Week 4 Game Notes With Reactions To Rich Rod's Michigan Comments

1. To state that Michigan needs this win over Notre Dame is an understatement, and for multiple reasons. First, Michigan needs to win to put themselves back into the top 15. Currently, there are no Big Ten teams ranked in the top 15 for the first time in 11 years, and OSU along with MSU were the last teams holding onto the distinction. Secondly, and most importantly, it would put Michigan in good position for a BCS bowl. They are obviously out of the national title picture, but the Rose Bowl/Big Ten Championship or another BCS bowl is still within their grasp. By beating Notre Dame, that'll strengthen their quality of opponent factor and push them back into the top 15, and maybe even the 11 or 12 spot. Can they move back into the top 10? Probably not after this week, but give it time and win out from here.

2. We all know by now about Shane Morris and his case of mononucleosis. One thing that wasn't touched on was the fact that if he is out for the whole season, then more than likely he will lose that coveted 5* ranking. When that happens, and it's happened before, then Michigan's recruiting rankings will go down in points as well. Even with the possibility of getting Laquon Treadwell  in Ann Arbor, I don't think Michigan will overtake USC now in terms of the number 1 spot in overall points. In the end, it's all semantics anyway.

2013 QB Commit Shane Morris Out For Season?

Some startling news to Michigan fans today as the Detroit Free Press reported that 2013 QB Commit Shane Morris could possibly be out for the remainder of his Senior season with mononucleosis.  In his game this past weekend against Brother Rice, Shane had to come out at the half because he was too gassed. 

According to the Free Press article, he had been medically cleared to play because the mono had not yet reached his spleen.  Well, ESPN's Tom VanHaaren reported that Shane texted him to let him know he's in the hospital tonight for some routine observations.  It's unclear as of right now as to whether or not Shane will be playing football anymore in high school. Mono varies from case by case but, I did a bit of research and it could be cleared up in 3-4 weeks or 2-3 months.  It can include fatigue, swollen lymph nodes, and the rupture of spleen.  Not playing during his recovery could be very important.

This could possibly put a blow on Shane's improvement as a quarterback as nothing is more important to improving as a quarterback, or any player for that matter, than live game reps.  I think it's good that they decided to pull him because there's no sense of risking further injury, especially with something that could become serious.  I commend his coach and everyone around him for making the right call with this.  This summer was very active for Shane as he participated in the Nike Opening 2012 in Oregon as well as the Elite 11 Camp out in California.  I think that even if Shane isn't able to come back his senior year he can still work on his skills in the offseason.

2012 Positional Breakdown: Quarterback

The quarterback position draws, by far, the most attention on just about any football teams, but especially at Michigan because of the electrifying play of Denard Robinson. Many argue that he is the most exciting player in all of college football, and everyone is looking forward to see what he has in store for a much anticipated senior year.

However, Michigan has several highly capable backups that may see some playing time next season.  Denard often has to sit out a play or two, which leaves an opportunity for another play.  Along with this, Michigan has a couple weaker opponents on the schedule that may leave some "garbage" time where others players can see the field.  Here's a breakdown of the primary players at the position:


Denard Robinson (Senior)
There is no quarterback competition at Michigan. Denard Robinson is looked at as the on-field reason the Wolverines are starting to find success again, and he has worked extremely hard to put himself into that position.  Not only was he the Big Ten Offensive Player in 2011, but he followed it up with a very solid performance in 2011, including some key game winning drives that pushed the Wolverines over the top of their opponents.  The best example of his amazing abilities was his recent game against Notre Dame, where he led a drive with just over 30 seconds remaining to win the game for Michigan.

USC Takes Over Top Spot On Rivals for 2013 Team Rankings

According to Rivals, Michigan has been surpassed in the 2013 Team Rankings.  Picking up their most recent commit today from 4-star DB Jalen Ramsey, the Trojans have passed the Wolverines.  Most say that when new individual player rankings come out in August Ramsey is likely to pick up his 5th Star.  What is incredible is that USC is operating with scholarship reductions for the 2013 class.  


Scout and ESPN have yet to update their team rankings so I'm curious to see what they do with things.  I'll give you a quick breakdown comparing each team's class as they are viewed on Rivals.  You can be the judge regarding whether you agree and I'll give my opinion at the end of which team I think has the best class.

Updated 2013 ESPN300 - Michigan Commits And Targets

ESPN has updated its football rankings and released its list of the 300 best football players for the 2013 recruiting class.  Michigan's commits and targets have filled the list.  Brady Hoke and his staff have done an excellent job in all of his recruiting classes, but Michigan's 2013 football recruiting class has been absolutely phenomenal.  


The ratings on this list are not perfect by any means, but they do give us a better understanding of these players, especially after The Opening last weekend where some of Michigan's players had some great performances.  The questions everybody seems to have had over the last week or so is where Michigan's commits and targets would end up if they performed well at the Nike Camp.  Well, some of Michigan's players did great and we can see that in the updated rankings.

Michigan Commits and Targets At The Opening

The much anticipated Nike Camp, The Opening, was this past weekend in Beaverton, Oregon. Loaded with talent, it has been said to be one of the best camps of the year, if not the best. On hand were the best high school players from all over the country, including 7 Michigan Commits and several Michigan targets.  Representing the Maize and Blue were QB Shane Morris, DB Jourdan Lewis, TE Jake Butt, OG David Dawson, DE Taco Charlton, OL Kyle Bosch, LB Mike McCray.  All of these players were there, but Kyle Bosch did leave early due to personal reasons so I won't really have much to say about him, but he did show up the first day so he deserves to be mentioned. 


Two of Team 134's members made the all-tournament team. TE Jake Butt and DB Jourdan Lewis.  Both of these guys showed up big time in 7-on-7 play and were definitely deserving of the honors.  If you pay any attention to the recruiting sites, then you will know that people are saying Jourdan Lewis's rankings should skyrocket.  I said before the tournament that he would prove he's one of the best DB's in the country and he showed it this past weekend.  Making big time plays and even an interception in the finals to gave his team a shot at the championship late in the game.  Jake Butt came up big for his team and he quickly became one of his quarterback's favorite targets.  I watched some video and he made some great plays, including a nice grab on the sideline, where he got both feet in and maintained possession.  

