San Diego State Post Game

John T. Greilick / The Detroit News

I didn't expect this game to be boring.  I thought it would be a back and forth battle between two high powered offenses.   It turned out one offense was high powered in the first half and the other struggled the entire game.  The Michigan defense played well, maybe their best game since the opening win against UConn a year ago. 

Their counterpart on offense was a bit confusing all day.  Just like everyone wanted, the Michigan offense started fast and scored a quick 14 points in the 1st quarter and added one more touchdown in the second.  A 21-0 halftime lead seemed comfortable to the fans and maybe even comfortable to the players as the Wolverines slept through most of the third quarter.  They lost that quarter to SDSU and didn't put the game away until they won the 4th quarter 7-0. 

So Michigan started fast and started to fade late but found enough to win the game comfortably.  I'm not sure I understand the game plan on Offense.  I agree that it would be nice if Denard doesn't carry the ball 21 times a game and that Michigan gets some yards out of the RB position.  But where the hell is the short passing game?   Where are the screens?  Where are short routes?   I understand Denard is struggling throwing the ball but Michigan can't just rely on him running the ball and beating teams.  A good defense will take Denard away and what does that leave us?  Right now not much. 

Maybe Big Al isn't showing us everything? Maybe he is keeping things tight for Big Ten play.  Either way it looked like Michigan ran the same 3 plays most of the second half.  Those plays should be called Denard Go, because this offense is him and not much else.  Michigan had a total of 413 yards on offense and Denard had 293 of them.

On the other side of the ball, I thought the Michigan defense played one of their best games in recent memory.  They continued to stop Lindley (253 yards) and Hillman (109 yards on 21 carries) when Michigan would turn the ball over and give the Aztecs great field position.   This type of effort will go a long way in winning conference games, which start next week with the Little Brown Jug game.

Cheers and Jeers

Cheers:

• Holding SDSU to 7 points after losing the turnover margin 3 to 2.
• Craig Roh and Mike Martin putting pressure on Lindley all day.
• Welcome Blake "The Count" Countess! He had a very nice game for a true freshman.

• Denard and his running ability
• I thought the entire DL played well

Jeers:

• One dimensional/person on offense
• Troy Woolfolk and his ankle, hand, and other injuries.
• The 3rd quarter
• Turnovers
• Missed field goal
• The Passing Game
• 2nd half play calling on offense

If you had told me, Michigan would lose the turnover battle against SDSU I might have thought we had lost the game.  Instead, Michigan gave up just 7 points and 376 net yards.   Which is a testament to either a SDSU offense that had an off day or an improved Michigan defense.   I think the answer is somewhere in the middle between the two.   

Michigan's turnovers were not pretty, I feel bad for Stephen Hopkins because his last two carries have been fumbles and I expect his new role will include being a blocking FB for the rest of the year.  Denard also made some poor decisions on his two interceptions and missed some wide open guys. 

So Michigan is sitting here at 4-0 with still lots of work to be done.  The key is to get better each week and I clearly see improvement from the defense, now can the offense make the leap to be more balanced?  The schedule will only will get tougher as Big 10 play starts next week and the Wolverines will eventually have to go on the road at some point.

Michigan Thursday: Thinks Kyle Turley has a Big Mouth

Everyone pretty much supported Brady Hoke's decision to take the Michigan job.  Why not, he went from making $700K a year to $2M and Michigan was clearly his dream job.    Win - win, right?

Ex-NFL player Kyle Turley doesn't think so, he has been very critical of Brady leaving his San Diego State program for Ann Arbor.  Of course, he continues to have that stance and opened his mouth again this week:

“I don’t care if it’s your dream job,” said Turley, who played in the NFL from 1998 to 2007. “If you’re worth your salt as a head coach, eventually you’ll get that same job. You don’t have to screw people over to get it.”

Turley said he thinks Hoke’s departure from SDSU was like a parent “running out on the family” or an “ex-wife” who one day leaves the house and doesn’t say why “until you hear from her lawyer the next day.”

So I guess Kyle would have stayed with an NFL team that was paying him a low salary instead of another team that would have paid him double that amount.  When that other team was the team he grew up cheering for.  I wouldn't recommend any of us make any business investments with Kyle in the near future.  

Here is Brady response (freep link):

“He’s a really good guy, he’s really passionate about San Diego State, and I had reached out to him early when I had taken the job there because I loved the way he played football,” Hoke said. “When you look at him as an offensive lineman, how he would finish and all those things. Kyle is passionate about his alma mater, which he should be. That doesn’t bother me one bit. He was passionate about the Aztecs when we were, and he’s still passionate. That doesn’t bother me.”It’s simply part of the excitement of college football.

“That’s a guy who’s passionate about his school,” Hoke said. “Everyone’s got an opinion, and he’s allowed to have his.”

Kyle of course hopes Brady eats crow this weekend as SDSU beats the Wolverines.  Kyle, be happy you have Steve Fisher and support your team in a positive way.  Stay Classy Big Guy!

• Happy Birthday Denard!

• Danny O'Brien is planning on announcing his college of choice on 10/6.  The rumor mill is saying Michigan or Tennessee.  I think he is Blue (close to home, been at Michigan more then any program, Michigan coaches are all about the Dline, best friend Matt Godin already heading to A2)

• Braxton Miller will start for Ohio this weekend against Colorado.

• Minnesota game is a noon kick on BTN (3 weeks in a row on BTN has to be a record for the Wolverines)

Wolverine Wednesday: How Come The Big Ten Isn't More Active?

Because, they like the stack of dollar bills they already have. 

The Big Ten likes its current position with the recent addition of Nebraska and the current revenue split.   If they added two more teams the pot of money gets smaller.   For Devil's Advocates sake lets take a look at a pair of teams that could be a nice fit:

The High Maintenance Couple:

Texas and Notre Dame:  These two are the prettiest girls at the party and they know it.  They each have their own TV contracts and want more money then the other schools if they agree to come to a conference.   These two are clearly big names but they come with way too much baggage and demands.   If they can't share, they won't get an invite.  That Longhorn network is already a mess and ESPN should shut it down.  ND says they would rather go to the ACC instead of the Big Ten, really?  Why?  ND is the girl friend you should never call again. 

