The Year of the Hoke: Reviewing the 2011 Season

As we approach the 2012 season, it’s important (or, at least, it should be) to glance over what went down last year, and where the program is going forward.

Of course, there’s more to 2011 than simply Michigan getting to 11 wins that included a BCS bowl victory. There was substantial improvement on defense, defeating an old rival, meeting expectations, and even exceeding them. But was Michigan’s 2011 season an unmitigated success? Let’s take a look.

Biggest Hits

Beating Ohio State

If there was one accomplishment, one development, that absolutely cannot be overlooked, it is Brady Hoke’s first win over Ohio State as Michigan’s head coach. He had seen victories over the Buckeyes during his tenure as a Michigan assistant under Lloyd Carr—as the defensive line coach from 1995-2002, until he was offered a head coaching gig at his alma mater, Ball State—but a win as the head coach of the Wolverines in his inaugural season must have been infinitely more satisfying.

“It would be the ultimate validation of his stewardship and confirmation of his methods,” wrote Ohio State blogger Ramzy Nasrallah the week before the Michigan-Ohio State game. Michigan would enter the contest with the reminder that they had not beaten the Buckeyes in nearly 3,000 days. Through the efforts of Brady Hoke, his staff, the team captains, and all the players who pulled together, the losing streak was snapped. For once, the Michigan faithful could finally breathe easy as they neared the end of the year.

Beginning with the fateful victory over Ohio State in 1969, when the new era of Michigan football was ushered in under Bo Schembechler, every Michigan coach since then (Schembechler, Gary Moeller, Lloyd Carr) had won their initial game against Ohio State—save one: Rich Rodriguez. Ever the “Michigan Man,” Brady Hoke restored that tradition to its rightful place.

Starting Strong

On September 1, 2008, Rich Rodriguez received the first piece of evidence that his spread offense probably wasn’t the best fit for Michigan when the Utah Utes stuffed any attempt the Wolverines made to get yards. The once-proud Wolverines lost the game 25-23, ensuring that the first game of the Rich Rodriguez Era was a disappointment—the first of many to come. “Don’t leave the Rodriguez bandwagon early,” wrote Dan Feldman of the Michigan Daily after the game. Rodriguez’s Wolverines would go on to win only three games in what became the absolute worst season in Michigan football history.

Brady Hoke’s first game against Western Michigan on September 3, 2011 was the first, necessary step into restoring Michigan’s reputation. The Wolverines defeated the Broncos 34-10, although the game was cut short in the third quarter because of thunderstorms. Nevertheless, Michigan’s ability to take control of a game they had every right to win proved that Hoke and his staff knew their stuff and knew how to coach it. For the first time since Lloyd Carr, it finally seemed like Michigan was going to meet some expectations.

The next game against Notre Dame was another huge test, and the Wolverines pulled out that one in a last-second thriller, forcing the Irish to start their season at 0-2. Though I personally didn’t expect Hoke to walk away from that contest victorious, it was definitely a pleasant surprise and another reminder that Hoke was serious about big, important games.

With the Wolverines coached competently on defense (finally!), Michigan was able to start 6-0 against several opponents that, with less competent teaching, they may have easily lost to, such as Hoke’s old team in San Diego State or Pat Fitzgerald’s ever-unpredictable Wildcats of Northwestern. Michigan also made a statement in the Big Ten by winning its conference opener against Minnesota 58-0. Rather than having to escape every game—which was how Rodriguez’s teams were able to start undefeated in 2009 and 2010, only to be crushed and humiliated by legitimate teams in the later part of the schedule—the Wolverines under Hoke were actually able to force some three and outs, resulting in decisive wins.

Finishing Strong

One of the biggest reasons why Rich Rodriguez’s seasons became “disappointments” was because the way they ended. In 2009 and 2010, the Wolverines won a combined four games in October and November for both years. This put added pressure on the players (and the seniors) to beat Ohio State, and they were never able to do it. When January came around, the winters were a lot colder, and Rodriguez’s seat was a lot hotter.

