friday night lights

This year Tim and Paul went on journeys across the state in search of anyone willing to sign a letter of intent for a program that went 3-9 the year before but still had wings on their helmets. They even went into Ohio to find asylum-seeking young men. Sometimes their quarry was injured or irrelevant or playing a game at the same time as another player of interest, but they persisted. 

When they returned it was with stunning high definition video invariably set to Explosions in the Sky, which makes some sense because they tend to write ten minute songs. In other ways, it makes no sense. But it makes sense for the site.

Paul put together a recap:

I realize it's just high school football highlights but I was strangely moved by it. Most highlight reels are just highlights. They give you the impression that if a player gets tackled, it's at least twenty yards downfield and after he kicked a guy's head off. Then they show up and usually they are just people. Here they're just people.

BONUS of a literal variety. Paul and Tim and Tom did a lot of work on original content this year and I told them that I'd set aside some time on the beveled guilt button to your right for them. This is a good time. All donations this week go directly to them.

The high school season is long over, but there are post-season honors to cover, and a number of Michigan commits took part in All-American games over the past few weeks. Here's a roundup of those performances in what is likely to be the second-to-last FNL for the 2010 recruiting class (after Signing Day, I'll recap the seasons of everyone who commits after today).

MI QB Devin Gardner

Gardner was part of the winning Black Team in the Under Armour All-American Bowl, completing 2-of-4 passes for 15 yards and a score, while rushing 4 times for 14 yards. The Black Team won 32-7.

Gardner drew similar praise from Black team coach Sam Wyche, a former head coach of the Cincinnati Bengals and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

"Devin is going to be a big-time player at Michigan," Wyche said. "He and (Alabama commitment) Phillip Sims are guys to me that are going to come quickly to the scene. Devin has a great smile. He is going to sell a lot of product for somebody. He's got a great personality. He's smart -- you can change directions with him and it doesn't bother him at all. He is ready to go."

Game highlights, courtesy of Under Armour:

Gardner's TD toss takes place at the 2:00 mark. As mentioned elsewhere on the blog, Gardner did not enroll early in Ann Arbor.

SC QB Conelius Jones

Named All-State honorable mention at wide receiver, which is odd because he only played quarterback this season. He was also named the All-State QB for Class AA in South Carolina.

MI RB Austin White

Named Honorable Mention All-State at RB.

PA DE Jordan Paskorz

Named to the Pittsburgh-area "Fabulous 22," the 1st-team all-area list. He was named 1st-Team All-Conference, and 1st-Team All-State.

FL DT Richard Ash

Ash participated in the Outback Bowl All-Star game. No word on how he did.

OH DT Terry Talbott

3rd-Team All-State at defensive tackle.

LA S Carvin Johnson

Named 1st-Team All-State in Louisiana's 5A Class. Honorable Mention for the All-South Team. He also made the All-Area 1st-Team offense as an athlete.

PA CB Cullen Christian

Local pregame fluff. Christian participated in the Army All-American Bowl over the weekend, playing corner. His East team fell to the West, 30-13. Christian was thrown at 4 times, with only one pass completed - a 39-yarder to USC commit Robert Woods. Postgame fluff. Cullen has been selected to the Big 33 Game.

WI P Will Hagerup

Hagerup also played in the Army game, as Christian's teammate on the losing East team. Will punted just 3 times, but averaged more than 45 yards per kick, despite shanking his first attempt.

"My brother has been in some big stadiums before and he was saying after that first kick you'll be a lot more calm," Hagerup said. "The first kick I was real nervous and it definitely could have been better. I was definitely more relaxed for the second two."

If you can help out finding articles on any of the commits, e-mail me, and I'll try to include your contribution. This should be one of the last couple updates, since every current commit's season has now finished.

LA Slot WR Drew Dileo

Last week: Pregame fluff. #2. Parkview loses to Notre Dame 14-7 in the State Championship game.

But on first-and-down from the Notre Dame 29, Dileo was hit on a short run, lost the football and Luke Bourgeois recovered. “We killed ourselves in the first half,” said Dileo, a Michigan commitment. “Just little things. We preach every week about the little things.”

But four plays later, on fourth-and-2, Dileo — the holder for what appeared to be a 33-yard field goal try — kept on a fake and was greeted by a wall of defenders for a 1-yard loss.

Oopppppppps. Article #2:

Michigan commitment Drew Dileo was limited to five carries for five yards and five receptions for 30 yards.

This week: Parkview Baptist (12-2) has finished its season as the state Runner-up. The chart below is a little messy, but the Total numbers in the last row are correct season totals.

