Mark Dantonio interrupts Michigan recruiting coordinator during speech

[belcherboy]

I hope they have a video of this. I'd like to see how bad (or not so bad) this event really was.

Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio interrupts Michigan recruiting coordinator during speech to high school coaches | MLive.com

Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio interrupts Michigan recruiting coordinator during speech to high school coaches

KALAMAZOO — Michigan State football coach Mark Dantonio tipped his cap to the Michigan football program during a brief introduction speech Friday in front of a room full of high school coaches in Kalamazoo.

Jeff Hecklinski, wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator at Michigan, reciprocated the friendly vibes during his turn at the Michigan High School Football Coaches Associated Winners’ Circle Clinic, held at the Radisson Plaza Hotel.

The lovefest quickly and awkwardly ended.

Hecklinski, filling in for Michigan head coach Brady Hoke, who was in Houston last night for the Bear Bryant Award ceremony, launched into a detailed presentation about the Wolverines’ way of recruiting — a little too detailed for Dantonio’s taste.

Dantonio, who was mic’ed up, cut Hecklinski off mid-presentation and summoned the rest of the panel members to the stage to, as he said, talk about more than just recruiting at Michigan.

A red-faced Hecklinski took a seat on the stage, joined by the rest of the panel, which included coaches from Wayne State, Siena Heights and Alma.

Both sides later chalked it up to a misunderstanding in forum’s format.

“I really didn’t know how this would work in this forum; it was the first time we’ve ever done this and I just didn’t know how this would work,” Dantonio said. “I didn’t want it to be a recruiting (speech for only Michigan).”

Hecklinski chose not to dwell on the altercation, either.

“Look, I understand my place,” said Hecklinski, who thought he had a 15-minute window to speak about his program. “What took place, took place and it is what it is. There is no reason to rehash it.”

The panel of coaches discussed and fielded questions about issues facing high school football and recruiting. Hecklinski said the event served its purpose.

“At the end of the day, it’s about helping the kids,” he said. “It’s about getting them opportunities no matter where they are. That’s the purpose of the format and at the end, my job was to make sure I did not interrupt or take away from that process or take away from what the podium was for.”

Friday was the second day of the three-day event, which has brought together a sampling of high school and college coaches from around the state to speak on various topics.

Hoke is still expected to make an appearance.

[dbt]

It's really too bad that Hoke couldn't be there. Would Dantonio have interrupted him?

[Oblong]

Sounds to me like it was a poorly organized event where the participants didn't know their role. Were they there to make a sales pitch for their school or to speak about the business in general?

I'd only say someone was wrong if it were the latter and the UM guy tried to take advantage of the situation, otherwise just a misunderstanding.

[Who is the Drizzle?]

Instead of cutting off a Michigan coach talking about Michigan's recruiting philosophy in a recruiting forum, maybe he should have been taking notes.

[JayVee]

Oh yeah, Dantonio's really got recruiting problems...

[Who is the Drizzle?]

Oh yeah, Dantonio's really got recruiting problems...

i'm sorry for that post, i should not have baited you. i will not re-assert my longstanding opinion of Dantonio either.

[sagnam]

I don't think Dantonio has a problem recruiting. I do think he stepped over the line here. I just don't quite understand why he felt the need to take it upon himself to speak up. If the Michigan representative was out of line then the event organizer would likely have been able to handle it.

[monkeynuts]

I don't think Dantonio has a problem recruiting. I do think he stepped over the line here. I just don't quite understand why he felt the need to take it upon himself to speak up. If the Michigan representative was out of line then the event organizer would likely have been able to handle it.

Without seeing video, it's basically impossible to form an opinion. Nonetheless, this looks like something that will be blown way out of proportion for like a day then nobody will care.

[T&P_Fan]

Not surprised. UM has always outclassed MSU. This is just another example of MSU showing poor form.

[monkeynuts]

Not surprised. UM has always outclassed MSU. This is just another example of MSU showing poor form.

LOL! Don't want to get banned from this forum...so gonna chuckle and walk away from this.

[hail2mich]

If Dantonio didn't have a history of things like this, then I would say this is no big deal and probably a misunderstanding. But he is known for being like this, and it does not surprise me. I find it hard to respect the guy.

[Who is the Drizzle?]

yeah i'm not sure what hecklinkski was supposed to be talking about? kirk cousins?

