TomVH: Kevin Sousa Has an Offer/Visiting Tuesday

Submitted by TomVH on

QB Kevin Sousa, from Lake Nona High School, has an offer from Michigan. Kevin's coach just called, and said Rich Rodriguez just called him to let him know that Kevin has an offer. As I wrote a week ago, Kevin was told this offer would be coming. Kevin's interest in Michigan is very high, and his coaches feel the same way. His coach told me their plans for Kevin, and they might move quickly.

We're going to try to get him up there in the next week. It will most likely be Tuesday. We just want him to see everything up there, and make sure that it's something that he likes. Michigan is really high for him, and us. My advice to him was, with Michigan, they're the whole package. The offense they run, the prestige of the school, and he'd have a chance to grow as a quarterback, since he's so new to football. I told him that playing two years at Michigan is a successful career.

Sousa could possibly be up to Michigan this coming Tuesday, and it sounds like there could even possibly be a decision that would come shortly after. 

We don't want to say too much, yet. I don't want to speak on behalf of Kevin, but there's a possibility that he could commit while we're there. We're not going there for no reason, that's for sure. I don't want to say he will for sure, but there's a possibility.

So, it sounds like we might be on commit watch for Michigan's next quarterback commitment. 

**UPDATE** - Kevin sent me a message, and they have their flight booked. He and his coach are flying up around noon on Tuesday, and flying back the same night. We are officially on commit watch. 

Comments

Magnus

June 24th, 2010 at 11:12 AM ^

We need a QB in this class, and here's why:

We only have 3 bona fide quarterbacks on the roster right now.  Conelius Jones is a "maybe" - he might be better off at another position.  And I know Denard looked great in the spring, but what if he reverts to his old ways of throwing interceptions like crazy and completing 45% of his passes?

Hypothetically, let's say one of the QBs transfers.  That leaves us with 2-3 scholarship QBs.  Then one of them goes down with a torn ACL.  That leaves us with 1-2 QBs.  What if one breaks a finger or gets the wind knocked out of him?

Anyway, Rodriguez has said repeatedly that he'd like to have 5-6 scholarship quarterbacks on the roster at all times.  Sousa (or any QB in this class) would give us a max of 5.  It would also give some flexibility to move Robinson/Jones to other positions if necessary.

If all things stay the same, we won't necessarily need a QB in 2012.  But we need one in 2011.

LifelongFan

June 24th, 2010 at 11:16 AM ^

Respectfully disagree - with a high likelihood that C. Jones ends up playing a different position, we need a QB in this class to maintain depth. 

While we certainly need O-linemen, the need for LBs isn't as critical.  2-3 LBs in this class would be plenty (we just signed 4-5 in the last class).   

johnvand

June 24th, 2010 at 11:46 AM ^

With how bunched up our QB's are (2 true sophomores, 2 true freshman), we need one this class just to make sure our butts are covered.

If our QB roster had 4 that looked like:   Junior, RS Soph, Soph, Fresh.  Then you could entertain the idea of skipping a year.

When they're all bunched up like ours are, there is going to be attrition and/or position changes.  I will be shocked if there isn't.

drewro02

June 24th, 2010 at 11:48 AM ^

It's called depth. In the world of college football anything can happen. Injuries, transfers, coaching changes; any of that can affect depth issues. Just like MGoPhilly said, we do not want a situation like 2008 to happen again. You have to get one qb in this class, you just have to.

spam and beans

June 24th, 2010 at 12:48 PM ^

I remember an interview where coach Carr was asked about spread O's, and running quarterbacks.  He said his concern was exposing quarterbacks to injuries.  I love Rich Rod's spread, but the quarterbacks do take a beating.  You can't have just one or two guys you can win with.  You need a lot more.  Even with a Pro style O. we would have needed more quarterbacks than we have had in recent years.   

MCalibur

June 24th, 2010 at 2:13 PM ^

With all due respect to Lloyd Carr, there is no reason to beleive this old wive's tale. All QBs are exposed to injuries at about the same level, approximately 25%. There might be a 1 or 2 percent difference, but probably not. Stated differently, in 100 football seasons, you might see 1 or 2 additional injuries with a running QB than you would with a pocket QB.

spam and beans

June 24th, 2010 at 3:59 PM ^

I can't argue with your math.  Seriously, I suck at math.  I find comfort in the quote about there being three kinds of lies.  "lies, damn lies, and statistics". So don't know math, but I did play High School football.  What I learned is getting hit hurts.  The more hits you take, the worse you feel.  Some Saturday mornings took extreme effort just to get out of bed.  Also, you can keep tabs on injuries, but players play hurt all the time, sometimes out of necessity.  They don't keep stats on that.  Forcier might not have played some games last year if there had been an adequate back up.  What constitutes an injury?  Being out for a play, a series, a game, a season?  I don't know.  But I do know that getting hit hurts, and it doesn't take math to figure it out.

MCalibur

June 24th, 2010 at 4:26 PM ^

Lloyd Carr wasn't worried about his QB being sore the next day, he was worried about being forced to play his back up QB; a legitimate concern. Of course guys play with minor injuries and soreness and hurt feelings or whatever... but what evidence is there to suggest that running QBs have to deal with those issues more than pocket QBs?

