U-M coach Jim Harbaugh is hoping for a number of top signings.
Today may be tough for Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh.
After 21/2 weeks of freedom, crisscrossing the country with sleepovers and tree-climbing, sitting in a religion class and convening in homes nationwide, he will shift to virtual lockdown.
The NCAA’s contact period lasted through Saturday, with coaches allowed to visit prospects off-campus, meaning in their schools or homes.
Sunday was a quiet period, when coaches and prospects could see each other, but only on campus.
The dead period, when coaches can only write to prospects or talk to them on the phone, begins today and runs through Wednesday, the start of the national letter-of-intent signing period.
The intent is to keep coaches at a distance and allow remaining uncommitted players to have time to make a decision.
According to the various recruiting services, Michigan still has a number of targets it is hoping to add to its 25-player class by the end of Wednesday.
One player who won’t be in that group is the highest-profile former commitment, Downers Grove, Ill., offensive tackle Erik Swenson. He is officially out of the class, announcing on Twitter late Saturday that he will play at Oklahoma. Swenson’s story gained national headlines a week and a half ago when he announced U-M pulled his offer — despite being committed since November 2013 — and became a flash point with Michigan fans and observers.
Though not speaking about Swenson directly, Harbaugh made it clear that everyone who is offered and/or committed to the class needs to continue working and producing academically, athletically and in the community until Signing Day.
Recruiting: Why colleges, prospects play musical chairs
But that response came only when he was asked directly, after the public backlash over the flurry of players who have left the class either by their choice or by Michigan’s.
Yet Harbaugh rarely looks back, and his focus is on how this class will finish.
■The next announcement comes tonight at 7, from Old Tappan (N.J.) four-star athlete Jordan Fuller, who is down to Michigan, Ohio State and Notre Dame.
■Harbaugh was visiting Thompson’s Station, Tenn., three-star receiver Nate Johnson on Saturday. (There was a tweeted photo of Harbaugh and Nate hitting the Dab pose together.) Johnson committed to U-M in December, so he is technically in the class, but he’s likely considered a soft commitment now, taking visits to other schools through January. He became an increased priority when Paramus (N.J.) Catholic receiver Donald Stewart chose Stanford over U-M on Saturday.
■Rockford kicker Quinn Nordin visited USC (and former Michigan special teams coach John Baxter) during the weekend and will decide Wednesday between U-M, Penn State and the Trojans.
■Phoenix, Ariz., four-star defensive end Connor Murphy will announce at noon Arizona time on Signing Day. He visited USC on Jan. 15, Michigan on Jan. 22, and nearby Arizona State last weekend.
■In Concord, Calif., the package deal of tight end Devin Asiasi and defensive lineman Boss Tagaloa have U-M among their finalists.
■In Detroit, King defensive back Lavert Hill, who canceled a potential visit to Clemson last weekend, told Scout’s TheMichiganInsider.com that he would be hanging out with his U-M friends over the weekend. But he still is choosing among the Wolverines, Spartans and Penn State.
■Plus, of course, the biggest catch remains in No. 1 overall, Paramus Catholic defensive tackle Rashan Gary. Though Michigan has long been the expected choice, his final weekend trip to the South, to receive an award at a banquet in Atlanta on Thursday night, followed by a visit to Clemson, could be a factor as he spends the final days weighing his options.
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