2010 Michigan Recruiting Board. Yes, I’ve been slacking a bit in updating the actual board, but I hope to bring it up to date today.

Super fluff about incoming freshman Denard Robinson. Great leadership in football and track, etc. Teammate Cassius McDowell, a 2010 RB, mentions that Robinson will certainly be missed in Deerfield Beach.

As far as 2010 news goes, nothing is more pressing at the instant than the news that PA LB/DE Ken Wilkins is set to announce his college commitment tomorrow afternoon. He is expected to pick Michigan.

MI QB commit Devin Gardner and a host of other prospects from the Great Lakes State performed at the Chicago Nike Camp, where they were very impressive. IL WR Kyle Prater, who includes Michigan in his final 10, was named the overall MVP.

With Jake Heaps off the board to BYU, Tennessee is now on the hunt for a new quarterback in the class of 2010 (you may recall that Lane Kiffin idiotically didn’t take one last year, despite a pressing need). The Vols are expected to land TN QB Barry Brunetti, though Penn State had reportedly been leading for his services. Michigan’s chances at Brunetti decrease again, though they hadn’t offered him and it didn’t seem inevitable that they would.

Michigan is in the final four for FL RB Darion Hall (info in header).

CA RB Brennan Clay has committed to play for Oklahoma. I’ll leave him on the board for now, because there’s no word on whether he still plans to take his scheduled trip to Michigan early in the season. If he does indeed take that trip, Michigan will have Tate Forcier in his ear trying to change his mind.

CA Ath/RB Dietrich Riley did not give a silent commitment to Tennessee, which ok, I hadn’t even heard that as a rumor worth addressing. Still, he says Michigan is recruiting him the hardest, and he plans on visiting several schools this summer, including a trip to Ann Arbor. The recruiting criteria for him include a staff with NFL experience, so that may ding Michigan in his eyes. Also, distance doesn’t matter to him because he has family “throughout the south,” which doesn’t sound particularly promising for Michigan, either. However, a trip to campus is always an opportunity to win over a recruit, so don’t count Rich Rod and company out just yet.

OH WR/DB Commit DJ Williamson continues proving that he’s fast as hell. As long as he can translate that to the football field in the fall, he should see the recruiting services rate him higher by Signing Day 2010.

Re-added OH TE Alex Smith, who will still consider Michigan despite being a Cincinnati commit (info in header). He visited for the Big House BBQ, and apparently liked what he saw enough to officially soften his commitment to the Bearcats.

MN OL Seantrel Henderson is beginning to narrow his list, and though he’s just getting into that process, Michigan is in the top 10. Remember, he plans to visit Ann Arbor again this summer, so don’t be surprised if the Wolverines manage to make their way into his top 5 as well.

Added OH OL Travis Jackson. He’s interested in Michigan, despite no offer (info in header). Jackson is slightly undersized, but considering Michigan’s last player to come out of St. Francis DeSales was slightly undersized as well (Patrick Omameh), and they might view him as someone they can try to mold a bit. Deales has also had a run of D-1 players over the past couple of years, so keep an eye on the present AND future there.

Temper any possible enthusiasm about FL DT Richard Ash. He’s basically all but committed to be a Gator, but wants to take a couple official visits to experience the recruiting process. He’ll make his commitment official on September (or is it November?) 25th, and it will almost certainly be for the Florida Gators.

Inched closer to removing SC DT AJ Cann. After originally expressing interest in Michigan, he has narrowed his list to a group of schools in the Southeast. Honestly, I wouldn’t be shocked if his Michigan interest was just a ploy to get a free trip to see the Western Michigan game, as his older brother plays for the Broncos.

Removed KS DE Geneo Grissom, who committed to Kansas. He expressed Michigan interest very early in the process, but all had been quiet on that front pretty much ever since. With Michigan’s DE class so far, and taking into account the amount of pressure that the coaches clearly didn’t put on him, and Grissom is certainly no big loss.