Big 12 Raid:

Texas and Oklahoma:  We know the issues with Texas and Oklahoma doesn't have the academic record that the Big 10 is looking for.  But let's be honest, with MSU and OSU in the Big Ten, OK wouldn't be that much of an academic stretch.  The problem is OK travels with it's little brother OK State and there really isn't room for 3 and just the OK schools alone isn't really that attractive. 

Big East Raid:

I don't think any Big East schools make much sense for the Big Ten.  UConn and Rutgers Football Programs are too small.  Even though you would bring in the NY market, I'm not sure the risk is worth the reward for mostly a professional sports market.  You really don't relate NYC with college sports and I'm not sure the move to the Big Ten would make it a college football town.  It isn't a strong football recruiting area either.  They have a couple top prospects per year.    (Yuri Wright comes to mind)

The ACC has a $20M exit fee so strike that out. 

The latest news is the PAC 12 is staying at 12 (they don't want to over pay Texas either).  Missouri is knocking on the door of the SEC and asking to join the party.   WVU was already been rejected by the SEC and this weekend they have a chance to take it out on Les Miles and LSU.   So the net of this is, the Big Ten feels good at 12 teams and probably won't consider expanding unless Texas or ND call them and drop their revenue demands. 

----------

• SDSU might be the best team, Michigan has played so far this year this year.   This game on Saturday worries me.  Pat Forde is picking SDSU 28-27.

• One advantage that Michigan has on Saturday is not only Hoke and Staff coaching them last year but the noon kick off.  It's a fact in the NFL that West Coast Teams that travel East for 1:00 kick offs do not do well.  Having the noon kick off plays in Michigan's favor.  Let's hope SDSU is sleep walking for the first half and Michigan gets off to a quick start.

• Vincent Smith has earned the start at RB and I agree.  He seems fully healed from his ACL from the Ohio game his freshman year.

• I have real concerns with Will Heininger and Nathan Brink on the defensive line.  I'm not sure the walk on experiment is working.   Richard Ash must be struggling and we might see more of former offensive lineman Q. Washington or some rush linebackers.  I continue to give Craig Roh a pass due to his health.

• Oops!  If I can get a press pass, I guess this guy could sneak in.  Michigan pulled his.  (I hope I am still on the list :)

Eastern Michigan Post Game

John T. Greilick / The Detroit News

What did we learn?

There are a couple of reasons why you play an EMU early in the season.  Its good to get another check in the win column but you also hope to learn more about your team and your players.  So the question remains did we learn anything on Saturday about the 2011 Wolverines?

I think we did, here are my observations:

• Have you heard the saying, that you have to run to set up the pass?  Michigan needs to run the Spread to set up the Pro Style offense.  Al Borges seems to have one game plan in mind and then throws that out the window after two drives. 
• Hawthorne has locked down one of starting LB roles.  He has a nose for the ball and is pretty quick.
• Michigan still needs Cam Gordon to get better soon. Jake Ryan did some good things but I think that's Cam job when healthy.
• Raymon Taylor was the first freshman DB off the bench.  Which was a surprise.
• Michigan is feeling good about landing a RB in the 2012 class, why? Thomas Rawls got a few meaningless snaps.  Which would wipe out his redshirt unless he gets a mysterious back injury. 
• Both lines have improved but still have a long way to go.
• Al needs to give Denard some easy throws to start the game, he is so hyped up he is trying to throw the ball through a brick wall.
• Vincent Smith needs more touches at RB.

How is this team different then last year?  I'm not sure we are ready to answer that yet.  They seem fundamentally better on defense but still have a ways to go.  The slow starts concern me on both sides of the ball.  Defense I can understand but it seems Al Borges is trying to fit something into the offense that just isn't there.  I really need to see Michigan's WR's integrated better and some more creative running plays.  Sure you don't want to show a ton against The Eagles but I would like to see some more consistency out of the offensive unit.   Where is Roy Roundtree?  Not enough stuff to the TE's?  It seems to me, Denard is missing the open guy.

I have the same feeling I did last year.  It's good to be 3-0 but with too many question marks.  Look for Michigan to break the top 25 this week with a good SDSU team coming to town next week.   On Saturday we might have learned more about Michigan's rivals and the rest of the Big Ten, then we did about our own Wolverines.

Michigan Tuesday: Confidence = Good Defense

You can point to many successes in life in whether you are confident or not.  Think about some job interviews you have had.  The ones you were confident in you probably got an offer, the jobs you weren't quite sure about, you probably didn't do as well.   I have coached Little League Baseball for a number of years. The kids that go into the batters box knowing they are going to get a hit, usually do.   The ones that don't - don't.  A player in a slump just doesn't forget how to field or hit, the only thing they have lost is confidence.   The Michigan defense hasn't had confidence for the past 3 years.

That lack of confidence was evident during the first 3 drives of the ball game.  It was the same old story for the Michigan defense until Jake Ryan hit the Western QB and Brandon Herron took it to the house for a touchdown.  After that pick the game changed.

Sure some things changed like scheme and defensive personnel.  Greg Mattison also realized that Western wasn't going to even try to run the ball and started blitzing from all over the field.    Those things helped Michigan on Saturday but the big difference was confidence.   You could see it in effort and how the team started to stop Western on a regular basis.  Western came into the Big House having confidence they could move the ball on the Wolverines and it happened.   Michigan's Defense didn't have any confidence they could stop any offense and they didn't.   Then the game changed and so did the confidence on both sides.

Related to this topic is Brady Hoke and some of the chatter that he wasn't wearing a head set full time on the sideline.  Good leaders are confident leaders.  They also understand their own strengths and weaknesses. Brady is a defensive guy and respects Al Borgus decision making and lets him do his job.  Brady also has one of the best defensive minds in Greg Mattison and is confident he will make the right calls.   You can draw similar examples from the business world.  Bill Gates knew he was a technology guy not a company leader or a PR guy that would need to meet with the media and Wall Street.  Early on he hired Steve Ballmer to do that stuff while he focused on building products and future technology trends and vision.  That strategy helped Microsoft become one of the most successful companies in US history. 

Having the coordinators do their job is somewhat of a foreign concept to Michigan Football.  Go back to the Carr years, when Lloyd clearly had his hands on the conservative play calls on both sides of the ball.  Same with RR, he hired two defensive coordinators and didn't let either run the defense they knew best.  (we know Bo was very hands on every part of the program, but football was a different game back then)  I think a case could be made for the last 10 years or so that what Michigan Football really needed was a head man that just let his staff do what they do best.  I guess we will see what happens from here on out.    

