Now Touring: The Jim Harbaugh Experience
Show, meet road. [Left via MLive, right via The Wolverine]
Remember last summer, when Penn State coach James Franklin ruffled some feathers by hosting satellite camps in Florida and Georgia? Jim Harbaugh is taking the same tack. The Wolverine's Brandon Brown reports that Michigan's coaches will run a camp at Prattville High School in Alabama, which produced 2015 signee Keith Washington, one June 5th. Four days later, they'll do the same in Dallas, per MLive's Nick Baumgardner. It wouldn't surprise at all if additional camps were set up in, say, Florida and California before all is said and done.
This is a great situation for Michigan, of course. The coaches get to see a ton of prospects in states they can't get to during the season, make connections with local coaches, and hopefully make some progress with recruits they've offered. There's really no downside to this that I can imagine.
[Hit THE JUMP for the rest of the roundup.]
Now Visiting: Everybody
Michigan has already hosted one top target this week, three-star PA S Andrew Pryts, a Penn State legacy with a four-star-level offer list. That's just the start of what's turned into a huge visit weekend. 247's Steve Lorenz has a free post detailing many of the visitors due in town this week/weekend, which include:
- 2016's #1 overall prospect, NJ DT Rashan Gary, who's expected to arrive on Saturday.
- The New Jersey four-star trio of DE Ron Johnson, WR Brad Hawkins, and WR Ahmir Mitchell, who were able to reschedule a trip initially planned for last weekend.
- Four-star IL SDE Josh King, the #51 overall prospect in 2016, making his first visit to see the new coaching staff.
- Four-star FL LB Devin Bush Jr., who begins his visit today.
- Four-star PA TE Cary Angeline, who's reportedly favoring Penn State and Miami (YTM) at this juncture.
- Three-star FL WR Joshua Hammond, who added an offer on Monday and immediately added Michigan to a trip that'll also have him see Notre Dame and Ohio State.
- A pair of 2017 top-100 prospects from Georgia, S Isaiah Pryor and ATH Jamyest Williams.
According to The Wolverine's Tim Sullivan and Brandon Brown, you can add a host of in-state prospects—including Donnie Corley, Daelin Hayes, Des Fitzpatrick, Michael Jordan, Khalid Kareem, Michael Onwenu, and Demetric Vance—to that list, as they'll be in the area for Tom Lemming's annual photo shoot ($).
Perhaps most importantly, AUSSIE PUNTER ALERT:
Weber State grad transfer punter. “@blakewoneill: Stoked to be jumping on a plane to the US tomorrow for an official visit to U-M #GoBlue”
— Tim Sullivan (@TimS_Wolverine) March 24, 2015
Stay away, Les Miles. It's our turn.
New Offers
Per Sullivan and Brown, Michigan offered five-star AL LB Ben Davis, who'll be very tough to pull from the Tide but does have a connection to the area ($):
"I'm definitely going to give Michigan a look. I am going to come up for some games this season. I have family up in Michigan in Detroit and in Cleveland, Ohio too."
All 25 of his Crystal Ball predictions are for Alabama.
Michigan is the tenth program to offer four-star CA OL Cohl Cabral, who's still in the early stages of figuring out his recruitment, per Brown ($):
"It's pretty much all up in the air to me," Cabral admitted. "I'd love to get out and see all of the schools that have offered before I narrow it down to a final few. There were no real favorites coming into the Michigan offer.
"I would love to try and get a visit to Michigan set up. It's just finding the money portion of it. I'll just have to save up a little bit here and there so I can get out there and check it out.
An offer to elite 2017 Akron (OH) RB Todd Sibley immediately vaulted Michigan into his top two alongside Ohio State, per Sam Webb ($):
"I honestly have no clue," Sibley responded, when ask how he's going to pick between rivals Michigan and Ohio State. "And with my quarterback [2017 four-star Danny Clark] being committed to Ohio State as well. I have no clue. This is going to be a tough decision for me. I feel after a few visits and I talk about with my family and coaches I feel I will have a decision.
Pulling Sibley away from the Buckeyes would be a coup, and it won't be easy.
Michigan also became the first power conference school to offer 2017 OH S Tyrell Ajian, per Sullivan ($).
Etc.
Four-star WI OL Ben Bredeson didn't exactly mince words when asked about his relationship with the new Michigan staff by 247's Steve Wiltfong ($):
“Better than the old staff,” Bredeson said of his current relationship with the Wolverines. “Coach (Greg) Mattison is the same. He and I have a great relationship there. Coach (Tim) Drevno and I hit it off right away. I’ve talked to Coach Harbaugh two or three times. He’s a great guy from what I’ve gathered. He knows his stuff and he’s been doing work. He’s a great guy and I’d love to sit down with him and talk for a while. That will be when I go out there this spring.”
While Wisconsin has the majority of his Crystal Ball picks, I like Michigan's chances of ending up with Bredeson; it certainly doesn't hurt that his older brother will soon be on the baseball team.
Michigan made the top eight for four-star CA LB Darrian Franklin.
Four-star CA OLB Camilo Eifler will be on campus April 6th and 7th, per Brandon Brown ($).
I guess I should acknowledge that this happened. Jay Harbaugh is certainly not the first to take this approach; it's still deeply weird.