While in 2011 Michigan put up three signature victories in October (dropping only Michigan State), it was their run in November that truly allowed the Wolverines to make a visible difference. A strong defensive stand against Illinois, a 45-17 beatdown of a favored Nebraska, and finally snapping the losing skid against Ohio State was a November Rodriguez’s players never saw.

It quickly became clear that Hoke and Mattison got fundamental on defense, while Al Borges focused more and more on how to make a spread/pro-style hybrid offense. The competency of the coaches carried over to the players and showed a clear distinction against Rodriguez’s staff, where losing in November was not only dreaded, it eventually became expected. Hoke’s ability to break the tradition of losing during November stretches that had gripped Michigan’s football program for the past three years helped solidify him as Michigan’s man.

Vast Improvement on Defense

There was perhaps no question more asked of the Michigan football program going into the 2011 season than “What about that defense?”

Throughout all of 2009 and 2010, in the waning months as the Rodriguez era slowly and steadily reached its end, there seemed to rage an eternal debate about the nature of Michigan’s increasingly porous defense and what could be done to fix it.

The initial reaction was that it was the players: lack of talent because of heavy attrition, injuries, and the inability of a few recruits to gain admission to the university. (The best example of the third is Demar Dorsey, a highly-rated cornerback whom Rodriguez and company banked a great deal of their hope on, only to discover that his poor grades made the admission department deny him admission. Yet another reason why Rodriguez’s philosophy clashed with Michigan’s standards.)

When season after season passed, the debate eventually shifted to the coaches, although some still held firm to the notion that Rodriguez was doing everything he could. The defense was so bad in 2010 that, finally, fans started to question the direction Rodriguez was taking the program, after the questionable hire of Greg Robinson. (Most of Rodriguez’s most ardent supporters, to this day, believe that Greg Robinson is chiefly, if not solely, to blame for the defensive struggles.)

The hiring of Brady Hoke not only brought a defensive-minded head coach, but also a surprisingly elite hire in Greg Mattison, former defensive coordinator of the Baltimore Ravens. Together they taught and re-taught the same Michigan players fundamentals, technique, and preached toughness, and the defense went from being 110th in the country to 14th. That ended the debate. It was always coaching.

Going to the Sugar Bowl

This one was really unexpected. It was a fitting end to a great regular season. I don’t think there was a single Michigan fan out there who anticipated that the Wolverines would get to 10 wins and a BCS bowl. Maybe eventually, but in year one?

Mike Martin said in a video that one of the reasons why he committed to Michigan was because he expected to go to BCS bowls every year. Obviously, the last time Michigan played in a BCS bowl was against USC in the Rose Bowl in January 2007. After Lloyd Carr retired, Michigan endured something of a bowl drought for two years under Rich Rodriguez. In 2010 they were finally bowl eligible but got humiliated 52-14 by Mississippi State in the Gator Bowl.

Coming from that drought makes the BCS bowl berth after the 2011 season all the more surprising and all the more impressive. For seniors like Mike Martin, who when they committed to Michigan had hoped to be there every year, it was good of them to finally get there. Their effort brought Michigan back to national relevance.

Biggest Misses

Losing to Michigan State

The most notable and palpable blemish on Hoke’s record so far has been the loss to in-state rival, Michigan State. Michigan—which previously dominated the rivalry for six straight years, winning every contest from 2002 to 2007, and before that was victorious for 14 games over 20 years—has now been on the losing side of the rivalry, falling to the Spartans four straight years in a row.

Granted, it’s nowhere nears as bad as the Spartans’ record in the rivalry, but this is something that Michigan is not used to. Lloyd Carr was known for almost never losing a game to the Spartans, even when he was at his most complacent. It wasn’t until Rodriguez arrived that the rivalry quickly turned and got worse every year. When Brady Hoke arrived, that was supposed to change. It didn’t.

This isn’t to say that Hoke hasn’t made necessary steps in the rivalry. Locking down nine of the top ten players in the state of Michigan for 2012 certainly helped, as well as landing five-star quarterback Shane Morris for the class of 2013, a development which sent Spartan fans into a harried frenzy.

But domination needed to happen on the field.