[Mark The Shark]

"Imma let you finish, but Rich Rodriguez had one of the greatest recruiting classes of all time."

[Porcelain God]

Sounds to me like it was a poorly organized event where the participants didn't know their role. Were they there to make a sales pitch for their school or to speak about the business in general?

I'd only say someone was wrong if it were the latter and the UM guy tried to take advantage of the situation, otherwise just a misunderstanding.

I do believe you nailed it sir.

[RJBBREZ]

LOL! Don't want to get banned from this forum...so gonna chuckle and walk away from this.

Good, because msu's programs have looked classless all week. First Izzo, now the hero dantonio.

[Vonlenska]

Oh yeah, Dantonio's really got recruiting problems...

Just to add some facts to this:

2012 Recruiting rankings:

Michigan (3, MaxPreps, Scout) (5, Rivals) (7, ESPN)
Michigan State (45, Scout) (46, Rivals) (NR ESPN they don't rank higher than 25 I guess)

Obviously recruiting isn't the end all, and certainly this class isn't all signed, but I felt it was important to show the numbers. Certainly Dantonio has gotten the most out of his classes.

[mr0zip0]

There is no need for this misunderstanding between UM and MSU fans...

We should all hold hands...

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJxrX...deo) - YouTube[YOUTUBE]

[monkeynuts]

Just to add some facts to this:

2012 Recruiting rankings:

Michigan (3, MaxPreps, Scout) (5, Rivals) (7, ESPN)
Michigan State (45, Scout) (46, Rivals) (NR ESPN they don't rank higher than 25 I guess)

Obviously recruiting isn't the end all, and certainly this class isn't all signed, but I felt it was important to show the numbers. Certainly Dantonio has gotten the most out of his classes.

Michigan has a really good class coming in. That is an absolute fact and a credit to Hoke and company. However, IMO, the above stats are deceiving.

Recruiting rankings are based on stars AND total number of recruits. Michigan currently has 24 commits, a full 10 commits ahead of MSU who is standing at 14 (and I think has 3-5 spots left?). MSU is going to have a really small class this year. IMO, the better way to judge a class is based on average star ranking...I just checked Scout (feel free to add Rivals and anyone else) and Michigan's average is 3.63 or 8th best class. MSU's is 3.14 or 25th best class. While Michigan has a better class according to experts, I just don't think your stats are the best way to judge a class.

Why does MSU have so few commits? Well, they only played ONE true freshman last year. Rivals just had an article yesterday about how good MSU's strategy is. All these freshmen redshirt a year...get bigger, stronger, faster, smarter. Indiana had 16 freshmen play last year that are inexperienced (and UM had eight). MSU has a ton of guys that spend a good five years in the program and are ready to roll by their RS junior year.

Rivals.com Football Recruiting - Michigan State turns back clock on freshmen

Do I wish we had the top dogs every year? Sure...but we're not Alabama, Ohio State, or USC. I just don't expect that. Additionally, Coach D and company have proven that they can coach kids up pretty well. If you look at Cousins/Bell/Cunningham/Worthy/Martin...MSU's best players haven't been the highest rated recruits.

Congrats on the great class...we'll see how they pan out. I just think there is more to the story than people often state.

[monkeynuts]

I guess I should also mention that WR Deanthony Arnett is transferring to MSU this year...he'll likely get a waiver and play as a sophomore. He was a Top 100 kid in the country last year and top two in the state. He is not reflected in any type of recruiting "ranking" for the class.

[RJBBREZ]

Michigan has a really good class coming in. That is an absolute fact and a credit to Hoke and company. However, IMO, the above stats are deceiving.

Recruiting rankings are based on stars AND total number of recruits. Michigan currently has 24 commits, a full 10 commits ahead of MSU who is standing at 14 (and I think has 3-5 spots left?). MSU is going to have a really small class this year. IMO, the better way to judge a class is based on average star ranking...I just checked Scout (feel free to add Rivals and anyone else) and Michigan's average is 3.63 or 8th best class. MSU's is 3.14 or 25th best class. While Michigan has a better class according to experts, I just don't think your stats are the best way to judge a class.

Why does MSU have so few commits? Well, they only played ONE true freshman last year. Rivals just had an article yesterday about how good MSU's strategy is. All these freshmen redshirt a year...get bigger, stronger, faster, smarter. Indiana had 16 freshmen play last year that are inexperienced (and UM had eight). MSU has a ton of guys that spend a good five years in the program and are ready to roll by their RS junior year.

