Why Michigan Football is FINALLY built to recruit at an elite level

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The Michigan Wolverines are on a hot streak on the recruiting trail, securing 11 commitments so far in the month of May. And if Kyle Whittingham and company have it their way, they’ll be adding many more in the coming weeks and months with official visit season kicking off this weekend.

It’s slightly surprising the Wolverines have been able to pull off a heater like this so early in the cycle. With all the catching up the coaching staff had to do once they got in Ann Arbor, it’s a minor miracle they have loaded up so soon as opposed to past recruiting cycles where the program has filled most of their class during the summer and fall months leading up to the December signing period.

The fact Michigan has been so successful so far is part of the reason why On3’s Antonio Morales ($) recently named the Wolverines as one of the 10 programs to watch during this recruiting cycle. Here’s his full rationale:

“While in the Mountain West, Kyle Whittingham was able to build a roster good enough for Utah to go 13-0, beat Alabama and finish in the top five of the AP poll. In the Pac-12, he won two conference titles while routinely finishing outside the top 25 of the recruiting rankings.

“Now, Whittingham is recruiting at a school with much greater resources. Like Cignetti, it’s never been about the recruiting rankings with Whittingham. His teams are tough and physical, and he and his staff have evaluated and developed really, really well. There’s an identity there, and they recruit to it. Michigan has that same sort of hard-nosed, grind-it-out mentality as a program, so the fit feels natural.

“He has more brand power behind him.

“The Wolverines were signing top-15 classes through the dysfunction of Sherrone Moore’s tenure. Whittingham hasn’t had to recruit to those sorts of expectations, but his first full cycle with Michigan has gotten off to a good start. The Wolverines have 15 commitments in a class that ranks eighth nationally. Eleven of the prospects are blue-chippers, and six are among the top 150.

“These next few weeks will offer a better glimpse of what Whittingham is capable of in terms of talent acquisition at Michigan.“

It’s no secret Whittingham has a wealth of resources at Michigan compared to what he had at Utah, and On3 notes that distinct difference as one of the reasons to watch the Wolverines during this recruiting class. Of course, having more resources alone doesn’t guarantee success recruiting players, as plenty of programs (looking at you, Texas A&M) throw money around willy nilly without anything substantive to show for it on the field.

But Whittingham appears to be tactfully utilizing the resources at his disposal. The coaching staff hasn’t simply chased stars like many fans would do if they were in the same position. Instead, they appear focused on recruiting players that fit a specific brand of football and that are quality students in the classroom. Some of those guys are highly regarded, but Whittingham and company are not afraid to go after lower ranked players as well. The best teams have won time and time again with a balance of high level talent and developmental players, much like the Wolverines in the 2023 season, and that is what the new staff is going for.

At the end of the day, Whittingham is in the best spot of his career as it pertains to being able to consistently recruit highly regarded prospects. The Wolverines were doing well on the recruiting trail prior to his arrival, but you could argue they are set to recruit at an even better level moving forward considering Whittingham is nearing the end of his career and he very likely wants to get to the top of the college football mountain before he retires.

What do you think of all this? Let me know down in the comments section below.

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