For details on the contest (or whatever it is) check out last week’s post on the matter. Here’s the bracket:

Click the bracket to see it in all its full-size glory. Battles will start tomorrow, with fan voting determining the winners. Each battle will last about a week, with a new one starting each day (yes, they’ll overlap). When the first round is complete in 16 days, I’ll take a break to recap the action, and we’ll move along.

Posted under Football

Delaware State Offense

QBs

Vashon Winton was a 4-year starter for Delaware State, and among the school’s all-time leaders in total offense. Replacing him will be Anthony Glaud, a Bowling Green transfer who saw some playing time last year. BC transfer Chris Johnson will also compete with Glaud.

Analysis

Typically, you’d see “4-year starter departs” and think that the QB situation for Delaware State would be terrible coming into 2009. The situation is helped a little by the fact that Glaud was deemed worthy of 1-A scholarships coming out of high school, and also by the fact that he got some PT last year. He’ll likely be a better passer than Winton (as he was in his duty in 2008), but a far inferior runner. Johnson brings a BCS-level pedigree, but is new to the program.

RBs

The cupboard is nothing if not bare.The top 3(!) rushers for Delaware State are gone (don’t laugh too hard – it’s not impossible for this to happen to Michigan after 2009), leaving only little-used redshirt sophomore Jaashawn Jones. Fullback Jason Randall also worked at running back this spring.

Analysis

Jones is the only running back on the DSU spring roster, so Jones’s legs will get mighty tired unless there is some help from recruiting. Considering Glaud is not a running threat, Jones will have to do nearly all the lifting. At least, at 6-1 and 225 lbs, he’s a big enough boy to take the pounding.

Receivers

The hits keep coming in terms of offensive losses for Delaware State. Their top receiver, Eddie Brown, is gone, but the two players right behind him are returning, at least. Senior Larrone Moore and sophomore Darius Jackson will carry the majority of the receiving load, with Jackson coming out of the slot. Redshirt senior Erick Jones will be a big outside threat at 6-3.

Analysis

The losses to this personnel group are not as severe as under center, but they’ll certainly hurt. DSU will count on Jones and Moore to keep defenses spread wide, and Jackson will get his fair share of underneath stuff out of the slot, along with Zacharri Charles. The corps has some depth, but the quality in the starters is questionable.

Offensive Line

Lineup

The Hornets had a fairly young offensive line last year. The only seniors were starting left tackle Adrian Brown who played in 10 games, Darin Giesler who played in 3 games, and Djamal Kirby who played in 2. Senior Kellen Kemp will be the left guard, redshirt senior Nick Richmond will start at center for the fourth straight year, and senior Jermaine Morrison will play right guard. Senior Mike Maloney, who missed portions of last with injury, will start at right tackle. Redshirt junior Chris Sears is likely to fill in at left tackle.

Analysis

The DSU offensive line is pretty experienced, returning four starters. Of course, they were also subpar in rushing offense and sacks allowed last year. With a less-mobile QB and a new RB, that won’t get any easier. Expect the offensive line to struggle a bit, if only because the talent helping them isn’t that good, and they aren’t far off from their peak already.

Offensive Analysis

The offensive line should be something of a strength, though DSU won’t be able to pound the ball with their limited RB options, especially against a bigger, stronger, faster defense like they’ll face in Michigan. The QB situation could be better for the Hornets, as they at least have a number of viable options competing. Don’t be surprised if they try to move the ball through the air, with the strong line protecting the QB.

Delaware State Defense

Defensive Line

Oh. My. God. I don’t even know where to go with this. There is practically nobody left who played a single down for the Hornets along the defensive front last year. I assume redshirt senior tackle Fabian Dunn and true senior tackle Tyron Hurst will be the starters on the inside in 2009. Andre Carroll is a redshirt junior with suspicious little action last year, but for lack of better options, who should I guess will play? Brian Whitmore is a Maryland transfer and redshirt junior.

Analysis

There is nobody here. I don’t even know what to say. The best they can fill these spots with are either exceptional true freshmen, or a motley host of upperclassmen who weren’t good enough to play at all last year. Michigan’s improved offensive line should be able to shove the hornet DL around all day.

