Football: Safety Dance

Michigan needs safeties in the 2006 recruiting class and the Internet rumblings indicate that their need may be filled in the near future. IN S Steve Brown will choose between Notre Dame and Michigan on Monday. Internet buzz suggests that Michigan is expected to win this particular battle--lucky for us that Brown is, like, brown. We haven't had a white safety for decades.

Washington SS/LB/WR... er, ATH Taylor Mays was thought to be favoring USC. Now people are saying he's down to USC and Michigan or UW and Michigan and perhaps favoring the Wolverines:

Just to follow up on the recruitment of Mays. Taylor visited Michigan over the weekend and really had a great visit. At this point, Michigan is easily his favorite in what increasingly appears a two horse race between UM and USC. However, Taylor visited USC in February and is going to referesh himself by possibly visiting a practice early in August. He loved the college town feel of Ann Arbor and really has a great rapport with DB Coach Ron English. It really looks like he has a strong lean to UM with USC behind them. There is really a big fall off after that and everyone else seems to be wasting their time. Look for his decision following his 2nd look down at SC.

The guy claims to know Mays... take it with a grain of salt, as you should all totally unsubstantiated Internet rumors. I think he might be right, given the buzz. UW fans shoot that particular messenger quite a lot but he's not the only guy saying these things. Mays will decide in late August.

Getting commitments from both would fill Michigan's safety need (only one, Jamar Adams, in the past two years) in authoritative fashion. Both Brown and Mays are top-100 players according to Scout and Rivals. Mays is rated in the top 10 by them. That's certainly not a sure thing but chances are we'll get at least one. Antwine Perez is also out there, down to LSU, USC, and UM, as is Jonas Mouton, who will take an official. Both are 4.5 star prospects in the bastardized average I post on the recruiting board. Even if both Mays and Brown commit Michigan still figures to pursue Mouton and Perez heavily. Brown could play corner and Mays could play linebacker or wide receiver.

Speaking (at least on a tangent) about ND recruiting, more fuel for the "Charlie Weis is a nut" fire:

Folks are still buzzing over a recruiting visit new Notre Dame football head coach Charlie Weis made recently with a top area high-school lineman, who clearly expected to be wooed, flattered and praised by Weis. Instead, Weis slapped a copy of the recruit's grade transcripts down on the table, chastised him for being an obviously lazy student and told him that unless things changed, Notre Dame wouldn't waste another minute recruiting him. Word is the shocked lineman is now vowing to take his classes much more seriously this school year. Weis has already received commitments from two St. Ignatius High standouts, receiver Robby Parris and defensive end John Ryan, for 2006.

Yet to be seen whether this is as effective as the legendary John L. Smith slap of Lamarr Woodley. Spotted by EDSBS.