Spring Game Preview: Defense

Hockey lost last night so it's officially the beginning of football season in my eyes. I'll have a few previews for the Spring Game during the week, starting here. This will be the most closely watched spring game since 2008, so I'm excited to ponder some premature speculation about a game that will cause even more premature speculation. We'll start with the defense. Michigan's defense worsened every year under Rich Rodriguez, and last year's D was one of the worst in school history. Brady Hoke brought in Greg Mattison to change that, and we'll have our first glimpse of progress, if there has been any, on Saturday.

RS Sophomore LB Cam Gordon

A lot of people have talked about how Brady Hoke will instill toughness in this Michigan team. That's about the vaguest description of a football team, especially defensively, that I can imagine, and I hope people realize that when Hoke says that, he's trying to get in bed with the media. That isn't a bad thing. It's something Rodriguez could never do. But to say the Rodriguez teams weren't tough is asinine. I don't recall guys like Cam Gordon shying away from big hits. But I do recall opposing players bouncing off of Cam Gordon's attempts at big hits due to poor technique. That will be what I look for, more than anything, come Saturday; correct technique. Will tacklers stay low, with their heads up, and drive through their tackles? Will they wrap up the ball carrier and stay on their feet? Will the linebackers keep their gaps on running plays and flow with the ball carrier? Will guys like Will Campbell and Quinton Washington show the technique that will make their jobs as space erasers possible? These are all questions that probably won't be fully answered after Saturday, but we'll probably have an idea of how far along the team is. Mike Martin is the only player who doesn't really need to prove himself, which makes me both nervous and excited. 

This Michigan defense is not rich in natural talent, especially outside of the defensive line. The secondary is full of formerly-unheralded recruits like Courtney Avery, J.T. Floyd and Troy Woolfolk and young guys who just haven't proven themselves yet, like Marvin Robinson, Carvin Johnson and Josh Furman. Some of those players may still end up at linebacker, even. Jordan Kovacs represents this team's secondary perfectly: a former walk-on who is a step too slow and so easy to root for. And without him, Michigan probably would have been even worse off last season. The linebackers are a similar story.They lost two starters in Obi Ezeh and Jonas Mouton, but there are some promising youngsters in Gordon, Jake Ryan and Mike Jones, experienced production in a currently injured Kenny Demens, and veterans who have yet to live up to expectations in J.B. Fitzgerald and Brandon Herron. If those two can step up and make a difference, both on the field and off, then the Wolverines will be much better in 2011. Guys like Gordon and Jones are still going to make mistakes, not to mention neither has yet to fully grow into his body. If Fitzgerald and Herron can provide legitimate depth, then the defense will already be better off. 

Junior DT Will Campbell

I don't think there is any question that this defense's success will be reliant upon the play of the front four. Craig Roh, Mike Martin and Ryan Van Bergen are three of the most experienced and talented players on the team, and the likes of Washington and Campbell are two of the most impressive players from a physical standpoint. The front four will have to get the necessary push if this team is going to stop the run. Same for the pass, as there is no true ball-hawking safety or shut down corner on this team (as of yet). I think ultimately the most important player on this team will be whoever ends up as the three-technique tackle. The likely candidates, Will Campbell and Quinton Washington, will both have to plug up holes in the line and attack two linemen every play, allowing guys like Roh and Martin to be left one-on-one with their men. If that happens consistently during the spring game, against a fairly experienced offensive line, then I'll be very encouraged.

Linebacker Recruiting 3/27/2011

2012 LB Kaleb Ringer

Michigan signed four linebackers in the 2011 class and will only lose three after this coming season. Linebacker won't necessarily be a position of need, but expect the staff to try to sign three or four linebackers in 2012, anyway. There's room for more bodies and the staff will probably be fairly selective in who they pursue. James Ross and Royce Jenkins-Stone will be at the top of their list, so let's look at some other possibilities.

Kaleb Ringer, a 6'1", 225 lb. middle linebacker from Northmont High School in Ohio is one of those possibilities. Ringer, who has an early ranking as the number ten overall prospect in the state of Ohio, has shown serious interest in Michigan. The linebacker, who is the nephew of former Michigan State running back Javon Ringer, told Scout.com that after speaking to Greg Mattison, he literally began to have dreams of putting on the winged helmet. This experience has seemingly put Michigan at the top of his list of favorite schools. Ringer plans on committing to a school on April 15, and don't be surprised if he chooses Michigan. Stealing a top ten Ohioan from OSU and a legacy recruit from MSU in one swoop would be a great moment, but it almost seems to good to be true to me. Ringer has yet to receive an offer from Michigan State or Ohio State, and even if he does choose Michigan initially, don't be surprised if he at least gives OSU and MSU a look when those offers do come. However, he seems about as high on Michigan as any recruit at this point, and expect the Wolverines to play into his ultimate decision, no matter who it be to.

