Rich Rodriguez pleased with ongoing recruiting efforts for Michigan football team's 2011 class
Quick fixes are in short supply.
Several times this year, Michigan football coach Rich Rodriguez has said the team’s defensive problems won’t be fixed overnight. They require an influx of talent via recruiting.
Toward that end, he’s pleased with how the 2011 recruiting class is shaping up.
“We’ve got to have a couple of recruiting classes to develop our needs, and it’s going really well,” he said.
The Wolverines, who host Iowa on Saturday (3:30 p.m., ABC), hold 11 verbal commitments for the 2011 class, the latest from Orlando, Fla.-area running back Demetrius Hart, who committed Friday.
Defensively, six players have committed to Michigan, most notably Canton’s Brennen Beyer and Delonte Hollowell of Detroit.
NCAA rules prohibit Rodriguez from commenting on specific recruits until they sign letters of intent, but generally speaking, he likes the balance between offensive and defensive players.
That’s something he’s been intent on restoring to the roster.
“We’re closer to getting those numbers right,” said Rodriguez, who has 38 offensive players on scholarship, 31 on defense and two special-teamers.
(Those numbers do not reflect walk-ons who have been given one-year scholarships).
“This recruiting class will help us get toward that end. We’ll still be young, but at least we’ll have the bodies there. We feel there’s another nine, 10, 11 spots that we have to recruit with, and we’re looking for certain positions where we’re lacking depth or (getting) the types of guys we need to win championships.”
On-and-off-field problems in recent years impacted the Wolverines’ recruiting efforts in recent years. In his first two seasons in Ann Arbor, Rodriguez compiled an 8-16 overall record, 3-13 in the Big Ten.
NCAA allegations that Rodriguez and Michigan failed to promote an atmosphere of compliance and exceeded practice limits in the football program hindered recruiting efforts in last year’s class.
“The last couple of years have kind of been drama, negatively filled-type of recruiting, where I thought our coaches did a really good job bringing some talented players in, but I thought we fought through a lot of issues,” he said.
“There’s just things that happen. It’d be nice to have a nice, positive, going-forward recruiting year where there’s not all that negativity. … I think it backfires in a lot of cases.”
Pete Bigelow covers Michigan football for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at (734) 623-2556, via e-mail at petebigelow@annarbor.com and followed on Twitter at PeterCBigelow.
Comments
Kubrick66
Fri, Oct 15, 2010 : 5:06 p.m.
GoblueinNE_PA... No problem... Lets drop the 2010 class and add.. Rivals 2008 - 10 Scout 2008 - 6 ESPN - 13 Oh, wait-- that had some Carr recruits so we can't count those either can we? Guess we'll just have to stick with 2009... Rivals - 8 Scout - 14 ESPN - 10 Now what was it you said about RR never having a top fifteen class?
GoblueinNE_PA
Thu, Oct 14, 2010 : 6:47 p.m.
Kubrick You're not honestly going to post those 2010 rankings are you? Seriously? That class was only that high because of the last minute addition of Dorsey. Without him, that class is probably mid 20's at best.
NoBowl4Blue
Thu, Oct 14, 2010 : 2:33 p.m.
Michigans 2 biggest rivals play defense. In fact I believe I read that OSU has had a top 5 defense nationally 5 years in a row. Coincidently they have won 5 straight league championships. Michigan may score points but if you can't stop anybody doesn't mean crap. Fact RR should have made defense an emphasis ealy on.
Mick52
Thu, Oct 14, 2010 : 2:04 p.m.
Iowa is a significant game. It will show us if Michigan can adapt, improvise and overcome and win this game. MSU had an impetus that Iowa does not. And MSU seems to have put DRob at the rear of the media, haven't heard much at all this week. Glad to see some focus on recruiting for defense because of course, defense wins ballgames.
ChelseaBob
Thu, Oct 14, 2010 : 8:37 a.m.
