brennen beyer

For live updates of the games I'm attending, follow me on Twitter @varsityblue. If you can help out finding articles on any of the commits, @reply me on Twitter or e-mail me, and I'll try to include your contribution.

MI DE/LB Brennen Beyer

Last week: Plymouth defeated Adrian 48-7. I was there, so enjoy some MGoBlog original video:

Beyer had 2 catches for 50 yards (and another 29-yarder, a would-be touchdown, called back on an illegal formation penalty). Defensively, he had 3 QB hurries, 3 tackles (1 for loss), and a pass deflection.

For scouting purposes, the video is only semi-useful. Adrian mostly stayed away from Beyer defensively until the game was out of reach, running to the opposite side of the field and rolling their quarterback out in that direction. On the other side of the ball, Plymouth was having no problem moving on the ground, so they didn't pass a whole lot.

The effort shown in the video is sometimes underwhelming, but the vast majority of the clips are from when the game was already in hand, so Beyer was taking it a little easier to avoid injury.

One thing that I noticed in this game (that I hadn't noticed last time I saw Brennen play) is that he has a pretty odd physique, with short legs but a very long torso. I'm no scout, so I can't tell you how that translates to defensive end at the next level (I would guess it's a good thing), but it does make him look a little funny running routes as a WR.

This week: The 7-2 Wildcats host Saline in Round 1 of the State Playoffs on Saturday at 1pm.

FL RB Demetrius Hart

Last Week: Dr Phillips beats Oak Ridge 56-28.

Dee Hart scored four touchdowns for the Panthers (7-0, 3-0 in 6A, Dist. 6) and Nick Patti threw for two touchdowns and ran for another. Hart finished with 120 yards on 20 carries.

That rushing performance takes Hart over 1,000 yards on the year. The article also included video:

Stats below from the Dr. Phillips website.

This week: Dr. Phillips travels to Gateway on Friday at 7:30.

MI WR Shawn Conway

Last Week: In the season finale, Seaholm defeated rival Groves 21-7.

No mention of Conway in the game article, and Misopogon reported that Seaholm didn't even throw his way. [Ed-M: In the first half, during plays when a gaggle of teeny boppers weren't trying to shove past each other in front of me -- I missed plenty of plays]

This week: Seaholm's season is over, with a 4-5 record. Conway finished the year with about 22 catches for 375 yards, and 11 kick/punt returns for 393 yards.

OH OL Jack Miller

Last week: St. John's defeated Toledo Waite 42-6.

This week: 8-1 St. John's travels to Toledo Central Catholic on Friday at 7.

FL OL Tony Posada

Last week: Plant defeated Alonso 34-7.

Plant offensive tackle Tony Posada sat for the first quarter on what Weiner termed a "coach's decision," and then was pulled from the game at halftime for precautionary reasons after tweaking the MCL in the right knee he recently came back from.

No word on the nature of the "coach's decision," but from the sounds of things it may have been injury-related.

This week: 6-2 Plant has a bye week. They'll face Chamberlain in a couple weeks.

MI OL Jake Fisher

Last week: In the regular season finale, TC West bested rival TC Central 51-42.

"What a redemption," defensive end Jake Fisher said. "It feels really good."

Video. Fisher also scored an interception in the game. The win lands TC West in the playoffs after a loss to Central in last year's finale left them with a sub-.500 record.

This week: 6-3 Traverse City West travels to (heavy favorite) Rockford in Round 1 of the State Playoffs on Friday at 7pm.

OH DE Chris Rock

Last week: DeSales falls to Cincinnati LaSalle 30-33. Rock got on the scoresheet by blocking a punt:

In the first half, DeSales leaned on its special teams. Midway through the first quarter, Chris Rock blocked a LaSalle punt, giving DeSales the ball on the 11-yard line

This week: 5-5 DeSales travels to Cleveland Benedictine on Saturday at 7pm.

TX LB Kellen Jones

Last week: St. Pius X beat Kelly 35-7 in a rematch of a game from earlier this year. Jones had 9 tackles, 2 for loss, and a sack, his coach tells Tom. Kellen's dad also e-mailed Tom a local news feature from earlier this season:

This week: St. Pius rematches Houston Christian on Friday at 7:30.

OH CB/S Greg Brown

Last week: Fremont Ross defeated Lima Senior 28-3. Brown caught a touchdown:

Ross would get the ball back once again, as Kori Campbell would recover a fumble, and the Little Giants would cap the scoring with a 21-yard touchdown pass from Tyler Wolf to Greg Brown to put the game away.

The Fremont Ross Forum Blog has no mention of Brown.

This week: Ross hosts Sandusky Friday at 7:30.

MI CB Delonte Hollowell

Last week: Pregame fluff. Cass Tech blasted Detroit Crockett 41-7. Hollowell mention (for the first time this year?):

Crockett (8-1) threw a scare into Cass on its first play when it completed a double pass for 59 yards. Defensive back Delonte Hollowell, who committed to Michigan, caught receiver James White from behind.