Removed IL DE Louis Trinca-Pasat, who has committed to Iowa. Same story with Trinca-Pasat as with Grissom: Michigan didn’t seem to want him particularly badly, so he’s certainly not a big loss.

Added GA LB Tyrone Cornileus, who counts the Wolverines among his group of leaders. Miami and Georgia Tech are probably atop that list, however.

Removed TN LB Justin Maclin, who committed to LSU. Despite receiving a Michigan offer a little while back, he never seemed particularly interested in the Wolverines, so it comes as no surprise that he has committed to another school.

Posted under Football, Recruiting

Compare to the previous edition of the recruiting class rankings. For the second week in a row, there’s been plenty of action:

5-29-09 Wisconsin gains commitment from Bryce Gilbert.
5-31-09 Iowa gains commitment from Anthony Ferguson.
6-1-09 Michigan gains commitment from Christian Pace.
6-2-09 Penn State gains commitment from Miles Dieffenbach.
6-3-09 Penn State gains commitment from Tom Ricketts.
6-7-09 Notre Dame gains commitment from Bennett Jackson.

Mild disclaimer: I’m not going to be super-diligent about checking all 3 rating services, except in the case of new commits or if the “OMG SCOUT 400” is released. Not sure who’s more deserving of 3rd place: Ohio State or Notre Dame. Discuss.

Michigan grabs Christian Pace, and Jordan Paskorz gets a 78 rating from ESPN. Jerald Robinson loses his 4th star from Scout. Drew Dileo and DJ Williamson each pick up 3 stars from Scout.

The Nittany Lions snare Miles Dieffenbach, a Pitt legacy. Adrian Coxson gets a 5th star from Scout. The Nittany Lions pass Ohio State for second place on the strength of these changes.

McVey earns the 4th star from Scout, and Durham gets ranked as a 3-star. There are rumblings that the Buckeyes may rescind Jamel Turner’s scholarship offer due to off-field issues, so keep an eye out.

Alex Welch gets 4th star from Scout.

Parish picks up 3 stars from Scout.

Nothing new for the Illini, and they’re basically the only school without a change of some sort.

Bullough down to a 3-star on Scout, and Lippett rated at 3 stars by the same service.

Iowa gets Anthony Ferguson, and Poggi picks up 3 stars from Scout. They’re now nipping at Michigan State’s heels.

The Badgers snare Bryce Gilbert. Zagzebski picks up a 4th star from Scout.

Kates still not rated by any service.

Northwestern, Purdue – 0 commits.

Posted under Football, Recruiting

Not sure I’ve ever tried executing one of these, so let’s give it a try. Potential talking points:

• MCLA final v. Chapman may be the game of the year.
• Kelvin Grady on the football field (omg does he have a scholarship?)
• Dann O’Neill leaves the Michigan football team
• Basketball to play Kansas, Utah, UConn, BC this year
• Homecoming game v. Indiana scheduled for noon
• Anything else posted about (or not) this week

Let’s get it on.

Posted under Basketball, Football

2010 Michigan Wolverines Recruiting Board.

Moved to Committed: OH OL Christian Pace (seen at left). Commitment post. Pace also plans an early enrollment at Michigan.

Big House Barbecue fluff from Josh Helmholdt in the Free Press. Boilerplate stuff.

Fluff on FL QB Jeffrey Godfrey of the “he’s a QB even though he’s 5-11” variety. Godfrey has been told he’s not a QB his whole life, etc. Not to completely discard the article (despite the fact that it was clearly written by someone who should have a job writing things), but Godfrey really sounds like the type of guy Michigan would want to bring in, give a shot at QB for a year or two, then move to a different position down the road.

SC RB Marcus Lattimore and TX RB Lache Seastrunk thoroughly enjoyed their visits to Auburn last weekend (along with seemingly every prospect south of the Mason-Dixon Line), and both are extreme longshots, especially with Lattimore trimming his list to 8 non-Michigan schools earlier this week. Still no word on whether he intends to take the official visit for the Ohio State weekend as he had planned, so I’ll leave him on the list for now. Seastrunk has stated in no uncertain terms that he’ll probably end up playing his college football on the Plains, barring unforeseen developments.

