Weekend Wolverine: What Happened to the Class of 2009 Quarterbacks?

Jump into the time machine with me for a minute. I know it's not a great time so we won't stay there too long.  

Michigan was coming off the disaster that was the 2008 season where we had two quarterbacks that didn't fit RR's offense and it looked like it. Watching Threet trying to run the spread option was tough to watch, so was watching Sheridan trying to hit open receivers.

Michigan could offer the top rated QB's in the country (2009 class) immediate playing time. Which was a strong selling point for them to come to Ann Arbor. 5 star Kevin Newsome attended the Michigan Spring Game at Saline High School and decided he wanted to be a Wolverine. Shortly after that Shavodrick Beaver a 4 star QB said he was coming to Ann Arbor as well.

Both held true to their commitment for a few months and then both jumped to other schools. Newsome picked Penn State and Beaver Tulsa. Which sent the Michigan coaches scrambling to fill the QB void now in the class. Tate Forcier who was very high on the Wolverines jumped on board, which still left one open spot as signing day approached.

Michigan did get a QB commitment on signing day that year and it happened to be Denard Robinson.

Now jump back out of the time machine to current time:

•  Tate Focier was thrown out of school at Michigan due to academics after a long search has settled at San Jose State in the WAC.

• Shavodrick Beaver just left Tulsa for Midwestern State due to academics and playing time.

• Kevin Newsome just announced he is planning to transfer from Penn State after trying to do so after last season.

• Denard Robinson is going into his Junior year after playing two years for the Wolverines (1 as a starter). He was briefly a Heisman Trophy candidate last year and won the Big Ten MVP award in 2010. He also set the 1 year NCAA record for rushing yardage from a QB.

The last guy Michigan picked up that year turns out to be the best all around kid. The guy that most schools wanted to play CB instead of QB. Well Done Denard!

Michigan Thursday: Could 2 De-commits have Saved Rich Rodriguez Job at Michigan?

For those of you that don't care for RR you have a laundry list of reasons why: 

• Weird new offense
• Really bad defense
• Not a Michigan Man
• Paying him too much money
• Stretching too long before practice which lead to NCAA Violations
• A bad record
• Recruiting kids that are borderline academically
• Piped in music at the Big House
• Transfers
• De-commitments

I'm sure you can list many more.  What's strange is maybe two QB de-commits could have saved his job.

Let's take a trip down memory lane, shall we?  The time is August 2008.  Michigan will be starting a season where a walk-on and a non-mobile red shirt freshman are Michigan's only options at QB.   Though help was on the way through recruiting for the 2009 class.  Michigan had two 4 star QB's verbally committed to that class:  Shavodrick Beaver a 6'3, 180 pound QB out of Wichita Falls, Texas and Kevin Newsome a 6'2 225 pound QB from Portsmouth, Virgina. 

Both of these guys had solved Michigan's future QB depth problems and now the Michigan coaching staff could focus on recruiting Offensive Line and Defense.  Well, that good feeling at QB didn't last long as Kevin decided to de-commit from Michigan on August 19th and Shavodrick did the same in December.  From a comfortable feeling to a really bad feeling. 

Michigan went 0-2 on their QB recruits for 2009 but help was on the way, Tate Forcier a long time Michigan fan gave his verbal during the season and things were back on track.    Michigan still had only one QB recruit until signing day when Denard Robinson signed up.   So you could say that Shavordrick and Kevin's decision to not join the Wolverines gave the opportunities for Tate and Denard to.

So that is one interesting point.  The other is what has happened to all four players since then. 

• Shavodrick Beaver is a back up at Tulsa and in two years has completed 5-9 passes for a total of 41 yards.
• Kevin Newsome is 3rd string at Penn State and 14-24 in two years for 144 yards.
• Tate was 165-281 for 2050 yards in 2009 and 30-39 for 349 yards in 2010
• Denard was 14-31 for 188 yards in 2009 and 97-143 for 1319 yards in 2010

Ironically, Michigan on Saturday could face (he is questionable due to a concussion) Robert Bolden a true freshman QB from the State of Michigan that picked Penn State after Devin Gardner verbally committed to the University of Michigan in the 2010 class.  My understanding is that Kevin Newsome is third string behind walk-on redshirt sophomore Matt McGloin.  Tulsa on the other hand plays Notre Dame this weekend and "The Beaver" might see a few snaps.

It was clear that RR and staff did a great job in recruiting both Tate and Denard.  Will that recruitment save his job?  I think the next 3 weeks will go a long way in answering that question.

Wolverine Wednesday: Is this Team Different Then the 2009 Sqaud?

Everywhere a Michigan player or coach goes these days, there is one question on the mind of Michigan fans:  Is this team better then last years team?  It gets asked by every media member to every player or coach at Michigan. 

Coach Rod doesn't look back and uses his favorite line from the Lion King about the Monkey hitting the Lion and the Lion asking, "Why did you do that?"  The Monkey:  "It doesn't matter it's in the past".  That DVD must be stuck in his player because he dusts that line off a couple times a year. 
The players say, this is a different team.  They have had another year in the system and they are just a lot closer family this year. 

The reason the question gets asked is Michigan has had a lot of similarities between the two years, both teams: started 4-0, had wins over ND, had an early season Heisman trophy candidate, and had higher expectations then before the season started.  The bottom fell out of the 2009 season and Michigan could only muster one more win against a very poor FCS team.  That memory is still fresh in the minds of Michigan fans and many are scared that history could repeat itself.

All of the above is true, but I will give you the real reasons Michigan is better in 2010 then 2009:



#5:  Greg Robinson is coaching the linebackers.   Take away the UMass game and the linebacker play has improved from 2009.

#4: Michigan already has a road win.  Michigan has struggled the past two years on the road under RR and only had one win in two years.  Michigan played well at ND which should give them confidence to play on the road at IU, Penn State, Purdue, and OSU.

