Jethro's UM Football Thread

[Zip Goshboots]

Last night you had Randy Shannon sitting on Brandon Moore's couch, and Pete Carroll siting on Nick Perry's couch.
They had coffee, some cake, and of course Pete Carroll threatened to have his "West Coast" posse kill Perry's family unless he signs with USC (that's how Pete Carroll recroots). In fact, right before Carroll left, his parting words to Perry were, "I'm gon' kill all yall mothafuckas up in dis Detroit mug. Yall thank yall can git away wit all dis goin' to Michigan and shit? Dat's fine. But yall muthafuckas need to do sompin about dis Michigan Sate and shit. Day is an embaraasmum to the whole college football mug. You see my gat? (Waves gat in Nick Perry's face) Yall gon' git to know my gat real goood. I'll be back, and when I am back, they betta be no Michigan State and shit up in this mug"

How's THAT for a cool, street cred, "Snoop Doggy Dogg is my homey" kind of approach? That Pete Carroll, he sure is "with it" in terms of being able to talk to today's players, isn't he?

We want to thank Nick Perry's neighbor, Murray Foogthung, for supplying that tape recording of Pete Carroll's threats to Nick Perry and his family.

[Tahoe]

BTW Zip, hold the last info I sent you...don't post it yet...if thats ok. I wanna double check that. Something doesn't seem right with that story. I think you'd agree.

[Artermis]

I dont believe that Perry is going to go so far from home.

Plus the Barwis factor.

[Zip Goshboots]

BTW Zip, hold the last info I sent you...don't post it yet...if thats ok. I wanna double check that. Something doesn't seem right with that story. I think you'd agree.

Got it Tahoe, thank Gourd you got to me in time. We may have just saved the lives of over 475,000 people.

[Zip Goshboots]

Anybody bother reading Drew Sharp anumore?

A couple weeks ago he said that RichGod MUST get Pryor. Anything less would be failure, and that RichGod might want to consider doing the right thing and committ Harikari if he didn;t sign Pryor.

A couple days ago he said getting Pryor would be an "over rated victory".

This requires no further comment.

[MoTown]

What? That doesn't sound like Drew Sharp at all. What kind of writer plays contrarian in every one of his columns?

[Zip Goshboots]

I know, the consistency and objectivity that Sharp is known for probably took a hit with that juxtaposition. I fear that many of his tens of fans may have been somewhat surprised by this latest column.

[b-diddy]

lol, i caught the second one, didnt see the first. good catch.

DREW SHARP: Michigan coach must beat Ohio State to nation's No. 1 recruit Terrelle Pryor
January 12, 2008

BY DREW SHARP

FREE PRESS COLUMNIST

It looked a little Larry Brown-ish, the new outsider facing the cameras and microphones wearing a Michigan hockey sweater.

Rich Rodriguez showed up in the sweater to prove he's comfortably fitting into the greater Maize and Blue family while still adjusting to his unfamiliar surroundings.

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"Do you know anything about hockey?" a reporter asked Rodriguez.

"I'm about to," he answered.

He has studied the lyrics to "The Victors," although he wouldn't share a quick chorus during Friday's introduction of his football staff. But there's no research required to understand Rodriguez's most important challenge.

He must beat Ohio State -- every day, in every way.

Rodriguez didn't officially take over Michigan until Jan. 2, but already he faces his first win-or-else test against the Buckeyes. And the prize is Terrelle Pryor, a 6-foot-6, 240-pound high school quarterback from western Pennsylvania who's arguably the No. 1 recruiting prospect in the country.

The odds are that Pryor, a Vince Young-wannabe, will never match the enormous hype attached to his potential, but Rodriguez nonetheless must bring him to Ann Arbor.

He must keep Pryor away from Jim Tressel.

He must do whatever it takes.

Failure is not an option. Rodriguez came here with a decisive mandate of implementing change, lifting the successful yet institutionally archaic Michigan football program into the 21st Century. He's creating a strength and conditioning program long overdue at Michigan that he says will "enhance speed." He maintains that he's targeting "fast guys who play fast."

But it's essential that he get Pryor, even if Rodriguez must guarantee him the starting job this fall, no matter the problems of playing a true freshman.

Pryor is a YouTube star. Videos of his high school exploits have made the Internet rounds, fluttering the hearts and accelerating the breathing patterns of recruiting geeks who believe national championships are won on the first Wednesday of February, the official signing day.