Michigan Updates

• Woolfolk and Cam Gordon are expected to play against ND on Saturday.
• Special Teams is going to be a focus this week.
• Michigan won't change preparation for ND on their QB situation. 
• Fitz will continue to be the starting RB
• Focus on tighter coverage in zone and will have to do better in man coverage against the Floyd's of the world this week.
• Vegas has ND is favored by 3.5 points on Saturday right now

Recruiting Updates

• Terry Richardson was at the game on Saturday and has decided not to take anymore visits and will stick and stay with Michigan.
• This weekend will be one of the biggest recruiting weekends of the year for the 2012 and 2013 class.
• Does Michigan really have a legit shot at landing 5 star Center Mitch McGary?  He had a great visit to Michigan and the answer is YES!.  Michigan will have to fight it out with college basketball elite (Kentucky, Duke, NC, Florida and others) but Michigan has a very good chance to land this young man.    I think this would be Michigan's highest ranked recruit since Tractor Traylor.

Michigan Friday: Looks to Speed Up the Clock

It's all most here folks, Michigan Football.   It will be hard to wait for the 3:30 kick off, I know you tailgaters like the later start so you can kill a few more bud lights.  Traffic will be a killer so leave your house early. 

Some random thoughts and info for the weekend:

• Something  I forgot to mention in my preview:  WR's and Kick Returners: Catch the Damn Ball!

• Skip Holtz vs ND:  Don't sleep on South Florida.

• TomVH now of ESPN tweeted RB Greg Garmon is expected to visit this weekend and maybe for the ND game as well. Greg is the 15th ranked RB in the country to Scouts.

• Best Games of the Weekend is Boise State vs Georgia and (the game Michigan will play in next year) LSU vs Oregon in Dallas.

• Vegas is betting that Western will cover the spread against Michigan.

• Sione Houma is now a 3 star FB now on Rivals.  He got a 1 star bump up.

• 5 star basketball prospect Mitch McGary is visiting Ann Arbor this weekend.   Michigan is in his final group.   He will make his decision in about 2 weeks.  

• Here is my prediction for freshman to play on Saturday: Wile, Morgan, Countess and Brown. 

• Look for a couple of shots deep for Roy and Jr. on Saturday.

• Danny O'Brein has cut his list to 4 which includes: UM, Tenn, MSU, and Alabama.

Wolverine Wednesday: Recruiting and Team Position Updates

Two Michigan commits got two real honors on Tuesday.  Mr. Ondre Pipkins probably one of the most important recruits in the 2012 class was awarded with a Army All American invite on Tuesday.  It was one of his goals and he made it.  If Ondre matches his camp/summer performances on the field this fall, expect him to add a 5th star.

Speaking of 5 stars, Michigan already has one in the bank for 2013 with the verbal of QB Shane Morris.  Shane was given 5 stars from Scouts in their first 2013 ranking. 

The new Rivals 250 ranking is out and there has been some Michigan Verbals movement:

Kyle Kalis (22), Eric Magnuson (44), Ondre Pipkins (53), and Royce Jenkins-Stone (97), James Ross (158), Joe Bolden (184), and Terry Richardson (214).

Others to keep an eye on:  Stefon Diggs (8), Andrus Peat (18), Aziz Shittu (21), Zach Banner (38), Yuri Wright (51), Adolphus Washington (74), Bri'onte Dunn (141), Danny O'Brein (154), Dwayne Stanford (163), Jordan Payton (118),  Amara Darboh (211), Jordan Diamond (226), Darius Powe (246)


The Team, The Team, The Team............ 

Sometimes as a fan you wonder why guys play over other guys?  The back up could be a 4 star guy that runs a 4.4 but for some reason can't get on the field.   The reason is coaches look for commitment on and off the field.  Two guys that look like have put in the time in the off season and during fall camp are Mike Jones and Thomas Gordon.

Here a quote from Coach Mattison on MJ:  "He has consistently come out everyday trying to do what he's supposed to do. I got a feeling Mike Jones came from a program where he probably either blitzed all the time or played 'sic'em' football. Now all of a sudden he's getting coached every single second. Some guys can't do it. He is one that I've been really excited about. It looks like everyday he's looking to get better and he's listening. I see signs of him -- now you did it right, you stayed back, you didn't run past the hole -- that kind of thing. And hes' a sophomore, that's what should happen."

Thomas Gordon on why he is starting: 
What did you do to earn the start? "I think it's more outside of football, just being more dedicated to football and being a team player. Coming along as an individual off the field has really helped me on the field."

How hard did you work this summer? "This summer, (I worked hard) with the new weight staff and Coach Wellman. They're a really dedicated staff, and they put their work in with me and all the other players, and it helped me tremendously on the field as far as size and speed. I hope it transitions to the field, and I'm waiting to see what the effects are going to be during the season."

If you want to play at Michigan it doesn't matter if you are a 5 star guy or a walk on.  If you follow the model from TG and MJ above you are going to play in the Big House.

I don't know why the below picture made me laugh, but Al Borgus reminds me of that 6 grade gym teacher we all had that wore his shorts and sweatpants way too high.  This year is already a success if we have more pictures of Big AL!   Thanks to Rivals for the photo.

Michigan Tuesday: Game Week Thoughts and Some Recruiting Notes

There was a good discussion going on in yesterday's comments field regarding this Michigan team, which I agree with. 

So I wanted to share these thoughts with the larger audience.  

How will this team be different then last year?

Brady Hoke has a philosophy that if you play great during practice on Wednesday you will play great during the game on Saturday.  Camp has been physical and I expect practice to continue to be physical during the year.  The only way you prepare for a team like Nebraska is practice physical during the week.  From his PC yesterday:   I'm a big believer in that when you prepare and when you practice, you're going to play that way. So if we've got great intensity getting to the football (with the) eleven guys defensively, (or if) our wide receivers are sustaining blocks and harassing corners, we expect that to be done during practice. That's a demand that we have because I believe you have to play like you practice."

Expect to see a lot of players rotating on defense.  I expect to see 8 players rotate on the DL for example (Martin, Campbell, Roh, Black, Van Bergen, Washington, Brink and  Heininger).