#3: Speed on offense.  Remember when Michigan had two QB's that ran a 40 in about 6.0 flat?  The running backs were beat up and Michigan didn't have a deep threat at WR?  Well times have changed and Michigan has depth at all the skill positions and many have contributed in a positive way.  Roy Roundtree is on his way to earning the #1 jersey next year and Darryl Stonum is running by CB's down field.  You get Junior Hemingway back catching the ball and this is one dangerous unit.  (we haven't even mentioned the WR in the freshman class or the true sophomores either)

#2:  Michigan's offensive line is playing very well and there is depth at each position.  Taylor Lewan has had one start under his belt and is already being compared to another famous #77 Jake Long.    David Molk is healthy and leading the charge from his center position.

#1:  Surprise!  It's Denard.  Who has taken college football by storm and is so humble he acts like he doesn't even notice.  He is the perfect combination for a RR QB.  He has personality, fast feet and a strong arm, a defensive coordinators nightmare.   What's interesting about this team is, it's just not Denard.  Michigan has two backups ready to play and play well.  Devin Gardner is a true freshman but has looked good so far and we all know Tate has one of the most accurate arms in all of college football.  Michigan has three guys that can beat you at QB and that is a great feeling for Michigan fans who remember the Sheridan and Threet days.

Sounds good!  What's the catch?

I can't type here and say the defense is better in 2010 with the losses of Brandon Graham, Donovan Warren, and Troy Woolfolk.  Michigan will have to out score some opponents in the Big Ten season and some games might look more like a track meet then a football game.  What I can tell you is, that Greg Robinson does know what he is doing and will do his best putting the Michigan personnel in the proper position to make plays.  Michigan is young pretty much everywhere on defense but I don't feel like we will get out coached on that side of the ball.

Special Teams is a big concern:  Punting has not been good and the field goal kicking has been terrible.  Missing field goals in Big Ten play will cost Michigan a game or two.  The good thing is RR knows this and will be more aggressive in getting first downs then settling for field goals.  Look for Michigan to go for it on a number of 4th downs.  

So there you have it.  Agree or disagree with me, but I now fully expect a bowl game and to be very competitive in games I thought were losses before the season started. 

Turner is in

Michael Rothstein a Michigan beat reporter via his twitter account has said, Justin Turner has been cleared by the NCAA Clearinghouse.

No word on Witty and Jason Forcier.

Also this isn't the greatest news:
Rodriguez said linebacker Marell Evans and defensive tackle Vince Helmuth did not practice Wednesday and are expected to transfer. Helmuth, from Saline, moved from fullback to defensive tackle this spring.

Wolverine Night Line Edition

• Speedy Slot WR Freshman Jeremy Gallon has changed his number to #3 which belonged to former player Justin Feagin.



• Former Wolverine Jerrod Bunch is trying to be a full time actor. Do you have time for a funny Jerrod story? Ok, I was working in a local Ann Arbor shop when Jerrod came in after his senior year and was about to get drafted. He said he had just come from the Ford dealership. He asked them to show him the fastest car on the lot. They showed him the Ford Taurus SHO. He said, "man, I'm not buying no family car!" :-)



• If Michigan is looking for another RB in the 2010 class, they might want to look at Denard Robinson's good friend Cassius McDowell who had this to say about Denard: The two had played football together since age 6 in Pop Warner. ``We were like brothers,'' McDowell said.



• Here a photo of the new locker room:

• Big Will Campbell looks very fit after the summer work outs with Barwis. (HT: mgoblog)

• Coach Rod expects to hear about Turner, Witty, and the elder Forcier soon. “Both of them are playing a position where we don’t have a lot of bodies at DB,” Rodriguez said. “So both of those guys were, I don’t want to say they were on the top of the depth chart, but guys that we wanted to look at early to see if they could contribute. Again, until they’re here, we won’t be able to react to that.” -- “I’m pretty optimistic and hopefully (Turner’s) will be quicker,” Rodriguez said. “But wait and see.” Coach Rod also mentions that Turner and Witty needs at least two weeks of practice before playing against WMU. RR also seems more optimistic about Turner then Witty and ther also seems to be a good chance Jason Forcier will get the waiver. We will see.

• 4 star athlete from Arizona Marquis Flowers is planning a visit to Ann Arbor.

Day 1 Practice Begins

Video highlights here.

• No news on Turner, Witty, or Jason Forcier. But all three have lockers. Turner and Witty are on the Roster. They just haven't passed the clearinghouse yet. Too bad Ed McMahon recently passed.

• Sheridan and Forcier were more accurate then Robinson passing the ball, but Robinson got a speeding ticket on the way to practice. He was jogging. No official charges were filed. :-)

• Michigan had new practice uniforms on.

• Kelvin Grady lined up in the slot.

• It was 114 degrees on the field during practice.

• Michael Shaw, Jonas Mouton and Fitzgerald Toussaint were all on the practice field after off season injuries.

Breaking News on Two Michigan Freshmen

Coach Rod was on the radio today and talked about a couple troubling issues. The first is Justin Turner and Adrian Witty still have NCAA Clearinghouse issues. Which most thought were behind them. Coach Rod did say he expects both issues to be cleared up before Sunday's first meeting or right after.

This development is troubling on a couple of levels. One, both are cornerbacks and the depth there is shaky already. Second, is Justin Turner a 5 star corner who was/is expected to have a role on this years team. There have also been reports that Witty has been impressive in the non official drills this summer.

The second item was a long shot anyway. Jason Forcier former Michigan QB and brother of Tate was enrolling at U of M this fall in graduate school and there was hope he could use his 4th year eligibility and play a backup QB role at Michigan. This would require a waiver from the NCAA, but it seems Jason hasn't been accepted to graduate school yet (they are still waiting to hear) so Michigan hasn't even submitted the waiver yet to the NCAA. Looks like a no go for Jason this year. He would have been a nice back up option to have in case of an emergency.