Ringer's video is promising, in the sense that he looks to have a definite nose for the ball carrier. He has good size and he has the frame to put on the muscle that he'll need in college. He looks strong enough to take on blockers and has no qualms about hitting guys, which is a necessary quality for any linebacker. He could have trouble dropping back into coverage because he lacks the overall speed of a guy like James Ross, but Ringer will likely end up as a middle linebacker which means he won't be asked to play in coverage too often. From a physical standpoint, Ringer is nearly identical to where current Michigan linebacker Kenny Demens was at the same age. Demens turned into one of Michigan's better defensive players in 2010, and Ringer could have a similar impact wherever he goes. 

Edit: Ringer is being recruited as a weakside linebacker. I need to remember that sizes of players are going to be different than the last regime, especially among the linebackers and offensive linemen. My apologies. IF Ringer puts on twenty five pounds like Kenny Demens did than maybe he could end up in the middle. For now though, consider him a future outside linebacker.


Keep An Eye On:
Jazzmar Clax (NJ) 
Joe Bolden (OH)
Vince Biegel (WI)
De'Andre Rollins (OH)
Laron Taylor (MI)
Hunter Matt (MI) 
Nathan Ricketts (MI)
Jamal Lyles (MI)

Caleb Stacey

2012 OL Caleb Stacey

Michigan has received their second commitment in as many days. Caleb Stacey, a 6'4", 275 lb. offensive lineman from Oak Hills High School in Cincinnati visited Michigan's campus last weekend and pledged to Brady Hoke on Saturday afternoon. Stacey had offers from the likes of Boston College, Illinois, NC State, South Florida and West Virgina, among others. 

Stacey plays tackle for Oak Hills but projects to guard at the collegiate level. The more linemen the better for Brady Hoke, and I think Stacey has the size to be a good interior linemen one day. Offensive linemen are hard to project, though, since a lot of success is based on the player's ability to learn the different blocking schemes within an offense and how well a player can react to in-game situations. The position is as much mental as it is physical. Stacey had more offers than Braden but a lot of those were from lower tier BCS schools. He likely would have received better offers if he had prolonged his recruitment and attended linemen camps in the summer, though, so I don't think it's something to worry about. He certainly wasn't an unknown prospect. I wish there was more free video on Stacey, but from what I've seen, he has the energy and punch to be a very good run blocker and he can move upfield when he has to. It remains to be seen how good Stacey will end up, and we won't know until, at the very earliest, his redshirt freshman season. Even then, the attrition along the offensive line won't be as sudden among interior linemen as it will be among the tackles, and Stacey will have to impress if he is to be thrust into the two-deep as a RS freshman. It's great to get another offensive lineman on board, though. Needs are being addressed early and look for that to continue as more recruits make it onto campus throughout the Spring.

Ben Braden

Ben Braden 2012 OL

Michigan's first committment of the 2012 class is official. Ben Braden, a 6'6", 275 lb. offensive linemen out of Rockford, Michigan committed to Brady Hoke and co. on Thursday night. Braden, who had offers from Syracuse, Michigan State, and Wisconsin, received his Michigan offer just a couple weeks ago, and he took little time in making his decision.

I think this is a very good pickup for Michigan, especially coming early in the process. Michigan was always going to need to sign at least five or six offensive linemen in this class, and it's a relief to get that crop started early. Braden isn't a highly touted prospect, but he's a very solid one with great upside. If an offensive linemen has an offer from Wisconsin, than it's a good sign that he has the potential to be great one day. Braden definitely has the size to play tackle, and I think that's where he'll ultimately line up. Looking at his video, he'll need to work on his footwork and the technical side of the position, but as Allen Trieu says in Scout's overview, so does every other high school junior. He has the size and hands to be a very good run blocker, especially as he puts on more weight and rises to around the 300 lb. mark. Like every Michigan offensive linemen, Braden will use his redshirt, and he'll have a chance at starting during his RS freshman season as the exodus at offensive line proceeds (Khoury, Omameh, Barnum and Mealer will all be gone). If his pass blocking technique improves, he could be an important player down the road. Braden's high school, Rockford, is consistently one of the best in the state of Michigan, so he's had solid coaching up to this point. Overall, I'm excited to watch Ben Braden mature as a player and hopefully become a solid contributor.

First Committment

Scout's Allen Trieu is reporting that Michigan has their first commit in the 2012 class. Through the process of elimination one can make a pretty good assumption of who it is, and just for some hints, he's big and he's from Michigan. I won't make a recruit profile of the guy until it's official, though.

Tight End and Wide Receiver Rucruiting 3/16/2011

Rich Rodriguez's staff had all but locked up two receivers this past season in Devin Lucien (UCLA) and Hakeem Flowers (NC State), but when Brady Hoke arrived he decided that the Wolverines would no longer need to sign a wide receiver in the 2011 class, and the staff ultimately pulled both Lucien's and Flowers' scholarship offers. It's understandable, seeing as Rodriguez's spread offense implemented many more receivers than a pro-style offense does, and Michigan didn't lose any receivers to graduation or the NFL after the 2010 season. However, Junior Hemingway, Darryl Stonum, Martavious Odoms and Kelvin Grady are all receivers that are entering their final year eligibility and the void that will be left will have to be filled. Michigan won't need to replace all five seniors, due to the personnel that the offense calls for, but they will need to sign at least a couple wide receivers.

