This is the only time (barring significant developments) that I’ll mention Greg Paulus today. He has been offered, wait no he hasn’t, the NCAA would have to grant him a waiver to participate (and they probably would). I think it’s a good idea, because he won’t beat out Tate, and it just adds depth while giving him a chance to continue his sports career, etc. Also, look at all the positive press it got Michigan over the past couple days (before Tate Forcier had to run his mouth about it). “Greg Paulus played basketball at Duke” could be the new “Tom Zbikowski is a boxer” or “James Laurinaitis’s dad is a former pro wrestler.” I guess “Jason Forcier tansferred back after going to Stanford for two years” could be similarly fluffy (and Jason would probably have more of a chance to be effective than Paulus).

If it happens, I’ll cover it. Otherwise, I’m really sick of seeing all the idiotic articles by columnists and similarly stupid writers. These people get paid to put out drivel like that. It’s pathetic, really.

Posted under Football, Personnel

Per ESPN’s SportsCenter, Rich Rodriguez has indeed decided to continue the saga of Greg Paulus by offering him a scholarship to play quarterback for the Wolverines.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – for Michigan, this is probably little other than a depth move. For Paulus, it’s a chance to get back into football in hopes of making the NFL, extend his college days, and hope to contribute for the Wolverines in case of injury.

Will Paulus accept the offer (and will he be eligible to play in ’09?)? That remains to be seen.

Posted under Football, Personnel

Tate Forcier, Denard Robinson, and Nick Sheridan looked to be the only quarterbacks on Michigan’s roster by the time fall camp rolled around, however, recent news abounds that Michigan may add some transfers to the rotation, if only to build up a bit of depth.

First comes Jason Forcier. The former Wolverine and Stanford grad is looking to continue his education in Ann Arbor. Forcier the elder, who backed up Chad Henne for a couple years before Golden Boy Mallett removed any and all hope of future playing time (ha!), is the oldest brother of Tate, the odds-on favorite to be Michigan’s starter this fall. Under normal circumstances, he would be ineligible to spend 2009, his final year of collegiate eligibility, at Michigan. However, he may appeal to the NCAA to use the Mundy Rule (under which Michigan starting safety Ryan Mundy became West Virginia starting safety Ryan Mundy). The rule has since been repealed by the bureaucracy we all know and love, but the NCAA will look at individual cases to determine their merits. In Forcier’s case, he started out at Michigan, then managed to earn his degree at Stanford, and wants to return to Michigan for a post-grad degree (and likely a future in coaching), in addition to helping his little brother adjust to college life. If he is also granted the privilege of playing for the Wolverines, that would be a bonus, though a significant one for both Jason and the Wolverines.

The other transfer news, which was something of a hot topic yesterday, comes in the form of a potential switch by Duke basketball player Greg Paulus. Paulus was among the nation’s top QB recruits in the class of 2005 (in which he was also a 5-star point guard recruit). Paulus visited Ann Arbor for Michigan’s final spring practice on Tuesday, at which time he talked to coach Rod about potentially coming to Michigan as a QB (the Green Bay Packers have similar designs on Paulus). I’m not clear on Paulus’s eligibility status, as he’d be not only transferring schools, but also sports. However, as someone who’d be playing organized football for the first time in over 4 years, it’s safe to say he’d only be adding depth to Michigan’s sparse backfield.

So what’s the most likely outcome? I would assume Jason probably ends up in maize-and-blue either way, be it a uniform or the sweatsuit of a grad assistant. If Paulus wants to come to Michigan, depending on the eligibility status, it must be assumed that the Wolverines wouldn’t hesitate to take him, especially considering they have several scholarships available to hand out for 2009.

What say you, Michigan fans? Are you for these potential moves? Against them?

Posted under Football, Personnel