Same with LB and Safety.   The two players I am looking forward to seeing is Marvin Robinson and hopefully Josh Furman. 

I have a feeling about Jake Ryan being a very good player.  I remember a few years ago in the Spring Game when it was clear Tate and Roundtree had something special and then we didn't see Roundtree until mid season.  I think Jake Ryan is one of those kids with great instincts for the ball.

Power Run Game?

I don't think we are going to see a ton of that this year.  I think we will see Denard under center and in the shot gut a lot.  Michigan just doesn't have the personnel to run a ton of power run plays. 

Can Denard be effective in this offense?

Yes and he can even be more effective.  The reason is last year he had running plays and passing plays.  He threw the ball during passing plays and ran during running plays.  This year he will mix scrambling during passing plays which will freeze the linebacker and open running lanes.  Also look for a ton of RB's and TE's running wide open.  Because if your a LB, who are you going to be watching the RB out the backfield or Denard?

The kicking game scares me does it scare you?
Yes it does.  The place kicking and punting scares me.  I hope they preform well against Western because we will need good performances out of both positions for ND.


Recruiting News:

• The common thought on the two players from Cincinnati Taft WR Stanford and DE Washington that the Michigan ship had sailed.   There was even a strong rumor that Washington had verballed to OSU last week, which turned out to be false.   Then comes this newspaper report that both have scheduled an official visit to Ann Arbor.   OSU is not on the list but it's only two hours away from them, so they can visit anytime. 

• Jordan Diamond's teammate committed to Arkansas yesterday.  There were reports that Jordan and his mom loved their visit, so this could be a team to watch.  I keep hearing whispers that the Michigan coaches might be cooling on Jordan.  So we will see what happens here.

• I know Darboh cancelled his visit for this weekends game but I suspect he shouldn't wait too long to visit or verbal with the likes of Powe and Payton coming in for the ND game.  There is very strong interest in 5 star WR Stefon Diggs in Michigan.  He has some academic issues he needs to clear up but if he does, Michigan would recruit him very hard.  Diggs is a former teammate of Blake Countess.

2 Deep for Western Michigan

MICHIGAN OFFICIAL TWO DEEP WMU GAME
OFFENSE                                         2nd Team         3rd Team
QB	D. Robinson	D. Gardner
RB	M. Shaw OR F. Toussaint	V. Smith	S. Hopkins
FB	J. McColgan	S. Watson
WR 1	J. Hemingway	K. Grady	J. Jackson
WR 2	R. Roundtree	J. Gallon	M. Odoms
TE	K. Koger	B. Moore	S. Watson
LT	T. Lewan	M. Schofield
LG	R. Barnum	E. Mealer
C	D. Molk	R. Khoury
RG	P. Omameh	E. Mealer
RT	M. Huyge	M. Schofield
DEFENSE
SDE	W. Heininger	N. Brink
NT	M. Martin	W. Campbell
DT	R. Van Bergen	Q. Washington
WDE	C. Roh	J. Black	F. Clark
MLB	K. Demens	J.B. Fitzgerald	M. Evans
WLB	M. Jones	B. Herron	B. Hawthorne, D. Morgan
SLB	C. Gordon	J. Ryan	B. Beyer
SS	T. Gordon	C. Johnson	J. Furman
FS	J. Kovacs	M. Robinson
CB1	T. Woolfolk	B. Countess	G. Brown
CB2	C. Avery OR JT Floyd	T. Anderson
SPECIAL TEAMS
P	M. Wile OR S. Broekhuizen
K	B. Gibbons OR M. Wile
PR	J. Hemingway OR D. Dileo OR J. Gallon OR M. Odoms
KR	J. Gallon	K. Grady	V. Smith

HT to Mgoblog

Not a ton of surprises, here is what sticks out to me:

• Big Will is backing up Mike Martin.  Looks like Michigan has 8 guys on the DL that will rotate all over the place.  


• No Cox and Hopkins is 3rd string RB. 


• Odoms is 3rd string at WR.  Gallon has leaped over a guy with experience.  Could be due to injury?


• SDE is a fight between two walk on's.


• Thomas Gordon beat out Carvin Johnson at SS


• Blake Countess beat out G.Brown who was on the team in the Spring.   Which is impressive.


• The reported battle between Avery and Floyd continues at CB


• WLB seems very un-settled to me


• The "or" in the punting and kicking game scares me

Thoughts.................

Michigan Monday: Gives 2nd Hand Scrimmage Updates

This past Saturday marked two weeks before the start of the season.  Which also meant a full contact scrimmage for the Wolverines.   This scrimmage will go a long way of creating the two deep for the Western Michigan game.  

Before we get into some of 2nd hand reports from the scrimmage, here are a couple of things I would like to give me two cents on. 

- Greg Mattison Defense:  One thing I think that hurt the Michigan Defense last year was the inability to play multiple players at the same position.  This year, I think Michigan will have more opportunities for players to sub back and forth.   For example, there is a ton of buzz around walk-on Nathan Brink taking over for Big Will Campbell.  We should not get too worried about who starts over who because I expect a lot of players to play and a ton of subs to keep players fresh.  Another example is Kovas and Marvin Robinson.  Want another? Thomas Gordon and Carvin Johnson.    So everyone that might be worried about these positions battles, don't because having a number of guys that can play is a good thing. 

I expect the locks to start on Defense are: Kenny Demens, Mike Martin, Troy Woolfolk, Ryan Van Bergen, Jordan Kovacs and Craig Roh.

The below buzz is from message boards and other Michigan sites on folks that saw the scrimmage.   I made sure I heard it from more then one source before it made the below list.  So take everything below with a grain of salt.

Scrimmage Buzz:

• Running Backs:  Michael Shaw and Fitz Toussaint had good days.  Fitz was said to be very impressive.


• Both Denard and Devin did well, made some mistakes but both had a good day.  (BTW: Isn't it nice to have a clear starter this year?  Haven't felt this way since Henne was on the team)


• There continues to be a lot of hype for Jeremy Gallon at WR.  Which is great to hear!


• It seems true freshman Desmond Morgan is getting a look at some playing time at LB.


• Buzz around Van Bergen moving to DT and Brink going to DE.


• Kenny Demens could be the star of this defense.