Michigan's 2013 Top 247 Comprehensive List

Michigan has already been well represented on the ESPN150 and the Rivals250 and now they're done a great job at getting on the 247Sports list of the Top 247 recruits in the country.  There are certainly some head-scratching rankings on the list, but Michigan did pretty well with a total of 13 commitments and two targets appearing on the list.

COMMITS

21. Shane Morris (QB)

This marks another list where Michigan's only 2013 quarterback commitment finds himself as the highest ranked commit for Michigan.  He has been playing fantastic and actually won MVP honors at the Columbus Elite 11 camp where he earned a bid to play in the National Elite 11 competition.  Another thing to note is that Morris is now the highest rated 4* on 247Sports' list, which means that if he stays where he is right now, the odds are really good that he will be given 5* status soon.At 6'3", 190 pounds, Shane Morris is primarily a pocket passer, although he has shown the ability to move around in the pocket if need be. Most analysts refer to Morris as having the strongest arm in his class. The only major concern I can see at this point is accuracy. Through the Elite 11 process, Morris has shown streaks of brilliance in delivering the ball on a string, but he needs to work on making that a consistent outcome. He has the arm strength to put the ball just about wherever he wants it. 


Other Notable Offers: Alabama, Cincinnati, Michigan State.

Top Priorities for 2013 Class

Photographed are current commits QB Shane Morris (left) and DB Jourdan Lewis (right).  They are just two members of the current top recruiting class in the country for the Michigan Wolverines.  But the real question that's on my mind and pretty much all Michigan fans that really follow recruiting is how does Coach Hoke close this class out.  With commit #22 coming in with Channing Stribling this week, many have the opinion that Michigan will only take 2 more recruits for this class.  


I say they take 3.  Some people don't like the commitment of Stribling, mostly because they were wanting the coaches to hold out for guys such as Kendall Fuller, Leon McQuay, etc., which makes sense, but maybe the coaches know something that we don't.  There seems to be a concensus that Fuller has Va. Tech and Clemson as his leaders and Michigan will lose out on him.  McQuay, I'm not too sure, but he seems far from making a decision.  In my opinion...trust the coaches, they know what they are doing.  So I'm going to put out a few names that I think may close the class out.

Sound Mind Sound Body Recap

As we all know, the Detroit Sound Mind/Sound Body Camp was this past weekend and was loaded with top Midwest prospects, which included many Michigan commits.  Among the participants were Shane Morris, David Dawson, Logan Tuley-Tillman, Khalid Hill, Jourdan Lewis, and Csont'e York.  This camp was specially unique because coaches were actually able to be there and coach the prospects.  Coach Hoke and his full staff were present, along with Ohio State, Michigan State, Eastern Michigan's staffs.  It was a good chance for the coaches to get an extra look at commits and actually coach them up.

Shane Morris 
Well not much that we need to go in depth as far as Shane goes.  From what I'm hearing and reading he was the best quarterback there as was expected.  Coach Borges coached him the whole day and clearly liked what he saw.  As always, Shane threw hard, but ever since the Elite 11 in Dallas, he has improved significantly on his touch passes.  This is a great sign with the national Elite 11 competiton coming at the end of the summer in Los Angeles.

David Dawson
Yet again Mr. Dawson shows up and dominates at camp.  Easily the best offensive lineman on site and he showed why.  He did get beat a few times, but he was spectacular for the most part.  On the outside is where he got beat when he did but when the coaches moved him inside to guard, which is where he is expected to play in college, he won the matchups with ease.  His technique was top notch, displaying great footwork and hand placement. 


Logan Tuley-Tillman
Logan seemed to play well, but definitely not as well as Dawson.  He weighed in at 315 so he's dropped some weight, but still needing to lose a bit more.  Still has plenty of time before he arrives in Ann Arbor so he will without a doubt have time to get into better college shape.  He got beat a few times in drills but Coach Funk was on site to help him out with footwork and technique.  Logan will most likely play tackle at Michigan because of his size and it's definitely exciting to imagine Dawson and Logan playing alongside one another.

Jourdan Lewis
Jourdan's stock has began to rise with his recent dominance in camps.  He has been playing very well on both sides of the ball, but the coaches have let him know he will play CB at Michigan.  Lewis is 5'11" and has very good recovery speed.  He also has phenomenal ball skills, which is what helps him to excel at WR.  There's nothing wrong with a great two-way player, but I definitely think he's better on the defensive side of the ball and that's where we should all look to see him in Ann Arbor.

Khalid Hill
Khalid is rated as a 3* across the board, but is one of the lower rated players in Michigan's 2013 recruiting class.  Khalid has good size and good skills when it comes to going up and getting the ball.  As he showed at camp, he runs good routes and uses his body very well when it comes to going after the football.  As he continues to play well in camps he may move up the rankings and get some more love from the scouting services.  I'm not sure if he'll become a 4* by time he gets on campus, but he could be a decent pick-up for Michigan.

Csont'e York
C'sonte showed up late, so he didn't get a ton of time at the camp.  When he did play he showed why he is largely considered the most underrated recruit in Michigan's class.

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The biggest story coming out of the day to me was 2014 Cass Tech WR/CB Damon Webb who received an Michigan offer.  A couple weeks ago, he literally shut down touted 2013 WR Laquon Treadwell (who Michigan is recruiting hard).  Now, I know Damon is very young and is just finishing up sophomore year, but he does go to Cass Tech and we know the quality of player that comes out of that school.  Along with that, the school is essentially a Michigan pipeline.  He's got great size, athletic ability and good speed.