FL RB Darion Hall is talented, but “needs to mature on and off the field.” With the Wolverines already filling up at running back in this class, I would be surprised if they took a guy who might be a risky prospect. He was suspended for half of his school’s spring game.

Prospective future Wolverine Torrian Wilson (who, in the past, has named the Wolverines his favorite and still has them in his top 5) has been selected to the ESPNU-Under Armour All-American Game.

After cutting down his list earlier this week, MN OL Seantrel Henderson, who is at or near the top of most prospect lists, has started planning out some summer visits. He plans to stop by Michigan for sure, possibly for summer camp. While we’re on the subject, let’s look at the reasons that coaches so covet Henderson:

With Michigan visits both in his past and future, the Wolverines are likely among his top schools.

It appears as though the bridges between Tennesse and Pahokee may be on the mend. FL DT Richard Ash has the Volunteers near the top of his list, despite the disparaging remarks made about his hometown by UT headman Lane Kiffin. However, the Gators definitely still lead for the big man from the muck.

Added LA DT Harold Legania. No word as yet on particular interest from Michigan but he may be a prospect down the road. He is a high school teammate of QB prospect Munchie LeGeaux at Edna Carr high school, and the Wolverines might be interested in a package deal for players at two positions of need.

Previously-removed IL DE Chance Carter says he’s only considering Notre Dame, Stanford, and Nebraska, but might also give the Wolverines some consideration if they offer him. With the current players committed (Antonio Kinard, Jordan Paskorz) or on their way to being committed (Ken Wilkins – see below), I don’t see him getting an offer, so I’ll leave him off the board.

OH DE Marcus Rush, who was previously believed to be heavily favoring Michigan, is approaching a decision (info in header). Considering that development came shortly after visiting Ann Arbor for the Big House Barbecue, I wouldn’t be surprised if he was still feeling the Wolverines – enough to commit. However, with several DE/LB tweeners already in the class, I don’t know if there would be room for him at this point.

MI LB/DE William Gholston has named a top-9 list that includes Michigan (along with Michigan State, Ohio State, USC, Tennessee, Alabama, Florida, Miami of Florida, and Oklahoma). Still, for some odd reason, I’m not holding my breath.

PA LB Ken Wilkins has set a date for his college announcement: Next Tuesday. Wilkins was in town for the Big House Barbecue, and reportedly enjoyed himself immensely. He is expected to pick Michigan at that time.

VA LB Aramide Olaniyan, despite his Duke commitment, is still saying positive things about the Wolverines. I’d left him on the board for the time being, and it seems as though that decision was justified. He’s planning to take other visits, so we’ll see if anything comes of it.

Fluff article on various DBs in Florida, including FL CB Tony Grimes, a recent visitor to Ann Arbor for the Big House BBQ:

“If they try to throw to my side, I’m going to come down with the ball and make a play on it for my team,” Hollywood Hills cornerback Tony Grimes said. Along with a physical style of play and ball-hawking skills, Grimes brings leadership as well. Hollywood Hills coach Scott Barnwell has noticed the impact it has had on his team.

“With his leadership and having a person of that caliber, these kids pick up their game also and they get to see all of the different college recruiters coming out, and it just raises the level of everyone’s game, which for the team is tremendous,” Barnwell said.

Though the Michigan visit (and a planned return in the fall) seem to bode well for Michigan, that may be more of a pipe dream, as the Hurricanes of Miami are expected to be a heavy favorite.

Michigan has offered SC CB John/Johnavon Fulton. The offer has helped them vault towards the forefront of his recruitment (info in header). However, he still really likes Alabama, and the Wolverines are definitely in catch-up mode.

From Bill Kurelic at ESPN: IL WR Kyle Prater, IA QB AJ Derby, and MI CB/Slot Dior Mathis are all planning to take all 5 of their official visits before coming to decisions. This might leave Mathis and perhaps Derby out of luck, but Michigan would probably make room for Prater if he ultimately decided on the Wolverines.

