Well, I've kinda run out of time on this, so this will be short.
South Regional - Kentucky over Duke
West Regional - Mizzou over New Mexico
East Regional - Ohio State over Syracuse
Midwest Regional - North Carolina over Kansas
Final Four - Kentucky over Mizzou and North Carolina over OSU.
Champs - Kentucky
I will say that I originally had Syracuse winning it all over Kentucky, but the loss of Fab Melo is going to be too much for them to overcome.
Of Michigan note, I have the Wolverines in the Sweet 16 with wins over Ohio and Temple, before bowing out to Carolina.
Yes, I know. A lot of chalk at the end. We'll see.
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Commit #15 and a Four Seed
Over the weekend, Coach Hoke secured number 15 for the class of 2013 in the form of Ohio CB Gareon Conley. This was more or less broken by Conley himself on Friday when he tweeted that he would be committing the next day, although it was expected to happen even before that. Conley is unranked by Rivals, four stars and the #20 CB to Scout, and three stars with an 88 rating from 24/7. He fits the mold of the taller CB type that Hoke and Mattison have been looking for as he is 6'2", but he will need to add some weight as he is listed as 165-170 pounds right now.
The reel above shows very good speed and excellent length. I had heard the comparison to Steve Breaston in his stride and it is dead on. He probably isn't as fast as Stevie was/is, but the running style is very reminiscent. Shows good leaping ability and timing, as well as the body control to adjust to the ball in the air. Definitely thin as a rail and will need another 15-20 pounds at least to not get manhandled at the next level by bigger, stronger receivers. Good use of length and speed to be an effective kick blocker off the edge.
Conley makes two CBs in this class and likely closes the position for this year outside of a super like a Fuller, Hargreaves, or Willis. The coaches wanted a taller kid for the other CB spot and looks like they got what they wanted once again. Conley may be an under the radar type of kid that gets a bit more attention in his senior season than he's gotten thus far. I've read some very promising things from the guys that know Ohio football and they seem to like him a lot more than his current rating may suggest. Other offers at the time of his commitment were from Northwestern, Toledo, and West Virginia. Hopefully a diamond in the rough.
Going Forward
Rumors abound about the RB position with Ty Isaac in Ann Arbor all last weekend and Deveon Smith scheduled to come in this weekend. I'm hearing VA RB Derrick Green may also be in town this weekend for an unofficial of his own. I truly have no idea what is going to happen there, but if I got to choose it would be Isaac, Green, Smith in that order. All of them are very good RBs though and I would/will be thrilled with any of them. Things seem like they will be winding up on the RB front in the next week or two but anything could happen including a much more extended timeline. It just seems headed for a conclusion sooner than later. I will get up an expected visitor list in the next day or so.
Tourney Time
To basketball now, as the weekend also held some events of importance on the hardwood. First, on Saturday the basketball team played Ohio State in the semifinals of the Big Ten Tournament. No word on the outcome there, so we'll just assume things went swimmingly. Seriously though, that was awful and hard to watch (truth be told I shut it off with about eight minutes left) and let's never speak of it again. Sunday was a new day, however, and the day the Wolverines found out their NCAA Tourney road.
A four seed in the Midwest Regional originally angered me a bit, mostly because I was expecting a three, but it turns out may be more beneficial than the three in the same bracket. Georgetown got said three seed and will play 14 seed Belmont. Those that know more about this than I say that Belmont has a very good chance to win that game and is a very tough draw at the 14 spot. Michigan, on the other hand, will play 13 seed Ohio. It seems the tournament committee has a sense of humor in setting up this match-up. While this match-up is apparently a better one than facing Belmont, don't expect theBuckeyes Bobcats to be a pushover either. Brian did a Q and A with someone who knows the Bobcats better than any of the rest of us yesterday. A good read. The game will be Friday evening on TNT. Most recent line I've seen is Michigan minus 6. Thanks for reading and Go Blue.
The reel above shows very good speed and excellent length. I had heard the comparison to Steve Breaston in his stride and it is dead on. He probably isn't as fast as Stevie was/is, but the running style is very reminiscent. Shows good leaping ability and timing, as well as the body control to adjust to the ball in the air. Definitely thin as a rail and will need another 15-20 pounds at least to not get manhandled at the next level by bigger, stronger receivers. Good use of length and speed to be an effective kick blocker off the edge.
Going Forward
Rumors abound about the RB position with Ty Isaac in Ann Arbor all last weekend and Deveon Smith scheduled to come in this weekend. I'm hearing VA RB Derrick Green may also be in town this weekend for an unofficial of his own. I truly have no idea what is going to happen there, but if I got to choose it would be Isaac, Green, Smith in that order. All of them are very good RBs though and I would/will be thrilled with any of them. Things seem like they will be winding up on the RB front in the next week or two but anything could happen including a much more extended timeline. It just seems headed for a conclusion sooner than later. I will get up an expected visitor list in the next day or so.
Tourney Time
To basketball now, as the weekend also held some events of importance on the hardwood. First, on Saturday the basketball team played Ohio State in the semifinals of the Big Ten Tournament. No word on the outcome there, so we'll just assume things went swimmingly. Seriously though, that was awful and hard to watch (truth be told I shut it off with about eight minutes left) and let's never speak of it again. Sunday was a new day, however, and the day the Wolverines found out their NCAA Tourney road.
A four seed in the Midwest Regional originally angered me a bit, mostly because I was expecting a three, but it turns out may be more beneficial than the three in the same bracket. Georgetown got said three seed and will play 14 seed Belmont. Those that know more about this than I say that Belmont has a very good chance to win that game and is a very tough draw at the 14 spot. Michigan, on the other hand, will play 13 seed Ohio. It seems the tournament committee has a sense of humor in setting up this match-up. While this match-up is apparently a better one than facing Belmont, don't expect the
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Beat Ohio
Again.
Update:
The last time Michigan played OSU in basketball was a few weekends ago. Over that weekend, the Maize and Blue picked up eight football verbals and beat the Buckeyes in a thriller. This afternoon, a berth in the Big Ten Tournament Finals is at stake when the two teams play again. There also appears to be one or more commitments for the football team ready to drop as well.
Ohio CB Gareon Conley tweeted yesterday that he would make his commitment today. Since he is on campus, it'd be pretty shocking if that choice was anyone other than Michigan. Some outlets have already reported that the commitment has happened, but I have not heard anything I would deem official.
Of course, the big fish on campus is IL RB Ty Isaac. If Shane Morris is able to work his considerable recruiting magic on Isaac, this could turn into another blockbuster weekend in a hurry. I don't know how likely that may be, but Shane has really been on the money with his recruiting pitch to uncommitted guys. We'll see what happens.
This is the basketball team's day though. After they clawed back from what I thought was elimination last night, they will have to turn it up considerably to repeat their feat against Sullinger and company. It would make a nice birthday present to me though! Once again, Beat Ohio and as always, Go Blue!
Update:
The last time Michigan played OSU in basketball was a few weekends ago. Over that weekend, the Maize and Blue picked up eight football verbals and beat the Buckeyes in a thriller. This afternoon, a berth in the Big Ten Tournament Finals is at stake when the two teams play again. There also appears to be one or more commitments for the football team ready to drop as well.
Ohio CB Gareon Conley tweeted yesterday that he would make his commitment today. Since he is on campus, it'd be pretty shocking if that choice was anyone other than Michigan. Some outlets have already reported that the commitment has happened, but I have not heard anything I would deem official.
Of course, the big fish on campus is IL RB Ty Isaac. If Shane Morris is able to work his considerable recruiting magic on Isaac, this could turn into another blockbuster weekend in a hurry. I don't know how likely that may be, but Shane has really been on the money with his recruiting pitch to uncommitted guys. We'll see what happens.
This is the basketball team's day though. After they clawed back from what I thought was elimination last night, they will have to turn it up considerably to repeat their feat against Sullinger and company. It would make a nice birthday present to me though! Once again, Beat Ohio and as always, Go Blue!
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Big Ten Tournament
Click here for full size.
The Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament gets underway tomorrow morning with the 8/9 game between Iowa and Illinois. That's the first of four games tomorrow that make up the first round. Michigan State, Michigan, Ohio State, and Wisconsin have byes.
I was going to preview these first round match-ups, but the guys over at Maize 'n' Brew have already done so in a much better fashion than I could have so go over there for your previews.
Michigan will play the winner of the NW-Minnesota game on Friday evening at 6:30 ET on BTN. I will try to have a preview for that game.
Commit #14
Trotwood-Madison (OH) LB Mike McCray made it public yesterday that he had chosen Michigan to play his college ball. McCray is a 6'4" 230 pounder that Rivals has tabbed as the 44th best player in the country. He is the first LB to commit in this class and continues the hot streak the Wolverines have been on overall, but especially with LBs over the last two classes. If memory serves, McCray is the first player from Trotwood-Madison to come to Ann Arbor since the trio of Roy Roundtree (Happy Bday to him today btw), Mike Shaw, and Brandon Moore in 2008. I have heard some rumblings about his potential, at his size, to grow into a DE but I think he is going to fit nicely into the SAM LB spot and be the heir to Jake Ryan. McCray committed over offers from Arizona, BC, Illinois, Ole Miss, Nebraska, NC State, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, West Virginia and a handful of others.
The writing was pretty much on the wall for this commitment over the last couple of weeks. McCray announced he would be visiting U-M on March 6th and then announcing his decision on the 8th. Guys don't generally visit someplace and then turn around and commit somewhere else two days later, so this was generally expected to be a Michigan decision. Having said all that, this is still a very exciting commitment for several reasons. First off, this kid can flat out play. What I see on the film I've looked at (including the above reel) is a kid that has a great feel for the game and instinctively knows where to be on the field to make plays. He shows pretty good speed for a kid his size and he can bring the lumber when he gets to the football.
Secondly, I love the position Michigan is in for very high caliber LBs in this class. Some of my more specific thoughts can be found here. With two more spots and at least the trio of Gedeon, O'Daniel, and Levenberry listing M as their leader, things get interesting. I read somewhere (I can't find it now, sorry) that Gedeon recently said he may have to alter his decision timeline to make sure he has a spot if he decides he wants to be a Wolverine. All of these guys (and the handful of other LBs that are also high on U-M) know that there won't be room for everyone. Things may start to heat up soon and the possibilities are exciting. Levenberry has maintained that he will not decide until the All American games, but he is the one I would expect the coaches to hold a spot for. What that tells me is that the next LB that wants to commit will get the only other spot that's not reserved. Who will it be? My guess is Gedeon.
And the thing about this commit that I just love to death, is that OSU will not get this kid. They didn't even offer. This article in the Dayton Daily News (HT to mgoblog) has some great quotes from McCray's head coach in which he all but says that the Buckeyes screwed this one up and he doesn't sound real happy about it. My favorite is when he said:
Going Forward
I don't really have much to add here since the piece I did a couple days ago. As I said above, I think Gedeon takes the next LB spot and the last one will be reserved for Levenberry if he wants it. Where does that leave O'Daniel who is supposed to visit for the Spring Game with his five star teammate CB Kendall Fuller? I don't have an answer for that. It's possible they could take him as a SS if they want him bad enough and don't have room for him at LB. That's probably a stretch though.
Weekend Visitors
This weekend is shaping up to be a big one with the talent expected to be in town. Don't expect an eight commit blowout like we saw a few weeks ago, but there could be a couple more names on the commit list sooner than later. Shane Morris and David Dawson are the only two commits that will be in town. Morris has already been talking a lot to Ty Isaac about hanging out with him this weekend and you can bet he will be in his ear about coming on board.
Here is the list of uncommitted kids I have heard will be on campus this weekend:
Illinois RB Ty Isaac
Illinois OT Colin McGovern
Ohio LB Shane Jones
Ohio CB Gareon Conley
Ohio CB Jaleel Hytchye - I don't know a thing about this kid other than what you see on his profile
Maryland WR Zach Bradshaw
All of these kids except Hytchye have offers. Isaac is the big fish. There are also a number of commits and prospects that have said they might come, as well as some 2014 kids too. I'll update as these things get more concrete.
The writing was pretty much on the wall for this commitment over the last couple of weeks. McCray announced he would be visiting U-M on March 6th and then announcing his decision on the 8th. Guys don't generally visit someplace and then turn around and commit somewhere else two days later, so this was generally expected to be a Michigan decision. Having said all that, this is still a very exciting commitment for several reasons. First off, this kid can flat out play. What I see on the film I've looked at (including the above reel) is a kid that has a great feel for the game and instinctively knows where to be on the field to make plays. He shows pretty good speed for a kid his size and he can bring the lumber when he gets to the football.
Secondly, I love the position Michigan is in for very high caliber LBs in this class. Some of my more specific thoughts can be found here. With two more spots and at least the trio of Gedeon, O'Daniel, and Levenberry listing M as their leader, things get interesting. I read somewhere (I can't find it now, sorry) that Gedeon recently said he may have to alter his decision timeline to make sure he has a spot if he decides he wants to be a Wolverine. All of these guys (and the handful of other LBs that are also high on U-M) know that there won't be room for everyone. Things may start to heat up soon and the possibilities are exciting. Levenberry has maintained that he will not decide until the All American games, but he is the one I would expect the coaches to hold a spot for. What that tells me is that the next LB that wants to commit will get the only other spot that's not reserved. Who will it be? My guess is Gedeon.
And the thing about this commit that I just love to death, is that OSU will not get this kid. They didn't even offer. This article in the Dayton Daily News (HT to mgoblog) has some great quotes from McCray's head coach in which he all but says that the Buckeyes screwed this one up and he doesn't sound real happy about it. My favorite is when he said:
They sent him a letter last Thursday telling him to hold on, that they were still evaluating linebackers.Well, take your time Urban. No rush. Coach Hoke and Coach Mattison and the rest of the boys from 'That School Up North' don't mind you taking as long as you want in your evaluations. They'll just keep bringing in big time recruits while you finish up. Oh, and thanks. Did I mention that McCray's dad (who is also the LB coach at Trotwood) played at OSU when Meyer was there as an assistant in the late 80's and was even a team captain in 1988? Ha, I just love it too much!
Going Forward
I don't really have much to add here since the piece I did a couple days ago. As I said above, I think Gedeon takes the next LB spot and the last one will be reserved for Levenberry if he wants it. Where does that leave O'Daniel who is supposed to visit for the Spring Game with his five star teammate CB Kendall Fuller? I don't have an answer for that. It's possible they could take him as a SS if they want him bad enough and don't have room for him at LB. That's probably a stretch though.