Can't forget about 2015 Cass Tech QB Jayru Campbell.  Kid is very good and already has some offers, but most notably received an offer from Alabama after his performance at the camp.  Another Cass Tech player, Jayru did throw 3 interceptions, but all were off of drops so can't really blame him for those.  He has been blowing up as of late and Michigan hasn't offered yet, but I expect they will very soon.  At only finishing up freshmen year some argue its way too early to evaluate a kid and extend an offer but he is very good.  He's definitely not the prototypical pocket passer and we know Michigan is looking to go back into the more pro style of offense so we will see how that plays into his recruitment.  Jayru is very good and you should all get to know him because he will only improve as time comes.

Not only were the players there, but as I mentioned, all of the coaches.  Brady Hoke got to speak to campers as well as evaluate top prospects, targets, and commits.  Pretty neat to see the coaches get to be at the camp and with the recent restrictions on basketball recruiting being lifted as far as texting recruits 24/7, I think that football will begin to follow suit.

It was definitely a great showing at this camp from Michigan commits and prospects.  The coaches extending an offer to Damon Webb shows a lot about him and how good he could be in the future.  I'll be trying to get in contact with Damon to talk about his offer and where Michigan stands with him.  Be sure to keep track on all of these prospects and pay attention to the Elite 11 next month to see how good Shane Morris performs.

Updated ESPN150, Michigan Continues to Dominate

The Wolverines continue to dominate the 2013 recruiting class with players like Shane Morris, David Dawson, and Logan Tuley-Tillman. Michigan has 11 commits in the newest updated ESPN150 list, and now we break them down.

32. Shane Morris (QB)
It's no surprise that Shane Morris is still the top 2013 recruit for the Wolverines. As the first big-time recruit at QB for Brady Hoke, Morris has already made a loud name for himself by winning MVP honors at the Columbus Elite 11 camp. Everyone is very excited to get this kid on campus, and it's easy to see why.

At 6'3", 190 pounds, Shane Morris is primarily a pocket passer, although he has shown the ability to move around in the pocket if need be. Most analysts refer to Morris as having the strongest arm in his class. The only major concern I can see at this point is accuracy. Through the Elite 11 process, Morris has shown streaks of brilliance in delivering the ball on a string, but he needs to work on making that a consistent outcome. He has the arm strength to put the ball just about wherever he wants it.

Other Notable Offers: Alabama, Cincinnati, Michigan State.

Michigan Scores Big In New Rivals Rankings

Alright everybody, first thing's first, I gotta apologize for my "non-existence" as of late. The Navy is crazy demanding and I've been tied up with handling business as far as that goes.  But I'm back and I know I'm late to the party, but as many of you may know the updated Rivals 250 is out! Michigan debuts at #1 in the team rankings for the 2013 recruiting class. But where do the "experts" have our commits at? Well I'll tell you and then I'll let you know what I think about it.

At the tops of the list for Michigan commits is QB Shane Morris at #22. He actually moved down, which confused me.  Max Browne is the only QB commit ranked ahead of him.  I've seen highlight tape from Browne and Morris and I gotta be honest, Shane has a better arm and is more athletic. Now, some could say I'm biased because Shane is commited to Michigan and Browne to USC, but there is a clear difference in the tape. If you watched it, you would feel the same way.  Shane is ranked as a 4 star right now and close to a 5 star (according to Rivals) but in my eyes say he's a 5 star.  This is a recruit that fans should be familiar with and if not, they need to get familiar with him before he arrives on campus.

Next on the list is LB Mike McCray coming in at #55.  Mike is one of many commits that Coach Hoke and co. have "poched" out of ohio haha.  At 6'4" and 230 pounds he will be a beast at LB, and him coming in along with 2012 LB commits he goes along way towards improving a much improved defense from 2011.  Mike was recently in the news when he received an offer from rival "Ohio."  As many of us know, Mike is very close with fellow commit Logan Tulley-Tillman.  We all know about LTT haha.  Some speculated that the Buckeyes were trying to break them up but Mike reassured us all that he is firmly commited to Michigan.  He is ranked as a 4 star as well.  He won MVP honors at the NFTC camp earlier this summer and I believe is very close to a 5 star talent.  Let's see if the experts agree with me as the year goes on.

Chris Fox.  Right behind McCray coming in at #57.  Big time Offensive Tackle out of Colorado coming in at 6'6" 297 pounds.  Brady Hoke is a defensive line coach and we all know how much he believes in winning in the trenches.  Well, Mr. Fox is one of many commits between 2012 and 2013 that is going towards rebuilding the dominance that we are all accustom to Michigan having on the offensive line.  Chris is also a 4 star according to Rivals and is one of many reasons I am excited to see Michigan moving towards what used to be a smashmouth run it down your throat style of offense. I'm sure touted QB commit Shane Morris has no problem with the great talent coming in at offensive line.

#73 is Patrick Kugler.  Monster offensive tackle and son of Pittsburgh Steelers offensive line coach Sean Kugler he defintely knows what he's doing playing offensive line.  Patrick is a 4 star according to Rivals and comes in at 6'5" 280 pounds.  The experts all say he has a mean streak but also is very technically sound.  Well why wouldn't he be his father is the line coach for the Steelers and let's face it for many years they have been the blueprint for how to play line in the NFL.  The amazing technique would be enough for me but when you throw in the fact that he has a mean streak oh man just makes it that much better.  I love the offensive line haul and Kugler just makes it that much better.

Kyle Bosch comes in at #77.  You guessed it he's another awesome offensive line commit for Michigan.  He adds to the plethera of linemen commits for Brady Hoke at 6'5" 285 pounds he's another big guy on this line.  I'm not saying the offensive line has been horrible but definitely been a bit undersized and Kyle helps add to the bulking up of the line and getting back to Michigan football.  Kyle is a 4-star according to Rivals and is another reason why Michigan debuts with the #1 recruiting class for 2013.  I love me some smashmouth in your face football and I am excited to see Kyle in maize and blue.

Dymonte Thomas at #95.  Now he is also a 4-star and he along with Shane Morris is really the foundation for this amazing class.  He and Shane are the first two commits and don't get me wrong I love Morris but Dymonte is my favorite commit in this class.  Personally I love a badass ball hawking safety that makes plays and will flat lay you out.  Dymonte has put in pretty decent work at RB but he really excels at safety.  At 6'1" 175 pounds he's got good size and with the improvement of the secondary from a year go Dymonte will fight right in when he arrives on campus.  He's ranked 9th at the position but to me he is underrated.  He along with many other Michigan commits will show why. 