LA S Carvin Johnson

Last week: Pregame fluff:

Johnson, who is bound for Michigan, said he welcomes the week-to-week burden of a defense that ofttimes has to produce points and a short field for a struggling offense. “I would do it all over again,” Johnson said. “I don’t mind. We have understood our role since the beginning of the season.”

Preview fluff #2:

The heart and soul of the Rummel team is senior safety Carvin Johnson, a commitment to Michigan. Johnson has seven interceptions and two punt returns for touchdowns. “Carvin Johnson has been terrific. He is hardly coming off the field, playing safety, wide receiver, returning punts and returning kickoffs. We have done it in the past with guys like Craig Steltz, Terrance Dunbar, Nick Child in the playoffs, using our best athletes on both sides of the football,” Roth said.

Rummel falls to West Monroe 30-0 in the State Championship game. Johnson had 1 carry for -6 yards. Postgame coach reaction.

This week: Rummel (14-1) Finishes as State Runners-up.

Seasons Complete

MI WR Jeremy Jackson

Jackson participated in the Hawaii-Mainland bowl, with the Mainland coming away the 26-6 victors. Jackson had 1 reception for 38 yards.

PA DE Kenny Wilkins

His high school's coach was fired after the poor season.

OH S Ray Vinopal

Cardinal Mooney went undefeated and won the state championship. Vinopal's season stats, via Mooneyfootball.com:

PA CB Cullen Christian

Cullen was 1st-team All-conference at defensive back, and an honorable mention at receiver.

WI P Will Hagerup

Whitefish Bay (5-5) has completed its season after a first-round playoff loss. Bob Parker hooked me up with season stats for Will, who was 1st-team All-State as a punter:

If you can help out finding articles on any of the commits, e-mail me, and I'll try to include your contribution. Guys whose seasons finished before this week have been removed from the list, unless there is an update for them (i.e. All-State team, etc.). To read about their seasons, check out previous updates.

New Commit OH S Ray Vinopal

Last week: Cardinal Mooney defeats Columbus St. Francis DeSales 35-7 in the State Championship game.

Senior Ray Vinopal had a 57 yard TD run to open up the scoring.

That link has video that I can't seem to embed, so click through if you want to see it. Article 2. He committed immediately after winning that State Championship. Article 3:

Vinopal gained 70 yards on seven carries.

In the Youngstown Vindicator, Vinopal breaks down the long run:

Senior Ray Vinopal started the scoring with a 56-yard touchdown down the left sideline on a perfectly blocked play, making it 7-0 with about a minute left in the first quarter.

“It was outside zone left on the short side of the field,” said Vinopal, a first team All-Ohio safety who has an offer from the University of Michigan. “The line got a great push and our fullback kicked his man out.

There was one backer left coming from the outside and he was just a bit late and it left a smooth open lane to the end zone.”

Vinopal was almost untouched on the play; a DeSales defender briefly grabbed his facemask near the line of scrimmage.

“That’s the only piece of me he got,” Vinopal said. “[Senior receiver Pat] DePizzo has been joking with me all year that I always cut the wrong way off his blocks, so after that play he came up to me and said, ‘You finally you made the right move.’”

Season-long: On the year, Vinopal ran 45 times for 414 yards and 4 touchdowns, while catching 3 passes for 48 yards and a score. Defensively, he notched 4 interceptions for the Cardinals.

LA Slot WR Drew Dileo

Last week: Pregame fluff. More fluff. Game preview. Preview #2. Parkview Baptist beats E.D. White 42-0.

Michigan commitment Drew Dileo added 37 yards and a score.

Article #2.

Parkview went up 34-0 when Drew Dileo ran in from the 19 with 4:03 still to play in the third.

This week: Parkview Baptist (11-1) v. Notre Dame in the State Championship game.

LA S Carvin Johnson

Last week: Pregame fluff. Pregame fluff #2.

Randle, Helmstetter and Johnson will rank among the greatest defenders to ever compete at Rummel and this unit, under coordinator Eddie Jaquillard, is among the school's elite.

That's a school that has sent __ to schools like__. LSU is starting to show interest in Johnson, as well. More on that situation in tomorrow's recruiting post. Pregame fluff #3:

In the secondary, Carvin Johnson is as good a player as there is in the state at safety. The 6’1, 190 senior doesn’t have great foot speed but he is football-fast, a fierce hitter. He has seven interceptions and has returned two punts for touchdowns.

Rummel beats Westgate 7-6 in the State Semifinals.

This week: Rummel (13-0) v. West Monroe in the State Championship game.

