Michigan Tuesday: Another Freshman Heads Home

Michigan Football is like the Hotel California:  "You can check out anytime you want, but you can never leave"

When kids go away to school they sometimes go back home much earlier then expected.  Instead of 4 years and a Michigan degree, sometimes they leave with out even moving into their dorm room. 

That is the case with Tampa Offensive Lineman Tony Poseda who has left the Michigan Football program after a couple weeks of fall camp.   This departure leaves us guessing to why did he leave, similar to Kellen Jones.  

Michigan is now down 2 spots from their freshman class.   Which again validates the 26 players the Michigan coaches are recruiting in the 2012 class. 

Here are some "rumors" that have been floating around:

• Tony showed up at camp at 340 pounds.  Which most likely was "bad weight".


• Another one was that he isn't interested in playing football any longer.  (that is a common stance when players leave a program).

He could also have been homesick, so who knows.  If he doesn't talk we probably will never know.  I hope Tony finds what he is looking for and continues his education.

Where does this leave us?  Tony would have been guaranteed a redshirt this year as he learned how to be a division 1 offensive lineman.   So the immediate impart is zero but it does give Michigan some depth issues down the line.  Taking one more offensive lineman in the 2012 class is now mandatory (probably was already). 

Side note:  I wonder if this departure helps Jordan Diamond and his mom with their concern there are too many top offensive lineman in the 2011 and 2012 class.

Which leads me to a quick update on some potential recruits to fill the last few spots:

• Bri'onte Dunn:  Still verballed to OSU but expected to take in the Michigan - ND game at the Big House.  Look for Dunn to stay committed to OSU until the NCAA finding are back in a couple months.


• Jordan Diamond: Continues his recruitment and doesn't plan to make a decision for awhile.  His high school coach prefers his players don't make an early commitment so the player can see a lot of schools and his high school program gets some more exposure.  That strategy could backfire if Jordan wants to play with his friend and former teammate Chris Bryant at Michigan.


• Yuri Wright seems Michigan's last/best best shot at another CB in this class.  I think Michigan has a great shot at getting a commitment from Yuri.   I hope they get him in for a early season game. 


• Amara Darboh is the 4 star WR from Iowa who is coming back to Ann Arbor for the WMU game.  I think it's not a big jump to think he could verbal on that trip or shortly after.


• Jordan Payton, WR from California is down to Michigan and CAL and he hasn't even visited Ann Arbor yet.   He is also planning to attend the ND game.


• Danny O'Brien recruitment to Ann Arbor has been quiet since the commitment of Ondre Pipkins.  I still think Michigan would take his verbal if he wanted to play in Ann Arbor. 


• Zach Banner and Joshua Garnett are 2 highly ranked offensive lineman from the State of Washington.  Michigan would love to go "Steve Schilling" and land one of these guys.  Garnett is planning a visit for the ND game, hopefully Banner makes it out as well.


• Monty Madris is a wild card WR from Cincinnati.  If he makes it up to Ann Arbor and loves it he should try to commit quickly if he wants to be a Wolverine.  

I think the Michigan coaches would like to have most of the class wrapped up after the ND game.  I think they would like to keep one spot open for a guy like Dunn or Diamond. 

Michigan Monday: Recovers From Another Wild Recruiting Weekend

Michigan landed another pair of 4 star recruits this weekend.  It seems the "word is out" on the Wolverines building a really strong recruiting class.  With 16 guys already in this class that leaves anywhere from 6-9 spots left.  Before the recruiting season started most recruiting insiders thought the Wolverines would sign a class of around 20 guys but there have been a couple of transfers and some guys in the 2012 class might be able to enroll early.  (If a recruit enrolls in January the team has the right to use an available scholarship from the 2011 or 2012 class). 

Two positions to keep an eye on are QB and DE recruiting from here on out.  QB is not a huge need for the Wolverines in this class with Devin expecting to receive a medical redshirt (which would make him a redshirt freshman next year) and Shane Morris coming in 2013.  Still Michigan would like one in this class and have been doing some Big Game Hunting with names like Zeke Pike and Gunner Kiel.   Zeke picked Auburn and Gunner is said to be close to a decision.   A rumor got floated around this weekend because Gunner canceled his planned announcement yesterday because he was re-thinking Michigan.  Most believed Gunner was expected to pick Oklahoma on Sunday.