“We had to ball up after that,” Hollowell said. “We were expecting them to give us competition but we came back hard.”

Next Week: The Technicians host Detroit Southeastern in Round 1 of the State Playoffs on Friday at 5. Cass Tech won the teams' previous meeting this season 42-0.

FL QB Kevin Sousa

Last week: Lake Nona had a bye week.

This week: Lake Nona visits Tenoroc on Friday at 7:00.

For live updates of the games I'm attending, follow me on Twitter @varsityblue. If you can help out finding articles on any of the commits, @reply me on Twitter or e-mail me, and I'll try to include your contribution.

New Commit FL RB Demetrius Hart

In Dr. Phillips's preseason game, Hart rushed for a touchdown, while taking 10 carries for 106 yards. Or was it 76 yards, with 108 in returns? It was just an exhibition, so I won't be a stickler for accuracy, though the DP website says 10 carries for 86 yards and 3 receptions for 9 yards. If you're a Scout subscriber, you can see the highlights from that game.

In Game 1, the Panthers took on perennial power Orlando Edgewater (Greg Mathews, Mike Jones), and ran away with a 48-7 win. Hart's performance:

Edgewater keyed on Demetrius Hart, but with an Alabama coach watching DP's scatback still generated 75 yards on 20 carries and boosted his school scoring record with the 39th and 40th touchdowns of his career.

Was nothing to write home about by his lofty standards. Another postgame column by the Sentinel:

[Hart] was the object of most of Edgewater's defensive attention but still managed to rush for 75 yards and pad his school scoring record with his 39th and 40th career TDs.

So: nice. For the record, the Dr. Phillips website (which I'll use for stats since it's a consistent source) credits him with 79 yards on the ground.

In Game 2 against Osceola, Hart ran 19 times for 96 yards and three TDs. The Sentinel has highlights:

The DP website says Hart also had three receptions for 47 yards.

In Game 3, DP faced off with rival Olympia, and crushed the #3 team in Central Florida 49-0. Hart was a star:

Hart carried 18 times for 224 yards and scored on runs of 17, 7, and 88. He added a fourth TD on a 33-yard pass from junior quarterback Nick Patti, who threw for four scores.

"It was a great effort," Hart said. "We had a lot of minor distractions. We came together to win."

Hart, a 5-9, 185-pound bottle rocket of a back who is being recruited by Alabama, Michigan and Auburn, came in needing 127 yards to break Al Gilreath's 20-year-old school career rushing record of 2,230 yards. He surpassed that mark in the third quarter and zoomed past the 200 plateau for the first time this season with his long breakaway scoring scamper that made it 49-0 with two minutes remaining in the third quarter.

Hart also ran his DP career records for TDs up to 48, points to 288, and all-purpose yards to over 4,500.

"All that means is win a state championship," Hart said, brushing aside talk of his individual accolades.

:swoons:. Yet again, video evidence (hide the women and children, it's gory):

Weeeeee MICH. A couple of those plays made the Sentinel's Top 10 for the weekend. DP Recap.

In Game 4, Dr. Phillips smacked Cypress Creek 52-0. Hart ran for 168 yards (and four touchdowns) on just 14 attempts. Through four games, the Orlando Sentinel pegged him as the second-best offensive performer in Central Florida (despite doing more scoring and totaling almost as much offense as a quarterback in #1 Jeff Driskel. I'm sure it's just a coincidence that they picked a Gator commit as the #1 offensive performer).

After a bye week, Game 5 saw Dr. Phillips go up against Boone. Demetrius committed to the Wolverines immediately after rushing for 145 yards in a 45-0 romp. He also had 122 receiving yards, and 4 total touchdowns. There's all sorts of video from the game, with the above link containing highlights, along with a Brighthouse Sports Network (who televised the game) postgame wrapup. In addition, thanks to an awesome mgoblog reader who wished to remain anonymous, enjoy every carry by Hart:

Weeeeee MICH again.

This week: Dr. Phillips travels to Evans on Friday at 7:30.

FL QB Kevin Sousa

Last week: Lake Nona fell to Auburndale 35-31. The Lions' offense finally came alive, jumping out to a 28-7 lead before the defense faltered down the stretch. Sousa's coach told TomVH that Sousa's breakout performance led to the offensive output, with 13/20 passing for 197 yards and 3 TDs, and 17 carries for 150 yards and a touchdown.

A couple of big weeks in a row finally have Sousa's season numbers looking a bit more respectable. Keep in mind he's doing this despite a porous offensive line, and without his top receiver.

This week: Lake Nona visits Celebration on Friday at 7:30pm.

MI WR Shawn Conway

Last Week: Seaholm lost to Berkley 21-48. Conway was limited due to injury, and I couldn't find individual stats for him. As always, FridayNighthighlights.tv provides the video.

This week: Seaholm hosts Ferndale Friday at 7.