And now, for the latest edition of your intermittent 2011 recruiting updates: Sam Webb brings the fluff on 2011 MI WR DeAnthony Arnett from Saginaw, seen at right. The Wolverines were the first school to offer Arnett, a true WR with the ability to play slot (think more Je’Ron Stokes than Jeremy Gallon), and are considered the likely favorite for his services. He’s also taken southward trips recently, to camps such as Tennessee, so this will be no cakewalk to land DeAnthony, and Michigan will have to work to earn a commitment from him.

Posted under Football, Recruiting

For a team like Michigan, that is historically strong but had a very weak year in 2008, the preview for the 2009 team is going to be tough. Key to that preview is the offensive line of the Wolverines. Most people who follow the Michigan program expect the offensive line to be a relative strength in 2009, while those who follow other programs don’t have the same optimism (or fear, as it were). So why do Michigan fans think a lot more of their 2009 OL than, say Notre Dame fans?

Returning experience has been brought up as an indicator of possible team success, and Michigan is among the teams with the highest number of returning starts along the offensive line (as is Notre Dame). However, most non-Michigan fans that I’ve seen looking at Michigan so far this off-season have said something along the lines of “They might be a better OL next year, but they sucked in 2008, so how much better can they be?” That may be the case, but it’s certainly worth exploring the assumption that the Wolverine offensive line was crap in 2008.

Improvement over the Year

The Michigan offensive line may have indeed started out poorly in 2008. They rushed for fewer yards than the opponents’ average allowed in 5 of the first 8 games, even though they were playing teams with relatively easy schedules like Utah, Miami, and Wisconsin (against whom Michigan would have had an awful rushing day if not for a surprise 65-yarder by Steven Threet). However, there’s certainly evidence that, after a rough couple games to start out the year, the rushing game started to click for Michigan.

That chart can be displayed in graphical form below. Note that more of the good rush defenses they faced were towards the back end of the schedule – and they still managed to beat the average for each of those teams. Save the MSU game, the Wolverines beat the opponent’s average in each game over the second half of the season.

With many players who weren’t expected to ever contribute in meaningful gametime (Bryant Nowicki), or at least not in 2008 (David Molk), the offensive line still managed to be better than average, with strength of opponents’ defenses taken into account.

More Competition

Of course, there’s a reason that some of those players who were forced into action in 2008 were not expected to ever contribute in starting roles for the Wolverines. Add in a class of freshmen that redshirted in 2008 because they weren’t physically ready to play, despite good guru rankings (4* OG RIcky Barnum) or performance in practice (2* OT Patrick Omameh). Add in those players, and even if they don’t contribute on the field, their presence in practice pushes other players to work harder to keep their starting spots. The best player between Mark Ortman and nobody is definitely Mark Ortman. The best player between Mark Ortman and Patrick Omameh might still be the same Mark Ortman, but that’s the minimum. It’s more likely to be a better Mark Ortman from being pushed in practice, or even Omameh.

When you take into account that the Michigan offensive line faced a number of injuries last year, having more players certainly helps in this respect as well. Using the example above, if Mark Ortman goes down and there’s no backup, the team has to play someone who really has no place being a contributor. If Mark Ortman goes down and Patrick Omameh is nipping his heels on the depth chart, the dropoff is going to be much less noticeable.

Improved QB Play

The offensive line is one unit on an offensive machine that must all work in concert to achieve the maximum result. If other parts of the machine are faulty, the offensive line won’t look as good, simply because the offense isn’t producing. Quarterback play in 2008 was, to put it quite bluntly, a liability for Michigan. Steven Threet and Nick Sheridan each had moments of brilliance (games against Penn State and Minnesota, respectively), but did at least their fair share of contributing to the offensive struggles in 2008.

