Michigan lands 2015 RB Damien Harris #20 in ESPN 300

[#1BostonFan]

Hoke is going to turn Michigan back into a power house. The dude had been a beast recruiting since he got here.

 

[jalopy]

....the old guard at Michigan did not accept all those changes, and RR didn't win nearly enough games to shut them up.

Chicken/Egg argument. RR was climbing Mt. Everest and the sherpas stole his oxygen tank first, then his climbing gear, then laughed as he slid down a crevice.

 

[nonbcsfan]

I do not think that RR got a fair deal at Michigan, but I will not go as far as to call him a tragic hero... he made way too many unsound decisions during his tenure here to deserve credit...

 

[Coyote57]

the sherpas stole his oxygen tank first, then his climbing gear, then laughed as
he slid down a crevice

.

Hmmm... naw, more like several of the best and strongest Sherpas refused to go and RR himself forgot to bring his O2 tanks and some of his equipment. Some of the Sherpas were for RR (they hired him / supported his hiring) and some were invested to various degrees.

The Sherpas can't be blamed for RR's seeming disinterest in Defense (O2), nor for the lack of Scholly OL and LB's (Some of the climbing gear)- some may have been recruited and talked out of coming - but RR seemingly didn't really think he needed to invest in the talent. RR went after a different type of player than UM had been recruiting, and many of those being recruited by Carr's staff coming into RR's 1st season were not good fits for the RR system. Telling a kid to sign elsewhere may be petty in the case of some kids, but also may have been an honest admission that the kid was a bad fit for the new schemes.

Whether it was sound thinking or not (on some levels I can understand why), unlike Hoke, RR came in and forced his system on kids not suited to it, rather than adapt / modify what he wanted to do, to the talent already on board. I give Hoke kudos for easing his desired system in, working more with the talent, and toward his preferred scheme.

In coaching the saying used to be, 'when a coach thinks it's his system and not the players who are winning the games, it's time for a new coach'.

Some of the Sherpas refused to go up the mountain, and that hurt RR's cause, but RR's the one who left his O2 and some of his climbing gear behind.

 

[Steve0]

Oregon was 2007

There are many factors here. For one, even at Michigan RR had no problem beating Big East teams. We destroyed Uconn when they won the big east a few years back. I think RR's system was great when you're playing lower-level teams and it could really dominate bad defenses. We witnessed this here. I think we'll see the same at Arizona. Look at their record last year, it's exactly what he was doing here once he actually recruited a QB.

He played a bunch of shootouts with some teams, lost most of them, and got destroyed by Oregon.

Under Lloyd Carr

 

[MAIZEandBLUE09]

Under Lloyd Carr

I was talking about Rich Rod at Arizona vs. Oregon. They lost last year something along the lines of 45ish-0.

 

[ChiefsNuggetsSox]

This topic went from a great commit to bringing RR coaching skills back up. I for one think this kid will be a great addition. I am a little discouraged with how Hoke has been preparing his classes, I want to see more of a mix of players at different positions. I understand he is just replenishing bare cabinets but I would really like to see a true mix of players at all sorts of positions. In Hoke I Trust!

 

[Coyote57]

I am a little discouraged with how Hoke has been preparing his classes

Not me, I think he's absolutely got the right approach.

Usual caveat here... its not like he did not go after top notch players in other positions, he just couldn't get them to sign...

I believe its more by design than luck that Hoke went after the OL, DL and LB's heavy in the 1st couple recruiting phases where he had a full yr to recruit. He's been building inside-out, front-to- back. That wagon ain't goin' nowhere the big Horses upfront can't take it.

I believe the recent additions of highly ranked Peppers, Campbell and Harris are a direct result of what they are seeing going on w/ the guys playing in front of them. Which also explains why some of those types may have shied away from UM the last couple yrs, weren't confindent in what they saw themselves playing behind.

 

[Steve0]

Oh, my bad =)

As far as the RR era is concerned, I'm nearly certain we would have never met D-ROB w/o him; & he is a heck of a kid.

 

[Steve0]

Nice post

Not me, I think he's absolutely got the right approach.

Usual caveat here... its not like he did not go after top notch players in other positions, he just couldn't get them to sign...

I believe its more by design than luck that Hoke went after the OL, DL and LB's heavy in the 1st couple recruiting phases where he had a full yr to recruit. He's been building inside-out, front-to- back. That wagon ain't goin' nowhere the big Horses upfront can't take it.

I believe the recent additions of highly ranked Peppers, Campbell and Harris are a direct result of what they are seeing going on w/ the guys playing in front of them. Which also explains why some of those types may have shied away from UM the last couple yrs, weren't confindent in what they saw themselves playing behind.