OH OL Jack Miller

Last week: St. John's crushed Ecorse (MI) 49-6.

This week: St. John's hosts Clay Friday at 7.

FL OL Tony Posada

Last week: Plant beat Gaither 24-16. The game was closer than expected with Plant's star RB James Wilder unavailable. No word on whether Posada played for the Panthers.

This week: Plant hosts Spoto on Friday.

MI OL Jake Fisher

Last week: Pregame fluff. Traverse City West upset Petoskey 35-12. Fisher was very involved in the game:

West went up 14 in the second quarter after a Saunders 3-yard run and a Kenny 24-yard pass to Jake Fisher... Petoskey answered with a Josh Daniel 19-yard score, but Fisher blocked the extra point...

Fisher returned an onside kick to the Petoskey 6 and Saunder ran it in for a touchdown one play later for the final score.

Article 2.

This week: TC West plays at Alpena Friday at 7pm.

OH DE Chris Rock

Last week: DeSales is dismantled by St. Edward 0-62.

This week: DeSales faces Bishop Watterson Friday at 7:30 at Crew Stadium..

MI DE/LB Brennen Beyer

Last week: Pregame fluff. Plymouth falls to rival Canton 0-36. Canton game-planned to stay away from Beyer:

"No. 1 was probably Brennen (Beyer) coming off the edge," said [Canton QB Ben] Merbler. "He's a great player and we were concerned about keeping him taken care of."

This week: Plymouth hosts Adrian on Friday at 6:30.

TX LB Kellen Jones

Last week: St. Pius X beat Kelly 28-0. Jones told Tom that he had 18 tackles, 7 for loss, 2 sacks, and a forced fumble.

This week: St. Pius travels to Houston Christian on Friday at 7:30.

OH CB/S Greg Brown

Last week: Fremont Ross defeated Marion Harding 22-17:

The Little Giants were held without much success offensively until the 4:25 mark, when sophomore quarterback Tyler Wolf hooked up with Brown on an 83-yard touchdown pass down the right sideline, and Brown ran in the two-point conversion to make the score 10-8...

With 3:47 left on the clock in the third quarter, Brown ran 27 yards up the middle out of the shotgun to score...

Brown led Ross with 138 yards of total offense and two touchdowns in the game, rushing for 58 yards on nine carries to go with his two receptions for 80 yards.

The Fremont Ross Forum blog says:

Had it not been for a great Wolf to Brown TD pass(a thing of beauty) and a fumble recovery returned for a TD, this would have been a much different game.

Luckily the Ross defense woke up at halftime and shut down the Marion running game and the Little Giants punched in a TD on a Greg Brown 27 yard TD run.

This week: Ross travels to Napoleon on Friday.

MI CB Delonte Hollowell

Last week: Cass Tech pasted Henry Ford 54-0.

Next Week: Cass Tech plays Cody on Friday at 7:30 at Detroit Renaissance.

For live updates of the games I'm attending, follow me on Twitter @varsityblue. If you can help out finding articles on any of the commits, @reply me on Twitter or e-mail me, and I'll try to include your contribution.

Performance of the Week:

MI DE/LB Brennen Beyer

Last week: Plymouth pasted Salem, 48-0. Beyer - from the start of the second quarter through the end of the game - had 2 receiving touchdowns for 43 yards, and a blocked punt, which he returned for a touchdown, to go along with several tackles. HD video highlights:

Seemed like a "man amongst boys" situation for the most part. Beyer is the standout performer this week.

This week: Plymouth takes on Howell on Thursday at 7pm.

FL QB Kevin Sousa

Last week: Lake Nona lost to Citrus, 0-14. This "Kickoff Classic" was a preseason game, not the start of the regular season. MGoReader Bob took in the game, and gave his impressions:

Even though half of the game was played in the rain, Sousa didn't look very sharp. Frankly, Lake Nona is not a very good football team. Citrus was equally as bad. Kevin had zero O- line blocking and was tackled many times for losses. His passes had zip but the wet conditions made them nearly uncatchable. I'm glad he fared well at the camps because the team he plays with is pretty sad.

Tom got in touch with Sousa's high school coach, and Kevin's approximate stats were: 15/34 for 136 yards and a pick, and 54 yards on 12 carries on the ground. The weather was a big factor as well.

This week: Lake Nona hosts Harmony at 7:30pm.

MI WR Shawn Conway

Last Week: Seaholm defeated North Farmington by a score of 26-6. Conway, predictably, was the star of the show:

Shawn Conway's 74-yard return on the opening kickoff proved to be a sign of good things to come for Birmingham Seaholm in their high school football season opener Thursday against North Farmington.

Conway added touchdown receptions of 6 and 15 yards, as Seaholm built a 26-0 lead heading into the fourth quarter. The Maples held on to win by a score of 26-6 in the Oakland Activities Association game.

