Spring Practice Rumblings

Mason Cole might not be blocking many edge rushers this season

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Based on recent developments and leaks, I'll toss out some of the recent rumblings from practice, which you can feel free to dissect/discuss.

Quarterback: Different sources will say different things. I don't really have much to add to that, except it seems like Shane Morris is mentioned most often as looking the best.

Running back: Ty Isaac had questions about his toughness coming out of high school, but he has played through some things this spring; however, he has been suffering from hand and hamstring injuries, so he is limited. Derrick Green has also been injured, and Drake Johnson is coming off that ACL tear. The one constant has been De'Veon Smith, who has been earning praise for his vision and attitude. It's not really a secret that Smith can have a sullen disposition at times.

Fullback: With Sione Houma out due to injury, it's still Joe Kerridge, Brady Pallante, and Chase Winovich getting reps at this spot.

Hit the jump for the rest of the positions.

Michigan vs. Michigan State Awards

Jake Ryan

Let's see more of this guy on offense . . . Devin Gardner running the ball. Gardner is the best runner on the team. Better than Devin Funchess, better than Justice Hayes, better than De'Veon Smith, better than Dennis Norfleet, better than a healthy Derrick Green. Gardner sprained his ankle against Penn State, so I guess I understand if the coaches were trying to protect him against Michigan State. Regardless, this team can't pass the ball consistently, and there's very little running game. Gardner ran the ball 4 times for -18 yards (including 2 sacks). He has to be a part of the rushing attack if Michigan wants to find success.

Let's see less of this guy on offense . . . A.J. Williams. He's not a good blocker, he's too slow to be any kind of running threat, and he doesn't have good hands. If Michigan can't put a better tight end out there - if Keith Heitzman really can't do it, if the coaches are set on redshirting Ian Bunting - then they should just spread defenses out more and hope the running backs or Gardner can find creases. Williams is a liability.

Let's see more of this guy on defense . . . Raymon Taylor at safety. I think the time has come to make an adjustment in the defensive secondary. I do not believe this will actually happen, but Michigan needs better safety play. Jeremy Clark is a liability, and Delano Hill isn't ready to play safety at this level. Hill got completely lost in man coverage when he allowed MSU wide receiver Tony Lippett a 70-yard catch-and-run touchdown, and Hill got trucked by quarterback Connor Cook. The Wolverines need more consistent play at safety, and Clark/Hill aren't going to give it to them this year.

Let's see less of this guy on defense . . . Delano Hill. I have never been a fan of Hill, and he has yet to make a play that seems to warrant his playing time. He did luck into a fumble recovery after Jarrod Wilson forced the ball out and it bounced into Hill's hands, but that's not enough.

Play of the game . . . so few options. I'll go with Chris Wormley's 8-yard sack on Connor Cook. It was Wormley's only entry on the stat sheet, but it was a somewhat impressive bull rush right through the Michigan State offensive guard, pushing him back into Cook.

MVP of the game . . . Jake Ryan. He had 12 tackles and 1 tackle for loss. That's the best I can come up with. Nobody stood out. The quarterback was bad, the offensive line was bad, the wide receivers dropped all kinds of balls, the defensive line got pushed around, and the secondary couldn't tackle.

2014 Season Countdown: #17 Chris Wormley

Chris Wormley got beat on a wheel route by UConn, but won't have to defend the pass as much at DT.

Name: Chris Wormley
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 295 lbs.
High school: Toledo (OH) Whitmer
Position: Defensive tackle
Class: Redshirt sophomore
Jersey number: #43
Last year: I ranked Wormley #47 and said he would be a backup defensive tackle. He made 19 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, 1 fumble recovery, and 1 pass breakup.

Wormley redshirt during his freshman season when he tore his ACL, and last year was a bit of a recovery year. He spent some time as a defensive end, but due to his bulk - or his bum knee - he seemed a little out of place. It seemed to me that he emerged in the Penn State game, when he made 4 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, and 1 sack. As the year went along, he seemed to move inside more and was a heavily rotated player, despite not earning any starts.

That looks like it will change in 2014. Now that he is 295 lbs. and seemingly beyond the size of a feasible defensive end, Wormley looks like a good bet to earn at least a few starts. In my opinion, the three interior starters on the defensive line should come down to some combination of Ondre Pipkins, Willie Henry, and Wormley. None are certainties - Pipkins is coming off his own ACL tear, and Henry did not have a great offseason. Wormley never put together a great stretch of football last year, but he seems like a coach favorite (they have said that he would have played as a true freshman if not for the knee injury) and he has some tantalizing athleticism for an interior lineman. My guess is that he starts at least half the games at the 3-tech tackle position, and I think Michigan fans will be excited about him going into 2015.