Tight end is a position that is in a complete opposite condition depth wise in comparison to the wide receivers. Rodriguez's spread hardly implemented any looks for tight ends, and when Hoke arrived there were only two tight ends on the roster who would be eligible in 2011. Hoke gained a vital commitment on signing day from Texas TE Chris Barnett, who had offers from the likes of Oklahoma, USC, and Florida State, but even that won't be enough for the coming years. Most pro-style offenses will use four to five tight ends through out a season, depending upon injury, and Hoke and co. will look to start gaining needed numbers at tight end position in the 2012 class. 


We'll look at both positions exclusively in this segment.

2012 WR Stefon Diggs

Wide Receiver
No current Michigan receiver has proven himself as worthy for the number  one jersey that was worn by such players as Anthony Carter, David Terrell,  and Braylon Edwards, and though the likes of Roy Roundtree, Junior Hemingway, and Darryl Stonum will battle for the honor this Spring, there is one receiver on Michigan's radar who could vie for the number one next year as an incoming freshman. Stefon Diggs (Our Lady of Good Counsel, MD) is a 6'1", 190 lb play maker who was just recently honored as one of
Rivals' first twelve five star players of the 2012 class (for a little perspective, of the thousands of football recruits across the nation, Rivals only assigns a five star rating to around 20-25 players per year). Among others, Diggs has offers from Alabama, Florida, Florida State, Notre Dame and Ohio State and Rivals' Mike Farrell touted him as possibly the best recruit at slot receiver since Desean Jackson. Blake Countess, a cornerback who signed with Michigan in February, attends the same high school as Diggs and he will hopefully convince Diggs to make a visit to Ann Arbor. Diggs' recruitment should be magnified by his teammate and best friend, RB Wes Brown, who has also been offered by Michigan. The two have hinted that they would like to play together in college and both would be great gets for any school.


Diggs' versatility is what makes him so attractive to me. He could line up at wide out, slot, running back, safety or cornerback if he wanted to and every time he touches the ball he's a threat to go all the way. He doesn't have world class speed but he's agile and he has good size. Diggs runs concise routes and he has great hands. He's the perfect play making threat and he could be deadly on special teams. 


Keep An Eye On:
Aaron Burbridge (MI)
Efe Scott-Emuakpor (MI)
Dwayne Stanford (OH)
Derrick Woods (CA)
Amara Darboh (IA)

2012 TE Ron Thompson

Tight End
Ron Thompson out of East Detroit received one of Brady Hoke's first offers and Michigan should be cemented at the top of Thompson's list throughout his recruitment. The 6'4", 210 lb product grew up a Wolverine fan and don't be surprised if he commits before the 2011 season begins. Including Michigan, Thompson claims offers from Toledo and Syracuse, but don't be surprised if more offers come if he keeps up impressive performances at camps and combines. Thompson is very athletic and it shows in his videos. He'll be a definite threat as a pass catching tight end and his effectiveness as a blocker, which will be necessary at the next level, should improve as he fills out his frame. He has a lot of potential as a difference maker on any pro-style offense.


Keep An Eye On:
Devin Funchess (MI)
Matt Doneth (MI)
Sam Grant (OH)
A.J. Williams (OH)
Taylor McNamara (CA)

Quarterback Recruiting 3/8/2011

2012 QB Zeke Pike

Quarterback will likely be another point of emphasis in the 2012 class, and the coaching staff will surely be in pursuit of some of the top prospects at the position in the country. Brady Hoke's staff was able to sign Russell Bellomy, who was originally committed to Purdue, this past signing day, but Bellomy is not a guy considered to be nearly as talented as Denard Robinson or Devin Gardner, who are the current signal callers at Michigan. The last two pro-style quarterbacks to choose Michigan were Chad Henne and Ryan Mallett, who were both considered five star prospects out of high school.  Hoke and co. should try to target prospects of a similar pedigree and they should start right away with this class.

One of the early choices for top quarterback in the country is Zeke Pike, a 6'6", 225 lb product out of Dixie Heights high school in Fort Mitchell, Kentucky. Pike currently has offers from a host of elite programs, including Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, and USC. He's also shown an early interest in Michigan. Pike was a 7-on-7 teammate of Chris Bryant who was a member of Michigan's 2011 class, and it sounds like their friendship has at least convinced Pike to visit Ann Arbor. Pike also told Scout.com that he's spoken directly to Brady Hoke over the phone, and the fact that the Wolverines are returning to a pro-style offense has caught his interest. It remains to be seen how interested Pike really is in Michigan, but getting him up to Ann Arbor is huge. If he feels comfortable with the school, the coaching staff and the players, then Michigan certainly will have a chance. I'd expect everyone in the SEC to be in hot pursuit as well, though.

The very first throw that is shown on Pike's video is, in my opinion, a broad illustration of why he's considered an elite quarterback. He's obviously very athletic and has the agility and awareness to avoid being taken down in the pocket, and he caps off the play by throwing a ball on the run that travels forty yards in the air. He has all of the physical attributes that coaches like, he just needs more experience at the position and he'll be well on his way to a successful college career. As stated, though, Pike is and will be courted by the premier programs in the country and I'd be surprised if he ultimately ended up at Michigan. He wouldn't likely have a chance to be the starter until his RS sophomore/junior season, and Michigan doesn't exactly have a ton of pull in Kentucky. However, I wouldn't expect Pike to commit anywhere before he allows the process to play out, which means if Michigan can have an encouraging season on the field in 2011, Pike could be swayed to Ann Arbor. It's still too early to tell either way, though, and for now we'll just have to hope his spring visit goes well.