He finished with 169 all-purpose yards, and given his 4 catches for 32 yards, he his other returns totaled 63 yards. One more article. You can see video highlights from the game here, and Conway looks very impressive (the quarterback... not so much).

This week: The Maples take on Bloomfield Hills Andover on Thursday at 7pm at Seaholm High School.

OH OL Jack Miller

Last week: Paul and I were there (for the first half) as Miller's St. John's Jesuit team pasted an overmatched Toledo Scott squad 49-7, after holding a 49-0 halftime lead. Miller only played sparingly on either side of the ball after a couple offensive and defensive series. Here's the HD video:

By my count, Miller had 3 tackles, including two for loss, and nearly came up with a fumble recovery on defense. Offensively, he had pancake blocks on nearly every running play. I was more impressed with him on that side of the ball.

This week: St. John's travels North to take on Birmingham Brother Rice on Saturday at 1:30 PM at Farmington Hills Harrison. Alas, it is during the UConn game, so I'll be missing it.

MI OL Jake Fisher

Last week: Traverse City West fell to Grand Haven by a 48-28 score. No mention of Fisher in the article. Video highlights.

This week: TC West welcomes Grandville to the Great North at 7pm on Thursday.

FL OL Tony Posada

Last week: Plant got killed by Manatee 10-48 in their preseason game on ESPN.

From what I saw, the criticisms we've heard on Posada are accurate. He will have to get into much better shape if he's going to be a contributor at the next level. At this point, he's much better as a mauler than a pass blocker, as well. He did get a little nicked up during the game, but nothing seemed serious. He showed off his versatility by playing both tackle positions, as well as guard.

This week: Plant heads to Tampa Bay Tech (the only team to beat them last year) on Friday at 7:30.

OH DE Chris Rock

Last week: St. Francis DeSales beat Gahanna Lincoln 28-14. No word on Rock's stats.

This week: DeSales welcomes New Albany at 7:30 on Friday.

TX LB Kellen Jones

Last week: St. Pius X defeated Trinity Christian Academy 33-7. I couldn't find stats, or even a game article.

This week: St. Pius X travels to Sealy on Friday at 7:30.

OH CB/S Greg Brown

Last week: Ross shut out Toledo Start 17-0. Brown had 45 yards on 19 carries. The Fremont Ross Forum's thoughts:

Also very workman-like last night was Greg Brown. The future Wolverine was hammered by Spartan defenders every time he got near the ball. Greg kept his wits about him, got up, walked back to the huddle and played ball.

This week: The Little Giants take on Toledo Whitmer on Friday at 7:30.

MI CB Delonte Hollowell

Last week: Paul and I were at Eastern Michigan as Cass Tech escaped Ann Arbor Pioneer by a score of 44-42. Here's the HD video:

Hollowell had a handful of tackles and a pair of pass breakups. He didn't play on offense, and looked like he may have been dinged up, which could explain his "meh" performance (also explaining it - Pioneer's gameplan placed an emphasis on avoiding his side of the field). His younger teammates 2012 LB Royce Jenkins-Stone and CB Terry Richardson also impressed, with Jenkins-Stone pounding away as a fullback (though he was inconsistent at linebacker), and Richardson playing well at both corner and receiver. Richardson returned a fumble 60-pluys yards for one of Cass Tech's scores.

Next Week: Cass Tech plays Detroit Central at 6pm Friday at Cass Tech.

Chris Rock

Columbus, OH
St. Francis DeSales
HS projection: Tight End/Defensive End
Projects as: Defensive End/Defensive Tackle

Last year, St. Francis De Sales went 7-3 in the regular season, making the playoffs. Once they got there, they pounded through 4 rounds to the state championship game. There, they lost to Ray Vinopal's Youngstown Cardinal Mooney team. Rock finished with about 50 tackles and 11.5 sacks despite struggling with illness through most of the season.

This year, DeSales expects to make the playoffs yet again (as they have for the past 17 years), and they have intentions to win it this time. They boast senior starters at many positions, and a number of talented players, including 2012 RB Warren Ball, who many suspect is silently committed to Ohio State. However, they have only 8 starters back off last year's team. Rock will play both defensive end and tight end for the Stallions, and look for an improvement on his numbers from last season with a healthy year.

Rock has switched from No. 88 to 54 so he can play on the line in addition to taking snaps at tight end.Rock has been a standout at defensive end since coming to the school for his sophomore year, and should continue to lead the sack parade this season.

If Rock can stay healthy and put a good product in the field this year, he could see his rankings improve. Prior to last year, he was considered a top prospect in Ohio's class of 2011.

I might be able to catch a game or two of Rock's, though they play in Orchard Lake during a Michigan game, so I'll have to head to Ohio to do it. DeSales streams audio from all their games on their website, and typically has highlight videos as well.