Weekend Visitors
This weekend is shaping up to be a big one with the talent expected to be in town. Don't expect an eight commit blowout like we saw a few weeks ago, but there could be a couple more names on the commit list sooner than later. Shane Morris and David Dawson are the only two commits that will be in town. Morris has already been talking a lot to Ty Isaac about hanging out with him this weekend and you can bet he will be in his ear about coming on board.
Here is the list of uncommitted kids I have heard will be on campus this weekend:
Illinois RB Ty Isaac
Illinois OT Colin McGovern
Ohio LB Shane Jones
Ohio CB Gareon Conley
Ohio CB Jaleel Hytchye - I don't know a thing about this kid other than what you see on his profile
Maryland WR Zach Bradshaw
All of these kids except Hytchye have offers. Isaac is the big fish. There are also a number of commits and prospects that have said they might come, as well as some 2014 kids too. I'll update as these things get more concrete.
Monday, March 5, 2012
Updated Class of 2013 Outlook - March 5th
So here we are just over a month after Signing Day for the class of 2012 and the class of 2013 is already more than half done. The Wolverines sit at 13 commitments in what has already become a monster class. Patrick Kugler was the most recent to join and there are several recruits visiting soon, just visited, or about to make their decisions known so let's have a look at where things stand.
Original projection here.
OFFENSE
Quarterback
Commits - 1
Still to Come - 0
Outlook: Shane Morris is on track to be a five star before all is said and done and is proving himself to be a five star recruiter as well. He is in the ear of tons of top kids and he is talking up Michigan every chance he gets. I do not see another QB taken in this class, but it is possible that another ends up here to provide depth after not taking one last class.
Running Back
Commits - 1
Still to Come - 1
Outlook: Big back Wyatt Shallman remains the only commit here. There have been some grumblings that the coaches would take two more true Tailbacks, but I still believe they want one super recruit to close this out. Every indication is that Ty Isaac remains the number one choice for that spot. Tremendous spoke with Ty today and tweeted this earlier: "...I talked to Ty Isaac who said he's not committing anywhere anytime soon." The question becomes, do you wait on this kid if another highly rated kid wants in before he's ready to decide? Tough to say. I really like Isaac and want him in this class badly, but you run the risk of getting nothing if you wait. I still think he comes to A2 in the end.
On the Radar: Ty Issac, Deveon Smith, Derrick Green (probably OSU bound)
Wide Receiver
Commits - 1
Still to Come - 2
Outlook: Jaron Dukes pulled the trigger early, as expected. So now what? Well, I think there will be two more. At least one outside game breaker and maybe two. The other could be a slot type but ultimately the coaches want an upgrade in size and athleticism at the receiver position as a whole. Laquon Treadwell remains the top prospect on the board here. Do want. There are a ton of other guys I would love to add as well. Originally I had Treadwell and Kevin Gladney with Dukes as the three guys here. I don't have any info to make me change my mind on either, but Gladney was always a shot in the dark more or less.
On the Radar: Treadwell, Gladney, James Onwualu, James Quick, Devon Allen (prob stay out west), Robert Foster (probably a long shot)
Tight End
Commits - 2
Still to Come - probably 1 more
Outlook: It appears that the staff will take a third TE in this class. Unless I am underestimating the numbers here (quite possible) I think there are greater needs elsewhere, but it appears to be happening. Khalid Hill and Jake Butt make a nice pair of TEs so far with each filling a role. Adam Breneman is announcing soon and Michigan did not make his final cut. I will be shocked if he doesn't pick PSU. A couple of other guys are very much still in play though. Jacob Matuska visited two weekends ago (if memory serves) and Tremendous caught up with him afterwards. FWIW, he also has high interest in ND and it wouldn't surprise me to see him end up there either. The other main candidate appears to be recent Wisconsin decommit Scott Orndoff, who will visit on March 17th. I suspect commit number three comes from one of these two guys.
On the Radar: Those two are the only two I'm hearing much about. You can forget about Durham Smythe, he's not leaving Texas.
Offensive Line
Commits - 5
Still to Come - probably 0
Outlook: The strength of the class thus far, the OL appears to be done outside of a couple of supers that won't be turned away. If Ethan Pocic or Laremy Tunsil want to join the class, I think you have to take them, but I don't think there's anyone else the staff is still looking at. There was some talk of the coaches trying to flip Steven Elmer from ND in the last couple weeks. I don't know if that's true or not, but it ain't happening either way.
On the Radar: Just Pocic (I think he's going to ND still) and Tunsil (probably staying in the SE).
DEFENSE
Defensive End
Commits - 1
Still to Come - 1
Outlook: Taco Charlton is a great get for this class and I think he is going to make a big jump up the rankings in his senior season. The other DE spot is a bit of a mystery. There are several big names in the mix, but I don't a have a great feel for any of them, at least not yet. For now, I am going to say that DE commit number two is someone not on the radar yet. The guys below are all studs and I would be ecstatic if any of them chose to join Taco.
On the Radar: Christian Lacouture (recent decommit from A&M), Joey Bosa, Jonathan Allen, Jason Hatcher, Alquadin Muhammad, Elijah Daniel, Tashawn Bower.
Defensive Tackle
Commits - 0
Still to Come - 2
Outlook: Once again, the DT position is making me nervous. The depth and talent level at that spot scare me to death. Depth more than anything. I don't know if the fact that there are three DL coaches on this staff makes them extra picky with this spot or what the situation is, but I really would sleep much better at night if a couple of big time recruits would snatch up these two spots. Okay, I'm being very greedy considering the state of the class so far, it's just this spot needs it more than any other on the team. The fact that this is not a great year for DTs doesn't help the matter. Henry Poggi is number one on the board and M is in good shape with him. Poet Thomas is a bit of a head scratcher. He's 6'6" 295 pounds and right in M's back yard. His offer list is Toledo and....Florida? Yeah, weird. I still think he ends up in this class, but there may be something about him I'm not aware of.
On the Radar: Poggi, Thomas, Rod Crayton (has visited), Eddie Vanderdoes, Darius Latham (was reported to be on campus yesterday; Sam Webb says he wasn't), Michael Hill (long shot).
Linebacker
Commits - 0
Still to Come - 2 or 3
I originally pegged this position to only take two, but it seems as though there may be too many major LBs that want to come to Michigan to take only two. Ben Gedeon was on campus this past weekend and did not commit, but I think that will happen before too long. Mike McCray is scheduled to be on campus tomorrow and announce his decision on Thursday. Well that was the original plan. As tweeted by everyone this afternoon, that decision will no longer come Thursday but could come at any time now. Tremendous spoke with him today too (that dude talks to everyone!) and he has apparently already made his decision, but did not leak who it is. All signs point to Blue here. For reference McCray is the #44 ranked player in the country and is from Trotwood-Madison in Ohio. Also listing Michigan as their leader are fellow super recruits E.J. Levenberry and Dorian O'Daniel. As MGoBrian put it earlier this afternoon, LB is the new OL. Close your eyes and pick any three of those four and I couldn't be happier.
On the Radar: Gedeon, McCray, Levenberry, O'Daniel, Alex Anzalone, Matt Rolin.
Cornerback
Commits - 1
Still to Come - 1 or 2
Outlook: Jourdan Lewis is in the fold. Who will come join him? There are some interesting story lines being played out here. There's five star Kendall Fuller - a kid from Good Counsel that stays in touch with Blake Countess and is teammates with Dorian O'Daniel. Will those relationships lead him to go Blue? Will he and O'Daniel package together? Historically, I've found the answer to both of those questions to be 'no'. Just thinking about it does make me drool just a bit though. Ryan White has already pledged to Louisville, but what if both his teammates (Jason Hatcher and James Quick) decide to go to Michigan? Does he want to tag along all the sudden? Honestly, I don't think any of the three will end up Blue, but it is an interesting story to keep an eye on. I don't have a great feeling here either, but it does seem that the coaches want a taller CB with this other spot. There is also a possibility they take two more here.
On the Radar: Fuller, White (not really), Priest Willis, Tre Bell, Cole Luke, Vernon Hargreaves III (long shot).
Safety
Commits - 1
Still to Come - probably 0
Outlook: Dymonte Thomas has been in this class for a long time now and is one of the reasons why it has taken off so much recently. I had originally thought the coaches would take another Safety to pair with him, but I no longer think that is probable. The only exception would be for Su'a Cravens. I am not going to gush over this kid again like I did last time, all I'll say is that this kid is going to be a superstar somewhere and it would be nice if somewhere was at Stadium and Main.
On the Radar: Cravens or nothin'.
SUMMARY
Based on the numbers above, on the high end we are now looking at 25 for this class. I still don't think this class will get that big, so some concessions will have to be made. Where will those concessions come from? Most probable I think are DE, LB, and CB. If the coaches don't take another DE, only take two LBs, and add only one more CB, then we are back at the number 22. I think that's still probably a better estimate to the size of this class. Then again, what do I know?
The make up of this class is already outstanding. Even more exciting, is that there are so many big time kids that are still naming Michigan as their leader or among them. This class is going to get better than it already is and I can't wait to see how high the ceiling is! I'll be right there watching with all of you. Thanks for visiting and Go Blue.
Original projection here.
OFFENSE
Quarterback
Commits - 1
Still to Come - 0
Outlook: Shane Morris is on track to be a five star before all is said and done and is proving himself to be a five star recruiter as well. He is in the ear of tons of top kids and he is talking up Michigan every chance he gets. I do not see another QB taken in this class, but it is possible that another ends up here to provide depth after not taking one last class.
Running Back
Commits - 1
Still to Come - 1
Outlook: Big back Wyatt Shallman remains the only commit here. There have been some grumblings that the coaches would take two more true Tailbacks, but I still believe they want one super recruit to close this out. Every indication is that Ty Isaac remains the number one choice for that spot. Tremendous spoke with Ty today and tweeted this earlier: "...I talked to Ty Isaac who said he's not committing anywhere anytime soon." The question becomes, do you wait on this kid if another highly rated kid wants in before he's ready to decide? Tough to say. I really like Isaac and want him in this class badly, but you run the risk of getting nothing if you wait. I still think he comes to A2 in the end.
On the Radar: Ty Issac, Deveon Smith, Derrick Green (probably OSU bound)
Wide Receiver
Commits - 1
Still to Come - 2
Outlook: Jaron Dukes pulled the trigger early, as expected. So now what? Well, I think there will be two more. At least one outside game breaker and maybe two. The other could be a slot type but ultimately the coaches want an upgrade in size and athleticism at the receiver position as a whole. Laquon Treadwell remains the top prospect on the board here. Do want. There are a ton of other guys I would love to add as well. Originally I had Treadwell and Kevin Gladney with Dukes as the three guys here. I don't have any info to make me change my mind on either, but Gladney was always a shot in the dark more or less.
On the Radar: Treadwell, Gladney, James Onwualu, James Quick, Devon Allen (prob stay out west), Robert Foster (probably a long shot)
Tight End
Commits - 2
Still to Come - probably 1 more
Outlook: It appears that the staff will take a third TE in this class. Unless I am underestimating the numbers here (quite possible) I think there are greater needs elsewhere, but it appears to be happening. Khalid Hill and Jake Butt make a nice pair of TEs so far with each filling a role. Adam Breneman is announcing soon and Michigan did not make his final cut. I will be shocked if he doesn't pick PSU. A couple of other guys are very much still in play though. Jacob Matuska visited two weekends ago (if memory serves) and Tremendous caught up with him afterwards. FWIW, he also has high interest in ND and it wouldn't surprise me to see him end up there either. The other main candidate appears to be recent Wisconsin decommit Scott Orndoff, who will visit on March 17th. I suspect commit number three comes from one of these two guys.
On the Radar: Those two are the only two I'm hearing much about. You can forget about Durham Smythe, he's not leaving Texas.
Offensive Line
Commits - 5
Still to Come - probably 0
Outlook: The strength of the class thus far, the OL appears to be done outside of a couple of supers that won't be turned away. If Ethan Pocic or Laremy Tunsil want to join the class, I think you have to take them, but I don't think there's anyone else the staff is still looking at. There was some talk of the coaches trying to flip Steven Elmer from ND in the last couple weeks. I don't know if that's true or not, but it ain't happening either way.
On the Radar: Just Pocic (I think he's going to ND still) and Tunsil (probably staying in the SE).
DEFENSE
Defensive End
Commits - 1
Still to Come - 1
Outlook: Taco Charlton is a great get for this class and I think he is going to make a big jump up the rankings in his senior season. The other DE spot is a bit of a mystery. There are several big names in the mix, but I don't a have a great feel for any of them, at least not yet. For now, I am going to say that DE commit number two is someone not on the radar yet. The guys below are all studs and I would be ecstatic if any of them chose to join Taco.
On the Radar: Christian Lacouture (recent decommit from A&M), Joey Bosa, Jonathan Allen, Jason Hatcher, Alquadin Muhammad, Elijah Daniel, Tashawn Bower.
Defensive Tackle
Commits - 0
Still to Come - 2
Outlook: Once again, the DT position is making me nervous. The depth and talent level at that spot scare me to death. Depth more than anything. I don't know if the fact that there are three DL coaches on this staff makes them extra picky with this spot or what the situation is, but I really would sleep much better at night if a couple of big time recruits would snatch up these two spots. Okay, I'm being very greedy considering the state of the class so far, it's just this spot needs it more than any other on the team. The fact that this is not a great year for DTs doesn't help the matter. Henry Poggi is number one on the board and M is in good shape with him. Poet Thomas is a bit of a head scratcher. He's 6'6" 295 pounds and right in M's back yard. His offer list is Toledo and....Florida? Yeah, weird. I still think he ends up in this class, but there may be something about him I'm not aware of.
On the Radar: Poggi, Thomas, Rod Crayton (has visited), Eddie Vanderdoes, Darius Latham (was reported to be on campus yesterday; Sam Webb says he wasn't), Michael Hill (long shot).
Linebacker
Commits - 0
Still to Come - 2 or 3
I originally pegged this position to only take two, but it seems as though there may be too many major LBs that want to come to Michigan to take only two. Ben Gedeon was on campus this past weekend and did not commit, but I think that will happen before too long. Mike McCray is scheduled to be on campus tomorrow and announce his decision on Thursday. Well that was the original plan. As tweeted by everyone this afternoon, that decision will no longer come Thursday but could come at any time now. Tremendous spoke with him today too (that dude talks to everyone!) and he has apparently already made his decision, but did not leak who it is. All signs point to Blue here. For reference McCray is the #44 ranked player in the country and is from Trotwood-Madison in Ohio. Also listing Michigan as their leader are fellow super recruits E.J. Levenberry and Dorian O'Daniel. As MGoBrian put it earlier this afternoon, LB is the new OL. Close your eyes and pick any three of those four and I couldn't be happier.
