Sam Webb: Great article on Tyrone Wheatley, Jr '15 (and his dad!)
Sounds like a great kid, and his old man the Michigan legend seems to be doing great as well. The parents seem like they are level-headed and shielding their son away from all of the silliness. Jr. already sounds like he is going to be a BIG dude, 6-6 235 lbs as a sophomore with no real weight training yet.
http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20130307/OPINION03/303070385
It's great how Tyrone Wheatley Sr. saw other family legacies and thought that's what I want for my family too. Someone noted the following family dynasties in the comments to the Detroit News article (I was unaware of the Kugler lineage) - are there some missing?
Going back to the Mallorys, Moellers, Woolfolks, Edwards, Carrs, Dufeks, Sheridans, Greises, Kuglers
Grieses?
For that matter, I'm not sure what the Carr family would be doing on the list (maybe there is a Carr in the team's history other than Lloyd, but I'm unaware of that connection). Props to the poster below who noted the Wangler connection, and props to all for not mentioning the snowplow folks in OH - that legacy is a tad tarnished by my lights.
Lloyd Carr's son, Jason, was a third string backup to Todd Collins.
QB 14 starting for Michigan in College Football's National Championship on Sega Genesis. Apparently, a redshirt freshman QB 12 wasn't on their radar.
Uh, Bob Griese went to Purdue. Unless I'm missing something!
Sincerely,
The Wangler Family
They're related to the Lees. Cut from the same cloth one might say.
Wangler?
although it includes some. More an observation that coaches and former players, wherever they played/coached, respect the Michigan program enough to send their kids there.
a feather in your cap, sir.
I know it's early in his recruitment and all, but I find myself considering this young man to be a must-get. Great genes, great parenting, great head on his shoulders, legacy kid, etc.
Honestly, what's not to like?
This guy was a legacy, too.
...is always appropriate. "Fat, drunk and stupid is no way to go through life, son." What a great line.
Although I know very little about the 2015 class as a whole, I want Wheatley Jr. more than any other recruit, simply because of his dad. The fact that he's huge and fast doesn't hurt either.
Would love to see a Wheatley back on the field for Michigan. The kid is a sophomore in high school and he's already 6'6" 230lbs with offers from us, Syracuse and Penn State. Go Blue lil Wheat.
Wheat Thins > Lil' Wheat
Nothing thin about a 6'6" 230lbs 15 year old.
be interesting to see what side of the ball he ends up on. In the article he states that he loves being on offense but that everyone keeps telling him that defense is where he belongs.
Either way I hope he ends up here.
""First, just someone who's going to develop him as a young man," he stated. "He's going to leave our house and now he's going to be in the care of someone else. We want them to kind of be an extension of what we are as his parents. He's not just a football player. He's a very intelligent young man." - Tyrone Wheatley, Sr., quouted in the article
I really enjoyed hearing Wheatley Sr.'s very well-considered, three-dimensional perspective here. To me anyway, it is a tribute to the sorts of individuals - not only players - that Michigan has produced over the years.
I will say, however, a 6'6", 235-pound high school sophomore plus a couple years of weight training would give a school potentially an awesome athlete, and it would be great to see the name "Tyrone Wheatley" on a Michigan depth chart again.
That Wheatley's position coach is still here coaching. I would love to be a fly on the wall when Fred Jackson does an in home visit.
Fred Jackson thinks Tyrone Wheatley, Jr. is like Tyrone Wheatley except bigger and faster.
I don't know if he's got the speed and agility necessary to make this work, but when I hear 6'6", 235+, my immediate thought is "You sir, would make a beautiful tight end."
There is all sorts of funny in the second half of that sentence. Now, I'll take my 12 year old sense of humor and get back to work.
Good day.
I think he does. He plays TE in high school, and colleges are certainly recruiting him there.
The only question is if that's where he can be the best.
Helps that I'm class of '95 and all sure. But Tyrone Wheatley was an absolute stud in HS and a terror in college. His son sounds similarly gifted, just faster and bigger… Fred Jackson must be doing cartwheels at the prospect of having a 6'6" 260 lb back who's fast than Bolt.
I think others have alread said as much, but I feel old. No matter, it would be wonderful (and a bit trippy) to see his son in a Michigan uniform. Go Blue!
I agree with everything you said, but there's no way Jr. is faster than his daddy, because Ty Sr. was one of the fastest dudes to play RB at Michigan (he was also an All American sprinter in college). If Jr. had that speed at his size he'd be the next Megatron, but bigger and faster. And no, that's not hyperbole.
If he was even close to as fast as his dad he's in great shape.
I've met the kid before and I was just amazed by how tall and athletic the kid was. I am 6'3 and the kid was already 2-3 inches taller than me at the time. I couldnt believe how old he was. Then, i found out he was Tyrone Wheatley's son and it all came together. Not too long after that they moved to NY when Tyrone took the Syracuse RB job. Tyrone was my favorite player growing up and I would love to see his kid take on the same ranks. Also, the same helmet.
father and son! It's a dream of every proud U-M grad to see their child go here too. I'll never forget the day my younger daughter picked Michigan over Wisconsin. Jubilant isn't quite enough of a description. I hope Tyrone Sr. will experience the same thing some day soon.
Yes please.