Common sense suggests Rodriguez wouldn't have so casually dismissed freshman Ryan Mallett's reticence about returning unless he was certain Pryor would join him in Ann Arbor. Rodriguez told Pryor of his intention to leave for Michigan before he told his West Virginia players.

Rodriguez was evasive when asked Friday if the odds were strong that a true freshman would take the snaps for the Wolverines next season. Mallett's departure leaves Rodriguez with two scholarship quarterbacks. He said he would prefer to have as many as five.

The talent cupboard isn't bare, but it isn't as deep as you might expect from a program that consistently recruits among the top 20 players ranked in the nation. Michigan is thin not only at quarterback, but also at wide receiver and in the secondary.

Among the offensive players Michigan is losing are Jake Long, Chad Henne, Mike Hart, Mario Manningham, Adrian Arrington and Adam Kraus.

"If there's one thing that concerns me," Rodriguez said, it's "that our numbers at certain positions may be a little more difficult to work with. It may require a little more time. But I'm not using the word 'rebuilding.' There are certain national programs that don't take that route, and Michigan is certainly one of them. But there's going to be some growing pains."

It may sound contradictory, but change demands patience.

There is no snap of the finger and -- voila! -- an immediate invitation to the BCS championship game emerges. There will be steps backward before any leaps forward.

Is the Michigan family prepared for that culture shock? Are fans prepared that the Wolverines' 34-year bowl streak could end? A true freshman quarterback leading an offense that's already confused learning a new philosophy is a tough combination.

But give Rodriguez credit for not backing down to the immense challenges awaiting him.

"I've got to be my own guy," he said. "I can't coach or do something that I don't know. If we have success on and off the field, everybody will be happy."

Not exactly, Coach. If you have success against the Buckeyes, everybody will be happy.

He's still learning. It takes time.

DREW SHARP: Michigan landing super recruit Terrelle Pryor would be an overrated victory
January 27, 2008

Remember when the Lions "won" the 2004 NFL draft?

That was when they traded down early in the first round to get Roy Williams and then traded up late in the first round to get Kevin Jones.

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What brilliance!

But who were the arbiters of this alleged championship?

It was about a half dozen national NFL writers and college draft experts entrusted with instantly grading the value of potential because of a hungry public's insatiable need for immediate gratification.

It doesn't matter that time often proves that spot analysis dead wrong. That small pocket of opinion makers accomplishes the NFL's primary objective with the draft of maintaining high interest in the off-season.

And we all know how much that Lions' "victory" that day four years ago has helped them.

It's the same with college recruiting signing day.

It's insane how people react to this most inexact science of talent evaluation. But it's primarily based on a handful of people controlling the grading. The fanatical obsess on their assessments for months, certain that a victory on signing day ensures equal success on the playing field for years.

College football naturally loves the obsession, because it holds tremendous interest in the sport a month after the last game was played. A highly rated recruiting class sells tickets. It builds coaches' reputations. But it has unfortunately given 18-year-olds an inflated sense of self-importance.

Quarterback Jimmy Clausen was last year's No. 1-ranked recruit. He called a national news conference to make his announcement that he would attend Notre Dame, taking a limousine to the news conference. Charlie Weis quickly threw him into the starting lineup, and let's just say Clausen's freshman season could be charitably considered a disaster.

Take note, Michigan fans.

There will be unbridled exhilaration within Michigan Message Board Nation should Rich Rodriguez secure premier quarterbacking prospect Terrelle Pryor on Feb. 6. Pryor likely will start from Day 1, but it's unrealistic to expect anything but a struggle as he adapts to the college game while the Wolverines collectively adapt to a new offensive philosophy.

But landing Pryor would give the Wolverines a big "win" in February.

Hasn't everyone learned how truly overrated these "victories" are, especially when you consider Ohio State has consistently had lower-ranked recruiting classes than Michigan the past five years, but the Buckeyes have accomplished much more during that time.

[b-diddy]

I know, the consistency and objectivity that Sharp is known for probably took a hit with that juxtaposition. I fear that many of his tens of fans may have been somewhat surprised by this latest column.

i think he wrote an honest article and a few weeks later he found the "holier than thou" take that he loves.

[Jethro34]

USC's S&C coach is Will Ferrell, aka Chuck Berry. There's a YouTube video. Still don't know how to embed those in my post.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHkAdusbwuA