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Please explain this quote from the parent of an FSU recuit

  • So this HS LB from VA was being recuited by Hoke and decided on FSU.

    Please explain what the father says umaa told him after they had recruited what was supposed to be their last LB.

    “Michigan said they needed two linebackers,” said Eric Levenberry, E.J.'s father. “They told everybody, and they said, ‘If you want the position, you’d better be one of the first here, the first to commit.’ They did get two linebackers to commit. I gave them a call, and they told us the other kid was going to commit, but they would still hold a spot for E.J.”

    So is it we know what we said but the offer is still good? This happens to be umaa and Hoke but it could be a host of other schools with the same story.

    This post was edited by GRR Spartan on 5/1/2012 at 12:19 PM

    GRR Spartan ●

  • GRR Spartan said...

    So this HS LB from VA was being recuited by Hoke and decided on FSU.

    Please explain what the father says umaa told him after they had recruited what was supposed to be their last LB.

    “Michigan said they needed two linebackers,” said Eric Levenberry, E.J.'s father. “They told everybody, and they said, ‘If you want the position, you’d better be one of the first here, the first to commit.’ They did get two linebackers to commit. I gave them a call, and they told us the other kid was going to commit, but they would still hold a spot for E.J.”

    So is it we know what we said but the offer is still good? This happens to be umaa and Hoke but it could be a host of other schools with the same story.

    Michigan told him we are done recruiting linebackers but will reserve a spot for you. He committed to fsu and now they are no longer recruiting linebackers.

    Jack Passion

  • 1. Trying to create urgency, and get guys in the fold.
    2. They're lying, since they'll still take his commit after getting their 2 LBs.

    If you talk to a UM fan about it, prepare for something like "He was scared of competition", or "It wasn't a commitable offer".

    Rodeo Burger

  • Jack Passion said...

    Michigan told him we are done recruiting linebackers but will reserve a spot for you. He committed to fsu and now they are no longer recruiting linebackers.

    This is what I gather

    Ron_in_ATL

  • GRR Spartan said...

    So this HS LB from VA was being recuited by Hoke and decided on FSU.

    Please explain what the father says umaa told him after they had recruited what was supposed to be their last LB.

    “Michigan said they needed two linebackers,” said Eric Levenberry, E.J.'s father. “They told everybody, and they said, ‘If you want the position, you’d better be one of the first here, the first to commit.’ They did get two linebackers to commit. I gave them a call, and they told us the other kid was going to commit, but they would still hold a spot for E.J.”

    So is it we know what we said but the offer is still good? This happens to be umaa and Hoke but it could be a host of other schools with the same story.

    Wait . . . there's something you don't know?? WTF?? banghead

    The end is near.

    trash

  • This refers to Levenberry the #15 player in the country..

    I think they held the spot because of his high ranking.. I don't think they'll accept any more LB recruits unless there's a decomit.

    I thought the same thing when I read the quote though.. Pressure sell..

    Jfaspen

  • trash said...

    Wait . . . there's something you don't know?? WTF?? banghead

    The end is near.

    coming from a poster who calls themselves trash I wopuld expect no less biggrin

    GRR Spartan ●

  • Rodeo Burger said...

    1. Trying to create urgency, and get guys in the fold.

    This approach works very well. Dantonio has worked this soft-pressure approach in the past with success, as well. thumbsup

    tVargMan Prime

  • This subject does need to be brought to light for those that doubt Hoke hard sells kids.

    Proof is here. Nice post. +1

    This post was edited by Lawre167 on 5/1/2012 at 1:04 PM

    Lawre167 ●

  • Big Nips said...

    Well, it doesn't sound like this kid was given the hard sell if they said they'd leave a spot open for him....

    Then why did U-M's staff originally tell him to be one of the first two? That's the definition of a hard sell.

    Hoke recognizes the kid's talent, so adding "they'd still hold a spot for him" was code for "hey, my initial hard sell didn't work, but we'd still like you".

    This post was edited by Lawre167 on 5/1/2012 at 1:11 PM

    Lawre167 ●

  • Lawre167 said...

    Then why did U-M's staff originally tell him to be one of the first two? That's the definition of a hard sell.

    It's not a hard sell...the coach is leaving it up to the recruit to commit. The coach is being honest with the recruit letting him know that at a certain position, there are a certain number of spots open and that there are other recruits in the same plan as he is.

    This approach is honest and transparent and it allows the recruit to determine the level of urgency they want to apply to this decision.

    Coach D has used this approach, as well...

    tVargMan Prime

  • Big Nips said...

    They were trying to create some urgency, but that's not what I would call a hard sell. The hard Sell would be if they told him, "Sorry, we're full" after they had taken two players.

    Whatever wolvie, spin away.

    WBill19542

  • I understand that. But in the order things were communicated, Hoke originally tried the hard sell, only telling Levenberry afterward that he could still commit.

    Lawre167 ●

  • Big Nips said...

    They were trying to create some urgency, but that's not what I would call a hard sell. The hard Sell would be if they told him, "Sorry, we're full" after they had taken two players.

    Lol. That's not a hard sell. That's terminating an offer. You can't sell what isn't available, moron.

    What part of "If you want a spot, you better be one of the first to commit" don't you understand? That's a cut and dry hard sell.