Keep An Eye On:

Maty Mauk (OH)

Bennie Coney (FL)

Devin Fuller (NJ)

Austin Appleby (OH)

Robert Gregory (IL)

Cole Gautsche (NM)

Jeff Lindquist (WA)

Tyler O'Connor (OH)

Bart Houston (CA)

Brian Blackburn (MI)

Offensive Line Recruiting 3/5/2011

Offensive line will be a huge position of emphasis for Brady Hoke and co. in the 2012 class, seeing as the Wolverines have only take four offensive linemen over the last two classes. The depth chart up front is already looking thin, and any injuries to the four returning starters (Lewan, Molk, Omameh and Huyge) will result in a dangerously inexperienced front five leading the way. Michigan should take at least five or six offensive linemen in this class. The coaching staff has already offered 21 recruits at the position, so they are well on their way to addressing their needs. Michigan looks to be in good shape early with several recruits, and a few of those are of an elite caliber.

2012 OL Jordan Diamond

Leading the way on the list of offensive linemen considering Michigan is Jordan Diamond of Chicago Simeon. Diamond grew up a Michigan fan and one of his fellow linemen at Simeon was 2011 Michigan signee Chris Bryant. The popular opinion from recruiting analysts, including Scout's Sam Webb, is that Diamond is Michigan's to lose. This would be a huge commitment for Michigan, as Diamond reports offers from a host of top schools, including the likes of Ohio State, Florida State, Auburn and Notre Dame. It'll be interesting to see if Diamond prolongs his recruitment and courts the interest of the other elite schools that are pursuing him or if he pulls the trigger early and commits to Michigan before the 2011 season begins.

Diamond's film is very impressive, especially based off of the agility and speed that he possesses. For a tackle his size, he displays a lot of athleticism when blocking. He routinely gets up field on running plays, tossing linebackers aside while also displaying good foot work on passing plays, coupled with relentless hands that make it difficult for any defensive end to get to the quarterback. Size wise, Diamond, who is 6'6" and weighs around 290 lbs, really doesn't need to get much bigger. If he does become a Wolverine, the staff would likely look to get him a bit more sculpted and have him playing around 300 pounds. A lot of offensive line recruits are far behind their college colleagues when it comes to weight, though, and the fact that Diamond is familiar with his frame and athleticism at that size is a good sign. Diamond is likely to be rated among the top ten tackles in the country, and he would be Michigan's first offensive linemen of that caliber since Dann O'Neill (let's hope to God he doesn't end up like O'Neill, though).

Keep An Eye On:
Andrus Peat (AZ)
Zach Banner (WA)
Dan Voltz (IL)
Jordan Simmons (CA)
Tyler Orlosky (OH)
Daron Brown (MI)
Ben Braden (MI)
Kelby Latta (MI)

Bury Your Dead

If you've been paying any amount of attention lately to the media sources that follow college football, you've surely heard rumors that a major program is on the verge of being ousted by a news source for major violations. Some thought this ousting was going to happen today, based on a much hyped SI article that was to be (and was) released. And while that article turned out to be a less than revealing piece on crime rates in college football, the furor over the possible program-busting investigation has only increased. Apparently the much-hyped article is due to print come Spring, and it still isn't clear which major news source is the one responsible for the investigation. There have been many rumors and theories as to which school it is and what they've been doing, but the noise is enough that it sounds like something is going to be released that is at least newsworthy.

Multiple media outlets, including Sports by Brooks and ESPN's Colin Cowherd have hinted that the guilty party may be Oregon and that their violation could have to do with recruiting agents stationed in Texas. While Oregon may certainly be the school in question, they don't have a history of violations and their recent success can be explained through the rise of head coach Chip Kelly and his high-powered spread offense and the financial support of Nike owner and Oregon graduate Phil Knight. Others have pointed to Alabama, Auburn and Florida State as schools in question. Whoever it is, the chances of it being Michigan are extremely slim. Any internal violations that were being committed under former coach Rich Rodriguez would have been discovered by the NCAA during their investigation of violations pertaining to practice time, and any paying of recruits or players by a booster would make no sense. For one, Rodriguez never had recruits that were worth paying, and it would have been nearly impossible to keep such actions secret from the number of unhappy transferring players, local media who were undersold on Rodriguez’s laurels and suspicious alumni who were ever-present throughout Rodriguez’s three year tenure in Ann Arbor. Others believe it could be Ohio State, and many Michigan fans hope it is, but OSU should be the last school Michigan would want to be guilty of major violations.