Linebackers

The hits keep coming for the DSU defense. They lost their top 2 linebackers, though the rest return. It appears as though their base set features only 2 linebackers, who will probably be seniors Josh Pope and Joe Mendes. Backing them up are Ahmad Harris and Eric Sewell.

Analysis

Only playing 2 linebackers means that DSU only has to have 2 linebackers to fill in spots. It also means that they have to replace all of their tarts at the position from last year. Fortunately, Pope and Mendes are experienced upperclassmen, but they still will have their feet to the fire for the first time in 2009.

Defensive Backs

Finally, a position at which Delaware State returns its leading tackler. Of course, then they have to go and lose 4 of the next 6. It’s hard to tell what positions these guys play, so I’ll just list them. I would guess based on his size that junior Avery Grant is a corner, but he had the most tackles on the team last year, so I assume he’s a safety or rover-type. 5th-year Jerome Strums seems to be a nice big safety, as does his classmate Mike Gable. I assume redshirt sophomore Stephon Hampton is a corner.

Analysis

Without being able to figure out which positions the Hornets are losing players from, it’s hard to pass serious judgment on how their secondary will perform in 2009. Still, they lose a ton of experience (and most of the team’s total interceptions), so I can’t predict they’ll tear the world apart, especially against guys with D-1 size (Greg Mathews), speed (Darryl Stonum) or moves (Martavious Odoms).

Defensive Analysis

Yikes. This looks like a very poor defensive team. It appears as though Grant will be the main bright spot, and a lot of young players will have to step up if the Hornets want to stop anyone, much less a team with the talent of Michigan. Running the ball and passing should both come fairly easy to the Wolverines.

Special Teams

The Hornets return senior kicker Riley Flickinger and punter Nick Lochner.

Analysis

Though both Flickinger and Lochner return, neither was particularly good last year. It looks to be tougher sledding for both this year, as Delaware State’s offense looks to have more trouble moving the ball in general, and in the redzone in particular.

Overall Analysis

Bill Martin figured it out this time. If you’re going to play a 1-AA team, you will be expected to win. It doesn’t matter if you play the best team, or the worst team. You do not get any more credit for playing a good 1-AA team and beting them than if you had played a worse team, and it doesn’t matter if you lose to the best 1-AA team, they’re still lower-division. Because of that, just find the shittiest team you can. Michigan has done that for next year. A poor 1-AA team that loses most of its key pieces should be easy victory for the boys in blue.

Posted under Football

GBW and TheWolverine are both reporting on their front pages that South Carolina QB/Athlete Cornelius Jones has pledged his word to become a Michigan Wolverine. Jones hails from Spartanburg HS in Spartanburg, SC, and is Michigan’s 14th public commitment in the class of 2010. The signal-caller stands 6-2 and 190 pounds.

Recruiting Notes
Aside from the obvious prospects like Devin Gardner, Jones was one of the first players to enter Michigan fans’ collective radar for the class of 2010. Despite not playing football his freshman or sophomore year, apparently due to a disciplinary issue (or problem with the previous coaching staff; it’s never really been cleared up, Jones’s highlight tape from a spring scrimmage found its way into the hands of Michigan’s coaching staff. Rich Rodriguez and company liked what they saw, and extended a verbal offer (which the Detroit media, in full anti-Rodriguez mode at the time, spun to indicate that Rod was clueless or something). As it turned out, the offer did not come through at that time, but Michigan offered him in January, and was still among his first offers. It was that early interest that helped Michigan stay in the forefront of his recruitment, as the Wolverines led wire-to-wire. Jones always maintained that he was trying to work out a visit to Michigan, and that visit eventually ended up taking place for the Wolverines’ 2009 summer camp. At that time, he realized Ann Arbor was the place for him, and he committed to don the maize-and-blue.

Player Notes
Jones is a dual-threat quarterback in the same mold as Devin Gardner, who can really hurt you with his feet, and has some improving to do in the passing game (certainly understandable for a high school junior). Jones isn’t quite the physical specimen that Garnder is, but might be a slightly better passer at this time. That’s an exciting prospect for Michigan fans, as he’s only played football (and quarterback) for one year thus far! With further coaching at both the high school and college levels, he should blossom into a true threat in both phases of the game.

