John Beilein always wants to be in the Big Ten’s footprint.

As the sixth-year Michigan basketball coach discussed his recruiting philosophy during a wide-ranging conversation with reporters Thursday, he explained the states comprising the Big Ten will often be a focus of his recruiting.

“The footprint of where we are recruiting is still the Big Ten,” Beilein said. “Neighboring states are always good.”

Those neighboring states will make up much of the Michigan roster the next two seasons.

Michigan’s roster in 2012-13 will have a grouping that is quite light on players from the state. Only three players -- forwards Jordan Morgan and Jon Horford and guard Eso Akunne -- are from Michigan. None of the incoming Class of 2012 players is from the state either, with three from Indiana (Glenn Robinson III, Mitch McGary and Spike Albrecht), one from Ohio (Caris LeVert) and one from Canada (Nik Stauskas).

Next season will have a Midwestern flavor, though, as there will be three players from Indiana, three players from Illinois (Max Bielfeldt, Matt Vogrich and Josh Bartelstein) and two from Ohio -- LeVert and Trey Burke.

The Class of 2013 players who are verbally committed also add to that with Zak Irvin and Austin Hatch from Indiana, Mark Donnal from Ohio and Derrick Walton Jr. from Michigan.

Beilein sticking with his timeline

Other schools may be offering players as early as their eighth grade season, but don’t expect Michigan to as long as Beilein is the head coach.

Beilein is adhering to the recommended NABC guideline that players not be offered until June 15 after their sophomore season, which means next month will be the first time offers go out for the Class of 2014.

“At the very earliest,” Beilein said of potentially extending offers. “They will be few and far between.”

Albrecht’s addition helps needs

One of the reasons Michigan expressed interest in adding a point guard late in the recruiting process is what the coaches saw throughout the season from Burke.

They saw Burke needing more rest through the course of games and the season. With no established backup on the roster, Michigan wanted to add another pure point guard to complement the sophomore.

They did in Albrecht.

“Both Spike and Nick [Stauskas] have ball-type of skills,” Beilein said. “Obviously Spike does. That’s what he has been playing since bitty ball. But Nick has a dribble ability that allows him to play, the same dribble skills Stu [Douglass] had acquired here, Nick comes in with.”