2/4/2000- Recruiting Comments

Alright, if you're one of the people who thinks that the current recruiting class is such a disaster that UM should switch to the MAC I have some advice-  take a deep breath and calm down.  The Wolverines will be just fine.  Would I have liked for UM to bag some some of the big recruits at the end?  Sure, but you know what?  

If a player doesn't want to come here, I don't want them.

In my opinion, recruiting is one of the most overblown and misunderstood facets of collegiate athletics.  I'm not saying that recruiting is not important, but the overall rating of a class is a very inexact science.  High school statistics are practically meaningless.  The number of touchdowns or tackles that a recruit had in high school is no indication of their future success in college football.  Physical size and speed can be measured- but what about heart and mental toughness?  If you look at recruiting classes historically almost 1/2 of each class won't reach their senior season.  Injuries, academic problems, homesickness, run-ins with law, and lack of playing time will take its toll on this year's recruits just like it has in the past.  It amazes me how people can get so excited over player X from Y High School in Z, USA when you've never even seen him play a down of football for Michigan.  High school stars come in laboring under the huge expectations that are a residual of the recruiting process.  I've seen players who were unstoppable in high school disappear once they get to college.  I've seen players who were good in high school become stars.  A good example of this is former UM OT Jon Jansen.  I saw him play in high school for two years.  He beat our team with a touchdown in the league championship game.  Nice kid, good student, but when UM signed him early I kind of wondered what the coaches were thinking.  There were better high school athletes on the field when I saw him play.  Well, years later not only did he end up setting a UM record for consecutive starts and be ranked as one of the top 100 UM players of all-time but now he's starting in the NFL.  From that time I made a vow to myself- I judge college players on what I see during the spring practice and regular season games.  That's all you really have to judge a player on.

UMGoBlue.COM will only report on players who actually commit and sign with Michigan.  We don't report on potential recruits because I agree with many coaches who think that the Internet isn't so great for the recruiting process.  Too many unsubstantiated rumors abound and once published become fodder for other schools to use against UM.  Site A reports that player X is a sure thing to sign with UM.  Maybe the UM coaches don't even want player X but school N tells player Y (who UM might really wants) to sign with them since UM has already promised X a scholarship.

Michigan is a football factory.  As long as a good number of high quality recruits are poured in, we'll get our stars.  Players who can't miss will.  A few marginal players coming in will blossom and become stars.  A sup par recruiting class (at least by Michigan's standards) is not the end of the world.  Remember that about 80 guys who were part of the team last will be back next season.  One of the big reasons UM had a tough recruiting season is that they are so deep at many positions.  Many recruits chose other schools because they didn't want to wait a season or two for playing time.

The guys who are coming in are solid and have something to prove.  Watch out world the Wolverines are on the prowl!

"...The fewer the men, the greater the share of honor...I wish not one more man for our crusade...We few, we happy few, we band of brothers..." 

Henry V: 4.3 

GO BLUE!

UMGoBlue.COM Editor-in-Chief, Phil Callihan

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