• Cass Tech High School in Detroit has been a feeding ground to the Wolverines the past few years. It seems that trend is going to end with Dior Mathis, who states his top two schools are Michigan State and Oregon. He will visit the Ducks this weekend. It seems Michigan is still in it, but the 5"9 172 pound corner says he doesn't hear from the Michigan coaches that much. Mathis does have a offer from Michigan.
  


• Big "Will" Gholston is still going to look around. He still feels he is committed to MSU but is taking trips to USC, Alabama, Florida and either Tennessee or Virginia. I'm sure Spartan Country is nervous mostly with all those big name coaches and programs on his travel agenda. He also said he wants to play LB in college; “I don't want to play defensive end at all,” he said.

• Dietrich Riley is a 4 star prospect at Safety and Running back from California and is planning to take one of his official visits to Ann Arbor.

• Wolverines in the NFL News: Carson Butler signs with the Lions (Yikes!), Toomer signs with the Chiefs, and the Patriots cut Matt Gutierrez (this poor guy has been stuck behind high profile Michigan QB's his entire career).

Can Any of Michigan's Freshman Walk On's Contribute Right Away?

There has been a lot of talk lately about the Michigan Wolverine Walk-On's. Even the Freep did an article that basically said, Michigan likes taking walk on's. I know it's early August and were a month away from the first game, but the Rich Rod and his preference for walk on's is really old news. We all know RR was a walk on himself and likes to build each one of his programs with walk on's for depth and practice.

What is more interesting to the Michigan fan is which walk on's might contribute to this year's team. Today we will focus on the Class of 2009 Walk on's. I listed them here for your reference.

Let's take a look at who might get a slot at some playing time this year and more importantly in the future.

Walk on's are on the team for depth reasons and aren't really supposed to contribute right away unless there is a injury disaster at any one position. So getting on the field right away will most likely be on special teams if at all.

Kickers:

Most major programs will maybe give a scholarship to one kicker and one punter. Michigan lost both of it's place kickers last year and gave Brendan Gibbons a scholarship in the 2009 class. Michigan has a senior All American Punter, Zoltan Mesko punting in 2009.

39 Eddie Murray, PK

46 Seth Broekhuizen, PK

93 Kris Pauloski, PK/Punter

All 3 above will get a shot at winning the kick off specialist or field goal kicker. Eddie Murray for local Lions fans is a great name for a kicker. Here is the background article I did on him. He has only played in 6 high schools games so I don't expect him kicking field goals for Michigan next year, but with his strong leg he could be a great candidate to win the kickoff duties.

Kris Pauloski is a kicker/punter from Indy. With Zotan I don't expect Kris to see much playing time. But there seems to be a back story here. RR and staff didn't offer Mike Sadler an in-state punter who just went to MSU. They are going after the nations top punter Will Hagerup who has a number of scholarship offers across the US. Many believe Will's decision will come down between Michigan and OSU. So why didn't Michigan keep Sadler on the line until Hagerup made his decision? I believe they have confidence in Kris Pauloski as Michigan's punter in 2010. Pauloski averaged 38 yards per punt in high school and also had 31 touch backs on kickoffs. Look for him to compete for the kickoff specialist job as well.

Offensive Lineman:

Most freshman are not physically ready to play on the offensive line right away. Walk on's are no exception and most likely the reason they are walk on's is they were a not quite big enough to garner scholarship offers. Here is the list:

54 Jareth Glanda, OL

59 Tom Lindley, OL

66 Christian Brandt, OL

67 Adam Barker, OL

69 Erik Gunderson, OL

94 Curt Graman, Long Snapper

With the depth at OL, I don't expect any of these guys to see time in 09. For the future, look for Tom Lindley and Adam Barker to be the two "diamonds in the rough" for Rich Rod and staff. Tom was one of the best offensive lineman in the state of New York and Adam was rated two stars by Rivals and had offers in the MAC and to some smaller schools.

Offensive Skill Positions:

If you are a walk on your hill is tough to climb when your position is a high profile offensive one. There has to be a disaster at your position for you to get time (see Nick Sheridan 2008). I know some of your are at your keyboards ready to say, "what about Brian Griese?" Brian was recruited but committed to the Wolverines when the class was full. He was asked to walk on and was given a scholarship as soon as one came available.

14 Nadar Furrha, QB

32 O'Neil Swanson, RB

42 Al Backey, RB

36 Jonny Childers, FB

27 Jordan Owens, Slot

85 Joe Reynolds, WR

Nadar Furrha is the local Ann Arbor Pioneer QB that turned down a scholarship to Grand Valley and had interest from MAC schools to be a walk on at Michigan. If Denard Robinson didn't commit on signing day, I would say he had a nice shot at a backup role. But now as to be the #4 QB on the depth chart. Childers is the "classic RR walk on full back" but will have to fight for a special teams role in 09. The rest are a long shot to see the field in the next two years. One mystery is Jordan Owens who has a number not occupied by an upper classmen which maybe a coincidence or RR thinks he may contribute right away. With all the scholarship freshman qualified and the deep depth at the slot position I doubt he will play unless he is related to Jessie Owens. :-)

Kelvin Grady, Slot WR and former Michigan starting point guard: Is he a walk on or is he on scholarship? I'm betting that RR gave him one of the scholarships left open from the transfers or the "not" full 2009 class. Will he pick up football again right away? We know he is in good condition and very fast and with the loss of Justin Feagin may get a shot at some playing time. It all depends on how he does during the fall, but I do expect to see him get some time at slot and/or on special teams in 2009.

To net it out for you: Look for the kickers to make the quickest impact in 2009. The future years look bright for Lindley and Barker and Grady might be a really good pick up but we really won't know for sure until Fall Camp starts next Monday.

