All Things SkunkBear

[arrowryan]

Definitely a Mike Elston move. Sometimes he’s a great recruiter, then sometimes he does stuff like this.

 

[irish4ever]

"Nobody from our own state wants to come, so we'll recruit outside the damn country!"

Hahaha, love it! F*ck the meatchickens!!!

 

[NewEnglandGuy]

I’m happy to pile some fuel on the steaming pile of Michigan’s 2023 group.

Currently they are scrambling at QB, OL, and LB recruiting already highlighted by Reaper.

It is hard to see who they honestly lead for and get at this point while they are throwing new offers around for plan C and D players everywhere but DL.

Heres a bit more on 2023 with context from their 2022 class looking at the year cycle.

QB - 2022 signed two 3stars: Denegal and Orji, both ranked high 400s OA and around #30 QB in their class. Following 5star McCarthy in 2021, it wasn’t terrible to take two guys and see which can be a change of pace. Their 2023 outlook, as was ours, get an elite player. They were all in on Moore also with essentially no other offers. It appears they will again put all their eggs in one basket in 2024 for Davis and pass on 2023. Major miss.

RB - 2022 brought the 800th ranked, 63rd back CJ Stokes. 2023 appears completed with a local 4star in Cabana and another project in Ben Hall (667 OA). Nothing exciting here

WR - 2022 ended in coaching change fortune when they landed high 4star Darrius Clemons on early signing day after trailing Oregon. Flipping that Walker kid and taking post ACL Tyler Morris completed thsir group. 2023 got their fans excited, and then burned with No’s from Jalen Brown, Johntay Cook, and Malik Elzy. They currently have 2 commits from 3 stars in the high 400s OA, #58 and #62 receivers. 2 lower 3stars have them in contention in the 50th ATH, Max Carroll, who they just offered. He put them in his top 3 with TCU and Vandy. 64th ATH Kenyon Sadiq has them with Washington and Iowa St in his top 3. Their boards have a delusional notion 5star Nyckoles Harbor has them in the top part of his released top 7. Barring hitting the lotto, they’re stacking bodies with 1 upper level player.

TE - 2022 saw long time 3star Colton Loveland get a bump from composite 0.8718 to .8940 into 4star status during the early signing period (It also strangely increased again to .9011 on 6/14/22). In addition they signed another 3star. 2023 has them settled with the 22nd TE from Illinois who has Sparty and low BIG10 and BIG12 offers. Meh.

OL - In a stroke of luck, another coaching change landed them their best OL recruit since 2016. With Bronco Mendenhall stepping away from UVA, top 100 2020 recruit, Andrew Gentry who is also Mormon, flipped his commit and enrolled this summer after his 2 year mission. He accompanies 2 lowly rated recruits in a #678 OA prospect and an unranked 3star. 2023 needed some juice after an unsettling 2022 effort and to any scUM hater’s pleasure, they also struck out on every target besides local 4star Amir Herring. They will desperately try for Fano, Lomu, and Taala out west with a lot of local resistance on the trail. It appears their board will need a major reset in the coming months and will end again in lackluster after losing Mubenga (who may have been a silent) to LSU, Howland to OU, Terek to Wisconsin, Jagusah to ND, and Hatchett to Washington. Fortunate situation brought Gentry to them but otherwise it has been an absolute scorched earth recruiting job. Logic would suggest this may affect Davis or any QBs decision in 2024 considering to date they have 2 power 5 level OL players in 2 years.

DL - See above coaching change. Lincoln Riley departs OU and they flip their best DL recruit since Rashan Gary in top 50 Derrick Moore. 4star Mason Graham joins 3star Ken Grant also in 2022. Their best effort (not surprising as we can give Elston his due) in 2023 is the DL. This position boasts their highest commit and two of their five 4stars. In addition there are commits from a midwest 3star and an unranked European project - the Elston special! They also appear in good position with a couple others in 4stars McLeod, McDonald, and 3star Gardner (who recently announced a 8/3 commit). Four 4stars and counting in 2 years is solid.

LB - Late riser and October offer, 4star Jimmy Rolder, ended up as the position leader among 3stars and #721 and #994 OA prospects. 2023 has been soul snatching with the flip of their previous highest rated commit in Raylen Wilson to UGA and the recent news of ND dunking on their Ausberry hopes. 4star Bridgeman appears the lone soldier until they retool and send out more offers than the current 27 at the position. 2 power 5 level LB prospects in 2 years is poor (copy and paste from OL above).

CB - Legacy and crown jewel - Will Johnson fell in their lap in 2022. 4star Jones and 3star #600 OA Pollard rounded out the position. 2023 is enticing before the eventual let down with Javien Toviano. Then there is the situation where Jyaire Hill’s mother in an interview with EJ Holland had critical comments on Michigan withheld from the story. Whatever that eventually means they are still battling Illinois for his service and I’m not sure what other prospects to list here they are in contention for. Love?