If you don't want to acknowledge the validity of this information, that's your business. I suppose we should also ignore the statistics that say that smoking cigarrettes increases our risk of developing lung cancer lies, too? Perhaps pregnant women should ignore the statistics that say that drinking alcohol is bad for their unborn children. Insurance companies should disregard their statistics and give storm chasers the same premiums they give to librarians.

The fact of the matter is that for every Dennis Dixon there is a Chad Henne. If you want to argue that Dixon was more bruised than Henne, knock yourself out.

CalifExile

June 24th, 2010 at 5:10 PM ^

And one (Conelius Jones) who can step up if absolutely necessary.

I have no hesitation in saying that I have unlimited confidence in any of the 4 providing more help this year than any potential recruit who might join us next year. Because, after all, we are talking about a recruit who would join us next year.

Blue in Seattle

June 24th, 2010 at 8:17 PM ^

And not just because you've ignored the extensive analysis on QB injuries that have been posted to this site before.  Links of which have already been pointed out to you.

But also this pushed me to research the QB's other than Harbaugh who had to step up when he was injured in 1984.  Conventional wisdom was that Harbaugh was the critical loss to the team.

Apparently there were two other QB's available, but they must not have had the talent to fill Harbaugh's shoes.  Even though Harbaugh was a sophmore.

http://bentley.umich.edu/athdept/football/fbteam/1984fbt.htm

quarterback   Jim Harbaugh (5)

Chris Zurbrugg (5)

Russell Rein (2)

So despite not using the best proof to make your point, I agree with it, at least as I understand it, which is, "you can't afford to have one prima donna starter every 4 years, because IF he gets dinged up, the rest of the year is screwed"

I don't know if it was recruiting lack of focus or Pro Style QB's being hard to recruit for unless you could promise 3  years of starting time, but it seems to me that Henne starting as a freshman and no one showing up at QB until Henne's senior year is the former rather than the latter.

Double Nickel BG

June 24th, 2010 at 10:04 PM ^

be plenty of room for OL, LBs, DBs in the class. Taking a QB every year is a good plan so you never have to run a inexperienced Freshman out there unless he is vastly superior to the other options. Add in that he's a prospect with a ton of upside and has time to RS and compete when he's ready, it looks like it will be a great pickup.

Greenwood_Slumdog

June 24th, 2010 at 11:05 AM ^

His lack of dreads concerns me (/sarcasm), but otherwise I like this offer going out. I hope that he commits soon, so we can shift our attention to Linemen and Linebackers.

Let the (newspaper name removed) search for skeletons in his closet commence.

jtmc33

June 24th, 2010 at 11:17 AM ^

I don't see a 4-star QB commiting to UM given the depth chart this year or possibly next year... but a 3-star who is "All In For Michigan" and knows he's coming in to red-shirt and compete in his Jr/Sr year... what's not to like.

Getting one QB in this class also allows the coaching staff to red-shirt C. Jones and determine if 2011 he will be better at S / WR / or QB.

2011:  Tate - Jr. and/or Robinson - Jr. and/or Gardner - RFr.;  C. Jones - RFr; Sousa - RS

2012:  Tate - Sr. and/or Robinson - Sr. and/or Gardner - RSo;  Sousa- RFr or C.Jones- RSo; 4-star Recruit - Redshirted

2013:  Gardner - RJr.;  Sousa - RSo; C.Jones - RJr;  4-star Recruit - RFr.

neoavatara

June 24th, 2010 at 11:48 AM ^

I think he will be a great pickup.  With Gardner ahead of him, he can redshirt and slowly learn the system.  He will get the chance to play in a couple years.  That will be perfect.  I have heard good things about him...I think he could be a sleeper. 

BlueBuzz808

June 24th, 2010 at 12:26 PM ^

WOOOT this guy finally has an offer, I'm pretty sure he's going to commit on the trip because every recruit that has went up to Ann Arbor were blown away. We are high on some OL, we could snatch some elite LBs away when UM has a winning season. I'm just happy this guy got an offer because he was always high on UM.

MGauxBleu

June 24th, 2010 at 12:48 PM ^

But it looks like we have a couple extra scholarships to play with in this class post-Dorsey and Kinnard. This gives us a little breathing room despite our other heavy needs (LB, OL, ...)

Or am I way off base?

JC3

June 24th, 2010 at 12:57 PM ^

I think Sousa would be a great get. With the number of younger quarterbacks on our roster, it would give him time to redshirt and develop over a few years. He's a kid with all the physical tools (Good wheels, great arm), and has only been playing football for what, 2 years? I'd be happy with him in our class.

Hannibal.

June 24th, 2010 at 1:14 PM ^

I assume this means that Cardale Jones is not coming?  Conventional wisdom was that he was the #1 target. 

I don't think that you need five scholarship QBs on the team.  I would have liked to see us hold out for a Devin Gardner caliber player in 2012.  I guess this at least gives us the option of gently nudging Jones to another position if he can't play QB.