Teddy......Kevin Newsome still might land at VT

http://hamptonroads.com/2008/06/football-western-branch
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PC...

I don't put much weight into committments this early.  Like last year, UM had 2 solid verbals from a few kids who came in on Oregon week.  Oregon pasted us against the wall, those kids the following week de-committed and said they wanted to explore looking @ the Ducks.  It's fickle and they're 18 year old kids.

This is classic case of kid meets hot girl @ party, starts dating her, sees her flirting with someone else @ the movies a few weeks down the road, all the sudden he might not like her as much.  UM on campus right now has notta single guy with college experience in that kinda offense.  When the season starts, they'll have one.  A freshman from Florida.  I can't find any other coach in the nation that just says "you're my guy", closes the cell phone on QBs, and fills the depth chart with walk-ons.  Tim Tebow was "the guy" and UF got a top 3-5 QB the following year in Cam Newton.  Depth is part of football.  As is competition.

I think really though, Newsome was enamored with Michigan when he visited, jumped the gun, and now he back home and other teams are still calling.  In the end I think he'll end up @ UM.  I think the ability to possibly play early and not to slam VT...but be in the national spotlight a lot more often TV wise...will end up bringing him to Michigan. 

Beaver was offered before Newsome committed.  It was kinda wham, bam.  He was considered a TCU lock and then Michigan swooped in with a visit and an offer and he didn't think twice.  He seems like a guy who says "screw it, I'm going, and I'm gonna apparently hafta earn the starting job."  He too looks like a gun jumper (nearly going to TCU and then in one fell swoop switching and committing elsewhere) but he seems if nothing else, solid on the fact that he wants to no longer be recruited. 

This is why I'm torn on the idea of early LOIs being allowed.  In some cases it helps a kid that wants to go somewhere w/o the distraction.  But in cases like this when the mind is so easily swayed, what happens if he already has the LOI signed?  High school kids are fickle.  From what I've read though, Beaver isn't as highly rated but is considered a more polished passer...

No.  Michigan is on national TV pretty much every single week.  The Big 10 network took a game or 2 that otherwise would have fallen on ESPN or ESPN2, but I think I had to scrounge for the BTN 3 times last year...ASU, Northwestern, and EMU.  That's not too shabby.  Michigan is one of those rare schools that, win or lose...is a national story.  It just is that way.  Add to the fact that nationally, the Big 10 gets more recognition than the ACC and boom...it only feeds the beast.

I don't think one year personally will take that down.  Several years will.  We're seeing it happen to Notre Dame a bit right now.  But all it will take is one more 10 win season and we're back where we started.  I kinda see Michigan having a rough year working the ND effect...."come play here and restore the glory, be a national icon." 

ESPN has been in love with VT b/c sometimes they provide some very good OOC matchups @ times when there's not as much to choose from.  They milked the tragedy there for more than they should have in my opinion.  But you don't see the Big 10 scrambling to get games on any day other than Saturday.  They know it's getting national recognition regardless.