On the Radar: Gedeon, McCray, Levenberry, O'Daniel, Alex Anzalone, Matt Rolin.
Cornerback
Commits - 1
Still to Come - 1 or 2
Outlook: Jourdan Lewis is in the fold. Who will come join him? There are some interesting story lines being played out here. There's five star Kendall Fuller - a kid from Good Counsel that stays in touch with Blake Countess and is teammates with Dorian O'Daniel. Will those relationships lead him to go Blue? Will he and O'Daniel package together? Historically, I've found the answer to both of those questions to be 'no'. Just thinking about it does make me drool just a bit though. Ryan White has already pledged to Louisville, but what if both his teammates (Jason Hatcher and James Quick) decide to go to Michigan? Does he want to tag along all the sudden? Honestly, I don't think any of the three will end up Blue, but it is an interesting story to keep an eye on. I don't have a great feeling here either, but it does seem that the coaches want a taller CB with this other spot. There is also a possibility they take two more here.
On the Radar: Fuller, White (not really), Priest Willis, Tre Bell, Cole Luke, Vernon Hargreaves III (long shot).
Safety
Commits - 1
Still to Come - probably 0
Outlook: Dymonte Thomas has been in this class for a long time now and is one of the reasons why it has taken off so much recently. I had originally thought the coaches would take another Safety to pair with him, but I no longer think that is probable. The only exception would be for Su'a Cravens. I am not going to gush over this kid again like I did last time, all I'll say is that this kid is going to be a superstar somewhere and it would be nice if somewhere was at Stadium and Main.
On the Radar: Cravens or nothin'.
SUMMARY
Based on the numbers above, on the high end we are now looking at 25 for this class. I still don't think this class will get that big, so some concessions will have to be made. Where will those concessions come from? Most probable I think are DE, LB, and CB. If the coaches don't take another DE, only take two LBs, and add only one more CB, then we are back at the number 22. I think that's still probably a better estimate to the size of this class. Then again, what do I know?
The make up of this class is already outstanding. Even more exciting, is that there are so many big time kids that are still naming Michigan as their leader or among them. This class is going to get better than it already is and I can't wait to see how high the ceiling is! I'll be right there watching with all of you. Thanks for visiting and Go Blue.
A Commit, a Loss, Two Wins, and a Championship
What a last week we have seen surrounding Michigan Athletics! We have a lot to cover, so let's get right to it.
Commit #13
In a strange turn of events, Coach Hoke took another commitment for his class of 2013 without a second to go with him. In this case, just the one will do nicely. On Saturday (2/25), Patrick Kugler became lucky number 13 to join the class of '13 somewhat out of the blue. Kugler is a 6'5" 280 pound OL from Wexler, PA (North Allegheny) and is currently rated four stars and the number 54 overall recruit in the nation by Rivals. He is the fifth OL to join this class.
I really shouldn't be surprised by anyone committing to the Wolverines the way Coach Hoke and the rest of the staff are recruiting these days, but I will admit that Kugler was really not on my radar. I didn't even know he was visiting until the day before and knew that it was expected to be a split trip with Saturday being spent in A2 and Sunday scheduled to be a day in East Lansing. In fact, the scuttlebutt I was hearing had Kugler leaning towards Sparty with a possible commitment to the Green and White coming on Sunday. Things have a funny way of changing when a recruit gets to campus in Ann Arbor though, and Patrick pulled the trigger for the Maize and Blue instead and cancelled the rest of his weekend trip, never even making it to EL.
On to the kid himself. Word is that Coach Funk has told Kugler all along that he was recruiting him to play Center. This is very good news as that really gives this class a full OL across the board. With Kugler at Center, Bosch and Dawson at Guards, and Fox and LTT at Tackles, the line is set. More importantly, we can rest a little easier knowing the heir to the all important Center position has been identified and secured. I like this choice for Center because this kid is technically sound and smart, which shouldn't be much of a surprise considering his dad is the OL coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers. I love coach's kids, especially on the OL. He is a little taller than your average Center prospect and he will have to learn the position as he is the LT on his HS team, but I expect he will be able to handle the transition.
Let's have a look at some film. This isn't going to be a great indicator of his future as playing Tackle and Center are very different, but this will give you an idea of his general ability.
The first couple of minutes on this reel are him playing DT, which isn't going to help much with his evaluation other than to show that he is a strong kid that can just throw ball carriers to the ground when he gets his hands on them. Shows some good penetration and a good nose for the ball, but just looks uncomfortable on defense. Anyway, to the offense. Powerful kid with solid technique and a nasty streak. Knows his assignment and takes care of it. Would like to see a little more foot speed when he pulls or gets out in front of a screen. Standard 'needs to add weight and get stronger' comment, but does show an ample frame for about 20 more pounds. Hopefully he can add that weight/strength and get a little quicker at the same time (or at least not lose any quicks he has now).
Kugler had a significant offer list, as you might expect from such a highly ranked prospect, which included the likes of Arizona, Boise State, Cal, Cincinnati, Florida, FSU, Iowa, Maryland, Miami, MSU, UNC, ND, PSU, Pitt, South Carolina, Stanford, Tennessee, Virginia Tech, and West Virginia among others. Welcome to the class Patrick.
Going Forward
So does that close the door on OL recruiting for 2013? Probably. If Ethan Pocic or Laremy Tunsil want to join the fun, I would suspect they will be welcomed, but they may be the only ones. M has 5 very good players and fills out an entire line group with who they have. If you are not a super talent, you are probably out of luck if you want to go to U-M. I will have a recruiting breakdown a little later tonight or tomorrow that will address the rest of the class in a bit more depth.
Senior Night Stumble
Also on that Saturday, the men's hoops team hosted Purdue on Senior Night attempting to close out an undefeated home slate for the season. This was supposed to be a night to celebrate the careers of Stu Douglass and Zack Novak as well as a perfect home record. Instead, what we all witnessed was what can happen on any given night. Okay, that's a little thick with the cliche, but it's the truth. The Wolverines sleepwalked through an embarrassing 75-61 home loss to a mediocre Purdue team and reminded us that things can go sour quickly in the game of basketball.
I'm not going to dwell long on this game, partly because it's a little depressing to do so (not to mention fruitless), but also because this was over a week ago and bigger and better things have happened since. In a nutshell, Michigan was outshot 50% - 42%, shot under 30% on 32 three pointers, and went to the free throw line four times to Purdue's 16. It was a strange game to watch. I really don't have much else to say about this game. Novak, Burke, and Hardaway were the only players in double figures and were also the only players with double digit attempts. Blah.
Hardaway Returns
I have been pretty down on Tim Hardaway, Jr lately. I was pretty critical of his performance against NW in this space recently. He shut me up last Thursday night in Champaign. Hardaway had 25 on 6-7 shooting (including 4-4 from beyond the arc plus 9-10 from the line) and Trey Burke added 21 in a 72-61 road win against Illinois. Hardaway was all over the floor. He was athletic and aggressive and did what he wanted to do while staying in rhythm and playing within the team. And it was everything I thought it could be.
This kid can play. He has the talent and the skills. Last Thursday proved it. If he can replicate that performance, Michigan becomes an extremely dangerous basketball team. Good thing the calendar reads March.
Burke is going to be a steady force for this team. He will make someFreshman mistakes, but not too many, and he will score and run the offense. When you add Hardaway to that - doing what he's capable of doing - then everyone else on the floor becomes that much better and a little more open. Here's hoping that he can maintain what he has found again.
Finale
The regular season finale at Penn State was yesterday afternoon and there was a lot on the line. A win and and a Spartan loss meant a share of the first Big Ten regular season Championship since 1986. Yes folks, this program had won a National Championship more recently than a Big Ten title. While most of us had our thoughts on the OSU-MSU showdown later that afternoon, Michigan still had a road game to win or that later clash didn't matter.
Penn State has been in a battle with Nebraska all year for the cellar spot in the Big Ten, but we all know anything can happen when you're on the road in a conference game. While M sorta cruised out to a big lead, I think we all knew that the Lions would make a run and make us all sweat a little. And they did. They chipped and chipped and chipped and next thing you know it's a five point game late in the second half. Burke hits a huge four point play to push it to a 10 point lead, but PSU hits a four point play of their own on the very next possession.
This was way more tense than it needed to be, but the good guys prevail 71-65 and set the stage for the unthinkable. We all had to root for Ohio State to win. I preferred to think of it as rooting for Michigan State to lose, but that's just semantics. Mgoblue.com had a great piece on the team watching the end of that game back in Ann Arbor after their flight home.
Congratulation guys. You earned it.
Commit #13
In a strange turn of events, Coach Hoke took another commitment for his class of 2013 without a second to go with him. In this case, just the one will do nicely. On Saturday (2/25), Patrick Kugler became lucky number 13 to join the class of '13 somewhat out of the blue. Kugler is a 6'5" 280 pound OL from Wexler, PA (North Allegheny) and is currently rated four stars and the number 54 overall recruit in the nation by Rivals. He is the fifth OL to join this class.
I really shouldn't be surprised by anyone committing to the Wolverines the way Coach Hoke and the rest of the staff are recruiting these days, but I will admit that Kugler was really not on my radar. I didn't even know he was visiting until the day before and knew that it was expected to be a split trip with Saturday being spent in A2 and Sunday scheduled to be a day in East Lansing. In fact, the scuttlebutt I was hearing had Kugler leaning towards Sparty with a possible commitment to the Green and White coming on Sunday. Things have a funny way of changing when a recruit gets to campus in Ann Arbor though, and Patrick pulled the trigger for the Maize and Blue instead and cancelled the rest of his weekend trip, never even making it to EL.
On to the kid himself. Word is that Coach Funk has told Kugler all along that he was recruiting him to play Center. This is very good news as that really gives this class a full OL across the board. With Kugler at Center, Bosch and Dawson at Guards, and Fox and LTT at Tackles, the line is set. More importantly, we can rest a little easier knowing the heir to the all important Center position has been identified and secured. I like this choice for Center because this kid is technically sound and smart, which shouldn't be much of a surprise considering his dad is the OL coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers. I love coach's kids, especially on the OL. He is a little taller than your average Center prospect and he will have to learn the position as he is the LT on his HS team, but I expect he will be able to handle the transition.
Let's have a look at some film. This isn't going to be a great indicator of his future as playing Tackle and Center are very different, but this will give you an idea of his general ability.
The first couple of minutes on this reel are him playing DT, which isn't going to help much with his evaluation other than to show that he is a strong kid that can just throw ball carriers to the ground when he gets his hands on them. Shows some good penetration and a good nose for the ball, but just looks uncomfortable on defense. Anyway, to the offense. Powerful kid with solid technique and a nasty streak. Knows his assignment and takes care of it. Would like to see a little more foot speed when he pulls or gets out in front of a screen. Standard 'needs to add weight and get stronger' comment, but does show an ample frame for about 20 more pounds. Hopefully he can add that weight/strength and get a little quicker at the same time (or at least not lose any quicks he has now).
Kugler had a significant offer list, as you might expect from such a highly ranked prospect, which included the likes of Arizona, Boise State, Cal, Cincinnati, Florida, FSU, Iowa, Maryland, Miami, MSU, UNC, ND, PSU, Pitt, South Carolina, Stanford, Tennessee, Virginia Tech, and West Virginia among others. Welcome to the class Patrick.
Going Forward
So does that close the door on OL recruiting for 2013? Probably. If Ethan Pocic or Laremy Tunsil want to join the fun, I would suspect they will be welcomed, but they may be the only ones. M has 5 very good players and fills out an entire line group with who they have. If you are not a super talent, you are probably out of luck if you want to go to U-M. I will have a recruiting breakdown a little later tonight or tomorrow that will address the rest of the class in a bit more depth.
Senior Night Stumble
Also on that Saturday, the men's hoops team hosted Purdue on Senior Night attempting to close out an undefeated home slate for the season. This was supposed to be a night to celebrate the careers of Stu Douglass and Zack Novak as well as a perfect home record. Instead, what we all witnessed was what can happen on any given night. Okay, that's a little thick with the cliche, but it's the truth. The Wolverines sleepwalked through an embarrassing 75-61 home loss to a mediocre Purdue team and reminded us that things can go sour quickly in the game of basketball.
I'm not going to dwell long on this game, partly because it's a little depressing to do so (not to mention fruitless), but also because this was over a week ago and bigger and better things have happened since. In a nutshell, Michigan was outshot 50% - 42%, shot under 30% on 32 three pointers, and went to the free throw line four times to Purdue's 16. It was a strange game to watch. I really don't have much else to say about this game. Novak, Burke, and Hardaway were the only players in double figures and were also the only players with double digit attempts. Blah.
Hardaway Returns
I have been pretty down on Tim Hardaway, Jr lately. I was pretty critical of his performance against NW in this space recently. He shut me up last Thursday night in Champaign. Hardaway had 25 on 6-7 shooting (including 4-4 from beyond the arc plus 9-10 from the line) and Trey Burke added 21 in a 72-61 road win against Illinois. Hardaway was all over the floor. He was athletic and aggressive and did what he wanted to do while staying in rhythm and playing within the team. And it was everything I thought it could be.
This kid can play. He has the talent and the skills. Last Thursday proved it. If he can replicate that performance, Michigan becomes an extremely dangerous basketball team. Good thing the calendar reads March.
Burke is going to be a steady force for this team. He will make some
Finale
The regular season finale at Penn State was yesterday afternoon and there was a lot on the line. A win and and a Spartan loss meant a share of the first Big Ten regular season Championship since 1986. Yes folks, this program had won a National Championship more recently than a Big Ten title. While most of us had our thoughts on the OSU-MSU showdown later that afternoon, Michigan still had a road game to win or that later clash didn't matter.
Penn State has been in a battle with Nebraska all year for the cellar spot in the Big Ten, but we all know anything can happen when you're on the road in a conference game. While M sorta cruised out to a big lead, I think we all knew that the Lions would make a run and make us all sweat a little. And they did. They chipped and chipped and chipped and next thing you know it's a five point game late in the second half. Burke hits a huge four point play to push it to a 10 point lead, but PSU hits a four point play of their own on the very next possession.