Posted under Football, Recruiting

Some things that didn’t fit in Thursday’s update is thrown in here as well, so it should be a JAM-PACKED! update. Here’s the 2010 Michigan Recruiting Board.

Super-non-informative article on the recruitment of PA QB Anthony Gonzales (#6). He’s fast enough to play QB for his high school team, and is described as “slippery.” Though Michigan hasn’t offered yet, that certainly fits the description they’re looking for in this class: a good second QB who can potentially change positions down the road if everything works out with the other players. There is no Michigan mention in the article, and Penn State is presumed to be the favorite by the author, with Pitt just behind. Still, if the Wolverines don’t have a second QB committed by the time the season rolls around, Gonzales may be a candidate to pick up an offer.

LSU has jumped into the fray for IA QB/Ath AJ Derby (info in header). He is becoming a bigger and bigger prospect, which means he may be less likely to accept an offer to play second fiddle to Devin Gardner in the QB class of 2010. Of course, it’s still highly likely he plays at Iowa, where his dad played. The Chicago Sun-Times’s Second Season blog thinks it’s Iowa or Florida for him.

Continuing the deluge of QB news, SC prospect Cornelius Jones has set up a summer visit to Ann Arbor (info in header). Smart money is on this visit happening for camp this week. Jones has had Michigan at or near the top of his list for quite some time now, so a good visit with the Wolverines might be enough to convince him to commit.

Removed MI QB Robert Bolden, who does not have the Wolverines on his list of 6 finalists. I’m not disappointed, because I still maintain that Bolden is more of a pro-style QB than a true dual-threat who would thrive in the Rich Rodriguez spread.

Fluff/brief recruiting info on FL RB Cassius McDowell from SoFlaFootball. McDowell is out for the spring with a broken leg, and has been using his newfound free time to pick up the pace with schoolwork, and enroll early in the fall at his school of choice. The teammate of 2009 signees Denard Robinson and Adrian Witty counts the Wolverines among his offers.

Removed FL RB Darion Hall, who committed to Miami. This is not a surprise. You may recall that I was not particularly stoked on Hall, especially considering he apparently has some maturing to do “on and off the field.”

FL/MI WR Ricardo Miller has apparently changed his tune about which Ann Arbor-area high school he’ll be attending, according to Sam Webb. Rampant speculation and semi-disturbing high school fantasy football leagues by Michigan fans have cluttered the interwebs this weekend, but the fact of the matter is, he’s going to go to the school that gives him the best education and opportunity to succeed on the football field.

PA WR Andrew Carswell‘s continued interest in Michigan (they’re in his top 3 with BC and Pitt) may be explained by the fact that he’s a multiple-position player. If he ends up committing to Michigan (I still think it’s something of a longshot at this point), he could end up playing linebacker on defense.

Removed MD WR EJ Scott, who committed to Virginia.

Removed AL WR Soloman Patton, now a Florida Gator.

In your latest breathless MN OL Seantrel Henderson update, a couple fun factoids that may play a role in his recruitment. First, new Gophers OL coach Tim Davis might send his son to Cretin-Derham Hall. That would certainly not hurt Minnesota for Seantrel (unless said son is a total d-bag, but I digress). Another interesting friend item on Henderson:

According to Lemming, Henderson may want to attend the same school as friend J.D. Pride, another Minneapolis-area player. According to Rivals.com, the only offer Pride holds is from Minnesota.

If the Wolverines ever offer Pride, a QB/Ath, it would certainly help their case. Also, maybe Pride could net an Eastern Michigan offer? That could still help the Wolverines land Henderson. I believe both Henderson and Pride are camping at Michigan, and Eastern’s coaches traditionally head across town to take part.

Recruiting info on GA DT Jeff Whitaker, with nary a mention of Michigan. It sounds like he probably won’t end up with an offer. With the Wolverines perhaps having less of a need for DTs in the unconventional defense of Greg Robinson, perhaps they’ll only need one tackle in this class.

MI DT Jonathan Hankins may be their guy at the position, as a camp offer is likely to come through, especially considering even the stingy Buckeyes have deemed him worthy of a scholarship. Sam Webb had a “gut feeling” on the Recruiting Roundup Thursday that Hankins would be blue if offered. For those who are unfamiliar with the WTKA morning show, Sam’s “gut feeling” means that he has heard directly from a source that the information is true.