Michigan’s game against Michigan State in Spartan was an embarrassment on all levels. Not only did both teams look ridiculous with hideous uniforms, but Michigan State somehow won despite giving up over 100 yards in penalties. It was surprising to see Michigan lose after all the strides they’d made in discipline, and they were clearly more disciplined than the Spartans, but they just couldn’t produce.

Performance in the Sugar Bowl

Though some of this can be chalked up to pre-game injuries, Michigan’s offense in the Sugar Bowl didn’t exactly play their best game. It’s hard to say anything bad or good about Michigan in the Sugar Bowl because, well, they won. They won ugly. So does how they won matter?

In terms of this review, yes. With the high of winning the Sugar Bowl now gone because enough time has passed, it’s fair to say that Michigan’s performance in the game was somewhat of an embarrassment. After all the talk that Michigan and Virginia Tech didn’t deserve to be in the game in the first place, for Michigan to come in and have such inept offensive performance (the defense, while keeping Michigan in the game, although simultaneously gave up huge yards on third down, keeping VT in the game) that eeked out a close win in overtime was more of a negative than a positive. While Michigan fans and players were happy that they had fought hard to get the win, it also gave Michigan’s detractors more fuel because, let’s face it, that game was not fun to watch.

You won’t find too many Michigan bloggers or fans saying anything about the Sugar Bowl other than “a win is a win,” but if Hoke’s Wolverines had a moment when things could have and should have gone better, this was arguably it.

The Way Forward in 2012

To cite any expectations for the coming season with the phrase “Obviously this needs to happen” would be both pedantic and premature. There are numerous reasons why the Wolverines will be able to replicate a lot of their success from 2011 into 2012: the fact that they return playmakers like Denard Robinson, Fitzgerald Toussaint, Roy Roundtree, Jeremy Gallon, behind a stout offensive line that features seasoned veterans like Taylor Lewan and Patrick Omameh, as well as defensive standouts like Jordan Kovacs, Kenny Demens, Craig Roh, Jake Ryan, and Blake Countess is all very encouraging.

The primary concerns are on the lines themselves. This is understandable, since huge question marks were left when David Molk, Mike Martin, Ryan Van Bergen, and Kevin Koger (a tight end) all graduated. The question apparently is if the 2012 seniors can fill those shoes. (I’d personally be more worried about the lines if Hoke himself wasn’t a defensive-line coach at heart.)

The schedule is considerably less forgiving. Still, Brady Hoke must have the game against Michigan State circled in red. It is played at home, and with the Spartans losing almost all of their offensive weapons (quarterback Kirk Cousins, receiver B.J. Cunningham, running back Edwin Baker, receiver Keshawn Martin, and receiver/tight end Keith Nichol are all gone), the Wolverines should have a distinct advantage. (I should note that Michigan State’s defense returns almost all of its starters and will arguably be the best in the Big Ten.)

I won’t get too much into previewing the 2012 season just yet, but suffice it to say that several teams will be gunning for Michigan (Alabama, Notre Dame, Nebraska, and Urban Meyer-led Ohio State). The Wolverines will certainly have their hands full.

You’d think that with such daunting expectations Brady Hoke would be worried, but he isn’t. If anything, he feels the 2011 was a failure because they didn’t win the Big Ten championship.

Imagine that, all the success Michigan had, and somehow they still failed. That driving hunger, that eternal desire of always wanting more is something Michigan has lacked for a long time, and it shows that Hoke is the perfect guy for the job. He can handle it. Michigan will be just fine.

Russell Bellomy Brings Solid Depth to Quarterback Position

At Michigan’s 2012 spring game, the play on the field was largely vanilla—no deep passes were thrown—but it did provide the coaches with an opportunity to get their backup players some reps. If you missed the spring game, you can see it in its entirety here.

Most notably in the scrimmage came the play of quarterback Russell Bellomy, the 6’3” 185-pound redshirt freshman from Arlington, Texas. According to Michigan’s coaches, he is third behind Denard Robinson and Devin Gardner. However, based on Bellomy’s performance in the spring game, he could be a lot closer to the getting the backup job than Gardner is to keeping it. You can see all of Bellomy’s offensive snaps in the game here.

