Michigan Football All-Hype Team
Slow time on the board, so I've decided to put together a short list of my personal All Time Michigan Hype Team. Players who were hyped to oblivion by one sector of the fanbase or media or the other, but never really turned into what was hoped. I refrain from including any current players as their books are not yet written so who knows what might happen. I don't write this list as a "man this guy sucked," but more of a "if only he had lived up to the hype." Many of these guys were just the unfortunate victim of injury or circumstance that never worked out. I encourage you to add your own.
QB: Drew Henson, Clayton Richard,
RB: Sam McGuffie, Kevin Grady, Justin Fargas, Pierre Rembert
WR: Antonio Bass (captain of the team and legend in our hearts), Darryl Stonum, Carl Tabb, Je'Ron Stokes
TE: Chris Barnett
OL: Marques Slocum (Fuck Lion), Corey Zirbel, Dann O'neill
DL: Shantee Orr, Larry Harrison, Eugene Germany, Anthony LaLota,
LB: Cobrani Mixon, Marcus Witherspoon, Taylor Hill, Kellen Jones
DB: Darnell Hood, Quiton McCoy, Boubacar Cissoko, Vlad Emilien, JT Turner, Cullen Christian, Demar Dorsey,
K/P: Nate DeLong (sentimental pick. my brother was his HS teammate and long snapper, incredible athlete and had a tremendous leg, just never worked out at M, sadly.)
February 8th, 2012 at 3:33 PM ^
I believe Kapsner was behind two pretty good quarterbacks in Brady and Henson.
February 8th, 2012 at 5:52 PM ^
I don't know. My disappointment was massive when he left. I don't think he reached his potential here, thus he can be on the list.
February 8th, 2012 at 12:42 PM ^
Michael Williams and JeRon Stokes.
February 8th, 2012 at 12:50 PM ^
Going in the Way-Back machine. Some might object as Smith is currently 8th in career yards and 9th in completions, but the guy was hyped to the moon as the greatest combination of passing and running ability. Not hating, but man was he hyped in an era when you rarely heard about recruiting.
February 8th, 2012 at 1:03 PM ^
Will Campbell (for now)
February 8th, 2012 at 1:11 PM ^
...but when I do, I make sure it's for good reason.
Keep posting my friends.
The orginal poster CLEARLY says no current players.
February 8th, 2012 at 1:15 PM ^
Hugely touted recruit coming in. Bo managed to to convince him to play football (WR) vs. signing a major league baseball contract, as he was drafted in the first round by the Red Sox. He never put up big numbers at Michigan though, averaging 23 catches or so his first 3 years, before getting 41 his last season for 700 something yards. However, he did end up laying some pro ball in the NFL for the Patriots and another team.
February 8th, 2012 at 1:49 PM ^
#9 in career receiving yards at Michigan all-time and #4 in yards per catch all-time. I'd say that's pretty good.
February 8th, 2012 at 1:54 PM ^
Not to mention.. He wore #1!!!!! gasp. And we all know the only non superstar to ever do that was Butterfingers. So he must have been a superstar. Partial /s.
GM had more than 20 catches per season, and averaged better than 22 yards a catch in his first two years. He averaged 19+ypc for his carreer. It was a different time then and he was very good at what the offense asked him to do.
February 8th, 2012 at 7:23 PM ^
You're not actually GM are you? Actually, #9 is pretty impressive considering he (you) played during the Bo era. I think also he (you) had a mixed bag of QB's throwing the ball to him (you).
February 8th, 2012 at 1:38 PM ^
Simpson.
February 8th, 2012 at 1:48 PM ^
Glad to see Antonio Bass on there. You get extra points for naming him captain. He is my favorite wolverine of all time. The what ifs???? If he never had that injury. Wish him the best in life and hopefully Amani Bass his younger brother commits to Michigan.
February 8th, 2012 at 2:13 PM ^
He was supposed to be our Beanie Wells
February 8th, 2012 at 2:46 PM ^
I'm pretty sure Grady and Wells were in the same class. 2005.
February 8th, 2012 at 3:16 PM ^
Henson was hyped up but I think he lived up to expectations in the games he did play in. Lets not forget he is the last UM QB to win in the Horse Shoe, and he won a Big Ten title, and won the bowl game he started in.
February 8th, 2012 at 3:37 PM ^
Because during his junior year, he had Thomas in the backfield and Terrell and Walker to throw to, and I'm sure there was a TE who I'm forgetting, and yet his team finished 9-3, with losses at Purdue, Northwestern and UCLA (when he was injured). Granted, the defense was awful that year, but I'm still upset at his decision to not tuck and run (taking the sack) and keep the clock running against Purdue instead of trying to complete a tough throw. There is no way Dorsch hits a FG from more than a yard further out.
