BBrown: Quick Update with 2015 QB Alex Malzone

Submitted by Brandon Brown on

Michigan has only offered 1 quarterback from the 2015 class in Josh Rosen, and he himself told me that he has ZERO interest in Michigan so obviously another target will receive an offer at some point.  Alex Malzone (Brother Rice HS - Bloomfield, MI) is one of the quarterbacks in the class that is getting attention from the coaching staff and Alex tells me that the interest is mutual. I spoke very briefly with Alex after his first day of practice Monday, which followed a weekend trip to Ann Arbor.

How as the visit:

It was good. I didn't watch a practice, I just went to the media day. I talked to one of the QB assistants and I got Coach Borges' number. I loved the campus and everything. The QB assistant said they were going to get me down to a game. I'm not sure which one, but I think it will be one of the first 3 games.

Malzone will get attention being an in-state kid, but I'm not convinced that he is option #2 behind Rosen. It will be interesting to see if Malzone makes it back for a fall visit and how much the coaches pay attention to him as he heads into his junior year.

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alum96

August 13th, 2013 at 9:50 PM ^

Yep. I know its hard for our fan base to believe but not ever kid worships at Michigan.  This kid loves Stanford from all I read and Stanford can offer everything Michigan has other than some history from the 1910s thru 1940s.  Awesome alumni base, close to home, awesome academics, conference on par (or better) than currently scoffed at Big 10, more recent top level success, a recent protege at the position in Andrew Luck, etc.  Like someone else said - we are currently not known for pushing out pro style QBs to anyone under the age of 15 who knows Michigan as a spread offense team.

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alum96

August 14th, 2013 at 12:44 AM ^

I think you overstate the amount a kid who is 16 cares about 1974.  I didn't say 'equivalent' - there is a lot of equality in a lot of areas between the 2 schools and for a California kid who obviously has shown in his comments he favors staying close to home or getting offers from the SEC, Stanford would be his form of Michigan.

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bronxblue

August 14th, 2013 at 10:47 AM ^

I don't disagree with this sentiment; I do think people in their 30's and 40's crazy if they think a kid born in the mid 1990's cares about Bo much.  Heck, I'm a relatively-old 32 and my real memories of the program start with the Moeller years.  In the most recent past, Stanford has been a near-elite program.  My only caveat is that we don't really know what Stanford will look like once Harbaugh's kids work their way through.  They had an amazing 2012 class and Shaw has done well so far on the field, but I've seen Stanford's football fandom ebb and wain significantly over the years, and when the team isn't much above average the following shrivels up.  I don't disagree that Stanford is Rosen's first choice and I understand why, but let's see how he feels about the state of Stanford if they struggle with lesser players.

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alum96

August 14th, 2013 at 12:56 PM ^

Thank you for the comment and I agree with all you sentiment.   Many people on this board are older (I am older) and think like their age which is fine rather than a young person.  Also every person young or old picks schools for different reasons.  I am sentinmental to Bo - most 15-16 year olds, especially outside of the Midwest, won't even know who he is, or if they do its a fiery speech before "The Game" once a year.  Just like kids who pick Alabama today don't pick it due to Bear Bryant.  They know of Bear maybe in a 15 second video clip somewhere before an Alabam game.  But Saban is msotly why they are choosing Bama - Bear's history was there 7-8 years ago while Shula was ruining the program just the same.   Most people's real memories start around age 6-7 so recruits have about a 10 year window of memory as they enter the recruiting fray.  In the past 10 years Michigan has not been a premier program outside of that window in 2005-2006, so that affects things.  I expect that to change soon and the kids who are being recruited in 2020-2025 will have a different view. And frankly Michigan is recruiting at an outstanding level today relative to the general weakness of the program over the past 6-7 years.

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Tyrone Biggums

August 14th, 2013 at 12:30 AM ^

I've lived in the bay area off and on for the last 15 years and I can unequivocally say that the Stanford fan base is of a completely different sort than UM's. Stanford had 1 sellout last year USC, and their stadium only holds 50,000 (at least 10,000 SC fans). The Pac-12 championship game was hosted by the home team - at Stanford Stadium only pulled about 30,000 people. Lame.