Bellomy was one of the late recruits to Michigan’s 2011 class, committing in the first weeks of Brady Hoke’s hiring. Offensive coordinator Al Borges said that Bellomy “was recruited by some teams that I have a lot of respect for recruiting quarterbacks.” (Borges is likely referring to Purdue, Boise State, and Michigan State, all of whom offered Bellomy scholarships and all of whom have developed outstanding quarterbacks. Bellomy was previously committed to Purdue before his Michigan offer.)

“When I first got here,” Borges told reporters back in February 2011, “there was no recruited quarterback, so we were trying to find a quarterback. After looking at [Bellomy], doing some quick research, a quick cram course on all the kids that were candidates for the scholarship, he checked out at every turn. I talked to several coaches who were recruiting him—maybe they had already signed a quarterback, but [they] were really, really high on him. I got great reports. That, but even more so, the research I did on my own—having a chance to watch tape and talk to his coach—I was sold on the kid.”

It’s amazing how Bellomy was only rated as a three-star quarterback coming out of high school when his highlight tape looks more like that of a five-star quarterback. (Seriously, it is more impressive than No. 1 2012 quarterback Gunner Kiel’s.) Bellomy has really good accuracy (then for a high school senior) and a really strong arm, and he’s not limited to the pocket. If you watch his tape, he has some decent wheels and can definitely be considered a dual-threat.

So, why the low rating? MGoBlog's Tim (the site's recruiting blogger at the time) seemed to think it was because of Bellomy’s long-standing commitment to Purdue before he switched to Michigan. Recruiting websites have little regard for the Boilermakers, whom they consider to be a mid-level Big Ten team, and they sometimes grade their recruits unfairly. Also, consider this: skilled quarterbacks in the state of Texas are a dime a dozen, and it’s possible Bellomy was overlooked because of the sheer quantity of quality Texas recruits. (This would also explain why for the past few years the No.1-rated quarterbacks have come from states that have significantly fewer blue-chips: Gunner Kiel from Indiana, and Max Browne from Washington. Talent tends to stick out in an area where it is uncommon.)

Nevertheless, I cannot say enough how much I like this guy. Bellomy’s phenomenal high school highlight reel aside, he was good enough to be the main quarterback on the scout team and kept the defense on their toes enough to prepare them for 2011’s toughest challenges.

Before Bellomy even had an offer from the Wolverines, he came off as a humble yet determined, team-oriented Michigan Man in the making. Bob Wager, Bellomy's high school football coach, described him as "an outstanding student," having "a 4.0 GPA academically and a 1100 plus on his SAT."

"He’s done a masterful job of maintaining the balance of being a student-athlete," Wager told Go Blue Wolverine, Michigan football's premier (but unofficial) recruiting site. "He’s a team captain, as voted by his teammates, which I think is one of the great honors you can have. I think he’s going to make the team better and the campus better the moment he steps on because of the type of person he is . . . In Russell’s words, Michigan was one of his absolute dream schools. I think certainly anytime you go up to that environment, even here in the great state of Texas, we recognize the fact that Michigan is one of the premier football traditions in all of college football and I’m sure that had a profound impact to have an opportunity to go up and visit Ann Arbor."

Brady Hoke and Al Borges got themselves a major steal with this one.

The 2012 spring game was a bit of a validation for anyone who saw Bellomy’s highlight reel and concluded he was the Real McCoy, a solid, competent game manager—which is always satisfying to throw back in the faces of the doubters. Of course, what naturally emerged from Bellomy’s performance was a discussion of what this means for backup quarterback Devin Gardner, who has continued to struggle not only in spring games but also in actual games. Gardner’s first snap in his 2010 spring game debut was a fumble, but it was largely written off because he was then a freshman. He is now a junior.

“If Gardner's been really good and Bellomy uninspiring but solid and mistake-light throughout the spring, only one of these traits came through on Saturday,” wrote MGoBlog’s Brian after the 2012 spring game. “In three consecutive spring games [Devin Gardner has] looked bad.”

This also came after the recent speculation and rumors that Devin Gardner might be switching his position to wide receiver, and that he might actually be doing really well there—which shouldn’t come as a complete surprise. Gardner is a raw athlete who has always shown impressive speed as a scrambler and, at 6’4”, 205 lbs., he’d be the tallest wide receiver on Michigan’s roster.