Seasons Complete

MI WR Jeremy Jackson

Huron's (5-4) season ended without a playoff berth. Jackson finished with 43 catches for 573 yards. He has been selected to the Hawaii/Mainland Bowl.

OH LB Antonio Kinard

Liberty (4-6) missed the State Playoffs, and its season is over. Kinard named 1st-Team All-County.

PA CB Cullen Christian

Penn Hills went 4-5 in the regular season, and bowed out in the second round of the playoffs to Gateway. Christian is an Army Bowl selection.

OH CB Courtney Avery

Lexington (6-4) missed the State Playoffs, and their season is over. Avery's hoops season is under way. He's an All-State performer in that sport, as well.

If you can help out finding articles on any of the commits, e-mail me, and I'll try to include your contribution.

MI QB Devin Gardner

Last week: Inkster beats Warren De La Salle 12-3 in the State Semifinals.

"We started 0-2," Gardner said. "It feels great to go back. It's a state championship game."

Last season Inkster lost to East Grand Rapids in the Division 3 title game, 43-24.

Gardner, a 6-foot-4, 200-pound senior who committed to Michigan, had a subpar game, particularly in the first half. He finished with two interceptions, both in the first half, and completed 7 of 16 for 75 yards.

Gardner's 12-yard touchdown run with 1:07 left sealed the victory.

Article 2.

This week: Inkster (9-3) takes on Lowell in the State Championship Game at Ford Field Friday at 1. The game will be televised live on FSN Detroit.

SC QB Conelius Jones

Last week: Pregame fluff. Spartanburg's playoff run continues with a 28-14 win over Sumter. Jones was responsible for al 14 of the Vikings' points:

Jones, a Michigan commitment, completed 9 of 14 passes for 209 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 100 yards on 17 carries for two more scores.

Quarterback Cornelius Jones went in from seven yards out two plays later for the touchdown with 8:05 left in the first quarter.

The Vikings didn't capitalize on that, but they did capitalize on the eight plays they ran in the second quarter, scoring on two of them on long touchdown passes.

The first was a 61-yarder from Jones to wide open running back Jamiah Fowler on a wheel route — a la Clemson's C.J. Spiller — down the left sideline to make it 14-0 with 8:18 left in the first half.

On Spartanburg's next possession, Jones avoided a couple of would-be sacks and went down the middle of the field to wide receiver Arland Woodruff. He got in behind the Sumter defense and caught the ball in stride for a 75-yard TD pass to make it 21-0 with 5:03 left.

The joy of being back in the game didn't last long. On the third play of the drive, Jones found an opening and went 64 yards for a touchdown to make it 28-14 with 8:15 left.

Article 2.

This week: Spartanburg (5-8) will look to keep the upset train rolling against national #2 Byrnes in the 3rd Round of the State Playoffs.

TX RB Tony Drake

Last week: Pregame fluff #2. Skyline beats DeSoto 41-36. Drake ran 24 times for 126 yards including a 43-yard touchdown, but was overshadowed by teammate Mike Davis, who had 263 receiving yards.

This week: Skyline (12-0) plays Cypress Woods in Round 3 of the State Playoffs.

TX RB Stephen Hopkins

Last week: Marcus falls to Cedar Hill 17-41.

Marcus’ Stephen Hopkins, the school’s all-time leading rusher, was held 50 yards on 20 carries and didn’t gain more than five yards on any carry.

This week: Marcus (7-4) has been eliminated from the playoffs, and Hopkins's senior season is over.

LA Slot WR Drew Dileo

Last week: Parkview Baptist beats Crowley 38-16.

Wilson also threw for 114 yards with Drew Dileo making five catches for 87 yards.

This week: Parkview Baptist (10-1) faces Patterson in Round 3 of the State Playoffs.

PA DE Jordan Paskorz

Last week: Hampton falls to Hopewell 9-31.

This week: Hampton (7-4) has been eliminated from the State Playoffs, and Paskorz's season is over.

LA S Carvin Johnson

Last week: Rummel beats Jesuit 14-7. Johnson was a standout for the Raiders:

In the return game, Carvin Johnson, who played huge all night long, came up big. Fielding a punt at his own 36 yard line, Johnson started up the middle, shook a tackle, shook another tackle, moved left, broke another tackle, went toward the Rummel sideline, shook a final tackle and sprinted 64 yards for a score to give Rummel a 7-0 lead with 11:29 to play in the game.

For Rummel, Johnson had seven tackles, an interception, returned the punt for a score and had four catches for 56 yards.

