Feb. 04--It's a convenient storyline: The manically competitive Jim Harbaugh, a man who once reportedly picked on a 10-year-old kid to beat friends at laser tag, is tearing through the Big Ten, flipping recruits to Michigan in his first five weeks on the job.
The proof would appear to be Bloomfield Hills, Mich., receiver Grant Perry, a Northwestern commitment who tweeted Monday that "careful consideration prayers" led him to change his mind. Perry committed to Michigan on Tuesday.
Coaches cannot comment until national signing day Wednesday, but a source said the NU camp doesn't blame Harbaugh for the flip. Michigan is Perry's dream school, so once it finally offered a scholarship, he was gone.
Northwestern reacted by flipping one of its locals, Flynn Nagel. The Lemont receiver backed out of a verbal commitment to Duke to accept an offer to his dream school, where brothers Aaron and Brett also suited up.
The point: The Harbaugh Effect will not truly be seen in this year's recruiting class, in the same way that the Championship Effect will not give Ohio State a huge boost (not that the Buckeyes need one) until 2016.
"Harbaugh will not be judged on this class," ESPN national recruiting director Tom Luginbill said by telephone. "When he was hired, there was a dead period and there were so many logistical things to get done. What he's trying to do is bring in some components that can be a nice, little foundation. He'll sacrifice talent here and there in favor of toughness and a passion for the game."
As of Tuesday evening, Michigan had commitments from only 10 players. Due to that small size -- a byproduct of the disappointing season that led to Brady Hoke's firing -- the Wolverines' 247Sports.com composite ranking was 64th in the nation and last in the Big Ten.
The class includes pro-style quarterback Zach Gentry, who switched over from Texas, and defensive end Reuben Jones, who first pledged to Nebraska.
"Harbaugh is making an impression but started way behind the 8-ball," said Mike Farrell, the national recruiting director for Rivals.com. "He'll (eventually) get kids that fit his system. He butted heads at Stanford on its academic restrictions, which were ridiculous. At Michigan he won't recruit any dummies or bad-character kids, but he's also not looking for a 4.2 GPA or perfect SAT score. He's an alum, so he'll sell the program with all his heart."
Likewise, Ohio State's Urban Meyer is an Ohio native. Penn State's James Franklin is from Langhorne, Pa.
Coincidence or not, CBS Sports Network analyst Tom Lemming has picked up on a recent trend in his 36th year in the business. He sees a more aggressive attitude from coaches throughout the Big Ten, saying many now contact coaches of high school sophomores to establish an early bond.
"Harbaugh is an ADD guy, and with him and Urban and James Franklin, it's nonstop, an SEC mentality not to get beat by anyone else," Lemming said. "I've also noticed (Minnesota's) Jerry Kill, the Iowa and Michigan State coaches on the road more.
"(Alabama's) Nick Saban always said: Show me a coach who is a prolific golfer, and I'll show you a bad recruiter. Ask Saban what he's doing tomorrow and he'll say, 'Watching film.' Urban, Franklin and Harbaugh are the same way."
Said Luginbill: "The addition of Jim Harbaugh has amped up the (leaguewide) work ethic. The new Wisconsin and Nebraska coaches (Paul Chryst and Mike Riley) also have done a nice job."
But they all take a back seat to Ohio State, which expects to sign 25 players in the Big Ten's No. 1 class. And its 2016 class already features the nation's top-rated running back, Kareem Walker of New Jersey.
"Ohio State," Farrell said, "will continue to kill it on the recruiting trail."
tgreenstein@tribune.com
Twitter @TeddyGreenstein
