Observations on Michigan Football Recruiting 2022 (March 21, 2023 Update)

Michigan Football's 2022 recruiting campaign has been another roller coaster ride. As of March 21, 2023, they acquired 25 signees plus 7 transfers with 7 preferred walk-on specialist pledges; they had 4 decommitments and were ranked 18th on 247, 19th on On3, and 18th on Rivals rankings leaving them 3rd of 14 Big Ten Teams. The top ranked recruiting programs in the Big Ten, Ohio State and Penn State have 20 and 23 signees; however, when one considers the transfer portal additions, Michigan was the top-ranked recruiting team in the Big Ten and ranked 8th nationally. Michigan had a two month drought in pledges from August 13 until October 17 really hurt the recruiting momentum. Michigan has not adapted to the new "N.I.L." environment as other football programs have, and the end result is that Harbaugh and staff have difficulty landing the nation's top talent. The coaches came up with a strategy that worked to regain recruiting momentum, and it worked. The coaches anticipated the coaching changes that occur every season, but this year they had a new Michigan President, Santa Ono, who committed to helping the team with transfers from an outdated, archaic admission policy the previous Michigan Presidents chose to continue for decades that has really hurt the football program with staying competitive, and filling gaps on their roster with players who could help immediately. As a result, this year's recruiting efforts closed on a high with the football team capturing its second consecutive Big Ten title while finishing undefeated with a NCAA Championship run that has resulted in gaining immediate help to keep the 2023 team amongst the best in the nation. Harbaugh's continual flirting with NFL team has also had a negative effect on the recruiting.

Overall, Michigan entertained at least 45 prospects on official visits in June with another 8 visits cancelled due to pledges elsewhwere; they came away with 4 commitments and one decommitment. June has become the most popular official visit month replacing September-November due to the early signing change. In addition, they had at least 60+ unofficial visits January-May without much success. Their recruiting strategies didn't work, and the results were abyssmal. Albert Karschnia replaced Courtney Morgan as Recruiting Coordinator on December 22, 2021 after Morgan resigned on December 9; Morgan replaced Matt Dudek on April 23, 2021. The addition of Denard Robinson, Mike Elston and others on the recruiting staff didn't pay anticipated dividends. Recruits and their parents all have positive things to say about their recruiting experiences with staff, and the visits all received high ratings; however, prospects signed with other programs. Both Coach Harbaugh and staff plus Athletic Director Warde Manuel have been both slow and relectant to adapt and change their recruiting philosophies to meet the challenges posed by NIL; the results show in meager results with football recruits so far this year. Michigan's recruiting further took a nosedive due to Harbaugh's continued insistence on flirting with returning to the NFL as a Head Coach; he interviewed with the Denver Broncos on January 10 after also being approached by the Carolina Panthers; the new University of Michigan President, Santa Ono, intervened in the contract situation between Athletic Director, Warde Manuel, and Harbaugh, and announced that Harbaugh would return for the 2023 season on January 16 after nearly two weeks of speculation. A further dent in the Michigan Football Recruiting efforts concerns NCAA violations made that Harbaugh has admitted to several Level 2 violations, but refused to admit to lying to NCAA investigators which is a Level 1 violations; he could face a 6 game suspension if that violation is affirmed. Harbaugh hired Arkansas attorney, Tom Mars, to defend him on the NCAA investigation; if he is found guilty of the Level 1 violation, Michigan may no longer be obligated to honor a buyout if Harbaugh leaves. John U. Bacon reported on January 20, 2023 that former University of Michigan President, Mark Schlissel, didn't evaluate Manuel over the past six years, and took a "hands off" approach to overseeing the Wolverine Athletic Program; he also reported that Harbaugh and Manuel haven't spoken since May, 2022 for 8 months as their relationship has deteriorated. Harbaugh still hasn't signed a new contract extension after several renegotiation discussions; President Ono claimed Harbaugh will return to coach at Michigan on January 16, but over 2 weeks later he remains unsigned.