TE Jake Butt is ranked #118.  I was real excited when Jaked pledged his commitment.  With Kevin Koger leaving we could definitely use another great TE.  These guys are safety blankets for QB's and are great weapons in the red zone.  Jakie is a 4-star and at 6'6" 230 pounds he will be exactly what I said he is going to be and that's a weapon in the red zone.  He can go up and get the ball, also has great speed and hands.  He is incredibly tough to matchup with for defenders because let's face it at 6'6" he's too tall for corners or safeties and he's too quick for linebackers.  I love this kid's game and he is going to prosper very well being on the opposite end of Shane Morris' passes.

CB Jourdan Lewis comes in at #147.  Jourdan has been blowing up lately with his performances at summer camps.  One of many reasons is his speed.  This kid can flat out fly and I love it.   Jourdan is out of Michigan pipeline Detroit Cass Tech and we all know the type of talent that comes out of there.  He's 5'11" and 170 pounds also rated at a 4-star.  He's rated 10th at his position and I believe he could be a Blake Countess type of talent.  Let's face it he's still got his senior year to develop before he even steps on campus.  I'm very excited for another cornberback with good size and speed to arrive in Ann Arbor.

Monster Guard David Dawson is rated at #171.  As David's twitter name is at MrUnderrated, it definitely fits because let's face it...171?  That's insane in my opinion.  He has dominated every camp that he has been to this summer.  He's rated as a 4-star and is another great product of Detroit Cass Tech.  At 6'5" and 305 pounds he's a beast on the line and literally manhandles defensive linemen.  At the NFTC he won MVP honors and dominated everyone he went up against including touted Ohio commit Billy Price.  Mr. Dawson has made quite the commotion on twitter but let's face it this kid has been through alot and I believe has handled himself very well.  Some people have had him on "decommit watch" but I certainly was not one of them.  He has said on many occasions that he is a Michigan man and I believe him.  Great kid and great talent and another amazing addition to a great offensive line.

Taco Charlton is ranked #175.  Along with Mr. Dawson I believe Taco is underrated.  He has been camping alot this summer and everyone raves about his superior speed off the edge and for good reason.  He has been unblockable in one-on-one drills.  He's another ohio guy and at 6'6" 240 pounds, rated as a 4-star he's a speedy defensive end and has amazing speed off the edge.  Guys seem to have a lot of trouble with his speed.  It's been a while since Michigan has had an "elite" pass rusher and I believe Taco may be it.  Rivals has him rated 8th at his position but let's face it, Taco is a great player and will only continue to improve this summer and in his senior year of high school before coming to Ann Arbor.

#182 is versatile player Wyatt Shallman.  Playing DE and RB for Detroit Catholic Central this kid is a monster.   He's rated 8th at his position but at 6'3" 255 pounds have fun tackling him.  Wyatt is a 4-star and is a freakish athlete.  Being able to play both sides of the ball is very important to me.  For one, it shows that he has great endurance and durability, but also has great football smarts having to be knowledgeable in two positions.  Playing RB and DE I believe helps him at both positions.  I'm excited for Wyatt's arrival at Michigan and as good as he is now, he will only be better next year.

#235 Logan Tuley-Tillman and at 6'7" 321 pounds we don't really need to talk about Logan's physical attributes.  I think he's gotten a low rating because of not so good performances at camps this summer, but he has had a bum left shoulder, which has definitely taken its toll on him.  However, I like the fact that he still goes out there and competes and still does a pretty good job, even if he's not 100%.  He's a 4-star and ranked 24th at his position according to Rivals.  If you don't know about Logan on the field, I'm sure many of you do off the field.  There has been a lot of media uproar over his picture on twitter of lighting the Ohio recruiting letter on fire.  Personally, I love what he did, being a Michigan fan myself.  This is the greatest rivalry in sports and he's just adding to it.  He didn't do anything wrong and I think the way many Ohio fans are reacting to him and the things they are saying to him are way inappropriate and uncalled for. Keep doing your thing Logan.  When he gets back to being 100% I belive he will dominate camps and improve on his low ranking.

At #237 is Ben Gedeon.  4-star LB out of you guessed it, Ohio.  Another amazing pick up for Brady Hoke Ben is 6'3" 215 pounds and is another two way player.  Is a pretty darn good RB but Michigan has definitely brought him in for his great skills at LB.  Along with Mike McCray Ben is a great prospect at linebacker and will do wonders for revamping this always improving Michigan defense.

Alright so there's all the Michigan commits in the newly updated Rivals 250.  In my "expert" opinion haha, Michigan has a lot of underrated recruits.  Outsiders looking in could say, oh you're just biased because you love Michigan.  You're right I do love Michigan, but I'm not biased.  Check the tape people.  Michigan has the #1 recruiting class in the nation for a reason.  I definitely think there are people missing such as Deveon Smith the #1 rated running back in Ohio...where is he at?  I would take Morris over Max Browne any day of the week and he even qualified for the Elite 11 finals before Browne did, yet Morris is still rated lower. C'mon man!  Michigan commits have always received low rankings especially on the expert sites.  David Dawson holds offers from every major program in the country  yet he's rated #171.  Something is up.  I'm not questioning the knowledge of the guys at Rivals, but I definitely think the Michigan commits' standings will be changing over the summer and the following year.  Even with the disrespect they are still the #1 class in the country right now and should be for a long time.

Devin Gardner And The Battle For The #12 Jersey

In a flurry of jersey announcements over the past few days, the look of the team has changed quite a bit for fans.  Most of the players will be the same, but their look and legacies will look a little differently for the future.  The biggest announcement, Roy Roundtree being awarded with the #21 Legacy jersey, is pretty significant, but the one that is perhaps the most interesting is the change of Devin Gardner's jersey number.

Gardner, Michigan's backup quarterback since before the 2010 season, has been known to fans by his spectacular talents and by his famed #7 jersey.  He wore the number in high school and continued that tradition when he arrived on campus in the Spring Game in 2010.  The jersey had been worn by many famed Michigan athletes, but was probably best known as of late for being the jersey of Michigan's starting quarterback from 2004-2007, Chad Henne.  Henne holds Michigan's school records for passes completed, passing yards, and passing touchdowns and was only one of three true freshman quarterbacks to start his first game on campus.

Gardner seemed to fit in well with the #7 jersey of Henne.  He was an incoming 5* quarterback recruit and seemed destined for great success under center.  However, with recent news that he's moving to #12, there has been a lot of debate regarding the move and Gardner's future role with the team.  Is this a sign of the position change that has received much speculation?  Is Gardner officially becoming a wide receiver?  Along with this, wasn't Michigan's 2013 quarterback recruit Shane Morris promised the #12 jersey when he arrived on campus?  He, after all, wants the jersey because of his deep admiration of Tom Brady and because like Gardner, he wore the jersey in high school.

Do I think this is a sign of something much deeper?  Not really.  Jersey changes happen all the time and this is no different.  Although it is uncommon to change a player's number of Gardner's age and fame within the program, it's not anything shocking.  Roy Roundtree's number change was obviously something that was significant from its special place in Michigan football history, but it, like Gardner's change, doesn't symbolize long-term change for Michigan.

I do think there could be a possiblity of some future move to add a Legends patch to the #7 jersey for Henne, but that's not something that's going to occur anytime soon.  They have a lot more jerseys to address before they get around to guys like Henne, although his Michigan career was incredible.  I point this out because there may be a desire to make sure the jersey is only worn by quarterbacks.  If Gardner is splitting time next season between quarterback and wide receiver or only playing wide receiver, this may be viewed as something that could tarnish the jersey's legacy in the future.  This is definitely a possibility, but I don't think it's that likely.

So, if this wasn't the reason, why would the coaching staff give Gardner the #12, when Shane Morris seemed to have been promised the jersey?  Well, first, Morris isn't even on campus until fall of 2013.  The team doesn't need to be bending over backwards to be pleasing a high school recruit.  They need to be doing what's best for Team 133, not Teams 134 or 135.  Plus, Gardner would have more seniority even if Morris was on campus.  It's just not something that makes sense.

Overall, these frequent jersey changes are a bit surprising, but I really don't see them as that significant in the grand scheme of things.  It will be fun to see all the changes this fall, but for all we know, it could just be a random whim of Gardner to get #12.  Maybe Roundtree asked him to wear it because he was changing jerseys, or Gardner wanted to 'freshen' things up.  Something like this seems a lot more believable than a massive athletic department overhaul.  Either way, fans don't need to panic about a non-traditional number changing.  I'd focus more on the team's chances next year than a random jersey switch.

Commit #18 WR Csont'e York

Photo Credit: 247 Sports

A day after his visit to Michigan and receiving a scholarship offer, WR Csont'e York out of Chandler Park, MI pledged his commitment to the University of Michigan. He's a tall kid with 247 rating him at 6'3, with great size at 190 pounds. Runs a 4.58 in the 40, so not crazy elite speed, but as he showed in the NFTC last weekend, he can break away from defensive backs. Word is that he was a Michigan State fan, wanted to go to Michigan State but the coaches wowed him and changed his mind. I love it!

York is the 18th commit in this amazing 2013 recruiting class and the second receiver in this class along with Jaron Dukes. I like that the coaches continue to add great weapons for Shane Morris. I have to think they are going to add at least one more receiver in the class, which will probably be Laquon Treadwell. The offense with these weapons is shaping up to be something special in the future. All the major reporters say that York has an amazing ability to catch the ball away from the body with his hands, which is such a great habit. Love a guy that will go out there and get the ball. He's already built up some chemsitry with Shane Morris and I think that will continue to grow with their continued contact and as they keep going to camps in the offseason.

I'm particulary a big fan of his because he didn't wait long to pull the trigger with his commitment. He made the visit with his high school football coach, the Michigan coaches offered him, and then the next day he commits. I'm a huge fan of this. He knew what he wanted, so he made the decision. Sure, he grew up a Sparty fan, but he is now a Michigan Man. If you haven't seen his highlight tape I've added it here so you can see what type of weapon we are getting. He is rated as a 3* on most boards, but I believe as he continues to perform well at summer camps his stock will continue to rise, as well as his offer sheet so I'm glad that Michigan got him now. Going to be great in the future and a welcome addition to this group of young receivers. Welcome to Michigan, Csont'e and can't wait to see you in the Big House.

Michigan's 2013 Recruiting Class Ranked #1 In The Nation

Photo Credit: iSports

Everybody had been wondering where Michigan's 2013 recruiting class would be ranked when the first set of rankings were released.  Well, Michigan fans got what they wanted.  Two of the four recruiting sites have ranked Michigan's 2013 recruiting class as #1 in the nation.  Scout released their rankings today and had Michigan slotted #1 and closely followed by Texas.  Texas has a great class so far with 14 verbal commitments and 11 of those commits being ranked as a 4* or higher.  The other recruiting service that has released team rankings so far, 247sports, also has Michigan ranked above Texas for the #1 spot in the country.  247 have Texas with a higher average score than Michigan, but because Michigan has already secured 17 verbal commitments, 247 has put Michigan as #1 in the country.

These type of rankings can be very exciting for fans, but it's important to keep it in perspective.  Being ranked as the #1 recruiting class, or extremely high for that matter, doesn't guarantee any on-field results.  It surely builds momentum for the program and increases their odds for winning later on, but teams like Notre Dame and USC have been ranked very high in the rankings for the last 5 or so years and haven't been able to accomplish much.  Obviously, USC has had some unusual circumstances, but that's the reality of college football.  You may do all the right things on the recruiting trail, but it's not going to guarantee success in the long run.

