Chatting With Kyle Bosch, Wolverine Comment Count

Ace

KyleBosch

The first to drop in what became an eight-commit weekend, Wheaton (IL) St. Francis OL Kyle Bosch pledged to Michigan nine days ago. The Rivals100 lineman will likely play guard in Ann Arbor, though he has the versatility to play anywhere on the line. I had the chance to talk to Kyle yesterday about his commitment, why he chose the Wolverines, his future role on the team, and much more:

ACE: What made you decide that a couple weekends ago was the right time to commit to Michigan?

KYLE: It just felt right at that point. It didn't even make sense to keep dancing around the country and trying to find any place that had the same sort of academic and athletic combination that Michigan has. I've been all over the place, I've checked out every place, and at that point it just didn't make sense to let the offer sit. It seemed just like I should just act now and try to start recruiting for my class.

ACE: You mentioned the academics and the athletics. What set Michigan apart from the other schools that you were considering?

KYLE: It wasn't even the fact that it's the biggest stadium in the country or the best facilities in the country of any of that, it's more the people who were actually there working. From Coach Hoke to the athletic trainers, they're all very good people, and that definitely set them apart from a lot of other schools.

ACE: You were the first to commit in what would become a pretty wild weekend of commitments. What was it like seeing all the dominoes fall after you committed?

KYLE: It was kinda crazy. I don't know if it was because of my offer and my acceptance of the offer that started a bit of a firestorm of commitments, but if it was I'm glad I did it, because I think our class is going to be a very, very good class. We have about 13 commitments now, I think our offensive line is all filled up, we've got a great running back, Wyatt [Shallman], and the number one quarterback in the country, that's Shane Morris. I think we're going to be able to make a long run in the BCS standings, and I wouldn't be surprised seeing us in four or five years playing in the national championship.

ACE: Being a part of a class that's already up to 13 players, and seeing you guys interact on Twitter and stuff like that, it seems like the class is very tight-knit. What's it like being a part of a class that's seemingly so close at a point this early in the process?

KYLE: I think that's great that we're becoming this close. I'm definitely making a conscious effort to try and network with these guys and try to get to know them better, because these are the men that I'm going to be living and dying next to in the trenches and working my butt off in the weight room with in the offseason. I think getting this sort of relationship, this sort of brotherly relationship, we're already to already starting to grow on and grow with, it's really essential to the team. If we get that established before we even get to the first day of summer camp, I think that just the camaraderie will carry us a very long way.

ACE: You also mentioned already having the line class filled up with five players. Have you talked with the coaches about specifically what role, what position, you'd be playing when you get on campus?

KYLE: If I need to play guard, I know how to play guard. If I need to play center, this offseason I'm learning how to play center. If I need to play tackle, I know how to play both tackle slots. I think at this point, I talked to Coach Funk, and he said he sees me at guard for my junior and senior year, but if need be I can probably play tackle if someone gets hurt or if there's a spot that needs to be filled.

ACE: You mentioned talking with Coach Funk and you talked about being with Coach Hoke. What really set the Michigan coaching staff apart from the other coaching staffs that you've come across?

KYLE: That's a good question. The thing about them is that there's not as much of "we're coaches, we're here to win," as there is "we're fathers, and you're my kids. If we win, great, but we're here to develop young men." Winning isn't the only thing, it's to develop young men, and not only help them maybe get to the NFL but develop them and get them ready for life. You can tell with Coach Hoke, he definitely has a very strong family mentality. When I told him I committed, he gave me a bear-hug when we were talking. I met all of their families, the families were all there. I got to talk to their kids. You could there that every coach there, whether it be Coach Funk or the defensive coordinator, everybody was basically an uncle to the kids and everybody was really close with the kids. You could tell that these men definitely have a lot invested in you as a person, not just as a football player, and I really respected that. I've seen that at Michigan State and Stanford also, and I really liked them too, but Michigan definitely set themselves apart.

ACE: Looking back on the times you've come up to Ann Arbor, what's really stuck out to you the most when you were on your visits?

KYLE: As a player, what stood out to me is how, no matter if the kid was a two-star recruit or a five-star recruit, they treated them all the same, they all gave everybody an equal amount of attention. I've been at junior days where I get talked to for 45 minutes but there's three other kids where it seemed like the coaches didn't know they were even there. I really thought that was pretty cool. What stood out to me, I guess as a physical attribute, is all of the fans. The fans are unbelievable there. When I was there for the Notre Dame game, it was the first game under the lights, and they came back and the fans were going insane. The Nebraska game, where the jumbotron didn't even work and the score clock didn't even work and the fans were screwing with the Nebraska quarterback, he wasn't getting the ball off until late and getting under pressure, I thought that was pretty cool too.