Brennen Beyer

Plymouth, MI
Plymouth High School
HS position: Tight End/Defensive End
Projects as: Defensive End/LB

Last year, Beyer's Plymouth team went 6-3, making the MHSAA playoffs. However, they were pasted in the first round by Canton 40-17 to finish 6-4. That was actually a vast improvement over their regular season loss to the Chiefs, in which they went down 49-7. Over the course of the season, Beyer accumulated 9 sacks and 9 tackles for loss. On offense, he had 6 touchdown receptions.

This year, the Wildcats are looking to make it back to the playoffs, and break their three-year streak of earning six wins. Beyer's offensive stats might suffer, as the team is replacing its starting quarterback, and one of the options is a dual threat. Defensively, I'm not sure if Beyer will stay at defensive end or move to linebacker in anticipation of playing that position at the next level. If Beyer has a huge year statistically, he could move up in the rankings, but he's probably at his peak right now.

With Plymouth's proximity to Ann Arbor, I should be able to check out a few of Brennen's games this year, and will have highlights to post on mgoblog.

Kellen Jones

Houston, TX
St. Pius X
HS position: Linebacker
Projects as: Linebacker

Last year, St. Pius went 8-2 in the regular season, making the playoffs. Once there, they defeated San Antonio Central Catholic 42-28 and winning a district championship before being knocked out in a 28-36 Loss to Temple Nolan Catholic. Jones was one of the stars of his team, with 75 tackles, 22 tackles for loss, six sacks, and three fumbles forced/recovered in nine games played. he also added an interception in his first-team all-state campaign.

The Panthers expect to make the playoffs, as they have in each of the past seven seasons. Jones will be a key player defensively. It is important to note that their success does not come against some of the best teams in Texas, as they compete in the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools, and don't see the big public schools. That factor will probably keep Jones ranked where he is now.

I won't be seeing Jones in person this season, but still expect to fill you in on his stats each week.

Greg Brown

Fremont, OH
Ross High School
HS position: Safety/Receiver
Projects as: Cornerback/Safety

Last year, Ross struggled to a 5-5 record, missing the state playoffs. For a traditionally strong program, this was a serious letdown. Greg Brown was one of the stars of last year's team, however, and since he was committed for so long, I covered him in last year's Friday Night Lights feature. He finished with about 26 receptions for 440 yards, and 24 carries for 133 yards on offense (where he was named 2nd team All-district at wideout). I couldn't find defensive stats for him.

The year, Ross expects to make a return to the playoffs, and a much-improved record. Brown has moved from corner to safety on defense.

"We want to put him in a position where he can make plays," Kidwell said of Brown. "At corner you can run away from him or you can throw away from him. We put him at free safety and he'll be in the middle of the field and he should be a great run supporter for us and he should be a great pass defender for us."

His attitude is reportedly much better than it was last year, which might mean more stats. He'll still be a versatile threat for the offense, maybe more on the ground this year, as Ross graduated QB Cody Foos. If Brown can prove himself on the field this fall, he might be in for a rankings bump.

I'm not sure if I'll get a chance to see Brown in person this season.

Delonte Hollowell

Detroit, MI
Cass Tech High School
HS position: Corner/Wide Receiver
Projects as: Cornerback

Last year, Cass Tech went 5-3 in the regular season, making the MHSAA playoffs. They squeaked by Dearborn Fordson in the first round, before Detroit Southeastern knocked them out with a 41-0 pounding. They finished with a 6-4 overall record. Through five games, Hollowell had 3 interceptions and 25+ tackles, but I couldn't find stats for the second half of the year.

Cass Tech, like most of the Detroit Public Schools, struggles against suburban schools. They are consistently one of the top teams in the PSL, though Detroit Southeastern has whipped them a few times in a row. Hollowell will be one anchor of a strong secondary, and be a speedy, big-play receiver on the other side of the ball. Hollowell is unlikely to see his rankings go up, as it's his size that's keeping him ranked where he is.

This Saturday, Cass plays Ann Arbor Pioneer at Eastern Michigan's Rynearson Stadium at 8pm, part of the Big Day Prep Showdown. I'll be there getting highlights of Hollowell (and his junior teammates Royce Jenkins-Stone and Terry Richardson). There are conflicting schedule on the internet for the Technicians, so I'm not sure which game is accurate for the 10th.

Remember, for past updates, you can check out the 2011 Michigan Football Recruiting Board any time. It will be updated with information form this post later today.

Jake Fisher Goes Blue

As covered in the Hello: Jake Fisher post, the offensive lineman from Traverse City is the newest addition to the Michigan family. Local paper article:

On Fisher's first visit to Ann Arbor, he met a number of former U-M standouts and current NFL players. Then on his second trip, he and Wooer also got a campus tour with Rodriguez on a golf cart during the visit.

"It was after I left I thought 'that's it,'" said Fisher of when he realized he'd be going to Michigan. "I just didn't want to blow off everything else in case something happened."

