Recapping Crazy Month of Michigan Football Recruiting

The volatility of recruiting was on full display during a wild month of January for head coach Jim Harbaugh and the Michigan football program.

From more than a handful of decommitments to new verbal pledges to peculiar—yet undeniably effective—recruiting tactics, the Wolverines were constantly in the news.

Let's take a moment to reminisce about the adventures of Harbaugh and his coaching staff.

Decommitments

Attrition is a part of every recruiting class, and many programs quietly push verbal pledges away by simply cutting off communication. Between that and the loose definition of a prospect being "committed," changes happen down the stretch.

Sir Patrick Scott and Antwaine Richardson, a pair of 3-star cornerbacks, are no longer in the haul. Richardson has since committed to former Michigan defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin at Maryland.

According to Ryan O'Gara of the Indianapolis Star, distance contributed to 3-star running back Kiante Enis reopening his recruitment.

Rashad Weaver, a 3-star defensive tackle, moved on from Michigan because he didn't want to be "Plan B." Despite effectively being pushed out of the class, Weaver defended Harbaugh on Twitter:

Jordan Elliott backed out of his pledge soon after officially visiting Texas. The 4-star DT didn't rule out Michigan, but he is now considered a Longhorns lean.

However, the Erik Swenson saga demanded the most headlines.

Committed since November 2013 under former head coach Brady Hoke, Swenson appeared to have a spot locked up. However, he told Nick Baumgardner of MLive.com that Michigan pulled his scholarship offer and cancelled an official visit without providing a reason.

Harbaugh responded on Twitter, quoting a line from Shooter, a movie starring Mark Wahlberg and Kate Mara:

If the Wolverines truly gave no warning on this possibility, that is shady—even for recruiting standards. On the other hand, if Michigan coaches brought up this possibility because Swenson's 2015 tape wasn't as impressive as 2014's, this is more an issue of timing.

Swenson won't sign with the school he intended, but considering Wisconsin and Oklahoma are in the picture, the 4-star O-lineman has excellent options.

There are two sides to every story, and we only know one. Unfortunately for college football fans, we may never hear the other.

Commitments

Amid all the news on the decommitment front, the Wolverines added nine prospects to the 2016 class.

Dylan Crawford, a 4-star wide receiver, pledged to Michigan during the U.S. Army All-American Bowl. He's ranked as the 119th overall player in the nation.

No. 65 overall prospect David Long, a 4-star cornerback, joined the mix, giving Harbaugh and Co. their highest-rated defensive commit. Stephen Spanellis, a 3-star OT, gave his pledge to the Wolverines on the same day.

A pair of 3-star linebackers in Joshua Uche and Elysee Mbem-Bosse followed suit, providing much-needed depth at the position. Michael Dwumfour, a 3-star defensive tackle, flipped from Penn State.

Khaleke Hudson chose Michigan over Penn State, Pittsburgh and UCLA. Though the 3-star prospect is rated the 23rd-best safety, Hudson is a versatile talent whose future position may be elsewhere.

Lastly, the Wolverines picked up 3-star pass-catchers in Under Armour All-American wideout Eddie McDoom and tight end Nick Eubanks.

Harbaugh Making Headlines

Christian Petersen/Getty Images

Dear NCAA rulebook, how are you feeling? Harbaugh is bending you, but you just won't break.

Coaches cannot take pictures with non-seniors. So, he stood near four ahtletes from Detroit Jesuit High School while gazing into the unknown.

Before anyone gets irritated with that, consider how ridiculous the rule is. Will any prospect ever say "the picture I took with Harbaugh when I was a junior really sealed the deal."

Anyway, Harbaugh also showed up for an in-home visit with Quinn Nordin, the nation's No. 1 kicker, at 12:01 a.m. That may pay off, considering Nordin decommitted from Penn State Wednesday and announced he will reveal his college decision on national signing day. He talked about the visit with Brandon Justice of SB Nation's Maize n Brew:

Harbaugh used a similar loophole with Connor Murphy, showing up after midnight to hang out and watch Netflix with the 4-star defensive end.

Additionally, Long snapped a photo of Harbaugh climbing a tree. The 4-star cornerback committed to Michigan a few days later.

Perhaps best of all, WWE legend Ric Flair will be present at the program's signing day party. Baumgardner notes other attendees include NASCAR driver and Michigan native Brad Keselowski as well as Wolverines legends Desmond Howard and Denard Robinson.

All recruiting information via 247Sports. Stats from cfbstats.com or B/R research. Quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow Bleacher Report CFB Writer David Kenyon on Twitter @Kenyon19_BR.