The Ohio State program transcends the dodgy reputations of current quarterback Terrelle Pryor and the blatant criminal activity of former running back Maurice Clarett, and for the entire program to be tarnished would tarnish the rivalry just as much. Many analysts who are detached from the two teams have grumbled that the rivalry has lost its luster over the last couple of years because Michigan has not been as competitive. If Ohio State ends up suffering the major penalties that would accompany the violations that are being whispered about, then don't expect them to be competitive over the next four to five years. Sure, this will make Michigan's schedule easier, but it will also threaten to kill the greatest rivalry in American sports and it will hurt the Big Ten exponentially.

Fans can certainly make the argument that a wounded Ohio State would help Michigan in recruiting, and in some individual cases it would, but what's stopping the state of Ohio from being raided by schools in the SEC if Ohio State is in disarray? Regardless, Michigan State and Notre Dame would likely gain as many Ohio recruits as Michigan. Keith Heitzman and Antonio Poole are two recent Michigan signees from Ohio who stated that the opportunity to be a part of the Ohio State vs. Michigan rivalry was the reason they chose to attend Michigan. Michigan becomes less attractive without a strong rivalry with Ohio State. While Michigan’s poor overall record and placement upon the NCAA’s probation list were major problems over the last three seasons, Michigan’s weak performances against Ohio State played just as big of a role in leading to the January firing of Rich Rodriguez. The rivalry deserves to return to prominence. It should be one of the deciding games in both the race for the Big Ten title and the National Championship.

Many Michigan fans would likely point to the school’s successes against Ohio State as some of their greatest memories associated with the school. Whether it was the battles between former colleagues Bo Schembechler and Woody Hayes or the exploits of Heisman Trophy winners Charles Woodson and Desmond Howard in defeating the Buckeyes in recent years, many a fan’s memories of the Michigan football program is reliant upon the presence of a competitive Ohio State team. And whether these fans realize it or not, the integrity that has been displayed by both schools over the years has brought the two schools closer, thus magnifying the importance of the rivalry on the field. Schools such as Michigan and Ohio State are in a unique fraternity, one that has preached winning with integrity and stressed the importance of promoting tradition, both athletically and academically. And as the big business aspect of college football has risen over the last twenty years, and seeds of corruption have been planted within it, many schools have preserved both their integrity and their success. To see one of these storied programs sink to a self-inflicted rock bottom should be no reason for any fan to celebrate.

Defensive Line Recruiting 2/27/2011

Keeping with the theme of defense, let's look at some defensive line prospects that Brady Hoke and Greg Mattison will be courting in the coming months. I think it's important to note that as of right now, Michigan only has 15-17 scholarships available for the 2012 class. After attrition, which there are already rumors of, there will likely be around 20-22 available scholarships. The staff has some catching up to do on the defensive line if they are to complete a worthy transition to a 4-3 defense, and we could easily see 6-8 commits along the front four. Let's look at who holds Michigan in high regard as of now.

2012 DE Chris Wormley

Defensive End

We'll start at end, and there are a few prospects in the Midwest that Michigan has an extremely good shot at. Ohio is loaded this year at defensive end, and arguably the best of the bunch is Toledo Whitmer's Chris Wormley. Buckeye Grove recently ranked him number three overall in Ohio's 2012 class, and many feel that, as a junior, Wormley was better than his teammate and fellow defensive end, 2011 Ohio State signee Kenny Hayes. Either way, Wormley, at 6'5" and 255 lbs. is a superior athlete and projects extremely well to the next level. Better yet, Wormley and his family have strong ties to Michigan, and even OSU will have a hard time pulling him away from Ann Arbor. This would be a major coup if it were to go down, and even though Wormley was already a Michigan lean when Rich Rodriguez was coach, his commitment would go a long way in building Brady Hoke's reputation on the recruiting trail. 

Keep An Eye On:
Ifeadi Odenigbo (OH)
Pharaoh Brown (OH)
Tom Strobel (OH)
Jordan Jenkins (GA)

2012 DT Matthew Godin

Defensive Tackle
Michigan's needs at defensive tackle are only rivaled by their needs along the offensive line, and it'll be intriguing to see who they pursue along with Danny O'Brien. The Wolverines will likely take four or five defensive tackles in 2012 and they've already offered twelve. One of those twelve is Matthew Godin, a 6'5", 265 lb. three-tech out of Detroit Catholic Central. Not only is Godin a solid prospect at a position of need, but he's also a good friend of Danny O'Brien, and a commitment from Godin could help Michigan's chances with O'Brien. Godin's film isn't overly impressive, but he has good size and a good motor and a good offer sheet, thus far (Michigan, MSU, Missouri and Wisconsin, to name a few). He likely projects to DT, but he has the body to possibly end up as a strongside defensive end or even an offensive tackle. Godin was, like Royce Jenkins-Stone, frustrated that Michigan didn't jump at him out of the gate, and he went so far as to say that he was "done with them (Michigan)". However, Godin met with the coaching staff on campus a couple weekends ago, received an offer, and seemingly appeared extremely excited about it. I think Michigan is in very good shape with Godin. 