Northwestern's Pat Fitzgerald offered only 65 prospects with 19 signees; Kirk Ferentz at Iowa had only offered 115 prospects with 22 commits, Paul Chryst and new Badger Coach, Luke Fickell, at Wisconsin had 136 offers with 15 signees and 6 decommitments while P.J. Fleck at Minnesota had just 216 offers for his 21 signees. These strategies are working as they have competitive programs who develop prospects into capable Big Ten players; the majority of Big Ten squads are recruiting 3-star players with potential, and molding them into solid players. Purdue offered 244, Illinois offered 168, and Rutgers sent out 159 offers for their classes. Indiana, Michigan State, Maryland, Nebraska, and Penn State are the only Big Ten schools who have sent out more offers than us in the conference with 389, 368, 363, 355, and 357 respectively. The Spartans recruiting imploded; they had 8 decommitments, and 14 players fleeing to the transfer portal which left them with only 15 signees; they had 19 mid-year enrollees including transfers to start 2023 with Coach Mel Tucker's revolving door strategy. Purdue's recruiting has also had a disastrous ending after Brohm left; they have only 16 signees with 9 decommitments. Nebraska and Wisconsin had recruiting problems due to their coaching changes, but both coaches, Matt Ruhle and Luke Fickell, worked hard to stabilize the situation; Nebraska had 9 decommitments, and Wisconsin had 6 decommits. Nebraska led the conference with 28 signees; Indiana had only 15 signees, the lowest in the conference with the most offers. Penn State had 8 decommitments, the most in the conference without a coaching change. Maryland, Indiana, Nebraska, and Michigan State led the Big Ten with 14 players leaving in the transfer portal followed by Iowa with 10, Michigan and Wisconsin had 9 each. Ohio State ranked 5th nationally with only 144 offers for 20 signees plus 5 transfers; Michigan had no signees from any recruit that they Buckeyes have offered.

On Offense, Harbaugh and his Quarterbacks coach, Matt Weiss, have only offered 4 quarterbacks with Dante Moore as their prime target for 2022; this "all eggs in one basket" has failed as Moore pledged to Oregon after visiting Notre Dame, LSU, Texas A&M, and Michigan, and in December Moore decommitted and signed with UCLA. Harbaugh and Weiss always want to gain the commitment of a quarterback early in the recruiting process, then that recruit is supposed to lead the recruiting effort to gain more commitments to the program particularly on offense; due to the prioritization this season, Moore didn't pledge, but Michigan has lost many other talented prospects without a quarterback to lead the recruiting efforts. Warren's Brady Drogosh pledged to Cincinnati afer being "slow-played" by Harbaugh and Weiss; Drogash made the Elite 11. Cincinnati's Head Coach, Luke Fickell, announced he left Cincinnati for Wisconsin on November 27. Weiss and Harbaugh also ignored Walled Lake's Drew Viotto; he pledged to Minnesota. Harbaugh and Weiss have employed similar strategy with targeting Jadyn Davis for 2024; as a result, they lost "5-Star" Saline quarterback and Wolverine Legacy, C.J. Carr, to Notre Dame. Michigan gained Indiana transfer, Jack Tuttle, for insurance so they have an experienced quarterback in their coral with two redshirts, Alex Orji and Jayden Denegal, to back up J.J. McCarthy along with walk-on, Davis Warren. Matt Weiss was place on a leave of absence on January 17, and fired on January 20, 2023; this left the quarterback recuiting in "limbo" for 2024 until Harbaugh replaced Weiss with Analyst Kirk Campbell on January 27. Michigan Quarterbacks

