Great write up! I agree that if this is a sign of things to come, then it's all flowing downhill.

Let's hope the Big Ten gives them hell on the field, but let's also hope the NCAA says it's time for an early signing period. For the sake of these coaches. I mean, no one can be trusted anymore on these verbals.

 

Thanks for this post. It is very informative. I had no idea that Rodriguez was so far and away the king of decommits.

He had 4 and Arkansas had 2. Otherwise, no one had more than 1.

What a ______________!!* No class.

 

Honestly, guys, you have to look at it this way: Rodriguez moving into a new school has to get new recruits. He had a shorter time than JPa or Tressel to sort out his recruiting priorities. Adjusting to a new team is an important part of a job, but when you're not allowed to assume your position until exactly one month before signing day, you don't have too many options but to go for people you know you want, no matter where they say they're going to go.

Also, while you may think CoachRod is a snake, I don't see how he could be considered a traitor. His allegiance is to his team, not his conference. Yeah, the Big 10 is prestigious, but still -- you can't tell me that you wouldn't be thrilled if Nick Perry (DE, going to USC but from Detroit) had committed to USC or Michigan, but instead decided to go to PSU.

Also, the talent pool in high school football has gotten more and more concentrated toward the top, with more significant drop-offs after that. This means there's going to be more heated competition to get the really talented recruits. You guys were in high school once. Did you ever say something and then get some new information that changed your mind?

This isn't angry, mean or bitter. Just trying to shed a little light.

 

OK, so I get a new coach with 3 weeks left to recruit. He is supposed to a) not recruit kids in an atmosphere where de-commits happen; b)recruit verbals, but, just not in his conference; 3)curl up and wait for next year. What exactly happens if UM's verbals de-committed on the final day? Do we move forward with 12 LOIs, none of which were recruited to play in our system? We're all adults here - put an early signing period in, allow players to de-commit w/in the period, don't allow coaches contact during the period. That's the rule Rodriguez wants in place. Now, how do you handle a coaching change?
Frankly, de-commits happen.

 

After your bitter post, you said that you aren't that mad about losing one recruit to Michigan, but more mad about the recruit-stealing trend that RichRod is setting. That may be true, but I have trouble believing that you would write this angry post had Michigan stolen a Shaw-type recruit from Wisconsin or Michigan St instead of Penn St.

Also, as of Feb 4 (3 days before signing day) 156 players had decommitted from a verbal to commit to another team. In the 3 days leading up to signing day I think that number grew to over 200. Why did you only list 17 decommits? Seems like selective information. I agree it is a disturbing trend and we need an early signing period, but I think it is unfair to single out RichRod. Maybe the whims of 17 and 18 year old kids has something to do with it as well?

Link:
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=forde_pat&id=3229684&sportCat=ncf

 

Its definitely true that there are far more decommits prior to LOI day, but I purposely did not leave them in simply due to the fact that they have already made their second or in some cases third choices days before they can even officially sign a binding document. Their word is as useful as Rich Rod's in that sense. I specifically picked the top 250 recruits that have verbaled, not swayed during the recruiting process (as in given other verbals, BUT may have taken other official visits) and made their change on LOI day during their announcements. Like I said, doing that simply gives the original verbaled school no chance to rebut their challengers and are put at a disadvantage.

I am a little sore about losing Michael Shaw this year, but lets face it, deep down most people are a little shocked at the way Rich Rod managed to take away 4 top recruits. In years past this might amount to possibly 1 or 2 occurances within the Big Ten, but 4? Tell me you're not worried that coaches will soon pick this up and the Big Ten will diminish to nothing but in-bickering in future recruiting classes.

 

I have closely watched the recruiting of three different athletes in the High School I work in, and while I agree that Rich was unusually successful pulling in other recruits, what he did is common.
Very Common, most Big ten coaches do it, and it is not a new development. I watched Alverez's staff try to do it to a Syracuse commit in 2003. They worked him hard.
The only difference between RR and others, is that he seems to be good at it. If he can recruit this well in a transition with the publicity he has had, look out. There is much more talent in Michigan then there was in WV.

 

This "gentleman's agreement" doesn't exist.

1) PSU was trying to pull Corey Lewis away from his Illinois commitment

2) Last year: # Cedric Everson switches from Michigan State to Iowa on signing day.
# Jerimy Finch switches from Michigan to Indiana.
# Renaldo Sagesse switches from Illinois to Michigan.
# Quincy Landingham switches from Michigan State to Wisconsin

3) After the M coaching change every team in the conference was going after their commits. PSU was recruiting Cissoko.

4) In 2003, Purdue stole TE Garrett Bushong away from Michigan State so Tiller can shut his fat fn mouth.

Sour grapes.

 

this whole gentleman's agreement is a bunch of bs. PSU would have gladly taken a few of Michigan's decommits if it had the chance. Lets not kid ourselves into believing that any of these coaches would sacrifice their future success because of some loyalty to another program.

 

It happens to everyone. Quit your crying and take your 10th loss in a row to U-M this year like men.

 

As far as this year, I think the late decommits just preferred the newly introduced product (Rod's offense and Michigan tradition) better than their earlier choice made before Rod went to UM. If this occurs next year, after a full year of the new coach, maybe an article can be written. Until then, this just reminds me of the petty whining seen last night at the Indiana/Illinois game over Eric Gordon. Were those fans pathetic or what?

 

What ever happened to research and intellectual honesty?

Zac Heuter (CMU --> Mich St)
Keanon Cooper (TTech --> Minn)
John Weinke (Mich --> Iowa)

those are just off the top of my head. in the SEC, Florida took Omar Hunter from Notre Dame.

 

Nittany White Out, I was in complete agreement with your article until I read the comment about backward inbred West Virginians, and then later call it Virginia. I mean why do people have to cut down someone's state when they dont know anything in the first place. I am from West Virginia and am proud of the fact of where I live. The people, the beautiful mountians, pride, etc. And I am a big fan of Joe Paterno. We used to always get beat by Penn State, but it was one institution that I always had respect for and for their coach. I went to law school in Michigan and while I have good feelings about both places, I understand the fever over Rich Rodriguez and the way that he left. Mostly for the players. He is an ego maniac and I agree with you that he probably doesnt have the same honor that other coaches have regarding recruiting, however, your argument goes down hill when you attack the State where he came from. A relative point is hard to accept when it comes from someone who can stick to the point. Have you ever been to West Virginia in the first place? If you had and meet the great and friendly people, I am sure that you would quickly retrack your ridiculous comments and stick to the main theme of your post.

 

sour grapes. psu pursues committed recruits as much as the next school, they are just unable to land them. also the bigoted comments in this post do not lend to the author's credibility.

 

There is no gentleman's agreement. I have seen message boards where there were links provided for every BigTen coach except Northwestern's stealing recruits or trying to steal commits from other BigTen schools.

To say otherwise is to distort the truth. Tiller is just being a sore loser.

What is lost in all of this, is that Roy Roundtree's dream was to play for Michigan. Lloyd Carr didn't offer him, and so he chose Purdue over West Virginia and others. Then West Virginia's head coach becomes Michigan's head coach and the offer stands. Roy Roundtree gets his dream of playing for Michigan. The kid gets his dream and Tiller wants to lie and play sour grapes with an imaginary gentleman's agreement? That is classless.