This was way more tense than it needed to be, but the good guys prevail 71-65 and set the stage for the unthinkable. We all had to root for Ohio State to win. I preferred to think of it as rooting for Michigan State to lose, but that's just semantics. Mgoblue.com had a great piece on the team watching the end of that game back in Ann Arbor after their flight home.
Congratulation guys. You earned it.
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| mgoblue.com |
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Do You Believe in Miracles?
YES!!
32 years ago today, one of the great upsets in sports history and one of the great moments in US sporting glory took place in Lake Placid, NY. If you haven't seen the movie Miracle, do yourself a favor and watch it. USA! USA! USA!
32 years ago today, one of the great upsets in sports history and one of the great moments in US sporting glory took place in Lake Placid, NY. If you haven't seen the movie Miracle, do yourself a favor and watch it. USA! USA! USA!
Commit #12
Michigan picked up their 12th commit for the class of 2013 this afternoon when 6'5" 205 pound WR Jaron Dukes pledged to be a Wolverine. Dukes is the first WR pledge in the class and will come to Ann Arbor from deep in enemy territory at Marion Franklin HS in Columbus. He is not currently ranked by Rivals but is expected to be a three star recruit. As a Junior, Dukes had 670 yards receiving and seven touchdowns, but by far my favorite stat of his from last year is his performance against his friend and five-star (#7 overall) current OSU commit CB Cameron Burrows. In their head to head matchup last season, Dukes had a monster game with six catches for 173 yards and two touchdowns. Yes please.
This was a pretty expected commitment as Dukes had all but flat out said he was going to commit in the last few weeks. That being said, it is great news to get a WR on the board. The two kids in the class of 2012 both came on board pretty late in the process and their was some hand wringing about the position in that class. Receiver will be just important in this class as the last, if not more so, so it is great to get one on the board early. Jaron visited a few weeks ago and loved it but did not want to commit right away to make sure he was making the right choice. He had this to say to Ace over at MGoBlog in a recent interview about how his visit went:
Jaron is a big target that can use his height and leaping ability to go get the ball over his defender. This is the type of red zone target OC Al Borges loves. He has big hands that he uses to high point the football away from his body. Dukes has decent but not blazing speed. He reminds me a bit of a taller Junior Hemmingway the way he uses his body to shield the defender and goes up and gets the ball. There isn't much film out there on him. The above is a short reel as it is but then half of it is just pics and info and there isn't much to it, so that's all I've got for now on him.
Dukes' offer sheet was fairly sparse as far as offers go with Illinois and Toledo the only other confirmed offers. According to Dukes himself, he had been hearing from Cincinnati, MSU, ND, and OSU and had been to OSU on a couple of visits as well but none of those schools had extended offers to this point.
Going Forward
As I said above, this is a good sign that there are some skill position kids out there that are feeling Michigan. There had been some grumblings that the coaching staff had done a great job thus far on the lines but had struggled a bit getting skill position players in the fold. I'm not worried. I think this class will add at least one more WR and maybe two. I think Laquon Treadwell will end up in this class and he would be a huge pickup at a position that needs playmakers in a bad way. I think a third commit would have to come from a major recruit and I think the depth chart is attractive enough to land one.
This brings the class to 12 and I think that leaves about 10 more spots to fill. I think those spots will break down something like this: 1 RB, 2 WR, 1 DE, 2 DT, 2 LB, 1 CB, 1 S. I could certainly see the coaches taking another OL instead of a Safety or third WR. With so much of the class already full, the coaches have the luxury of being very selective and slowing things down.
I suppose I should be on the lookout for another commit tonight since we all know that Hoke commits come in pairs. Until then, Go Blue.
This was a pretty expected commitment as Dukes had all but flat out said he was going to commit in the last few weeks. That being said, it is great news to get a WR on the board. The two kids in the class of 2012 both came on board pretty late in the process and their was some hand wringing about the position in that class. Receiver will be just important in this class as the last, if not more so, so it is great to get one on the board early. Jaron visited a few weeks ago and loved it but did not want to commit right away to make sure he was making the right choice. He had this to say to Ace over at MGoBlog in a recent interview about how his visit went:
I'll tell you what I saw. I saw a love for Michigan. Everybody I talked to loves the university, loves everything about it. They were a family, you could tell there was a bond everywhere you went, you could just feel it. It was just a great place to be. They took me through the facilities, they showed me the field, academic center, athletic center, I talked to the dean, everything—it was just great...the highest point was me starting from the very top of the tunnel, running down the tunnel, jumping, and just walking out onto the field. I went from the 'M' in the center of the field, to end zone, to end zone, and back to the center, and a tear came down my face.Sounds like a kid that loves Michigan. I'll take 85 of those. On to some film breakdown.
Jaron is a big target that can use his height and leaping ability to go get the ball over his defender. This is the type of red zone target OC Al Borges loves. He has big hands that he uses to high point the football away from his body. Dukes has decent but not blazing speed. He reminds me a bit of a taller Junior Hemmingway the way he uses his body to shield the defender and goes up and gets the ball. There isn't much film out there on him. The above is a short reel as it is but then half of it is just pics and info and there isn't much to it, so that's all I've got for now on him.
Dukes' offer sheet was fairly sparse as far as offers go with Illinois and Toledo the only other confirmed offers. According to Dukes himself, he had been hearing from Cincinnati, MSU, ND, and OSU and had been to OSU on a couple of visits as well but none of those schools had extended offers to this point.
Going Forward
As I said above, this is a good sign that there are some skill position kids out there that are feeling Michigan. There had been some grumblings that the coaching staff had done a great job thus far on the lines but had struggled a bit getting skill position players in the fold. I'm not worried. I think this class will add at least one more WR and maybe two. I think Laquon Treadwell will end up in this class and he would be a huge pickup at a position that needs playmakers in a bad way. I think a third commit would have to come from a major recruit and I think the depth chart is attractive enough to land one.
This brings the class to 12 and I think that leaves about 10 more spots to fill. I think those spots will break down something like this: 1 RB, 2 WR, 1 DE, 2 DT, 2 LB, 1 CB, 1 S. I could certainly see the coaches taking another OL instead of a Safety or third WR. With so much of the class already full, the coaches have the luxury of being very selective and slowing things down.
I suppose I should be on the lookout for another commit tonight since we all know that Hoke commits come in pairs. Until then, Go Blue.
Close Call in Evanston
So the basketball team played a huge game in Evanston last night against a pesky Northwestern team that finds themselves on the tournament bubble for the first time that I can remember. This is the same group of Wildcats that came into Ann Arbor and took the Wolverines to overtime on January 11th. In that contest, Northwestern held a seven point lead at the half and used their 1-3-1 zone to give the Michigan offense trouble - holding the Wolverines to 33% shooting from the floor and 7-30 from beyond the arc. Michigan had to claw from behind in that January tilt to force overtime before eventually winning by two at home.
I could almost repeat what I just wrote to describe last night's game. Again NW led by seven at the break. Again the 1-3-1 gave the Michigan offense fits (38% shooting and 14-38 from three). Again the game went to overtime before Michigan could put things away. Northwestern is a tough team to play and they have a shot at making the tournament this year, but I would have liked to see Michigan come out and play better in this game especially after the huge win on Saturday. Maybe their was a little hangover from the game against OSU and you have to give NW credit for playing hard too. It didn't seem to me that Michigan really played as well as they are capable until the extra session. I suppose that's a pretty good time to turn it on though. The 67-55 final score last night is not very indicative of the game as a whole, but more so a dominant overtime performance following a lackluster regulation one.
Tim Hardaway, Jr once again proved that he is the most maddening player possible to follow and root for. Hardaway struggled shooting the ball again last night, just when I was thinking (maybe hoping is a better word) that he was pulling out of his slump. One of the most frustrating things about his game last night was that he didn't do much to help himself. Of his 4-12 shooting, he was 2-9 from deep. On an off night when his shot wasn't there, he still took 75% of his shots from three. He has got to recognize when he's off and go more to help himself break out of his funk by using his dribble and getting to the basket. Even something as simple as using one dribble around a screen and taking a jumper can help create better rhythm and a better shot at the same time. Instead we got a steady diet of catch and shoot threes that were almost universally short.
When he did drive to the basket, most of the time he ended up getting fouled. This turned out to be an excellent strategy for the 'Cats as Hardaway went a horrid 4-10 from the line. Now, the man still had 14 points and did his share to help the team get the win so I don't want to be nothing but negative here. He hit a big three from the corner late and chipped in five boards and three blocks so it's not like all he did was chuck up bricks. It's just so frustrating when you know what he is capable of and he settles for three's and doesn't create. It's almost like he's being lazy. Speaking of lazy, I absolutely hate when his offensive frustrations lead him to being lazy on the defensive end. I saw it plainly several times last night and that is something Beilein must put the clamps on immediately. Enough about Hardaway. I could write about my frustrations with him forever. I sure do love him when he's on though!
So what went right? Well, Superfrosh Trey Burke had another very good performance with 19 points and even came down with six rebounds too. Douglass and Vogrich looked decent from long range. The team defense was quite good and the switching out top was excellent most of the time. I can only think of one time the switch wasn't communicated and there was an open player as a result. Not so great? Morgan followed arguably the best game of his career with foul trouble and a minimal impact. He played only 21 minutes and finished with four points and seven rebounds. Novak and Smotrycz each made only one shot from the field and finished with seven and two points respectively. Also, 38 threes?!? Michigan took 30 the first time these teams met so maybe this is a product of facing the 1-3-1. Regardless, this is much too large a number. And why is it that when another team runs a 1-3-1 against us we still get out rebounded 33-30, but when we run the 1-3-1 the other team gets every offensive board possible? ARGH.
Despite all my 'everything was awful' talk, M won the game by 12 and is now 21-7 on the season and amazingly 11-4 in the toughest conference in the land. They might even be looking at a top 10 ranking as early as next week. Pretty damn impressive.
Three games remain on the schedule: Purdue on Senior Night is this Saturday, and then a two game road swing to finish at Illinois March 1st and at Penn State on the 4th on ESPN. Purdue should be a given on an emotional night, Illinois is a flaming wreck (but still worries me anyway), and PSU is possibly worse than Nebraska. A 3-0 finish is possible and probably likely which would make this team 14-4 in the Big Ten and 24-7 overall. Sounds like a 3 seed to me.
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| Tough night for Morgan [AP/Paul Beaty] |
Tim Hardaway, Jr once again proved that he is the most maddening player possible to follow and root for. Hardaway struggled shooting the ball again last night, just when I was thinking (maybe hoping is a better word) that he was pulling out of his slump. One of the most frustrating things about his game last night was that he didn't do much to help himself. Of his 4-12 shooting, he was 2-9 from deep. On an off night when his shot wasn't there, he still took 75% of his shots from three. He has got to recognize when he's off and go more to help himself break out of his funk by using his dribble and getting to the basket. Even something as simple as using one dribble around a screen and taking a jumper can help create better rhythm and a better shot at the same time. Instead we got a steady diet of catch and shoot threes that were almost universally short.
When he did drive to the basket, most of the time he ended up getting fouled. This turned out to be an excellent strategy for the 'Cats as Hardaway went a horrid 4-10 from the line. Now, the man still had 14 points and did his share to help the team get the win so I don't want to be nothing but negative here. He hit a big three from the corner late and chipped in five boards and three blocks so it's not like all he did was chuck up bricks. It's just so frustrating when you know what he is capable of and he settles for three's and doesn't create. It's almost like he's being lazy. Speaking of lazy, I absolutely hate when his offensive frustrations lead him to being lazy on the defensive end. I saw it plainly several times last night and that is something Beilein must put the clamps on immediately. Enough about Hardaway. I could write about my frustrations with him forever. I sure do love him when he's on though!
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| Great D from Burke [AP/Paul Beaty] |
Despite all my 'everything was awful' talk, M won the game by 12 and is now 21-7 on the season and amazingly 11-4 in the toughest conference in the land. They might even be looking at a top 10 ranking as early as next week. Pretty damn impressive.
Three games remain on the schedule: Purdue on Senior Night is this Saturday, and then a two game road swing to finish at Illinois March 1st and at Penn State on the 4th on ESPN. Purdue should be a given on an emotional night, Illinois is a flaming wreck (but still worries me anyway), and PSU is possibly worse than Nebraska. A 3-0 finish is possible and probably likely which would make this team 14-4 in the Big Ten and 24-7 overall. Sounds like a 3 seed to me.
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Help?
I have added a new banner to the top of the page. Yes, yes, behold my significant Photoshop prowess. Obviously I suck at this. Would anyone out there be interested/willing to make a free banner for the site? I would like the title to be prominent and easy to read, obviously Michigan themed, and tasteful. The subtitle can stay or go - doesn't really matter. Other than that, you're free to create. Current size is 1100x270 if that helps. Leave me a comment or message me on twitter if you would like to submit something.
Monday, February 20, 2012
New Name, New URL, New Energy
I have been much more energized about this blog recently and so I have decided to make a few changes. When I first started this blog, it was going to be a smorgasbord of whatever mish-mash came spilling out of my head through my finger tips. We as it turned out, the majority of what is on my mind is Michigan sports. There have been video game reviews here and other assorted randomness as well as a tab at the top dedicated entirely to quotes from The Simpsons. All of that is gone now (or will be soon) and this space will be entirely dedicated to Michigan sports with perhaps some other relevant things sprinkled in like the Wings.
Now I am fully aware that there are a ridiculous amount of Michigan sports sites out there already, topped by the incomparable MGoBlog, and most people might ask why just add another of the same thing? Well here's my thoughts on that - I'm not trying to compete or carbon copy any of those other great sites. I love Michigan sports and recruiting and and I'm truly passionate about it. I also like to write. So I am going to do both and I'm going to do it my way. I am going to try and put together some more football technical posts (yes I've said this before) and some other features that think sound like fun. I am also going to try and devote more to some of the other sports besides just football.
I hope that you have made the journey to the new digs successfully and I hope that you come back. I'd like to build a readership and I'd love some comments on any of my pieces or suggestions on articles you'd like to see. Follow the site if you'd like as well (you can click the 'Join this site' button on the sidebar). Thanks for coming and Go Blue.
Now I am fully aware that there are a ridiculous amount of Michigan sports sites out there already, topped by the incomparable MGoBlog, and most people might ask why just add another of the same thing? Well here's my thoughts on that - I'm not trying to compete or carbon copy any of those other great sites. I love Michigan sports and recruiting and and I'm truly passionate about it. I also like to write. So I am going to do both and I'm going to do it my way. I am going to try and put together some more football technical posts (yes I've said this before) and some other features that think sound like fun. I am also going to try and devote more to some of the other sports besides just football.