The quarterbacks couldn’t throw particularly well, which allowed opposing safeties to come into the box to play the run. If Michigan had been able to stretch the field deep with the pass, there would have been more open running lanes. Coupled with that idea is the fact that Michigan’s scheme requires the quarterback to be able to run. Since neither Threet nor Sheridan was particularly mobile, defenses were able to key on the running back exclusively. This contributed to poor results for Michigan.

Of course, this section of the argument centers on the idea (belief? hope?) that Michigan’s quarterback play in 2009 will be better than it was in 2008. That hope falls on the shoulders of one Robert Tate Forcier. While he may not be The Savior of Michigan Football, his high school play and rankings, along with his performance in the spring game have given Michigan fans hope.

Better in ’09?

Outside sources whose job it is to cover the Big Ten (albeit poorly) think that the Michigan OL should be improved this year. So, as I’ve hopefully demonstrated, not only was the Michigan offensive line not the huge liability over the entire course of 2008  that it’s often made out to be (despite some of the players forced into service), but it should continue to improve in the offseason as the players who will contribute in 2009 will have a year of experience under their belts, a lot more competition in practice, and a more complete offensive picture around them. Don’t expect greatness from the offensive line in 2009, but they should certainly help the offense get back on track.

Posted under Analysis, Football

Posted under Football

A couple things…

• As rumored, Kelvin Grady is indeed expected to join the Michigan football team. He’ll have 3 years to play 3, meaning he’s essentially coming in as a redshirt sophomore. He’ll play slot receiver, and will likely be used in all the ways that Rodriguez has used such players (motioning into the backfield, end-around pitches, etc.) in the past. Grady, while he should be in pretty good shape from having continued his D-1 athletic career over the past two years, is going to have to work to change his physique from that of a football player to that of a basketball player. He’ll probably provide depth at slot this year, though we’ve all seen on the basketball court the quickness that he can bring.It’s still unclear whether he’ll rejoin the basketball team, since he’s still around and all. Most news items have not mentioned it as an option, but I don’t see why not. The kid clearly loves basketball (he picked it over football coming out of high school, after all), and with the football career perhaps becoming the main focus, he could play basketball and provide depth at the point guard position for another year or two, without fretting about his overall role on the team.
• The other personnel issue is with a player who has yet to hit campus: Justin Turner, the defensive back out of Massillon Washington, has been the subject of rumors regarding his eligibility to enroll at Michigan. The apparent issue regards the Ohio Graduation Test, and Turner’s apparent failing of it. Before we get into that, I might as well bring up the source of this rumor, the English-teacher’s-nightmare of a blog GBMW (which I shall not link because I think they’re idiots). The rebuttal to their post at WLA, though clearly written in a heat of passion, is something I agree with: GBMW broke either 1) The law, by getting a student’s private records, or 2) Turner’s trust, by throwing this shit all over the internet. Additional shame to them (on top of the shame of illiteracy, of course). Anyway, since the rumor has become fairly ubiquitous, Sam Webb found it OK to mention on the WTKA morning show today, and I feel okay posting about it.As for the test, the state of Ohio requires its high schoolers to pass the Ohio Graduation Test as something of an exit exam. Don’t pass the test, you don’t get to graduate high school (and get automatic admission to Ohio State – no I’m not joking, this policy was around as recently as 6 years ago). Turner, then, did not pas the test, or so the rumor goes. Webb was not particularly pessimistic about Turner’s ability to still get into school, as he’s a pretty good student who’s already met the NCAA Clearinghouse’s requirements for eligibility, except the no high school diploma thing. There are alternative methods to diploma eligbility, and given Turner’s academic reputation, most don’t foresee him having difficulty there.

So, hurray. Enjoy this video of Charles Woodson and Desmond Howard on College Football Live yesterday as a reward for getting through all that:

Posted under Football, Personnel

As has always been the case, Michigan will host a number of camps this summer. These camps help build relationships with high school and college coaches, serve as recruiting tools, and otherwise engender good will toward the program among the populace. Mark Snyder brings details in the Detroit Free Press:

The summer gets a bit more hectic for the coaches later in June. U-M will host three football camps, each with its own focus. The traditional camp (June 14-17) is key for recruiting, offering a chance to have elite high school prospects on campus while evaluating their skills. U-M has expanded to include a 7-on-7 passing camp and team offensive-defensive linemen camp (June 18-19), when prep players can show off their skills as a group. The June 21-23 youth camp is for middle school students.