• Matt Wile is looking great at kicking field goals.   Let's hope that translates to the game.  


• Tackling was better and the defense brings a ton of people to the ball.


• Desmond Howard thought Denard looked faster.  (For those that listened to my offensive preview on the Michigan Man podcast, this is exactly what I mean.  Denard is much more dangerous if you don't know when he is going to run.  Last year, he threw the ball on passing plays and ran the ball on running plays.   If you are an opposing LB, what are you going to do when Denard drops back to pass and decides to run? )


• JT Floyd played well against the run (could be a battle between JT and Courtney Avery at the other CB position)

If you have heard other "highlights" please put them in the comments field so we can share them with all the Big House Blog Inmates. 

Today is the "last call" for the Next Two Recruits T-Shirt Contest. 

Michigan Monday: The Mysterious Case of Kellen Jones

Kellen Jones was the 12th ranked LB in the country to Scouts and a 4 star recruit in the 2011 class out of Houston, Texas.   Obliviously LB was a "position of need" for the Wolverines in this class.  Kellen knew it and seemed to be true blue from the moment Michigan started recruiting him.   He was all in for the Rich Rod coaching staff and after Brady Hoke and Greg Mattison took over he was re-sold on the program.  Here is an interview by Ann Arbor.com after Mattison was hired this past winter and if he was sticking with Michigan:

“Yes sir, it makes me feel very good that the defense will get back to the way it used to be,” Jones said. “Back to being a top defense in the country.”

He also got a chance to meet Ray Lewis through Charlie Ward who is a coach in Houston: 
“It was great to meet (Lewis). I was going nuts,” Jones said. “It was an honor to meet him. It was all thanks to Mr. Ward.”

“I got a chance to talk with him and he was telling me how he studies and how to get ahead. So if I get confused by something coach Mattison is teaching us, maybe I can get a hold of Mr. Lewis and he can help me,” Jones said with a laugh.

I also remember recounting a message board post about a Michigan fan that ran into Kellen at DTW after his official visit.  Kellen was very committed to Michigan and couldn't wait to get to Ann Arbor.  The message board fan said he was very well spoken and a very nice young man. 

The hype was very strong for Kellen to come in a play right away, even as a true freshman.  The Sporting News Preview of Michigan had Kellen on the two deep.  

So when the official roster was released before the first day of practice about a week ago fans were shocked that Kellen wasn't on the roster after signing with Michigan in February.

Coach Hoke confirmed he was not enrolled at Michigan but didn't give any details as why.   We have seen these situations in the past.  Kids might fall a few credits short or not get a qualifying score on the SAT/ACT tests.   Kids have to pass the NCAA Clearing House before they can enroll at school they signed with.  Every year there are kids with many programs that might fall short of that clearance. 

So wer grades the issue?  That seems to be most viable option.

Then comes the next shocking news regarding Kellen.  He enrolled at Oklahoma last week.   Yes, the #1 team in the nation now has the linebacker that Michigan signed.  TomVH from Mgoblog reached out to Kellen's father who confirmed the enrollment and he believed Kellen would be able to play right away if needed (though the plan was to red shirt).   

ESPN and other services have confirmed that Kellen enrolled at Oklahoma.   Which leaves Michigan fans wondering what happened here?  How can a guy not get into Michigan but can get into #1 Oklahoma?

I wish, I had answers but I don't.  I'm in the same boat you are.  Here are a couple of pure speculations on my part:

• He was getting a little home sick and wanted to be closer to home?


• He did have a history of concussions and maybe there was a medical reason he had to sit out? (if that was the case he most likely would have enrolled at Michigan and redshirted).


• Something happened between the time he signed with Michigan and when we was expected to enrolled that made U of M pull his scholarship.


• Grades - He wasn't cleared by the Clearing House.

Any of the above could have happened and right now we have more questions and speculations then answers.  Which leaves the question, if any of the above happened (besides the home sick), would Bob Stoops take him?

Here is a hit from a local OK TV station: Jones is currently with the Oklahoma football team, but is unable to practice until cleared by the NCAA. He is currently regarded as a walk-on, but could earn a scholarship in the future.

Which leads me to believe this has to do with grades then anything else.  Normally, a kid wouldn't give up a scholarship at Michigan to Walk On to Oklahoma and pay his own way.  

If your into conspiracy theories, put on your tin foil hat and think about this one for a minute.  Rich Rod and Bob Stoops are good friends.  Rich spent some time at Oklahoma's Spring Practice last Spring and was doing a special in Norman for his new role with CBS Sports Network this month as well.  Did Rich call Bob regarding Kellen if he had trouble getting past Michigan's admission office?  He might have.  He did it for Denard's high school teammate, CB Adrian Whitty that had issues with U of M's admission office as well.   Rich called his coaching buddy Butch Jones at the University of Cincinnati and Adrian signed with the Bearcats.

Another question Michigan fans might have is: How could Kellen play his freshman year at Oklahoma without having to sit out a year for normal transfer rules?  Kellen never enrolled at Michigan and if the coaches let him out of his LOI he could enroll and play at any college that accepts him without sitting out a year. 

Wolverine Wednesday: Day 2 of Practice - Weight, Defense and some Recruiting

DC Greg Mattison took the mike yesterday at his press conference and had a few quote-ables.  My favorite one was this one:  "I do" expect them to set the world on fire. "I wouldn't be coaching if I didn't think we'd be able to get this defense up to the level that Michigan expects." If players play hard and execute assignments, they can succeed.   "I know in my heart what's about to happen here. We're going to have a Michigan football program that Bo, Coach Moeller and Coach Carr are going to be proud of again."

"I'm really, really impressed and excited about the effort of our guys. I couldn't be around them in the summer ? but I think you saw it starting in the summer," he said. "You saw these guys trying to do the right thing, trying to improve themselves and then it just carried over when they started practice."

"We're only two in. We've got miles and miles to go to where we want to be, but in effort and preparation, I'm very excited about it."

I haven't been this excited about a DC since Ron English.

Michigan published the new roster yesterday and there was some notable weight gain and losses:

Running Backs: Mike Shaw is up 8 pounds and Vincent Smith is down 8.

WR:  Gallon is up 5 pound and Robinson is up 7.

TE: Ricardo Miller is up an amazing 17 pounds.

OL: Taylor Lewan is up 8 pounds and now over 300.