Michigan's 2009 Freshman Jersey Numbers

16 Denard Robinson, QB
Deerfield Beach, Fla. (Deerfield Beach)

5 Tate Forcier, QB
San Diego, Calif. (Scripps Ranch)

2 Vincent Smith,RB
Pahokee, Fla. (Pahokee)

28 Fitzgerald Toussaint, RB
Youngstown, Ohio (Liberty)

84 Cameron Gordon, WR
Detroit, Mich. (Inkster)

4 Je'Ron Stokes, WR
Philadelphia, Pa. (Northeast) (Same number as Brandon Minor? Redshirt?)

14 Teric Jones, Slot
Detroit, Mich. (Cass Technical)

29 Jeremy Gallon, Slot
Apopka, Fla. (Apopka)

77 Taylor Lewan, OL
Scottsdale, Ariz. (Chaparral)
(Jake Long's number)

75 Michael Schofield, OL
Orland Park, Ill. (Carl Sandburg)

76 Quinton Washington, OL
St. Stephen, S.C. (Timberland)

90 Anthony LaLota, DE
Princeton, N.J. (The Hun School)

88 Craig Roh,DE
Scottsdale, Ariz. (Chaparral)

73 William Campbell, DT
Detroit, Mich. (Cass Technical)

7 Brandin Hawthorne, LB
Pahokee, Fla. (Pahokee)

26 Isaiah Bell, LB
Youngstown, Ohio (Liberty)

27 Mike Jones, LB
Orlando, Fla. (Edgewater)

5 Vladimir Emilien, S
Lauderhill, Fla. (Plantation)


15 Thomas Gordon, S
Detroit, Mich. (Cass Technical)

2 Justin Turner, CB
Massillon, Ohio (Washington)
(next Woodson?)

13 Adrian Witty, CB
Deerfield Beach, Fla. (Deerfield Beach)

34 Brendan Gibbons, PK
West Plam Beach, Fla. (Cardinal Newman)

Michigan Wolverines 2009 Players on the Rise...........

We all know about the Brandon's (Minor and Graham) potential for a big 2009. One mock draft has Graham as the #3 pick in the draft and many believe that Minor could have a Chris Perry type of senior year. We also know about the returning offensive line, our All American punter Zoltan Mesko, and our true freshman QB (and savior) Tate Forcier.

But this post is not about Michigan's 2009 star players it's about players that could have a big impact on the 2009 roster as a back up or future starter:

Michael Shaw: I expected Mike to have a big year in 2009. A track star in high school, I knew Shaw had the speed to get to the corner and break of some big runs. Shaw scored the first touchdown in the Rich Rod era but didn't do much after that. Shaw carried the ball 42 times for 215 yards as a freshman but was hampered late in the season with a groin injury. Shaw sat out Spring Ball after having surgery on his groin and I expect him to have an impact on the 2009 team by backing up Minor and Brown. Potential nickname: Michael Shaw (shank Redemption)

Justin Turner: Justin is a 5 star freshman CB out of Ohio. Michigan seriously lacks depth in the defensive backfield and if Justin is as good as advertised he will get on the field early and often. I look for him to spell Boubacar Cissoko and Donovan Warren and also play some nickel. I know Boubacar is a talented, but Justin might be a better match up against taller WR's. Look for JT to play a lot in 2009 if he picks up the defensive system. Potential nickname for picking off a pass or knocking it away at the right moment: Justin (time) Turner.

Kevin Koger: a tight end in RR's spread offense. OK, many of you are saying: a TE can't contribute in the spread? I disagree and think Kevin can cause serious match up problems for the defense. Kevin got into a number of games last year and contributed as a Freshmen. Calvin Magee and RR have had all summer on how to get the most of Kevin's talent. Look for him to be Tate's security blanket and get a lot of ball thrown his way this year. Prediction: Kevin is all Big Ten TE when the year is over. Potential nickname: he picked up one last year because he looks like former NBA draft choice Greg Oden. You could also work in the popular supermarket that is similar to his last name as well.

Roy Roundtree: This pick doesn't come as a surprise to anyone that watched the spring game. Roy "wild thing" Roundtree got contacts this winter and is now seeing the ball very well. He also seems to have a very good bond with Tate after catching those touchdown balls and spending time with Tate in San Diego this summer. Roy is a redshirt freshman and understands the spread better after a year of practice. I expect Tate and Roy to hook up for a number of touchdowns this Fall. Potential nickname (curiosity of Mgoblog): "Wild Thing" from the movie Major League.

Junior Hemingway: (photo above) showed early in the year to be a down field threat catching some long touchdown passes in the Utah game. He then became a walking MASH unit with an ankle and shoulder injury then the knock out blow came when he got a case of Mono. Luckily, Junior was granted a medical redshirt for his 2008 season (the NCAA did a good thing!) and will be back 100% and ready to stretch the field again if he can stay out of the trainers room. Potential Nickname: "the Author". Quick bit of knowledge: Ernest Hemingway as a child spent his summers outside of Petsokey, Michigan and also played football in high school.

Terrance Robinson and Jeremy Gallon: I know Martavious Odoms was Michigan's leading WR in the slot last year. But my memories of him were catching those one yard WR screens and dropping a ton of punts. Hopefully Odoms will improve as a sophomore because there are two slot guys nipping at his heels: true freshman Jeremy Gallon and redshirt freshman Terrance Robinson. Both Gallon and Robinson played QB in high school so being able to adjust to the slot position and being able to catch the ball will be a big factor in them getting playing time in 2009. Gallon did get a chance to play in the slot in the Army All American game and did quite well. The hope is one of the three will become a game breaker and help Tate spread the field and open lanes for the running backs. Potential nicknames: TRob seems already set and Jeremy "$2 a" Gallon or Rocket Fuel.