At Running Back, Mike Hart offered at least 25+ prospects; thus far, he earned the pledges of Cole Cabana and Benjamin Hall. Hart was unable to gain pledges of other highly sought recruits including: Mark Fletcher (Miami-FL), Jayden Limar (Oregon), Jeremiyah Love (Notre Dame), Jaquez Keyes (Wake Forest), London Montgomery (Penn State), Christopher Johnson (Miami-FL), etc. Michigan passed on two in-state prospects: Nolan Ray (Maryland) and Darius Taylor (Minnesota); however, Hart offered Taylor in October. Taylor just visited for the Penn State game, but he decided to stick with the Gophers. Hart offered Ethan Clark as a Preferred Walk-on, but he pledged to Princeton. Michigan just offered Bryson Kuzdzal on October 24 as a Preferred Walk-on, and he pledged. Michigan's Greatest Running Backs

e

At Wide Receiver and Tight End, Ron Bellamy and Grant Newsome have offered over 60 guys; they signed from Semaj Morgan, Fredrick Moore, Kendrick Bell, Karmello English, Zach Marshall, and Deakon Tonielli. A.J. Barner transferred from Indiana. Overall, it is a pretty solid receiver group. Andrew Rappleyea decommitted for Penn State; they also missed out on Nyckoles Harbour and Reid Mikeska (South Carolina), Riley Williams (Miami-FL), Luke Hasz (Arkansas), Jaden Hamm (Kansas), Cade Eldridge and Walker Lyons (USC), Jaxon Howard, Mac Markway, Shelton Sampson, and Jalen Brown (LSU), Cooper Flanagan (Notre Dame), Walker Lyons (Utah), Chico Holt (Northwestern), Khamari Anderson (Kentucky), Brett Norfleet (Missouri), Carnell Tate, Noah Rogers, Bryson Rogers, and Brandon Innis (Ohio State), Noble Johnson (Clemson), Ashton Cozart and Kenyon Sadiq (Oregon), Jaidyn Doss (Nebraska), Kelton Henderson (South Carolina), Mikal Harrison-Pilot (Houston), Zachariah Branch and Makai Lemon (USC), Jaren Hamilton and Ty Lockwood (Alabama), Johntay Cook (Texas), Nathan Leacock (Tennessee), Malik Elzy, Chance Fitzgerald (Virginia Tech), etc. Michigan also has the pledges of preferred walk-ons, Jalen Hoffman and Liam Groulx. Michigan Ends (Wide Receivers, Tight Ends and Wingbacks (Slots)

On the Offensive Line, Sherrone Moore offered 60+ candidates; it is surprising that the offensive line recruiting was so difficult as Moore is coming off a season where he coached the top offensive line for NCAA Football in 2021 and 2022 winning the Joe Moore Award twice. They signed Amir Herring, Evan Link, and Nathan Efobi; they added Arizona State transfer, LaDarius Henderson on December 6, and Stanford transfers, Myles Hinton and Drake Nugent, on December 17 and December 19, and this will give the Wolverines immediate help as Olu Oluwatimi and Ryan Hayes leave. They missed out on Luke Montgomery and Austin Siereveld (Ohio State), Charles Jagusah, Christopher Terek, and Sam Pendleton (Notre Dame), Cayden Green and Logan Howland (Oklahoma), Kadyn Proctor (Alabama), Trevor Lauck (Iowa), Paul Mubenga and D.J. Chester (LSU), Dylan Senda (Northwestern), Cole Dellinger (Michigan State), Johnathan Slack (Howard), Landen Hatchett (Washington), Ryan Carretta (Pittsburgh), Ian Reed (Clemson), Alex Birchmeier and Jven Williams (Penn State), Riley Van Poppel (Nebraska), Samson Okunlola (Miami-FL), Payton Kirkland (Texas), Elijah Page (USC), Clay Wedin (Auburn), Markis Deal (TCU), Logan Reichert (Missouri), Roderick Kearney (Florida State), Spencer Fano and Caleb Lomu (Utah), Nick Fattig (Texas Tech), Taliafi Taala (Utah State), etc. Moore recently gained the pledge of Cole Morgan as a preferred walk-on. Michigan Offensive Line

On Defense, Jesse Minter came from Vanderbilt to replace Mike McDonald as Defensive Coordinator on February 8 after McDonald's tenure was only one season. Minter became a finalist for the Broyles Award, and as a result it has improved the defensive recruiting particularly with the transfer portal. Minter became more active in the recruiting process throughout the Fall, and helped land transfer portal help for 2023 with Josaiah Stewart and Ernest Hausmann. He also tried to add a defensive back transfer, but struck out with Davison Igbinosun (Ohio State), Fentrell Cyprus (Florida State), and Tony Grimes (Texas A&M).

