Recent Comments

Why wasn't Malik McDowell there? 

This is true.  As a teacher, whenever a student reports to me a possible crime, especially involving a minor, I always stop him/her, and remind the student that I am required by law to report any potential crime to my superiors.

What I don't understand is why both McQueary and Paterno put nothing in writing.  When I verbally report a potential abuse case (and I have had my fair share), I always send a follow-up email just to CMA.  You'd think McQueary wouldve sent an email that began with "Per our conversation ... here's what I saw; here's what I told you; here's what you said you were going to do..."

Bone heads

It'll be interesting to see what happens this weekend; AA Pioneer plays Godin and CC.  If Johnson goes off on this stout defense, I'll be sold.

Granted I was working the umpire position against a really bad team (Thurston was up 42-0 at the end of the first quarter), but truth be told no one really stuck out, including Wilson.  I commented to my colleagues that Thurston was loaded with a bunch of athletes with really no beef eaters.

The one guy who I heard State has offered (or close to) is this kid Tommie Bush out of Michigan Collegiate.  He's the real deal.  No one could tackle or block this kid. 

Many of these players don't go to camp for a number of reasons, thus too many fly under the radar.  This may have been the case of Desmond Morgan who has quite the future for the Maize and Blue.

What's interesting is that Ohio sites for the most part have Wormley in the top five best players in the state.  Buckeye Grove (threw-up a little in my mouth) has him as the fourth best player in Ohio behind Kalis #1 U of M, McMullen #2 Nebraska, and Pittman #3 MSU.  U of M now has 4 of the top 10 players in Ohio: Bolden #8 and Ringer #10.

Just read from a site not to be named that the Butler coaches already conceded Zak Irvin.  If we get him and McGary, we'll be Big Ten contenders for many years to come.

Unfortunately Peat just announced his top schools list and Michigan is not on it: Texas, FSU, ND, and Nebraska.

I would still ove to get at least 1 Rivals 5-star guy fpr a little street cred.  If Kalis has a good season and stays injured-free, he should be given a 5-star rating by the end of the year.  Other than thatmaybe Magnuson?  During the Lloyd era, we were almost guaranteed at least 1: Warren, Burgess, Mallett, etc. 

Yet in terms of early 5-star guys, we appar to be on the outside looking in.  Hopefully this changes in the years to come.

The other guy that seems to be quite the anomoly is Wormley.  Sites in Ohio such as Buckeye Grove have him in the top five best players in Ohio; yet he's listed as only a 3-star.

Penn State appears to be leaking DL recruits.  One decommit and another had his scholarship pulled for academic reasons.  Too bad Michigan couldn't benefit.

Sam Webb just reported on Scout that Stanford does have Michigan in his top group , and that he DOES plan on visiting.

He has already said his top three are OSU, MSU and Tennessee.  No mention of U of M.

Due to immense pressure and poor play out of fan-favorite Brandon Inge, it is now rumored that life-long Tiger fan and heart throb Tom Selleck will be joining the team.

My Kespersky antivirus keeps sending me nastygrams, telling me I've been hit with something.  It starting happening after I posted a picture of two kittens while responding to a post whining how we're a bunch of meanies.  Damn him!

I was the back judge for your home coming game against Ecorse (same day as the film crew was filming a scene from the movie Jinn).  I didn't take notice of Poet, but I thought your wide receiver -- the one who caught the winning touch down -- was pretty good.

I would love to have him.  But while we're on the topic of starnge twists, Penn State's Rival's page has Wayne Morgan still a Michigan lean.  I thought that ship had sailed.  Are they late to the party or is there a chance we land him?

I agree with O'Brien when he says that U of M is only going to take one big ugly (300+ DL).  As it stands, U of M is in good shape with DL's.  Don't let current weights fool you.  I went back and looked at all the DL's taken in the first round, what their orginal weight was and what their weight was when drafted.  Very Different.  Marcell Dareus was 277 in high school and finished at 319; JJ Watt was a 220 2-star recruit to CMU and finished at 290; Nick Fairly was 257 3-star OL and finished a 291 lb all-American DT.  Corey Liuget was 260 lb and finished a 298 DT; Adrien Clayburn was 247 and finished 281; Muhammad Wilkerson was a 255 DE and a finished 315 DT.  Finally, Cam Heyward was 264 and through numerous free cars and Tats, finished 294.

Granted all bodies are different and coaches can tell what kind of weight each person can add.  But with these natural weight progressions in mind, certainly Strobel, Godin (now listed as a 270 lb DT), and Wormley (assuming he commits) can and will grow into decent size interior DL's.  This also does not assume someone like an AJ Williams doesn't pull a Nick Fairly and move to the defensive side of the ball.

Michigan should have a dominant DL for many years to come.

I'm a paying member to Rivals, and I just read Notre Dame's article on Peat's visit.  Really there's nothing in there that leads me to believe that Peat is leaning to one school in particular.  ND interviewed his father who played for the Raiders.  Here's an excerpt:

When Notre Dame gets Peat on campus the goal will shift from showing the tackle how much he's wanted to proving the Irish program is where he can best reach his elite potential. The message received from the Notre Dame coaches will be key to getting Peat back for an official visit.

"That means a lot to us, just being able to call (Warinner), get him on the phone, plan a trip and feel out how they feel about Andrus," Peat Sr. said. "I tell my boys, you want to go somewhere where they believe in you. I said this to Todd (Jr.), that if coach (Bo) Pelini believes you can be the best defensive tackle in the country, that's all that should matter to you if you believe it. If he believes it, you believe it and you work hard, it can happen.

"You want to go somewhere where coaches identify talent and recognize that you can make a difference in their program, moving it in the right direction."

In short, Peat is not tipping his hat to any school he particulary likes.

Question: How would it work if Banner commits to Michigan for football?  He said he wants to play basketball ('6.9).  Would that preclude Michigan from using a basketball scholarship for another player?

I echo ryebreadboy's argument about the Ohio State.  There are rumblings that even more is coming out in the near future, and that the AD will be gone soon (replaced by Archie Griffin), and former OSU football players are pushing hard for a 100 percent clean slate.  Who would want to come to this train wreck knowing you won't play on New Year's day or possibly not on TV at all?

I would love a big wide receiver.  I still think (having officiated one of his games as the back judge) that Devin Funchess could play wide out in lieu of a tight end.  But having Stafford would really place a great deal of pressure on any opposing Defense.

Rivals, IMO, does a fairly decent job of predicting success.  Six of the top ten players taken in the 2011 NFL draft were five-star recruits.  Twelve of the first 32 players taken were four-star recruits, ten three-star, and only three two-star recruits (JJ Watt, Anthony Castonzo, and Muhammed Wilkerson). 

What worries me is offering guys who are barely on anybody's radar, them committing, thus scaring off high-end recruits.  Hopefully Michigan coaches are convinced Standifer and Gant are every bit as good as Morgan and Reeves.  Is Olson on par with Peats, Thurston, and Banner?

Tom

Are you going to the Sound Mind camp to speak with any current and/or potential recruits?

I officiated this kid out of MLK named Dennis Norfleet, and I thought he was one of the most dominating backs I've seen.  I also see that some sites have him as high as the fifth best player in Michigan.  MSU has offered him, but Uof M has not.  Are the five backs that Mich has offered that much better than Norfleet including Dunn?  Academic issues?  Just wondering.