Report: Ex-Michigan recruit’s scholarship rescission wasn’t sudden
Erik Swenson’s scholarship offer from Michigan was had reportedly been on tenuous ground before this week.
Swenson, an offensive lineman who committed to Michigan in November of 2013, said earlier this week that his offer had been rescinded by Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh. According to The Wolverine, there were rumblings for some time that Swenson would not be heading to Michigan. Additionally, Swenson didn’t go to a Michigan camp over the summer.
Michigan and Harbaugh received a lot of scorn after Swenson’s revelation on Wednesday when it appeared the scholarship revocation was sudden.
I say that because two weeks ago, when we began dropping major hints in our Inside The Fort columns, we were told that Swenson was no longer a Michigan commitment. We have also been told by multiple sources (though admittedly one of those sources on the Michigan side) that the Swensons were told back in November that he should be looking around because he may not have a committable offer.
We were also told by a source out of Downers Grove that the Michigan coaches asked Swenson to camp at U-M over the summer so the staff could properly evaluate him (he refused) and we were told that it was understood that Swenson’s senior year would serve as an evaluation period because this coaching staff had never seen him in-person and wanted to know if he was a good fit for the program.
The column also goes on to cite sources that said Swenson, a four-star recruit, “played not to get hurt instead of playing to show that he was dominant and the best player in the state.” Swenson is rated the No. 2 prospect in the state of Illinois. He was also the final recruit verbally committed to Michigan who was recruited by former coach Brady Hoke.
Swenson told the Chicago Tribune he first heard from the coaching staff last week that the scholarship offer wouldn’t be there. He also said he felt “used.”
“[Michigan offensive line coach Tim Drevno] said, ‘Get ready to play for us and keep working and getting stronger and faster. We’re looking forward to you playing for us.’
“Fast forward a month,” Swenson continued, “they called me last week saying I should re-open my recruitment and take other visits. My family and I were shaken by it. That’s when the whole mess started.”
Swenson’s high school coach told the Detroit Free Press that the scholarship offer’s disappearance wasn’t abrupt. Perhaps this situation is simply another example of how leaping to judgment without all the facts isn’t a good idea. And that recruiting is, and has been, a practice that isn’t the most ethical.
“It didn’t just happen yesterday,” Mark Molinari said. “We got some red flags three weeks ago, just comments made from coach encouraging Erik to make all five official visits (to other schools). That was the first indication it wasn’t heading in the direction we thought it was going.”
For more Michigan news, visit TheWolverine.com.
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Nick Bromberg is the assistant editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter!