“Carvin Johnson made a huge play for us and he played great all night. He felt bad about fumbling a punt but made up for it with a huge interception to stop Jesuit. I cannot say enough about him and our defense." [Rummel coach Jay Roth].

Article 2:

"This was about team play, " Johnson, a Michigan commitment, said. "Things looked bad for us and then another player would make a play. Special teams, the offense, they made plays when we needed it. This game was just about making plays."

About his touchdown return and the preceding muff, Johnson said, "The defense picked me up. They wouldn't let me get down on myself. Everybody on the team was picking me up. They said make a play next time."

Johnson did, fielding a 31-yard punt by Jonathan Poole and then breaking threw [uh, sic] Jesuit's first wall of tacklers. He stiff-armed Poole at Jesuit's 46-yard line and then was escorted up Rummel's sideline.

This week: Rummel (12-0) plays Hahnville in Round 3 of the State Playoffs.

Seasons Complete

MI RB Austin White

Stevenson's (8-3) season is over after falling in the second round of the playoffs.

MI WR Ricardo Miller

Pioneer's (8-3) ended after a loss in the second round of the playoffs.

MI WR Jeremy Jackson

Huron's (5-4) season ended without a playoff berth. Jackson finished with 43 catches for 573 yards.

OH WR Jerald Robinson

Canton South (3-7) missed the state playoffs, and its season is over.

OH WR DJ Williamson

Harding (6-3-1) will not make the State Playoffs, and its season has ended.

OH OL Christian Pace

Avon Lake (8-4) has been eliminated from the playoffs, and their season is over. Pace was named All-District.

OH DT Terry Talbott

Wayne's (7-4) season ended with a defeat in the second round of the playoffs.

PA DE Ken Wilkins

Trinity (4-6) has been eliminated from the State Playoffs, and their season is over.

OH LB Antonio Kinard

Liberty (4-6) missed the State Playoffs, and its season is over. Kinard was an All-District Honorable Mention.

FL S Marvin Robinson

Lake Region (0-9) missed the playoffs, and their season is over.

OH CB Courtney Avery

Lexington (6-4) missed the State Playoffs, and their season is over. Avery was named All-District as a defensive back, after winning Offensive MVP honors last year.

OH CB Terrence Talbott

Wayne (7-4) has been eliminated from the playoffs, and their season is over.

WI P Will Hagerup

Whitefish Bay (5-5) has completed its season after a first-round playoff loss.

2011 OH CB Greg Brown

Ross (5-5) missed the State Playoffs, and its season is over. Brown was 2nd-Team All-District as a wideout:

[Ross Coach Derek] Kidwell said, "Greg's a phenomenal athlete. His numbers would have been better if we were better on offense."

If you can help out finding articles on any of the commits, e-mail me, and I'll try to include your contribution.

MI QB Devin Gardner

Last week: Preview fluff. Inkster defeats Southgate Anderson 35-7 in Round 3 of the State Playoffs. We were there, so enjoy some video and a scouting report, which I posted yesterday. Detroit News recap.

This week: Inkster (8-3) v. Warren De La Salle @ Ferndale High School at 1 PM Saturday in the State Semifinals.

SC QB Conelius Jones

Last week: Spartanburg upsets previously-undefeated Rock Hill 41-28 in Round 1 of the State Playoffs.

"We took a great season and made it miserable,'' Rock Hill coach Joe Montgomery told The Herald. "We didn't stop No. 5 (QB Cornelius Jones) all night long. I told our kids we got beat in all phases of the game tonight, and you can't win when you give up 41 points.''

Jones did most of his work on the ground, rushing for 110 yards on 18 carries and two touchdowns in the pivotal victory. Jones was especially key on third downs, converting three third-and-longs with big runs.

Article 2.

The lone pass attempt resulted in defensive interference and set up the Vikings with first-and-goal from the five.

“We knew nobody was going to pick us to win,” Jones said. “But we stuck together as a team and everybody executed and did what they were supposed to do.”

Way to figure out a winning gameplan during the regular season, corch.

This week: Spartanburg (4-8) @ Sumter in Round 2 of the State Playoffs. The Vikings fell to Sumter in week 4.

TX RB Tony Drake

Last week: Skyline beats Rowlett 38-0 in Round 1 of the State Playoffs. Drake ran for 114 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries, and caught 3 passes for 32 yards and another score.

This week: Skyline (11-0) @ DeSoto in Round 2 of the State Playoffs. DeSoto is a talented team, with 2 Texas commits and an LSU commit in their senior class (of course, Skyline has 8 seniors committed to D-1 programs).

TX RB Stephen Hopkins

Last week: Marcus beats Grapevine 48-18 in Round 1 of the State Playoffs.