The camps are becoming more specialized (see: the 7-on-7 and lineman camps), allowing for easier evaluation of prospects. Expect a number of Michigan targets to attend the camps. Some of those who are expected include:

• Basically every in-state prospect, especially those hoping to earn offers (like Jonathan Hankins)
• The contingent from DeMatha, MD
• Torrian Wilson and perhaps teammate Corvin Lamb
• Various other prospects from across the country

Sam Webb gave a bit more detail on what the summer camps would entail on the WTKA Recruiting Roundup a couple weeks ago, including the information that top WR Kyle Prater may make a visit for the 7-on-7 camp with his Hillside Proviso West team. Also from the WTKA Show, GBW’s Allen Trieu discusses the drawbacks and benefits of the new camp format with Sam and Andy.

Thunder of Touch the Banner, a relatively new Michigan blog, says that non-prospects should remain wary: if you’re not a top recruit, don’t expect to get a ton of 1-on-1 coaching from the Wolverine staff.

Posted under Football, Recruiting

The Michigan Wolverines have added their 12th commitment of the class of 2010, according to both premium sites. OH OL Christian Pace (6-3, 260, 5.7) has pledged his word to become a Michigan Wolverine in February. Pace is the first offensive lineman to commit in the class.

Recruiting Notes
Michigan fans have known about Pace for quite some time, as he was among the earlier offensive linemen offered post-signing day. He received an offer in early April, and almost immediately hit campus for the Wolverines’ spring game. Though he spoke effusively about his trip to Ann Arbor, a visit to Northwestern “wowed” him, so fans weren’t sure how sincere his interest in Michigan was. A return trip to the University of Michigan, however, sealed the deal. He went home without committing, but the premium sites mentioned that his timetable might accelerate considerably. Accelerate it did, and he phoned Rich Rodriguez today to share the good word.

Player Notes
Pace is currently a little undersized for an offensive lineman, at just 260 pounds. However, he has a big frame, and will be able to pack on enough muscle to compete well at the college level. He is likely to be an interior line prospect with his height limiting his ability to play on the outside. Pace is very aggressive and nasty with his blocks, and shows an ability to get to the second level of defenders. His strength and technique are pretty good for a high school player, especially one with the low weight that he currently carries. When he teams up with Barwis upon arriving in Ann Arbor, he could be converted into a beast. One big knock on Pace is his pass protection. His high school apparently has a predominantly running scheme, and he’ll have to improve in protection. Pace is a 3-star prospect to both recruiting services.

Video

Posted under Football, Recruiting

2010 Michigan Recruiting Board.

Big House Barbecue As mentioned in this morning’s post, there were no immediate results from the Big House Barbecue event. Though the Wolverines picked up a commitment from PA DE Jordan Paskorz (and how about a little Paskorz fluff? Or were you looking for a more local flavor?), it was prior to the barbecue, and not related to the actual even itself. So, was the whole thing a bust this time around? Not so much. There are lots of positive vibes coming from essentially every recruit who was there, with none moreso than a couple guys who might suddenly be ready to make decisions. “Wilkins moves closer to decision after visit” and “Is a Decision Imminent for Pace?” are pretty good indications-via-headline that PA LB Ken Wilkins and OH OL Christian Pace enjoyed themselves enough to at least seriously consider committing in the not-particularly-distant future. Keep your eyes peeled in the coming days.

