Recruitment never stops. Your question is similar.
Don't be discouraged if your question is not answered. We discuss some of them on our recruiting podcast, Stars Matter.
Note: Submitted questions have been lightly edited for clarity and length.
Do you think Michigan's recruiting strategy will change after winning a national title? Usually they're at a good or not-so-great level, but Sherone Moore reaches the level of Ohio State and Georgia Or will the program continue to pursue “cultural figures” who match what it is looking for? — Nathan L.
The University of Michigan accomplished something I previously thought was impossible and won the national title. In fact, I was against even considering a “good vs. not-so” recruiting program when discussing which teams could compete for a national championship this past season. Then Michigan State proved me wrong.
So I'll turn my question back to Michigan fans. Do you want to start recruiting like Ohio State or Georgia?
The answer should be yes. Even if the University of Michigan proves me wrong, I will never – ever – stop believing in the importance of acquiring as many high-level high school players as possible. Sure, the University of Michigan won the national title, but it brought us back to the question of whether the Wolverines, who made almost every difference from last year's team, could sustain that level of success. Recruiting like Georgia State and Ohio State creates national title hopes every year, regardless of roster turnover.
It's one thing to reach the top of a mountain. It's another thing to stay there.
Obviously, losing Jim Harbaugh is a tough situation. Harbaugh is a little unusual, but he's a great coach who unapologetically did things his way. Despite his struggles as a coach at the University of Michigan, he ultimately landed a handful of five-star high school players at key positions and had them highly rated both as rookies and in the portal. Builds a national title roster. done.
Michigan found the perfect balance a year ago. Was that Harbaugh's talent? Is that something Moore can maintain consistently? I understand that.
I've been a critic of the University of Michigan for years, and have argued (many times) that the Wolverines don't recruit players at a high enough level, especially given all the resources available to the program. Michigan State is an elite educational institution. Ann Arbor is one of the nicest college towns in America. The stadium is huge. The uniforms are beautiful and the fans are committed to their team.
What would Moore do?
Will he start a big battle for the five-star prospect with the University of Michigan, with offers from Alabama, Ohio State and Georgia? Or will they pick a spot from a five-star prospect who happens to be in Michigan as they search for undervalued talent across the country?
My understanding of Moore is that he's a character guy and the players love him. This is already an improvement over Mr. Harbaugh, who made me and many others feel like it was impossible to have a functional conversation with him. If Moore wants to land a five-star cornerback from Atlanta, you can be sure he'll have every possible sales pitch to make it happen. But it's a question of whether he wants to build a talent factory like rivals in Georgia and Columbus, or if he wants to continue building the roster the way Harbaugh has proven to be effective.
It's also important to consider that half of Michigan's staff is currently in the NFL with Harbaugh, and that evaluating a three-star prospect to turn him into an NFL draft pick is no easy feat. The same goes for the high conversion rate in portal his players. Just because Michigan State has done it before doesn't mean it has the staff to do it again. and again. and again.
If I were Moore, I would try to use the momentum from this national championship to build an elite class of top 100 players. There have always been name, image and likeness concerns at the University of Michigan, but I don't see why the Wolverines can't compete in that area. Frankly, I thought they should compete on the field long before they beat Ohio State three times in a row and won the national championship.
As of now, Michigan only has three commitments in its 2025 class. It's only April and there's a long way to go until December, and none of these players are ranked in the top 100.
Watching how Moore approaches his job as chief will be one of the most exciting recruiting storylines in 2024.
My country, Wales, is crazy about American football after Louis Rees-Zammit moved to the NFL and signed with the Kansas City Chiefs. This leads to my question. The NFL is starting to look to other sports for talent. Will college football be the same? Side note: I have been a listener and follower for a full year. I'm really diving into the world of college football, but I need a team. I have criteria:
- He is known for developing talented players, not players, into professionals, and non-star players into decent players.
- cool mascot
- color that is not blue
- Good history with some obscure facts
Thank you from Wales. I live in Qatar and am writing this from Italy's Amalfi Coast while on vacation. — Jonathan M.
The story of Rees and Zammit is certainly interesting. The two-time Super Bowl champions signed the former rugby player through the NFL's International Player Pathway Program. This would give Patrick Mahomes another weapon in one of the most exciting offenses in the sport. We love how storylines like this captivate audiences around the world and provide further exposure to the world's best sport. Jonathan, I wish we could have had a drink together on the Amalfi Coast and had this discussion in person, but I'm glad you're here.
College football coaches regularly observe athletes playing different sports to assess their athletic ability and how it translates to football. I'm sure there are many stories like this, but one that stands out to me from my past coverage of Ohio State is when Urban Meyer watched former defensive end Sam Hubbard play dodgeball. This is a story about when I fell in love. If you're a kid with great athletic talent, there's no doubt that college football coaches will want to add that potential to their roster. Australia is the biggest hotbed for punters, right?
As I was reading your question, I thought Michigan would be the perfect place. I finished writing 600 words about how they mastered evaluation and won a national title. And while you don't have to go far to find interesting stories, they have an outrageous history filled with great stories. Have you heard of Connor Stallion? I want to be a fly on the wall while you dress up as a Central Michigan assistant and tell people in Wales that you're wearing Ray-Ban spyglasses. But unfortunately, we don't need blue. Michigan doesn't have a mascot.
What about Wisconsin?
Who doesn't love Bucky Badger? Additionally, the University of Wisconsin has remained one of the most consistent teams in the nation over the past 15 years despite never recruiting an elite-level class. The Badgers play in an iconic stadium, have a storied history, and are looking to rebuild the program under second-year head coach Luke Fickell. The University of Wisconsin also won many games by wearing red and hitting the ball on the field, which should be a fond memory for rugby fans.
If you just created a new Badgers fan, please let us know.
I used to follow recruitment activities closely. I quit last year not because of moral issues (players have to be paid!) but because there were a lot of last-minute moves just for bidding wars. It seemed pointless to track it throughout the year. In the NIL era, if half of a team's class commits or decommits based solely on the best financial deal in the final months of the process, what if you follow that closely as a fan? — Kevin H .
What you said has a lot of merit.
I agree with you 100%. I know that players should be compensated, but I also have a hard time understanding that recruiting coverage will never be the same. To write a heartwarming profile about a kid who loves the program, you need to recognize that NIL may have been an important factor in that decision. When a show wins a major recruiting battle, it's hard to know who to attribute credit or responsibility to when the decision may have been influenced more by money than by other factors.
You can check in at the end of the year to see how things have changed.
boring. Who would want to do that?
Coverage during the offseason allows you to stay connected to your favorite team. College football is a truly absurd sport. The things that happen on and off the field are very strange and happen with a frequency that cannot be replicated in any other sport around the world. Yes, the games are the main event, but for me, checking out recruiting coverage is like checking out the team eight months out of the year.
That doesn't mean there aren't some frustrating aspects. If your child leaves the program or the hiring is based on money, you may feel like punching your fist through drywall. But that feeling, the highs and the lows, is what being a college football fan is all about. Yes, the sport has changed, but we will adapt. why? Because we love college football and our teams.
If recruiting is purely transactional for you, treat it like the NFL Draft and just look at the list of signees after signing day. That's your prerogative.
But if it were me, I'd keep doing it year round. After all, this is a sport that takes him 12 months, even if some parts are broken at the moment.
(Photo: Mark J. Rebilas / USA Today)
