[Mick]

I agree the early visit period is substantial for Stanford, given so many Stanford recruits come from east of the Rockies, and most of those from east of the Mississippi.  So often we've heard "if they visit, they will come," and so often, recruits don't come on their own dime, and that probably contributes a bit to guys ruling out Stanford as they do take visits to campuses closer to home. I don't know if Jabrill Peppers would have ended up at Stanford had he visited, but I do know he once had Stanford as his top choice, until he didn't visit after visiting Michigan and Ohio State. Maybe he didn't visit because he wouldn't put in the work to get admitted, but it sure seems like getting guys on campus before their Senior years for OVs can't do anything but help the Stanford cause.

The camps will still have to be on the dime of the kids's parents, but those earlier official visits will coincide with Spring practice, which also means getting on campus when school is in session, which is advantageous.

Will be curious to hear what David Shaw has to say about the changes.

I too, think Peppers would have come here had he visited.  I've spent a substantial amount of time on both campuses.  U of Michigan is an amazing place, at least in terms of facilities it's what our third cousins across the Bay would do if they had their act together.  A high school athlete is going to be extremely impressed by the Big House and everything else.  Ann Arbor is a very nice place.  That said, if you put Ann Arbor and Palo Alto next to each other, the only area in which AA beats out Stanford is housing affordability, and frankly not by as much as you'd think.

[Mick]

I agree the early visit period is substantial for Stanford, given so many Stanford recruits come from east of the Rockies, and most of those from east of the Mississippi.  So often we've heard "if they visit, they will come," and so often, recruits don't come on their own dime, and that probably contributes a bit to guys ruling out Stanford as they do take visits to campuses closer to home. I don't know if Jabrill Peppers would have ended up at Stanford had he visited, but I do know he once had Stanford as his top choice, until he didn't visit after visiting Michigan and Ohio State. Maybe he didn't visit because he wouldn't put in the work to get admitted, but it sure seems like getting guys on campus before their Senior years for OVs can't do anything but help the Stanford cause.

The camps will still have to be on the dime of the kids's parents, but those earlier official visits will coincide with Spring practice, which also means getting on campus when school is in session, which is advantageous.

Will be curious to hear what David Shaw has to say about the changes.

I too, think Peppers would have come here had he visited.  I've spent a substantial amount of time on both campuses.  U of Michigan is an amazing place, at least in terms of facilities it's what our third cousins across the Bay would do if they had their act together.  A high school athlete is going to be extremely impressed by the Big House and everything else.  Ann Arbor is a very nice place.  That said, if you put Ann Arbor and Palo Alto next to each other, the only area in which AA beats out Stanford is housing affordability, and frankly not by as much as you'd think.