Big Will, Southern Hospitality

Big Will Campbell update.

So Big Will says he's down to Florida, Miami and LSU. We'll see soon enough. Count me skeptical. He says he likes the "Southern Family Thing":

In describing what he liked most about Florida, Miami and LSU, Campbell said during the Rivals.com interview that "they all showed the Southern family thing.

The entire interview, with some nationwide type rivals guy is here. I'm still not convinced, this a pretty off the cuff type interview with some "dude" breaking some news. FWIW Big Will mentions Chris Davenport a Defensive Tackle from Mansfield Louisiana, who received an offer from Michigan, but who has verbally committed to LSU:

Army Check-in: William Campbell @ Rivals Video

I'm guessing that Big Will doesn't have a lot of "southern family". I'll also take a stab in the dark and say Will probably has some family in Detroit that he really does like. What part of family is it that Will was thinking about when he called Davenport a real cool guy and declared LSU, Miami and Florida his temporary recruiting leaders? Or was he just toying with the media, and M fans?

Leslie Miles Offers Southern Hospitality.

LSU does have some experience with that southern hospitality, though. There are many types, but this is the type of family recruits can expect to see when they visit LSU:

The NYT just posted an article on the recruiting battle for Jamarkus McFarland. It doesn't have any direct relationship to Big Will, but there are certainly some interesting anecdotal comparisons:

On Oct. 25, McFarland, his mother and his grandmother attended a catered meal at the home of Tigers Coach Les Miles.

“He was very dry,” Adams said of Miles. Adams was further turned off by L.S.U., she said, when she saw hostesses sitting on the laps of recruits.

And, LSU also offers this style of southern hospitality:

Ulitimately, McFarland chose Oklahoma. The "southern hospitality" turned off his mother so much she prohibited him from going to LSU.

One of her dislikes about Louisiana State was that a maid would clean her son’s dorm room weekly.

And though Texas offered parties, drugs and girls, he and Mom said "no" and he ultimately chose Oklahoma. Let's hope that Big Will is having some of the same issues, and comes around.

The NYT article is worth a read. Not only does it offer a small glimpse into the big time sleeze recruiting in the SEC and Texas, but it also says something about Texas Coach Mac "Falt Screen" Brown. For instance:

Flat-screen televisions were in every room, and there were two outside.“Whose house do you like better, Bob Stoops’s, Les Miles’s or mine?” Adams recalled Brown saying.

Tate is the Man

Reading between the lines of these quotes, Rod2 (Rod Smith and Rod-riguez) are very high on Tate Forcier and have all but told him the starting job is his to take. This is a sentiment we expressed some time ago, and the quotes lately have only reinforced the liklihood, bold is our emphasis:

Tate:

"I'm actually heading out there in less than two weeks. Right away right when I get out there, (quarterbacks) coach (Rod) Smith and coach (Rich) Rodriguez both told me I'm going to be spending most of my time with them learning that playbook. And with (strength and conditioning) coach (Mike) Barwis getting me prepared for next season - that's the main goal right now, to get ready and hope to lead Michigan to a good season next year."

Tate:

I think there’s always something to work on. I’m only in high school, I have a lot of things that I’ve got to look forward to. If I had to say, I’d say it’s my balance. I have everything you want in a quarterback. I’m not the tallest guy, but I know how to get the job done. I have a feel for the game. I feel the pressure. I have a great feel for everything. I have great arm strength. I have good enough speed. Overall it’s just the balance of me as a quarterback. I’m not over the top on anything, but that’s what the Michigan coaches are going to try to get me to do – be the best of the best. Like I said, that’s why I’m choosing them, to make me be the best that I can be.

And, sounds like the Beav decommitment was on the radar for some time, despite his consistent renouncements of a decommitment:

Lage:

"What was your reaction to (Shavodrick) Beaver recently decommitting and going to Tulsa?

Tate:

"It didn't really phase me, I wasn't worried about him. I knew I was going to have to come in and compete regardless of whether it was against him or against Threet. Him leaving it didn’t phase me. They actually thought it was going to happen at the very start. It’s kind of funny when you look at it, I was the third quarterback to commit, but I’m the only one quarterback to stay."

Tateriffic:

Watch more YouTube videos on AOL Video

The Conquering Hereos Philosophy

The rumors of the Conquering Heroes demise were largely overstated. We write this blog for our enjoyment and satisfaction, not yours. If you want to read and contribute, we welcome you. But, ultimately, we have jobs, and family, and choose not to live in our basements confined to the dark, damp, lightless dwellings as do countless other webligans* who flourish the interwebs. And, so it is that from time to time, whether we are too depressed from Michigan's ghastly football season, busy at things that actually matter, or listening to a golden retriever bark at a chickadee from the window, we may not post daily, or weekly, or even monthly. There are no apologies from the Conquering Heroes for our posting habits. It is what it is. We do not write this blog for money. This blog is for our enjoyment, and we hope that if y0u read this blog it brings you infinite enjoyment that cannot be matched by any other life experience, or at least that you crack a smile, or learn something about Michigan Sports.

*"webligan". A noun that describes one, often a basement dweller, who practices acts of webliganism. Webliganism is the act,character and propensity of a person to commit acts of violence, malice, or general discredit to objects or person through the written word posted on interwebs, blogs, or message boards for self gratification. (note: This blog has, and will continue to exhibit fleeting characteristics of weliganism, especially directed to Ohio State Buckeyes, Buckstaches, or Sparty, however, as these occasional references do not envelope the identity of this blog, its authors cannot legitimately be called "webligans")

Ho Ho Ho

Merry Christmas.

ps. Rob Parker is an Ass.