Well said...I have to agree 100%

 

[jdwills126]

Hoke has had a plan to build the team. And IMO he is sticking to it. He did not get rid of the Rich Rod guys and blended the Spread with his philosophy to keep UofM winning and bowl eligible. I think Rich Rod would have been wise to have done the same.

We tend to forget that Hoke has not been at UofM for a long time. His recruits are just now hitting their prime and the offense can move past D Robs abilities.

As for playing for the NC with the quality guys Hoke is getting to A2 I can't see him not looking at being a NC contender. Peppers, Green, Campbell, Harris, and strong on Hand as well bodes well for talent.

I think Mattison is the real deal as DC.

It was just 2-3 years ago the program was divided and falling apart by most accounts so I will say the Wolverines have done a fine job of becoming relevant in a short time. Look at how long it took the Irish and FSU. Texas and even Alabama had to go through these cycles as well and 3-4 years seems short to me.

 

[MAIZEandBLUE09]

Oh, my bad =)

As far as the RR era is concerned, I'm nearly certain we would have never met D-ROB w/o him; & he is a heck of a kid.

Sure, but I would have traded Denard for 3 years of success under another coach not named RR. 3 years was a long time to watch your team fail.

It was great to have a kid like Denard, don't get me wrong.

 

[ChiefsNuggetsSox]

I like the classes he has brought in, I just am a little nervous, of this happening every 3 or so years. We bring in mass bodies for the lines to take up almost the entirety of the scholarships. I trust they are doing things the right way I'm just a little skeptical thats all.

 

[Coyote57]

I like the classes he has brought in, I just am a little nervous, of this happening every 3 or so years. We bring in mass bodies for the lines to take up almost the entirety of the scholarships.

The OL takes up 5 of 11 starting positions on the offense, 10 of 22 on the two-deep chart. It'll take a regular supply every class to keep the quality up. Perhaps ever 3 yrs or so you can cut back a couple schollys for OL, but not if you're intending to be elite every yr.

As it is, in my opinion, the OL offers are little light for '14. Recognizing this'll be a smaller class - likely < 20 recruits overall - I'd still like to see one more stud OL in this class.

I'd expect around 4+ schollies per class reserved for OL as the norm for a typical recruiting class. You can't have too many of the Big Stud Horses pulling the wagon.

 

[nonbcsfan]

dude, Hoke had very little depth on the lines but plenty of skill position players when he took over, so he stacked the lines during his first 2.5 recruiting cycles to balance things out and now is focusing on all positions... there is nothing unusual or unsound about his strategy. Plus everyone who thought that Hoke is incapable of bringing in elite skill position players can relax.

 

[ChiefsNuggetsSox]

I don't want it to seem like I don't enjoy seeing talent in AA, Hoke has done wonderful in terms of classes but I guess what I was looking for is kind of an opinion on where the scholarships are headed in future classes, I mean I see the mold in place in just curious on how the classes in the future are going to look, I mean I'm seeing more skill players does that mean 2016 is gonna be another year of big boys?

 

[jalopy]

This topic went from a great commit to bringing RR coaching skills back up. I for one think this kid will be a great addition. I am a little discouraged with how Hoke has been preparing his classes, I want to see more of a mix of players at different positions. I understand he is just replenishing bare cabinets but I would really like to see a true mix of players at all sorts of positions. In Hoke I Trust!

I think our esteemed mod should start one of those sticky thread things and every time something goes bad for Michigan, posters can make go after their favorite punching bag there. I agree with CNS that this thread got ambushed and wished I could have bit my tongue a little more. I will say that if Michigan did play RR and UA, I'm not entirely sure that I wouldn't root for the bad guys.

 

[themuzzer]

Sounds like you are poking the bear alittle too much jalopy. Might want to refrain from that and take a different approach.....I poke the bear all the time but there is a right way and wrong way to do it.

I'm guessing you will figure it out. I have faith in ya.

 

[jalopy]

Thanks for the advice Fuzzy.

Ffflluuuuuusssshhhhhh!

 

[MAIZEandBLUE09]

I think our esteemed mod should start one of those sticky thread things and every time something goes bad for Michigan, posters can make go after their favorite punching bag there. I agree with CNS that this thread got ambushed and wished I could have bit my tongue a little more. I will say that if Michigan did play RR and UA, I'm not entirely sure that I wouldn't root for the bad guys.

Do you think that would actually work? I suspect if something goes terribly wrong for Michigan then people are going to bypass that thread.

It certainly wouldn't have saved us from this awesomeness.You did warn us in post 8 "It really does no good to rehash all this."