DL:  Roh is up 18 pounds!, Big Will down 11, Q Washington down 13, Kenny Wilkins up 10, Will Heininger is up 28 pounds! and Richard Ash is down 19.

LB: Cameron Gordon up 15 and Mike Jones up 16.

BHB Take: The weight on Roh is very good.  I expect a huge year out of him.  Ricardo Miller is changing his body to be a true TE.   Big Will ,Q and Ash needed to cut some weight which they did.  Will adding 28 pounds is amazing and hopefully he will be regular this year on the DL.

Recuiting Tid Bits

• Armani Reeves the 4 star CB that Michigan just got re-acquainted with, has scheduled a press conference for Friday at 10:00 to pick his school.  This quick of a decision is not good for the Wolverines.  My best guess is Penn State.

• 5 Star Offensive Guard Joshua Garnett from Seattle is planning a visit to Ann Arbor for the ND game with his friend Erik Magnuson.  This would be a huge pick up for the last OL spot on in the 2012 class.

• Michigan is the top 2 for 4 star California WR Jordan Payton.  (CAL and Michigan).  Jordan has yet to visit Ann Arbor. 

• Do you think Michigan is back in basketball recruiting?  Here is 5 star 2012 recruit Mitch McGary's top 6 list:  Florida, Maryland, North Carolina, Michigan, Duke and Kentucky

Michigan Friday: Coaches Say No Thanks To a 5 Star Players Visit?

With only 5 spots left in this class, the Michigan coaches can target the players they want.   Twitter was "hot" yesterday with the information that 5 star DT Tommy Schutt (4 stars to Rivals) was ready to take a visit to Ann Arbor.   Tommy is rated the top player in Illinois and is 6'3 300 pounds.  His offer list includes Florida, ND, Penn State, Wisconsin, Miami and many others.

Tommy was also interested in ND but they filled their spot with Sheldon Day yesterday.  Then Twitter got "hot" again with the news that the Michigan coaches told him they didn't have any spots at DT left and it didn't make sense for him to visit. 

So why would the Michigan coaches turn down a visit from Schutt (assuming they did turn it down)?

• It could mean they really are only going to take 1 DT which they have told both Pipkins and O'Brien. 
• They feel confident they will get Pipkins or O'Brien.
• One is a silent commit (they both have said they are not).

It was clear from Pipkins that he still wants to take some more time to make a decision and Danny is getting a ton of calls asking if he is going to commit soon.  He wanted to make it clear he is not going to commit soon and is going to take 3 official visits.

My best guess is that they feel confident they will get either Pipkins or O'Brien.  I hope they know something I don't, becuase I don't see too much of a down side for Tommy taking a visit. 

• Jordan Diamond visited Mississippi this weekend and had a better time then he expected.

• Sione Houma is now a 3 star FB to Scouts.

• TomVH reports that Armani Reeves will put Michigan in his top 3:  I'm going to put [Michigan] in the top three. Just because I like them so much that I was willing to look into what they have to offer. Pretty much everything I said before that they have academics, the whole thing with Michigan. I haven't really thought about what's next or if I'll visit any time soon yet. I don't know when I'm going to make my final decision either, this kind of changes things a little bit.

• With Fairley out for awhile with a broken foot, the Lions signed Greg Banks from Michigan.

Michigan Thursday: 2012 Recruiting Starting to Get Clearer

Indianapolis 4 star DT Sheldon Day was high on Michigan early on in his recruitment.  Many thought he was primed for a commit, he delayed and Michigan continued to recruit him and other players.  Sheldon picked Notre Dame yesterday.   So he is officially off the board and now it's pretty clear it's Pipkins and O'Brien or bust at DT. 
The recruitment of Jordan Diamond is starting to take a different turn.  The longer his recruitment plays out the less and less a chance Jordan becomes a Wolverine.  Jordan's high school program prefers their kids don't commit early to any school, so they can continue to get more "exposure" for the program and other players on the team. Jordan is a 5 star player so he will have a number or options if Michigan's class fills up.  With 5 offensive lineman in this class and still a number of 5 star guys still considering Michigan, I am guessing Michigan is not pushing this recruitment as there were 3 months ago. 

Like I mentioned yesterday, Michigan re-opened it's recruitment of 4 star athlete/DB Armani Reeves, this could be the result of Terry Richardson taking visits or Michigan still wanting one more athlete in this class.

The recruitment of the Cincinnati teammates Dwayne Stanford and Adolphus Washington seems to be stalled.  Stanford has LSU #1 and many believe Washington will eventually head to Ohio State.

2013 RB/DB prospect  Dymonte Thomas tells his cousin Bri'onte Dunn on Facebook that if he (Dunn) signs with Michigan he will commit.

Ondre Pipkins tells Sam Webb after the BBQ:  "It was so fun, lots of fun meeting the recruits and seeing the Big House for the first time" 

"Seeing Michigan was way better then I expected"

His time table for a decision is still after the football season.

If I had to guess on Michigan's priority list for the next 5 spots, here is what I predict:

1. Ondre Pipkins
2. Danny O'Brien
3. WR (Payton or Darboh)
4. WR (Powe, Chesson, Madris)
5. OL, RB, DB  (Diamond, Dunn, Reeves, Morgan)

I think Michigan wants both Pipkins and O'Brien on the defensive line.  I also believe they want to take 2 WR's and they are recruiting 5 guys pretty hard.   Then I think the last spot could go a number of ways, if Dunn wants to come to Michigan it's his. Or there still could be a spot for Diamond or another 5/4 star OL that still list Michigan (Peat, Garnett, Banner or Bisnowaty).  

My gut is telling me the commit train could be slowing down with only a few spots left.  The only position Michigan could see a run on commits is WR, because there is some pressure to get at least one guy in and then we would see who would follow.

Wolverine Wednesday: Asks if Armani is a Good Fit For Michigan?

One of the things that I keep hearing on the recruiting trail is that Michigan is looking for another top DB in the 2012 class.  Which seems strange with the number of guys they have in the 2011 class and the couple in the 2012.

One of the guys that Michigan was on early but had kind of flamed out was Mass. Catholic Memorial cornerback Armani Reeves (4 star CB 5'11 185 pounds). The Michigan coaches wanted Armani to commit to Michigan early this past Spring, he wasn't ready and they both decided to see other people.  Armani put ND and Penn State in his top group and Michigan got a commit from Terry Richardson and Anthony Standifer.