Having said that, this is still a pretty big accomplishment for Michigan.  Obviously, the recruiting classes are not wrapped up and there is a long way to go before the final rankings are released, but this shows the great start Michigan has gotten this year.  With Michigan's 17 commits, it's estimated by most that Michigan will be looking to take 5-7 more recruits in this class.  With Michigan in position to land some big-time recruits like Ty Isaac and Henry Poggi, I don't think there's any doubt that Michigan will finish near the top, if not #1 for the 2013 class.  Especially with some big performances from some of Michigan's recruits like Shane Morris and those invited to the competition in Columbus last weekend.

I bring up last weekend's events because they're just a hint of what this class could become over the next few months.  A lot of players have been underrated and will likely be moved up on the recruiting boards in the near future.  For instance, there's a ton of speculation that Shane Morris, Dymonte Thomas, Chris Fox, and David Dawson could move up to receive 5* status by time the class is finished.  Since many recruiting sites don't give out a lot of 5* ratings until the end of the recruiting year, there are still some recruits on Michigan's roster that could be moved up.

Obviously, some players in Texas or other school's classes could move up as well, but if you look at the number of 5* rankings sites like Rivals and Scout handed out last year and where players like Shane Morris are slotted, I would be very surprised if they didn't move up.  This won't do much to change the quality of the player Michigan will actually be getting on campus, but it does help Michigan in trying to secure the #1 class for 2013.  Like I said, being ranked #1 doesn't guarantee anything on the field, but it does give a lot of momentum to the program and may attractive other potential recruits, which could make the 2013 or 2014 classes even stronger.  With these kind of developments, there's not a lot of doubt that this could be a historic class for the Wolverines.

Michigan Commit Shane Morris Wins Elite 11 MVP

Photo Credit: ESPN

I'm sure by now, if not everybody, most Michigan fans have heard of the Elite 11 competition. Former NFL quarterback Trent Dilfer heads it up, and they go around the country holding camps for the nation's most elite high school quarterback prospects. If a prospect wins their region, they get a chance to go to Los Angeles and compete in the national "Elite 11" competition.  There have been 6 finalists already, and they were looking for number 7 in Columbus on Friday. Well, ladies and gentlemen, they found him, in Michigan commit Shane Morris.

Now, this was no easy go for Shane. He recently competed in the Dallas regional and didn't get the invite. The coaches gave him things they wanted to see him improve on, so he worked hard, made the adjustments and has now earned his spot to the finals. Now when I say elite high school qb prospects, I'm not joking around. Some of the kids he beat out to get MVP were Malik Zaire, who is commited to Notre Dame, Ryan Burns, who is commited to Stanford, Max Staver, Luke DelRio, and Danny Etling who is commited to Purdue. These guys competed with Shane in the "pressure cooker" which is the final test that the coaches put the competitors through. Basically, if you miss a throw, you don't make the cut. Well Shane didn't miss a beat, showing that he's clutch at nailing all the throws and earned himself the MVP honors and the invitation to the finals.

Shane is going to be very hard to beat and I definitely see him being chosen to be one of the Elite 11 when it's all said and done. He's already a Michigan man and is going to be great once he gets to Ann Arbor. If you know somebody that doesn't know who he is, make sure they get to know him because, I for one, am pumped for Team 134 to get to A2 with Shane. Be sure to follow the Elite 11 in its further rounds.  Especially because the LA competition will be broadcast on national television.  I wish him luck and hope he continues to get better, prove naysayers wrong, and beat out all the competition this summer and this upcoming football season. 

On a side-note, since I wasn't actually there, I had to use a few other services for help.  If you want to check out more details about the competition, click here or here or here.

Four Michigan Commits Get Invite To "The Opening"

Photo Credit: Nike

Aside from the Elite 11, there was also the NFTC on Saturday, and if you got picked, you earned a spot in the Opening. Michigan was well represented here with 4 getting an invite to "The Opening" later on: Shane Morris, David Dawson, Mike McCray, and Taco Charlton all took part in the events. However, Logan Tulley-Tillman, and Khalid Hill also made the trip to the event.

This was a loaded camp, and all 7 spots to the finals in Oregon were given to Michigan and Ohio commits. 4 to Michigan, 3 to Ohio. David Dawson took home OL MVP Honors, literally dominating all the opposition, including getting the best of touted Ohio commit Billy Price according to TomVH's reports.  There's a reason this kid is the #1 OG in the country and is still being heavily recruited. While some people worry, I think he's going to stay committed here.. David is all Michigan and he's going to be huge for the offensive line along with big man LTT. While Tillman didn't get an invite, he definitely showed his strength and why he's going to be the anchor for the Michigan offensive line. Leading the offense to winning all of the tug of war drills, he showed his size and strength are going to be something difficult for defenders to deal with in the future.

Photo Credit: MGoBlog

Mike McCray definitely balled out as well, taking home Linebacker MVP honors. He showed his great athleticism and versatility, beating out some very stiff competition and earning an invite to the opening as well. Linebacker was a definite need for the coaches looking at the 2013 class and McCray is definitely one of the guys that was big in filling that need. Taco Charlton also got an invite, just bull rushing offensive linemen and everyone knows about his speed off the edge as always giving linemen fits. To me Taco is an elite passrusher and is going to be great at the next level getting in the backfield. Michigan has always been known for having great defense, these two guys definitely fit right in with that tradition and I'm excited to see them in maize and blue.

Coming off his Elite 11 MVP, Shane Morris was also here competing. While he didnt take away MVP honors at QB, he still performed and earned an invite to the Opening. I've said it before and I'll say it again, he's listed the #4 pocket passer on ESPN, but I definitely think that's going to change very soon. He's just going to keep proving people wrong and we will all see his ranking go up. TE Khalid Hill was also there today. To me he's underrated as well, (really all of Michigan's commits are in my opinion). While Khalid didn't earn an invite, he still performed well against some tough competition. Khalid is only rated a 3-Star on ESPN and I definitely think as he keeps on improving he's going to get the love that he deserves from all the experts and we will all see him go up. With the departure of Kevin Koger I like that we have a TE in Hill.  He will be a great addition to this offense in the future.