Removed SC DT AJ Cann. He is down to a final list that does not include Michigan, and the Wolverines are out of the race for his services.

FL DE Lynden Trail is favoring Florida as he quests to add more weight to give his body a more appropriate DE size (he’s currently at 210 pounds, standing 6-7).

Removed PA DE Dakota Royer. He has released a final five list that does not include Michigan. He plans to make a commitment in July. In a really odd twist, especially considering The Sporting News’s Recruitnik blog has an article on Royer from the same timeframe, also featuring direct quotes, that Royer is down to a top 10, with narrowing to a top 5 by the end of July. Either way, Michigan isn’t on his list, so he gone. Adios, guy who did this:

Removed PA DE Kyle Baublitz, who will be a Nittany Lion.

FL DE/LB Corey Lemonier is playing outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense this year at Hialeah, which is probably fairly comparable to the hybrid roles in Michigan’s new defense under coordinator Greg Robinson. It should come as no surprise, then, that Lemonier plans to use one of his official visits on a trip to Ann Arbor. DE/LB is the new WR in this recruiting class, as far as “how many of these guys can we fit in the class?”

MI S/LB/Ath Daniel Easterly currently favors Illinois, but his feelings about the Wolverines are hard to tell, because he won’t name schools that haven’t offered him among his favorites. He is going to camp at Michigan, so if he earns an offer there, the Wolverines would likely be a serious player in his recruitment.

Michigan is a reported offer for OH S/WR Bobby Swigert. He’s apparently camping this week as well.

Removed SC S Bashaud Breeland, now a Clemson commitment.

Removed MD S Jeff Knox, who committed to Pittsburgh.

FL CB Nickell Robey is going to visit Ann Arbor this summer along with FL S commit Marvin Robinson (info in header). This is obviously good news as far as Robey’s recruitment, but there’s also some moderately bad news that relates to Robinson: he still wants to take a visit to Chapel Hill to check out the Tar Heels (info in header). He still plans to honor his verbal commitment, so this isn’t exactly “ACK FREAK OUT”-type news, but the verbal is less than solid, it seems.

Removed OH CB Jordan Paschal. The Trotwood-Madison (Roundtree, Shaw, Moore) product committed to Louisville.

Posted under Football, Recruiting

Compare to the previous edition of the recruiting class rankings. Action since last rankings:

6-7-09 Iowa gains commitment from Louis Trinca-Pasat.
6-9-09 Michigan gains commitment from Ken Wilkins.

The Wolverines pick up Pennsylvania linebacker Ken Wilkins.

No change for PSU.

The Buckeyes have been chillin’ at 5 commits for quite some time.

Bennett Jackson picks up a 77 rating from ESPN.

No change for Minnesota.

Nothing new for the Illini, they’ve stagnated for quite some time.

No change for State.

Chicago DE Louis Trinca-Pasat picks the Hawkeyes.

Nothing new for Wisconsin.

Still just Kates, the unrated one.

Northwestern, Purdue – 0 commits.

Posted under Football, Recruiting

Among the many things that have often bothered me about the Michigan football program is the lack of serious Heisman buzz for any player (save, perhaps, for Mike Hart in 2006). So, as a Guy with Website, I fully intend to change that for the 2009 season. But far be it from me to determine which Michigan Wolverine deserves to have a full-fledged Heisman campaign this upcoming season. Why don’t I have readers vote in an enormous bracket, instead?

Who’s Eligible?

Originally, I had intended for this to be a ridiculously large bracket, with everyone on the roster eligible. Well, that didn’t get off the ground quite as I had intended, and to simplify things, most players with a reasonable expectation of playing time and stats will be a candidate in the bracket contest. There will be one contest each day, with voting open for 7 days (so the results will roll in over time). As the roster gets pared down to 4 or 8 candidates, they’ll be spaced out a little more to give each battle a chance to get the votes it deserves.

What’s the ‘Prize?’

The “winner” will have a Varsity Blue section created in his honor, to tout his candidacy for the Heisman trophy, a la the now-defunct Hart4Heisman.com, or official athletic department sites like CurtisPainter12.com (try to stifle your laughter). Depending on the level of effort I’m willing to put in, perhaps some of the runners-up will have pages as well, at least touting them for position-specific awards like the Ray Guy trophy or Rotary Lombardi Award.