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alum96

August 14th, 2013 at 12:53 AM ^

And Michigan has bad weather in the winter.  And less pretty girls than California blah blah.  We can find pro and cons on each program.  If you are 16-17 and are a pro style QB who grew up in Cal you see what USC pushes out and see what Stanford did with Andrew Luck.  Despite those "terrible crowds" Stanford was able to pull in Luck, who was the 4th rated pro style QB his year, a 5 star at Scout (4 star everywhere else)..... and that was before Harbaugh's success.  Kids who are Rosen's age don't remember Navarre, Brady, Griese, and maybe only a tad bit of Henne but that was already 2004-2007 and most of these kids were in elementary school at the time.  And frankly I doubt most kids outside the Midwest would know Henne - I couldnt tell you who Miami's QB was in 2005 or Auburn's, etc.  Shane and Wilton hopefully (and Gardner to some degree) will turn the tide to showcase that is the style again.   Perhaps you guys should get Rosen's # too and call him and explain what he is missing, obviously Hoke didn't do a good enough job pointing out how superior Michigan is over Stanford or the SEC.

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Mr Miggle

August 14th, 2013 at 7:37 AM ^

just because somebody disagreed with you. And pointed out that you were wrong in that Stanford doesn't offer everything that Michigan does. We all realize they offer a lot. One thing they haven't offered him is a scholarship. So while Stanford may be Rosen's first choice, he isn't theirs.

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alum96

August 14th, 2013 at 9:10 AM ^

Yes, because Stanford originally offered the #1 pro style prospect Mr. Town - who just committed to Alabama.  And Town was legitimately interested, despite Stanford being sucky and awful and horrible with no fans in the stands, aside from the last 3 seasons.  Obviously the draw from Alabama is hard to beat but makes me wonder why the #1 and #2 pro style QBs would consider such a poor football program with little history. 

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RedGreene

August 14th, 2013 at 7:40 AM ^

Stanford 

2002 - 2-9

2003 - 4-7

2004 - 4-7

2005 - 5-6

2006 - 1-11

2007 - 4-8

2008 - 5-7

2009 - 8-5

2010 - 12-1

2011 - 11-2

2012 - 12-2

Stanford has had about 5 good seasons in the last 50, so I can see why you're comparing them with Michigan.  I think you're selling the kids short if you don't think they know the history of the top programs.  In fact, most of them mention it in interviews. 

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alum96

August 14th, 2013 at 9:14 AM ^

Because any school who did not dominate in the 60s and 70s cannot be more attractive to a recruit than Michigan....  cmon people, I realize it breaks the time continuum to consider someone is not interested in the school.  Michigan will get a great QB in this class, CA alone has 5-6 top end prospects.  I'm sure in a few months with a lot more film there will be more offers out and the next kid is going to be very interested.  Rosen doesn't happen to be one interested and plenty of kids who Michigan offers are not interested.  These top schools offer 150+ kids every year, we discuss about 50-60 of them here as (somewhat) serious candidates, meaning about 100 a year have no real interest. I am unclear why Rosen's brush off is so shocking or hurtful to pride aside from the fact its at QB.

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Zone Left

August 13th, 2013 at 9:52 PM ^

Agreed. I'd appreciate that candor from a 16 year old. I feel like some kids fall in love with the attention and string schools along to collect offers. When I was being recruited for D-III, I was really quick to give coaches my real position. I never liked being recruited at that level. I'd hate the attention of being a national kid.

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True Blue Grit

August 14th, 2013 at 8:24 AM ^

to find THE GUY at QB for the 2015 class.  But, these kids have two full seasons left of HS football.  So, unless a player is an obvious exceptional talent, Michigan has plenty of time to see how kids develop this fall on the field before putting out a number of more offers.  

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mrkid

August 14th, 2013 at 10:00 AM ^

I like what I saw in his sophomore highlights.  It's still hard to think he has a couple more years before he has to make a decision. Recruiting, you are crazy.

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