I hope that you have made the journey to the new digs successfully and I hope that you come back. I'd like to build a readership and I'd love some comments on any of my pieces or suggestions on articles you'd like to see. Follow the site if you'd like as well (you can click the 'Join this site' button on the sidebar). Thanks for coming and Go Blue.
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Eight is Great
After the amazing day Michigan Athletics had yesterday, today has been a very nice cherry on top. Two more four star commits came tonight, bringing the total for the weekend up to eight. That's right, eight. All of them four stars. All of them in the top 200. Unbelievable. Let's have a look at the newest members of the class of 2013.
First up this evening was 6'6" 230 pound TE Jake Butt out of Pickerington, OH. You can find Jake's film and a brief breakdown of him I did here. Rivals has Jake ranked as the #96 player in the country regardless of position. He play on both sides of the ball (also DE) and has been offered by different schools for different positions but Michigan has recruited him as a TE and that is what he will be. I expect Jake to be more of a traditional, on the line TE as opposed to a blocking TE (A.J. Williams), an H or U-back (Khalid Hill), or a tweener (Devin Funchess). This kid has excellent height and length, and can be a weapon in the red zone.
There was a long list of suitors vying for Jake's commitment including BC, Iowa, Maryland, Stanford, Tennessee, and Wisconsin as well as quite a few others. Notre Dame and OSU were interested as well, though Rivals does not show an offer from either right now. This is a very solid player a ta position of need and I think this will wrap up the TE spot for this class. Jake on his discussions over the weekend with the coaches ($):
Once again, the wait for the second part of the commit pair wasn't a long one. Logan Tuley-Tillman announced on twitter about an hour or so later that he was "Officially a Wolverine & better yet a Michigan Man". LTT is rated as the 109th player in the country and comes to us from Peoria, IL (Manual). He is a 6'7" 300 pounder that is destined for OT at the next level. This is perfect as it seems probably both Bosch and Dawson will play inside and LTT and Fox will stay outside. Gotta love the balance.
This is somewhat of a surprise commit, not because I didn't expect him to be a part of this class but because I didn't expect it to happen so soon. Logan had maintained that Michigan has always been his leader but he has also said repeatedly that he would not make a decision until after he had taken his official visits. He was on campus for the 6th or 7th time last week and had his Mom with him this time, so that may have had something to do with it, but I suspect the fact that the OL class is filling up in a hurry had a little effect on his timeline as well.
It's not as though he had limited suitors either. His other offers include Alabama, Arkansas, BC, Florida State, Illinois, Iowa, Mizzou, UNC, ND, OSU, Oklahoma State, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas A&M, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. There was even a rumor going around that Nick Saban called Logan last night to try and control some of damage from the flood of Wolverine commitments. Luckily for Coach Hoke and company, Logan was not to be dissuaded.
Let's have a look at some film:
This is sort of a weird reel; looks like it was recorded with a camcorder from a tv screen. Anyway, these are Junior season highlights. He looks rather thin here but he has put on 20+ pounds since then and I expect him to be more physically dominant at the point of attack in his final season. That being said, he shows flashes of the nastiness and willingness to bury his opponent you want in a OL. Has the ability to drive his man in run blocking and shows a decent kick and quickness in his pass pro. Inconsistent in his "pop" off the line - sometimes plays to the defender instead of through him. Has a tendency to play too high and wrestle with the defender - this is biggest flaw of virtually every high school lineman and is correctable, it's very difficult for these kids to stay down especially since they are quite a bit bigger than their opponent most of the time. He can dominate in the run game when he uses his technique and leverage. Positions his body well to seal his block on several plays. He has all the tools you are looking for and will be a good one with more coaching and time in the weight room.
What a weekend! I'm going to toot my horn again and point out both these guys were on my projection last week as well. That makes me 8 for 8 this weekend and I couldn't be happier with the way this class is progressing. As far as the rest of the class goes, I think we are at the halfway point as far as numbers go. I wouldn't expect another eight commits in the next couple of days, although with the way this class is filling up you can be sure recruits have taken notice. I wouldn't be surprised to see one or two more in the near future. The quality in this class is outstanding and uncommitted recruits know it; there may be a few that want to make sure they secure a spot to be part of it. I think the focus will be on a super RB, a couple if not three big time WRs, and you know the DL will get some more attention. Add to that a couple of LBs and a couple of CBs and that will get things close to the end. Until next time, Go Blue.
There was a long list of suitors vying for Jake's commitment including BC, Iowa, Maryland, Stanford, Tennessee, and Wisconsin as well as quite a few others. Notre Dame and OSU were interested as well, though Rivals does not show an offer from either right now. This is a very solid player a ta position of need and I think this will wrap up the TE spot for this class. Jake on his discussions over the weekend with the coaches ($):
They also showed me what they're doing with their offense. They're running a bit more spread right now with Denard, but once Shane [Morris] comes in, they're going to go to a two-tight end formation, so they were kind of talking about that a little bit too, and where I fit in.I think you're going to fit in just fine young man.
Once again, the wait for the second part of the commit pair wasn't a long one. Logan Tuley-Tillman announced on twitter about an hour or so later that he was "Officially a Wolverine & better yet a Michigan Man". LTT is rated as the 109th player in the country and comes to us from Peoria, IL (Manual). He is a 6'7" 300 pounder that is destined for OT at the next level. This is perfect as it seems probably both Bosch and Dawson will play inside and LTT and Fox will stay outside. Gotta love the balance.This is somewhat of a surprise commit, not because I didn't expect him to be a part of this class but because I didn't expect it to happen so soon. Logan had maintained that Michigan has always been his leader but he has also said repeatedly that he would not make a decision until after he had taken his official visits. He was on campus for the 6th or 7th time last week and had his Mom with him this time, so that may have had something to do with it, but I suspect the fact that the OL class is filling up in a hurry had a little effect on his timeline as well.
It's not as though he had limited suitors either. His other offers include Alabama, Arkansas, BC, Florida State, Illinois, Iowa, Mizzou, UNC, ND, OSU, Oklahoma State, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas A&M, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. There was even a rumor going around that Nick Saban called Logan last night to try and control some of damage from the flood of Wolverine commitments. Luckily for Coach Hoke and company, Logan was not to be dissuaded.
Let's have a look at some film:
This is sort of a weird reel; looks like it was recorded with a camcorder from a tv screen. Anyway, these are Junior season highlights. He looks rather thin here but he has put on 20+ pounds since then and I expect him to be more physically dominant at the point of attack in his final season. That being said, he shows flashes of the nastiness and willingness to bury his opponent you want in a OL. Has the ability to drive his man in run blocking and shows a decent kick and quickness in his pass pro. Inconsistent in his "pop" off the line - sometimes plays to the defender instead of through him. Has a tendency to play too high and wrestle with the defender - this is biggest flaw of virtually every high school lineman and is correctable, it's very difficult for these kids to stay down especially since they are quite a bit bigger than their opponent most of the time. He can dominate in the run game when he uses his technique and leverage. Positions his body well to seal his block on several plays. He has all the tools you are looking for and will be a good one with more coaching and time in the weight room.
What a weekend! I'm going to toot my horn again and point out both these guys were on my projection last week as well. That makes me 8 for 8 this weekend and I couldn't be happier with the way this class is progressing. As far as the rest of the class goes, I think we are at the halfway point as far as numbers go. I wouldn't expect another eight commits in the next couple of days, although with the way this class is filling up you can be sure recruits have taken notice. I wouldn't be surprised to see one or two more in the near future. The quality in this class is outstanding and uncommitted recruits know it; there may be a few that want to make sure they secure a spot to be part of it. I think the focus will be on a super RB, a couple if not three big time WRs, and you know the DL will get some more attention. Add to that a couple of LBs and a couple of CBs and that will get things close to the end. Until next time, Go Blue.
A Saturday to Remember
What an incredible day and night we enjoyed yesterday. This was to be a huge recruiting weekend with several big names on campus; little did we know how big it would be. There were also a pair of pretty big games on campus that Michigan really needed to win. As the dust settled on February 18th, 2012, the Wolverines had secured SIX four-star commitments for the class of 2013, the hockey team won in overtime on Senior Night, and the basketball team beat Ohio. Let's recap, shall we?
Shortly after noon (ET) came the first commitment of the day in the form of 6'5" 285 pound Offensive Tackle Kyle Bosch. I think Bosch will end up playing Guard for the Wolverines, but he plays Tackle for his high school. He is considered by Rivals to be four stars, the #60 overall player in the country, and comes to us from Wheaton, IL (St. Francis). Bosch picked Michigan over offers from Alabama, Arizona, ASU, BC, Illinois, Iowa, Miami, MSU, Ole Miss, Mizzou, Nebraska, UNC, ND, Stanford, Tennessee, and West Virginia among others.
Bosch had this to say to EDGYTIM about why he chose the Maize and Blue over his other impressive offers ($):
Less than 30 minutes later, another four star pledged to the Wolverines, this time it was 6'3" 255 pound athlete Wyatt Shallman out of Detroit Catholic Central (teammate of 2012 DL Matt Godin). Shallman is a power back/FB/U-back/TE/DE. Michigan has told him they were recruiting him to be a bruising tailback, but he is athletic enough (and big enough) to be used in quite a few different ways and there has already been significant speculation that he will outgrow the RB spot and end up at DE before long. For now, he is a RB/FB and he kind of reminds me of a more athletic Aaron Shea.
Shallman is ranked the #160 prospect overall and his other offers include Cincinnati, MSU, and Syracuse. Several other big programs were interested in him but had not yet offered. Wyatt himself on becoming a Wolverine ($):
In keeping with the Hoke Era tradition, the next commitments came as a pair as well. About an hour and a half after Shallman, the Cass Tech pipeline was extended for another year as teammates David Dawson and Jourdan Lewis announced they too were Blue.
Dawson is a 6'5" 305 pound OL that I also think will end up at Guard in college. He spent his first two years at Cass, then moved with his family just outside Houston for this past year, and has now moved back to Cass. He actually didn't have an offer from Michigan until he got to campus yesterday. Dawson is also rated four stars, the #199 overall player, and committed over offers from Alabama, Arkansas, Florida State, Mizzou, Oklahoma State, Texas A&M, and West Virginia among a handful of others.
Lewis carries on the tradition of CBs to come to Ann Arbor from Cass Tech, most recently from class of 2012 standout Terry Richardson. Lewis is a bit different than his predecessors in that he's a bit less diminutive. He is listed at 5'11" 170 pounds and that seems to be fairly accurate from some of the people that have seen him in person and interviewed him. Jourdan is another four star, the #167 player in the country, and had his only other offer from Toledo. He was hearing from Alabama, MSU, and OSU but I kind of suspect that his lack of other offers comes from other schools conceding him to U-M and not because of a lack of interest.
The Cass Tech duo brought a temporary end to the focus on future Wolverines and shifted it to present ones. The hockey team was hosting Northern Michigan at Yost last night and it was Senior Night. Box score goes here. In a nutshell, Shawn Hunwick got his 20th win of the season in dramatic fashion as A.J. Treais scored his 15th goal of the season 1:20 into overtime. A quick muppet sponsored note from MGo tell us that win moves the Wolverines up to #2 in the PWR.
All of this makes for a huge Saturday by itself, but the biggest event on campus yesterday was a showdown with the Buckeyes on the hardwood. College Gameday was even in town for the event and broadcast from the Crisler Center floor yesterday morning. With the Bucks (and Sparty) a game ahead of the Wolverines in the Big Ten standings, this was as big as they get if Michigan is going to win the conference regular season crown. Trey Burke's weaving runner off the backboard in the final minute put away what was a tough and emotional win for John Beilein's group. My favorite stat from last night's game? Ohio State never led in the game. Great job by the whole team on both ends of the floor and give it up for this coaching staff too. BTN highlights:
As if all this weren't enough, Brady Hoke would get in the last words of the night with two more commitments. As the basketball game was winding down, the Wolverines welcomed in another huge lineman, this time Colorado OT Chris Fox. Fox is a 6'6" 297 pound mauler ranked #46 overall by Rivals. He was not actually on campus this weekend but was out in Ann Arbor last weekend.
Chris is a true Tackle and will play there in college. He also seems to have all but wrapped up the honors for the top player in the state of Colorado for this class. There isn't a lot of film on him out there but from what I have seen, he has the long arms and athleticism to potentially play the coveted blind side Tackle spot. Fox has apparently been leaning toward Michigan "all the way" and upon seeing the commitment party yesterday felt the time was right to join in. His other offers include Colorado, Iowa, Ohio State, and Purdue.
Again with the pairs, someone had to join Chris to make things right and that someone turned out to be Pickerington, OH DE Taco Charlton. Charlton was on campus yesterday with the rest of the guys and took in the game last night as well. He tweeted something about sitting in the first row right next to Greg Mattison and I should have known that with Mattison in his ear it was only a matter of time. After the game, he made it official.
Taco is the #183 player in the country (and just a spectacular name). A 6'6" 240 pound Strongside DE, he commits to Michigan over Cincinnati, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Notre Dame, and Pitt among others. He is the first defensive lineman to commit for the class of 2013 and the last of a memorable day for Michigan fans.
And thus ends one of the greatest sporting days the University of Michigan has seen in some time. Six four-star recruits, all in the top 200 in the country, a huge hockey win in OT, and a national TV win over Ohio State to vault the basketball team into the league championship hunt. I would also like to take a second to toot my own horn a bit. I would like to point out that all six of yesterday's commits were on my initial class of 2013 projection that I posted last Monday. And yes, I bought Lotto tickets last night.
What a day. One I know I won't forget for a long, long time. The best way I can think to wrap it up is with a hearty HAIL! and of course a GO BLUE!!
Shortly after noon (ET) came the first commitment of the day in the form of 6'5" 285 pound Offensive Tackle Kyle Bosch. I think Bosch will end up playing Guard for the Wolverines, but he plays Tackle for his high school. He is considered by Rivals to be four stars, the #60 overall player in the country, and comes to us from Wheaton, IL (St. Francis). Bosch picked Michigan over offers from Alabama, Arizona, ASU, BC, Illinois, Iowa, Miami, MSU, Ole Miss, Mizzou, Nebraska, UNC, ND, Stanford, Tennessee, and West Virginia among others.Bosch had this to say to EDGYTIM about why he chose the Maize and Blue over his other impressive offers ($):
I think I talked to everyone at Michigan and it's just a great school and a great football program. I just always felt at home at Michigan and they just care about me as a person. I thought about making my decision last night but I decided to sleep on it. I got up this morning and knew I wanted to commit.
