Michigan Monday: Basketball and Football Recruiting Blitz

Michigan is fresh off its close loss to Duke, and there is still one question left for the 2011 class.  That person in question is Max Bielfeldt—6'8", 220-pound forward averaging 24 points, five blocks and 12 boards per game. 

Bielfeldt is down to Michigan and Illinois.  Mentioned here last week, there are some questions remaining whether Illinois has a scholarship left for the young man, but he has a lot of family legacy there and might not even need one. 

He plans to announce his school of choice this week.  I think it's a toss up for Bielfeldt at this point—he's probably dreamed of playing for Illinois, but Michigan is a "hot" young team that gives him a great shot at a ton of early playing time.  He probably understands that Michigan has an unlimited future with this young squad.  I hope he goes Blue!

I mentioned yesterday that Michigan is lacking a big man and backup point guard for next year.  Michigan has a PG coming in next year; Trey Burke is a shooting guard from Southfield Carlton Brundidge.  If Max would join this class, I think it would be a pretty nice group to fill some of Michigan holes. 

Football

We all know Michigan had its first practice of the spring on Saturday.  Many of the recruits in attendance were impressed on how smoothly the practice went for the first time with a new coaching staff.  TomVH does another great job of running down the guys there were there.

The In-State Big 3

Royce Jenkins-Stone, James "Biggs" Ross, and Terry Richardson were all at practice (along with their families) and got to visit with the coaches.  It seems all were impressed in their discussions with the coaches.

Jenkins-Stone commented, "Yeah, this visit helped Michigan a lot. I didn't think it was that family centered up there. Everyone felt like they were at home, and I know for a fact that none of those coaches are leaving. If I go there none of them are leaving for the three or four years I'm there. I know Terry [Richardson] and James [Ross] felt the same way. I don't know where they're at with everything, but I know they liked it."

All three of these guys are national recruits, and they will have a number of big time offers.  Michigan has and will continue to make these guys a priority to stay at home and come to Ann Arbor.

Other visitors in this weekend:

• 2012 DE Pharaoh Brown, 6'6, 220 lbs.from Lyndhurst, Ohio
• 2012 OT Kyle Dodson, 6'6, 315 lbs. from Cleveland, Ohio
• 2012 LB Camren Williams 6'2, 215 lbs. from Massachusetts
• 2012 OL Caleb Stacey 6'4, 275 lbs. from Ohio visited and got offered

Next weekend, Michigan could have close to 20 recruits at practice.  RJS might come back to see the Wolverines in pads.