Show Me the Bracket!

Ah, patience young one. I’ll reveal the bracket early next week (how does Tuesday sound?) and battles will get started the next day.

Posted under Football, Personnel

Iowa Offense

QBs

The Hawkeyes entered 2008 with a QB controversy of sorts between Jake Christensen and Ricky Stanzi. There shall be no such controversy this year: Stanzi is the Manzi (oh god, did I really just type that?). The bigger question is who will back up the redshirt junior. Marvin McNutt is now a wide receiver, and Christensen has transferred out of Iowa City. Redshirt Freshman John Wienke, once a Michigan commitment, is the best bet.

Analysis

The Iowa QB situation improved a ton last year with Stanzi at the helm. He should continue improving, and be among the better signal-callers in the conference this year. Behind him, there might be trouble, as there is virtually no experience with Christensen gone.

RBs

Shonn Greene was, for my money, the best running back in the country last year. Stepping up to replace him will be sophomore Jewel Hampton, who looked pretty good as Greene’s backup last year. Walkon Paki O’Meara and Jayme Murphy will also get some action.

Analysis

Jewel Hampton is not going to be Shonn Greene. End of story. I’m not going to sit here and go all “losing Shonn Greene doesn’t hurt, because Jewel Hampton is AT LEAST as good” Rittenberg-style. Hampton will fill in for the Hawkeyes, and will probably provide more speed to the RB position, but likely less power and vision. That’s to be expected from a young player, and by the end of the year, he should develop into a good option. I will bet each and every one of you infinity dollars that he will not outdo Greene’s Doak Walker-winning year. I am not stupid, you see.

Receivers

Darrell Johnson-Koulianos has been in the doghouse a bit this summer, allowing other players like former QB Marvin McNutt to get some serious reps at wide receiver. DJK will still likely be the go-to guy as a redshirt junior, and senior Trey Stross will be the Inexplicably Great White Iowa Receiver in the absence of Andy Brodell. Still, it’s the tight end that looks to drive this passing game, and if redshirt senior Tony Moeaki can stay injury-free (albeit for the first time in his Hawkeye career), he’s a really good option.

Analysis

For all his whiteness, Andy Brodell was a really awesome wide receiver, and losing him will certainly be a hit. However, if DJK can stay in the coaches’ good graces, and Stross can step up to a starting role, the wide receivers should be decent enough. If McNutt can be a good third option on the edges, that’s probably gravy for a Hawkeye passing attack that has a number of smaller contributors, and a darn good TE in Moeaki. If Tony can stay healthy, he’ll be able to stretch the middle of the field, opening things up on the outside, and even in the running game.

Offensive Line

Lineup

Center Rob Bruggeman and right guard Seth Olsen depart, but the other three starters return for the Hawkeyes. True junior Bryan Bulaga will man the left tackle spot, redshirt junior Julian Vandervelde will play left guard, and 5th-year Kyle Calloway played right tackle last year. The two spots up for grabs are likely to go to 5th-years Dan Doering at right guard and Rafael Eubanks at center. The backups for Iowa will include Reilly Reiff, Markus Zusevics, and Kyle Haganman.

Analysis

The line returns mostly intact, though Olsen was good enough to be drafted in the fourth round of the NFL draft, and Bruggeman got some looks of his own, and signed a deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Still, the Hawkeyes who return aren’t without some acclaim themselves. Doering was an Army All-American whose career has been sidetracked by injuries over the years, and Rafael Eubanks will also probably make it into the NFL draft with a good senior year. The incentive for those two to prove their worth to the NFL (on top of their inherent talent, of course), along with the remaining members of the line returning from last year’s campaign, means that the Hawkeye OL will probably be about as good as last year’s, and there’s a chance it could be even better.

Offensive Analysis

Losing Shonn Greene will hurt, but a stabilized QB situation, another strong offensive line, and some weapons in the passing game will all help the Hawkeye offense improve next year. Andy Brodell, despite his injuries over the years, was an explosive weapon, so Iowa will need to either spread the wealth or find a playmaker to take his spot. If Tony Moeaki and the offensive line can stay healthy, however, the Hawkeye offense could be a well-oiled machine in 2009.