Shallman is ranked the #160 prospect overall and his other offers include Cincinnati, MSU, and Syracuse. Several other big programs were interested in him but had not yet offered. Wyatt himself on becoming a Wolverine ($):
"There are a lot of things that sold me, but [mainly] it's just their consistency and hard work," Shallman said. "There were people in there during free gym today running routes, so that's what I want to be a part of."
In keeping with the Hoke Era tradition, the next commitments came as a pair as well. About an hour and a half after Shallman, the Cass Tech pipeline was extended for another year as teammates David Dawson and Jourdan Lewis announced they too were Blue.
Dawson is a 6'5" 305 pound OL that I also think will end up at Guard in college. He spent his first two years at Cass, then moved with his family just outside Houston for this past year, and has now moved back to Cass. He actually didn't have an offer from Michigan until he got to campus yesterday. Dawson is also rated four stars, the #199 overall player, and committed over offers from Alabama, Arkansas, Florida State, Mizzou, Oklahoma State, Texas A&M, and West Virginia among a handful of others.
Lewis carries on the tradition of CBs to come to Ann Arbor from Cass Tech, most recently from class of 2012 standout Terry Richardson. Lewis is a bit different than his predecessors in that he's a bit less diminutive. He is listed at 5'11" 170 pounds and that seems to be fairly accurate from some of the people that have seen him in person and interviewed him. Jourdan is another four star, the #167 player in the country, and had his only other offer from Toledo. He was hearing from Alabama, MSU, and OSU but I kind of suspect that his lack of other offers comes from other schools conceding him to U-M and not because of a lack of interest.
The Cass Tech duo brought a temporary end to the focus on future Wolverines and shifted it to present ones. The hockey team was hosting Northern Michigan at Yost last night and it was Senior Night. Box score goes here. In a nutshell, Shawn Hunwick got his 20th win of the season in dramatic fashion as A.J. Treais scored his 15th goal of the season 1:20 into overtime. A quick muppet sponsored note from MGo tell us that win moves the Wolverines up to #2 in the PWR.
All of this makes for a huge Saturday by itself, but the biggest event on campus yesterday was a showdown with the Buckeyes on the hardwood. College Gameday was even in town for the event and broadcast from the Crisler Center floor yesterday morning. With the Bucks (and Sparty) a game ahead of the Wolverines in the Big Ten standings, this was as big as they get if Michigan is going to win the conference regular season crown. Trey Burke's weaving runner off the backboard in the final minute put away what was a tough and emotional win for John Beilein's group. My favorite stat from last night's game? Ohio State never led in the game. Great job by the whole team on both ends of the floor and give it up for this coaching staff too. BTN highlights:
Chris is a true Tackle and will play there in college. He also seems to have all but wrapped up the honors for the top player in the state of Colorado for this class. There isn't a lot of film on him out there but from what I have seen, he has the long arms and athleticism to potentially play the coveted blind side Tackle spot. Fox has apparently been leaning toward Michigan "all the way" and upon seeing the commitment party yesterday felt the time was right to join in. His other offers include Colorado, Iowa, Ohio State, and Purdue.
Again with the pairs, someone had to join Chris to make things right and that someone turned out to be Pickerington, OH DE Taco Charlton. Charlton was on campus yesterday with the rest of the guys and took in the game last night as well. He tweeted something about sitting in the first row right next to Greg Mattison and I should have known that with Mattison in his ear it was only a matter of time. After the game, he made it official.Taco is the #183 player in the country (and just a spectacular name). A 6'6" 240 pound Strongside DE, he commits to Michigan over Cincinnati, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Notre Dame, and Pitt among others. He is the first defensive lineman to commit for the class of 2013 and the last of a memorable day for Michigan fans.
And thus ends one of the greatest sporting days the University of Michigan has seen in some time. Six four-star recruits, all in the top 200 in the country, a huge hockey win in OT, and a national TV win over Ohio State to vault the basketball team into the league championship hunt. I would also like to take a second to toot my own horn a bit. I would like to point out that all six of yesterday's commits were on my initial class of 2013 projection that I posted last Monday. And yes, I bought Lotto tickets last night.
What a day. One I know I won't forget for a long, long time. The best way I can think to wrap it up is with a hearty HAIL! and of course a GO BLUE!!
Monday, February 13, 2012
First Guess at the Class of 2013
Earlier today, we took a look at the breakdown by position I expect in this class. I will use those numbers to fill in an actual recruiting class based on several factors, mostly what particular recruits have said about Michigan. Not every one of the kids has an offer yet, but a majority do and if they are on this list then I expect they will get one. I have also included my pipe dream wish list for each position. These are the kids that I would hand pick if I could have anyone with a Michigan offer. Each kid is linked to his Rivals profile. I am not going to post film on each one of them because a lot of them are from Rivals 100 that I posted film for last week. You can find those videos here and here.
OFFENSE
Quarterback - 1
Projected:
Shane Morris 6'3" 183 Warren, MI (De La Salle) - ***Current Commit***
Wish List - Morris
Running Back - 2
Projected:
Ty Isaac 6'3" 215 Joliet, IL (Joliet Catholic)
Wyatt Shallman 6'3" 255 Novi, MI (Catholic Central)
Wish List - Isaac, Shallman
Wide Receiver - 3
Projected:
Laquon Treadwell 6'3" 183 Crete, IL (Crete Monee)
Jaron Dukes 6'3" 195 Columbus, OH (Marion Franklin)
Kevin Gladney 6'4" 175 Akron, OH (Firestone Senior)
Wish List - Treadwell, Robert Foster, Jake Oliver
Tight End - 2
Projected:
Khalid Hill 6'2" 230 Detroit, MI (Crockett) - ***Current Commit***
Jake Butt 6'6" 230 Pickerington, OH (North)
Wish List - Butt, Adam Breneman
Offensive Line - 4
Projected:
David Dawson 6'5" 305 Detroit, MI (Cass Tech)
Logan Tuley-Tillman 6'7" 280 Peoria, IL (Manual)
Kyle Bosch 6'5" 285 Wheaton, IL (St. Francis)
Chris Fox 6'6" 297 Parker, CO (Ponderosa)
Wish List - Tuley-Tillman, Bosch, Laremy Tunsil, Ethan Pocic
DEFENSE
Defensive End - 2
Projected:
Taco Charlton 6'6" 240 Pickerington, OH (Central)
???????????? - I had originally put Jason Hatcher down here but I don't have any reason behind that and I don't really have a good feel for the other spot. This will probably go to someone I haven't yet identified and Michigan hasn't offered yet.
Wish List - Robert Nkemdiche, Jonathan Allen
Defensive Tackle - 2
Projected:
Poet Thomas 6'6" 296 Beverly Hills, MI (Country Day)
??????????? - I'd like to put Henry Poggi here but I just don't feel good enough about that at this point. There have only been about a half dozen DTs offered by the staff at this point so there's a good chance there are going to be quite a few more coming (It's also a down year for the position).
Wish List - Poggi, Michael Hill
Linebacker - 2
Projected:
Ben Gedeon 6'3" 215 Hudson, OH (Hudson)
Shane Jones 6'1" 220 Cincinnati, OH (Moeller)
Wish List - E.J. Levenberry, Michael Hutchings
Cornerback - 2
Projected:
Jourdan Lewis 5'11" 170 Detroit, MI (Cass Tech)
???????????? - Again, I don't have a good name for this spot. I'd like to put Ryan White here, but the same caveat applies as above with his teammate (Jason Hatcher).
Wish List - Kendall Fuller, Vernon Hargreaves
Safety - 2
Projected:
Dymonte Thomas 6'1" 175 Alliance, OH (Marlington) - ***Current Commit***
??????????????? - You have no idea how bad I want to put Su'a Cravens name here but that is wishful thinking. He has said Michigan will get an official though so let's hope that happens.
Wish List - Thomas, Cravens
-
There it is. Please take this list with an enormous grain of salt though. This early in the process, less than half of the total offers the coaches will eventually extend have gone out. The projected class above would be a top 3 class without a doubt and is more than a bit optimistic so keep that in mind as well. There is a lot of time between now and next February so a lot can and will change.
Please leave me some feedback in the comments and bring any mistakes to my attention as well. Suggestions are always welcome too. Thanks and Go Blue!
OFFENSE
Quarterback - 1
Projected:
Shane Morris 6'3" 183 Warren, MI (De La Salle) - ***Current Commit***
Wish List - Morris
Running Back - 2
Projected:
Ty Isaac 6'3" 215 Joliet, IL (Joliet Catholic)
Wyatt Shallman 6'3" 255 Novi, MI (Catholic Central)
Wish List - Isaac, Shallman
Wide Receiver - 3
Projected:
Laquon Treadwell 6'3" 183 Crete, IL (Crete Monee)
Jaron Dukes 6'3" 195 Columbus, OH (Marion Franklin)
Kevin Gladney 6'4" 175 Akron, OH (Firestone Senior)
Wish List - Treadwell, Robert Foster, Jake Oliver
Tight End - 2
Projected:
Khalid Hill 6'2" 230 Detroit, MI (Crockett) - ***Current Commit***
Jake Butt 6'6" 230 Pickerington, OH (North)
Wish List - Butt, Adam Breneman
Offensive Line - 4
Projected:
David Dawson 6'5" 305 Detroit, MI (Cass Tech)
Logan Tuley-Tillman 6'7" 280 Peoria, IL (Manual)
Kyle Bosch 6'5" 285 Wheaton, IL (St. Francis)
Chris Fox 6'6" 297 Parker, CO (Ponderosa)
Wish List - Tuley-Tillman, Bosch, Laremy Tunsil, Ethan Pocic
DEFENSE
Defensive End - 2
Projected:
Taco Charlton 6'6" 240 Pickerington, OH (Central)
???????????? - I had originally put Jason Hatcher down here but I don't have any reason behind that and I don't really have a good feel for the other spot. This will probably go to someone I haven't yet identified and Michigan hasn't offered yet.
Wish List - Robert Nkemdiche, Jonathan Allen
Defensive Tackle - 2
Projected:
Poet Thomas 6'6" 296 Beverly Hills, MI (Country Day)
??????????? - I'd like to put Henry Poggi here but I just don't feel good enough about that at this point. There have only been about a half dozen DTs offered by the staff at this point so there's a good chance there are going to be quite a few more coming (It's also a down year for the position).
Wish List - Poggi, Michael Hill
Linebacker - 2
Projected:
Ben Gedeon 6'3" 215 Hudson, OH (Hudson)
Shane Jones 6'1" 220 Cincinnati, OH (Moeller)
Wish List - E.J. Levenberry, Michael Hutchings
Cornerback - 2
Projected:
Jourdan Lewis 5'11" 170 Detroit, MI (Cass Tech)
???????????? - Again, I don't have a good name for this spot. I'd like to put Ryan White here, but the same caveat applies as above with his teammate (Jason Hatcher).
Wish List - Kendall Fuller, Vernon Hargreaves
Safety - 2
Projected:
Dymonte Thomas 6'1" 175 Alliance, OH (Marlington) - ***Current Commit***
??????????????? - You have no idea how bad I want to put Su'a Cravens name here but that is wishful thinking. He has said Michigan will get an official though so let's hope that happens.
Wish List - Thomas, Cravens
-
There it is. Please take this list with an enormous grain of salt though. This early in the process, less than half of the total offers the coaches will eventually extend have gone out. The projected class above would be a top 3 class without a doubt and is more than a bit optimistic so keep that in mind as well. There is a lot of time between now and next February so a lot can and will change.
Please leave me some feedback in the comments and bring any mistakes to my attention as well. Suggestions are always welcome too. Thanks and Go Blue!
Recruiting Outlook: 2013
With the Class of 2013 recruiting in full swing, let's take a look at the needs Michigan has at each position and get an idea of how many kids they may take at each spot. These are my projections based off of the guys that are exhausting their eligibility after this season combined with possible attrition and how the coaches have indicated they want the roster composed.
First off, let's start with guys losing their eligibility after this season. There are, by my count, 16 seniors for this coming season. There are also 2 open scholarships under the 85 limit. This could change with the decision of 2012 OL Alex Kozan, but no one (including him it seems) has a clue what's going to happen there, so let's just count him out for the purposes of this article. That gives us a starting point of 18 scholarships for the class of 2013. You figure there are a couple of guys that may not be asked back for 5th years (I will never speculate on who these guys might be. I think each of us probably has an idea, but I find it in poor taste to say a kid is undeserving of a 5th year and I will not engage in doing so) as well as a guys that may transfer, have a career ending injury, academic casualties, etc. I am going to operate on the assumption that we are looking at a class of around 22.
The following is how I see each position in terms of how many kids I expect Michigan to take/need, along with any departing players from Team 133. I will speculate on a very early guess list as to how those spots will be filled in another post I hope to have up either tonight or tomorrow.
OFFENSE
Quarterback:
2013 - 1
Departing - Denard Robinson :(
There is some speculation that the staff would like to take another lower rated QB for depth in this class (in addition to verbal commit Shane Morris) after not taking a QB in the class of 2012. I am of the "You Take a QB in Every Class" school but I don't think you need to try to make up for missing last year. There are greater needs elsewhere in a somewhat smaller class that I think you take your super QB and call it a day. Should this class grow to be 25+, then I can see maybe bringing in another QB, but I wouldn't expect that to even be entertained until much later in this cycle.
Running Back:
2013 - 2
Departing - Mike Cox, Vincent Smith
I am going to do a little combining here. I think the staff would like a true super Tailback in this class and would also like another Fullback or at least big back to go with him. I will combine these both into the RB category and say they will take two, but expect them to be different types of backs.
Wide Receiver:
2013 - 3
Departing - Roy Roundtree, Terrence Robinson
Again, I am not going to differentiate between outside receivers and slot guys just yet. I do expect the three guys in this class to be made up of two taller outside guys and one smaller slot type though. I think that the staff would take three outside guys if a slot doesn't look like it's going to happen. I could also see them just take two again and use the third scholarship elsewhere.
Tight End:
2013 - 2
Departing - Brandon Moore
The Wolverines already have one commit at this position and I think they will look to add at least one more. I can see them taking three here if they can get two more big time guys. So far, Khalid Hill has spoken for one of these spots and he fills a need at the Wing/H-back spot. Look for the other guy(s) to be more of the true balanced TE that can block and stretch the field.
