5 star recruit last year, received an offer from RR In July, an then didn’t have any contact for over a month and a half. He was very high on Michigan, as we had strong connections from my basketball days, but due to the lack of seemed interest, Michigan gradually slipped down his list. We have also heard from other recruits that have experienced the same thing. You don’t know football, I doubt you ever played a sport in your life actually, probably a manager on your high school team, so don’t try to show someone up when you have no first hand evidence.
It’s obvious that Rich Rodriguez doesn’t want 5-star recruits, then. He only wants 3-star recruits. Perhaps he just figured out that he didn’t want to recruit your cousin. Maybe this is just sour grapes on your part.
And yes, you must be right. I’ve never played a single sport in my life. In fact, I consider it a physical feat when I can muster enough strength to roll out of bed.
Your insults make it clear you’re incapable of rational conversations. Therefore, this will be my last post on the topic.