Others to keep an eye one:
Vald Emilien a true freshman at Safety
Troy Woolfolk son for Michigan legend Butch will get a shot at Safety after moving from CB

Brandon Smith who came to Michigan has a highly rated safety last year might playe more in the hybrid "spinner" or as I have heard it called the "Schembackler" role.
RB Vincent Smith was an early enrollee and made some news in Spring Ball
True Freshman Je'Ron Stokes and Thomas Gordon both could provide height at the WR position.

Justin (Time) Turner - Qualifies!

Mgoblog and GoBlue Michigan Wolverines are reporting that Justin Turner has qualified and will be with the squad this Fall. The Ohio Exit exam results weren't due back until early August, but people close to JT are saying he is good to go and in A2 working out with his teammates.

As you can imagine, this is great news for the Michigan football team. The defense is lacking depth at corner and having him available will help with that greatly. Expect to see Justin in the Nickel early and backing up Warren and Cissoko.

Turner was an Army All American and 5 star cornerback from Scouts.

Michigan Wolverine Monday: Where are they going?

• Former Wolverine Dann O'Neill is heading West to play football. Some had wondered if Dann O'Neill really wanted to play football again after transferring from Michigan this Spring. Well, he decided to join his brother (at TE) at Western Michigan. "I don't think I fit as well (at Michigan) as I fit with Western Michigan's system," the 6-foot-8, 300-pound O'Neill told the Gazette, citing the Wolverine's new spread offense under coach Rich Rodriguez, which calls for smaller linemen. "In high school, we ran the spread, but we ran a different spread. I'm not sure it was the right offense for me to run.

• Update: Boise State is close to announcing it's opening opponent in 2010. Could in be the Wolverines? The betting money says, yes! We will see. What does the BSU President think? "It's going to be a good one," said BSU president Bob Kustra, who would not disclose the opponent or the game location. (HT: MSC and Maize n Brew)

• Elite 2010 Texas LB Corey Nelson had Michigan his leader for about 10 minutes. This weekend he became an Texas A&M Aggie.

• Justin (time) Turner Update: Some have suggested that Justin is in Ann Arbor working out with his teammates and will have his Ohio Exit Exam scores on 8/3. If the above is true, I'm assuming that good news is expected from the test. On the other hand, I'm not sure if a player would be eligible to work out with their college teammates if they officially haven't graduated from high school yet.

• One hole for the Wolverines to fill in 2010 will be a punter. All American Punter Zoltan Mesko will be punting for an NFL team in 2010. It seems the highest rated punter in the land is a guy from Wisconsin named Will Hangerup. He has scholarship offers from major programs including Michigan and Ohio State. I believe Michigan is waiting to see what Will does before they offer local Michigan product Mike Sadler. The rumor that Zoltan was "night punting" with the daughter of Dean was found to be un-true. :-)

• A mystery to many Michigan fans and both recruiting services is the un-ranked QB Cornelius Jones. Cornelius is Rich Rod's second QB commit in the 2010 class and a perfect compliment to Michigan's first verbal commit, Devin Gardner a 4 star QB prospect from Detroit. So why is Cornelius such a mystery? Well, he hasn't been playing QB for long and there wasn't much hype surrounding him. RR and staff liked his video and was willing to give him a offer. A mgoblog poster found some video on the Internet. Feel free to take a look and see what you think of him: http://www.athletevault.com/Videos/CorneliusJonesAV.html

• Seantrel Henderson is at Nike's (Basketball) Peach Jam camp in North Augusta, SC. If your not familiar with Seantrel, he is the unanimous #1 football recruit in the nation and very high on the radar of every major program. He has visited Michigan and hopefully will have the Wolverines in his top group when he cuts his list. He plans to make a decision at one of the HS all star games after the season.

• Michigan drops to #2 in the Big Ten 2010 recruiting rankings behind Penn State on Varsity Blue. Michigan has held the top spot all year. On Friday, PSU added Michigan QB Robert Boldon to an already strong recruiting class that included 5 star QB Paul Jones.

Michigan Football: Rumor Mill

There are 3 real important recruits in the 2009 class for the Michigan Wolverines and two are already enrolled in Ann Arbor; Tate Forcier and "Big" Will Campbell. So who is the third? Justin Turner a 5 star (per Scouts) cornerback/safety and the highest rated recruit out of the state of Ohio.


Justin is important to Michigan in many ways, he is a great athlete and plays a position of need for the Wolverines. Many expected Justin to contribute to the 2009 team as a Nickel or even a starting cornerback.

The rumblings on the street has been that Justin didn't walk with his graduating class and may have had some trouble with his Ohio Exit Exam. Again these are just rumors, but the "Mill" is saying that he took the exam again in June and will know in August if he passed. If he didn't pass (the "Mill" is saying) that he will probably head to prep school, which is not good for the 2009 Wolverines.

Let's hope the above is not true or if it is, that Justin passed his exam or can get a special waiver so he can be in Ann Arbor this August with his teammates. Michigan had a similar situation last year with Marcus Witherspoon, a Linebacker that didn't qualify and is now playing for Rutgers after sitting out the 2008 season.

• The top running back out of the State of Michigan, Austin White plans to announce his college choice next Wednesday, July 15. Along with Michigan, Austin has offers from LSU, MSU, Wisconsin, Purdue, Illinois, and others. Austin has family ties to MSU but most expect him to make a decision for the Wolverines.
  


• Kevin Koger, still hungry and ready to play as a Tight End in the Spread: "I caught a couple balls last year," he said this summer. "At West Virginia, they said they didn't have anybody to use. Now they feel like they do." ---"Yes, I played last year, but I didn't prove anything," he said. "We were 3-9 and didn't do anything. I still feel like I need to prove myself." If Kevin has a chance to contribute and I believe he will, he could one of the best tight ends in the Big Ten in 2009.

• Nate Lubick, a power forward that was considering the Michigan Basketball program for the 2010 season, has de-committed to Georgetown and will open up his recruitment. I'm sure Michigan would love to add Lubick to the class but I believe they only have one more spot open. Lubick is a 4 star power forward, he is 6"8 and 227 pounds.

