First reported in an article today from Chris Balas of Yahoo Sports (Rivals subscription required), Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh is planning to further push the envelope to gain a legal advantage in practice and recruiting this Spring.
Harbaugh made a splash in summer 2015 with by hosting a football camp series called "Summer Swarm" in 10 different cities across the country, including fertile recruiting grounds like Texas, Florida, California, and Alabama - something that SEC coaches like Gus Malzahn, Dan Mullen and Nick Saban were vocally opposed to (maybe because they were jealous they didn't think of it?). During Summer Swarm, the Michigan coaching staff actively promoted their attendance as guest coaches at 10 camps, which in turn drew thousands of attendees, including some of the best players in the 2016 and 2017 recruiting classes across the country.
Now, Harbaugh intends to do something similar for Michigan's 2016 spring practice. In the history of college football, teams have always held 15 practices + a spring game team scrimmage on their campus, and some have occasionally held the spring game at a local high school, or pro stadium. What Harbaugh is planning goes well beyond what any school has ever done, and its completely legal. Want to get to super-exclusive details on the rest of this story? Download the #1 Sports App on iPhone and Android.
According to Balas, the Michigan football team will travel to Bradenton, Florida for a week in March or April and practice at the renowned IMG Academy football facilities. The reasons for this move are obvious, and brilliant.
First off, IMG has become the premier high school football program in America - with 5 of the top 40 players in the 2016 senior class playing on their team. In 2017, they are expected to have just as many, if not more, top prospects. What better way to get an edge on recruiting all the senior-to-be players playing for IMG, as well as stud players across the state (and Southeast) that wouldn't be able to travel to see Michigan practice.
Secondly, by heading to Florida, Michigan will be able to practice outdoors for a week without enduring the frigid tempatures of a late Michigan winter. Northern schools have always had the disadvantage of not being able to have their athetes practice outside year round...and while this is only for a week, Harbaugh is doing everything he can to minimize Michigan's geograophical disadvantage, while providing a huge exposire boost in recruiting.
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