In terms of Michigan’s coaches putting the best players on the field, and Gardner actually getting some more frequent playing time before he graduates, this is not a bad deal.

Last year I profiled Devin Gardner as a “Player to Watch in 2011” largely because I figured that his tall frame was better suited to a pro-style, pocket pass-focused offense than was Denard Robinson’s 6’0” frame. I also thought that, even with Gardner regulated to the backup position, he would still be eventually better suited to run the offense in the future. These thoughts are now shown to be somewhat shortsighted and were possibly obscured by the fact that Gardner was a five-star quarterback coming out of high school and the nation’s No. 1 dual-threat quarterback prospect of 2010.

Much like Fitzgerald Toussaint securing the feature running-back position, Denard Robinson has become the unanimously clear choice as Michigan's feature quarterback. I would be shocked if he lost the starting job to either Gardner or Bellomy. The battle between the two of them now seems to be for the backup job, and Bellomy has the advantage.

This isn’t a bad thing. For the first time since 2007, Michigan finally has depth at quarterback. With Warren De La Salle’s Shane Morris joining the roster in 2013 after Denard graduates, we can finally stop worrying about Michigan’s quarterback position. Even if Morris doesn’t nab the starting job as a true freshman and Gardner is moved to wide receiver for the remainder of his career, Bellomy will by then be capable enough to be the starter and manage the offense while Morris develops.

Brian Cook’s Hail to the Victors magazine wrote in 2011 that “a lack of recruiting stability was rare in Bo Schembechler’s era” at Michigan. The same was true of quarterback stability, even through the Lloyd Carr era.

For the first time in a long time, that stability has returned.

2012 Signing Day Recap and Overview

Yesterday, February 1, 2012, twenty-five high school prospects signed their letters of intent to officially join the Michigan football program. The University of Michigan athletic department released a general run-down of all the committed players.

Here’s a quick list of all the players:

OL Blake Bars (6’5”, 270 lbs.)

LB Joe Bolden (6’3”, 230 lbs.)

OL Ben Braden (6’6”, 319 lbs.)

WR Jehu Chesson (6’3”, 175 lbs.)

DB Jeremy Clark (6’4”, 195 lbs.)

WR Amara Darboh (6’2”, 200 lbs.)

TE Devin Funchess (6’4”, 205 lbs.)

DB Allen Gant (6’2”, 205 lbs.)

DT Matt Godin (6’6”, 265 lbs.)

DT Willie Henry (6’3”, 273 lbs.)

FB Sione Houma (6’0”, 215 lbs.)

LB Royce Jenkins-Stone (6’2”, 215 lbs.)

RB Drake Johnson (6’1”, 205 lbs.)

OL Kyle Kalis (6’5”, 305 lbs.)

OL Eric Magnuson (6’6”, 275 lbs.)

RB Dennis Norfleet (5’6”, 165 lbs.)

DE Mario Ojemudia (6’2”, 220 lbs.)

DT Ondre Pipkins (6’3”, 320 lbs.)

DB Terry Richardson (5’9”, 165 lbs.)

LB Kaleb Ringer (6’1”, 225 lbs.)

LB James Ross (6’1”, 215 lbs.)

DE Tom Strobel (6’6”, 265 lbs.)

TE A.J. Williams (6’6”, 275 lbs.)

DB Jarrod Wilson (6’2”, 190 lbs.)

DE Chris Wormley (6’5”, 250 lbs.)

As I’ve said many times, I don’t normally follow recruiting or have time to post about on this blog when so many other outfits can do so. They dedicate a lot of time to it. I have made a few posts, however.

There’s also a big element of unpredictability about recruiting: you never know when a player is going to decommit, or if something equally bad is going to happen. This is also why I don’t like to make posts about recruits who haven’t signed. However, now that these guys have all signed their letters of intent (LOI), they’re officially part of the Michigan football family, and we can talk about them without worry. (Note: Even in the best programs, attrition is always existent. Just because a player commits and signs a LOI doesn’t mean they won’t transfer because they can’t cut it in practice.)

