It could be as simple as this --- Michigan is trending up. They play hard, have been winning and their future is bright. They ripped NU last year and, if I were their coach, I'd simply state that NU is not trending up and Michigan is --- and that Michigan has a vastly superior recruiting class relative to NU both this year and last --- so that they likely will be pulling even more ahead of NU with time . Seems, actually, quite a simple recruiting sell. Michigan is upwardly mobile and heading places.
I am not at all surprised that NU loses out to Michigan for a recruit.. they (Michigan) likely would get the player in the vast, vast majority of cases --- for reasons quite clear. We can win those recruiting battles if a special relationship between the player and our coaches arises... and there are legitimate and good reasons to come to NU too. But NU is at a huge disadvantage recruiting against Michigan. We might win some.. but will lose most.
Good stuff there sir. And, the board seems to forget that there was a relationship forged already between the recruit and UM. It sounded like in his first go around UM lost out to PSU ... so I don't get why so many seemed bewildered that he would choose UM over us with had already occurred. It sounded like NU was a place to come and compare and then confirm that UM was the place for him. To me, we should take it as a compliment that he choose to see us over the other schools in the B1G.
Don't get me wrong ... I'd love to have him ... but I totally get him choosing UM.