ACE: Coming from Illinois, it's a really strong class of players this year. Have you developed a relationship with the prospects coming out of your state—not just the guys who are committed to Michigan but the uncommitted guys as well?

KYLE: Yes, I have. I talk to Ty Isaac quite a bit. I've talked to Logan Tuley. I talked to a bunch of kids who were around our recruiting class. I have developed somewhat of a relationship with a lot of the kids in Illinois.

ACE: Now that you're committed, I know Shane has been spearheading a lot of the recruiting effort. Are you looking to pitch in and do some recruiting of your own?

KYLE: Yeah, absolutely. I'm doing that right now, actually. I know a kid named Henry Poggi that is a highly-recruited defensive lineman. I've gone to a couple camps with him and he's a hell of a player and a really good kid. I'm talking to Ty Isaac a lot, trying to get him. I'd actually talked to Patrick Kugler about three weeks before he committed, and I was actually going to come up this weekend when he did commit, but I ended up not going. He shot me a text right when he committed. It's really exciting to see all the guys commit and see what sort of class we're building up.

ACE: Are you planning on doing any other camps or combines over the offseason?

KYLE: I'll definitely be doing one of the Nike ones at the Barrington Fieldhouse in Illinois, just to see if I can go to The Opening. Other than that, I'm going to go to the Michigan camp, go to the one-day Michigan camp and work with Coach Funk and see how he works with me. That'll be fun to do. That's probably what I'll end up doing.

ACE: Evaluating your own game, and also taking what the coaches have told you, what would say are your  biggest strengths on the field and what are you looking to improve upon by the time you get to the next level?

KYLE: My greatest strength is probably run-blocking and finishing my blocks. If I don't hit the guy down, I ride him until the whistle blows, even if I ran him 40 yards downfield I'm still going after him. I always roll my hips, [Coach Funk] said that for my age, for my size, me rolling my hips every single block is definitely a very unique thing I have to offer. Something I'd like to improve on would be my pass protection. I don't really have a problem with it, I didn't let up a sack this year, but we don't throw the ball as much as a lot of teams because we have such a good running back and a good scrambling quarterback. I'm working on that right now actually at my gyms, just working on pass protection. I'd like to learn how to snap, also, that's one thing I'd like to learn how to do. I'm also working on that.

ACE: You talked earlier about looking at this class and seeing a possible BCS contender down the road. What's the goal for you personally when you get to Michigan?

KYLE: My personal goal is just to help be a leader on and off the field. With my team I hold a lot of weight with a lot of the guys just because I'm always there for them on and off the field, and that's one of my big goals, not even to start but just to be there for all the guys, from the defensive backs to the running backs and of course the offensive linemen. I just want to build a good relationship with them. After that, probably just getting bigger, getting stronger, and seeing what happens about where the coaches want me to be.

ACE: If you can, in as short a sentence as you can, tell me why you ended up picking Michigan?

KYLE: That's a tough one. I'd say I chose Michigan, just the feeling that I got. I woke up that morning and I went from Notre Dame and MSU the day before to Michigan; I'd slept it over the night before I went on campus, and I said if I get that same feeling again that the time was now. Then I got that feeling and I committed.

Comments

hart20

February 27th, 2012 at 11:59 AM ^

I really want Isaac and Treadwell in this class. I also found it pretty cool about the coaches and how they're all like uncles to the kids. It's not surprising when you think about our coaches but still pretty cool.

Hardware Sushi

February 27th, 2012 at 12:01 PM ^

Great interview, Ace.

I hate to say this because it always seems so trite to me, but Kyle seems like a really mature kid. Looking forward to him chirping in the ears of Poggi and Isaac.

Magnus

February 27th, 2012 at 12:04 PM ^

For some reason I see Bosch or Kugler fitting in at center better than Dawson, but I think he could be a very good guard, too.  He seems like a high quality kid.  It seems like Michigan is doing a better job of recruiting both talent AND character since Hoke took the helm.

Magnus

February 27th, 2012 at 1:27 PM ^

I think he's an okay pass blocker for a guard, but I don't think he has the ability to play tackle.  He does have long arms and he runs well, but I don't know that he has the length and lateral quickness to keep with edge rushers.  To me he looks like a guard all the way, maybe a center, too.