Anyway, let’s talk about this class. Generally, I think it’s pretty good. Brady Hoke’s staff addressed all of the major needs (offensive line, tight end, defense, etc.) while still pulling in some great skill players at running back and wide receiver.

So, how does this class rate? Scout.com ranks Michigan as No. 4 behind Alabama, Texas, and Ohio State. Across most sites, Michigan and Ohio State are tied for best class in the Big Ten.

Best Prospect on Offense: Kyle Kalis

Michigan really needed some depth at offensive line, and Kalis is an amazing get for a number of reasons. Probably the biggest one is that he decommitted from Ohio State to become a Wolverine. Kalis is big, tough, and strong and will likely play right away. He is arguably Michigan’s highest rated recruit on the board.

Runner-up: Amara Darboh

Darboh is a four-star wide receiver from Des Moines, Iowa that was very high on Notre Dame’s list of targeted recruits. It was pretty big news when he chose Michigan over Notre Dame, and some Irish fans are legitimately getting worried.

Best Prospect on Defense: Ondre Pipkins

Ironically nicknamed “Pee Wee,” Pipkins is huge and ready to go. Not only does he fit into a crucial defensive line need—with Michigan losing Mike Martin—but he was also desperately wanted by the Michigan State Spartans. Pipkins had offers from Alabama, Florida, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oregon, and USC, among many others. He is considered one of the top ten best defensive tackles in the entire country, earning a four-star rating from Scout and a five-star rating from Rivals.com.

Runner-up: James Ross

Ross was an early commit to Michigan back in 2011 and that news became hugely disappointing to schools like USC, Ohio State, and Penn State, but Michigan State was particularly bitter about this one. Ross has an incredibly high football I.Q. to counteract his size, and he is probably the best tackler in the Midwest. If Ross lives up to his potential, he will likely become one of the best linebackers in Michigan football history.

But really, this whole class is rated incredibly high, which you would expect from the No. 4 class in the country. Chris Wormley, Mario Ojemudia, and Devin Funchess were all four-star recruits nabbed to the chagrin of Michigan’s rivals. Michigan only lost one commitment in the whole process—Caleb Stacey, who switched his commitment to the University of Cincinnati because he wanted to stay close to home. (Stacey is from Cincinnati.)

There’s plenty to like about each prospect, and it’s hard to have one favorite. Running back Dennis Norfleet was a surprise get for Michigan because he committed the day of Signing, changing his commitment from Cincinnati (which nabbed Caleb Stacey) to Michigan at the last second. 

Norfleet is a four-star rated recruit on Scout and is considered the No. 19 best running back in the country. He also happens to be from Detroit, which may explain why he thought he was being overlooked. At mgoblog.com, Brian Cook was pretty excited that Michigan got Norfleet:

Yessssss. Schools should recruit guys like Norfleet like they do kickers: have at least one on the roster at all times and maybe stash a second away so you've always got a quality specialist. With Justice Hayes Michigan now has two bullets in the space-player chamber. 

Norfleet will instantly be in the mix for both return jobs. While Jeremy Gallon is likely to hold on to punt return duties, kickoff returns could use a jolt of athleticism after Martavious Odoms and Vincent Smith split duties this year. 

As far as a role on offense, he'll probably spend a year backing up Vincent Smith before fighting with Hayes for third down back. If Michigan really is moving to a "pro style" offense they'll have to define whether that means aimlessly running power over and over or pairing guys like Hayes and Norfleet with Shane Morris to create a Brees/Brady-style deadly passing spread. Survey says: some of both. Norfleet could have an impact in the former and will be a centerpiece in the latter.

Norfleet is pretty much a consensus four-star running back across the board, but if he wants to have early playing time, he’ll have to beat out Fitzgerald Toussiant in 2012, and probably Thomas Rawls down the road.

Signing Day always has its ups and downs, because nothing is official until the school gets that letter of intent in the fax. The athletic department followed the events on Signing Day, and you can view Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3 if you want to see the staff nervously await the faxes to come in. Brady Hoke also gave a press conference where he talked about each of the recruits. AnnArbor.com has a transcript of Hoke’s comments on each recruit, if you’d rather read than watch.