Iowa Defense

Defensive Line

Mitch King and Matt Kroul leave the middle of the Hawkeye defense, and replacing the tackles will be a tall task. I wouldn’t be surprised if junior Christian Ballard continued adding weight (he was already listed at 285 on the spring roster) and moved inside permanently, giving Broderick Binns, a redshirt sophomore a full-time role on the edge. That still leaves one defensive tackle spot, which will likely go to [hilarious adverb goes here]-named Karl Klug, though he’s a bit undersized. The most certain role on the defensive line is for Adrian Clayborn, who flashed some star power last year as a redshirt sophomore at DE.

Analysis

Sure, there are bodies available to fill the holes left by Kroul and King, but will they be as good as the two departed players? Neither was drafted, but they were excellent college DTs. Without them at the heart of the defense, the outside rushers will probably have a bit of an issue. Still, the defensive line might have some real penetrating power with a couple undersized quicksters both inside and out. Will they be easily manhandled by bigger, stronger offensive lines though?

Linebackers

Redshirt senior Pat Angerer and redshirt junior Jeremiha Hunter will be the key pieces of the Iowa linebackers corps. True senior AJ Edds completes the returning trifecta. Most of the backups, including Jacody Coleman and Jeff Tarpinian return, giving Iowa not only marquee starters, but also depth.

Analysis

The linebackers were pretty good last year, and unless the new defensive linemen can’t manage to keep them from getting blocked, there’s no real reason that they shouldn’t be even better in 2009. The entire 2-deep returns, and they should all be a year more seasoned.

Defensive Backs

Redshirt junior Amari Spievey is expected to have a breakout, star-making year at one of the corner positions. Redshirt junior (and former walkon, in case it wasn’t already apparent he was white) Brett Greenwood returns at strong safety. Redshirt sophomore Tyler Sash, similarly melanin-deficient, will probably be the other starting safety. David Cato, a true sophomore, will probably start at the vacated corner position. Shaun Prater, who got some DB reps in 2008, has moved to wideout.

Analysis

For all the ragging on Greenwood last offseason, he actually turned in an honorable-mention in the All-B10 media awards. The other pieces return mostly intact, except for Bradley Fletcher, a third-round pick in the NFL. If Cato can step up and replace Fletcher at least with some degree of adequacy, the Iowa defensive backfield should be pretty strong. Still, a step back might be in order, as the Hawkeyes lost the man who looks to be the best NFL prospect. Only Spievey, among the returners, looks to be a good candidate to make it to The League.

Defensive Analysis

Stopping the run and pressure on the quarterback are two of the biggest keys to a defense, and Iowa lost two big pieces of that puzzle in Mitch King and Matt Kroul. However, nearly everyone else of note returns, so there should be steady improvement in the Hawkeyes’ already-good (#12 in the nation) defense. They should be able to get it done. Against Michigan, the inside running of Brandon Minor, and trying to spread the field to keep experienced linebackers either on the sideline or out in space, will be the Wolverines’ best bet to score.

Special Teams

All of Iowa’s specialists return. They ran with 2 kickers last year, and that will probably continue into next season.

Analysis

Ryan Donahue is a mediocre punter, but he might get a little better next year, unless he is worn out from punting more often than last year in a sans-Greene offense. Daniel Murray was primarily the long-distance kicker in 2008, though he didn’t seem to be nearly as consistent as Mossbrucker. I don’t see why the Iowa coaches wouldn’t continue going with the platoon system as long as it’s working.

Overall Analysis

For some reason, I had been down on Iowa coming into the offseason. Mostly Shonn Greene, probably. However, I’m now basically convinced that they will at least contend for the Big Ten title. Nearly everybody comes back on defense except two tackles and a corner, and considering the trajectory of some other players (i.e. from walkon to HM All-Conference in two years), they should be able to improve at every position group, save DL. The offense will be a little weaker without Shonn Greene and Andy Brodell, but an experienced offensive line should be able to move the ball and protect the passer. As long as Iowa stays healthy, I wouldn’t be surprised if they win the Big Ten. Of course, road games at PSU, MSU, and OSU should be a hindrance, but this is a strong ans experienced team.