    That may work with a Cass Tech kid, but it's not going to work with an upper-echelon recruit like Levenberry. Most of those kids will tell Hoke to piss off and take their time deciding between SEC schools. Michigan is applying the pressure early in the process so they can be in a very strong position to hold on to commits or discourage decommitments if they happen to go 8-4 and underperform. They don't have the luxury at this point of being able to wait and take a bunch of kids on Signing Day because they know they will be successful, thus the "hard sell".

    This post has been edited 2 times, most recently by Lunchables on 5/1/2012 at 1:33 PM

    Lunchables

  • a hard sell example:

    I can't possible go lower on this car. I'm losing money! (chasing you walking to your car) Wait, wait, let me "talk to the manager" one more time for you.

    Or what Hoke did with that kid.

    dagomike ●

  • GRR Spartan said...

    coming from a poster who calls themselves trash I wopuld expect no less biggrin

    I wopuld hoope not! crackwhip

    trash

  • dagomike said...

    a hard sell example:

    I can't possible go lower on this car. I'm losing money! (chasing you walking to your car) Wait, wait, let me "talk to the manager" one more time for you.

    Or what Hoke did with that kid.

    I was beginning to wonder if I was the only who recognized this.

    Lawre167 ●

  • We "civilians" often don't hear about the real hard sells. This looks like a hard sell.

    That is "The scholarship offer expires when you leave campus from this recruiting visit. Sometimes it implied other times plainly stated. Stoops uses it at OK regularly.

    Remember the Keith Nichol episode? JLS was recuiting Nichol very hard and may have even had a verbal. MSU fires JLS, hires Dantonio and Nichol tells Dantonio he will visit East Lansing before he makes his decision. Nichol, his father and HS coach visit Norman OK and Keith comes home a Sooner and is being enrolled for winter term. Dantonio starts recruiting Foles and offers Cousins.

    Many of us suspect Hoke and staff have used it on several recruits who have been scheduled

    GRR Spartan ●

  • Big Nips said...

    A hard sell would be "You have to commit now, or your offer is revoked." What happened in the OP is just creating some urgency.

    What happened in the OP is that they likely took a commitment from someone on their LB board who was lower than Levenberry but higher/better than players at other positions of need, which is what created the "welllll, if you still want to commit we'd take you" stance for Levenberry. You obviously don't turn a kid like that away if they want to pull the trigger. They would have been able to "hold" a spot for him by moving Gedeon or McCray to another position when they got to campus and gotten around the "we're only taking 2 LBs" principle that way - which still could be seen as shady since those kids committed first.

    Signing Day is 10 months away. Why the urgency for a consensus Top 50 recruit? They botched it with the kid, even if they were "creating some urgency" like you said.

    This post was edited by Lunchables on 5/1/2012 at 1:44 PM

    Lunchables

  • GRR Spartan said...

    Many of us suspect Hoke and staff have used it on several recruits who have been scheduled

    I can't remember who it was, but there was that one recruit who was visiting UM on friday or saturday and was supposed to visit MSU the next day, but never made it here because he committed to UM right on the spot. That one didn't seem quite right.

    All Ages Shows ●

  • Big Nips said...

    They were trying to create some urgency, but that's not what I would call a hard sell. The hard Sell would be if they told him, "Sorry, we're full" after they had taken two players.

    It was a hard sell, it just didn't work. Hoke knew he'd take him no matter what, but told the kid something else. When the kid called his bluff, the "sell" changed to "Let us know, you can come in any time you want"

    Rodeo Burger

  • trash said...

    Wait . . . there's something you don't know?? WTF?? banghead

    The end is near.

    He really knows the answer, he just wants to see if we do

    signature image

    Behold the walls of Sparta: 10000 men and every one a brick.

    CORNER BLITZ

  • Lunchables said...

    What happened in the OP is that they likely took a commitment from someone on their LB board who was lower than Levenberry but higher/better than players at other positions of need, which is what created the "welllll, if you still want to commit we'd take you" stance for Levenberry. You obviously don't turn a kid like that away if they want to pull the trigger. They would have been able to "hold" a spot for him by moving Gedeon or McCray to another position when they got to campus and gotten around the "we're only taking 2 LBs" principle that way - which still could be seen as shady since those kids committed first.

    Signing Day is 10 months away. Why the urgency for a consensus Top 50 recruit? They botched it with the kid, even if they were "creating some urgency" like you said.

    If I told you people that Michigan's football team went to feed the hungry you'd all complain that the chicken they gave em was dry. Give it a rest. There's nothing to see here.

    Jack Passion

  • I don't know if this is an example of a "hard sell" or not but I don't see why it's a bad approach.

    Big John Studd ●

  • Big John Studd said...

    I don't know if this is an example of a "hard sell" or not but I don't see why it's a bad approach.

    Well, it's dishonest. And now that the kid knows that Hoke lied to him about one thing, he'll be less likely to believe what he says about other things. His subsequent commitment to FSU seems to indicate he's done listening to what Hoke is selling.

    If your approach is to give ultimatum's, thats fine. If you back track on your ultimatums, you get exposed as a liar. I doubt very much this kid would ever consider UM now (obvious now, since once Hoke back tracked, the kid committed to FSU).

    Rodeo Burger

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