One of our outstanding mgoboard members, 913Vaughn, dug up junior year stats for Jake Fisher at tight end. He had 10 receptions for 185 yards and a TD on an offense that only had 38 completed passes the whole season. A free Rivals story shows his potential as a college tight end... and beyond:

Michigan State initially recruited Fisher as a tight end, where he'll see plenty of time this fall (while switching to offensive tackle during spread situations and seeing extensive time on defense, as well). With Fisher's decision looming, MSU coaches broke down film for the standout and told him they'd bring him in as a tackle, too, unless he kept his weight down enough to play tight end. "That wasn't likely to happen," Fisher noted...

Fisher's admittedly made huge strides in the weight room, spending three days a week on heavy lifting and conditioning with a full body workout. He's packed on 24 pounds since the end of basketball season and is carrying the weight well, maintaining his quickness. His athleticism was on display at the Michigan summer camp when he went up (and held his own) against some of the top defensive ends in the Midwest, including U-M commitment Brennen Beyer.

The story also says that he received a Notre Dame offer, but after he was sold on Michigan. Magnus breaks down his game on Touch The Banner, and the crew at GBMW does the same.

Happy Trails

OH OL Ryan Kelly committed to Alabama. The writing was on the wall for this one as soon as Michigan picked up Jack Miller as a center.

PA CB Dondi Kirby has narrowed his list to a top 7 that does not include Michigan.

Visits! With Decisions!

MI RB Justice Hayes (at right) visited Ann Arbor last weekend, and will now push his decision forward ($, info in header). He'll officially announce his decision on July 30th (next Friday) at 11am. Michigan and Notre Dame appear to be a strong top two for him, but - unless Fred Jackson worked magic on last week's visit - I'd be surprised if his choice was something other than Notre Dame. UMGoBlog says this is bad news, but you only have 25 scholarships each year (significantly fewer this year). You can't take every kid, and you can't beat yourself up when one of them picks another school.

FL RB Demetrius Hart has been on campus plenty of times before, and his most recent trek was another positive experience:

Demetrius: It went real well. I've been up there plenty of times now, and every time I go up there I just like it that much more. The changes they're making, and the things they're going are really good. I really liked it.

Demetrius also managed to take a potshot at the press for their artistic license on reality, and said he'll be back in town for the UConn game. A commitment could come that weekend, but don't be surprised if takes takes a couple other visits first.

Nobody is expected to visit this weekend unless IL OL Chris Bryant makes it in. The next big visit planned is the 29th, when TX LB Kellen Jones hits campus.

FL OL Tony Posada plans to decide soon, possibly at a ceremony with fellow Plant Panthers QB Phillip Ely and RB/DE James Wilder. If Florida doesn't offer, there's a good chance he ends up in the winged helmet.

MI LB Ed Davis has reached a soft decision ($, info in header), and he's set to announce it at the end of August. Michigan was his first offer, and led for him earlier in the process, but that may no longer be the case. Iowa, Michigan State, and Cincinnati are the other finalists.

Other

FL QB Commit Kevin Sousa is named Central Florida's 2nd-best signal-caller, behind UF commit Jeff Driskel. With a productive season, Sousa could be a 4-star prospect by Signing Day.

Is Michigan soon to offer OH TE Frank Clark? ($, info in header). They seem to be set on taking a tight end in this class, and Clark reportedly impressed at Michigan's summer camp. He's a product of Cleveland Glenville, and Rodriguez has been trying to get back into that school ever since he's been in Ann Arbor.

MI OL/DE Anthony Zettel is down to 247 pounds. That's making the defensive end talk sound much more realistic, though he doesn't care which side of the ball colleges want him to play. Since he hasn't said otherwise, I assume Michigan still leads for him.

Tom's weekly recruiting post has updates on FL S/CB Jonathan Aiken, MD DT Darian Cooper, and more. Check it out for the latest.

Phil Kornblut's latest recruiting column contains a couple tidbits of interest to Michigan: The Wolverines are showing in interest in NJ Ath Sheldon Royster (and have extended an offer?) and TN DT Terry Redden. They're also still on the list of SC DE Gerald Dixon. I've added the first pair to the board, and have updated Dixon's section.

PA RB Collin Hegarty is also hearing from Michigan, but he doesn't have any offers yet, and it sounds like he's a longshot for one from the Wolverines.

2012

On Dee Hart's visit (more detail above), 2012 FL QB Nick Patti, a teammate at Orlando Dr. Phillips, tagged along. Tom caught up with Patti, who liked what he saw:

NICK: You meet the coaches, and you meet Rich Rodriguez, and when ever you meet a head coach you're meeting an important person. But, he's so down to earth. You can talk to him about anything. With Coach Smith it was all about business, but you still feel really comfortable. It's really easy to be around all of them.

Patti compared his game to Tate Forcier's, and you can see for yourself as his sophomore highlights are embedded in Tom's post.

Update from last week's post, which brought up MO WR Dorial Green-Beckham (OMG shirtless at right). Tom pointed out a fluff article from MaxPreps that discusses Dorial on the field, on the basketball court, and in life. 