While all of the guys didn't get invites they did great and if people don't know about these future Michigan men, they better get to know them.  Team 134 is no joke and as this class closes, I believe it will remain the #1 recruiting class in the nation. All of these guys are elite prospects and will do great things for Michigan at the next level. It's a great sign that the class is so talented at the regional and national levels, is staying so close, and developing together.  Many recruiting classes don't unite until they arrive on campus in the fall for their freshmen year.  However, this class is different and is one of the main reasons why they should be a class to remember for Michigan fans.  For more details on the camp that I described above, check out ESPN.

Catching Up With Michael Hutchings

Hutchings was a great interview. He seems wise beyond his years and is just taking the recruiting process as it comes. Although there’s been rumors out there that he’s another SC lock, he seems pretty open at the moment. Anything can change though, and quickly.

In case you don’t know, Hutchings is a beast. Rivals ranks the 4* outside linebacker from Concordia, CA as the 4th best at his position and 17th in the nation, a clear candidate for a 5th star. He stands 6’2” and 210 pounds and holds offers from schools like Michigan, Cal, Miami (FL), Nebraska, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Oregon, and USC. He has plenty to choose from...

Learn about him here. 

Me: What is the general aura regarding how California prospects view the Midwest?

Michael: There isn’t one common thought for all of us, I just feel like it’s tough to pull a kid from out of California if they have a Stanford or USC offer because they are both going atop the BCS rankings each year and it’s right in our backyard. The Midwest is cold and deserted to us. There's nothing there.

Me: What about schools like Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State, and Wisconsin?

Michael: Those are all schools that will receive an official visit from a California kid and a top recruit because of the history of each. You have to give them a look for that reason. 

Me: I know that you’ve heard about Joe Mathis's visit to Michigan, and how much he loved it. Does that make you want to think about possibly coming for a visit yourself, to see what the commotion is about?

Michael: Yeah, it definitely draws some interest and makes me want to see what’s going on. The amount of commits Michigan gets immediately after a visit is incredible. 

Me: Have any Michigan commits approached you about Michigan? What do you think about that?

Michael: I've talked to Shane [Morris], but that's about it. He just said that Michigan can sell itself.

Me: What do you think are you biggest strengths as an athlete? Weaknesses?

Michael: My biggest strength would be my versatility; I can play a few different positions on defense. My weakness would be my size at linebacker...I’m a tweener. 

Me: Are you still enjoying the recruiting process or are you kind of over it?

Michael: I’m over it now. It started out as fun, but now it’s getting a little irritating. 

Me: Do you have a top-5?

Michael: I do not have a top-5, I don’t know why that was going around. Reporters switched my words up.

Me: When do you plan on deciding?

Me: Hopefully deciding in the summer. 

Catching Up With David Dawson

247 Sports

In addition to Dawson’s elite offers (Alabama, Arkansas, Florida State) from the first time I interviewed him back in February, he has added offers from Florida and USC. Don’t be surprised if the offers keep piling up, as Dawson’s stock continues to rise. But the good news is we have nothing to worry about, as you’ll see below, David tells me he is a true Michigan Man. 

Me: So it’s been a while since our last interview. Since then, you’ve gotten a 4th star on Scout, you’ve been ranked 92nd in the nation according to the ESPN150, and you’ve gotten a bunch of big-time offers. How does that make you feel?

David: It makes me feel great! Everything that I put in, blood, sweat, and tears for is somewhat here [now]. But I’m not finished!

Me: You weren’t the only offensive lineman who was ranked in the ESPN150. All five of Michigan’s o-line commits made the list. How crazy is that?

David: It’s not crazy at all! It shows that we are gonna bring that hard-nosed offensive line back to Ann Arbor. It shows that we are all really good and [it shows] what we do and that we are all hard workers. 

Me: Shane Morris is a lucky man, isn’t he?

David: [Laughing] Yeah, better treat us right.

Me: Is it frustrating receiving new offers and phone calls from coaches or is it still fun? Have you ever thought about wavering in your commitment to Michigan?

David: It’s still fun and I’m not wavering at all. 

Me: I hear that USC is on you pretty hard. Wolverine Nation has nothing to worry about, do they?

David: [Laughing] They don’t. 

Me: What is one thing you think you still need to work on before you get to Michigan?

David: I just wanna get stronger. Other than that, I don’t know. 

Me: Are there any prospects you’re working on to get to join you on Team 134?

David: Oh, yeah...Kenton Gibbs when they offer, Ty Isaac, Laquon Treadwell, and Eldridge Massington.

Me: It’s pretty clear to see how Team 134 is so close-knit. Do you like that you’re able to keep in touch with your future teammates like that?

David: Yeah, it’s gonna help us when we get [to Michigan]. I mean, we all already have that brotherly relationship. I found that out when my father passed away and everybody either tweeted or text me...even today JD [Jourdan Lewis] forced me to hug him [laughs].

Me: Any last words?

David: Just know I’m a Michigan Man. I’m coming for [a starting] spot when I step foot in Ann Arbor and I’m ready to win these national championships! GO BLUE!

Devin Gardner...The Wide Receiver?

Right now, speculation is running wild that Al Borges and Brady Hoke are moving long-time Michigan backup quarterback Devin Gardner to wide receiver.  I admit, when I first heard the news I was a bit surprised.  However, upon further analysis, this may actually be a great fit for Gardner and Michigan.  With current projections, depth, and recruits, there are going to be a few spots where Michigan's roster is relatively weak.  The coaching staff seems aware of this problem and Gardner may be the solution.  Much of this shortage is likely due to Darryl Stonum's departure from the team, but either way the coaching staff has to address it for this team to be relevant.

First things first, fans need to realize that this isn't a permanent move.  Nobody on the coaching staff has even hinted that Gardner will not be playing quarterback in the future.  Having said that, it doesn't mean that their minds won't change and that Gardner won't "settle" as a wide receiver on the team.  For all we know, Gardner may turn out to be one of the elite wide receivers on the team or in the conference. I'm not saying he's going to be that guy, or at least not yet, but there is a chance that this move could eventually become permanent.  My gut feeling is that he will "split" time at quarterback and wide receiver.

