This ain't good.

http://www.mlive.com/wolverines/index.ssf/2014/05/michigan_cb_pledge_shaun_crawf.html

A few weeks back this was discussed quite a bit on other boards. There were rumblings and rumors that this was going to happen. It ended up not, so the topic was dropped.

Yes he has already seen both schools. I'm not sure why he's visiting O$U so that kinds irks me but I think the new ND interest stems from a few things.

Regarding ND, Crawford didn't get an offer until Diaco left and they hired their new DC. I'm pretty sure he was in the first wave of offers under their new DC too. I'd have to fact check that though so don't quote me on it. Regardless, he clearly feels like ND wants him now and I can only imagine that that can be a game changer in a recruits eyes.

Also, what's different this time around as opposed to the supposed rumors of visits a few weeks ago is that he actually informed the staff this time. A few weeks back everyone was up in arms because nobody knew anything. Everyone thought he was trying to get a sneak visit in. This time around he has made it clear what his intentions are. Maybe he called Hoke and said, "look, I'm still committed but before I am 100% sure I want to sit down with ND and hear what they have to say."

This is not an opportunity he had before he committed. He also didn't think it was an opportunity he would ever get. IMO there is no doubt that, at the time, Crawford was 100% sure on Michigan when he committed. Circumstances have changed and now he needs to re-evaluate.

Two things make me not care about this news at all...

1. I'm not a Crawford fan. Go back and read my previous posts about him. I'm not impressed with his size or play. He's Terry Richardson 2.0 if you ask me.

2. UM is absolutely loaded with DBs. IMO, him not being on the team will have zero effect for UM.

The bad thing is that this could potentially be another hit on UM's recruiting rep.

My 2 cents worth:

1. All these kids, whether its M recruits or whatever schools recruits, maybe they're having 2nd thoughts on their choice. These are 16/17 yr old kids, maybe when Meyer, Kelly or whoever gets on the phone & starts selling their schools, the kid listens. This is a HUGH decision in a kids life. I don't think its a big deal, let the kid visit other schools. Make sure 100% he wants Michigan.

2. With that said, M is taking hits on recruiting in the last yr. Yea, it doesn't look good.

3. Don't you think M still calls, texts, sends letters to recruits that have verbally committed to other schools.

Sandy, Fish or anyone else, any opinion of having 2 LOI signing days? Maybe the wednesday after Labor Day, or maybe early august before practices begin, a kid can sign his LOI, therefore he can enjoy his senior yr in HS without going thru the hassle of still being recruited? thoughts?

Just my two cents...not a big deal. To me nothing is really in stone until the player shows up on campus.

As many have pointed out in the past....these are kids! They are very impressionable and most of them change their minds almost every day anyway.

I do believe that a 9-3 or better season will jump start our recruiting again. Anything less and it will not be a good year for UM.

Go Blue!!

9-3 may jump start the recruiting, but, if 2 of those 3 losses are to both Sparty & Bucky, then I would say it's not gonna help much with the recruiting.  It  just proves we are still a second tier team in the B1G.  We need to beat at least one of those two THIS year, IMO to keep the highly rated recruits coming in.

Just my 2 cents worth.

I too think that 9-3 and a competitive bowl game, win or lose is the minimum to stop the bleeding. A win over MSU or OSU would be a better 9-3 than without that to be sure.

'shoes

Non-binding, oral "commitment"? No commitment at all, just a current favorite. So he's gone. What did M lose? Nothing.

booboo wrote:

...Sandy, Fish or anyone else, any opinion of having 2 LOI signing days?...

I like the idea and so do a lot of the coaches. Some want to adopt the basketball model and I don't see anything wrong with it.

I will say that adopting an early signing period could negatively effect schools with tougher academic standards and UM is definitely in that group.

David Shaw put it best when he said that his staff spends 50% of the time selling the program and school to the kid and the other 50% of the time selling the kid to the school.

Schools with tougher academic standards spend more time than most realize working deals with the admissions office and getting kids to a point where the school will accept them. A lot of times there is just not enough time to get a kid in a position to be at a point to be accepted by labor day. More often than not it comes down to the wire and kids are finally qualifying just before NSD.

Teams with low admission standards would benefit from and early signing day (90% of the SEC)