Rivals.com Football Recruiting - Michigan State turns back clock on freshmen

Do I wish we had the top dogs every year? Sure...but we're not Alabama, Ohio State, or USC. I just don't expect that. Additionally, Coach D and company have proven that they can coach kids up pretty well. If you look at Cousins/Bell/Cunningham/Worthy/Martin...MSU's best players haven't been the highest rated recruits.

Congrats on the great class...we'll see how they pan out. I just think there is more to the story than people often state.

Great info. But what does it have to do with dantonio being an *******?

[drownwithyou]

Great info. But what does it have to do with dantonio being an *******?

Ask the Michigan fan who brought up recruiting first...

You guys are lovely over here in your own forum!

[RJBBREZ]

Ask the Michigan fan who brought up recruiting first...

You guys are lovely over here in your own forum!

....still waiting.

[monkeynuts]

Great info. But what does it have to do with dantonio being an *******?

Nothing. I responded to a post that was 100% focused on Michigan and Michigan State football recruiting.

[ROMAD1]

Just observing...its easier to get banned in the college sports forums than any other MTS forum area. How did sportz4life get the chop? Some of the political stuff doesn't get this edgy.

[JayVee]

Just to add some facts to this:

2012 Recruiting rankings:

Michigan (3, MaxPreps, Scout) (5, Rivals) (7, ESPN)
Michigan State (45, Scout) (46, Rivals) (NR ESPN they don't rank higher than 25 I guess)

Obviously recruiting isn't the end all, and certainly this class isn't all signed, but I felt it was important to show the numbers. Certainly Dantonio has gotten the most out of his classes.

Yeah, that was kinda my point. I don't believe much in recruiting, generally -- especially in football. I think that a good coach can recruit "his guys" and get them to play together better than an average coach with higher ranked players. Obviously there's an extreme point where talent trumps out, but give me Dantonio and a second-tier class any day. He's never given me a reason to doubt.

[whoknew]

Yeah, that was kinda my point. I don't believe much in recruiting, generally -- especially in football. I think that a good coach can recruit "his guys" and get them to play together better than an average coach with higher ranked players. Obviously there's an extreme point where talent trumps out, but give me Dantonio and a second-tier class any day. He's never given me a reason to doubt.

That's a weird thing to write. I mean, of course coaching matters. But there's been plenty of research done to show that a) higher ranked players - in general, obviously - perform better than lower ranked players, b) higher ranked players generally are much more likely to be all conference and all americans than lower ranked players and c) teams that have good recruiting classes generally do much better than teams with lower ranked recruiting classes.

So to say that you "don't believe in recruiting" well, 1) I don't know what that means because obviously recruiting exists; and 2) it really doesn't make sense in light of both common sense and the evidence.

[Who is the Drizzle?]

Just observing...its easier to get banned in the college sports forums than any other MTS forum area. How did sportz4life get the chop? Some of the political stuff doesn't get this edgy.

You are totally correct that the M/UM stuff has been worse than the political stuff for a while, especially a year or 3 ago. I quickly tried to find the last straw thread for sportz but couldn't, iirc he had an 'inside source' one night about michigan football and got even more pissed than usual and threw some real brutal direct insults and thinly veiled slurs at individuals. and he had already been banned a couple times so that was it......but then again maybe that wasn't the actual release, could have been something after too.

but yeah the general problem was he never could make a point without belittling somebody and finally crossed the line i guess.

[JayVee]

That's a weird thing to write.

Okay, so I didn't phrase that right. I don't put a lot of stock into recruiting rankings.

[belcherboy]

coaching matters. But there's been plenty of research done to show that a) higher ranked players - in general, obviously - perform better than lower ranked players, b) higher ranked players generally are much more likely to be all conference and all americans than lower ranked players and c) teams that have good recruiting classes generally do much better than teams with lower ranked recruiting classes.

You are definitely correct in general, but when comparing teams like UGA and MSU, it can show how coaching is more important than recruiting. UGA has consistently been in the top 10 (often top 5) in recruiting for the past 5 years. MSU has been consistently outside the top 25, yet MSU has easily had 2-3 years in a row with better results.

It isn't the rule by any means, but it sure is the exception, and I can understand why MSU fans feel the way they do. They have been the exception for a few years now in terms of recruiting.