Prediction: Starting defensive tackle; 35 tackles, 6 tackles for loss, 3 sacks

Video: Willie Henry, Chris Wormley talk spring practice

Hit the jump for Chris Wormley's interview.

Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl Preview: Defensive Line

Defensive end Ryan Mueller had 18.5 tackles for loss and 11.5 sacks during the regular season.

MICHIGAN
Starters: Junior weakside end Frank Clark (6'2", 273 lbs.) is the headliner of the group. As a Second Team all-conference selection, he started the season a little slowly but ended with 12 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks. The other defensive end will likely be junior Brennen Beyer (6'3", 250 lbs.), who has bounced from SAM linebacker to weakside end to SAM linebacker and now to strongside end. Despite starting every game this season, he has just 25 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, and 2 sacks, so his playmaking skills are somewhat lacking. Fifth year senior Quinton Washington (6'4", 301 lbs.) is the nose tackle, and he holds the point of attack fairly well but has made just 19 tackles while being hampered by a nagging back injury. Senior Jibreel Black (6'2", 278 lbs.) is the 3-tech tackle and can give interior linemen trouble with his quickness, but generally, he lacks the bulk to hold up in the power run game, which could very well be an issue against Kansas State.
Backups: Redshirt sophomore Keith Heitzman (6'3", 280 lbs.) began the season as the strongside end but is more of a stopgap player with 8 tackles and .5 tackles for loss. Redshirt freshman Chris Wormley (6'4", 289 lbs.) has played end and 3-tech tackle, and while not a dominant player, he has flashed potential with 17 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, and 2.5 sacks. Redshirt freshman Ryan Glasgow (6'4", 300 lbs.) has played a fair amount at defensive tackle but has just 2 total tackles to show for it, and redshirt junior Richard Ash (6'3", 314 lbs.) has 3 tackles on the season. The backup weakside ends are sophomore Mario Ojemudia (6'3", 250 lbs.) with 20 tackles and 1.5 sacks and freshman Taco Charlton (6'6", 270 lbs.) with 2 tackles and .5 tackles for loss.

KANSAS STATE
Starters: Redshirt junior left end Ryan Mueller (6'2", 245 lbs.) is the star of KSU's defensive front, racking up 61 tackles, 18.5 tackles for loss, 11.5 sacks, 3 quarterback hurries, and 4 forced fumbles this year. That performance earned him first team all-conference honors and mention on some All-America teams. On the other end is senior Alauna Finau (6'1", 258 lbs.), who has 20 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, and .5 sacks on the year. Sophomore left defensive tackle Travis Britz (6'4", 293 lbs.) has 33 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, and 3 sacks. Senior right defensive tackle Chaquil Reed (6'3", 309 lbs.) has 33 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, and 2 sacks, and he runs pretty well for a big guy.
Key backups: Redshirt sophomore defensive end Marquel Bryant (6'3", 241 lbs.) has 13 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, and 2 sacks, and junior defensive tackle Valentino Coleman (6'3", 285 lbs.) has 4 tackles as Britz's backup. The only other defensive lineman to play in even half of the Wildcats' games is redshirt junior defensive end Laton Dowling (6'3", 254 lbs.), who has just 3 tackles on the year, but that includes 2.5 tackles for loss and a sack.

THE TAKEAWAY
Michigan is #27 in the country in rush defense with 139 yards allowed/game, and Kansas State is #40 giving up 145 yards/game. Against the pass, Michigan is #68 with 23 sacks, and Kansas State is #48 with 27 quarterback takedowns. Statistically, there's not a ton that separates these two teams. In watching Oklahoma's 41-31 win over the Wildcats in game 11, I was not impressed with the defensive line. Granted, Oklahoma was the #11 team in the country, but Finau and Coleman looked particularly vulnerable in the running game. They don't flip their defensive line much, so Mueller has been able to rack up a lot of his numbers against teams' right tackles, who are generally inferior to the left tackles. Against Michigan, Mueller will face likely one of his best opponents this year in Michael Schofield. Britz and Reed might be able to get a little bit of penetration, but Michigan's improved offensive line play in the last couple weeks of the season should be sufficient to have a decent day. The Wildcats have the better individual statistics and perhaps the best overall player in Mueller, but with the way Clark, Ojemudia, Beyer, Wormley, Henry, Washington, and Black work together to funnel things to the inside linebackers, I think the advantage right here goes to . . .

ADVANTAGE: Michigan

Michigan 24, UConn 21

Fitzgerald Toussaint had 127 total yards and 2 touchdowns

Okay, now it's getting ridiculous. Last week I thought Michigan's performance against Akron was a little bit of a fluke. It was the week after a big win over Notre Dame, Akron was supposed to be a patsy, etc. Now I'm concerned. Michigan should have been champing at the bit to get on the field and destroy a mediocre UConn team, and they were just as lackadaisical. During the half, I thought "This seems like a game where Michigan might reverse the momentum with a defensive or special teams touchdown." Instead, after getting ball on the kickoff, Devin Gardner fumbled on a quarterback sneak when he ran into his own lineman, which was only slightly less embarrassing than Mark Sanchez's butt fumble.

Bench Devin Gardner? No, don't bench Devin Gardner (11/23 passing, 97 yards, 0 touchdowns, 2 interceptions, 3 sacks; 19 carries, 64 yards, 1 touchdown). Last night broadcaster Sean McCullough suggested considering a quarterback change, but that's just a total lack of awareness of Michigan's situation. Gardner has to get things sorted out, and that's the bottom line. He needs to take better care of the football and refine his mechanics. Freshman Shane Morris isn't going to be any better, and the only other options are walk-ons, since presumed backup Russell Bellomy is out for the year with a torn ACL. Gardner's driving the bus . . . on the edge of a cliff.

The blocking up front is terrible. I've seen a lot of criticism of running back Fitzgerald Toussaint lately on blogs, Twitter, etc. lately. I'm really not sure what people expect him to do when he's supposed to run a zone stretch and the combination of sophomore tight ends A.J. Williams and Devin Funchess (1 catch, 14 yards) are allowing three or four yards of penetration. Or when center Jack Miller chooses not to block the right guy, allowing nose tackles to knife through. Or when Michigan's offensive line can't get push on an iso. That's not to mention the numerous times Connecticut got pressure on Gardner with a three-man rush where guards Graham Glasgow and Kyle Kalis were blocking air. Oh, and left tackle Taylor Lewan had a terrible holding penalty, and Glasgow had his third false start of the year.

Desmond Morgan has been watching Charles Woodson highlight tapes. That one-handed interception by middle linebacker Desmond Morgan (4 tackles, 1 interception) was extremely impressive for a guy whose athleticism has been questioned at times. He had a good drop, leaped into the air, pulled it down, and made a very nice return. Michigan proceeded to score the game-tying touchdown.

Michigan got out-coached. I haven't said this often, at least not in the Brady Hoke era, but the Huskies' coaching staff did a better job than the Wolverines'. I don't even know where to begin. Did defensive coordinator Greg Mattison really expect defensive end/defensive tackle Chris Wormley (1 tackle, .5 tackles for loss, .5 sacks, 1 pass breakup) to cover running back Lyle McCombs on a wheel route? Touchdown. Michigan brings in two extra offensive linemen for a quarterback sneak, and instead of putting All-American left tackle Taylor Lewan on the interior to blow a Husky off the ball, they put redshirt freshman backup Erik Magnuson? Fumble, touchdown for UConn. Freshmen killed Michigan on special teams, too:

• Linebacker Ben Gedeon ran into the kicker on an early punt.
• Wide receiver Da'Mario Jones lost track of a punt, allowing it to bounce off his foot and be recovered by the Huskies.
• Cornerback Jourdan Lewis had an unnecessary roughness call on Drew Dileo's punt return, bringing the ball back from about the 12-yard line to the 40.

The demise of Fitzgerald Toussaint has been greatly exaggerated. Toussaint isn't the type who can create something out of nothing like Barry Sanders or run over people to gain two or three yards if the hole is plugged up. What he can do is take a little bit of space and exploit it. He had 24 carries for 120 yards and 2 touchdowns, including a 35-yarder on an option pitch that showed nice vision and quickness.

Hooray for Michigan's pass rush. Granted, it was against UConn, but Michigan still tallied 4 sacks on the night. Two came from weakside end Frank Clark, and four other guys notched a half-sack each: Jibreel Black, Mario Ojemudia, Raymon Taylor, and Wormley. I thought Clark specifically looked a little more energized, and it was nice to see Mattison dial up a corner blitz from Taylor.

Michigan vs. Akron Awards

Jehu Chesson

Let's see more of this guy on offense . . . Chris Bryant. If Michigan wants to run zone stretch, then perhaps Bryant isn't the guy. But I do think he's more powerful than Graham Glasgow, giving the team a bigger advantage on the power runs. And pass protection could afford to be improved at either guard position; both Glasgow and Kyle Kalis get confused too easily.

Let's see less of this guy on offense . . . Jeremy Jackson. In the past two seasons, I have seen a couple interceptions thrown at least partly because Jackson is so slow and defensive backs can bait quarterbacks into thinking he's open. On Saturday, Jackson was crossing toward the right sideline in the endzone, and Gardner tried to hit him on the run; Jackson was easily undercut by an Akron defensive back. I don't mind seeing Jackson on running downs, but Michigan has numerous more athletic players for the passing game. Even if Michigan has to burn the redshirt of someone like Da'Mario Jones, I think Jackson's playing time should diminish.

