Monday Recruitin'

Update 1/21: removed TX CB Adrian Bushell, CA OL Vaughn Dotsy, a couple WRs. Added OH LB Taylor Hill as committed. Bumped SC CB JT Floyd to blue. Moved PA HB Christian Wilson from committed, downgraded to yellow based on mother's comments on message board.

Added FL CB TJ Lawrence (ht: Big House Blog), MS RB Desmond Johnson.

Pryor articles: one two three. (There are many more, but they all say the same things.) Also a throwdown.

Editorial Opinion: Pryor was in town. When he texted an AP reporter that Michigan was "cool," said text message became a national headline.

What do we know now that we did not know before? Nothing. Pryor did show on his official visit and had a fine enough time. Ohio State fans fail to see Michigan as any sort of threat to win his commitment. ESPN has reported a couple times that Pryor is choosing between Michigan, Oregon, and LSU. The Michigan camp seems cautiously optimistic. Pryor will decide on signing day.

From the hilarious wrongness of ESPN on down this is all status quo despite rumors flying around every which way from a guy who met a guy on the team at a party, etc etc etc. Pryor obviously wants maximum drama and is going to get it on Signing Day.

Is this interesting?

"I think I know where he's going, but I'm not saying where," [live-in godfather(???) Willie] Burns told The Detroit News Friday evening. "I think he's a made a decision, but he doesn't want to tell the media until signing day."

Maybe, but you could read it either way:

• Jonas Gray's prediction that Michigan would get him if Mallett transfered, gathered after talking with Pryor at the Army game, has come true yay yay yay.
• If he's decided without visiting Michigan he's obviously going to Ohio State boo boo boo.

I dunno, and doubt anyone will until February 6th.

The rest of the world. We should know shortly about the future of slot WR DJ Woods, choosing between Michigan and Cincinnati. On the surface, this should not be a competitive battle but if Woods feels snakebit by Rodriguez maybe he'll flee to the arms of Brian Kelly, who is totally guaranteed to leave Cinci before he does.

JT Floyd came in for an official and seems to have enjoyed himself:

It went great, I loved it," Floyd said. "I found out this South Carolina guy can take the cold. They explained to me if I come in and work hard, there's an opportunity for a lot of playing time as a freshman. I like Michigan. I enjoyed the program, every aspect of it."

Floyd must have antifreeze in his veins, because it was downright arctic this weekend. He's planning a visit to Tennessee next week, after which he'll decide. Floyd's technically a UT commit -- committed to them midway through his junior year, actually -- but given the quote above seems very likely to end up at Michigan.

Less salutary news on PA HB Christian Wilson. Earlier this year Wilson's mom popped up on an outlying Michigan message board to chat about her son's then-pending decision. She was looking for reassurance that this h-back position Michigan was recruiting him for actually existed. Concerns assuaged, Wilson committed to Michigan shortly thereafter. In the aftermath of the coaching changeover, however, those concerns have re-asserted themselves, and the coaching staff isn't being comforting:

I will choose my words wisely as to not cause Christian any backlash. As everyone knows Christian LOVES MI. He has never waivered from that. He told me that he took these visits just to reconfirm his decision and to make sure he could say Mom, I weighed all options and I stand by my decision. Very smart for any 17 year old.

Now, where I need to be careful, He has yet to Have RR visit him in person. We have never met him and Christian has only talked to him over the phone once. Though we heard he has been in Pittsburgh 3 times. (I assume for Terrelle) Next, 4 coaches came recently and asked Christian not to take visits or they would need to open their recruiting.

Is that normal practice?

More:

Now, in the spread an H-back is not really used, so the coaches are explaining to him how they would try and use him, but it keeps sounding like Owen Schmidt style of position and Christian is not a "beer Truck" as he was referred to. He is more agile and has a better eye for the field (so they say)

I agree, I would love to talk with RR and will be in AA on Monday for business.

Here is my last question, Christian has spoken to about 8 of the other recruits who have been taking official visits the past 2 weeks and none of them have been told what Christian has been told. Why is he being asked not to take anymore but these other kids haven't? I don't want to mention names because they told him this in confidence.

I just want him to be happy and MI makes him happy, the players, fans, area all of it. But lets face it, 70% of his days are with the coaches and at this point he really feels they don't want him. All these other back s they are looking at are 6 foot and under (Let's face it they all exaggerate their heights) and less than 190lbs. Christian is s true 6'3" kid and does weigh 235lbs.

Wilson's status is questionable despite an article earlier this week in which he claimed he was a solid verbal. If the coaching staff wants him, they'll have to start paying him significantly more attention; if they do so he'll stay a commitment.

More targets. Right, TJ Lawrence is a Florida safety visiting next weekend and Desmond Johnson is a sleeper guy from Mississippi; Michigan is also on the verge of (or already has) offered a number of guys from Ohio and Mississippi, former home of LB coach Jay Hopson. As these guys start getting official offers I'll add them; expect at least three "who?" commits over the next week or two.