You can't win them all.
Michigan has been on a hot streak in recruiting for the last year that rivals that of any other program in the country, but even that strong a year doesn't mean a team isn't going to find itself with it's logo'd hat still left on the table.
Wednesday provided the first recruiting miss of 2014, and the big winner was Michigan State. Drake Harris chose to become a Spartan yesterday. The two-sport star had offers from both Mark Dantonio and Tom Izzo, and plans on playing both sports in college -- although his size and athleticism tend to make him a better long-term prospect as a wide receiver.
Michigan had made a late push for Harris, a lifelong MSU fan, but even with a Michigan offer in basketball on the way, Drake knew where he wanted to go.
"Michigan was about to offer me in basketball, too," Harris said. "I just had to go down and talk to Coach (John) Beilein, but I went to the Spartan Showcase and talked to Coach Izzo for a little bit and I just made up my mind from there and felt like Michigan State was the right place for me."
You can't fault a kid for following his heart in this, and Drake sounds like a classy kid. Good luck, Drake. You know, other than the three times a year you suit up against Michigan.
LInks:
Official: Michigan names former Maryland boss Erik Bakich as its new baseball coach
"Coach Bakich is regarded as one of the top recruiters and developers of talent in collegiate baseball," Michigan athletic director Dave Brandon said in a statement. "His leadership and enthusiasm will be critical in restoring our baseball program to a championship level. "We are excited about Erik and his family joining Michigan Athletics."
Michigan has hired a new baseball coach. Bakich is young -- 34, youngest coach at a BCS school -- and will be paid more than twice what his predecessor was. Those in-the-know consider this an iffy hire. I'll reserve judgment.
Dienhart: Q&A with Michigan DC Greg Mattison
Q: How has the defense changed from this year to last year?
A: The biggest difference is these guys understand the expectations, No. 1. They understand out defensive expectations and the expectations that go with playing defense at Michigan. They also understand the scheme, it’s not all new. A year ago, everything you talked to them about whether it was defenses, technique, expectations, all of those were new. Now, they know exactly when we put something in why we are running it, what’s the purpose of it and what you have to do to be successful with it and what you can’t let happen to be successful with it.
Let's hope familiarity with the defense and the staff help make up for where losing Martin, Van Bergen, and Heininger on the line hurts.
Michigan Museday Wore Red Just This Once
Why We Do It or Don't. Well, the obvious: would you rather have an 18-year-old who joined the team just weeks ago, or a 22-year-old who's been with the team for four years? The biggest reasons for the team not to redshirt a guy is when they think he's likely to be NFL-ready in four seasons, or if he's needed right away.
Seth at mgoblog with another awesome 'Museday" post. This one is on the rate of redshirting, the reasons to redshirt, and a projection of who will redshirt in the 2012 and 2013 class. Incredible as always.
Nike Skills Recap - Both Trey Burke and Tim Hardaway Jr. come in for praise in this Slam Magazine rundown of Nike camp performers.
Michigan To Play Thursday Night Game Sign of the Apocalypse
Given the Michigan fan base's voracious appetite for the traditional, we went out into the field to do some crowd sourcing, asking Michigan fans the most obvious and salient questions: is this the straw that broke the Universe's back? Is it officially time to lose all hope? Will it be possible to complain about Dave Brandon in a world which no longer exists? Will Michigan fans be able to continue a carefully nurtured brand of lifelong sanctimony in what could quite possibly be a lawless and anarchistic post-apocalyptic society? In light of this news, these are the important questions of our time.
What a playoff means for the Big Ten
Barely getting one team in the four-team playoff during a four-year period is by no means good enough. Yet it is literally better than nothing, a 25 percent improvement in the league's potential participation in the event. The better news is that Ohio State and Michigan appear primed to return to national prominence with the coaches they've hired and the way they're recruiting, while teams like Wisconsin, Michigan State, Nebraska and Penn State have built annual contenders. Whoever wins the Big Ten will have gone through an impressive gauntlet and make a strong case for inclusion in the four-team playoff. It will be imperative that league teams schedule, and beat, tough nonconference opponents to accumulate strength-of-schedule bonus points.
Swarbrick says Notre Dame nearing a decision on new television deal - Notre Dame looking for that payday.
Chick-fil-A Bowl to bid for national championship game, playoff semifinals - Atlanta is making a strong push to be one of the six semi-final sites, as well as the championship game site.
Finally, a double dose of Paul Myerberg at Pre-Snap Read on the playoff.
Playoffs: What We Know, What We Don't
What we know outweighs what we don’t know. The proposal accepted yesterday provides the outer framework for the future playoff system: four teams, no plus-one; a conference championship is considered, but not mandatory; semifinals at a current bowl game; championship game at a neutral site. That we have two years until the playoff becomes part of college football’s landscape gives the current B.C.S. commissioners and presidents time to work out the details.
Go With Administrators on the Committee
That leaves current university personnel. It’s not just the last choice; it’s the best choice, if the only choice based in any degree of realism. The F.B.S. should simply follow the lead of the N.C.A.A. basketball tournament selection committees – appoint eight or nine administrators on a short-term basis, perhaps for two or three years, and select a committee chairman.