ESPN’s Dan Murphy explained why Michigan’s trip to Rome will be a huge help to their recruiting in the future:
Intentional or not, Michigan managed to once again head into summer in control of college football headlines and distill a powerful recruiting pitch into a single weekend. Hey, kid, want to play in the NFL? And how about a couple international vacations on us in the meantime? It should be a good month for Harbaugh’s staff as they turn back to the recruiting trail.
“I think it’s a huge plus. It’s an opportunity to experience a different life,” said Thomas Wilcher, head coach of Detroit-area high school powerhouse Cass Tech, which produced a couple of this year’s draft picks from Michigan. “That just shows the coach is really trying to develop young men. He’s trying to let football open a lot of avenues for them in life.”
International travel is a new addition to the recruiting pitch. The NFL angle has been around since Harbaugh arrived and brought with him a staff that has plenty of pro level experience. Talking about pro aspirations used to be nearly taboo in the team’s practice facility. Now, Michigan’s coaches talk in the middle of a season about limiting workloads to avoid long-term wear and tear and have regular conversations with players about getting to the next level.