The Michigan coaches have reached out to Armani again and have him re-thinking his top list of ND and PSU.  Armani is/was high on Michigan because of academics, tradition and ability to get on the field early.  I kind of had mixed feelings because I wished I could have avoided the way everything happened, but they've always been one of my favorites. There was happiness and relief in there too. Penn State and Notre Dame are my top two so this shakes things up a little bit. It changes my path. It makes me want to think about everything and how I like the school so much with the academics. My major is there and the campus is great and all the guys there are really cool.

• Sam Webb interviewed Ondre Pipkins, which should be up on the WTKA site today.

• There have been some rumors that Michigan is still alive in 5 star WR Stefon Diggs recruitment.   He is a talented young man but has some work to do in the classroom to qualify.  With still his senior year left it still could happen.

• Michigan's 2012 class is currently ranked #2 in the Country by Scouts.  Which is pretty consistent with the other services.

Michigan Monday: Wonders if there are any left over commits from the BBQ?

We now know that Chris Wormely thought the hot dogs and burgers at the Big House BBQ were too good to pass up and committed to the Wolverines on Sunday.   Michigan fans have wanted Chris to commit for some time now, so it was a good feeling to have him in this class. 

The big question is who is next?  Michigan has 5 spots left in this class and still with some needs.   The largest outstanding need is DT.  The coaches keep saying they will only take 1, I believe they will take 2.   Those two are Ondre Pipkins and Danny O'Brien.  

Ondre's father lives in Michigan (Ondre lives in Missouri) and from what I have heard Ondre is still in the Great Lake State and might make it back to Ann Arbor for another visit real soon.   Sunday was his first visit and some insiders that spoke to him feel like he might have been a bit over whelmed with the day and was just trying to take everything in.   The Michigan fans were hoping for a BBQ commit from Ondre which didn't happen.  Will it happen this week?  We have to wait and see.   I would like Ondre to do what Kalis did, visit take a few days to think about it and discuss with his family.   Come back to Ann Arbor spend some 1 on 1 time with the coaches and then make his decision.

Danny O is his nickname and he had another good visit to A2 for the BBQ.  I'm going to think about my comfort level this week and where I'm at with everything. I have a top six of Michigan, Tennessee, Florida, Alabama, Michigan State, and Iowa right now. I'm going to cut that down to three and then take official visits to those schools. I know Michigan said they're only taking one defensive tackle, but if they want to take two I will still consider them if someone commits before me.

I believe if both Ondre and Danny want to become Wolverines, the coaches will take both.

WR is the other need in this class and there wasn't much movement on that recruitment on Sunday with Cincinnati Madris not making it to the BBQ.   St. Louis WR Jehu Chesson visited Ann Arbor this week and so did Iowa WR Amara Darboh.  Michigan seems to be in pretty good shape with all these guys and it will be a race to who commits first.   If I had to predict a winner in this race, I think the quickest commit could come from Monty Madris.

Bri'onte Dunn enjoyed his visit up for the BBQ but I think there still needs to be some thinking for him to leave Columbus.  Having the NCAA hit them hard this Fall after their meeting in August would be huge.

Michigan also made up some ground with  some 2013 recruits at the BBQ including; OL Steve Elmer, LB Jonny Reschke, RB Ty Isaac, DE Wyatt Shallman and athlete RB/DB Dymonte Thomas.

Fall camp opens in a week, so the coaches really only have this week to spend quality time with the recruits.  After that some recruits might want to attend practice to see what how the coaches really coach.  

With only 5 spots left, I would assume many players feel like they need to make a decision sooner rather then later.

• BTW:  Jordan Diamond is visiting Iowa today. 

Michigan Tuesday: Thinks About the 2011 Class

With all the fan fare around the 2012 class which is shaping up to be one of the best in the country, we start to forget about the 2011 class that is either on campus already and will be there shortly.  

Here is my take on who from that class might contribute this year:

Best Chance:

• CB Greg Brown: The biggest reason is that he has been enrolled since January and preformed well in the Spring Game.  He has a shot to get on the field early and mostly if Michigan's DB's are not 100% healthy at the start of the season.  Also look for him in Nickel formations.

• Kicker Matt Wile:  The job is his if he kicks well in Fall Camp.  This is a similar situation to last year when Punter Will Hagerup got to campus. 

Outside Chance:

If your not going to contribute on offense or defense, it's hard to blow a redshirt on a guy just playing special teams.   Here are some guys that have a chance to contribute if they preform well or there are injuries ahead of them on the depth chart.

• CB Blake Countness: He was highly rated and if he is that good he could see the field pretty early.  Though we saw Cullen Christian flame out and he was in a similar position.   So I would rather seem him redshirt if he can.

• RB Justice Hayes:  Will there be Justice in 2011?  Michigan's RB situation is a mess with no clear leader in the club house.  There are plenty of candidates but it there a Mike Hart?  Justice is a versatile running back and could play WR or return kicks as well.

• OLB Antiono Poole:  Many thought Poole was the best player in the Big 33 All Star game this summer.  If he is that good he could play right away.  Many said the same thing about Jibreel Black last summer and he got a lot of time at DE in 2010.

Probably a redshirt but could happen:

• TE Chris Barnett:  Seniors in front of him but if he is a play maker, count him in.
• DE Brennen Beyer: Could he move to FB?  He also played TE in high school.  I could see him in on 3rd down and catching some short routes for first downs from the FB position.
• DB Delonte Hollowell:  Injuries or poor play could get him in there.
• LB Desmond Morgan: Could also move to FB to play right away.
• RB Thomas Rawls: was supposed to be the steal of the Midwest and a talented young man.  The only reason he was 3 stars was because he had some academic issues.  He qualified and could he be the next Mike Hart? 

I think the rest of the class is pretty much guaranteed to redshirt.  Did I miss anyone you think will contribute in this year?

Michigan Monday: Bookends the Weekend with 2 Big Commits

Friday started it off with the commitment of 4 star safety Jarrod Wilson and ended on Sunday with the commitment of 5 star offensive tackle Kyle Kalis.   That's 2 highly rated Ohio prospects in one weekend with a combined total of 9 stars from Scouts.  

