Mailbag question: Recruiting defensive elite players this year

Mailbag question: Recruiting defensive elite players this year

Hey guys. I read your blog daily now, and really enjoy the content. I'm hoping you guys get to attend some practice sessions and can share some of what you see with us.

My real question regards recruiting and the impact that the season will have on recruits, especially the defensive side of things.

With Coach Robinson's new defensive alignments, I get the general feeling that many of our defensive recruits want to wait, and see exactly how all that will play out this fall. Do you believe many of these high end defensive recruits want to see Coach Robinson's defense in action before deciding?

I'm also expecting that the hybrid OLB\DE position will be the guy who leads the team in sacks, or at least the guy they want to lead the team. If so, I'd assume many of the elite guys at this position, will definitely want to see how things work before committing. Am I off base here?

In both cases, Michigan 's early season performance on the defensive side of the ball could become very, very important. If the defense shows well against WMU and ND, I can see some kids pulling the trigger commitment wise, in order to grab up the spots that are still available.

Thanks,

Alan

---------------------

Thanks for the question and reading the blog daily.

How the defense plays early on, or throughout this season, may have some effect on the 2010 recruits, but it will be minimal in our opinion.

Most of the top-end athletes will have already either scheduled or taken their visits. A good showing could help with a couple of under the radar type guys. In this day and age of recruiting, coaches need to get on kids very early. By the time the season starts, most "elite" recruits have made up their mind or at least have a top five list. It is becoming more and more like basketball recruiting anymore, where schools need to get on recruits at their camps and such. As you increasingly witness, more recruits are offered very early in the process in order to “get their attention.”

Where this year’s performance will pay the biggest dividends is with the 2011 and 2012 football recruiting classes.

The defensive end/outside linebacker will definitely be a very important player, but in our opinion, if he remains healthy, nobody but B. Graham will lead this team in sacks.

Even in this scheme the rush defensive end is the most dangerous pass rusher on the field.

Thanks for stopping by Go Blue Michigan Wolverine
If you have any questions please E-Mail

Written by CoachBt and ErocWolverine