Offensive Line:
2013 - 4
Departing - Patrick Omameh, Ricky Barnum, Elliott Mealer, Rocko Khoury
I am not going to get into splitting these guys up by position yet, mostly because it is still very much in flux. One thing is for sure though, there has got a be a Center prospect in here somewhere. Khoury's departure after next year leaves only Jack Miller at the position. Kozan could solve that problem should he choose to join the class of 2012, but again, no one knows what's going through that young man's head. If he doesn't come on board, there must be a Center prospect in this class. The other part that's uncertain is where the 2012 guys will end up. Take Kalis for example. He's said Hoke has told him he can come in a try both Tackle and Guard and see where he's most comfortable/effective. Once these guys get more or less settled at a position, and Kozan makes a decision, we will have a much better idea of what the breakdown by position will look like.
DEFENSE
Defensive Line:
2013 - 4
Departing - Will Campbell, Craig Roh
Same clause applies here as it did for the OL. Are guys like Wormley and Godin going to play SDE or are they going to slide down to the 3-tech? Is Ojemudia play WDE or OLB? Once these guys get settled, the picture will clear up. I will offer an early guess that they are looking for two DTs and two DEs
Linebacker:
2013 - 2
Departing - Kenny Demens, Brandin Hawthorne
The class of 2012 is expected to be a great corps of LBs, not only production wise, but also at upgrading the talent and depth across the board. With that group in the fold, the Wolverines can be a little more selective with these spots and take a smaller number as well.
Cornerback:
2013 - 2
Departing - J.T. Floyd
I still expect two corners in this class even though only one player is scheduled to leave the team. The staff showed they were willing to take more than they ended up with in the last class and I think they are in good position for several top players at the CB spot in this class.
Safety:
2013 - 2
Departing - Jordan Kovacs
Dymonte Thomas has already pledged to take one of these spots and I think he will have some company on the back end before this class is done. While there are already seven other Safeties on the roster in 2013 other than Thomas, I wouldn't be surprised to see Michigan take two here. Safety is a notoriously difficult position to recruit and project and there is always the possibility that one or more of these guys could grow into a LB (including Thomas).
So there we have it. 12 on Offense and 10 on Defense. Obviously, a lot can and will change before next February and I am in no way privy to any information on how many guys the coaches actually want at these spots. These are just my thoughts. As I said, I will have out a way too early look at who may take these 22 spots coming soon. Let me know your thoughts and any mistakes I may have made, and as always, Go Blue!
First off, let's start with guys losing their eligibility after this season. There are, by my count, 16 seniors for this coming season. There are also 2 open scholarships under the 85 limit. This could change with the decision of 2012 OL Alex Kozan, but no one (including him it seems) has a clue what's going to happen there, so let's just count him out for the purposes of this article. That gives us a starting point of 18 scholarships for the class of 2013. You figure there are a couple of guys that may not be asked back for 5th years (I will never speculate on who these guys might be. I think each of us probably has an idea, but I find it in poor taste to say a kid is undeserving of a 5th year and I will not engage in doing so) as well as a guys that may transfer, have a career ending injury, academic casualties, etc. I am going to operate on the assumption that we are looking at a class of around 22.
The following is how I see each position in terms of how many kids I expect Michigan to take/need, along with any departing players from Team 133. I will speculate on a very early guess list as to how those spots will be filled in another post I hope to have up either tonight or tomorrow.
OFFENSE
Quarterback:
2013 - 1
Departing - Denard Robinson :(
There is some speculation that the staff would like to take another lower rated QB for depth in this class (in addition to verbal commit Shane Morris) after not taking a QB in the class of 2012. I am of the "You Take a QB in Every Class" school but I don't think you need to try to make up for missing last year. There are greater needs elsewhere in a somewhat smaller class that I think you take your super QB and call it a day. Should this class grow to be 25+, then I can see maybe bringing in another QB, but I wouldn't expect that to even be entertained until much later in this cycle.
Running Back:
2013 - 2
Departing - Mike Cox, Vincent Smith
I am going to do a little combining here. I think the staff would like a true super Tailback in this class and would also like another Fullback or at least big back to go with him. I will combine these both into the RB category and say they will take two, but expect them to be different types of backs.
Wide Receiver:
2013 - 3
Departing - Roy Roundtree, Terrence Robinson
Again, I am not going to differentiate between outside receivers and slot guys just yet. I do expect the three guys in this class to be made up of two taller outside guys and one smaller slot type though. I think that the staff would take three outside guys if a slot doesn't look like it's going to happen. I could also see them just take two again and use the third scholarship elsewhere.
Tight End:
2013 - 2
Departing - Brandon Moore
The Wolverines already have one commit at this position and I think they will look to add at least one more. I can see them taking three here if they can get two more big time guys. So far, Khalid Hill has spoken for one of these spots and he fills a need at the Wing/H-back spot. Look for the other guy(s) to be more of the true balanced TE that can block and stretch the field.
Offensive Line:
2013 - 4
Departing - Patrick Omameh, Ricky Barnum, Elliott Mealer, Rocko Khoury
I am not going to get into splitting these guys up by position yet, mostly because it is still very much in flux. One thing is for sure though, there has got a be a Center prospect in here somewhere. Khoury's departure after next year leaves only Jack Miller at the position. Kozan could solve that problem should he choose to join the class of 2012, but again, no one knows what's going through that young man's head. If he doesn't come on board, there must be a Center prospect in this class. The other part that's uncertain is where the 2012 guys will end up. Take Kalis for example. He's said Hoke has told him he can come in a try both Tackle and Guard and see where he's most comfortable/effective. Once these guys get more or less settled at a position, and Kozan makes a decision, we will have a much better idea of what the breakdown by position will look like.
DEFENSE
Defensive Line:
2013 - 4
Departing - Will Campbell, Craig Roh
Same clause applies here as it did for the OL. Are guys like Wormley and Godin going to play SDE or are they going to slide down to the 3-tech? Is Ojemudia play WDE or OLB? Once these guys get settled, the picture will clear up. I will offer an early guess that they are looking for two DTs and two DEs
Linebacker:
2013 - 2
Departing - Kenny Demens, Brandin Hawthorne
The class of 2012 is expected to be a great corps of LBs, not only production wise, but also at upgrading the talent and depth across the board. With that group in the fold, the Wolverines can be a little more selective with these spots and take a smaller number as well.
Cornerback:
2013 - 2
Departing - J.T. Floyd
I still expect two corners in this class even though only one player is scheduled to leave the team. The staff showed they were willing to take more than they ended up with in the last class and I think they are in good position for several top players at the CB spot in this class.
Safety:
2013 - 2
Departing - Jordan Kovacs
Dymonte Thomas has already pledged to take one of these spots and I think he will have some company on the back end before this class is done. While there are already seven other Safeties on the roster in 2013 other than Thomas, I wouldn't be surprised to see Michigan take two here. Safety is a notoriously difficult position to recruit and project and there is always the possibility that one or more of these guys could grow into a LB (including Thomas).
So there we have it. 12 on Offense and 10 on Defense. Obviously, a lot can and will change before next February and I am in no way privy to any information on how many guys the coaches actually want at these spots. These are just my thoughts. As I said, I will have out a way too early look at who may take these 22 spots coming soon. Let me know your thoughts and any mistakes I may have made, and as always, Go Blue!
Thursday, February 9, 2012
M Targets Litter Initial Rivals Top 100 - Part 2
Yesterday we looked at the top 12 players in the Rivals 100 with Michigan offers and interest. Today we will take a look at the remaining 17 names on that list. Also, as a reminder, the rest of the Rivals 250 comes out today. I'll try to get to that soon.
#28 Eli Woodard - 4* CB 6'1" 185 Voorhees, NJ
Physical CB that plays both zone (looks like mostly cover 3) and man technique for his HS...willing to come up and deliver a big blow...shows decent run support...adept at blocking kicks...also shows good hands...comes up too hard and fast sometimes trying to deliver a big hit - a good athlete will make him miss because he is a little too aggressive sometimes...does a good job of keeping his eyes on the ball carrier instead of on the man trying to block him.
Outlook: Woodard has visited OSU more than once and has named them his leader. Michigan is a little late to the party on him and has ground to make up. I think he probably ends up at OSU.
#31 Laquon Treadwell - 4* WR 6'3" 183 Crete, IL
Has the kind of effortless speed that doesn't make it look like he is running all that fast but at the same time he is leaving everyone else behind...does a good job at creating separation from the defender...shows decent moves in a crowd...can go get the high ball...I don't see him challenged much in the above reel - I would like to see how he handles a strong CB that can press him.
Outlook: He has been on campus and will be back this weekend. I feel like Michigan holds a slight lead and I feel pretty good about him in the end.
#32 Leon McQuay III - 4* S 6'2" 177 Seffner, FL
Big hitting SS prospect...decent but not great speed...seems to have a good nose for the football...can make plays with the ball in his hands...squares to the point of attack well...seems to make too many tackles by the shoelaces for a highlight reel.
Outlook: I don't think he will leave the state of Florida.
#34 Jaylon Smith - 4* LB 6'3" 202 Fort Wayne, IN
Athletic LB with quickness and speed...big hitter...looks a little uncomfortable in pass coverage...you can tell he likes to blitz and he's good at it...difficult to block...attacks once he has made his read...also plays RB so he knows what to do with the ball in his hands.
Outlook: His older brother plays at OSU. He seems content to go through his own recruitment but I think his brother gives OSU an edge and he probably ends up a Buckeye.
#37 Dorian O'Daniel - 4* LB 6'1" 205 Olney, MD
OLB prospect...also from Good Counsel HS...also plays RB...relies on athleticism and shows poor technique too often...plays downhill but has the speed to go sideline to sideline as well...explosive and violent through contact...lives in the opponents backfield.
Outlook: Dorian has offers from all over the country but has recently had some good things to say about Michigan ($) naming them among the schools showing him the most interest and also among those that have made an impression on him. I like Michigan's chances here and think Florida is probably their biggest threat.
#43 Henry Poggi - 4* DT 6'3" 250 Baltimore, MD
Couldn't find any free film on Henry, just a couple of interviews. Rivals has short highlights from both his sophomore and junior seasons. Poggi spends most of his time playing the 3-tech spot, but occasionally kicks out to DE. Shows good strength on several occasions, literally throwing the OL out of his way en route to the backfield...likes to use an inside move from the 3-tech spot, presumably because the center is usually down blocking the nose away from him and this creates a crease he likes to exploit...stands up at the snap rather than firing off...will have to be coached up to stay low and use leverage.
Outlook: Poggi has offers from everywhere and seems pretty open. Has been on campus once already. Michigan is in his top group ($) most often consisting of Alabama, Auburn, OSU, Stanford, UVA, and Maryland.
#44 Mike McCray - 4* LB 6'4" 230 Trotwood, OH
Another athletic LB...explosive on contact...also relies too much on athleticism and needs to work on technique...not a lot out there film wise...Rivals had some sophomore highlights but those showed him to be very raw and are probably not indicative of his ability.
Outlook: McCray's offer list doesn't read like the #44 player in the country's should. Michigan and Oklahoma are the big fish on his list, with OSU, ND, and MSU not offered as of yet (although I want to say that I remember OSU offering a couple days ago???). He comes from a program that has been very friendly to U-M in recent years (Trotwood-Madison) but he also has a teammate that recently committed to OSU (Cameron Burrows). I don't have much of read on him and would like to see some more film to get a better read of his abilities.
#46 Chris Fox - 4* OT 6'6" 297 Parker, CO
Sophomore film above that is all but useless since it all shot from field level for some reason...Rivals has the same video labeled as his junior film but since the YouTube date shows it was originally posted in November of 2010, I'm fairly certain these are sophomore highlights...not much else on him...reportedly may be the top player in Colorado for the class of 2013.
Outlook: His offer list is a little sparse at the moment, surprisingly. Rivals lists only offers from Michigan, Iowa, Colorado, OSU, and Purdue. Is visiting this weekend. Early word has Michigan and Colorado as his top two.
#48 Justin Davis - 4* RB 6'1" 195 Stockton, CA
Straight ahead runner with good breakaway speed...rushed for over 2600 yards as a junior...has some moves but seems to be more of a cut and go type of back...HS runs a mix of spread, one-back, and I formations...long strider with deceptive speed...doesn't try to bounce everything to the outside, which is a good sign...can display a little power but that's obviously not his game...shows good vision...would like to see him show a little more patience when trash develops in front of him and let his blocks develop.
Outlook: Haven't heard much from him with regards to Michigan. Most of what I've seen and heard leads me to believe that if he is going to leave the west coast (not all too likely) it would be to Oklahoma. Doesn't appear close to any kind of decision though, so lots of time.
#60 Kyle Bosch - 4* OT 6'5" 285 Wheaton, IL
Plays LT for his HS...shows ability to be a dominant run blocker capable of burying his man and then going to find someone else and burying them too...almost zero footage I could find of him in pass pro - would like to see more of that...shows good feet but may be more suited to G at the next level IMO.
Outlook: Bosch had said in the past he may make a decision early (possibly in the spring) but offers have since flooded in from coast to coast so don't expect that to happen. Was high on U-M early, but seems quite open at this point.
#61 Jake Oliver - 4* WR 6'4" 194 Dallas, TX
100+ catches for 1600+ yards as a junior in a pass happy spread offense...technically sound route runner with excellent hands and size...seems to really enjoy blocking (I absolutely LOVE this in a WR) and will get a little nasty doing it...can go up and get the football...decent speed...plays the ball well in the air and can adjust fairly well...comes from a good program that also produces good kids...is the kind of kid you hate playing against.
Outlook: Does not appear to have a lot of interest in Michigan, but that could change as he doesn't seem to be close to a decision either.
#62 Peter Kalambayi - 4* LB 6'2" 220 Matthews, NC
Athletically gifted but looks very raw to me (sophomore highlights so that probably has a lot to do with it)...looks to be at his best when he is blitzing and can just go get the football...Rivals has junior highlights that show a more physically mature player than the above video, but still raw...junior film show him almost exclusively rushing the passer as a 3-4 OLB - very little of him in coverage and what little there is shows me a mixed bag...may be more suited to be a DE than LB IMO.
Outlook: Kalambayi has offers from all over and appears to be pretty open. It's worth noting that new OSU assistant Everette Withers is his lead recruiter for the Buckeyes and is quite familiar with him as he was formerly the head (interim) coach at North Carolina this past year.