On the Defensive Line, Mike Elston replaced Shaun Nua on January 17; he and his recruiting staff have offered over 80 prospects with 5 signees, Brooks Bahr, Enow Etta, Aymeric Koumba, Cameron Brandt, and Trey Pierce. Elston pulled off a real "coup" on August 17 with the transfer of former 5-star, Eyobi Anoma, from Tennessee-Martin after initially being recruited by Alabama in 2018; however, he left the Wolverines after one season to join Biff Poggi at North Carolina-Charlotte along with teammate, Julius Welschof. Michigan also gained the pledge of legacy, John Jokisch, as a preferred walk-on. Michigan lost out to Keon Keeley (Alabama), Brenan Vernon, Boubacar Traore and Devan Houston (Notre Dame), Jason Moore, Joshua Mickens, and Kayden McDonald (Ohio State), Samuel M'Pemba (Georgia), Jalen Thompson and Bai Jobe (Michigan State), Jaybron Harvey, Rodney Lora, and Joel Starlings (North Carolina), David Ojiegbe and Vic Burley (Clemson), Isaiah Neal (Pittsburgh), Kamari Burns (Cincinnati), Jamarion Harkless (Purdue), Kendrick Gilbert (Kentucky), Saadiq Clements (Louisville), Ta'Mere Robinson and Tyriq Blanding (Penn State), Will Norman (Florida), Sydir Mitchell (Texas), Kelze Howard (Oregon State), My'Keil Gardner (Oregon), Dashawn Womack (LSU), Xzavier McLeod (South Carolina), Daevin Hobbs (Tennessee), etc. Collins Acheampong decommitted to Miami-FL. Michigan Defensive Linemen.

At Linebacker, George Helow offered at least 30 candidates for 2023 with Semaj Bridgeman, Breeon Ishmail, Jason Hewlett, and Hayden Moore all signed; both Ishmail and Hewlett were Cincinnati decommitments and Moore decommitted from Nebraska. Helow also gained the transfer of Cornhusker freshman, Ernest Hausmann, who looks to be a starter in 2023. Helow lost out on Raylen Wilson and Troy Bowles (Georgia), Arion Carter (Tennessee), Drayk Bowen, Jaiden Ausberry, and Preston Zinter (Notre Dame), Phil Picciotti (Oklahoma), Jaden Robinson (South Carolina), Tackett Curtis (USC), Jordan Hall (Michigan State), Jayvant Brown (Kentucky), Andrew (Central Florida) & Michael Harris (Maryland), Avrell Reese (Ohio State), Trevor Carter (Cincinnati), Ethan Crisp (Vanderbilt), Dion Crawford (Buffalo), Raul Aguirre (Miami-FL), etc. Helow offered Miles McGee as a Preferred Walk-on, but he has D-1 offers elsewhere. Helow was replaced by Chris Partridge on February 8. Michigan Linebackers 

In the Defensive Backfield, Steve Clinkscale and Jay Harbaugh offered over 60 prospects; they have 4 signees with recent commitments, Cameron Calhoun, Jyaire Hill, Brandyn Hillman, and D.J. Waller. The Wolverines have lost the recruiting battles with Chris Peal, and Justyn Rhett (Georgia), Jshawn Frasto-Ramos (Stanford), Kelton Henderson (South Carolina), Derek Williams and Malik Muhammad (Texas), Dalton Brooks (Texas A&M), T.J. Metcalf (Arkansas), Robert Billings (Clemson), Cormani McClain (Colorado), Peyton Bowen and Rodrick Pleasant (Oregon), Makari Vickers and Deah McCullough (Oklahoma), Javien Toviano (LSU), Braxton Myers (Mississippi), Amare Snowden (Wisconsin), Caleb Presley (Washington), Collin Gill (Oregon), Rahmir Stewart and Dwight Bootle (Nebraska), DaKaari Nelson, Daniel Harris, and Elliot Washington (Penn State), Jermaine Matthews and Jayden Bonsu (Ohio State), Kayin Lee (Kentucky), Jordan Sanford (Texas Tech), Jordan Matthews (Tennessee), Aaron Williams (Louisville), etc. Michigan has the commitment Micah Davis as a Preferred Walk-on. Michigan Defensive Backs