Maty Mauk is still on the board and if Michigan loses out on both of these guys, look for them to take a look at Elite 11 Camp QB Austin Appleby from Ohio.

DE recruiting is starting to get very interesting.  Michigan has three guys already in the fold with the commitments of Tom Strobel, Pharaoh Brown and Mario Ojemudia (I consider Godin a DT).  They also are very strong in the recruitment's of Chris Wormley, Se'Von Pittman and Adolphus Washington.  How many DE's do they really need?  Chris has been a strong Michigan lean and Adolphus is probably Ohio's best player and a 5 star prospect.   There was also another rumor this weekend that Se'Von was close to committing to the Wolverines as well.

Michigan could really use some true DT's and are recruiting Ondre Pipkins and Aziz Shittu very hard.

I am no longer worried about the offensive line recruiting with Magnuson committing this weekend. Michigan seems to be in great position with Jordan Diamond, Eric Olson and Adam Brisnowaty.   There was also word this morning that 5 star tackle Andrus Peat might visit Ann Arbor this weekend as well.

So I guess the big question is:  Can Michigan take 1 QB, 1 WR, 1 RB, 2 more DE's, 2 DT's, and 2 more Offensive Lineman.  (Michigan is also recruiting the FB position)  That's 9 by my count and a I think a pretty good estimate on how the class finishes up.

Michigan Thursday: Big House Briefs

• Ray Small former OSU Buckeye says: "They have a lot (of dirt) on everybody," Small said, "cause everybody was doing it." Regarding selling rings and getting good deals on cars.  "It was definitely the deals on the cars. I don't see why it's a big deal," said Small, who identified Jack Maxton Chevrolet as the players' main resource.  Tic Toc Coach Tressel, Tic Toc.   The NCAA isn't going to reduce USC's penalties, which is another sign that OSU will not get off easy.  This isn't going away like the Clarett situation did.

• Michigan Offensive Line recruit Jordan Diamond, canceled his trip to Auburn.   Let's hope that is good news for Wolverines!

• Ohio DE Tom Trobel's Ann Arbor visit reaction: I'm starting to narrow schools down now. Michigan's in the top with schools like Ohio State, Stanford, and Notre Dame. Academics are big for me.

• Jalen Rose, pleads guilty to DD in Detroit.

• Purdue Game is Homecoming and set for 12:00 kick.  Expect ESPN to cover it on TV.

• Michigan Basketball signs a home/home with Iowa State. 

Michigan Interested in a Late Bloomer for the 2011 Class?

Recruiting is a strange business.  A couple of rules:

#1: Your junior year is the most important. 
#2: Make sure you have a highlight reel on YouTube
#3: Make sure you go to summer combines/7 on 7's and talk to Scouts and Rivals often.

Ok, so what happens to guys that don't do those things and have a great senior year?  Sometimes they fall through the cracks and don't get a scholarship offer.   I have to imagine there are plenty of guys like that.  Most of them walk-on to a program or play in a lower division. 

Graham Glasgow from Aurora, Illinois could be one of those kids that fell through the cracks or was a late bloomer.  Graham is 6'7 295 pounds offensive tackle that didn't start playing football until his senior year.  He played basketball.   Now he is starting to get interest from a number of schools including Minnesota, Ohio State, and Michigan.  He was a starter at tackle for a team that was the runner up for the state championship.

Ohio State was out to see one of his basketball games and has asked him to visit Columbus.   He visited Minnesota a couple of weeks ago and now he will be visiting Ann Arbor this weekend.  Graham's OL coach is former Wolverine Kurt Becker and Kurt feels that Graham could easily be a starter in the Big Ten.   Ohio State is offering him as a preferred walk-on.  Michigan might as well, but the Wolverines have two scholarships in their back pocket and could offer this young man if they like what they see.

A sleeper?  Graham does not have any offers and is not rated by either Rivals or Scouts.  Chris Pool from ESPN seems very high on the kid.