I know some fans get frustrated when kids do this, because the prospects come across as feeling entitled to an offer when they complain about not getting one right away, but I think in both of these cases, these are just kids (we have to remember that) that are very emotionally vested in Michigan. To me, Godin's and Jenkins-Stone's frustration shows a love for the program more than a sense of entitlement. It's not as if they're upset with other schools that aren't showing them a lot of interest, so they obviously have a special affinity for Michigan if Michigan's interest, or lack there of, can effect them so much. I'm only two years older than the guys in the 2012 class and even I view such reactions as immature, but at the same time reactions such as these can be completely blown out of proportion. Both players are obviously very emotional and very competitive on the field (watch their film), and I think those feelings leaked into their off the field situations in both cases.

As I said, Michigan will need four or five defensive tackles in this class, so in this case, the Keep An Eye On section will be very important.

Keep An Eye On:
Sheldon Day (IN) 
Greg Kuhar (OH) 
Ondre Pipkins (MO) 
Jarron Jones (NY) 
Aziz Shittu (CA) 

Royce Jenkins-Stone

Mission: The 2012 In-state Defensive Haul, Part IV
Last but not least we'll look at Terry Richardson's fellow Technician, Royce Jenkins-Stone.

Royce Jenkins-Stone
6'2" 215 lbs.
Outside Linebacker 
Detroit Cass Tech
According to Scout, Jenkins-Stone finished his junior year with 90 tackles, five sacks and three interceptions. He's a player who has seen his stock grow tremendously in the past year. Once seen as an unpolished player who relied solely upon his athleticism to make plays, Jenkins-Stone has turned himself into an intelligent and fundamentally strong linebacker. Let's look at Royce's junior film and breakdown his emergence from there (btw, watch out for a great hit from Terry Richardson around the 5:37 mark).

Jenkins-Stone looks to be a more consummate middle linebacker prospect than Ross, even though he's listed as an outside linebacker. For one, his frame is one that could easily carry another 20-30 pounds while still supporting Jenkins-Stone's current speed (which is likely exaggerated when it's listed at 4.56) and agility. I liked Royce's patience, mainly because it's one of those instinctual attributes that he was likely lacking before the 2010 season that led to him not being as highly touted as Ross. I don't think Royce's instincts are quite up to James Ross' and he doesn't have the same closing speed, but he doesn't just run through the first opening in the line when he's pursuing a running back. He predicts where the back is likely to go and he contains well when he has to, forcing the ball carrier into a cul-de-sac. Thomas Wilcher and his staff at Cass deserve props for this. The lack of consistently displaying this attribute plagued Jonas Mouton, who was an extremely athletic safety-converted-to-linebacker for Michigan. Mouton was invited to the 2010 combine, but he could have been a top NFL prospect if he had ever learned that tackling isn't just chasing down the ball carrier, but forcing him back toward the strong side of the play or toward the sidelines, using angles to your advantage. It wouldn't be true to say that Royce or Ross are perfect at this, but they both seem to have the patience and instincts to be able to quickly develop this skill. 

There was a time when Michigan had a massive lead in Royce Jenkins-Stone's recruitment, however, that lead has seemingly shrunk. Royce made it clear through various media that he was frustrated with the lack of attention that the new staff was showing him when other prospects in the area were getting scholarship offers, and he has since backed off stating Michigan as his leader (We'll see this phenomenon again when we look at another in-state recruit, Matthew Godin, and I'll explain then why it should be interpreted as encouraging, not discouraging, to M fans). Jenkins-Stone has offers from Iowa, MSU, and Oklahoma along with Michigan, and he told Scout.com that Oklahoma was his most impressive offer so far (I wouldn't look too much into this. Frankly, it's the truth). Royce made a recent visit to the Michigan campus, where according to Royce's twitter feed, Greg Mattison saw Royce as the next Ray Lewis. Whatever gets them to commit, Greg. In all seriousness, Royce would be a very good pick up, and keeping the Cass Tech pipeline perpetually solid to Michigan is important. That constant touch-up along with the signing of two defensive prospects with loads of potential can be accomplished for another year with the signings of both Terry Richardson and Royce Jenkins-Stone.

Terry Richardson

Mission: The 2012 In-state Defensive Haul, Part III
James Ross and Danny O'Brien are likely to be rated as the top two players in the state of Michigan by sites such as Rivals and Scout, but Terry Richardson is the prospect who has garnered attention from the likes of Alabama, LSU, and USC.

Terry Richardson
5'9" 160 lbs.
Cornerback
Detroit Cass Tech
According to Scout, Richardson had four interceptions and 20 tackles as a sophomore and finished this past season with eight interceptions and 30 tackles. Don't be alarmed if those interception numbers go down in 2011. Teams took their chances throwing toward Richardson in 2010 instead of risking throwing toward 2011 Michigan signee Delonte Hollowell, who partnered Terry at corner this past season. Teams will likely give Richardson the same treatment when he's a senior. Richardson reported a 4.64 forty yard dash back in 2009. It's safe to say that his time is likely down to around the 4.5 range. Let's look at Richardson's junior film and break down his strengths on the gridiron. 

A few things stand out to me in Richardson's film, the most prevalent being his pure athleticism. There are numerous plays where Richardson is forced to use his leaping ability to break up passes and even with his small stature he looks like he's able to go up against bigger receivers. I really like the play at 7:16. He has to turn and run with the receiver but he stays with the ball the whole way and he makes a hell of a play when the ball's at its highest point. Richardson has good speed as well and he'll hit hard, if he can't get to the ball, when he breaks on receivers. Overall, he looks to be a good tackler, though he doesn't seem as physical as Hollowell at the line of scrimmage. Richardson looks to be a mirror image physically of the three recent cornerback products to come out of Cass (Hollowell, Dior Mathis, Boubacar Cissoko) and he looks to fall in a similar range talent wise, which is saying something.