#64 Derrick Green - 4* RB 6'0" 215 Richmond, VA
Rushed for 1500 yards in a primarily one back offense as a junior...very much a downhill runner with decent but not great speed...can run with a little power...hits the hole hard...good ball security...would like to see him use his off arm more to help himself out (stiff arm, swat defenders, that sort of thing)...capable receiver out of the backfield...would like to see some blitz pickup and pass pro clips but that's just me.
Outlook: Green has a ton of offers, but he is very likely to end up at OSU. He has camped there the last two seasons and has a former teammate already in Columbus in former five star LB Curtis Grant. Obviously, things have changed offensively for the Buckeyes since Meyer has taken over, but Meyer still wants Green and he may just get him.
#77 Dymonte Thomas - 4* S 6'1" 175 Alliance, OH ***COMMIT***
Defensive highlights start at the 4:28 mark of this video...shows good route recognition...solid tackler...solid speed but not eye popping...could grow into a WLB by the time he steps onto the field in college.
Outlook: Dymonte has been committed to Michigan for some time now and has forged a strong friendship with his fellow commit Shane Morris. The two have even made plans to room together as freshmen. Rumor has it that Urban has told Dymonte that he is the most important recruit on their board and that they are going to do whatever it takes to get him to Columbus. He seems solid with Michigan and happy with it so I wouldn't worry too much, but I will be happy when he sends his LOI in to A2 next February to make it official.
#83 Evan Lisle - 4* OT 6'6" 265 Centerville, OH
Plays both Tackle spots for his HS...good fire off the line and stays low - good leverage (rare in a HS lineman)...needs to work on his hands a little bit and must get stronger...athletic enough to pull and lead...needs to use his lower body more consistently - when he uses his legs and keeps his feet moving he is dominant, when he stops his feet and his legs are quiet he ends up wrestling with the defender...only two or three snaps in this video of pass blocking (obviously not a big part of their offense) and he looks a little lost in pass pro - hard to tell though with such a small sample size.
Outlook: Was just offered by U-M this week (Monday). He does not have any Junior Day visits or any other visits scheduled yet but is looking to schedule those soon ($). His current offers are mostly midwestern, plus Miami and Oklahoma. OSU may be close to offering him too. He seems pretty open.
#96 Jake Butt - 4* TE 6'6" 230 Pickerington, OH
Sophomore film...this is all defensive film unfortunately - as you might imagine, searching "jake butt" on YouTube turned up this video and about a thousand other videos of people named Jake doing incredibly stupid things to their butts (I weep for the future)...Rivals has his junior film which shows us some TE clips!...tall, strong kid that uses his height and speed to cause mismatch nightmares from the TE position...no footage of him blocking unfortunately, so that remains a mystery...had over 400 yards receiving as a junior.
Outlook: Jake has offers from across the country and, despite just returning from OSU's Junior Day event on January 29th, has named Michigan his outright leader. It made the rounds on the twitterverse this week that Michigan is number 1 with Jake and number 2 is "not even close" or something to that effect. To be fair, he does not currently have an offer from OSU. I think he will be a part of Michigan's class and will come on board pretty soon too.
#100 Jonathan Allen - 4* DE 6'3" 225 Ashburn, VA
Sophomore highlights...big kid even as a sophomore...wreaks havoc in the backfield...looks to need some conditioning work...is completely unblocked on a lot of these plays - not sure of the level of competition here...occasionally lines up at DT...needs to learn to play lower - if he shows that much of his chest to a college lineman he will get annihilated (I know, sophomore film = raw)...gifted athlete but still quite raw...I'm sure his junior reel is much better.
Outlook: Offers from all of the upper east coast along with Michigan, Oklahoma, and Stanford. Not much news on favorites or anything like that yet. Very open.
That wraps up our look at Michigan targets in the Rivals 100 for 2013. Again, please let me know of any mistakes or of anyone I missed and I'd love some feedback as well. As always, Go Blue!
#28 Eli Woodard - 4* CB 6'1" 185 Voorhees, NJ
Physical CB that plays both zone (looks like mostly cover 3) and man technique for his HS...willing to come up and deliver a big blow...shows decent run support...adept at blocking kicks...also shows good hands...comes up too hard and fast sometimes trying to deliver a big hit - a good athlete will make him miss because he is a little too aggressive sometimes...does a good job of keeping his eyes on the ball carrier instead of on the man trying to block him.
Outlook: Woodard has visited OSU more than once and has named them his leader. Michigan is a little late to the party on him and has ground to make up. I think he probably ends up at OSU.
#31 Laquon Treadwell - 4* WR 6'3" 183 Crete, IL
Has the kind of effortless speed that doesn't make it look like he is running all that fast but at the same time he is leaving everyone else behind...does a good job at creating separation from the defender...shows decent moves in a crowd...can go get the high ball...I don't see him challenged much in the above reel - I would like to see how he handles a strong CB that can press him.
Outlook: He has been on campus and will be back this weekend. I feel like Michigan holds a slight lead and I feel pretty good about him in the end.
#32 Leon McQuay III - 4* S 6'2" 177 Seffner, FL
Big hitting SS prospect...decent but not great speed...seems to have a good nose for the football...can make plays with the ball in his hands...squares to the point of attack well...seems to make too many tackles by the shoelaces for a highlight reel.
Outlook: I don't think he will leave the state of Florida.
#34 Jaylon Smith - 4* LB 6'3" 202 Fort Wayne, IN
Athletic LB with quickness and speed...big hitter...looks a little uncomfortable in pass coverage...you can tell he likes to blitz and he's good at it...difficult to block...attacks once he has made his read...also plays RB so he knows what to do with the ball in his hands.
Outlook: His older brother plays at OSU. He seems content to go through his own recruitment but I think his brother gives OSU an edge and he probably ends up a Buckeye.
#37 Dorian O'Daniel - 4* LB 6'1" 205 Olney, MD
OLB prospect...also from Good Counsel HS...also plays RB...relies on athleticism and shows poor technique too often...plays downhill but has the speed to go sideline to sideline as well...explosive and violent through contact...lives in the opponents backfield.
Outlook: Dorian has offers from all over the country but has recently had some good things to say about Michigan ($) naming them among the schools showing him the most interest and also among those that have made an impression on him. I like Michigan's chances here and think Florida is probably their biggest threat.
#43 Henry Poggi - 4* DT 6'3" 250 Baltimore, MD
Couldn't find any free film on Henry, just a couple of interviews. Rivals has short highlights from both his sophomore and junior seasons. Poggi spends most of his time playing the 3-tech spot, but occasionally kicks out to DE. Shows good strength on several occasions, literally throwing the OL out of his way en route to the backfield...likes to use an inside move from the 3-tech spot, presumably because the center is usually down blocking the nose away from him and this creates a crease he likes to exploit...stands up at the snap rather than firing off...will have to be coached up to stay low and use leverage.
Outlook: Poggi has offers from everywhere and seems pretty open. Has been on campus once already. Michigan is in his top group ($) most often consisting of Alabama, Auburn, OSU, Stanford, UVA, and Maryland.
#44 Mike McCray - 4* LB 6'4" 230 Trotwood, OH
Another athletic LB...explosive on contact...also relies too much on athleticism and needs to work on technique...not a lot out there film wise...Rivals had some sophomore highlights but those showed him to be very raw and are probably not indicative of his ability.
Outlook: McCray's offer list doesn't read like the #44 player in the country's should. Michigan and Oklahoma are the big fish on his list, with OSU, ND, and MSU not offered as of yet (although I want to say that I remember OSU offering a couple days ago???). He comes from a program that has been very friendly to U-M in recent years (Trotwood-Madison) but he also has a teammate that recently committed to OSU (Cameron Burrows). I don't have much of read on him and would like to see some more film to get a better read of his abilities.
#46 Chris Fox - 4* OT 6'6" 297 Parker, CO
Sophomore film above that is all but useless since it all shot from field level for some reason...Rivals has the same video labeled as his junior film but since the YouTube date shows it was originally posted in November of 2010, I'm fairly certain these are sophomore highlights...not much else on him...reportedly may be the top player in Colorado for the class of 2013.
Outlook: His offer list is a little sparse at the moment, surprisingly. Rivals lists only offers from Michigan, Iowa, Colorado, OSU, and Purdue. Is visiting this weekend. Early word has Michigan and Colorado as his top two.
#48 Justin Davis - 4* RB 6'1" 195 Stockton, CA
Straight ahead runner with good breakaway speed...rushed for over 2600 yards as a junior...has some moves but seems to be more of a cut and go type of back...HS runs a mix of spread, one-back, and I formations...long strider with deceptive speed...doesn't try to bounce everything to the outside, which is a good sign...can display a little power but that's obviously not his game...shows good vision...would like to see him show a little more patience when trash develops in front of him and let his blocks develop.
Outlook: Haven't heard much from him with regards to Michigan. Most of what I've seen and heard leads me to believe that if he is going to leave the west coast (not all too likely) it would be to Oklahoma. Doesn't appear close to any kind of decision though, so lots of time.
#60 Kyle Bosch - 4* OT 6'5" 285 Wheaton, IL
Plays LT for his HS...shows ability to be a dominant run blocker capable of burying his man and then going to find someone else and burying them too...almost zero footage I could find of him in pass pro - would like to see more of that...shows good feet but may be more suited to G at the next level IMO.
Outlook: Bosch had said in the past he may make a decision early (possibly in the spring) but offers have since flooded in from coast to coast so don't expect that to happen. Was high on U-M early, but seems quite open at this point.
#61 Jake Oliver - 4* WR 6'4" 194 Dallas, TX
100+ catches for 1600+ yards as a junior in a pass happy spread offense...technically sound route runner with excellent hands and size...seems to really enjoy blocking (I absolutely LOVE this in a WR) and will get a little nasty doing it...can go up and get the football...decent speed...plays the ball well in the air and can adjust fairly well...comes from a good program that also produces good kids...is the kind of kid you hate playing against.
Outlook: Does not appear to have a lot of interest in Michigan, but that could change as he doesn't seem to be close to a decision either.
#62 Peter Kalambayi - 4* LB 6'2" 220 Matthews, NC
Athletically gifted but looks very raw to me (sophomore highlights so that probably has a lot to do with it)...looks to be at his best when he is blitzing and can just go get the football...Rivals has junior highlights that show a more physically mature player than the above video, but still raw...junior film show him almost exclusively rushing the passer as a 3-4 OLB - very little of him in coverage and what little there is shows me a mixed bag...may be more suited to be a DE than LB IMO.
Outlook: Kalambayi has offers from all over and appears to be pretty open. It's worth noting that new OSU assistant Everette Withers is his lead recruiter for the Buckeyes and is quite familiar with him as he was formerly the head (interim) coach at North Carolina this past year.
#64 Derrick Green - 4* RB 6'0" 215 Richmond, VA
Rushed for 1500 yards in a primarily one back offense as a junior...very much a downhill runner with decent but not great speed...can run with a little power...hits the hole hard...good ball security...would like to see him use his off arm more to help himself out (stiff arm, swat defenders, that sort of thing)...capable receiver out of the backfield...would like to see some blitz pickup and pass pro clips but that's just me.
Outlook: Green has a ton of offers, but he is very likely to end up at OSU. He has camped there the last two seasons and has a former teammate already in Columbus in former five star LB Curtis Grant. Obviously, things have changed offensively for the Buckeyes since Meyer has taken over, but Meyer still wants Green and he may just get him.
#77 Dymonte Thomas - 4* S 6'1" 175 Alliance, OH ***COMMIT***
Defensive highlights start at the 4:28 mark of this video...shows good route recognition...solid tackler...solid speed but not eye popping...could grow into a WLB by the time he steps onto the field in college.
Outlook: Dymonte has been committed to Michigan for some time now and has forged a strong friendship with his fellow commit Shane Morris. The two have even made plans to room together as freshmen. Rumor has it that Urban has told Dymonte that he is the most important recruit on their board and that they are going to do whatever it takes to get him to Columbus. He seems solid with Michigan and happy with it so I wouldn't worry too much, but I will be happy when he sends his LOI in to A2 next February to make it official.
#83 Evan Lisle - 4* OT 6'6" 265 Centerville, OH
Plays both Tackle spots for his HS...good fire off the line and stays low - good leverage (rare in a HS lineman)...needs to work on his hands a little bit and must get stronger...athletic enough to pull and lead...needs to use his lower body more consistently - when he uses his legs and keeps his feet moving he is dominant, when he stops his feet and his legs are quiet he ends up wrestling with the defender...only two or three snaps in this video of pass blocking (obviously not a big part of their offense) and he looks a little lost in pass pro - hard to tell though with such a small sample size.
Outlook: Was just offered by U-M this week (Monday). He does not have any Junior Day visits or any other visits scheduled yet but is looking to schedule those soon ($). His current offers are mostly midwestern, plus Miami and Oklahoma. OSU may be close to offering him too. He seems pretty open.
#96 Jake Butt - 4* TE 6'6" 230 Pickerington, OH
Sophomore film...this is all defensive film unfortunately - as you might imagine, searching "jake butt" on YouTube turned up this video and about a thousand other videos of people named Jake doing incredibly stupid things to their butts (I weep for the future)...Rivals has his junior film which shows us some TE clips!...tall, strong kid that uses his height and speed to cause mismatch nightmares from the TE position...no footage of him blocking unfortunately, so that remains a mystery...had over 400 yards receiving as a junior.
Outlook: Jake has offers from across the country and, despite just returning from OSU's Junior Day event on January 29th, has named Michigan his outright leader. It made the rounds on the twitterverse this week that Michigan is number 1 with Jake and number 2 is "not even close" or something to that effect. To be fair, he does not currently have an offer from OSU. I think he will be a part of Michigan's class and will come on board pretty soon too.
#100 Jonathan Allen - 4* DE 6'3" 225 Ashburn, VA
Sophomore highlights...big kid even as a sophomore...wreaks havoc in the backfield...looks to need some conditioning work...is completely unblocked on a lot of these plays - not sure of the level of competition here...occasionally lines up at DT...needs to learn to play lower - if he shows that much of his chest to a college lineman he will get annihilated (I know, sophomore film = raw)...gifted athlete but still quite raw...I'm sure his junior reel is much better.
Outlook: Offers from all of the upper east coast along with Michigan, Oklahoma, and Stanford. Not much news on favorites or anything like that yet. Very open.
That wraps up our look at Michigan targets in the Rivals 100 for 2013. Again, please let me know of any mistakes or of anyone I missed and I'd love some feedback as well. As always, Go Blue!
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