Inside The Fort (ITF), Part 3: Mike Hart Hire, Recruiting, Hoops
Part three of this week's Inside The Fort brings you plenty of intel on Michigan Wolverines football's pursuits in the transfer portal, as well as why the hiring of new running backs coach Mike Hart will pay dividends both on the recruiting trail and the field. We also have the latest ahead of Michigan basketball's game against Purdue.
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On other recruiting talk, The Wolverine was at the Sound Mind Sound Body College Evaluation Camp on Monday, with many underclassmen recruits in attendance. This gave us ample opportunity to speak with those closest to high school football in the state of Michigan, specifically about recruiting.
There has been a perception that Michigan doesn’t focus enough on in-state recruiting, most particularly in the Detroit area. Tight ends coach Sherrone Moore handles the midwest, and he’s well-liked in the city, but Michigan has let a few recruits leave the state in recent years (Kobe and Kalen King, Caleb Tiernan, Jamari Buddin, etc.) and high school coaches in the area feel the Wolverines haven’t shown enough love to their backyard.
There’s belief from many we talked to Monday that the narrative is all about to change. Michigan legend and new running backs coach Mike Hart was the talk of the town.
“He’s an honest guy, always approachable,” said Donovan Dooley, a national quarterback trainer based in Detroit. “He has a ton of relationships with kids and families, and builds genuine relationships with people, not something you always get in the inner-city. That was a great chess move to bring Mike Hart on.”
Some of the frustration was that Michigan didn’t have a recruiter specifically assigned to the metro Detroit area, and while Hart will recruit nationally like he has at every stop, there’s now confidence that he can relate with the in-state kids and will continue the relationships he has already built in the area.
“Super exciting,” said Harper Woods High School head football coach Rod Oden, who has sent athletes to play for Hart at all of his coaching stops. “It’s going to provide a direct link from the city to Ann Arbor once again, which we haven’t had in a couple years."
The Hart hire has been unanimously praised by analysts ever since Michigan brought its all-time leading rusher on board Jan. 13, thanks to job he has done working with running backs during his nine years as a position coach.
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