Monday Recruitin'

Programming note: with the onset of the season, "Monday Recruitin'" may end up moving to Thursday. We'll see how it works out.

Update 8/20: Linked to articles on LA CB Robby Green, PA WR Jonathan Baldwin (second), PA HB Christian Wilson (useless; only linked to assuage potential fears), KS LB Arthur Brown, CA S Vaughn Telemaque, PA LB(DE?) Shayne Hale, AR WR Joe Adams, NC CB Spencer Adams. Removed SC OL Kenneth Page (dropped us), AZ OL Zach Schlink (ASU). Added FL S Karnell Hatcher, SC CB JT Floyd. Noted header from GBW: we are getting official from LA CB Robby Green (OMG shirtless).

There is an updated Scout 300. I also point out this Darrell Simmons article, but do not add to board. There is also another Wilson article, plus articles on CA DE Jamar Jarrett , OH TE Brandon Moore, PA RB/WR/KR Cameron Saddler, and AZ CB Marc Anthony.

Editorial Opinion: Page was one of those guys who drops Michigan's name amongst 20 other schools early in the year and there's never any follow up. Schlink, though, was a guy who was generally regarded as a decent possibility. Their departure from the board leaves the offensive line section very thin on potential additions. I still think that Michigan would like to add another player after only picking up two kids a year ago, but with Zebrie Sanders likely headed south and Vaughn Dotsy seemingly not getting much interest from Michigan of late the only player on the board who has an offer and seems even remotely possible is Tennessean Preston Bailey. Michigan will be scouring senior tape for another Huyge-like offer if Bailey doesn't commit.

On to other items. PA HB/LB Christian Wilson is down to Michigan and Rutgers according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. He is blue on the board; everyone expects him to commit sooner or later. Also, he's totally OCD:

People might be surprised to know that ... I brush my teeth like a million times a day.

Things are also looking good for CA DE Jamaar Jarrett (#234 and four stars to Scout, recently downgraded to three stars by Rivals after being a top 250 kid):

Those colleges in cold weather places will be heartened to know that Jarrett loves the snow, having lived in Ohio for a time. He has Michigan as No. 1 on his list right now because the Wolverines have recruited him the hardest, with Cal, Oregon and Nebraska also in his top four.

I think that's tenuous but it's good to lead. Between Jarrett, Shayne Hale (more on him next) and Nick Perry Michigan has an excellent chance of landing a couple of high profile defensive ends. Jarrett quote reminiscent of Conan the Barbarian:

“I love to hear the little girl noises quarterbacks make when they get hit,” said Jarrett, who totaled eight sacks last season. “I just love to play football.”

He lusts for the lamentation of your quarterback-women.

Meanwhile, PA LB Shayne Hale is now PA DE Shayne Hale:

The skinny: Hale is ranked one of the top linebackers in the country, but he has been switched to defensive end for this season. Gateway coach Terry Smith said the move is best for the team and also said defensive end is the position Hale likely will play in college. ...

What do you think of the position switch? It isn't a big deal. At first, I wasn't real happy. But once I got the feel and started making plays in practice, I thought to myself, "This might be my spot." So it's not a big deal.

Shouldn't affect Michigan's pursuit of him. Hale's cousin, mouthpiece, and possible package-deal partner Cameron Saddler was also featured in that ongoing "Blue Chip Chat" series. His article contains no news but does reveal Saddler to be a wag:

How tall are you? C'mon now. You know every time a reporter calls me, I lie and change it. But I have to start keeping up with my lies. A reporter called me the other day and said, 'How big are you?' I said 5-8. He told me the last time he talked to me, I told him I was 5-9. So I said, 'I guess I'm 5-9.'

There's also this cold-eyed appraisal of college recruiters:

Tell me what you think about college recruiting: You get a whole bunch of junk fed to you. Everywhere you go, coaches say, 'You come here, you're going to be the man.' The coaches are like used car salesmen. That's what they are. Everyone is trying to sell their product.

AZ CB Marc Anthony maintains three leaders:

"It's not 100 percent yet, but I'm probably going to visit Cal on September 1 for the Tennessee game," said Anthony, ranked by Scout as the nation's No. 32 cornerback. "I'm then gonna visit Nebraska on September 15 for the USC and I'm visiting Michigan for the Penn State game on September 22."

Anthony came to camp and got an offer off an impressive performance; his affection for the program seems plain:

"I think that Cal is gonna have a great year," Anthony said. "They are always pretty consistent and always do well. Same with Michigan. Michigan is always a top five team and I think this year they'll be competing for the national championship.

"I really like the Big Ten and I love the defense they play. Michigan is just a big-time program."

With last visit and a reported post-camp lead, Anthony is Michigan's best bet as a second corner in this class. Meanwhile, fellow western DB Vaughn Telemaque, a safety from Long Beach Poly (Donovan Warren's school), is deciding soon:

"I think I'm getting closer to making my decision, and I plan to this month with my teammate (DT) Jurrell Casey," said Telemaque.

Telemaque's only offers are from Rutgers, North Carolina, Oregon, and Michigan. He hasn't visited Michigan, something that would normally disqualify him, but I don't think he's visited any of his offers save Rutgers, and he decided to commit in the next couple weeks before the RU offer. I think it's probably between ourselves and Oregon. Telemaque isn't highly ranked at the moment but seems to be upwardly mobile.

A few southern kids probably not worth getting your hopes up about to round out this week. FL S Karnell Hatcher has Michigan in his top five:

One school that Hatcher would really like to visit is Michigan. "I don't really know too much about them," he said. "But I know they've got great tradition and I've love to be able to go to the Notre Dame game (Sept.15). That would just be an amazing experience. I've heard it's a great place to see a game and the atmosphere is supposed to be incredible."

Other schools in the top five: Auburn, South Carolina, Miami, and LSU; other offers mentioned are all southern with the singular exception of Iowa. 95% of the time a southern kid listing Michigan alone amongst a wide array of southern teams is staying closer to home. Anything can happen with visit blah blah blah.

AR WR Joe Adams has a weird schedule. He's committing in two weeks. He has a top five of schools that are not Michigan. And yet:

"Michigan isn't in my top five, but I like them a lot too," Adams said. "I've always wanted to visit them and see what it is like up there. They have a great program and the coaches are really nice too.

"I think Michigan has a good shot to win the national championship this year."

Um... okay? Highly skeptical he even visits.

GA S Darrell Simmons was on the board early after expressing Michigan interest; I then dropped him after he was arrested -- at least, someone with his name was arrested -- earlier in the year. He still lists Michigan top five but has a strong leader in Miami; I'm not even bothering to re-add him.

Chances are less remote for LA CB Robby Green, who lists Michigan among seven leaders:

"It'll also be interesting to see how Michigan does this year too," he said. "They have a great team every year and should have a big season again. I know everyone expects a lot from them. The Ohio State game is going to be big."

A GBW article indicates in its header that Green will take an official.