Football Spring Practice aka Thorn in the SEC Side

[lineygoblue]

Other conferences or individual schools/teams who thought they might be harmed by Harbaugh's clinics were free to follow suit, and do the same. I'm not sure why more did not do so.

[AlabamAlum]

The camps don't help those conferences or teams. We are already here and have market saturation in the recruiting hotbeds.

[lineygoblue]

I don't think you can categorically say that, AA.

If say someone like Vanderbilt's coaching staff came to Chicago, and held a clinic, you're saying that wouldn't help them? Or if a team like Oregon held a clinic in Philadelphia, that it wouldn't help them?

As far as helping their conference(s), I think that's not really a valid argument either way. I doubt that Alabama concerns itself with doing things that help conference members Auburn or Georgia. I don't think Oregon cares if they do things that help fellow conference members USC or Oregon State. I'm 100% certain that Urban Meyer doesn't lay in bed at night thinking of things he can do to help Michigan. That "conference loyalty" argument is complete hooey. It may sound good in Paul Finebaum's rants every day, but it hold no water at all.

[AlabamAlum]

Help Vandy to go to Chicago? No, I don't think so. At all. Oregon in Philly? I'm not sure that would help either.

No, when I talk about the 'conference' I'm doing so as a collection of individual member schools. They are looking out for themselves and couldn't care less about the others. The fact that they are like-minded isn't due to altruism for the conference, rather they have similar views and beliefs.


It's silly all around. I don't thing the distance camps really help M that much and I don't think they hurt others that much.

Meh.

[lineygoblue]

I don't thing the distance camps really help M that much and I don't think they hurt others that much.

I think it helped Michigan somewhat, due to the tepid leadership of the previous three coaching regimes. I think it may have helped Michigan in some other areas of the country where although they "knew" about Michigan, they never felt that Michigan held any serious interest in them. Harbaugh has now shown Michigan's nationwide interest.

Even if there are no changes in the clinics, I don't expect Harbaugh to have as many as he did this year. I think he'll scale them back a bit.

[iam416]

I don't thing the distance camps really help M that much and I don't think they hurt others that much.

Remove "that much" and the statement is absolutely correct.

[AlabamAlum]

Remove "that much" and the statement is absolutely correct.

Harsh. I think there is good evidence that the distance camps swayed a couple of solid 3-star recruits from LaTech and Central Florida to M.

"Help" is a matter of perspective.

[The Oracle]

Nope, Talent is wrong. Keep "much" in there and you're correct.

[Wellington_beefhouser]

Only time will tell. Give it a few years. The seed is planted. Relationships are being built through these camps. If I remember correctly, relationships play a major role in recruiting...right?

Instant results would be a little far fetched IMO. Calm down talent, we know youre against these camps being successful but your old rhetoric gets boring.

[lineygoblue]

Only time will tell. Give it a few years. The seed is planted. Relationships are being built through these camps. If I remember correctly, relationships play a major role in recruiting...right?

Correct.

Michigan's national recruiting stagnated during the last few years of the Carr administration, and nearly collapsed in the next two regimes.

Harbaugh saw a situation that needed to be fixed, and he's taken steps in the right direction. We've seen a few small victories, but as you said, the seeds have been planted, and he will cultivate them carefully.

[jaadam4]

Carefully? Coach pretty much kicks things in the mouth.

[Mike]

The camps are a long game. Build up the brand nationally, stay in the news, etc. There is absolutely zero downside to conducting the camps. Only good can come from it. Considering HARBAUGH!! pulled a top 5 class his first full year on the job, I expect that to be the norm going forward.

[Detroit Dan]

It seems to me that the camps involve a lot of work and expense, and are an investment in the Michigan brand and program.

[iam416]

Well, at least M fans are now embracing the long-term, mostly ethereal unquantifiable nature of the camps. Last year around this time, HABRAUGH!!!!! was taking verbals left and right from the camps to puff them up. I laughed. I was right to laugh.

In any event, M is in the top 5ish range w/o any real benefit from the camps. If the camps actually "work" I expect to see them surpass Alabama and Ohio State in the next 2 years. You don't need any longer to build relationships. Probably a lot less. And right now they ain't close to surpassing Alabama or OSU so the genius camps better start paying off.

[paul daugherity]

I agree that M isn't close to surpassing Alabama and OSU in recruiting, but I disagree that the camps haven't helped M. I think part of what you're forgetting is just how far M had fallen in recruiting the last 5-10 years.

I know Hoke had a few good classes, but the bulk of those kids were from the Midwest. There is no way M would be in on kids from Alabama, Georgia or Florida under Hoke. Part of that is due to Harbaugh's name recognition and work ethic. But part of it is due to the camps and getting exposure in the south. The recruits mention this. M needed this as a PR stunt to get its name back out there, and I think it has accomplished that. It isn't the be all end all of recruiting tactics, but it has helped M to some degree.