CBS coverage of Signing Day interviews Brady Hoke:

And of course, Michigan alumnus and Wolverine fan Bob Wojnowski took the opportunity to relate Michigan’s recruiting back to its rivalries:

To build in the trenches, you have to fight in the trenches. To gain ground, you have to stand your ground. College football teams don't win merely by collecting the biggest recruits, but it's not a bad way to try. And right now in the Big Ten, there's some old-fashioned, backyard, bare-knuckle brawling going on. 

Michigan is a Midwest recruiting force again under Brady Hoke. Ohio State's scandal cost it, oh, about 15 minutes of recruiting time before Urban Meyer cranked it up. Mark Dantonio and Michigan State aren't shying away, but it's a scrap again, sooner than expected. 

After a three-year respite, Michigan is back to encroaching on Michigan State's territory, and trying to reclaim its own. Ohio State is back to encroaching on Michigan's territory, and Michigan State's territory, and Penn State's territory. Ohio State and Michigan hauled in the Big Ten's top-rated classes Wednesday, both hovering in the top five nationally…the Wolverines did an excellent job loading up with the type of players they needed — offensive and defensive linemen, and guys who tackle. Of their 25 recruits, 18 are from Michigan and Ohio. Of the Buckeyes' 25 recruits, 15 are from Ohio. Of the Spartans' 18 recruits, 11 are from Michigan and Ohio. So you can understand if the Spartans are feeling a little territorial. They had their pick of the state while Rich Rodriguez was chasing fast guys all across the country, and they posted back-to-back 11-victory seasons and beat the Wolverines four straight times. 

The battling is here to stay, on the field and off. Meyer brings an SEC raid-everyone's-commit-cupboards mentality. Hoke brings an old-school devotion to trench warfare…This is how great rivalries get stoked, when players stay close to home and understand what's at stake. There's no sense getting starry-eyed on the first day of February, because for every 5-star bust, there's a 3-star phenom. The recruiting experts can declare the winners. I'll simply declare the Big Ten got top-heavier, and the scrapping to hold ground and gain ground just got a lot more intense.

How did the rivals do?

Michigan State: their best recruit is indisputably wide receiver Aaron Burbridge, the best wide receiver in the state of Michigan, and the only player who chose to be a Spartan over being a Wolverine. (To be fair, though, Michigan’s staff was recruiting him less and less when it was discovered that he struggled in the classroom.)

The Spartans are miffed about losing Mario Ojemudia and Devin Funchess, two prospects who came from Farmington Hills Harrison, widely believed to be a Michigan State pipeline. They’re also upset about losing James Ross, who comes from Orchard Lake St. Mary’s, a high school that has been divided in its love for the Spartans and the Wolverines.

Ohio State: the Buckeyes’s best prospect is probably running back Brionte Dunn, who was heavily fought over between Hoke and Meyer, and who was heavily considering coming to Michigan. Meyer won the battle, though.

Either in spite of the sanctions or because the sanctions aren’t tough enough, Ohio State has tons of elite prospects. Michigan was able to nab Kyle Kalis away from Columbus, but the Buckeyes landed the commitment of cornerback Armani Reeves, another hotly contested prospect by both schools. It seems that the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry is going to heat up even more—if that’s possible.

Notre Dame: their best prospect is clearly Gunner Kiel, the No. 1 best quarterback in the country. Kiel had originally committed to play for Indiana under Kevin Wilson, and then he switched to LSU. A few weeks before Signing Day, Kiel switched again to Notre Dame, this time for good. He doesn’t exactly fit Brian Kelly’s offense (Kiel is a Grade A pocket passer), but he has a powerful arm and lethal accuracy. Kiel’s commitment upped Notre Dame’s ranking to have the No. 18 best class in the nation.

With Michigan filling all of its needs and securing some of the best talent away from their rivals, it’s hard not to get excited about this class. Brady Hoke clearly established a very impressive foothold in the Midwest and brought the primary efforts of recruiting back to the states of Michigan and Ohio.

It’s an exciting time to be a Michigan fan. But then again, it should be.