Michigan Football: How Wolverines Can Take Back in-State Recruiting

Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio seems to have gained a clear advantage when it comes to in-state recruiting, especially recently. With that said, it has now become the job of Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh to combat the moves of his rival.

The Wolverines can't afford to surrender any more ground to the Spartans. 

School	2014	2015	2016	2017
Michigan	4	3	1	1
Michigan State	6	4	2	0

"I'm a big proponent of, 'You build your base in your backyard,' and then you branch out from there and try to cherry-pick top talent from across the country," Rivals.com recruiting expert Josh Helmholdt said during a recent in-state recruiting interview.

Having done well so far, Harbaugh's reputation, pedigree and methodology are of great influence with in-state recruits, according to Helmholdt. There is a buzz surrounding the new coach. In terms of perception, Michigan has experienced a huge in-state boost since Harbaugh's arrival. 

However, for the time being, Harbaugh seems glued to the national scope, as his creation of satellite camps evidenced. Those out-of-region events will certainly lead to success, but there needs to be a stronger emphasis on re-establishing a local presence. 

There is no substitute for being the big kid on the block. Luckily for Michigan, Harbaugh is one, and he has plenty of like-minded friends to help aid his cause. 

Defensive line coach Greg Mattison and defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin are nationally recognized recruiters. Mattison was named recruiter of the year in 2013, and Durkin earned the honor while at Florida in 2012. Those accolades were won, in part, because of the grips they had on their teams' home state.

Mattison got the best locals for the Wolverines, and Durkin often did the same for the Gators.

Combine their efforts with the energy of tight end coach Jay Harbaugh and passing game coordinator Jedd Fisch, both of whom have recently tweeted from the trail, and Michigan has more than enough ambassadors to cover the Great Lakes State in maize and blue.

They just need to get Dantonio and Ohio State's Urban Meyer out of the way—or at the very least, do more to subdue their efforts. That's not a wish-list thing, that's a realistic thing. It can be done. 

Power Play

Tony Ding/Associated Press

The act of flipping recruits is a common occurrence these days, as verbal commitments are anything but ironclad. Generally speaking, the practice of luring a kid away from a school is frowned upon. But the poaching of talent and extension of behind-the-scenes offers will never stop—those methods are ingrained into the culture.

Coaches who flip appear powerful. Power attracts talent.

Typically, converting a player from a rival, such as Michigan State or Ohio State, means a little more to fans than if their team were to steal one from School X. However, Big Ten foe Penn State has 4-star cornerback Lavert Hill of Detroit Martin Luther King, and outsider Louisville has 4-star wide receiver Desmond Fitzpatrick of Farmington.

Flipping one or both of the targets would be an ultimate display of authority, and it could make others reconsider their position on and perception of Michigan. 

Reclaiming Detroit Cass Tech, a prep powerhouse that has been jokingly referred to as one of the Wolverines' farm teams, would also assist Harbaugh in winning recruiting scrums within home boundaries. 

The "Cass Tech Pipeline" is certainly a real thing for Michigan, and it's been very good to the program in the past. Despite all of that, Dantonio has consistently poked around that well for the past two years. He hasn't fended off Michigan (or Ohio State), but it seems as if Cass Tech's doors are open wider than ever for Dantonio. 

At the moment, 4-star receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones is the No. 1-ranked player in the state's 2017 class. His teammate, 4-star safety Jaylen Kelly-Powell, is the No. 5-ranked sophomore in Michigan. They're each climbing the ranks, and like some before them at Cass Tech, they could be ranked among the nation's best come signing day.

They're each of high priority for Dantonio and Harbaugh. 

The swift formation of a relationship—and proper maintenance of said bond—with coach Thomas Wilcher could prove vital down the road for Harbaugh, who has five former Technicians on his spring 2015 roster. Jourdan Lewis, a junior cornerback, is among the most valuable players on the team and among the best cover men in the country.

It'd be wise to keep things flowing with one of the most prolific Division I player factories in the Midwest. Really, casting a broader net over the Detroit area would be a smart decision. Schools such as MLK, home of 4-star receiver Donnie Corley, the No. 2 in-state player of 2016, continuously manufacture next-level talent. Cass Tech isn't the only major program around, but it's certainly one of the most important. Harbaugh mustn't compromise that connection. 

As Bleacher Report's Ben Axelrod recently pointed out, there is an NCAA bylaw that could be finessed into a huge advantage for Harbaugh. According to the rule (13.1.2.1), there are loose regulations on camp-employment eligibility, and Harbaugh just so happens to be on a camp rampage.

The shoe fits.

Essentially, Harbaugh could hire just about anyone he wanted. He could, in theory, "employ" people close to prospects in order to gain a strategic edge. In addition to having former players in attendance, which also helps, the future creative usage of Axelrod's findings could certainly pave the way to in-state supremacy for Harbaugh.

Keeping Up

Al Goldis/Associated Press

Dantonio's rise, coupled with the Wolverines' well-documented decade-long downfall, has turned the tables when it comes to recruiting. In the past, Michigan was the clear No. 1 choice for in-state talent. Recently, elite locals have gone as far to say that the state's best play in Ann Arbor, not in East Lansing.

Some may feel that way, but a string of Big Ten titles, a Rose Bowl victory and double-digit win seasons has Michigan State appearing as the better destination—for now.

Thus far, Michigan has the state's only 2017 commit, and that's 3-star tight end Carter Dunaway of Birmingham Brother Rice. Gaining an early pledge from the 6'6", 225-pounder was certainly a great start for Harbaugh, but his primary focus should be on the junior class—he has just one high-profile local commit, and that's 4-star running back (No. 9 RB overall) Matthew Falcon of Southfield.

As of May 21, the Spartans have two of the top seven commits in the state's 2016 class: 3-star safety Demetric Vance of Detroit Cass Tech and 3-star offensive tackle Thiyo Lukusa of Traverse City West.  They also have good chances of landing Khalid Kareem, a 4-star defensive end out of Farmington Hills Harrison, and Corley, a 4-star receiver out of MLK.

During this past cycle of 2015, Dantonio snagged four of the top 15 prospects in the state: 4-star offensive guard Kyonta Stallworth of MLK, 3-star outside linebacker Tyriq Thompson of MLK, 3-star cornerback Tyson Smith of Orchard Lake St. Mary's and 3-star athlete Khari Willis of Jackson Lumen Christi.

In February, the Wolverines signed a pair of former Brother Rice standouts in 4-star quarterback Alex Malzone and 3-star wide receiver Grant Perry, and they also acquired 4-star athlete Brian Cole of Saginaw Heritage.

Malzone and Cole were two of the best in the region, and in terms of in-state perception, they were hefty pickups for the Wolverines. Dantonio heavily recruited Cole, the most coveted athlete in the state. 

It's not impossible to close, but the gap between Michigan and Michigan State's in-state recruiting balance is growing more noticeable by the year. Harbaugh has time to counter; it'll just take roughly two years of earth-moving on his part to even the playing field with Dantonio. 

Follow Bleacher Report's Michigan Wolverines football writer Adam Biggers on Twitter @AdamBiggers81

Unless otherwise noted, all quotes and references were obtained firsthand by the writer via press conference, press release or other media availability. All recruiting information comes via 247Sports.