Gallon Completes His Work and Will Be a Wolverine

If you follow recruiting religiously, you knew that Michigan had 3 recruits from the 2009 class that were borderline making it academically. Justin Turner didn't walk with his senior class and it's believed he didn't take the Ohio HS exit exam seriously and didn't complete or failed one of the sections. Justin is a good student and it's hoped he can re-take the test and be in Ann Arbor sometime before August.

Second was a member of the all name team, Fitzgerald Toussaint a Ohio running back that took care of his issues late his senior year. So that leaves one super fast, slot WR from Florida Jeremy Gallon that needed to raise his GPA and get a couple of points on his ACT.

Mgoblog broke the story and I will let you read what JG had to say:

TOM: So, you qualified?
JEREMY: Yup.

TOM: What was the deciding factor?


JEREMY: I had to get a couple points on my ACT, and I had to boost my GPA. That was it mainly.

TOM: So that's all you needed to qualify?
JEREMY: Yup, Coach [Rod] Smith called me and said he had some good news. I checked the internet to see for myself, and I'm really happy.

TOM: So when are you going up to Ann Arbor?
JEREMY: Coach Smith is going to give me a call, and let me know. I just want to go up there and show everybody what I'm capable of.

That is good news. Now Justin needs to take care of his business (please Justin we need all the 5 star DB's we can get) and the Michigan Football Class of 2009 should be ready to go.

• Michael Rothstein, A Notre Dame Columnist will be covering the Wolverines Basketball and Football programs for annarbor.com or formerly known as the Ann Arbor News. I am heading up to Michigan and specifically to Ann Arbor to join the staff of AnnArbor.com. While there, I'll be leading the coverage of Michigan men's basketball and helping out with Michigan football. That should be a pretty big change for Michael, going from Charlie Weis to Rich Rod, Jimmy Clausen to Tate Forcier, No conference (in football) to The Big Ten. I guess his focus will be mainly on Basketball. I wonder if his Irish Insights have any "inside information" on what Good Time Charlie eats?

• Tony Jefferson, LB from California is trying to work out an official visit to Ann Arbor this summer.

• This maybe more then we can handle but: Zoltan Mesko is a Playboy All American and will appear in the September issue. Zoltan at the Playboy mansion, interesting.........

• Michigan recruiting brothers: Terry and Terrance Talbott from Huber Heights Wayne in Ohio. Terry is a heavily recruited DE and Terrance is a DB. Terry has offers from UCLA, Wisconsin, Purdue, Arkansas, UK, Illinois and others. Michigan has not offered either brother yet but they hope to take an unofficial to Ann Arbor this summer. Terry said, “They were really just saying they were interested, and they want me to come up there and take a look. It’s one school I definitely want to come up and check out ... and get a look at the Big House.”

• Michigan still needs Running Backs to fill out the 2010 class: The focus seems to be on three players: Livonia Stevenson’s Austin White (6-0, 186), Miami Central’s Brandon Gainer (6-0, 194) and Miami Booker T. Washington’s Eduardo Clements (5-10, 185). All three running backs has Michigan in their top 5. With the loses of Grady, Minor, and Brown next year, Michigan needs at least 3 running backs in the 2010 class. They currently have one with the commitment of Texas RB Stephen Hopkins.

• Per ESPN: MICHIGAN: Players report: Aug. 9, First practice: Aug. 10, First practice in pads: Aug. 14

Michigan Monday: Recruiting Tidbits

• One of the mysteries this recruiting season is 6"3 325 pound defensive tackle Jonathan Hankins from Detroit Southeastern. As we all know, DT is a major need for the Wolverines in the 2010 class and Jonathan is right in their backyard. Did I also mention that Jonathan is holding offers from Oklahoma, Ohio State, and Wisconsin as well? Recruiting insiders has questioned Jonathan's conditioning and wondered if he could keep up with Greg Robinson's high tempo defense. Jonathan attended camps at both Michigan and Michigan State this past week (State hasn't offered either). Some folks that attended Michigan's camp said that Jonathan got "gassed" after 5 quick plays in a row. So it's pretty clear that the Michigan coaches are worried about his size and lack of conditioning, but why isn't that a concern for Oklahoma and Ohio State, two big time programs? I think the jury is still out on Hankins and if he loses some weight he still could get a Michigan offer, maybe late this Summer or Fall.

• JD Pride, Minnesota QB was at Michigan's camp late last week. Why is this news? JD is Seantrel Henderson (#1 recruit in the nation) best friend. I don't expect JD to get a Michigan offer (maybe an invite to walk on), but he could end up somewhere like Eastern Michigan. Ron English, former Michigan DC and now Eastern's head coach attended Michigan's camp during the week.

• There has been some rumors that Will Gholston's commit to the Spartans last week was a "soft" one and that he still plans to take some visits. He may take visits but I expect Will to keep his commitment to Michigan State.

• Incoming Freshman Fitzgerald Toussaint scores two touchdowns in the Big 33 Football Classic (Ohio vs Pennsylvania). The most impressive one was a short pass that he took 54 yards for the touchdown. Thanks to Mgoblog here is a video of the touchdowns at 1:20 and 4:30.
  
  
  
  

• We all know that Michigan has an open date in 2010 and that AD Bill Martin wants a "BCS game" to open the new Big House. There is one program that has an open date on that day and is looking to get paid. That program is Boise State. Here is what BSU's AD had to say: "Right now, I'd go where I can make the most money," Boise State athletic director Gene Bleymaier said. "If I can play at home and make that much money, then I'm going to play at home. But it's difficult to make that much money in our stadium size. ... I've tried to avoid those [guarantee games]. Now they're much more of a reality going forward."If Bill Martin comes with a good guarantee, I think Boise State would jump at the opportunity. In fact, I don't think Bill really has too many options left on the table for that date.

