As we all know...UM didn't do squat in Ohio and did okay in MI. What

[Reality Man]

I found interesting and what I think Harbaugh is trying to do is not establish necessarily a pipeline in CA or Tx or even N.J. but is looking to plant a UM flag in Florida.

Harbaugh will go anywhere and recognizes the UM name can overcome distance in many instances. CA and TX are hard places to recruit for UM. Texas is a different culture. Ohio is on lockdown and CA is just tough to pull a lot of guys out of consistently.

Florida is a great place to recruit. It's got numbers but more importantly kids seem more receptive to leave the state. Look at some past MSU greats. Anthony Carter ring a bell? My point is that NJ or PA are fine but not really able to produce the consistent numbers for UM since Ohio is not in play.

It sure seems like Harbaugh has decided that Florida is going to be the pipeline for UM football going forward the same way Chicago/Illinois was a pipeline for Illinois basketball in the Henson era. Florida is going to be the new Ohio for UM.



RM

 

[St. Joe Blue 3]

Yup. Too many fat and slow people breeding in Ohio.

 

[ChicagoBlueFan]

Yup. Too many fat and slow people breeding in Ohio.

Plus that whole picnic table thing. It's distasteful.

 

[BHWolverine]

I dont think state of Michigan had a lot of elite players this year. Might as well recruit Florida as they probably have the most recruits each year and they can't all go to FSU. Miami and Florida have been down past 5 years so let's capitalize on it before they turn it around.

 

[detroitjohn]

Ohio and Michigan will again be in play big time, mark it down

 

[klemman]

I don't think it's part of any unique grand plan for Harbaugh to recruit Florida. Everyone does. If you have a national brand and aren't trying to plant a flag in Florida, you should be fired.

And while yes, there are some slow fat people in Ohio (and in Michigan from what I've seen), 13 or more of the starters on the National Championship team were from Ohio. So I guess as long as the few fast athletic ones are on your team, you'll be just fine.

In all seriousness, seeing the resurgence of Michigan may have some negative impact on OSU's recruiting within the Big 10 footprint as top players who want to stay in the region will have another choice, but nationally having both programs back in the elite status will benefit in National Recruiting.

 

[candid]

I found interesting and what I think Harbaugh is trying to do is not establish necessarily a pipeline in CA or Tx or even N.J. but is looking to plant a UM flag in Florida.

Harbaugh will go anywhere and recognizes the UM name can overcome distance in many instances. CA and TX are hard places to recruit for UM. Texas is a different culture. Ohio is on lockdown and CA is just tough to pull a lot of guys out of consistently.

Florida is a great place to recruit. It's got numbers but more importantly kids seem more receptive to leave the state. Look at some past MSU greats. Anthony Carter ring a bell? My point is that NJ or PA are fine but not really able to produce the consistent numbers for UM since Ohio is not in play.

It sure seems like Harbaugh has decided that Florida is going to be the pipeline for UM football going forward the same way Chicago/Illinois was a pipeline for Illinois basketball in the Henson era. Florida is going to be the new Ohio for UM.



RM

I think JH will recruit any place he finds the player he wants. He will be in Ohio when he decides thats the area w the kid he wants.

 

[klemman]

This would be a great year for Harbaugh to make inroads in Ohio. With 11 commits in the Buckeye 2017 class, and 44 players with freshman eligibility this coming season, Meyer is already limited in whom he can take.

That means there will be some high quality OHIO athletes where there just won't be room for in Columbus, and very very little opportunities to bring in some late bloomers or really physically talented guys with huge ceilings but still may be considered a project.

 

[michigangoblue999]

Meyer already has many of the top 10 players locked up. I think Harbaugh will make headway in Ohio, but it will take a little time. He's going to go wherever he need to get players.

 

[detroitjohn]

I sweat the issue of particular states that players come from less than most. Do rundown of the top 2-3 players at just about any position for UM over the last 40 years and you'll find a lot, if not a majority of them from outside of MI and OH.

 

[BlueKachi]

I like the NJ talent better than that in OH this year, anyway. Easier t compete against Rutgers than Meyer in Ohio.

 

[TcFlint1]

Michigan and Ohio were both down some this year with elite prospects, yet we still got 3 four star players from Michigan. Next year looks to be much stronger in both Michigan ad Ohio. However, Harbaugh is going to continue to reruit the south, the east, and the west.

 

[detroitjohn]

Michigan and Ohio were both down some this year with elite prospects, yet we still got 3 four star players from Michigan. Next year looks to be much stronger in both Michigan ad Ohio. However, Harbaugh is going to continue to reruit the south, the east, and the west.

UM will sign a number (5 to 8) in-state prospects. I have no idea about Ohio, but I'd expect at least a couple.

My above observation stands, UM has mightily profited from out-of-state talent across the board, here would be a quick-glance list of top players (in top 1-3) at their positions over the last 30 years that came from not Ohio or Michigan. It's an impressive list, most of them All-Americans:

QB
Chad Henne
Tom Brady
Denard Robinson

RB
Chris Perry
Mike Hart
Butch Woolfolk

WR
David Terrell
Anthony Carter
Marquise Walker

OL
Steve Hutchinson
Jeff Backus
Taylor Lewan
Greg Skrepenak
David Baas
Rod Payne

DL
Alan Branch
Glen Steele

LB
Victor Hobson
Jarrett Irons
Erick Anderson

DB
Leon Hall
Marlin Jackson
Tripp Welborne
Ty Law

 

[UM7]

JH is no fool as we all know. He knows that Ohio plays darn good High school football. Myer or any OSU coach in the past can't get all the fine talent in the state.

For those of you who want to forget Ohio, I would say you should talk to the UM coaches. I know most of you can't stand Ohio State but why thumb your noses at Ohio high school kids? Have you forgotten Charles Woodson, Desmond Howard, Mario Manningham, etc, etc.? Sheesh!!!

 

[candid]

I think JH will recruit any place he finds the player he wants. He will be in Ohio when he decides thats the area w the kid he wants.

Ah, the right answer, congrats.

 

[detroitjohn]

JH is no fool as we all know. He knows that Ohio plays darn good High school football. Myer or any OSU coach in the past can't get all the fine talent in the state.

For those of you who want to forget Ohio, I would say you should talk to the UM coaches. I know most of you can't stand Ohio State but why thumb your noses at Ohio high school kids? Have you forgotten Charles Woodson, Desmond Howard, Mario Manningham, etc, etc.? Sheesh!!!

No one wants to forget Ohio, no one has suggested that, not even an issue

 

[UM7]

D

No one wants to forget Ohio, no one has suggested that, not even an issue

John - Why don't you make up a list of top players who DID come from Ohio or Michigan in the last 30 years?

 

[detroitjohn]

D

John - Why don't you make up a list of top players who DID come from Ohio or Michigan in the last 30 years?

That was my "don't worry about the current trend" list, an attempt to say the sky isn't falling because UM recruited a lot of non OH and MI players this cycle. We've done fantastically well with top quality recruits from other areas. However, I fully expect that OH will be in play for cycles to come and MI undoubtedly will be.

 

[detroitjohn]

D

John - Why don't you make up a list of top players who DID come from Ohio or Michigan in the last 30 years?

This is what I said about this on another thread:

"I suspect he's working his way back into Ohio by reestablishing our team's on field reputation and displaying a distinctive style from Meyers. Michigan is going hard after 10 or so players in state this year and it's only a matter of time before OH players look again seriously at UM."

 

[UM7]

Sounds good.

 

[wolv1000]

Plus that whole picnic table thing. It's distasteful.

Don't touch the coolers.