Hoke brings recruiting success back to Michigan

When Brady Hoke arrived at Michigan, there was an obvious need to put Michigan football back on top of recruiting, not only in the state, but in the country as well. Hoke, along with his staff, have taken that task to heart, and Michigan football is enjoying one of its best recruiting seasons in recent history.

To date, there have been 19 commitments already made for the class of 2012, four of which are in the nation’s Top 100 according to MaxPreps.com.

The highest rated recruit in the class is Terry Richardson, a cornerback from Cass Tech in Detroit, MI. But, the recruit garnering all the attention is Kyle Kalis, an offensive lineman from St. Edward in Lakewood, OH. Kalis was originally an Ohio State recruit, but decommitted after Jim Tressel resigned on May 31^st. All early speculation of Michigan being a front-runner for Kalis ended on Sunday, July 10^th, when he officially committed to the Wolverines.

At 6’5” and 302 pounds, Kalis brings size and talent to a Michigan recruiting class that has not been seen since Jake Long in 2003. It also headlines a recruiting class that Michigan students, fans, and alumni have clamored for during the program’s downfall in the past three seasons. The 2012 class emphasizes size and strength, over speed and agility, which was of high importance for Rich Rodriguez and his style of football.

In Rodriguez’s three recruiting classes, there were ten total offensive linemen that committed to Michigan. In Hoke’s first year recruiting, there have already been five offensive linemen to commit, with the possibility of one or two more committing later on.

Hoke also was responsible for Chris Barnett being a late commit as an offensive lineman for the 2011 class.

National prominence hasn’t been the only recruiting concern Michigan has had lately. Michigan State, under Mark Dantonio, has made great strides in in-state recruiting, and has done a great job recruiting in its own backyard in recent seasons.

But, for 2012 at least, Michigan has once again flexed its muscle and taken over in the recruiting battle with the Spartans. Of the 19 commitments the Wolverines have, 11 of them were offered scholarships by the Spartans. In contrast, only two of the Spartans commitments were offered by the Wolverines.

While the 2012 recruiting class for both schools is far from complete, it is a good sign for any Michigan fan to see the Wolverines once again finding the tradition it seems it missed during the Rodriguez era.

The hiring of Hoke at Michigan brought many new faces and changes to a program which was in desperate need of a change. The greatest change thus far seems to be the emphasis put into recruiting, and the success that it is having. If that continues, expect to see the program turn into the national powerhouse it had been for many years.