"Weve got to have a couple of recruiting classes to develop our needs" Just a few more years of recruiting, and everything will be fine. Honest. It's not crappy coaching, it's the kids. I don't know about you guys, but I'd like a coach that takes the blame when blame is due. Jim Harbaugh, come home.
lawrencelaundry
Thu, Oct 14, 2010 : 8:08 a.m.
If you look at the prospects that are left there's not many defensive recruits. Like only one DT that's huge but the chances of landing him are slim, but no back up to replace him. Take a look at notre dame class so far. Ton of big time defensive players. That's the difference. KELLY is recruiting heavy in teams weaknesses, RR is not.
Kubrick66
Wed, Oct 13, 2010 : 8:27 p.m.
GoblueinNE_PA... Scout Rankings... 2010 - 12th 2009 - 14th Rivals... 2010 - 20th 2009 - 8th ESPN.. 2010 - 14th 2009 - 10th Like I said... Top 15 of better.
Sparky79
Wed, Oct 13, 2010 : 8:26 p.m.
"Michigan finished out of the top 20 in recruiting for the first time in 10 years in 2010." Yeah, which is why they were ranked 12th by Scout - http://michigan.scout.com/a.z?s=162&p=9&c=14&yr=2010 - and 20th by Rivals - http://rivals.yahoo.com/michigan/football/recruiting/teamrank/2010/all/all Yep, outside the Top 20. Oops. So, got any more theories?
GoblueinNE_PA
Wed, Oct 13, 2010 : 8:06 p.m.
Why would you think that Kubrick? RichRod hasn't had a class ranked that high since he got here? Why would you expect that to change now?
Jaxon5
Wed, Oct 13, 2010 : 8:04 p.m.
K66, there is no evidence for that result. Evidence says its going the opposite direction. Michigan finished out of the top 20 in recruiting for the first time in 10 years in 2010.
Kubrick66
Wed, Oct 13, 2010 : 7:58 p.m.
Sean Broderick... It's only October. Signing day isn't until February. By then I expect Michigan will be top 15 if not better.
Sparky79
Wed, Oct 13, 2010 : 7:55 p.m.
You call the current coaching staff incompetent yet list Les Miles as a possible replacement? I guess you haven't taken Les Miles' Clock Management 101 class yet. Here's a few to get you started... LSU vs. Tennessee 2010 - 30 seconds left, no time outs, on the TN 2 yard line, and literally have no clue what to do. Got lucky that TN got called for a penalty. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HOwp1w_Aoc LSU vs. Ole Miss 2009 - 28 seconds left, it's fourth down, and you don't call your last time out until there's 9 seconds left?! Then your QB hits a long pass, there's one second left, you just need a field goal, but instead of sending out your field goal unit you tell your QB to...spike the ball?! Game over, Ole Miss wins. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9BhBLJqKpM Yes, this is exactly the type of competence we need! FAIL.
heartbreakM
Wed, Oct 13, 2010 : 6:39 p.m.
Ah, Cheers. My favorite sitcom of the 1980s. It was really great and successful when Shelley Long was on it, but it sure tanked when they brought on Kirstie Alley to amplify on the prior success. What a mistake that was to have her on that great show, and then I could not believe they kept her around!! It was actually sad to see.
GoblueinNE_PA
Wed, Oct 13, 2010 : 6:34 p.m.
Dee Hart looks nice in that video, but don't we already have this guy on the team in Vincent Smith? I don't see anything showing him running up the middle, everything is outside. Each level you go up in competition,that play tends to be less and less effective. It's going to take a while to get this line up straightened out.
lawrencelaundry
Wed, Oct 13, 2010 : 6:12 p.m.
If you look at the prospects that are left there's not many defensive recruits. Like only one DT that's huge but the chances of landing him are slim, but no back up to replace him. Take a look at notre dame class so far. Ton of big time defensive players. That's the difference. KELLY is recruiting heavy in teams weaknesses, RR is not.
Kubrick66
Wed, Oct 13, 2010 : 4:54 p.m.