Green-Beckham grew up the son of a single mother with a history of substance abuse problems. He bounced around a lot as a child, through his early high school career. This winter, his high school coach adopted Dorial and his brothers, and hopefully it's the stability he needs to excel on the field and in the classroom.

As one of the top prospects in the 2012 class, Michigan will have a ton of competition if they hope to land this guy. He's the type of kid that you'll root for at the next level, wherever he ends up.

MI WR David Perkins, who was going to be one of the state's top prospects next year, has moved to Indiana.

Michigan is "very interested" in 2012 PA OL/DE Tyler Alt. He's a high school defensive end who will likely play offense in college.

Believe it or not, I've had my eye on a number of 2012 prospects already, and I'm going to start putting 2012 notes in the Thursday Recruitin' posts more regularly. A 2012 Michigan Football Recruiting Board will likely not be unveiled until Michigan gets their first commit in the class.

As always, the 2011 Michigan Football Recruiting Board can be found here.

BBQ Roster

As he did for junior days earlier this year, Tom has built up a roster of those attending (and not):

• MI OL Anthony Zettel
• OH DE Chris Rock
• MD DT Darian Cooper
• OH OL Ray Ball
• VA LB Corey Marshall
• OH WR AJ Jordan
• MI DE Commit Brennen Beyer

For comments on these guys, a list of those who aren't making it, and all the latest updates, check out Tom's diary. A couple other sources also have updates:

NC LB/WR Kris Frost (pictured above ) says he's trying to make it to the BBQ at the Big House this weekend, but is unsure, due to travel costs. Frost was the subject of this week's Sam Webb profile in the Detroit News. Michigan is trying to stay out front:

"Well, I've always wanted to go to Michigan," admitted Frost. "I've always wanted to attend that school. When I went up to Michigan (for the program's annual summer football camp) I was really excited. It was everything that I really thought it would be."

"I think Michigan is the team to beat because he's liked Michigan his whole life," added [Butler coach Mike] Newsome. "When I told him that they had offered him he almost jumped up and hit his head on the ceiling. He is really excited about Michigan."

Of course, it's not all sunshine and lollipops:

"Unfortunately for them, there's the problem that they are going through with their program right now. I think it is something that Kris is looking at right now and is using that to look at some other schools. "

As long as Michigan has a good season and the coaching staff staves off any threat of losing their jobs, Michigan should remain the team to beat (as we shared last week). For the record, he now says that, while he'd prefer to play wide receiver in college, he's open to playing linebacker.

PA CB Dondi Kirby plans to be there.

Unfortunately, FL RB Demetrius Hart will probably not be making the trip. FL S Ha'Sean Clinton-Dix says his teammate will ultimately pick Alabama. HC-D has been saying things like this for a while, so take it with a grain of salt until Hart himself goes on the record.

New Offers, Present And Future

AZ QB Brett Hundley has received a Michigan offer. He's being recruited by pro-style and scrambly QB programs alike, and it sounds like he's interested in the Wolverines:

"No one's in the lead right now. Everything is wide open for me. I'm going to start taking trips in June, or July. After that I'll start all my officials, when I'm allowed to." When asked if Michigan will receive one of those visits, he said, "I'm definitely going to talk to my dad about that one."

Expect much more from Tom on this kid, as they live pretty close to each other. He wants to narrow his list by July ($, info in header). Hundley's highlight video:

Michigan has offered PA Ath Mike Caputo. He's a high school wideout.

The Wolverines have offered OH OL Ray Ball ($, info in header).

Michigan has offered PA DT Delvon Simmons, and the Wolverines currently reside in his top three:

“It would probably be North Carolina, West Virginia and Michigan. They’re all pretty even at this point,” he said.

“I haven’t talked to North Carolina a lot. I’ve maybe talked to them twice. I like how they’ve been open with me. They sound good right now but I’ve got to go up there and get to know them some more before I say too much.

“Michigan is the same thing pretty much. I like their coach—the recruiting coach for around my area. I met him in person and he seems like a real nice dude.”

Michigan looks to be in good shape for his recruitment.

The Wolverines have offered TX CB Charles Jackson ($, info in header). Per Gerry Hamilton:

The 5-foot-9.5, 173-pound uber athletic defensive back prospect entered the evaluation period with offers from Arkansas and Houston (his first offer), but has since added written offers from California, Michigan and Baylor along with a verbal offer from Missouri.

Last week, May 5, coaches from Texas (Will Muschamp) and Oklahoma (Willie Martinez) stopped by the 5A school to watch the corner with a 40 1/2-inch vertical leap.

Oklahoma and Texas interest means he's probably a top prospect, but also that he'll be a tough pull for Michigan.

Michigan is close to offering PA OL Paul Gaughan ($, info in header). Same story with another Pennsylvanian, DE Desimon Green ($, info in header).

Michigan is interested, but no offer, in PA DE Shawn Oakman.