Other than those two, nothing seems to be imminent, but the general feeling from the barbecue seems to be a good one, emanating from the mouths of seemingly every recruit who was there. Michigan certainly helped themselves with a number of guys, even if they only managed to accelerate a couple of decision timelines. Some of those who seemd to enjoy themselves: FL CB Tony Grimes, who had his “eyes opened by Michigan,” and seems to be a pretty good player, as well. Another top prospect who was there, perhaps surprisingly to Michigan fans who are staring at the commit list with a shocked expression, was IL WR Kyle Prater (info in header).

Fluff on IA QB AJ Derby. Tom Lemming criticizes several midwest schools for being impatient and not waiting for great prospects like Derby, while lauding Iowa’s foresight to not accept commitments from lesser-rated players. Like, I don’t know, 3-stars James Morris and Austin Gray and unranked Anthony Ferguson and Jim Poggi. I’m just sayin’. Back to Derby though, Lemming seems to think he might be a 5-star caliber player, but that his Hawkeye connections (aside from the obvious – living in Iowa City – his dad also played for Iowa in the 90s) will probably mean he ends up playing for his hometown school.

OK QB/WR Demarco Cobbs is trying to narrow his list, but is having a hard time telling schools that he’s just not that into them. Be forwarned that Michigan is nowhere near his rough top 10 list, which instead consists of Alabama, Arizona, Auburn, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Oklahoma, Tennessee and USC. He basically never mentions Michigan, though he says “a couple schools” are right outside the top list, and could sneak in there. He seems to have little interest in playing QB, and the only reason I’m leaving him on the list for now is that he has a Michigan offer, and there’s no formal cutdown that means Michigan is absolutely out of it.

SC RB Marcus Lattimore has trimmed his list of schools to a final 8, which doesn’t include Michigan. This is curious because of the “I am definitely going to an official visit in Ann Arbor” vibe he was giving out before, but the writing has sort of been on the wall for a while now. I’ll leave him on the board a little longer, until I can get a chance to resolve the official visit issue.

Selective reading by the Miami Herald, when discussing possible future commitments for Da U. They pick out a FL OL Torrian Wilson quote that all of his top 5 schools are “about equal,” while forgetting to mention that he has also said several times that Michigan definitely leads. This is yet another reason why newspapers are failing, guys. I’m not saying the Wolverines will definitely land Wilson, but lying to your readers by omission isn’t exactly a criterion for becoming a beacon of journalism.

GA OT/DE Henry Anderson says Michigan “is in the big picture” (info in header). While that certainly doesn’t mean very much, it’s enough to warrant adding him to the board.

GA DE TJ Stripling might be taking a visit to Ann Arbor soon (info in header). Memo to Pete Cunningham, the author of this article. You can’t have a tease in the excerpt that you’ve already answered in the headline. Stripling had not been previously on the board, so I’ve added him.

Some pretty fluffy stuff on FL LB Jeff Luc. Of actual note from the article: He’s a good student, and trying to get all of his classes in order so he can graduate in December and enroll early at his school of choice.

Michigan has offered GA LB Tyrone Cornelius. I’ve added him to the board.

MD LB Troy Gloster has been offered by Michigan. The former teammate of Florida’s Jelani Jenkins is one of many Division-1 prospects at Good Counsel High School, so keep an eye on the Wolverines’ future actions at that school.

Periodic Pahokee Update Time. It seems I say more about this school than any other, probably because the number of prospects available there, and also because of Michigan’s existing ties to the Blue Devils. Anyway, a weird-ish non-story from the muck over the weekend, as CB Merrill Noel and LB Zachery Allen planned to announce today – then promptly changed their minds. The Wolverines wouldn’t have likely been the school of choice for either guy, so if they want a legit shot at them, a longer recruiting process can only help Michigan. It had been predicted that both would commit to Wake today.

A top 100 list of Florida prospects by the Miami Herald includes a number of Michigan prospects, including commits Ricardo Miller (#19) and Marvin Robinson (#31). The most humorous part of this list is the authors’ insistence on bragging about how much smarter they are than the national recruiting sites, and how they know so much more than those guys. Then they go on to spell about 30% of the names wrong. Great work, guys!

Posted under Football, Recruiting