Tate Forcier: What to Expect Next Season: Threet 08 or Henne 04?

The summer of 2009 seems very similar to the summer of 2008 for Michigan fans. Michigan will start over at quarterback just like they did in the 2008 season. Sure, somethings are different: the offensive line has more experience in the spread and so does the back up quarterback, Nick Sheridan. But don't be fooled by coach speak (RR says the QB position is still up for grabs), this is Tate Forcier's team in 2009.

As Michigan fans, what should we expect out of Tate Forcier next year? Sitting in June of last year, the Michigan faithful had high hopes for a redshirt Freshman that came to Michigan as a 4 star QB via Georgia Tech, Stephen Threet.

As we all know now, Stephen didn't tear up the Big Ten and didn't even get the start against Utah (Michigan's opening game 2008). He looked decent at times (the Wisconsin comeback) and terrible others (the 100 yard Toledo pick 6). That is pretty much the definition of a freshman QB. Threet's numbers in 2008: 51% completion rate, threw for 1105 yards with 9 touchdowns and 7 pics.

So why will Tate be different? Actually, we don't know he will.

Let's compare Tate to another Freshman starter that had a pretty good first year under center; Chad Henne. Chad came to Michigan has one of the top rated QB recruits in the nation, he enrolled in the summer and was the surprise starter opening day after a shoulder injury to expected starter Matt Gutierrez. Chad had a very nice 2004, throwing for 2743 yards with a 60 percent completed percentage. He threw for 25 touchdowns and 12 picks while leading the Wolverines to the Rose Bowl that year. Chad was named All-American Freshman Team QB in 2004.

I would call those numbers the possible upside for Tate. So what's the difference between Chad and Tate that make this upside possible?

1. Tate enrolled in January. Chad in the summer. Tate got spring ball and a ton of experience being around the coaches for 6 months.
2. Tate's QB coach. Tate regularly worked with a QB coach in high school and is probably one of the most prepared QB's in recent memory to start as a Freshman.
3. Tate is very accurate. Thanks to his high school training and QB coach (and we saw some proof in the Spring Game) Tate hopefully can match Chad's 60% completion rate in 2009.
4. Tate's mobile. Chad and Threet weren't. They were strictly drop back passers. Tate hopefully will be able to avoid the rush and get some first downs with his feet. Many analysts say your QB needs to get at least one first down with his legs a game. Michigan fans are hoping more for 4-5 from Tate.
5. Tate doesn't need to win games, just not lose them. You will hear that quote for any Freshman QB so it would apply to Chad and Threet as well. With Tate's mobility hopefully Michigan will be able to have some longer drives and give the defense a break
6. Tate has the skill set to run the spread. Threet didn't.

So there you have it Wolverines Fans. There is plenty to be optimistic about in 2009, but we will need to remember that: Tate will make Freshman mistakes, still has a thin high school senior like frame, and defenses will do their best to confuse the young man.

So the upside for Tate is: Chad 2004 the downside is Threet 2008. Good luck Tate, the Wolverine faithful is counting on you.

Michigan Looking to Sure up the Kicking Game

As a regular follower of this blog, I'm sure you have seen that Michigan has been very active in signing walk on kickers and punters for 2009. In fact, Michigan just added another preferred walk-on punter from outside Indy just this week to the class of 2009.

Not using a scholarship on Punters and Kickers right out of high school is a pretty regular practice in college football. Most programs try to get a number of them to enroll in school and join the team as a walk-on. Recently, Rich Rod and staff have been offering scholarships to some of the top kickers and punters in the country. Zoltan Mesko got a scholarship right out of high school (Carr Era) and soon to be Freshman Kicker Brendan Gibbons is also on scholarship.

The next scholarship kicker/punter candidate is Will Hagerup who is one of the best punters in the country with an average of 41.2 yards per punt as a Junior.

“Michigan offered me,” he reported, adding, “It definitely has a football tradition that is hard to beat and the school itself is in the top two or three in the Big Ten probably. It makes my decision harder.”

Will is sporting 11 scholarship offers from across the Big Ten and from schools like Florida, Arkansas, and Tennessee.

• CAL and Michigan were in talks to play each other but CAL wanted a home and home series. Michigan won't do a home and home so they can maximize revenue with one more home game. Michigan also has a terrible record going to the West Coast to play. So not a good idea at all. HT: MSC
  


• Lane Kiffin has fired his S&C Coach after 6 months: Don't you just love Lane Kiffin? He has a news story every week. Sources told ESPN.com that Kiffin and his strength and conditioning coach, Mark Smith, met on Thursday and agreed to part ways. The details of Smith's departure as strength coach were still being finalized, and Tennessee athletic department officials declined to comment.
  
  Smith, who was previously the strength coach at South Carolina under Steve Spurrier, was one of the first hires Kiffin made after being named the Vols' coach on Dec. 1. Smith was given a $50,000 raise to come to Tennessee, bumping his annual salary up to $190,000.
  


• Bill Martin, Michigan's AD wants one more Big Ten football game during the season so he doesn't have the headache of scheduling nonconference opponents like Utah or App. State (that end up being good): "We talk about that at every meeting," said Michigan athletic director Bill Martin, who added that the drive for nine is getting more support. "As the guarantees [for nonconference games] go up and up and up and the fans want to play our sister institutions in the conference, to me it's a nobrainer. Play 'em." Martin ideally would want to play a true round robin in the Big Ten, but he admits it's "not realistic" because of the revenue from home games that league members need to sustain their athletic programs. The Michigan AD said he has even tried to schedule the two teams Michigan doesn't play during the Big Ten schedule as nonconference opponents.
  