Injecting a heavy dose of senior rusher Stephen Hopkins and junior rusher Rufus Mason, the Marauders wore down a game Grapevine squad in the game’s final 24 minutes to advance past the bi-district round of the postseason, 48-18.

Riding the legs of Hopkins, the Marcus speedster bolted through a gaping hole and scurried 16 yards for the touchdown just 30 seconds into the second quarter.

Speedster, you say? Hopkins ran 26 times for 167 yards and 3 touchdowns, while adding a 26-yard pass reception.

Hopkins photo by Brandon Wade of the Star-Telegram.

This week: Marcus (7-3) @ Cedar Hill in Round 2 of the State Playoffs.

LA Slot WR Drew Dileo

Last week: Parkview Baptist beats Marksville 40-8 in Round 1 of the State Playoffs.

Senior tailback Drew Dileo added receiving and rushing touchdowns.

Dileo, a Michigan commitment, made three catches for 74 yards.

Dileo rushed for 68 yards on five carries.

This week: Parkview Baptist (9-1) v. Crowley in Round 2 of the State Playoffs.

OH OL Christian Pace

Last week: Preview fluff #1:

“Ronnie has turned into a great receiver, thanks to his being a great athlete with great size, speed and hands. We have great leaders on the line like Christian Pace and Dan Schneider who everyone looks up to and does a good job keeping everybody in check.”

Preview fluff #2:

"Our lines on offense and defense are starting to play really well together and our passing game is starting to click, and that’s starting to move defenders out of the box," said two-way lineman Christian Pace.

"We all want the same goal, and that’s a state championship, and senior year is there. It could be your last game," Pace said.

Avon Lake falls to Toledo St. Francis DeSales 10-13.

This week: Avon Lake (8-4) has been eliminated from the playoffs, and their season is over.

PA DE Jordan Paskorz

Last week: Hampton pounds Uniontown 35-14 in Round 2 of the State playoffs.

This week: Hampton (7-4) v. Hopewell in Round 3 of the State Playoffs.

FL S Marvin Robinson

Last week: Lake Region falls to East Ridge 2-47. Robinson is out for the year with an injury.

This week: Lake Region (0-9) missed the playoffs, and their season is over.

LA S Carvin Johnson

Last week: He was all-district, which comes with stats:

senior safety Carvin Johnson, a Michigan commitment who finished with 56 tackles and 4 interceptions. Johnson was selected as a punt and kick return specialist. He averaged 17.5 yards on punt returns with one score.

Rummel beats Captain Shreve 10-3 in Round 1 of the State Playoffs. Johnson kicked some serious ass:

The state's top-seeded team in Class 5A scored 10 first-quarter points, with a key punt return by Raiders safety Carvin Johnson setting up the game's lone touchdown...

In addition to his punt return, Johnson also had two interceptions, with the second ending Captain Shreve's final threat with one minute, 16 seconds remaining.

"We just played hard and we got through it, " Johnson said. "We're know we're going to struggle at times. Our offense has struggled all year. We've just got to keeping getting it done."

Johnson's first interception ended the game's first possession and put Rummel in place for its most productive moments offensively.

Is that not enough? He also had 2 sacks.

This week: Rummel (11-0) @ Jesuit in Round 2 of the State Playoffs. Rummel beat Jesuit earlier this season.

Seasons Complete

MI RB Austin White

Stevenson's (8-3) season is over after falling in the second round of the playoffs.

MI WR Ricardo Miller

Pioneer's (8-3) ended after a loss in the second round of the playoffs.

MI WR Jeremy Jackson

Huron's (5-4) season ended without a playoff berth. Jackson finished with 43 catches for 573 yards.

OH WR Jerald Robinson

Canton South (3-7) missed the state playoffs, and its season is over.

OH WR DJ Williamson

Harding (6-3-1) will not make the State Playoffs, and its season has ended.

OH DT Terry Talbott

Wayne's (7-4) season ended with a defeat in the second round of the playoffs.

PA DE Ken Wilkins

Trinity (4-6) has been eliminated from the State Playoffs, and their season is over.

OH LB Antonio Kinard

Liberty (4-6) missed the State Playoffs, and its season is over.

OH CB Courtney Avery

Lexington (6-4) missed the State Playoffs, and their season is over.

OH CB Terrence Talbott

Wayne (7-4) has been eliminated from the playoffs, and their season is over.

WI P Will Hagerup

Whitefish Bay (5-5) has completed its season after a first-round playoff loss.

2011 OH CB Greg Brown

Ross (5-5) missed the State Playoffs, and its season is over.