Recruiting : All posts

Shane Morris now a five-star QB per Rivals.com, Michigan keeps five '13 commits in Top 100

Shane Morris has sat on the fringe of Rivals.com's five-star range for months now.

And Monday, the 2013 Michigan football commit finally earned his coveted fifth star.

Rivals.com unveiled its updated Top 100 for 2013, giving the 6-foot-3, 183-pound Morris a five-star ranking and lifting him from No. 22 to No. 17 overall.

UMHoops.com: Michigan back in Ohio to offer '14 4-star wing Jae'Sean Tate, who is coached by Trey Burke's father

Michigan basketball coach John Beilein recently offered 2014 Ohio prospect Jae'Sean Tate, who plays AAU basketball for Trey Burke's father, Benji.

AnnArbor.com file photo

Landing the likes of Mitch McGary, Glenn Robinson III and Zak Irvin has only helped the Wolverines' standing in the Hoosier state.

However, more recently, Beilein's group is starting to migrate slightly east, smack dab into enemy territory.

That, of course, being Ohio.

Analyst explains why Michigan basketball commit Zak Irvin is now on the verge of five-star status

A year ago, current Michigan basketball freshman Glenn Robinson III made a name for himself after a strong summer skyrocketed his national recruiting status.

Robinson followed that up with an impressive senior season, and ended his high school career as a five-star, blue-chip prospect.

A year later, current 2013 Michigan commit Zak Irvin appears to have a shot at repeating that process.

Derrick Walton remains top Michigan basketball '13 pledge in Scout rankings; Zak Irvin makes a jump

Derrick Walton continues to be perceived as the crown jewel of the Michigan basketball team's 2013 recruiting class.

But current pledge classmate Zak Irvin appears to finally be hot on his heels.

National recruiting site Scout.com updated its 2013 rankings Tuesday, and Walton -- a four-star point guard from Chandler Park Academy -- came in at No. 43 overall, the eighth-best lead guard in the class.

Irvin, meanwhile, made his debut in Scout's rankings -- coming in at No. 62.

Rivals.com: Michigan football commit Shane Morris' stock rises, while fellow pledge Taco Charlton's falls at The Opening

There were some ups, downs and in betweens last weekend for a few future Michigan football players in Beaverton, Ore.

Seven Michigan commits competed in "The Opening," a three-day Nike sponsored football recruiting combine that featured some of the top talent for 2013.

Future Wolverine defensive back Jourdan Lewis appeared to make a name for himself, but he wasn't the only player to stand out.

Michigan basketball staff approaching unlimited text/call recruiting rule with caution

When the clock struck midnight on June 15, John Beilein wasn't sure if college basketball's new world was real or not.

Beginning last month, the Michigan basketball coaching staff -- and every other staff in America -- got the green light to call and text prospective recruits whenever they wanted.

No time restraints. No quantity restrictions. No rules, really.

"It's still hard to believe," Beilein said last week. "It's just much easier to communicate, but I know we'll do everything we can to keep it (under control)."

John Beilein insists his recruiting philosophy hasn't changed, but his 'battles' have gotten bigger

John Beilein has gained large amounts of national recruiting momentum over the past year.

AnnArbor.com file photo

John Beilein says nothing's changed with his fundamental approach to recruiting.

He wants players that fit his unique offensive system, players that can play multiple spots on the floor and prospects that are willing to "run through the door" to become part of the Michigan basketball program.

During his days at West Virginia, Beilein built a contender with mainly unheralded recruits -- program guys who bought into what he was selling.

Now about to enter his sixth year at Michigan, he insists the basics are still the same -- even if the pool he swims in is quite a bit deeper.

"(In recruiting) you have to pick your battles," Beilein told reporters recently. "The battles we're choosing, they may be a little larger."

Michigan basketball commits Derrick Walton and Mark Donnal rise in Rivals.com rankings

John Beilein's highly-touted 2013 recruiting class continues to draw more attention from recruiting services.

Two of the four members of the Michigan basketball program's 2013 haul saw their stock rise Tuesday in the updated Rivals.com Top 150.

Highly-touted Michigan football commit David Dawson playing for his late father

David Dawson will take part in one of the more prestigious football camps in America this week.

And he'll do so with a heavy heart.

Dawson, the top-rated offensive guard in America and a 2013 Michigan football pledge, spoke to ESPN.com recently about continuing on with his football career despite the recent death of his father, David Dawson Sr.

"I will just be thinking about the last time he told me he was really proud of me," Dawson told ESPN. "That's what really fires me up."

Michigan football QB commit Shane Morris impressive again at national 7-on-7 tournament

Shane Morris wasn't able to lead his squad to a repeat championship this weekend.

But overall, the future Michigan football quarterback finished with another impressive showing at the IMG/Madden Football National Championships 7-on-7 tournament in Bradenton, Fla.