[T&P_Fan]

Okay, so I didn't phrase that right. I don't put a lot of stock into recruiting rankings.

I was always advocate that coaching matters. I think it matters a lot actually.

[whoknew]

You are definitely correct in general, but when comparing teams like UGA and MSU, it can show how coaching is more important than recruiting. UGA has consistently been in the top 10 (often top 5) in recruiting for the past 5 years. MSU has been consistently outside the top 25, yet MSU has easily had 2-3 years in a row with better results.

It isn't the rule by any means, but it sure is the exception, and I can understand why MSU fans feel the way they do. They have been the exception for a few years now in terms of recruiting.

I'm not denying coaching matters. Of course it does.

But which team do you think will do better? Urban Meyer coaching a bunch of 3* recruits or Urban Meyer coaching a bunch of 5* recruits? I mean - that's a no brainer right? Nobody would argue its better to have 3* recruits than 5* recruits.

And while MSU has had an excellent 2 year run - surely there is more to it than just coaching. I suspect its a little more difficult to play in the SEC than in the Big Ten.

[RJBBREZ]

You are definitely correct in general, but when comparing teams like UGA and MSU, it can show how coaching is more important than recruiting. UGA has consistently been in the top 10 (often top 5) in recruiting for the past 5 years. MSU has been consistently outside the top 25, yet MSU has easily had 2-3 years in a row with better results.

It isn't the rule by any means, but it sure is the exception, and I can understand why MSU fans feel the way they do. They have been the exception for a few years now in terms of recruiting.

I think the SEC is MUCH harder than the B10. Probably has more to do with it than recruiting.

[belcherboy]

I think the SEC is MUCH harder than the B10. Probably has more to do with it than recruiting.

And while MSU has had an excellent 2 year run - surely there is more to it than just coaching. I suspect its a little more difficult to play in the SEC than in the Big Ten.

Michigan State has been, hands down, better than UGA the past 2 years. UGA hasn't won a big game in a LONG time. I don't think it matters that they played an SEC schedule either (look at their schedule). The closest they've been is the bowl game they played against each other, and you know the result of that game.

[Ingefanclub]

Not surprised. UM has always outclassed MSU. This is just another example of MSU showing poor form.

Central Michigan is outrecruiting MSU.

[FRM710]

Central Michigan is outrecruiting MSU.

Only because MSU is focused nationally.

[monkeynuts]

Central Michigan is outrecruiting MSU.

Huh?

Simply doing an eye test would beg to differ...

Scout.com: Football Recruiting CMU

Scout.com: Football Recruiting MSU

[Ingefanclub]

Huh?

Simply doing an eye test would beg to differ...

Scout.com: Football Recruiting CMU

Scout.com: Football Recruiting MSU

I was joking of course. But Michigan is ranked 4th and MSU is ranked 47th.

Scout.com: Football Recruiting

[monkeynuts]

I was joking of course. But Michigan is ranked 4th and MSU is ranked 47th.

Scout.com: Football Recruiting

While this response had nothing to do with MSU vs. CMU football recruiting, please feel free to reference post #18 on this thread for my response.

[qsilvr2531]

You are definitely correct in general, but when comparing teams like UGA and MSU, it can show how coaching is more important than recruiting. UGA has consistently been in the top 10 (often top 5) in recruiting for the past 5 years. MSU has been consistently outside the top 25, yet MSU has easily had 2-3 years in a row with better results.

It isn't the rule by any means, but it sure is the exception, and I can understand why MSU fans feel the way they do. They have been the exception for a few years now in terms of recruiting.

Unless you can sustain being the exception through multiple class cycles you aren't really an exception. Because one lowish ranked class that is an exception can drive 2-3 years of success at the college level it takes a while before you can say that it is a coaches ability to find underrated recruits that is driving success.

What I'm trying to say is that 5 years isn't very long in college football.

[monkeynuts]

I was joking of course. But Michigan is ranked 4th and MSU is ranked 47th.

Scout.com: Football Recruiting

While I think I've articulated why the ranking can be a little weird, I might as well update this...MSU has picked up two 4* players yesterday (Madaris) and today (Cox). MSU is now ranked #33 on Scout.

Additionally, if you look at average recruit rank (IMO seems like a better way to judge), MSU is ranked #21st. That doesn't even include *4 Arnett since he's a sophomore transfer. MSU is finishing strong based on what the recruiting "experts" think.