Tuesday Recruitin'
Update 7/7: Linked to articles on MA OL Brennan Williams, MS S Dennis Thames, FL S Jonathan Scott, FL CB Mywan Jackson, OK RB David Oku, AL CB Dre Kilpatrick, SC DE Chris Bonds, FL LB Brandin Hawthorne, IN OL Zach Martin (info in header).
Added MI S Thomas Gordon, OH DE Tank Carradine, LA LB Jonathan Stewart, CA OL Michael Philipp, OK DT Pearlie Graves.
Removed PA OL Adam Gress (dropped us), IL OL Chris Watt (dropped us), MS DE Josh Boyd (Miss St), OH CB Darrell Mason (not recruiting), LA WR Willie Haulstead (FSU, actually some time ago).
And here's some wild speculation on VA QB Kevin Newsome. I'm not adding MI DE Justice Akuezue yet since it seems doubtful he'll get an offer, but man, there's one for the all-name team. And, as usual, numerous links from Varsity Blue.
Editorial Opinion: Sorry about the delay; I'm about ready to throw second-string laptop out a window. Anyway...
The big-ish news: this Rivals article on IN OL Zach Martin($) indicates in the header that he's taking one more trip, then making a decision. You can use your amazing powers of deduction to infer that the visit target is Ann Arbor, and that's a terrific signal that Michigan has a significant lead. As mentioned earlier, if a recruit is approaching a commitment and one school's site is the only one breaking news/writing articles, that's a good sign for whatever school that site covers. And if a recruit is making a second visit to a school he's already seen before making a decision, that visit is usually a last opportunity to kick the tires. This is all heuristics and speculation, but Michigan appears to be in excellent shape for Martin.
Other OL bits: PA OL Adam Gress got the Penn State offer he wanted and committed there and IL OL Chris Watt's final eight doesn't include Michigan (but does include, like... Northwestern). Both of those are bleah developments, though Gress is the sort of recruit that's nice to get but not exactly a back-breaker if you don't: other offers were PSU (obviously), WVU, and Rutgers. Meh. Watt I don't get; with Ohio State filling up quickly -- they just got a commit from another instate OL -- he's got Notre Dame and a number of teams that are not traditional recruiting powers.
Meanwhile, a number of additions and clarifications. Rivals' Josh Helmholdt is now writing articles for the Free Press and drops this nugget of information on Cass Tech QB/safety Thomas Gordon:
"After the camp, I thought it was going to happen right away in the summer, and there's still a lot of time before the season starts, but right now I think they are going to see how I do this season because they really haven't seen me at safety because I didn't start last year," Gordon said. "Coach (Scott) Shafer, Coach (Tony) Dews and the rest of the coaches said they were pulling for me, but they said (an offer) is up to Coach (Rich Rodriguez)."
While Michigan may wait until this fall to see Gordon on the field in his senior season, there is a chance the Wolverines could offer even sooner than that. Either way, it's likely Michigan will offer. Gordon left little doubt he'd accept that offer and join his teammates in Ann Arbor.
Safety has the potential to fill up over the next few weeks. FL S Jonathan Scott has re-arranged his top three in a way that should be pleasing:
"Ole Miss, South Carolina, and Michigan are the three schools I have been talking to the most lately," added Jonathan Scott. "They are pretty much my top schools right now."
No offense to those programs, but I'd rather Michigan recruit against them instead of LSU, FSU, Alabama, and Auburn, all of whom Scott claims offers from. Another Florida safety, Mike Jones, -- he of the incredibly original references to a horrible rap song -- took a visit to Michigan and Notre Dame recently and came back heavily implying Michigan was his far and away leader.
And what would a recruiting update be without fretting over the commitment status of VA QB Kevin Newsome? I have no idea how much credence to lend this thread on Virginia Tech's Rivals board, but it's a further bit of smoke that Newsome's commitment is not rock solid. A lot of things don't add up about the initial "insider" post, though -- why would WVU care about Newsome with Boyd already in the fold? -- and the VT fans are by in large dismissive of the idea Newsome would end up at Tech. They've already got their eyes set on 2010's Phillip Simms, a reputed Vick clone.
Also... FL LB Brandon Hawthorne. OMG. Shirtless:
(Hawthorne is a linebacker from Florida's Pahokee high school, the home of Martavious Odoms, and he's said Michigan leads He is also sans shirt.)
Etc.: FL CB Mywan Jackson will visit soon; MS S Dennis Thames is visiting with the Tigers on a homestand.
The subject says, "Why wonder? Go to your God."
It sounds like some biblical prophet telling some Israelites to stop worrying about their annual rivalry game with the Egyptians.
If the guy is fast, then we maybe could also use him like Percy Harvin, I guess sort of.
While we're on the subject, Percy Harvin reminds me of the guy that Omar Epps plays in the movie about my 1993 Heisman-winning season. Omar Epps' character is supposed to play RB behind a Heisman candidate QB, but he ends up receiving the ball too, making one think that the offense consists of a QB, RB, TE, and 8 guys who are just supposed to block. It works as long as the Epps-man can do everything and the QB isn't an alcoholic.
From the msg board in video #1. Plus, dex gets a shout out.
"IM BETTER THAN THIS NIGGA!!!
Im mad as fuck that Ive
been at weak ass fairfax w/ a coach that dont do shit and wanna run the
ball every play and forget to charge the battery to the camera before a
game and miss big plays.
Well Ima be a Beverly Hills this year
w/ my boy Dex @ qb. Watch me out play this nigga and shut him down when
im @ corner this year #1 Steven King '09.. Lets go"
This reminds me of the videos that some kid put up of himself playing NCAA 08 on xbox.
http://michiganzone.blogspot.com/2007/06/watch-out-kirk-herbstreit.html
You like the "Lack of bullshit comments"...then why did you have to go and say were going to win 10 games!?!
Love the optimism...but it's covered in bullshit!
thanks man i appreicate it!!!
ps, dont even think about hugging me....just saying...
thanks, yeah that probably would have hurt my feelings prety bad...
I will gladly apologies if your prediction comes true, but I have a hard time seeing what you’re basing it on, besides the maze and blue lenses you see the world through. I’m all about being an optimist, but the last few years (a.k.a. reality) tells me to not get my hopes up. I love you’re optimism, but even you have to admit it’s covered in a big pile of warm Michigan loving bullshit.
Here’s to you being right and me being an overly realistic ass- Go Blue!
Doxa is a Greek word…
Smaller, quicker, stronger D linemen are much harder to deal with than simply big ones. Everything else equal, sure bigger is better, but it sounds like the D line will be stronger and quicker, which should yield great results on the field.
Add to the fact that TT was quoted as saying he wasn't that impressed by his own performance last year, I expect he will have a huge increase in productivity.
here is the latest from the NBC station in Grand Rapids...
http://www.woodtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=8646561
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