Morris, a 2013 Michigan commit, led the Detroit-based "Maximum Exposure Blue" team to the championship game for a second straight season, only this year, his club lost to Florida's "Team Tampa" in the final.

Two-sport star Drake Harris chooses Michigan State over Michigan

One of the top football and basketball players in the state has made his decision.

Grand Rapids Christian standout Drake Harris, a member of the class of 2014, reportedly announced at his school Wednesday that he'll be playing both football and basketball at Michigan State.

Harris chose the Spartans over both Michigan and Notre Dame.

Two-sport star Drake Harris to reportedly choose between Michigan, MSU and Notre Dame on Wednesday

One of the state's hottest prospects in the 2014 class will reportedly make up his mind.

Grand Rapids Christian football and basketball star Drake Harris will announce his college choice Wednesday, as first reported Tuesday night by GoBlueWolverine.com's Sam Webb.

Harris, a four-star guard in basketball and a highly-touted wide receiver, will reportedly decide between Michigan, Michigan State and Notre Dame.

Michigan football 2013 commits Jourdan Lewis and David Dawson leave mark at Rivals Five-Star Challenge

Rivals.com, a national college football recruiting service, hosted some of the country's top prospects over the weekend for a two-day "Rivals100 Five-Star Challenge" showcase in Atlanta.

And when the smoke cleared, two of the Michigan football program's 2013 pledges left rather strong impressions.

Michigan basketball's 2012 freshmen class officially arrives in Ann Arbor

The future of the Michigan basketball program has officially reported for duty.

Michigan's highly-touted 2012 freshmen signing class arrived in Ann Arbor on Saturday for the program's summer session.

Michigan football adds to 2013 class with commit from two-star CB Channing Stribling

And then there were 22.

Michigan football's top-ranked 2013 recruiting class got a bit larger Thursday when coach Brady Hoke received a commitment from Butler (N.C.) High School cornerback Channing Stribling.

Stribling confirmed the news via his personal Twitter account.

"I have committed to the University of Michigan #GOBLUEEE," he wrote.

Text me, maybe? College basketball recruiting world shifts with unlimited calling and texting

At midnight on Friday, the NCAA began allowing college basketball coaches to send unlimited text messages and dial an unlimited number of phone calls to prospects who have finished their sophomore year of high school.

Graphic by Rich Rezler | AnnArbor.com

By about 12:15 a.m. Friday morning, Bryant McIntosh was completely familiar with college basketball's new reality.

His phone buzzed once. It buzzed twice. It buzzed three times.

Sixteen minutes prior, all three of the late-night text messages the class of 2014 point guard prospect from Greensburg, Ind., received would have been an NCAA violation.

But with the NCAA's deregulation of phone calls, text messages and social media interaction -- everything's fair game now.

All night long.

"I tried to stay up for a little bit, but I eventually fell asleep," said McIntosh, who has drawn the interest of Michigan basketball coach John Beilein and many others. "By 12:15 I had three or four. Then I got another at like 1 a.m.

"Then at 3 a.m., I got a few more. That was weird."

Michigan basketball's 2013 recruiting class keeps rising, now rated No. 2 nationally by ESPN.com

There's no sense in ignoring it, John Beilein has some major momentum going on the recruiting trail.

That momentum was quantified Wednesday when Beilein's four-man 2013 Michigan basketball recruiting class climbed all the way up to No. 2 in ESPN.com's updated ranking.

ESPN.com: Report says Michigan led the B1G with a $577,663 football recruiting budget in 2011

Football recruiting costs money. A lot of money, actually.

And in 2011, few schools in the country spent money on luring newcomers to its campus than the Michigan football program.

According to research compiled by ESPN.com on Tuesday, Michigan spent $577,663 on recruiting in 2011, a number that ranked No. 1 overall in the Big Ten and No. 11 nationally.

Top 2013 Michigan football commit Shane Morris invited to elite ESPN skills camp

Top 2013 Michigan football commit Shane Morris has seen his stock slip a bit this year ... but he still managed to be invited to yet another elite camp.

The quarterback from Warren DeLaSalle was among 38 players who earned invitations Thursday to ESPN's Champion Gridiron Kings -- a camp for the nation's best skill-position players.

Michigan offers scholarship, gets commitment from 2013 long snapper Scott Sypniewski

Never one to ignore special teams, Michigan football coach Brady Hoke has added another weapon to the all-important third phase of the game.

The Wolverines snagged a commitment from long snapper Scott Sypniewski, now the 21st member of Michigan's top-ranked 2013 class.

The news was confirmed via Twitter by Sypniewski's personal long-snapping coach, Chris Rubio, who runs Rubio Long Snapping.

Scout.com and Rivals.com also confirmed the report.