For those keeping score at home, out of the 19 commits for the 2012 class so far, 9 are from Ohio and 7 from the State of Michigan.  Brady Hoke and Staff are taking care of home turf while OSU works out their situation with the NCAA. 

With 19 guys locked in (20 if count the Jeremy Clark a Gray Shirt commit), the big question is who will fill out the last 6-7 spots left?  The coaches are telling recruits they will take 26 guys even though a full class is 25 and many believe there only to be 20 or so spots open.  Which means there are a few guys expected not to get a 5th year or need a medical scholarship.   I expect the 26 spots could include Jeremy Clark.

If I were in the Hoke Recruiting Room, here is my best guess on how they would like to finish off this class!

• 2 Defensive Tackles:  Best Guess:  Pipkins and O'Brien
• 1 RB:  TBD
• 1 WR: Best Guess: Stanford or Burbridge
• 2 DE: Best Guess: Washington and Wormley
• 1 OL: Best Guess: Diamond

I listed 7 players for 6 spots, which means timing on commitments are very important.   The coaches are telling players they will only take one DT, but I believe they will take 2.  They also want Washington and Wormley, even though they have plenty of defensive ends in this class.  The odd position out, could be running back as Bri'onte Dunn seems to be strong with Ohio State if their self imposed penalty is not increased by the NCAA. 

Either way it seems Michigan might have most of its class wrapped before the season starts.  Max Preps now lists Michigan with the #1 class in the country. 

The BBQ at the Big House is scheduled for July 31st and many commits will be on hand to get to know each other.  Some 2013 guys will also be there. TomVH list the guys scheduled to be there.

Jarrod Wilson is Blue

Michigan gets the 4 star safety they have been targeting.   Jarrod is the 18th verbal commitment to the 2012 class, which continues to be one of the strongest in the country.

More information on JW:

Like we have mentioned before Jarrod plays for former Michigan great Ricky Powers in Akron, Ohio.  He is a 4 star recruit to all the services (Rivals, Scouts and 24/7)  and will be coming to Ann Arbor 6'2 and 190 pounds.  He is a very good student and carries nearly a perfect GPA. 

His offer list included: Stanford, Syracuse, ND, Penn State, UConn, MSU, Vandy and others.   A strong academic university was clearly important to Jarrod and his family.  He is planning on graduating early and enrolling at Michigan in January.   That will help him get acclimated to college life and a chance to  participate in Spring Football 2012.

The book on Jarrod is that he has very good ball hawking skills for a kid with good size.   He does not have elite speed but many say he has good "football speed" for the position.   He also has to work on his tackling when he "pinches" on the run. 

This is a good pick up for the Michigan coaches since they pretty much didn't want to wait for another 4 star safety Wayne Morgan to make a decision during the season.  I really like this kids upside and hope he turns into a good college player for the Wolverines.

Michigan Tuesday: Fans Have Spoken, Don't Sign a QB in the 2012 Class

Hope everyone had a great holiday weekend!

I wrote a post last week, questioning if Michigan really needed a QB in the 2012 class with a probable redshirt for Devin Gardner making him a redshirt freshman next year, don't forget about true freshman Russell Bellomy coming this summer and 2013 instate QB Shane Morris already verbally committed to Brady Hoke. 

Michigan was also heavily involved in a number of top 2012 prospects but those kids seem to be looking elsewhere.    So what are the fans choice to fill that spot?  Well, it's not a QB.

I asked Big House Blog readers if they really wanted a QB in this class?  Over 85% said no.  

63% wanted a defensive tackle instead of a QB and I agree.   Michigan is in a strong position with 3 defensive tackles right now. 

#1: Ondre Pipkins, 6'3 325 pound player from Missouri has an impressive offer list from the top SEC schools and Big Ten schools.  He is a high 4 star prospect and won the defensive MVP at last months NIKE camp in Columbus.   Ondre has Michigan in his top 7 and the Wolverines might hold a slight lead at this point, even though he hasn't taken a trip to Ann Arbor yet.  Update: Latest plan is that Ondre will visit Ann Arbor on the 27th of this month.

#2: Aziz Shittu, 6'3 275 pound 5 star DT from California.  Has you might imagine Aziz's offer list has all the big time programs on it and Aziz seems truly interested in the Wolverines.  He tweeted last week that he hopes, Michigan's class doesn't fill up before he makes a decision.   So do I!

#3: Danny O'Brien, 6'2 295 pounds 4 star DT from Flint.  Danny seems to have been up and down on Michigan's priority list over the past 6 months.  He attended Michigan's camp and got everything worked out with the Michigan coaches and is now being recruited by Hoke's staff.  Danny is good friends with Michigan commit Matt Godin and I believe the Wolverines have a "fighting chance" to land him.   Danny originally had Tennessee leading in his recruitment but now declares he is open. 
Michigan was the second school to make an offer early last season, back when Rich Rodriguez was the coach. While O'Brien said all the right things about the embattled Rodriguez at the time, he believes that the program is heading in the right direction under new coach Brady Hoke.

"Their new coaching staff is unbelievable," O'Brien said. "Coach (Greg) Mattison (defensive coordinator) and coach Hoke are big defensive line guys. They start from the inside out is what they're selling me. They're really big in that area. I think they're going to make a big turnaround, especially with the recruiting classes they're pulling in."

#4: Sheldon Day, 6'2 268 pound 4 star prospect from Indy.  Sheldon was very high on the Wolverines this spring and even made two un-official visits to Ann Arbor.  Sam Webb did a Detroit News article on him and then it seems his recruitment to the Wolverines fizzled out.   What happened?   Not sure, but Sheldon remains a strong DT prospect and I hope the Wolverines can keep his recruitment alive. 

The Michigan coaches have told some of the recruits that they will only take one more interior defensive lineman in this class.   I think they will at least take 2.  Why?

• You don't turn down a 5 star guy if he wants to jump on board.
• Michigan needs depth and quality players at DT.
• Instate recruiting is important and if Danny wants to come to Ann Arbor, you need to find room for him.

So all of Michigan's "2012 QB eggs seem to be in Gunner Kiel's basket".  If he goes to Oklahoma or stays local and attends Indiana, Michigan should pass on a QB this year and sign another highly ranked DT.    I know spots are limited right now but you could talk me into taking 3 out of 4 guys on the above list.