Tater... M*A*S*H, Cheers and Seinfeld are my three favorite sitcoms of all-time. M*A*S*H has it all... Comedy, drama, historical relevance. I'm a big fan of the early years with Larry Linville as Frank Burns. Cheers also has a great mix of comedy and drama. Again, the early years with Shelly Long are my favorite. But if you're looking for straight comedy nothing compares to Seinfeld. The way they were able to weave multiple story lines into a 23 minute time frame... pure brilliance. And you know what all three of these shows have in common? Each one started it's run dead last, or close to it. In todays market each show would've been canceled after only a few episodes... And that would've been tragic. There are no patience left in the world. Everyone wants what they want and they want it now. I too am not without fault. Yet at the same time I understand that to truly appreciate something you sometimes have to accept it for what it is... even when what it is isn't what you want.
umgoblue47
Wed, Oct 13, 2010 : 4:14 p.m.
pOUT.. what about your spin??? you have enough for everybody on here. it's funny how your win to lose ratio went up after the first 5/game's! talk about false postive's go back and read some of your past post's... GO BLUE...
3 And Out
Wed, Oct 13, 2010 : 3:27 p.m.
all your spin wont count Tater, if they lose out... btw...it is funny how each week when they are losing Rich Rod has to try to deflect blame, make excuses and point to false positives instead of attacking the real issue with his program which is that it is soft.
heartbreakM
Wed, Oct 13, 2010 : 3:07 p.m.
Sorry--I can't count. 3 to 4 stars. Average to slightly above average.....Substitute my poor attention to detail to above comment.
heartbreakM
Wed, Oct 13, 2010 : 2:58 p.m.
As one who does not follow recruiting, nor puts too much interest in "stars", I do have this comment. I notice from tater's post that most of the players are 2 or 3 stars (which makes them middle of the pack according to the rankings). Does that mean that if Michigan performs defensively average to below average while they are here, that the coaches have done a good job?
Sparky79
Wed, Oct 13, 2010 : 2:54 p.m.
"It looks like msu is getting some really good players from the state, over michigan (at least one and he happens to be a middle linebacker)" That high school is pretty much a pipeline for Michigan State. Their coach tends to send his star players north. Michigan has about as much chance landing a kid out of there as they do Cleveland Glenville. If you don't know what I'm talking about, look it up.
chiro19
Wed, Oct 13, 2010 : 2:13 p.m.
If you go to scouts.com it gives you a good idea of whats going on with recruiting. It looks like msu is getting some really good players from the state, over michigan (at least one and he happens to be a middle linebacker). Espn also has recruiting info but I dont think it is as accurate. Something that keeps on popping up that hopefully does again this year is a good CB gets recruited (and then transfers after there first year or is academically unable to be enrolled) hopefully the leaving does not happen. The only problem is that scout.com doesnt have a list of D coordinators that are out there for recruitment!
chiro19
Wed, Oct 13, 2010 : 2:02 p.m.
If you go to scouts.com it gives you a good idea of whats going on with recruiting. It looks like msu is getting some really good players from the state, over michigan (at least one and he happens to be a middle linebacker). Espn also has recruiting info but I dont think it is as accurate. Something that keeps on popping up that hopefully does again this year is a good CB gets recruited (and then transfers after there first year or is academically unable to be enrolled) hopefully the leaving does not happen. The only problem is that scout.com doesnt have a list of D coordinators that are out there for recruitment!
81wolverine
Wed, Oct 13, 2010 : 1:19 p.m.
I hope Michigan has a bunch of good linebackers on the recruiting list. To me, that's probably our biggest area of need on defense, in addition to fast cornerbacks. Probably another big running back wouldn't hurt either.
heartbreakM
Wed, Oct 13, 2010 : 12:12 p.m.
Attention Mr. Bigelow: Actually, before this season, Michigan was 8-16 (7-16 if you don't include that joke of Delaware State), not 8-15. Record improves to 13-17 if you improve this year.
mlivesaline
Wed, Oct 13, 2010 : 11:56 a.m.
This is great. Why are we always focusing on offensive players? How about a video of a stud linebacker recruit. Note to Rich, if you're around long enough to read it.... What part of Defense do you not get. All hands should be on deck to improve this defense.