Recapping 2012 Commit Chris Wormley

One of the recruits that got a lot of excitement for his commitment to Michigan's 2012 class was Chris Wormley.  He comes out of Whitmer High School in Toledo, Ohio and was just one piece of Brady Hoke's massive Ohio haul in the 2012 and 2013 classes.  Wormley was also slated for a role in the 2012 season as the likely backup to Craig Roh.  Of course, this plan went out the window when Wormley tore his ACL in fall camp and will now redshirt the 2012 season, but he was getting some consistent play before that happened, giving fans a lot to look forward to in the future.

Wormley has a large skillset that makes him a great pick-up for the Wolverines.  He has solid size and strength, standing at 6'4" and weighing 279 lbs according to the official website.  Some think he's even big enough to eventually move to the inside once he increases his strength a little more.  He is also cited as having a great motor and speed off the snap, which is exciting for a defensive end.  Ace from MGoBlog had some concerns that his "pad level" was significantly decreasing his production.  This and Wormley's general technique will take some improvement if he truly wants to make an impact as a strongside defensive end in the future.  He seems to be pretty good at getting off the blocks, but if he can come off the ball right, he could be simply running through opponents because of his speed and strength.

Recapping 2012 Commit Tom Strobel

As we start to wind our way toward the end of our 2012 recruiting recaps, we reach what could be one of the more surprising recruits in the 2012 class, Tom Strobel.  Not only did he grow up as an Ohio State fan in Mentor, Ohio, but he also took advice from Drew Brees on making his college decision.  Talk about a cool way to pick Michigan.  I think that will do all the more to make him value his decision and should make the rivalry with the Buckeyes all the more meaningful for Strobel.

Strobel comes in with a good amount of hype from the major recruiting services and the fans.  He stands at 6'6" and weighs 252 lbs according to Michigan's athletic site.  Will that be enough to get him some early playing time?  Perhaps, but he does need to work on his strength and he's pretty raw in terms of his technique.  I anticipate both of these problems will pass in time, but it is something to note, especially when we're discussing the 2012 season.  There are some positives about Strobel.  His body size is perfect for a defensive end spot and he has great balance and speed off the ball.  If he can get a little stronger and work on his technique, he could be an absolute monster at the defensive end spot.  I see him more of a strongside defensive end, but there is some debate about where he will end up during his career.

D-Lineman Ondre Pipkins Suffers Neck Injury

Head football coach Brady Hoke released a statement today (Friday, August 17th) that confirmed a neck injury suffered by freshman defensive lineman Ondre Pipkins, the third significant Wolverine injury this fall. The good news is Pipkins seems to be okay with no serious damage done to the neck, and, according to coach Hoke's statement: "He had movement in all extremities and was taken to U-M Health System for precautionary reasons and evaluation." That is obviously great news, but there has been no time table set for his return.

Pipkins was competing for a back up spot behind nose tackle Will Campbell through the fall, and fellow teammates of his said he was doing a very nice job of competing and that he was learning very quickly in practice.

DE Chris Wormley Tears ACL

A university spokesman confirmed on Tuesday night that freshman DE Chris Wormley tore his ACL in practice today (August 14th). Sam Web, of Scout.com, broke the news over Twitter and was then verified minutes later.

Chris Wormley was expected to have a decent impact in the rotation for Michigan's men up front, but he will now have to wait another year before he gets his opportunity. Recovery from an ACL tear takes several months, and getting back to 100% is never a guarantee. This means Michigan is now on even thinner ice with their defensive line. Wormely, in all likelihood, was not going to be starting this season. However, he was planned to be a part of the regular rotation and make a pretty sizeable impact for a freshman.

Recapping 2012 Commit Matthew Godin

There are many offseason questions for Michigan's 2012 team.  How will the team fare against the brutal schedule?  How will Denard Robinson progress?  How will the team respond to the likely loss of Fitz Toussaint?  However, some of the biggest questions have revolved around Michigan's inexperience in the defensive line and how the team was going to replace key seniors Mike Martin and Ryan Van Bergen.  There are a few upperclassmen set to play, but one of the 2012 recruits that could potentially fill this void is Matthew Godin.

Godin is an impressive athlete that has the potential to play multiple positions on the defensive line.  According to the fall media guide, he weighs 270 lbs, which is pretty impressive for a true freshman.  What should lend more confidence is that he comes from the same high school as Mike Martin, which means he's been going through some intense strength workouts during his time there.  His best characteristic according to the scouting services has been his impressive size, which seems to make sense.  However, there seems to be a consensus among scouting services and Michigan blogs about his raw technique.  If he's going to see the field in 2012 and be productive, he's going to have to take a big step forward with his technique.  The big area that needs work are his hands, according to Scout.

A Rocky Start - Chris Rock Leaves Michigan

Photo Credit: Freep

     So, you all know by now that Chris Rock has left the team. The main idea from the public is that it was due to lack of playing time. A redshirt freshman last season, he might not have received a whole lot of playing time on the DL this season, when you consider the recruits coming in, such as Tom Strobel, Chris Wormley, and Mario Ojemudia. Rock, a 6'5 ft and 267 lb defensive end from Columbus, probably saw the writing on the wall. Rock is also the 13th player to have left the team since Brady Hoke arrived. However, the frequency of these departures is not necessarily something to be concerned about right now.  Some of them have been pretty solid for Michigan at times, but all left for specific reasons and I don't think Michigan is going to be hurt in the long run by these departures.

The following is a list of other players that have left the program:

• Offensive Lineman - Tony Posada (out of football)
• Receiver - Je'ron Stokes (Bowling Green)
• Tight End - Christopher Barnett (unknown)
• Linebacker - Kellen Jones (Oklahoma, then Clemson)
• Defensive Back - Greg Brown (Findlay)
• Receiver - Darryl Stonum (undecided)
• Safety - Carvin Johnson (Hampton)
• Linebacker - Isaiah Bell (unknown)
• Center - Rocko Khoury (forewent fifth year)
• Long-snapper - George Morales (forewent fifth year)
• Tailback - Michael Cox (forewent fifth year, transferred to Massachusetts)
• Receiver - Terrence Robinson (forewent fifth year)
• Defensive End - Chris Rock (unknown)

     Every major college program experiences some sort of attrition. Look at the SEC and their much bally-hooed (yay, I used that phrase finally) process of over-signing. I know Michigan tries it's hardest to avoid these issues, but sometimes players or recruits can get the hint that they aren't performing up to expectations.  It could be academics. I'll be on the lookout to see if he transfers to play at another school. Until then, I wish Mr. Rock all the success in the world in his future endeavors.

Michigan Signees and Targets Receive Prestigious Ohio Award

The Buckeye Blue Chip Award is a prestigious award given to 20 of the top Ohio high school seniors and 10 of the top Ohio underclassmen. It is selected by the Touchdown Club of Columbus. The 2011 recipient list includes Michigan 2013 targets and also 2012 commits. Quite an impressive list, actually! 

2012 Signees:

1. OL Kyle Kalis

2. DE Tom Strobel

3. DE Chris Wormley

2013 Commits/Recruits:

1. S Dymonte Thomas (Commit)

2. TE Jake Butt

3. DE Taco Charlton

4. LB Ben Gedeon

5. DT Billy Price

This is a pretty long list and quite impressive as this award is awarded only to Ohio athletes. Michigan has a legitimate shot at all of the 2013 recruits on this list.

Past Michigan athletes who have won this award include DE Jibreel Black, RB Fitzgerald Toussaint, TE Kevin Koger, TE Brandom Moore, and WR Mario Manningham.