As I stated at the beginning, Richardson has drawn serious interest nationally and he reports scholarship offers from Alabama, LSU, and USC along with Michigan and numerous other schools. Notre Dame and Ohio State are also actively recruiting him, though I wouldn't expect an offer from Notre Dame as they tend to pursue defensive backs who are a bit taller (edit: lol I was wrong). He's already been invited to the Under Armour All-American Game, which is an ESPN event, so don't be surprised if their rating of Terry is slightly inflated. He'll likely be a solid four star from both Scout and Rivals at the end of the day, though. I think he has the potential to be a solid player at the next level and if it wasn't for his stature, he'd be one of the elite defensive back prospects in the nation. Defensive back is a very difficult position to transition from high school to college, though, simply because high school teams seldom throw the ball. He'll need a year or so to put on more weight, as well. Cass Tech is Michigan's most productive pipeline, but that doesn't mean Richardson is a lock to commit to Michigan. I'd expect him to explore the interest from the SEC and from schools out West before he makes his decision. Michigan is in as good of position right now as anyone, though.

James Ross

Mission: The 2012 In-state Defensive Haul, Part II
We've already looked at DT Danny O'Brien and the importance that he holds to the 2012 class. Next, we'll look at O'Brien's strongest competition for the honor of top player in Michigan, James Ross.

James Ross
6'1" 212 lbs.
Inside Linebacker
Orchard Lake St. Mary's
Ross had 95 tackles, four fumble recoveries, seven forced fumbles and an interception and according to Scout he finished his sophomore year with "103 tackles, five sacks, five forced fumbles, seven fumble recoveries and an interception in his first year of high school football." So, yeah, he's pretty good. Let's start by looking at James' junior highlights.

 
 The obvious thing that sticks out from Ross' video is his aggressiveness and how hard he hits guys. For a linebacker who isn't intimidating from a physical standpoint he is very violent. You can see how good his instincts are as well, as he hits the gaps in the line like a running back. The few times that fullbacks or linemen are able to make contact with Ross, he shrugs them off fairly easily. He also does a good job of keeping his feet moving after contact with the ball carrier, even when his legs come out from under him. Some of his hits look to be above the waist and he could be even more effective if he hit a little lower at times. That's nothing that coaching can't take care of, though. He has the speed to play sideline-to-sideline and you can see that he can drop back into coverage, which makes me wonder if he couldn't double as an outside linebacker at the next level, where he'll be asked to cover tight ends or slots on occasion. Like most recruits, Ross will have to bulk up but it's nothing a college weight training program can't address. He should be able to easily play at or around 230-235 lbs.

Ross has offers from multiple BCS conference schools, but the three biggest as of now are Michigan, Michigan State, and Ohio State. Evidently Ross grew up an Ohio State fan and his high school is not one of Michigan's pipelines. The last Michigan player of note to come from St. Mary's was Morgan Trent, and since then the school has sent multiple players to Penn State and three others to MSU, Florida State and OSU, respectively. However, Ross' dad is a huge Michigan fan and he will surely be in his son's ear and there are rumors afloat that the hiring of Greg Mattison was a huge plus for Michigan in Ross' eyes. It's obviously still early and Ross is a guy who should see even more elite offers come his way, but Michigan are in a good position as of now.

Danny O'Brien

Mission: The 2012 In-state Defensive Haul, Part I
I head this section as is partly in jest, but also partly in emphasizing the opportunity that the Michigan staff has within the state of Michigan in 2012. I'll cover this in depth from other angles later, but I feel as if the stars will align for Brady Hoke in 2011 and he will get all of the proverbial bounces in a number of facets. The depth of talent in Michigan in the 2012 class on the defensive side of the ball, namely in Danny O'Brien, James Ross, Terry Richardson, and Royce Jenkins-Stone, is one factor that sets up well for Hoke in the coming months. Let's look at one leg of the Big Four in detail.

Danny O'Brien
6'3" 282 lbs.
Defensive Tackle 
Flint Powers Catholic

O'Brien will likely be the most difficult to sign of the poorly-coined-by-me Big Four from Michigan's standpoint and could very well be the most important signing of 2012 when all is said and done, which is why we'll discuss him first. There isn't any free video on O'Brien available as of now, unfortunately (and I don't have any premium accounts so I haven't seen any film either). According to Scout, O'Brien had 90 tackles and nine sacks in 2010 as a junior and he reports offers from Michigan, Michigan State, Syracuse and Tennessee. Now some of you may be asking, "Say, that isn't that impressive of an offer sheet," and I would agree, however, O'Brien is a special case in that he already has two distinct leaders, both top programs, in the pursuit of his signing, those being Tennessee and Michigan. Namely, O'Brien has made it clear via the recruiting sites and TomVH that Tennessee is his overall leader. He's been to Knoxville on multiple occasions before, both to camp and as a visitor, and according to Rivals he'll be down there again next week. Tennessee has had recent success in Michigan, with the signings of Darris Sawtelle, an offensive tackle from the 2007 class, and with wide receiver DeAnthony Arnett who is part of their 2011 class. O'Brien will be a tough player to pull away from UT (that's right Texas fans, I just did that), but you have to like Michigan's chances.