Recruiting Potpourri

Happy Trails, Trai Turner. Just a few days after saying he'd take his time and look at a few schools, LA OL Trai Turner committed to Louisiana State ($, info in header). His teammate, LA S Renaldo Thomas did or will do the same. No word yet on the third St. Augustine prospect, LA OL Jonah Austin. Austin does not hold an offer from the Tigers.

Happy trails as well to OH OL/DT Michael Bennett. With a final two of Ohio State and Northwestern, he picked the Buckeyes over the weekend.

We found out last week that Michigan was in the top three for NC QB Marquise Williams, and now he's trimmed his list to consider only five schools ($, info in header). Michigan, Notre Dame, and North Carolina are in that final group.

AR QB Kiehl Frazier is still wide open, but it seems as though Arkansas, Auburn, and Notre Dame comprise an unofficial top 3.

"I'm really wide open until I take some visits to see schools," Frazier told Sporting News. "After spring ball, I'm going to go some places and take it in."

A trip to Notre Dame could also mean dropping in on Ann Arbor, so stay tuned.

According to Tom, Oregon has offered AZ OL Andre Yruretagoyena, and the Ducks were his childhood favorite ($, info in header). Another recruiting update comes from AnnArbor.com, of all places.

“I think Michigan will be in the mix without a doubt because those guys have done a great job,” [Chaparral coach Charlie] Ragle said. “Tony (Dews) and those guys that come out here - Tony mainly recruits this area but Coach (Greg) Frey came out - they do a good job, but like I said, the players sell your program.”

Ragle said the 6-foot-5, 260-pound Yruretagoyena is in regular contact with both Lewan and Roh, and that Michigan likely will be in Yruretagoyena’s final five when he cuts his list in the coming month.

So, Oregon probably leads, but Michigan has a chance to get back into it.

FL TE Brandon Fulse is hearing from Rod Smith a lot ($, info in header).

Michigan is a co-leader for MI LB Dwight Trammer. Though the Wolverines haven't offered, Rod Smith got a couple chances to scout Trammer last fall (pictured at right doing just that), as he's a former Inkster teammate of current Wolverines QB Devin Gardner.

According to some Detroit newspaper of no repute, MD DT Vincent Croce has a top three of Michigan, Michigan State, and Virginia.

OH CB Doran Grant says "haha j/k" about his top 6 list also serving as a final 6 ($, info in header).

SoFlaFootball visits Chaminade-Madonne High School in Florida, and breaks down a couple guys we've been talking about recently in S Jonathan Aiken, WR Curt Evans, and QB Jerrard Randall.

The issue that Randall continues to struggle with is the fact he can be erratic with his accuracy, which became apparent during the 7-on-7 portion of the practice.

Evans played a little of everything on the day starting at cornerback, getting some carries as a running back, before finally moving out to wide receiver.

Aiken has good bulk on him and is a good athlete. He did not look to be fluid enough in coverage to move to a corner spot like many have debated; safety is probably his best option.

Aiken posts on BuckeyePlanet, and it seems as though he's favoring Ohio State despite the lack of an offer.

NJ OL Shane Mertz wants to hear from Michigan. Mertz is 6-8, 280lbs, and has great grades. I bet coaches would love to have him in camp to see what he can do.

As for academics, I am interested in mechanical engineering as a major so a school with a strong engineering program is very important. I’m looking into becoming an aerospace engineer. That’s what I want to do. Maybe some day work for NASA.

I am looking for a program that has high quality football facilities and state of the art training. I don’t have anything specific in mind but I’d like to be at a place that has great training facilities.

Samrt kid, would be a good addition.

Schools I would like to hear from are Michigan, Ohio State, Notre Dame, and Penn State. Definitely Michigan though. My dads mom is actually from Michigan. So my dad has always been a die hard Michigan football fan. It would be a great achievement for me if I could get an offer from them.

He's very interested, hopefully Michigan gives him a look.

Michigan's offer for FL RB Andrew Buie was actually on the other side of the ball:

“Auburn offered me as an athlete and Michigan offered me to play defensive back,” Buie said. “I want to play running back but I’m open to a couple of other positions.”

Doesn't sound like he's interested, and the Wolverines may fade from his recruitment.

Greg Frey and Tony Dews recently stopped into Fort Meyers to visit FL WR Sammy Watkins and his teammate, CB/Ath Dallas Crawford.

Michigan leads for LA CB Daren Kitchen ($, info in header), and he says it would be "hard to turn down" an offer from the Wolverines.

The Distant Future. The Year 2012.

Michigan is already in good position with a number of 2012 prospects. We already knew about MI LB James Ross, but his youth football teammate, MI LB Royce Jenkins-Stone, now at a school called "Cass Tech" (you may have heard of it) considers Michigan among his top schools ($, info in header).

The Wolverines also lead for OH DE Chris Wormley ($, info in header). Wormley should be a top-5 player in Ohio next year.

Keep an eye on another OH DE, LaTroy Lewis, who has a connection to Michigan ($, info in header).