As I continue this doctoral thesis:
I think, Thunder, your opinion expressed in Item 2 is certainly a part of the Why. I, too, think Harbaugh at least to some extent isn’t sure what he wants. Like the drunk cad at the club at midnight, he’s hittn on everything ‘female’; Harbaugh being the Football Idiot Savant I think he is has never seen a football player he didn’t like……..
I remember reading years back how Harbaugh was always bumping heads with Stanford Admissions regarding potential recruits. I presume this is no longer a major obstacle for him at Michigan and like the energetic dog thats been on a chain for far too long, once it gets loose the dog may ‘run wild’ for a few days.
Also, I think geography plays a big part: Michigan is in the coldest, most wintry location of any of the traditional football powers and the tremendous demographic shift in population over the last 3 decades has left it wanting. (If DP-J for example were not in Michigan’s backyard is there any doubt that he most likely would be at Stanford?)
Also, in part due to the above, Michigan is no longer anywhere near any kind of a Football Rich Environment. The only state in the B10 area that can be construed as a football rich place is Ohio and, Ohio State – due to in state lack of B10 competition and both Michigan’s & PSU’s recent downturns – has solidified a complete lockdown on any D1 P5 players.
Even in Football Rich environs, too, there is a tremendous amount of competition for the available talent:
Georgia & Florida combine for 370 & 439 rated players (247 site) but there are a lot of top programs that this pool is divided up with including neighboring states too include Alabama.
eg:# ranked/rated # of players
Texas 501 ; again a lot of in state schools as well as programs in neighboring states.
Florida 439 ditto
Ca. 375 ditto
Ga 370 ditto
Plus secondary rich states:
Tenn 127
Miss 143
La 129
Al 113
and Ohio with 113 is the only B10 area state with any amount of talent pool players.
So, the only thing Michigan really has going for it anymore as a National Contender is its overall 120 year Football Rich Tradition as well as its current head coach. Even Academics, I think are somewhat secondary to most recruits and to those that it is paramount there are equally highly ranked academic schools lying within the locales of the talent rich areas…….
So to summarize:
Simple demographics overall directly leading to a lack of enough locale talent for the University of Michigan has it behind the 8 ball – this will not change for the foreseeable future if ever;
The climate itself of where the University lies means one has to cast a wide net Nationally to find enough quality talent to want to relocate any distance to a more adverse climate.
The personal choice as to the type & quality of player that is unique to Harbaugh’s own style & vision of a team built & coached by him & his staff I think lends itself to a ‘shotgun’ approach to recruiting.
Whew……! I’m weary and going to close my dissertation but welcome, thoughts, ideas, conversation as I think its interesting but from my perspective I’ve probably beaten it to death.
Thanx………..INTJohn
