Michigan's top 2020 Recruit A.J. Henning part of Championship Team
Michigan's top 2020 recruit, WR A.J. Henning, was the star in the Div. 8A Illinois State Championship game. Lincoln-Way East won a hard fought 12 - 0 battle against Warren, in what was largely a defensive struggle. This was the lowest point total for Lincoln-Way since 2015. Warren only gained 36 yards the entire game.
Here's a nice quote:
“Some people are different in the way they see the field,” Henning said. “Some people are more elusive than others. When I get space on the outside I just go into my drive phase of the 100-meter dash. When I’m in the open field it is just like running a track race for me.”
Saturday’s track race busted open a defensive battle in the final minute of the third quarter. Henning, a Michigan recruit, broke loose down the right sideline for the game’s only touchdown, a 56-yard run that sealed Lincoln-Way East’s 12-0 win against Warren in the Class 8A state championship game at Huskie Stadium.
Henning had 29 carries for 125 yards and the touchdown.
“We were getting little chunks of yards all night,” Henning said. “Me and [Jamal Johnson] were just pounding away at them. It was just a matter of time until we hit that big play. When I hit the sideline, it was history from there.”
Michigan's top 2021 recruit, QB J.J. McCarthy, came up just short in the Div. 7A Illinois State Championship game. Nazareth lost to Mount Carmel 37-13, in a game largely fought in the trenches. McCarthy will get another shot next year. He was sacked 5 times, and finished 8 - 25 for 116 yards and 1 touchdown.
Quote from the Chicago Trib:
McCarthy, a five-star Michigan recruit, faced a new set of challenges Saturday in the Class 7A state championship game against Mount Carmel in DeKalb. After putting up video-game numbers throughout the season, McCarthy and the Roadrunners struggled to piece together positive plays against the Caravan.
Mount Carmel’s defense perplexed McCarthy with aggressive blitzes and coverage schemes to record a 37-13 triumph at Huskie Stadium.
“They had athletic kids and blitzed off the edge,” McCarthy said. “They took us out of our rhythm and had an excellent scheme against us.”
The Caravan (14-0) rarely allowed McCarthy to set his feet in the pocket and forced him to scramble routinely.
December 2nd, 2019 at 1:27 PM ^
WR is a position I was worried about going forward, but I think it's going to be in great shape for years. We'll likely get two of Collins, DPJ, and Black back next year. We'll also have Bell, Sainristil, and Jackson, so we can redshirt Henning.
The following year having a corps made up of Bell, Henning, Sainristi, and Jackson still sounds pretty damn good.
December 2nd, 2019 at 1:30 PM ^
You're forgetting about Cornelius Johnson.
I think Black and DPJ come back (Black shouldn't even be a question right?), I'd be shocked if Collins does, but I've been shocked before.
December 2nd, 2019 at 1:34 PM ^
After Saturday I wouldn't be surprised by anyone staying. I would think that if our passing offense is fully weaponized next year that would improve some draft positions.
Providing they can learn to not drop the damn ball 42 times against OSU.
December 2nd, 2019 at 2:31 PM ^
Also, don't forget about WR Roman Wilson in the 2020 class from Hawaii. When he joins the team, he'll likely be the fastest guy on the squad.
December 2nd, 2019 at 1:31 PM ^
Would bet that AJ almost certainly sees the field (not redshirting) as hoping to get 5 years out of a top 100 WR recruit is highly unlikely.
December 2nd, 2019 at 1:40 PM ^
Henning isn’t redshirting.
December 2nd, 2019 at 1:40 PM ^
I'd personally be shocked if Collins and DPJ don't go pro. Nevertheless I agree that Black, Bell, et al. is a good position group next year.
December 2nd, 2019 at 1:40 PM ^
I haven't followed recruiting much at all the past few years, but am I to understand that our TOP 2020 recruit is the 90th best player and 19th best WR on the board? Not a single 5* in the class?
Meanwhile OSU has 2 5* commits and the #4 class with an average player rating of 91.81. We're #13 and 89.60.
Guess we had better get used to losing, if we're not already.
December 2nd, 2019 at 1:43 PM ^
I mean, not trying to paint a rosy picture or anything but the quoted Chicago Trib article literally states that McCarthy is a 5*, so why are you saying we don’t have any 5*s?
December 2nd, 2019 at 1:44 PM ^
McCarthy is 2021, he's talking about 2020.
December 2nd, 2019 at 1:56 PM ^
Oh shit my bad you are correct
December 2nd, 2019 at 2:06 PM ^
Gus Malzahn has been at Auburn for seven seasons including this one; during that time, Alabama has been one of the dominant programs in the country, going to four NC games and winning two of them.
Based on 247, Auburn has assembled a top-10 recruiting class in all but one or two seasons, yet has finished several places behind Alabama in overall finish and in average rating per player each year. In three of those seasons, Michigan finished ahead of Auburn in recruiting rankings
Somehow, in spite of these horrendous recruiting disadvantages, Auburn under Malzahn has managed to go 3-4 against the juggernaut in Tuscaloosa. Somehow, Malzahn has managed to coax a top-level performance against a team with more talent on three occasions. Yes, Kick 6 was a veritable football miracle, but Auburn was in that game in a position to win—it wasn't getting blown out in a way that a Kick 6 was meaningless.
In spite of the recruiting rankings, my suspicion is that the talent differential between Alabama and Auburn is smaller than the one between OSU and Michigan, but I don't think our long string of poor performances against OSU is solely and only attributable to pure talent differential.
December 2nd, 2019 at 2:23 PM ^
I’m sure there are many contributing factors but I’m just so f’ing tired of seeing OSU habe better players. They had an addition 9 five stars this year. I’m tired and frustrated of always having to play a “ perfect game” just to have the ref fuck is out of a win.
December 2nd, 2019 at 2:43 PM ^
Not trying to make excuses but sometimes it is (at least in part) about good luck and circumstances. You think Auburn wins that game if Tua is playing?
December 2nd, 2019 at 3:43 PM ^
Careful Don, now that Brian gave up on winning The Game due to our school playing the moral high ground card, you’re going to be labeled a troll for finding logical football reasons for Harbaugh and Michigan’s struggles. The Lord has spoken.
December 2nd, 2019 at 1:49 PM ^
Hope he enjoyed that championship feeling. He won't have another one for awhile.
December 2nd, 2019 at 1:53 PM ^
Hey. There's a small trophy for third place.
December 2nd, 2019 at 3:20 PM ^
T-shirts too, but not hats. You gotta finish 6-6 for one of those!
December 2nd, 2019 at 2:03 PM ^
I attended the 8A game in person as my son attends the team that AJ Henning's team defeated 12-0. Both teams were known for their defense and it showed - especially when combined with a steady rain and strong wind. It was an interesting high school game full of no offense, two division-1 kickers, and more flags than I could count. Neither team was capable of passing the ball - which is only partly to blame on the weather.
My scouting report on AJ is that he's definitely an explosive athlete and the best on the field, but he only had one noteworthy play (the lone TD of the game, a 59-yard run around the end). Warren's stellar defense held him in check most of the game and their QB was woefully inaccurate on the handful of passes he even attempted. So I got to see a highlight play where AJ finally edged the defense and then outran everyone....but hard to project his role next year. He looks thicker than Sainristil or Jackson, but of a similar mold.
December 2nd, 2019 at 2:38 PM ^
McCarthy did have a nice 62 yard TD pass though
December 2nd, 2019 at 8:55 PM ^
AJ has the raw speed that Ruggs and Waddle flashed at Bama, so Gattis will know how to develop his WR skills and utilize him in the offense. Congrats to him for a state championship.