Larry Raper Is Not Coming to Ann Arbor

Many believed that Michigan might use one of it's 2-3 remaining scholarships for 2009 on former Clemson commit Larry Raper. Larry is a 5"10 165 lbs. athlete from Shelby North Carolina with break away speed but was rumored to have some grade/test issues. The Michigan coaching staff had some "thoughts" of Larry playing CB for the Wolverines.

Larry put all the speculation to rest today and signed with North Carolina A&T. I'm guessing that Michigan wasn't really seriously interested in Larry and did not offer him. Larry had offers from Toledo and South Carolina State.

Friday News and Notes

• More Walk On News: This from BHB reader Biggame7: Johnny Childers has accepted a preferred walk on invite to join Michigan's 2009 recruiting class. Johnny is 6"1 233 and played LB and FB in high school for Muskegon Mona Shores. Here is Johnny's ESPN write up: Childers is a tough, thickly-built, blue-collar fullback prospect who also is an effective inside run plugger when employed at linebacker. Looks a bit like a throwback player and his game lacks a lot of finesse. He has good height and a compact, well-built frame that could bulk up to the 240-pound range while retaining his adequate straight-line speed. More of a battering ram of runner who is effective on quick North-South hitters up the middle. Good initial quicks through the hole for his size and will surprise you now and then with his agility as a runner. Tends to run high though and flashes difficulty sliding through the small creases. YAC is inconsistent. Won't be much more than a short-yardage fullback at the next level but has soft hands out of the backfield and shows the physical tools needed to develop into an effective blocker. Can stalemate defenders but will need to work on leverage and controlling/finishing blocks at the point of attack. Not as powerful or superior at the high school level as you would think as a blocker. Defensively, he is a bit stiff, range is limited to between the tackles but he can blow up the Iso and is difficult to turn at the point of attack. Overall Childers looks good on the hoof and has the physical tools for a mid-major program to mold as a situational fullback
  
  
  
  
  

• Central Michigan is now joining the Adidas family. Central is leaving behind "New Balance" and joining The University of Michigan in the Adidas family. This will be the first time Central has had an apparel and athletic shoe contract. Central's athletic department is struggling so this new contract should off set some costs for the Chips. Terms of the deal were not released.

• Athlon Ranking: Defensive Tackles: Remember earlier this week when Athlon ranked all the DE's in the 2009 recruiting class. Well, it's the DT's turn and "Big Will" Campbell ranked #4 nationally.

• The Miami Dolphins hints it would have started Chad Henne, if Chad Pennington wasn't released by the Jets: Coach Sparano, "Henne ran our football team pretty well in [the] preseason. That was a good problem to have." "Knowing Chad [Henne], if he was in the [starter] situation I would have been comfortable with him there. Look at the two young quarterbacks that had to play this year. They did a nice job," Sparano said.

• Update on the young man with the unfortunate last name, Larry Raper. Larry was thought to be "possibly" getting a Michigan offer this week. Larry was a Clemson 2009 commit before the coaching change, when he de-committed. Then it's believed Larry didn't have a qualifying test score that kept this 3 star speedster off many of the top programs recruiting boards close to signing day. It is believed that Larry has qualified and Michigan still has a couple of scholarships available and are looking at this 5"10 165 lbs. with 4.4 speed in the 40, athlete to play cornerback. Larry was mainly a running back and WR in high school. Michigan has asked Larry to visit Ann Arbor before they offer and his visit is expected to happen in the next few weeks. If Larry impresses the coaches, I would expect him to get offered. Michigan needs depth at CB and having a guy with 4.4 speed doesn't hurt.

• Check out his break away speed below!! The kid can catch the ball as well. After watching this video, I think Michigan should offer (if he can qualify acdemically of course).

What is going on around here?

The day Stephen Threet leaves Michigan, another former Wolverine leaves his new school:
Jason Forcier (pictured to the right) brother of "soon to be starter" Tate Forcier has left Jim Harbough's Stanford Cardinal program. I wonder if there has ever been a case where, you transfer from one school to another, only to go back to the original school? This is another clear case where Jason made "too quick" of a decision on transferring and would most likely have been Michigan's two year starter right now. I wish Jason luck and hope he pays his own way and comes back to Michigan. BTW: 7 players left the Stanford program yesterday.

• Recruiting Update from TomVH at Mgoblog: It seems RR and staff will decide today if they want to offer Larry Raper a scholarship for the 2009 class. Larry reportedly will sign on the spot if offered by the Wolverines. The word on the street is this guy is crazy fast. Not sure why he didn't/doesn't have more offers. If this kid qualifies academically, then I say we take a flier on him and see what he can do. We all know Michigan has another scholarship available now. Michigan is looking for him to play cornerback.
  
  


• Also, top 2010 QB recruit Devin Gardner from the State of Michigan has dropped OSU due to their focus on a young man with a pretty good blood line: Nick Montana. As we have heard in the past, Devin has always been an OSU fan so we will see how this plays out over the summer. If Nick does go "nuts" and picks the Buckeyes, I would guess Devin would look elsewhere.
  
  


• Rumor Mill: is saying that Threet might end up at Eastern Michigan to play for former Michigan defensive coordinator now head coach Ron English. If Steve, did decide this route he would have to sit out a year and have two years still remaining to play. Since he transferred once already, he loses the right to redshirt.
  
  


• I know zero about Hockey but Michigan is pretty good and ranked #3 in the country.
  
  


• Michigan AD Bill Martin says the $226 million expansion and renovation of Michigan Stadium are on track to be complete for the first home football game of the 2010 season. He also said the athletic department is in a strong financial position, but he expects to see a downturn in donations from private individuals and less corporate sponsorship because of the nationwide financial crisis.
  
  


• 2010 Safety prospect: LaTwan Anderson, from Lakewood Ohio has got a Michigan offer. LaTwan happens to be tight with Michigan 2010 commit Jerald Robinson. LaTwan is 5"11 185 with offers from State, BC, Iowa, Cincinnati, and Indiana.