RakeFight

February 27th, 2012 at 12:07 PM ^

I love these interviews, Ace.  These kids go from stats on a piece of paper to real people very quickly with your interview style.

I have to say that it seems like Michigan is getting some really quality people... not just quality athletes.  This is yet another recruit that seems quite mature and insightful for his age and circumstance.  I mean, his personal goal isn't to win this game or that, or to make the NFL... it's to be a leader of the team.  How can you beat that.

Each interview just builds on the growing special feeling about this class. 

nmumike

February 27th, 2012 at 12:09 PM ^

toughness, character and a mean streak, yes please! I love his comment on his feeeling that the time was now, HAIL yes the time is now, great choice young man! GO BLUE!

CR509

February 27th, 2012 at 12:14 PM ^

Broken record I know, but the kind of kids that this staff is bringing in is very impressive not just from a football standpoint but from a good human being standpoint. Sounds like a very sharp kid that is going to be special on and off the field

DonAZ

February 27th, 2012 at 12:47 PM ^

... it's more the people who were actually there working. From Coach Hoke to the athletic trainers, they're all very good people, and that definitely set them apart from a lot of other schools.

Character matters ... and it can't be faked.  These players sense the core of Hoke's brand of Michigan football.  I love it.

ken725

February 27th, 2012 at 1:24 PM ^

I read on another website that a former player really thinks that character is a huge part to having a successful long term program. 

He also said that he sees that Hoke understands that and he is bringing in the right type of guy to Michigan.  It is pretty evident after reading this interview that Hoke really know what type of kids he wants to wear the winged helmet.

uncleFred

February 27th, 2012 at 1:43 PM ^

Lately there has been a fair amount of discussion about recruiting an extra this or that incase we lose one of our early commits. Clearly that is possible, and has happened in the past to us and to other programs. 

When I read the sentiments that these young men express about the coaches, the school and the fans, and the way that they are already bonding to their fellow class members, it's hard to believe that we'll lose any of them. 

Good job on the interview Ace! 

Thanks & Go Blue!

dragonchild

February 27th, 2012 at 1:55 PM ^

I think the coaches got the recruits to really buy into what they're doing, and why not because it's real, but don't expect 100% of them to show up.  Sometimes life just gets in the way.

Not trying to be negative here -- I think retention will be at its highest in years.  I'm just saying, a lot can happen in two years and the one drawback of family-oriented people is that their career paths can get unpredictable because of their priorities.  Best to just keep that in mind.

satellitecampusslap

February 27th, 2012 at 2:21 PM ^

If the coaching staff is treating 3 star recruits the same as 5 star recruits, then look out because if Coach Hoke and staff can get them less acclaimed players to compete on the level of a 4 and 5 star guys, we may be looking at a solid solid depth chart. To me the coaching staff  has this team on its way to(sustained) respectability and greatness.

VermontMichiganFan

February 27th, 2012 at 1:48 PM ^

I think my favorite part of the recruiting haul is the interviews they give.

It makes me feel proud to hear them all speak the right way, say the right things, and speak about their love of all things Michigan! These kids love the school and staff and are very committed- gotta love it!

ThoseWhoStayUofM

February 27th, 2012 at 2:01 PM ^

How many of these recruits have dreads?  NONE!  It really makes me question these remarks about Brady Hoke bringing in the "right type of guy".  What type is that, the kind that doesn't have dreads?  I would argue that is the wrong kind... personally.

WE NEEDZ MOR DREADZ!!!





 

Victor Hale II

February 27th, 2012 at 4:47 PM ^

Not ony is he evidently a very good player, but seems to be a great asset to the team in general.  When I read that he is recruiting other top Illinois players to UM, it just made it that much more evident.

team126

February 27th, 2012 at 10:09 PM ^

Michigan is fortunate to have new family members like you.

Keep working hard, and don't forget to tell your younger brothers that they should come to Michigan too. We will see their names on 2019 offer list.

Sione's Flow

February 27th, 2012 at 10:12 PM ^

I think the approach of the staff is going to pay off on the field and off. I don't see any of the kids that are committing to UM turning into off the field nightmares like some programs have to deal with.  I think Hoke said it best at his original press conference "Character wins in life and Character wins on the football field"  All hail the incredible Hoke!!!

 

Maizenblueball

February 27th, 2012 at 10:21 PM ^

I'm excited for Kyle to be joining the Wolverines!  Not only will he be a great player on the team, but he sounds like a classy, high character kid, who is already a leader.  It really seems like Hoke and the staff are going after a certain type of personality in the recruits...that is, unselfish, men of character and integrity.