S - Again late flips saved the 2022 class in former top 100 Clemson commit Keon Sabb and 4star Arizona commit Zeke Berry. A #778 OA project completed the position. In 2023, Vickers intrigues but they are likely 3rd. Beyond him, there isn’t a name they lead for. 4 solid DBs in 2022, likely looking at backfill swill in 2023.

Current composite of 175.96 and #36 team OA. Even with some generous class calculator additions, it is difficult to see them breaking 230 (even when 3stars get more then 15 points due to class size and other 3star cohorts in class). Likely 220something - and that is AVOIDING disaster…which they seriously should do with another good year challenging for the BIG10 East. In 2022 that total would be good for the #29-#37 class. Let the slide begin.

However they were fortunate to get Moore, Sabb, Clemons, Berry, Rolder, and Walker late In 2022. That was 5 of their top 7 prospects, an unsustainable practice but perhaps a future unknown prospect lands after another 10/11 wins with their laughable OOC schedule.

 

[dublinirish]

 

[Rack Em]

Even the Village Idiot can be right one time I suppose

 

[NDPhilly]

TMZ more or less put out a hit piece on him as well because of this.

Good for Jim for standing up for what he believes despite being in the public eye. God forbid he support people considering an option besides killing their child.

 

[irish4ever]

Even the Village Idiot can be right one time I suppose

I ditto that!

 

[MacIrish75]

It’s asinine to me that this qualifies as “news.” This wouldn’t even warrant a tweet if he had appeared at a pro choice rally.

 

[SoIll]

Good for Jim. I bet he knew he would catch flack for this and he didn't care. Otherwise fuck him

 

[ndinoxford]

Posted in a thread regarding Josh Pate’s segment on schools breaking NIL promises.

 

[ab2cmiller]

View attachment 3051059
Posted in a thread regarding Josh Pate’s segment on schools breaking NIL promises.

Some context here would be appreciated

 

[Whiskeyjack]

Posted in a thread regarding Josh Pate’s segment on schools breaking NIL promises.

Sounds like wishful thinking by a skunkbear on a sinking ship. If Freeman is making promises that FUND can't fulfill, then we'll likely see some high profile transfers sooner than later. Dunno why it would result in a power struggle between him and Swarbrick.

 

[IrishLax]

Sounds like wishful thinking by a skunkbear on a sinking ship. If Freeman is making promises that FUND can't fulfill, then we'll likely see some high profile transfers sooner than later. Dunno why it would result in a power struggle between him and Swarbrick.

Yes, it doesn't make any sense that this would be Freeman. The only class that would be impacted by NIL is the one that hasn't even signed yet, so there are no "promises" that could even be broken at this point. Similarly, we KNOW that we weren't willing to play ball with Dante Moore. So we didn't "promise" him anything.

The players with "promises being broken" are most likely:
1. Schools like USC that brought in a shitton of transfers with major NIL promises and now have them by the balls because you can't transfer twice without sitting out. If those players didn't get something in writing then it sucks to be them but they have ZERO leverage now.
2. Schools like A&M, Texas, and Florida that we know were very aggressive with NIL *last cycle* so they have players on campus that may not be seeing the money they were promised.
3. Schools like Michigan that ND parents are on record talking about everything they promised Amorion Walker, but may be in a pickle because of disorganization or state laws.

 

[Reaper97]

EJ Holland is such a piece of shit…

He just wrote an article and talked about Love and Bowen.

1) He says that Michigan is battling A&M and Bama as the top 3 for Love. Never mentions ND, despite Love saying himself ND is in his top 2.
2) Says that Bowen isn’t going to Michigan (like he has been pushing all year), but then follows up that he won’t end up at ND either. He doesn’t give a reason, he just says it because he doesn’t want it to be so.

“Michigan is still fighting for Top 100 St. Louis (Mo.) Christian Brothers athlete Jeremiyah Love, who is a top priority on the corner board. Alabama and Texas A&M seem to be ahead of U-M at this time, so the Wolverines need this one to go the distance. Notre Dame commit Peyton Bowen was close to taking an official visit to Michigan this summer, but things have dropped off since then. I do think the Irish will lose him to Oklahoma or Texas A&M, but Michigan is very much on the outside looking in.”

 

[Old Man Mike]

Harbaugh family has always been strong Catholic. When Dad Jack coached at WMU, he brought the family to St. Thomas More Student Parish, where I, as a WMU prof, preferred to attend. I remember seeing Jack often, so I must have seen John and Jim (his then unknown young sons) there too. One of my best friends here in Kalamazoo helped the Harbaughs get settled in Kalamazoo. I always thought Jack looked stonily serious, so I see where Jim, a near second generation clone in appearance, gets it. St. Toms is not a hard-right style Catholic community though, so Jim must have gotten that part of his Catholicism from family.

 

[Domina Nostra]

Harbaugh family has always been strong Catholic. When Dad Jack coached at WMU, he brought the family to St. Thomas More Student Parish, where I, as a WMU prof, preferred to attend. I remember seeing Jack often, so I must have seen John and Jim (his then unknown young sons) there too. One of my best friends here in Kalamazoo helped the Harbaughs get settled in Kalamazoo. I always thought Jack looked stonily serious, so I see where Jim, a near second generation clone in appearance, gets it. St. Toms is not a hard-right style Catholic community though, so Jim must have gotten that part of his Catholicism from family.