Posted under Football

2010 Michigan Wolverines Recruiting Board.

Moved PA DE/LB Ken Wilkins to committed. Commitment post. Local paper article. I didn’t really want to, but I’ll have to fisk:

The word on Wilkins? Well, a good source at Trinity who knows the football program well said Wilkins is talented, but isn’t as athletic as  Andrew Sweat, a Trinity linebacker two seasons ago who is now at Ohio State. “He doesn’t have the agility that Sweat had,” the source said.

Wow, a defensive end doesn’t have the same agility as a linebacker. You deserve a medal for figuring that one out, guy.

More Nike Camp recap from Josh Helmholdt in the Free Press. Relevant players include MI QB commit Devin Gardner:

the 6-5, 210-pound Gardner is dual-threat quarterback and many of his best attributes are not showcased in a non-contact camp setting. Still, Gardner showed that he has spent a good portion of the offseason working on his passing. His footwork is vastly improved and even though he still has an atypical throwing motion, he was able to make all the throws and did so with adequate arm strength and accuracy.

Livonia Stevenson’s Austin White took home the MVP honors at the running back position with considerable ease. The 6-1, 185-pound White was nearly unstoppable in the one-on-one portion of the camp, using his speed to outrun would-be defenders. White’s footwork and agility in the drills portion of the camp also solidified his MVP honors.

Although they did not take home MVP honors, Southeastern defensive linemen Johnathon Hankins and William Gholston both had good performances, too. The 6-3, 320-pound Hankins has put a lot of work into his conditioning this offseason and it showed in his performance Saturday. The 6-7, 240-pound Gholston is the state of Michigan’s top ranked prospect and his combination of size, speed and athleticism is hard to find anywhere in the country.

Other standout performers for the state of Michigan included Saginaw class of 2011 wide receiver DeAnthony Arnett, Inkster running backs/safeties Daniel and Nathan Lindsey, Ypsilanti Willow Run defensive tackle Garret Davis, Warren Fitzgerald linebacker Austin Gray, Cass Tech athlete Daniel Easterly, Lansing Sexton quarterback Taurean Jackson and Hartland 2011 wide receiver Matt Poches.

Removed OK AB/WR DeMarco Cobbs. He’s down to a top 8, which Michigan is nowhere near. He also plans to go down to a top five soon, so there’s little room to sneak onto his top list.

Shortly after a visit to Michigan for the Big House BBQ, and slightly opening the door on his recruitment, OH TE Alex Smith (seen at left) has fully decommitted from Cincinnati. Michigan will probably among the favorites to land his signature, as he’s been on campus multiple times. If they’re able to land Smith, it would certainly help with his teammate, LB Jordan Hicks. Hicks is one of the top linebacker prospects in the nation, and plans to graduate early. He has a top 6 list that he plans to reveal in short order. Ohio State and Texas are locks to be on the list, and Cincinnati will probably make it as well. Your guess is as good as mine for the last three.

MD OL Arie Kouandjio has landed a coveted Ohio State offer, and considering how selective they can be with offensive line recruits (though the results may not be there over the past two years), it certainly means he’s kind of a big deal. He plans to narrow his scholarship offers to a top five by the time his senior season rolls around.

Speaking of OL prospects (and one Michigan has a much better shot with), FL OL Torrian Wilson has modified his top 5, removing Tennessee in favor of… FIU? Lol Kiffin and whatnot. Alabama, Stanford, and Miami of Florida are the others in his favorites list, along with the Wolverines.

OH DE Darryl Baldwin is likely staying close to home when he ultimately selects a school. Though that immediately makes one think he’s likely to be a Buckeye, that’s certainly not set in stone. The original quote from his coach was “Everybody across the country was interested in him, but he’s a Midwest guy and he’s leaning towards staying close to home.” That sounds a bit more positive for coaches across the midwest, no?

Video fluff on FL LB Christian Jones. He still sounds like he’s going to Florida State, so I wouldn’t give him tooooo much thought.

I just added him Monday, but don’t expect GA LB Tyrone Cornileus to stay on the board long. He has a top 3-ish substance without Michigan in it, and he plans to make a commitment within a month.

