Will Michigan's Victor's Weekend lead to a summer commitmas?
Sam Webb
Every week TMI's Sam Webb, Steve Lorenz, Brice Marich come together for a podcast called 'The Michigan Recruiting Insider.' Each show offers a deep dive into Michigan football and basketball recruiting, with unmatched insight and intel on the Wolverines targets and recruiting strategies. Sam, Steve, and Brice focus on all the hot topics and pressing questions regarding Michigan football recruiting.
In this week's edition of The Michigan Recruiting Insider, Sam, Steve, and Brice recap the epic Victor's recruiting weekend and highlight the recent commitments by Jasper Parker, Jacob Washington, Kaden Strayhorn, Chase Taylor, and the massive pledge from 2026 quarterback prospect, Brady Hart. The crew then shifts attention to Crystal Balls for top targets Hardy Watts, Andrew Olesh, Philip Wright and, as of this episode, top 50 wide receiver target, Andrew Marsh.
In the transcript excerpt the crew discusses the latest in Marsh's recruitment, and Sam explains why he Crystal Balled the Lone State star to the Wolverines.
Sam Webb: "(Marsh) is 6-1, he's about 175-180 pounds, he has deep speed, he has tremendous hands. He is a really good route runner. Andrew Marsh checks all the boxes. And I think Michigan leads for Andrew Marsh at this point."
Brice Marich: "Yeah, and I know other networks have even put in predictions for Michigan to land him. I don't think any of us quite yet have done that. But, Sam, you might be on the verge. That's what I'm hearing."
Sam Webb: "Yes, that's right."
Brice Marich: "And again, the toughest job on this staff when you're looking at all the assistant coaches is 100% Ron Bellamy. Because of that perception of them not throwing the football. It's ironic, too, because look at Roman Wilson and Cornelius Johnson. They're having their wideouts go to the next level and get drafted. It's not like these guys are just flaming out in Michigan. They're actually producing. So, he can sell that. And the other thing, too, is a big vision. And scheme wise I think with Kirk Campbell... Brady Hart has talked about this… Carter Smith has talked about this... they're going to try to air it out more. With this offense I know that identity is still running the football, smash mouth football. That's Sherrone, that's his bread and butter, and that's what he wants to do. But they're not afraid to play-action and throw it around the yard as well. I think that's very appealing for Andrew Marsh. Because here's the thing, when I think about an offense like this, you stack the box because you get all these guys coming up trying to stop the run. Well, what does that do for a wideout? That gives you one on one coverage. And as good of a guy as Marsh is, he's taking that all day every day. You know, I mean, that's touchdown city right there. So I think he's a perfect fit. And the biggest thing... I saw Steve posted online that (Marsh) was supposed to come up to Oklahoma. And he switched his plans, and he went to Michigan (instead). And for me, when I saw that update, the first thing I thought of is I think Michigan's in the driver's seat."
Steve Lorenz: "Some people thought Oklahoma was the leader in this one for a while, and so for him to cancel that one in Michigan again (was significant). He's been up to Michigan I don't know how many times, Sam? Six? So that was huge to cancel Oklahoma of all schools."
Sam Webb: "He visited (Michigan) some weeks without people even knowing, When he popped up at (Michigan's) camp earlier this month, nobody knew he was coming to that. I mean Michigan knew, but that wasn't reported anywhere. He just popped up and he came up just to work out with Ron Bellamy. So, I have an interview coming up with his mom. And this is what really put me over the top... I am going to be putting in a Crystal Ball. So let me say that right here on the show. My only reluctance coming out of the official visit... because you nailed it Steve, canceling Oklahoma (the team) I see as the biggest threat... him canceling that visit to come back to Michigan after he was just at Michigan two weeks before? I was like, 'man, that's, that's telling me.' And then I heard they hit it out of the park on the visit. And talking to his mom, she talked a lot about how hey, 'Michigan has the reputation that they don't throw the football. So, we wanted to talk to them about that.' And Kirk and Ron have been doing an excellent job (addressing that). And I think the proof is how these receiver recruitments are trending, Quincy Porter notwithstanding. Quincy Porter didn't come on the official visit. Maybe if he had come on an official visit he would have had a different impression? But these guys are getting a different impression of what Michigan is going to be as a passing offense. It really started with Derrick Meadows."
"They came on the unofficial visit. Afterwards I was talking to his dad Deshawn who was like, 'I really didn't get a feel for how much they're going to throw the football.' When they came back for the official he was like, 'oh, they knocked it out of the park with what they said they're going to be (offensively) now.' I don't know what that's going to equate to in the Derrick Meadows recruitment. I think (Michigan is) still hanging around and they're going to continue to recruit him. But with Marsh I think it is making a difference. And when you read his mom's interview that I'm going to post... man… it'd be a dereliction of duty for me to not put in a Crystal Ball after doing that interview. (People would be) like, 'wait a minute, what is a Crystal Ball if you can't put in a Crystal Ball after this interview, Sam?!' That's how much she really talked up Michigan."
"Now again, my initial reluctance was that he was going to be deciding in November (because) that's a lot of time between an official visit and a decision. But his mom was also talking about him moving up his decision timeline. He might take some other visits in that span, Washington being a school that was mentioned. But he's also going to take another trip back to Michigan, and that will be a huge land! To be able to get one of those blue-chip receivers… to just get that one to kind of show the other ones, 'hey, man, I'm buying it... I'm buying what they're talking about.' You just need to get that one across the threshold, then I think it'll help them with the others."