He's already familiar with the system and has been given several years to "mature" as a college quarterback.  There have been a lot of concerns that he hasn't progressed enough, but there's no doubt that a player should have progressed through two full seasons and three years of spring camp.  At this point, he may not quite be ready to take over for All-Big Ten quarterback Denard Robinson, but I see no reason to believe that he wouldn't at least be manageable in a game scenario.

Working off that assumption, this move not only becomes obvious, but will probably become one of the best coaching decisions Borges and Hoke made over the off-season.  Let's be frank.  Michigan is returning some wide receivers that have had success in the past, but they certainly aren't as proven as guys like Hemingway or Stonum.  Along with that, there aren't very many of them.  The only wide receivers Michigan will be returning next season that fans probably feel comfortable with are Roy Roundtree and Jeremy Gallon.  Both receivers have proven themselves, but they are the only ones on the team with at least 10 receptions last season.

So, where does that leave us?  We have a great athlete that should be pretty experienced at quarterback and a severe lack of depth at wide receiver.  There's a simple solution to this problem and Borges hit it right on the head.  Take Devin Gardner and put him on the field as a wide receiver.  Sure, sitting behind Denard might make him slightly better as a quarterback, but there's no guarantee on that.  Why risk the potential for massive gains for the chance at slightly better play a few years from now?  Gardner would certainly never see the field as a quarterback this season (barring injury), so it makes no sense not to use him in this way.

Now, there is one down-side to this move that should be noted.  If Gardner becomes injured, he will obviously not be able to rotate in as quarterback for Denard.  He didn't have to do it a ton last year, but he did have to do it at times.  This would mean that redshirt freshman Russell Bellomy would have to come in to take Denard's place if he goes out with an injury.  This is obviously a concern.  Bellomy has been credited with developing pretty well, but he's never seen the field during real game-time and is an unknown.

Yes, there is a potential for a down-side, but I think the chance that both Gardner and Denard suffer injuries at the same time is pretty unlikely.  Along with this, Gardner is going to be giving Michigan a great advantage offensively that could take this team to the next level.  He's familiar with the system and losing practice time at quarterback is probably not going to hurt him very much.  Plus, like I said, Gardner may even end up being so good at wide receiver that he decides to stay at that position.  And with Shane Morris arriving next fall, the thought of Gardner moving to wide receiver isn't that frightening.

Obviously, this is a win-win situation for fans because it gives this year's team more potential and may work out best for Michigan in the long-run as well.  Only time will tell how this move works out, but I have high hopes for Gardner and Michigan at wide receiver next season.

March 10th Visitors

Remember, as always, this list can (and probably will) change. I'll update as fast as I can. 

3* WR Zach Bradshaw

Bradshaw is a 6’3” and 210-pound prospect who 247 ranks the 30th overall athlete in the nation. He holds offers from multiple Big Ten and ACC schools. Interestingly enough, Michigan State is not one of the Big Ten schools that offered Bradshaw. I say this is interesting because Bradshaw’s father attended Michigan State and Bradshaw, in turn, grew up a State fan. Bradshaw is taking his time visiting multiple schools. He is a big wide receiver, which is exactly the kind Michigan is looking for. He would be an ideal red zone target. A timeline for his decision has not been set, but Bradshaw says he is very interested in Michigan. 

3* CB Gareon Conley

Conley stands 6’2” and 170 pounds. I believe he fits the frame of the kind of cornerback we’re going after: tall. He holds offers from Michigan and Northwestern although I’m sure he’s going to be getting more offers soon. He is unranked on Rivals but a 3* on 247 Sports so we’ll see where he ends up in a few months. Scout recently came out with a list of the top 2013 prospects from Ohio and Conley ranks 16th, ahead of Jaron Dukes, Jacob Matuska, Kevin Gladney, Shane Jones, and Taco Charlton...just to name a few names you may be more familiar with. Impressive considering the talent coming out of Ohio this year. As a junior, Conley had 4 interceptions, 1 of which was returned for a touchdown. He also led the team with 9 pass break-ups. Tom Greene of Scout calls Conley “one of the top sleeper prospects in Ohio for the class of 2013.” Clearly, Hoke knows what he’s doing.

CB Jaleel Hytchye


Hytche is a late add, but he's a good cornerback from Cincinnati, OH. He stands 5'11" and 165 pounds. He does not hold an offer from Michigan (yet) and only has offers from Kent State, Kentucky, and Western Kentucky. His junior season, he had 3 tackles, 4 interceptions, 14 pass break-ups, and 1 forced fumble. 

4* RB Ty Isaac

Isaac is a name we’ve all heard. He’s Michigan’s #1 prospect at RB. Read all about him here. 

4* OL Colin McGovern

I’m surprised and excited about McGovern’s visit. Considering we already have 5 offensive line commits and the coaches have said they’re (most likely) only taking 5, it’s interesting that McGovern is visiting. He is a top talent though, and if he wanted to commit, the coaches would be hard-pressed to deny him. I’m going to go ahead and assume he has great interest in Michigan. McGovern is a 4* offensive tackle from New Lenox, IL who has offers from schools like Michigan, Alabama, Notre Dame, and Ohio State. He stands 6’7” and 280 pounds. It’s been said that McGovern is a very humble kid who has a good head on his shoulders. Just the kind of Michigan Man I assume Coach Hoke is looking for. If the coaching staff decides to take another offensive lineman, it will be either McGovern or Ethan Pocic. 




Commits that will be on campus:

5* QB Shane Morris

I really have nothing to say except Shane Morris. 

3* WR Jaron Dukes

Dukes, another UM commit, will also make his way to Ann Arbor this weekend. Read all about him here. 

We will also be hosting a 2014 (!) visitor, DE Dylan Roney. Our friend at Tremendous blog broke him down here. 

Looks like this could be another good weekend for Michigan.