MI S/LB Daniel Easterly will camp at Michigan in hopes to land an offer from the Wolverines. He hails from the developing Michigan pipeline of Cass Tech.

Removed LA S Ronnie Vinson, who committed to LSU. He spoke early about really liking Michigan, partially due to a connection to Adam Kraus. However, he hadn’t mentioned the Wolverines in a while, and was probably no longer a realistic option.

Added OH twins DT Terry Talbott and CB Terrence Talbott. Michigan has offered both of the brothers (info in header).

This may be weird coming from me, but how about some hoops-related recruiting news? 2009 commit Darius Morris will report to Ann Arbor on June 22 for enrollment in summer classes (info in header).

This update is getting FULL. The rest of the info will be saved for a Monday update.

Posted under Basketball, Football, Recruiting

The annual WTKA takeover for Mott is going on now, with some events continuing through Friday. The radio-thon is one of the many ways that the football team and athletic department as a whole support C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital. The full release from UM Health System:

The University of Michigan football team, coaches, players and former players will take over the airwaves in Ann Arbor to raise funds for the U-M C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital and Women’s Hospital.

Ann Arbor Radio’s four stations – Sports Talk 1050 WTKA (1050 AM), W4 Country (102.9 FM), 107one (107.1 FM), and WLBY Ann Arbor’s Business Talk Radio (1290 AM) – will host a 12-hour radio-a-thon event to raise awareness for the C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital and Women’s Hospital building project and fund-raising campaign. The radio-a-thon runs 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday, June 11.

The event will continue live across the state on “The Huge Show” hosted by Bill Simonson, 3 – 6 p.m. Friday, June 12. “The Huge Show” – which is headquartered in Grand Rapids – will broadcast from Schembechler Hall in Ann Arbor, and heard statewide on Sports Talk 1050 WTKA (1050 AM) and the “Huge” radio network: 97.5 FM-Muskegon, 100.9 FM-Midland, 730 AM-Lansing, 1280 AM-Mt Pleasant, 1330 AM-Flint, 107.3 FM – Grand Rapids, 1380 AM-Greenville, 1440 AM-Dowagiac, 1450 AM – Holland, 1660 AM-Kalamazoo.

In addition, a BBQ with the Boys event with the football team at Schembechler Hall to continue to raise money for the radio-a-thon will be held from 3 – 6 p.m. Friday, June 12. Tickets are $250 for four people, which will include tours of the hall, games on the practice field, autographs and pictures with the team.

Contact mott-development@med.umich.edu to purchase tickets.

In 2008, the radio-a-thon helped raise more than $100,000 for the children’s and women’s hospitals.

In addition to the Wolverine football program, C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital and Women’s Hospital patients, families and medical experts will be featured during the radio-a-thon.

Listeners that day can pledge to make a contribution to C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital and Women’s Hospital by calling 800-559-2657, or going online to www.mottchildrenshospital.org, www.wtka.com, www.w4country.com, or www.annarbors107one.com.

Ann Arbor Radio’s broadcast area covers all of Washtenaw County, North to Flint, South to Ohio, East to Detroit and West to Jackson with more than 260,000 daily listeners.

Money raised from the radio-a-thon and BBQ will go towards the playground equipment for the new hospital.

To learn more about the children’s and women’s fund-raising campaign and building project, visit www.mottchildrenshospital.org.

Posted under Football

Chris Fetter was drafted by the San Diego Padres with the 264th pick, 3rd in the 9th round. This is a little further down than expected, but not too far.

In recruiting news, Daniel Fields of University of Detroit Jesuit was picked by the Tigers at #180, the middle of the 6th round. I wouldn’t be surprised if he went with the Tigers as the 6th round is pretty respectable, and it is the Tigers who drafted him, which may or may not influence the decision.

Dennis went in the 10th round to the Rays, so there is a good chance he could end up in Ann Arbor. It’ll be a wait and see situation. (Andrew@EC, I’ll get your comment approved by Tim or Paul soon enough.)

The last prospect we’re watching is Patrick Biondi. He’s still undrafted as of 2:05pm (late in round 13). That may bode well, too.

I’ll update if I hear anything else. There’s a chance Dufek or Katzman may go in the VERY late rounds, but I don’t think they’re any chance of defection.

Posted under Baseball, Recruiting