I feel bad having Bass on the list given that it wasn't his fault he never met the hype. That knee injury was devastating.
February 8th, 2012 at 3:36 PM ^
5 star TE by Scout in 2002. Never even made a wimper let alone lived up to 5 star billing.
February 8th, 2012 at 3:45 PM ^
Clarence Williams, Walter Cross.
February 8th, 2012 at 8:22 PM ^
with clarence williams... i remember my dad making such a big deal about him when he came out to return a kick in his freshman year, then he returned the kick 20 yards and my dad stopped talking...
February 8th, 2012 at 3:53 PM ^
#1 prospect in Michigan after 1995 HS season. Some had him listed as #1 nationally as HS fullback; others had Ron Dayne. Dayne turned out to be a bit better.
February 8th, 2012 at 4:15 PM ^
instead of john.
February 8th, 2012 at 8:26 PM ^
playing in one game in his freshman year and he had 100 yards on 10 carries it was crazy... then something happened and he didn't play the rest of the year and transfered...
February 8th, 2012 at 4:12 PM ^
5 Star turned criminal genius. Delivery guys beware.
February 8th, 2012 at 4:21 PM ^
How about Cory Sargent? If memory serves, quarterback turned punter turned some random defensive position... Ineffective at all of them.
February 8th, 2012 at 4:45 PM ^
I met a guy the other day that was one of the high school coaches of the kid you mention (Kapsner) behind Brady and Henson, he said it was a travesty that he never 'got a chance'. Hype or not, they were excited he got a great education/degree!
February 8th, 2012 at 5:27 PM ^
How is Drew Henson on this list?
February 8th, 2012 at 5:42 PM ^
Henson was ultra-hyped coming in, probably more so than any player in the last two decades. But anyone who scores the game-clinching TD against Ohio on a naked bootleg should not be on this list. It's a travesty, I say!
February 8th, 2012 at 5:35 PM ^
Kevin Grady is my number one. I thought he was going to have an amazing career at Michigan. Agree with most people that Henson shouldn't be on the list and I am still fairly young but in my lifetime the QB's have to be Gutierrez and Forcier. Everyone has made some good suggestions so far. What do you guys think about Mike Williams the DB from the 07 class? Also, for the 08 class Brandon Smith was a 6'3 defensive back who had 4.5 speed. Could have easily been a good one. I think we have had a decent amount of 4 stars who have ended up being pretty bad/never seeing the field (think this is most evident on defense...primarily the secondary and at linebacker).
February 8th, 2012 at 6:05 PM ^
He should be the QB in the same way that Antonio Bass should be Capt. Atrocious luck for both of them--and for us!
February 8th, 2012 at 6:12 PM ^
Jon Ritchie? Had a cup of coffee and left campus after one year.
February 8th, 2012 at 6:13 PM ^
me it has to be Demar Dorsey.He was supposed to be the next great Michigan Defender!!!
February 8th, 2012 at 6:35 PM ^
Where is Kelly Baraka? He's up there.
February 8th, 2012 at 7:35 PM ^
Don't mean to thread jack, but I don't have enough points to start one. Did any one catch that tweet from Shane Morris a little bit ago? I don't know if he's referring to this blog, but he says something along the lines of " that blog about the 2012 recruiting class are ridiculous. Don't talk about teenagers you've never met. #GetALife"
February 8th, 2012 at 7:48 PM ^
There was a thread posted early this morning about Twitter on a blog we don't have to name. Basicly it was a big long list of tweets from 2012 recruits who had posted things along the same lines as Yuri Wright, just a guy stiring up shit to get page views.
February 8th, 2012 at 7:40 PM ^
Ronald Bellamy underachieved so much he had a blog named after him.
February 8th, 2012 at 9:41 PM ^
Then got hurt, then was really good at USC, then good in the NFL. I'm not sure he belongs other than in the "Mallett" kinda category.
February 8th, 2012 at 9:48 PM ^
I think you guys are missing a great offensive lineman. What about Justin Boren? He was a solid star and great team player. Captain material.
February 8th, 2012 at 9:51 PM ^
Yeah, what a stand up guy! Whatever happened to him?
February 8th, 2012 at 10:29 PM ^
Tyrone Butterfield... Still can't believe he got the sacred #1 Jersey for a year. Then off and trasfers to Mid Ten St or something.
February 9th, 2012 at 12:32 AM ^
Opposite approach-- the player who most out-performed his hype was probably David Harris. Anonymous unranked 3-star who became the best linebacker of the post-Bo era. You know, we never really had too many of those guys, did we? Most of the stars at Michigan were star recruits.
February 9th, 2012 at 11:29 AM ^
I second Walter Cross. I played against him in HS. He was a legend here in the DC area, broke most every record. I was excited to watch him dominate at M but he did virtually nothing.