For starters, there is unlikely to be any competition with the likes of MSU or tOSU for O'Brien's signature, simply because of the lack of interest that he's shown in anyone other than UM and Tennessee. Now, this doesn't mean that can't change (Anthony Zettel to Penn State, anyone?), but for now, there's no evidence pointing to anywhere other than Ann Arbor and Knoxville. Secondly, Greg Mattison. Not only has Mattison been coined as the best recruiter in the country by Urban Meyer, and "legendary" by Jesse Palmer (hair gel, just saying), but Mattison will also go into the 2011 season as the most over-qualified coordinator in college football (yes, including you, Charlie Weis). To keep it short, when you've coached Ed Reed, Ray Lewis, Terrell Suggs and Haloti Ngata and you've won a national championship, you can expect to have some pull when recruiting. I would expect the coaching staff to go full force on O'Brien, to have him down for multiple games come fall, and for Hoke/Mattison to pull a "you're the next *insert great Baltimore player*" (we'll get to this when we look at Jenkins-Stone) on O'Brien.


Now, I mentioned O'Brien's importance, and I can't stress enough how vital he could ultimately be. Position wise, the other three from the Big Four (god it just sounds worse every time I type it) includes two linebackers and a cornerback. Michigan took four linebackers and five defensive backs in the 2011 class to accompany a swath of returning players at both positions. Those are two positions that aren't necessarily of need depth wise (talent wise is another story). Conversely, defensive tackle is a position that will be scarily slim come 2012, when only Terry Talbott, William Campbell, Richard Ash and Quinton Washington, none of whom has yet to prove himself, will return. Michigan will be returning to a 4-3 defense under Hoke, which means two defensive tackles in every class will be a goal, and the staff will likely look to sign at least three to four DTs in the 2012 class (we'll look at other prospects in the coming days). O'Brien is a talent that the state of Michigan doesn't see all too often, and for him to be on the cards at the same time that Michigan desperately needs a player like him is too good to pass up. The coaching staff will surely see this (right?), and it's one of many positive sells the coaching staff will be able to make to O'Brien and I think it will definitely factor into his decision, whether he chooses to go to Michigan, Tennessee, or somewhere else entirely.

Introduction

I started this blog for two reasons, those being I love Michigan football and I wouldn't mind making a career out of sports journalism one day. That being said, many things will surely be posted that have nothing to do with Michigan or even sports for that matter, so any definitive site description would be futile.


I'm currently a history student at the University of Evansville which is in southern Indiana (I'm sure you already knew that, of course). My dad is employed by the university so any dreams of attending Michigan were trounced by the prospect of free tuition to UE. Besides, if you haven't seen the out-of-state tuition figures at UM, well, I mean, they aren't exactly accommodating. I only tell you this so readers know that, no, I was not born and raised in Michigan and I did not and likely never will attend the university. I've only been able to attend one game in Ann Arbor (2005 vs. Minnesota *ugh*) so I'll probably never comment on the atmosphere of, well, anything pertaining to Michigan. 


My journey to becoming a Michigan fan began in the fall of 1997. Some of my earliest memories are of the 1997 national championship team and namely of Charles Woodson. Something about that team, watching their games set to the overcast weather that is fall in the Midwest, listening to Keith Jackson and Bob Griese, the way my mom, whose parents are from Columbus and are huge OSU fans, would curse them... Something just clicked. They were like an event or faraway place that you would hear the adults whisper about, and you knew that whatever it was, it was important, and it was like nothing you'd ever experienced, and the romanticizing would sub-consciously begin. I would have turned just six years old just after the OSU win, Woodson's punt return and all, yet that team left me enamored. I distinctly remember praying to a God that I don't think I even believed in as the national anthem came to an end and those men in Blue and Washington State, led by a nondescript gun-slinging quarterback, took the field at the Rose Bowl, a national championship at stake. And thinking back, that moment sticks with me because it's the first time that sport exceeded everything else. It was the first time the headlong collision of peoples in competitive fury ever meant more than simply the final score on the scoreboard. The team was like a god and the final goal was something like heaven but even more abstract than a description of God's heaven; something that is untouchable and unimaginable yet something that can still take a physical toll upon you when it's all said and done. That 1997 team was the first team to do that to me, and that's where the love affair began and has lived on through good and bad. 


Now that you have a perspective upon my fandom, I hope you return to read what I have to say. Perhaps being a little prophetic in terms of this blog's content, I'm fascinated by the recruiting process in football. Being a recruiting analyst for one of the big recruiting sites would be a dream job, so I'll probably write a lot about that, mainly from a Michigan perspective. I also love to write/play/listen to music and am currently in a band with some friends from high school, which I'll link here at the end. I'm sure those influences will creep in over time as well.


Happy Reading,
Mark


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