On Special Teams, Michigan gained the pledge for Adam Samaha, Cordell Jones-McNally and Stone Anderson. Michigan Placekickers/Punters/Specialists

Preferred Walk-On Offers (16+ offers-8 commitments)-Michigan has the pledge of placekickers Adam Samaha, Cordell Jones-McNally, and Stone Anderson plus running back, Bryson Kuzdzal, Defensive End John Jokisch, Cole Morgan (OL), Jalen Hoffman (TE), Liam Groulx (TE/LB), and Defensive Back Micah Davis; also offered are Henry Garrity (Notre Dame), Brayden Courser (MSU), Carter Hancock (WR), Ethan Clark (Princeton), Ryan Mooney-WR/DB (Harvard), Miles McGee (LB), etc.

All NCAA Division I Football squads have 85 scholarships and 35 walk-ons for a roster of 120 players; there are continual offers for potential walk-on players.

In all, Harbaugh offered approximately 335+ scholarships in 37 states; he offered 330+ prospects in 2016, 250+ in 2017, and 310+ in 2018, and 340+ in 2019. Michigan offered the most prospects with 62 in Florida, 36 in Texas, 22 in California, 20 in Georgia, 17 in Alabama, 13 in North Carolina, 12 in Ohio, 10 in Missouri and Louisiana, 9 in Massachusetts, Illinois, and Michigan, 8 in Maryland and Pennsylvania, 6 in the District of Columbia, Tennessee, Arizona, and Indiana, 5 in New Jersey, 4 in Utah, Washington, Oklahoma, and Virginia, 3 in South Carolina and Nevada, Oklahoma, and Nevada, 2 in Iowa, Kentucky, and Mississippi, 1 each in Connecticut, Kansas, Idaho, Nebraska, Minnesota, New York, Hawaii, and Oregon. Over 48% of our offers are in the Deep South.

Michigan has chosen to emphasize recruiting in the last decade in the Deep South which a dramatic shift from 30-40 years ago when it was the Midwest; they offered at least 99 prospects in Florida and Georgia plus 57 more prospects in the states of Alabama, Louisiana, Tennessee, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, and South Carolina. The competition for those highly skilled prospects is intense; this season, Michigan only managed to gain one commitment of the 156 offered: Benjamin Hall.

Losing Recruiting Battles in the Midwest and Other Big Ten States

In the Midwest and Big Ten states, Michigan also gained zero recruits this season in Ohio, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Indiana, Maryland, Nebraska, New Jersey, Iowa or Pennsylvania, but did gain Deakon Tonielli and Brooks Bahr from Illinois and Semaj Bridgeman from Pennsylvania. Michigan offered 53 prospects in these states with 3 commitments. When Jim Tressel took over at Ohio State in 2001; he instituted a "policy" that encouraged Ohio Football Recruits to sign with the Buckeyes or go elsewhere other than Michigan, and this policy has had a real negative effect on Michigan's ability to sign recruits in the State of Ohio. This "Tressel Effect" continues to hurt Michigan in 2022; the Wolverines were not able to gain one commitment from talent-rich Ohio. Ohio State gained commitments from 9 in Midwest states, and Notre Dame gained 5 signees. Michigan's recruiting in the East in states like New Jersey, Maryland and Pennsylvania has "dried up" since Chris Partridge and Don Brown left.

90 Years of College Football Recruiting: Where the Top Prospects com from