FOOTBALL RECRUITING
BY TIM SULLIVAN
D
uring the first year of his head
coaching tenure at the University
of Michigan, Jim Harbaugh landed
just three commitments from within
his program's home state. In barely
more than four months since (start-
ing with National Signing Day on
Feb. 3, 2016), five more from within
the Great Lakes State's borders have
been added.
While Harbaugh and his staff want
to build their program with the coun-
try's best talent, that can't come at the
expense of in-state recruiting. Brady
Hoke's staff focused almost exclu-
sively on the Midwest with some aug-
mentation from top players around
the country, but Harbaugh has taken
the opposite approach. He grabs the
best players he can, including pluck-
ing from the top of the in-state charts.
After a slow beginning, though, the
current U-M administration has done
a far better job taking care of business
in its home state.
FOOTBALL RECRUITING
After Reeling In A National Class In 2016,
U-M Returns Focus To Its Home Turf
Bloomfield Hills (Mich.) Brother Rice wideout Grant Perry, a late addition to U‑M's 2015 class, was
one of just three in‑state recruits to sign with Jim Harbaugh's program during his first recruiting
class.
PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL