Ex-Wolverine Update: Another Pre-Season Edition

Demetrius Hart (#1) has moved on from Alabama to Colorado State (image via 247 Sports)

Former DT Richard Ash: I already reported that Ash will be playing for Western Michigan this fall. What I didn't know until recently is that he will wear the #9 as a defensive tackle. You have to love single-digit numbers on defensive linemen, especially tackles.

Former S Josh Furman: Furman is listed as a 6'2", 202 lb. linebacker for Oklahoma State. He's #1 on the depth chart at "Star," and you can see why they wanted him - his backup is a 6'2", 190 lb. freshman, and the other four players on the linebacker two-deep are one junior, two sophomores, and another freshman. They open against Florida State on August 30th.

Former RB commit Demetrius Hart: Hart is a grad transfer from Alabama to Colorado State. He struggled to break through at Alabama and had some off-the-field troubles, but former Crimson Tide offensive coordinator Jim McElwain is now at CSU. Now Hart is trying to earn the starting gig for the Rams. They open against Colorado on August 29th.

Former LB Kaleb Ringer: Ringer - and his brother - are not listed on Ferris State's football roster this fall.

Former CB commit Anthony Standifer: Standifer was booted from Ole Miss's program after getting into some trouble, and he now appears on the roster of Eastern Illinois (his home state), which plays in the FCS's Ohio Valley Conference.

Former OT commit Denzel Ward: Ward is listed as a 6'8", 353 lb. freshman offensive tackle for Syracuse.

Former DE/DT Ken Wilkins: Wilkins appears on the California University of Pennsylvania football roster as a junior 6'3", 250 lb. defensive lineman. It is a destination for some former big-time football players, including Jeff Knox (a former Pitt player who was booted for attacking a girl who told him she was pregnant) and Desimon Green (a former Texas Tech commit).

Ex-Wolverine Updates: Pre-Season 2012

Sam McGuffie is the face of the Rice Owls' program this fall

Some Michigan fans surely don't care much what happens to guys after they decommit or transfer from Michigan, but I'm not one of them.  I like to track them and see how they're doing elsewhere.  Most of the time, they don't find a ton of success on the football field.  But a few - like Toney Clemons, Anthony Fera, DeQuinta Jones, and Sam McGuffie - have become quality players for other FBS programs.  Here are some of the updates since last year, with more info to be found on the Ex-Wolverine Encyclopedia.

Former Michigan QB commit Shavodrick Beaver: Beaver sat out the 2011 season after transferring from Tulsa to Midwestern State.  He is listed as a 6'3", 193 lb. redshirt junior quarterback for the Mustangs.

Former Michigan CB Greg Brown: Brown is listed as a 5'11", 195 lb. defensive back on Findlay's roster.  He transferred shortly into the 2011 season after enrolling early in January 2011.

Former Michigan TE commit Pharaoh Brown: Brown is listed as a 6'6", 234 lb. freshman tight end on Oregon's roster.

Former Michigan CB Cullen Christian: Christian is listed as a 6'0", 195 lb. defensive back on Pitt's roster.  He is expected to start at cornerback for the Panthers this year.

Former Michigan WR Toney Clemons: Clemons was a 7th round draft pick out of Colorado in the 2012 NFL Draft.  He remains on the Steelers' roster at this point but did not have a catch in their first preason game against the Eagles.

Former Michigan CB commit Dallas Crawford: Crawford was Miami's Scout Team Player of the Year on defense, but he is now listed as a 5'11", 190 lb. running back on the Hurricanes' roster.

Former Michigan CB commit Demar Dorsey: Dorsey was supposed to enroll at Hawaii after transferring from Grand Rapids Community College, but he does not appear on Hawaii's roster for the upcoming season.  UPDATE: Dorsey is transferring to Western Arizona Junior College for the upcoming season.

Former Michigan S Vladimir Emilien: Emilien is listed as a 6'1", 204 lb. safety at Toledo after sitting out the 2011 season due to transfer rules.  He is expected to start this fall at a hybrid safety/linebacker position.

Former Michigan K commit Anthony Fera: Fera transferred from Penn State to Texas after the PSU sanctions were announced.  He currently has a groin injury and is not practicing with the Longhorns, but he is expected to start when healthy.

Former Michigan OT commit Jake Fisher: Fisher is listed as a 6'6", 294 lb. offensive lineman on Oregon's roster.  He is expected to start this year for the Ducks.

Former Michigan QB Tate Forcier: Forcier signed with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League after leaving San Jose State, but he was released from the team in June.  His current football status is unknown.

Former Michigan K commit Matt Goudis: Goudis is a redshirt freshman kicker at Miami.

Former Michigan FS Carvin Johnson: Johnson supposedly transferred to Hampton but does not appear on the Pirates' roster for the upcoming season.

Former Michigan DT commit DeQuinta Jones: Jones is listed as a 6'5", 299 lb. defensive tackle and is expected to start for the Arkansas Razorbacks this fall.

Former Michigan LB Kellen Jones: Jones left Oklahoma for Clemson, but does not appear on the Tigers' 2012 roster.

Former Michigan RB Sam McGuffie: McGuffie is listed as a 5'11", 200 lb. redshirt senior running back on the Rice Owls' roster, though he is expected to contribute mostly at slot receiver this fall.

Former Michigan WR commit Bryce McNeal: McNeal transferred from Clemson to UConn in the middle of last season, but he does not appear on the Huskies' roster for 2012.  EDIT: McNeal has instead transferred to Louisville, where it looks like he'll begin this season as a backup.

Former Michigan QB commit Kevin Newsome: Newsome transferred to Temple from Penn State in the offseason.  He will be eligible to play this fall, but will likely be a backup to the incumbent starter.

Former Michigan WR commit DeWayne Peace: Peace is listed as a 6'0", 190 lb. redshirt junior wide receiver for Houston.  He is expected to start at wide receiver this fall.

Former Michigan LB Davion Rogers: Rogers left the Youngstown State program after the 2011 season.  His current playing status is unknown.

Former Michigan QB commit Kevin Sousa: Sousa is listed as a 6'3", 230 lb. redshirt freshman on Wake Forest's roster.

Former Michigan OL commit Caleb Stacey: Stacey decommitted from Michigan and signed with Cincinnati instead, but he left the team prior to the beginning of fall camp.

Former Michigan CB commit Anthony Standifer: Standifer is listed as a 6'1", 180 lb. defensive back on Ole Miss's roster.

Former Michigan WR Je'Ron Stokes: Stokes is listed as a 6'1", 198 lb. redshirt junior wide receiver for the Bowling Green State University Falcons.  He is in the mix to start this fall.

Former Michigan CB Justin Turner: Turner is listed as a 6'3", 204 lb. defensive back for Scottsdale Community College, where he started last season.

Former Michigan S Ray Vinopal: Vinopal is listed as a 5'10", 190 lb. redshirt sophomore safety on Pitt's roster.  He is expected to start for the Panthers this season.

Former Michigan CB commit Adrian Witty: Witty is listed as a 5'10", 182 lb. cornerback for the Cincinnati Bearcats.  He is in the mix to start this fall.

Recruiting Update: March 12, 2012

Detroit (MI) Loyola defensive end Malik McDowell

COMMITMENTS
Massillon (OH) Washington cornerback Gareon Conley committed to Michigan.

Trotwood (OH) Trotwood-Madison linebacker Mike McCray committed to Michigan.

ADDED TO THE BOARD
Duluth (GA) Peachtree Ridge offensive tackle Orlando Brown, a 2014 prospect, was offered by Michigan.  Brown is the son of Orlando "Zeus" Brown, the former Cleveland Brown and Baltimore Raven offensive tackle.  The younger Brown is even bigger than his father, currently standing 6'10" and weighing 360 lbs.  He also has offers from Alabama, Auburn, Notre Dame, and USC, along with several others.

Grand Rapids (MI) Christian wide receiver Drake Harris, a 2014 prospect, has a Michigan offer.  Harris is a 6'4", 180 lb. kid who is also a highly touted shooting guard prospect.  As a sophomore in 2011, he had 57 receptions for 1,118 yards and 14 touchdowns.  He also has offers to play football at Indiana and Michigan State.

Mesquite (TX) West Mesquite wide receiver Eldridge Massington was offered by Michigan on Wednesday.  He's a 6'3", 205 lb. wideout with offers from Baylor, Houston, Notre Dame, TCU, and Tennessee, among others.  As a junior in 2011, he had 41 receptions for 666 yards and 6 touchdowns.  As you might imagine from an offer list like that, Massington immediately put Michigan and Notre Dame at the top of the heap.  He's a tall, good-sized receiver with enough speed to stretch the field.

Detroit (MI) Loyola defensive end Malik McDowell, a 2014 prospect, was offered by Michigan.  McDowell is a 6'6", 260 lb. strongside end who has started to wow people this offseason.  Loyola isn't a highly recruited school, so it's rare that we hear of kids from that school.  There have been rumors that McDowell will be transferring to Cass Tech, but so far there hasn't been any movement there.  He also has an offer from Syracuse.

OFF THE BOARD
Camp Hill (PA) Cedar Cliff tight end Adam Breneman committed to Penn State.  I did a scouting report and TTB Andrew interviewed Breneman in the past, but always seemed to be a long shot for Michigan.  You can't fault the kid for choosing the Nittany Lions.  New head coach Bill O'Brien showed with the New England Patriots that he values the tight end position, and he'll find myriad ways of getting the ball to Breneman in the next few seasons.

Columbus (OH) Bishop Hartley tight end Jacob Matuska committed to Notre Dame.  The 6'5", 240-pounder was being recruited by Michigan as a tight end, but the Fighting Irish are planning to use him as a defensive end.

Belton (TX) Belton tight end Durham Smythe committed to Texas.  Along with jumbo wide receiver Ricky Seals-Jones, who could also play tight end, the Longhorns are bringing in a couple quality

Crete (IL) Crete-Monee cornerback Anthony Standifer committed to Mississippi.  Standifer, a 2012 prospect, was committed to Michigan for several months, but a reported academic issue was going to prevent him from getting into Michigan.  Therefore, he decommitted a few months ago and started to look elsewhere.  He finally chose a school this past week.

VISITORS
In case you missed it, here's a list of guys who visited Michigan this past weekend.  David Dawson is on that list, but he ended up not making it to Ann Arbor.

Meanwhile, St. Paul (MN) Cretin-Derham wide receiver James Onwualu will be visiting Michigan on Wednesday.  The 6'1", 205 lb. athlete is being recruited by Michigan as a slot receiver, while other schools are recruiting him as a cornerback and safety, too.

MGoBlog: Clinic Items - Greg Mattison

Greg Mattison is awesome.

Brian at MGoBlog attended a clinic at which Greg Mattison spoke.  First of all, I'm jealous.  Secondly, though, I loved every bit of Brian's post.  You should go there (if you haven't already) and read it in its entirety, but here I just want to a bit of a point-by-point analysis of what Brian shared.

"Occasionally it felt like it was a college class as Mattison asked the room what player X would be doing in a particular situation."  In my experience, the best speakers are the ones who keep the audience involved.  This isn't news to anyone who does frequent public speaking or is involved in education.  If you're just speaking at people, they often lose interest fairly quickly.

"As I wrestled with how to handle this various coaches in the room told every-damn-body that Mattison said Brennen Beyer was moving to WDE and Craig Roh to SDE. This was explicitly stated."  This is confirmation of my post from the other day.  Not that I'm a genius - the info was e-mailed to me - but there were some questions about the validity of my info.  I try not to post information I'm not confident in, so I like when my info is confirmed by multiple sources.

"Mattison took the opportunity to point out that this was an example of the corners not coming hard enough and gush over Floyd ("I love this kid") in general and specifically as an exemplar of the Michigan philosophy."  I think my criticisms of J.T. Floyd often get misconstrued as hating on a kid or holding a grudge.  I've never questioned Floyd's hustle or attitude.  What I've questioned is his overall athletic ability, and I think Brian's comment here somewhat confirms my criticisms.  Floyd hustles and indeed makes a nice play by chasing down Braxton Miller, but one of the issues here is that Floyd helped allow a giant run in the first place, which is acknowledged by Mattison.

"Here he also noted that everyone hits the sled every day and that this was not something the previous coaching staff did frequently, if ever. This is where the bit about "I've never seen such awful technique" came in. Pretty much the only thing negative Mattison said was about the state of the team he was handed."  The sled is such a useful tool in coaching football.  I know we saw clips of Rodriguez's teams hitting the sled, and I doubt they just did that for the camera.  I think Mattison might be underestimating how often Michigan hit the sled, but still it might be a significant improvement.  Whether it's a blocking sled, a tackling sled, a five-man sled, a two-man sled, whatever, they're the best simulation for live play.  And there's only so much man-on-man hitting you can do before people start getting injured.

"Inside linebackers. The usual: the mike has to be a little bigger, a little stronger, and the will has to be able to adjust to coverage outside of the box. An important difference between the two is the WLB has to be able to run vertically down the seam whereas the MLB can pass his guy off; IIRC this year the guy running down the seam was Demens, not Morgan. Adjustment based on Demens's surprising ability to stick with guys downfield?"  The MIKE and the WILL are interchangeable, especially with a guy like Desmond Morgan, who is essentially a MIKE (albeit young and small-ish) playing because of a void at the position.  I think Demens was often dropping into coverage because offenses flipped the formation's strength.  The inside linebackers don't flip with a change of strength, so then the MIKE becomes the WILL and vice versa.

"Corners. "Corners are corners" but the field corner (Countess) is not involved with "heavy work" and usually just has to clean up plays that have been strung out. The boundary corner (Floyd) has to be a bigger guy better in run support. It's a seven man front; if you go eight you'd "better have a war daddy" at field corner because he's got to cover an outside receiver with little additional help."  This is where the loss of Anthony Standifer hurts.  I really think Standifer, who was committed to Michigan for several months, could have developed into a good run supporter and boundary corner.  Richardson is a lot like Blake Countess, so now Michigan has two young field corners (three if you include Courtney Avery) and one senior boundary corner (Floyd).  I think that's why you're seeing so many big corners getting offered in the class of 2013.  Michigan needs run supporting corners right NOW.  It might also be why incoming free safety Jarrod Wilson might get a shot to play cornerback.

"Brennen Beyer. Beyer was talked up like a future star. Reportedly up to 250 pounds and will be given an opportunity to win the WDE job in the spring."  This sounds like a good plan to me, because Beyer seemed a little out of place at SAM.

"Departing DL. Heininger "really became a football player." Seems like they think they'll miss him. Van Bergen "really, really played" for M and Martin was of course the best player on the team."  I agree that Martin was the best player on the team.  Yes, better than Denard Robinson.  Heininger is replaceable, and Van Bergen's loss will be mitigated somewhat by the move of Craig Roh to strongside end.  This isn't news, but the biggest loss here is Mike Martin.  As much as I like most of the defense, the loss of such a big-time nose tackle is going to hurt.  Even when Martin wasn't making plays, he was causing the offense to scheme around him or he was making running backs redirect in the backfield.  Teams often improve in the second year of a system, but that might be difficult unless William Campbell and/or Ondre Pipkins has a breakout season.      

Recruiting Update: December 11, 2011

Ellie Gonsalves wants to wish you a happy Sunday.

COMMITMENT
West Des Moines (IA) Dowling Catholic wide receiver Amara Darboh committed to Michigan on Monday.  You can read his commitment post here.

ADDED TO THE BOARD
Olney (MD) Good Counsel cornerback Kendall Fuller, a 2013 prospect, was offered by Michigan last week.  He's 6'0", 185 lbs. and has reported 4.5 speed in the forty.  Fuller already has offers from Cal, Florida, Florida State, Miami, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Virginia Tech, West Virginia, and several others.  Fuller is a speedy corner with excellent ball skills, but he lacks maturity on the field.  He doesn't run his feet when he tackles, he doesn't wrap up, and he's a little DeSean Jackson-ish with the way he jogs into the endzone on breakaways.  These issues are correctable, but they're a bit concerning.

Seffner (FL) Armwood safety Leon McQuay III, a 2013 prospect, was offered by Michigan this past week.  McQuay is a 6'1", 177-pounder with offers from Florida, Florida State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, and Tennessee, among others.  Michigan has unsuccessfully recruited Armwood before and McQuay is likely to stay in state, so I won't be getting my hopes up.

Olney (MD) Good Counsel linebacker Dorian O'Daniel, a 2013 prospect, received a Michigan offer last week.  He's a 6'1", 205 lb. weakside linebacker prospect with excellent speed.  He holds offers from Cal, Florida, Iowa, Oklahoma, Wisconsin, and several others.  O'Daniel attends the alma mater of freshman cornerback Blake Countess and is teammates with a couple of 2012 prospects Michigan has offered, wide receiver Stefon Diggs and running back Wes Brown, neither of whom is expected to commit to the Wolverines.

Warren (OH) Howland running back DeVeon Smith, a 2013 prospect, was offered by Michigan late last week.  The 5'11", 195 lb. Smith ran for approximately 2,200 yards and averaged around 13 yards per carry, according to him.  Michigan is Smith's first offer.  His older brother, Lance Smith, played running back for Wisconsin a few years ago but was kicked off the team for legal issues.

Crete (IL) Crete-Monee cornerback Anthony Standifer decommitted from Michigan late this week.  Rumors swirled that the departure was grade-related, although Standifer's mother has refuted that claim.  Standifer is the second prospect to exit Michigan's class in recent weeks, following Lyndhurst (OH) Brush tight end/defensive end Pharaoh Brown.


OFF THE BOARD
Lake Forest (IL) Lake Forest Academy defensive tackle Faith Ekakitie committed to Iowa on Wednesday.  Ekakitie is a 6'2", 255-pounder who was offered by the Wolverines several months ago but never showed significant interest.  He also held offers from Arizona, Illinois, Nebraska, Oregon, Stanford, Tennessee, and Wisconsin.  He joins Lombard (IL) Montini defensive tackle Jaleel Johnson, who was also offered by Michigan, as part of Iowa's recruiting haul.

Lakewood (CA) Lakewood wide receiver Darius Powe committed to Cal on Friday.  Powe is a 6'2", 186 lb. wideout who held offers from Arizona, Nebraska, Oregon, and Stanford, among others.  He ought to combine with quarterback Zach Kline and fellow wide receiver Bryce Treggs to create a very nice passing attack for the Golden Bears over the next few seasons.  Looking at Cal's recruiting class, they also have a linebacker named Hardy Nickerson, Jr., whose father played for several teams in the NFL, most notably the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Anthony Standifer, ex-Wolverine

2013 prospect LaQuon Treadwell and 2012 prospect Anthony Standifer

Back at the beginning of June, Crete (IL) Crete-Monee cornerback Anthony Standifer committed to Michigan.  At the time the recruiting services hadn't really picked up on him yet, despite the fact that he had offers from decent schools like Iowa, Michigan, and Notre Dame.  As of this morning, Standifer is a 3-star to all four major recruiting services, and anywhere from the #28 to #46 cornerback.

He remained committed for the past several months and seemed strongly interested in coming to Ann Arbor, but a few days ago, it all started to fall apart.  Michigan and Standifer have made a mutual decision to part ways, although rumors suggest that it was due to some academic shortcomings on Standifer's part.

To fill the open spot at cornerback, Michigan has recently re-established contact with West Roxbury (MA) Catholic Memorial's Armani Reeves and continued to pursue Ramsey (NJ) Don Bosco Prep's Yuri Wright.  Reeves is currently committed to Penn State but is wary of the coaching situation.  Wright has often said that Michigan is his dream school, but he has yet to visit.

It's unclear where Standifer will end up playing ball, but there is another player who factors into the situation: 2013 wide receiver LaQuon Treadwell.  Treadwell is Standifer's teammate and seemed like he would commit to Michigan at some point.  Without Standifer in Ann Arbor, that might make Treadwell's commitment less likely.  While he has stated that the news about Standifer won't affect his recruitment, I have to wonder if that will hold true or not.  Treadwell has picked up offers from Indiana, Nebraska, and Notre Dame to go along with his Michigan offer.

For other news on former Wolverines and ex-commitments, check out the Ex-Wolverine Encyclopedia.

2012 Recruiting: Senior Year Statistics

Ann Arbor (MI) Pioneer got a statistically dominant season out of Drake Johnson (#2 in white and purple)

Blake Bars - OT - Nashville (TN) Montgomery Bell
54 pancake blocks

Joe Bolden - LB - Cincinnati (OH) Colerain
86 tackles, 6 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, 1 forced fumble, 1 interception returned for a touchdown; 1 receiving touchdown, 1 rushing touchdown, and a 39.0 yard average on 25 punts

Ben Braden - OT - Rockford (MI) Rockford
No stats available.

Pharaoh Brown - TE/DE - Lyndhurst (OH) Brush**
31 receptions, 499 yards (16.1 yards per catch), 7 touchdowns; 33 tackles, 9 sacks, 1 pass breakup, 1 forced fumble

Jehu Chesson - WR - St. Louis (MO) Ladue Horton Watkins
53 receptions, 757 yards, 6 touchdowns; 57 tackles, 2 interceptions

Jeremy Clark - S - Madisonville (KY) North Hopkins
70 tackles, 15 pass breakups, 1 forced fumble, 3 interceptions (3 touchdowns), and 1 fumble recovery (1 touchdown)

Devin Funchess - TE/LB - Farmington Hills (MI) Harrison
21 receptions, 452 yards (21.5 yards per catch), 5 touchdowns; 3 sacks, 1 forced fumble, 1 interception, 3 pass breakups

Allen Gant - S/WR - Sylvania (OH) Southview
79 tackles, 7 tackles for loss, 1 interception, 3 pass breakups, 2 forced fumbles; 12 carries, 106 yards (8.8 yards per rush); 24 receptions, 419 yards (17.5 yards per catch), 4 touchdowns

Matt Godin - DE - Novi (MI) Catholic Central
90 tackles, 8.5 sacks, 16.5 tackles for loss

Willie Henry - DT - Cleveland (OH) GlenvilleNo stats available.

Sione Houma - FB - Salt Lake City (UT) Highland
93 carries, 790 yards (8.8 yards per carry), 8 touchdowns; 1 kickoff return touchdown

Royce Jenkins-Stone - LB/FB - Detroit (MI) Cass Tech
84 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 1 interception, 1 forced fumble, 2 fumble recoveries; 309 yards rushing, 5 touchdowns; 4 receptions, 43 yards, 1 touchdown

Drake Johnson - RB - Ann Arbor (MI) Pioneer
343 carries, 2,805 yards (8.2 yards per carry), 37 touchdowns; 5 receptions, 83 yards (16.6 yards per catch), 1 touchdown; 5-for-9 passing, 90 yards

Kyle Kalis - OL - Lakewood (OH) St. Edward's
No stats available.

Erik Magnuson - OL/DE - Carlsbad (CA) La Costa Canyon
69 pancake blocks

Dennis Norfleet - RB - Detroit (MI) King2,033 rushing yards and 27 touchdowns

Mario Ojemudia - DE - Farmington Hills (MI) Harrison
80 tackles, 19 tackles for loss, 16 sacks, 1 fumble recovery, 1 blocked punt

Ondre Pipkins - DT - Kansas City (MO) Park Hill
60 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 4 sacks, 6 forced fumbles, 3 pass breakups

Terry Richardson - CB/WR - Detroit (MI) Cass Tech
49 tackles, 7 pass breakups; 24 receptions, 425 yards (17.7 yards per catch), 2 touchdowns; 1 kickoff return touchdown

Kaleb Ringer - LB - Clayton (OH) Northmont
59 tackles, 6 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 1 fumble recovery, 1 pass breakup

James Ross - LB - Orchard Lake (MI) St. Mary's
138 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery; 1 touchdown reception

Caleb Stacey - OL - Cincinnati (OH)**
38 pancake blocks, 0 sacks allowed

Anthony Standifer - CB - Crete (IL) Crete-Monee**
46 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 4 interceptions (1 touchdown), 2 pass breakups, 2 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery

Tom Strobel - DE - Mentor (OH) Mentor
55 tackles, 11.5 sacks, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery, 33 quarterback hurries

A.J. Williams - TE - Cincinnati (OH) Sycamore
No stats available.

Jarrod Wilson - S - Akron (OH) Buchtel
71 tackles, 3 interceptions (1 touchdown), 1 blocked punt

Chris Wormley - DE - Toledo (OH) Whitmer
66 tackles, 19 tackles for loss, 11 sacks, 1 fumble recovery, 1 pass breakup

**Decommitted from Michigan

Recruit Tracker

Jarrod Wilson breaks up a pass against Firestone

OL Blake Bars and Montgomery Bell Academy (5-5) won a 35-0 contest over the Pope John Paul II Knights.

LB Joe Bolden and Colerain (9-1) won a 17-7 contest over Coca.

OL Ben Braden and his team the Rockford Rams (9-1) "rose up to turn away West Ottawa in Division 1 playoff opener," winning by a score of 17-10.

DE Pharaoh Brown and the Brush Arcs (3-6) were defeated by Garfield Heights by a score of 41-27. Brown caught 9 passes for 105 yards in the Arcs final game of the season.

S Jeremy Clark of North Hopkins (8-2) went on the road and routed Crittenden County, 49-0.

TE Devin Funchess of Farmington Hills Harrison (10-0) won a 35-0 contest against Birmingham Seaholm in the first round of the 2011 Division 2 State Tournament. Funchess caught 2 passes for 19 yards and a touchdown.

S Allen Gant and the Southview Cougars (9-1) defeated Northview by a score of 35-6.

DL Matt Godin and Detroit Catholic Central (9-1) hosted Northville on Saturday and blew them out, 56-6, in a first round division playoff game. Matt texted that he recorded 10 tackles and 4 QB hurries.

FB Sione Houma's Highland Rams (7-3) defeated Maple Mountain by a score of 42-20 to advance to the second round of the 4A state playoffs. Houma, who has been injured for a large portion of the season, appears to have regained his health. On Friday, he rushed for 205 yards on only 13 carries and scored 4 touchdowns.

LB Royce Jenkins-Stone and Detroit Cass Tech (7-3) got back to playing dominating football on Friday, pounding Livonia Churchill, 35-6. Next, they take on Dearborn Fordson in a Division 1 district final. Jenkins-Stone recorded 4 tackles and a sack to go with a 4-yard touchdown run.

OL Kyle Kalis and the Lakewood-St. Edwards Eagles (7-3) were plagued by turnovers and lost the "Holy War" against St. Ignatius by a score of 20-17. 11,000 people were reported to have attended the game.

OL Erik Magnuson and his team the La Costa Canyon Mavericks (6-2) won a 21-16 contest against Oceanside.

2013 QB Shane Morris and Warren De La Salle (8-2) defeated Roseville by a score of 48-14. Surprisingly, I couldn't find Morris' official stats, but "BrendanDavis22" went to the game and posted on the MGoBoard that Shane went 13-16 with 2 touchdowns and 0 picks but also dinged up his throwing hand a bit.

DL Mario Ojemudia and Farmington Hills Harrison (9-0) defeated Birmingham Seaholm by a score of 35-0. If you feel like shelling out a couple bucks, Mr. Tom VH has an article on Harrison and their pursuit of another state title.

DT Ondre Pipkins and his Park Hill Trojans (5-5) lost a 24-6 contest against Central.

CB Terry Richardson and Detroit Cass Tech (7-3) defeated Livonia Churchill, 35-6.

LB Kaleb Ringer and the Northmont Thunderbolts (4-6) won a 33-20 contest against Springfield.

LB James Ross and Orchard Lake St. Mary's pummeled Detroit Pershing by a score of 56-6 to advance to the second round of the division 3 playoffs.

OL Caleb Stacey and Oak Hills (4-5) were defeated by Serrano, 21-14.

CB Anthony Standifer and his Crete-Monee (10-0) team defeated Bloomington, 63-14, to remain undefeated on the season. Standifer sat out the game with a dislocated shoulder, but teammate Laquon Treadwell, a 2013 wide receiver prospect, caught 3 touchdown passes, finishing with 6 catches for 119 yards. Treadwell even made an impact from the defensive end position, recording 1.5 sacks. "Playing defensive end helps with my hands and has made me a more aggressive player...I'm more physical now when I'm blocking," Treadwell said.

DE Tom Strobel and his Mentor team (9-1) lost their first game of the season by a score of 38-35 against Twinsburg.

2013 S Dymonte Thomas and Marlington (7-2) won a 27-23 contest against Alliance.

TE AJ Williams and Sycamore (8-2) lost a 41-13 contest against Mason.

S Jarrod Wilson and his Akron squad Buchtel (6-4) won a 34-0 contest against Firestone. Wilson had his "best game of the season," blocking a punt, making an interception and catching a TD pass. When asked about Wilson, Coach Ricky Powers said, "he's going to Michigan. Need I say anything else?"

DL Christopher Wormley and the Toledo Whitmer Panthers (8-0) defeated Catholic Central by a score of 38-21. Ace was at the game and tweeted that Wormley was "active and aggressive...too much so at times...had a strong second half." Josh Helmholdt from rivals was at the game, too, and tweeted that Wormley was "aggressive," but he "needs to do a better job of diagnosing plays"

Stats will be updated as they're found. Please let us know if you have any additional information for the compilation. Thanks!

Recruit Tracker (updated)

Anthony Standifer (#3) had a huge game on Friday night.

OL Blake Bars and Montgomery Bell Academy (3-5) were handily defeated by Ensworth, losing by a score of 52-10.

LB Joe Bolden and Colerain (6-1) edged past Lakota East on Friday by a score of 24-19.

OL Ben Braden and his team the Rockford Rams (6-1) rocked Grandville by a score of 45-0 to secure the program's 17th consecutive playoff birth.

DE Pharaoh Brown and the Brush Arcs (2-5) defeated Normandy to record their second victory of the season, winning impressively by a score of 34-0. Brown had a 13-yard touchdown reception among his 7 receptions for 173 yards.  He also had 4 tackles and 1 sack.

S Jeremy Clark of North Hopkins (6-1) shutout Hopkins County Central on their way to a 61-0 victory.  Clark had 3 tackles and 2 pass breakups before leaving the game due to the blowout score.

TE Devin Funchess of Farmington Hills Harrison (7-0) pounded their Oakland County neighbor, Rochester Adams, winning by a score of 48-21. Funchess was Harrison's leading receiver, catching 2 passes for 46 yards. He also made an impact on the other side of the by recording two sacks, forcing a fumble that was recovered by Harrison, and batting down a couple of passes.

S Allen Gant and the Southview Cougars (6-1) defeated Bowling Green by a score of 35-17 to claim a homecoming victory.  He had 6 tackles and 3 receptions for 50 yards.

DL Matt Godin and Detroit Catholic Central (6-0) took on Al Fracassa, Michigan's most-winning high school coach, and Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice Saturday at 7:00 p.m. Brother Rice came away with the 21-19 victory in what appears to have been a damn good football game. Godin came in for an important sack on third and long during a late comeback drive by Brother Rice. "They doubled me and I made a quick move to the inside and slammed the center and I just flew through, " said Godin. Matt texted me that he finished the evening with 6 tackles and 2 sacks.

FB Sione Houma's Highland Rams (7-0) defeated Cyprus by a score of 55-10. Sione rushed for 69 yards and 1 touchdown.

LB Royce Jenkins-Stone and Detroit Cass Tech (5-2) rebounded from last week's shutout, defeating Detroit Mumford by a score of 49-13.

OL Kyle Kalis and the Lakewood-St. Edward's Eagles took on the defending New Jersey state champions the Don Bosco Prep Ironmen Sunday at 7:00 p.m. Kalis was among several top-flight recruits who took part in the contest, including fellow 5 star player DE Darius Hamilton, along with the likes of safety Elijah Shumate, wide receiver Leonte Carroo, and cornerback Yuri Wright. Unfortunately for Kalis and his team, Don Bosco Prep took Lakewood-St. Edwards out to the woodshed in a surprising 38-7 drubbing. Anyone who viewed the contest is encouraged to comment.

OL Erik Magnuson and his team the La Costa Canyon Mavericks (3-2) had a bye this week. They play at Carlsbad this coming Friday night.

2013 QB Shane Morris and Warren De La Salle (5-2) were defeated for the second time this season in a 35-10 loss to James Ross and Orchard Lakes St. Mary's. Morris completed only five of his 13 attempts, which netted him just 61 yards through the air, although he did add another 30 yards on the ground, including a 21 yard TD scamper just before halftime.

DL Mario Ojemudia and Farmington Hills Harrison (7-0) rolled to a 48-21 victory over Rochester Adams. Ojemudia is seeing time at right tackle for FHH.  He had 6 tackles, 1 sack, and 1 blocked punt.

DT Ondre Pipkins and his Park Hill Trojans (4-3) took on Lee's Summit West on Friday but unfortunately were on the losing end of an embarrassing 49-0 pounding.  Pipkins missed the game due to an ankle injury.

CB Terry Richardson and Detroit Cass Tech (5-2) won by a score of 49-13 against Detroit Mumford.  Richardson caught 2 passes for 56 yards, returned a kickoff for a touchdown, and made 3 tackles.

LB Kaleb Ringer and his Northmont High School squad (2-5) lost to Centerville by a score of 34-7. Ringer had 12 tackles in the loss.

LB James Ross and Orchard Lake St. Mary's (6-1) dominated the ground game and defeated Shane Morris and Warren De La Salle by a score of 35-10. Ross had at least 5 tackles (actually 13), including two for a loss.

CB Anthony Standifer and his Crete-Monee team (7-0) won by a score of 34-20 against Rich Central. Standifer had 13 tackles and 1 interception, which he returned 75 yards for a touchdown. Junior teammate LaQuon Treadwell, a receiver, had 7 receptions for 67 yards and 1 touchdown.

DE Tom Strobel and his Mentor team won (7-0) by a score of 44-20 against Solon to continue their perfect season while handing Solon their first loss of the season. Strobel contributed to his team's victory by recording 3 sacks, a fumble recovery and a blocked PAT.

2013 S Dymonte Thomas and Marlington (5-2) were defeated by Minerva by a score of 21-13. Thomas scored once on a 9-yard touchdown run but had only 50 yards on 15 carries overall.

S Jarrod Wilson and his Akron squad Buchtel (3-3) improved to .500 on the season in a 20-13 victory over Ellet.

DL Christopher Wormley and the Toledo Whitmer Panthers (7-0) "powered on" to a 49-23 victory over Findlay.  Wormley had 8 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, and 1 sack.

Stats will be updated as they're found. Please let us know if you have any additional information for the compilation. Thanks!

Recruiting Update: October 12, 2011



Laquon Treadwell (in red), Anthony Standifer (in black)
(image via ESPN.com)

 ADDED TO THE BOARD

Castle Rock (CO) Valor Christian OG Alex Kozan was offered by Michigan this past week.  Kozan is a class of 2012 recruit, which seems to mean that the coaching staff isn't confident about their chances with Puyallup (WA) Puyallup OG Joshua Garnett.  Garnett is clearly the superior player.  Kozan looks like an old school Michigan guard, the kind that Lloyd Carr and Gary Moeller would have loved but that Rich Rodriguez wouldn't have touched.  He's 6'4", 295 lbs. and plays with a nice, wide base, but he's a little bit stiff.  Rivals lists him as the #28 offensive tackle in the country, but he looks to me like a guard all the way.  He's decently nasty and moves his feet pretty well, but he's built for a team that wants to pound the ball.

Crete (IL) Crete-Monee WR Laquon Treadwell, a 2013 prospect, was offered by Michigan yesterday.  Treadwell is a 6'3", 190 lb. receiver who is teammates with 2012 cornerback and Michigan commit Anthony Standifer.  This is Treadwell's first offer and he has stated several times that Michigan would be his leader if they offered.  Of course, we heard that same type of comment from Chicago (IL) Simeon OL Jordan Diamond earlier this year, and Diamond has so far held off on committing to anyone and looks less and less likely to join Michigan's class.  There's very little video of Treadwell on the internet, so it's tough to get a feel for where he stands as a prospect.  Crete-Monee's competition level is fairly low when compared to some other areas that Michigan has recruited heavily, so while Treadwell has been very productive this season, his statistics should be taken with a grain of salt. 


OFF THE BOARD

Flint (MI) Powers Catholic DT Danny O'Brien committed to Tennessee.  Before Michigan offered O'Brien, Tennessee was the leader . . . and after Michigan offered, Tennessee never really took a back seat.  Michigan did seem to surpass the other schools that were recruiting him, but not the Volunteers.  O'Brien is a 6'3", 293 lb. (or more) defensive tackle who could be a 1-tech or 3-tech on the line.  I think he's a nose tackle all the way, but others feel he's better suited to a position where he can penetrate.  Rumors have been swirling that Michigan's coaches cooled on O'Brien and stopped pushing for his commitment; even before those rumors popped up, I had been hearing that he hadn't been very impressive as a senior.  I will be surprised if this one turns out to haunt Michigan down the road.  While the Wolverines need another body on the interior to go along with Kansas City (MO) Park Hill DT Ondre Pipkins, I don't imagine O'Brien will be terrorizing the SEC.

Recruit Tracker (updated)

Dymonte Thomas (#1) had a monster game with 4 touchdowns against Carrollton on Friday night
(image via The Alliance Review)

OL Blake Bars and Montgomery Bell Academy (3-4) beat Father Ryan by a score of 17-14.

LB Joe Bolden and Colerain (5-1) beat Fairfield by a score of 56-0. Fairfield had just 27 yards rushing and 73 yards of total offense.  Bolden himself had 3 tackles and 1 sack.

OL Ben Braden and his team the Rockford Rams (5-1) beat East Kentwood by a score of 41-6. Ace attended the game and tweeted that Braden "played well and is every bit of 6'7'', 300+."

DE Pharaoh Brown and the Brush Arcs (1-5) lost to Mayfield by a score of 10-7.  Brown had 6 tackles, 1 sack, and 1 forced fumble.

S Jeremy Clark of North Hopkins (5-1) had a bye week this week.

TE Devin Funchess of Farmington Hills Harrison (6-0) beat Oak Park by a score of 48-35. Funchess hauled in a deflected pass for a 28 yard score and topped it off with a 13-yard touchdown reception.

S Allen Gant and the Southview Cougars (5-1) beat Perrysburg 29-7.  Gant had 6 tackles and 1 tackle for loss.

DL Matt Godin and Detroit Catholic Central (6-0) beat U-D Jesuit on Sunday by a score of 20-13.  Godin had 12 tackles in the victory.

FB Sione Houma's Highland Rams (5-2) beat Woods Cross by a score of 44-37. Houma had 11 carries for 113 yards and 2 touchdowns.

LB Royce Jenkins-Stone and Detroit Cass Tech (4-2) were shut out by Crockett, 7-0.

OL Kyle Kalis and the Lakewood-St. Edward's Eagles (6-0) beat Youngstown Ursuline by a score of 20-7.

OL Erik Magnuson and his team the La Costa Canyon Mavericks (3-2) beat Fallbrook by a score of 33-7.

2013 QB Shane Morris and Warren De La Salle (5-1) crushed Inkster by a score of 46-12. Morris had four TD passes on the evening to go along with 126 yards and 1 interception.

DL Mario Ojemudia and Farmington Hills Harrison (6-0) beat Oak Park by a score of 48-35. Ojemudia stuffed a fourth and 1 attempt to give his offense the ball at the Oak Park 44.  He finished with 11 tackles and 1 sack.

DT Ondre Pipkins and his Park Hill Trojans (4-2) beat North Kansas City by a score of 42-14.  Unfortunately, Pipkins missed the game due to a bum ankle.

CB Terry Richardson and Detroit Cass Tech (4-2) lost to Crockett by a score of 7-0.

LB Kaleb Ringer and his Northmont High School squad (2-4) lost to Beavercreek by a score of 15-7.  Ringer made 24 tackles and 1 sack on the night.  He has 47 tackles, 1 sack, and 1 fumble recovery on the season.

LB James Ross and Orchard Lake St. Mary's (5-1) beat Birmingham Brother Rice by a score of 10-9 in overtime. He finished with 15 tackles and 3 tackles for loss.  Ross is highlighted in the clip below:

Brother Rice Vs. Orchard Lake Saint Marys: MyFoxDETROIT.com

CB Anthony Standifer and his Crete-Monee team (6-0) beat Bloom by a score of 32-7. This is their first 6-0 start since 1952. Standifer had 5 tackles and 2 interceptions. Meanwhile, junior teammate LaQuan Treadwell, a wide receiver prospect for 2013, had 2 touchdown receptions.

DE Tom Strobel and his Mentor team (6-0) won by a score of 38-14, knocking Brunswick out of the undefeated ranks to 5-1. Strobel recorded two sacks and "made life miserable" for the opposing quarterback.

2013 S Dymonte Thomas and Marlington (5-1) beat Carrollton by a score of 55-28. Thomas had a monster game with 12 runs for 102 yards and 3 receptions for 91 yards. He scored on runs of 3, 5, and 10 yards and on a pass of 60 yards.  Thomas also had 13 tackles on defense.

S Jarrod Wilson and his Akron squad Buchtel defeated Ellet by a score of 20-13 . Wilson secured the win for Buchtel when he intercepted a pass with less than two minutes remaining in the game, ending a seven play comeback drive.

DL Christopher Wormley and the Toledo Whitmer Panthers (6-0) beat Clay by a score of 54-7. Wormley had 8 tackles.

Stats will be updated as they're found. Please let us know if you have any additional information for the compilation. Thanks!

Anthony Standifer, Wolverine

Anthony Standifer (#3, with ball)

Anthony Standifer, a cornerback from Crete, IL, committed to Michigan on Wednesday.  He chose the Wolverines over offers from Akron, Bowling Green, Cincinnati, Colorado State, Iowa, Minnesota, Northern Illinois, Notre Dame, Syracuse, Toledo, and Western Michigan.

The 6'1", 178 lb. cornerback is a somewhat under-the-radar recruit to the services, which baffles me a bit because I was smitten with Standifer when I first learned about him a couple months ago.  He's a 3-star to both 24/7 Sports and Scout, the latter of which ranks him as the #26 cornerback in the land.  Rivals and ESPN are still waking from their long winter hibernations.

Speaking of recruiting rankings, in a rare bout of the dreaded I-agree-with-Tom-Lemmings, I have to admit that I . . . agree with Tom Lemming, who ranks Standifer as the 98th best player in the country.  The kid had 44 tackles, 9 interceptions, and 1 forced fumble as a junior.  When the ball is in the air, he goes up and gets it at its highest point.  He also has very smooth hips for a kid who's 6'1".  (Check out the clip at 2:05 of the highlights below, which showcases both of those skills.)  I also really like the way Standifer deals with blockers; they're nuisances to him and he finds crafty ways to get around people who are in his way.  At 2:37 and 3:54 below, watch how he ducks inside the blocker and gives the blocker his back to hit.  In those instances, the blocker either allows him to make the tackle or the ref throws a flag for blocking in the back.  These things are done in the manner of a natural athlete, not someone who ponders what to do for a split second before making the play.  Another plus is that Standifer doesn't suffer from Cullen Christian Paralylyzing Fear of Making a Tackle.  Standifer doesn't really light anyone up, but he's not afraid to stick his nose into the fray, either.

There are some concerns about Standifer.  He doesn't have great straight-line speed, he's a bit skinny, he doesn't look to have much experience in press man coverage, and his backpedal needs some work.  That first drawback should be somewhat mitigated by the fact that Standifer is likely headed for the boundary (or solid) corner position, which is predicated more on physicality than pure speed.  Those last three things are correctable, and while they might be cause for concern in the short term, a couple seasons of weighlifting and solid coaching ought to fix them.

Standifer offers Michigan some versatility in that he could play some free safety, so Michigan isn't locked into playing him at corner if his speed is too much of a concern.  When I first saw his film, though, the player that popped into my mind was Chris McAlister, of Baltimore Ravens fame.  I'm not quite sure that it's an apt comparison, but there we are.  I also see a little bit of Donovan Warren in Standifer, and that might be more accurate.  Warren was a cornerback/safety tweener by the time he left college, but he was a solid college cornerback despite being timed somewhere between a 4.59 and a 4.68 prior to the NFL Draft.  I have doubts that Standifer can be a truly elite corner because of his lack of high-end speed, but I think he has sufficient speed to be an impact corner in the Big Ten.

Standifer is the 14th commitment in Michigan's 2012 class.  There are roughly four more spots to fill, but more slots will probably open up before February.

TTB Rating: 83 (Prospect Rating System)

Maize 'n' Brew: May 6 Recruiting Update

Jessica Burciaga is somewhat attractive.

This comes a couple days after the fact, but I put up a recruiting post on Friday over at Maize 'n' Brew.

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