His brother John is the strong Catholic, but I have never heard that Jim was.

 

[notredomer23]

His brother John is the strong Catholic, but I have never heard that Jim was.

John's daughter is at ND too.

 

[Reaper97]

EJ wrote article after article about Michigan being trending for Ausberry, and how if he waited until ESD to announce it would favor Michigan, & blah, blah, blah…

Now Ausberry announces a commitment date & not a peep from EJ.
Not even a quick post saying that Ausberry is announcing.

The funny thing is his board is so stupid, they don’t call him out on it. He just makes up crap & spews it daily, those idiots all eat it up & believe it 100%, then stick their heads up their own butts and pretend it never happened when he is wrong.

 

[TheRealLynch51]

EJ wrote article after article about Michigan being trending for Ausberry, and how if he waited until ESD to announce it would favor Michigan, & blah, blah, blah…

Now Ausberry announces a commitment date & not a peep from EJ.
Not even a quick post saying that Ausberry is announcing.

The funny thing is his board is so stupid, they don’t call him out on it. He just makes up crap & spews it daily, those idiots all eat it up & believe it 100%, then stick their heads up their own butts and pretend it never happened when he is wrong.

He's such a fun villain to have for our fan base. I love it. Only because he's like a Dr. Evil level of bad guy due to his incompetence. Nothing like a Michael Corleone.

 

[INLaw]

He's such a fun villain to have for our fan base. I love it. Only because he's like a Dr. Evil level of bad guy due to his incompetence. Nothing like a Michael Corleone.

I have heard the saying about not beating a dead horse but beating a dead skunk 🦨 feels like a first kiss mixed with a frozen Reese Cup and a lime Mr. Misty circa 1994

 

[ulukinatme]

EJ Holland is such a piece of shit…

He just wrote an article and talked about Love and Bowen.

1) He says that Michigan is battling A&M and Bama as the top 3 for Love. Never mentions ND, despite Love saying himself ND is in his top 2.
2) Says that Bowen isn’t going to Michigan (like he has been pushing all year), but then follows up that he won’t end up at ND either. He doesn’t give a reason, he just says it because he doesn’t want it to be so.

“Michigan is still fighting for Top 100 St. Louis (Mo.) Christian Brothers athlete Jeremiyah Love, who is a top priority on the corner board. Alabama and Texas A&M seem to be ahead of U-M at this time, so the Wolverines need this one to go the distance. Notre Dame commit Peyton Bowen was close to taking an official visit to Michigan this summer, but things have dropped off since then. I do think the Irish will lose him to Oklahoma or Texas A&M, but Michigan is very much on the outside looking in.”

EJ Holland struggles with erectile dysfunction, he can't go the distance. I found out through his wife after she took an official visit to my house. You could say she and I are close, he's very much on the outside looking in.

 

[Chicago Domer]

Harbaugh Has spoken about his Catholic faith regularly in the past. My dad who was a very faithful Catholic admired Harbaugh for his faith. He was a huge Harbaugh fan while also being a huge ND fan.

 

[du Lac]

Proud of Harbaugh for having courage to support his faith publicly in a day in age where you are canceled by the mob for having opposing political viewpoints. That’s all I’ll say.

I was banned from rivals board for saying that while others bashing him were not (hence my point). Tyler James is a worthless clown. Unfollowed that jackass on Twitter. He offers nothing valuable anyway. The one media guy nobody cares or talks about bc he offers nothing.

 

[Irishdrunk]

I now like Harbaugh more than EJ Holland.....

A bunch of HCs are serious Catholics....including Saban. Is Freeman Catholic?

 

[Rockin’Irish]

I now like Harbaugh more than EJ Holland.....

A bunch of HCs are serious Catholics....including Saban. Is Freeman Catholic?

Yep

 

[Irishdrunk]

Freeman is hard not to love. I hope he makes great game prep and adjustments like his recruiting.

I am fine with Harbaugh and hopes he sticks with Michigan. Like it or not, Michigan has a lot going for its program and if Harbaugh is landing 3 stars then let him stay as HC.

 

[BabyIrish]

I now like Harbaugh more than EJ Holland.....

A bunch of HCs are serious Catholics....including Saban. Is Freeman Catholic?

From what I’ve been told is Freeman’s whole family (wife and kids) are Catholic but he is not.

 

[greyhammer90]

From what I’ve been told is Freeman’s whole family (wife and kids) are Catholic but he is not.

"We count those!" - Jack Donaghy

 

[du Lac]

From what I’ve been told is Freeman’s whole family (wife and kids) are Catholic but he is not.

No better place to make you a convert I suppose. I do not think many black Americans (or Asians) are Catholic. I was a bit surprised when people said he was.

 

[Classic Irish]

From what I’ve been told is Freeman’s whole family (wife and kids) are Catholic but he is not.

That’s my understanding. Not that it matters whether he’s Catholic or not.