Let's see more of this guy on defense . . . Willie Henry. Henry played more against Akron than any other team this year, and he acquitted himself pretty well. He's built low to the ground and very stout, and he's capable of creating penetration on running downs that I just don't see from the other 3-tech rotation players. From what I saw on Saturday, I might even suggest Henry as the starter over Jibreel Black. Black is a better pass rusher but often a liability against the run because he's so undersized.

Let's see less of this guy on defense . . . Chris Wormley. Maybe it's the ACL or his age or lack of experience or whatever, but every time I see Wormley on the field, he's just not doing anything productive. He's not powerful enough to bull rush guys, and he's not quick enough to run around them. The 3-tech/5-tech rotation should consist of some combination of Keith Heitzmann, Black, Henry, and Matt Godin, with guys like Wormley and Ryan Glasgow playing only when absolutely necessary.

Play of the game . . . Devin Gardner to Jehu Chesson for a 33-yard touchdown. There weren't many plays that stood out a great deal - no sacks, the interceptions weren't spectacular, Jeremy Gallon didn't make a highlight-reel grab for once, etc. I strongly considered Gardner's 48-yard touchdown pass to Devin Funchess, which was perhaps more impressive but not quite as clutch. Michigan was scuffling throughout the game, and it showed no signs of going away. Chesson grabbed a short pass over the middle, shucked a guy, sprinted toward the sideline, and ran through a [piss poor] tackle attempt by an Akron defensive end before zipping into the endzone. That put Michigan up 21-10 in the third quarter. Obviously, the Wolverines continued to struggle, but the speed of Chesson showed me that he could do some big things before he leaves Ann Arbor.

MVP of the game . . . Fitzgerald Toussaint. Gardner put up 248 passing yards and 103 rushing yards, but he also turned over the ball four times. Toussaint looked like the running back of old on his way to 19 carries for 71 yards and 1 touchdown, along with 1 reception for 27 yards. His numbers would have been better if a couple runs wouldn't have been called back for holding (probably closer to 21 carries for 120 yards). One thing I have also noticed with Toussaint is an improvement in pass protection. He did noticeably whiff on a blitzing linebacker, but he's much more physical than he used to be.

2013 Season Countdown: #47 Chris Wormley

Chris Wormley

Name: Chris Wormley
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 290 lbs.
High school: Toledo (OH) Whitmer
Position: Defensive tackle
Class: Redshirt freshman
Jersey number: #43
Last year: I ranked Wormley #65 and said he would redshirt if possible. He tore his ACL in the pre-season and redshirted.

When Wormley hit campus last summer, he had impressive size for a freshman . . . despite the fact that he turned out to be 6'4" after his recruiting profiles listed him as tall as 6'7". The coaches talked about him like a kid who was going to see time as a freshman. Then August came around, he tore his ACL in practice, and it was all moot. He missed the season but recovered enough to participate in spring drills.

Now up to 290 lbs., Wormley seems to have jumped straight past his apprenticeship as a strongside end and looks like a straight-up defensive tackle. In the video clips that came out of the spring, I was concerned about his slowness off the ball. He seemed to be a half-step behind the other guys in drills, whether that was because of an inherent deficiency in quickness or a lag from the injury and his rehab. My biggest concern with him coming out of high school was his drive and consistency, so I won't believe he's a viable candidate for significant playing time until I see some explosiveness out of him. Regardless of what I think, however, the coaches seem to want him on the field in some capacity. Senior Jibreel Black looks like the front-runner for the 3-tech defensive tackle position, and redshirt freshman Willie Henry should provide some competition there, too. I expect Wormley to be less productive than those two while still getting some time in the rotation.

Prediction: Backup defensive tackle

2012 Season Countdown: #65 Chris Wormley

Chris Wormley

Name: Chris Wormley
Height: 6'5"
Weight: 270 lbs.
High school: Toledo (OH) Whitmer
Position: Defensive end
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: #43
Last year: Wormley was in high school.  He had 66 tackles, 19 tackles for loss, 11 sacks, 1 fumble recovery, and 1 pass breakup.

Final TTB Rating: 73

Wormley's reputation as a football player went through a bit of a rough patch last year.   Widely regarded as an elite recruit early in his high school career, questions arose about his health and aggressiveness.  Some people (including me) thought that perhaps he had suffered an injury or, worse, had lost his fire for the game. The numbers above look pretty good, but it seemed they could have been better if he had given a little more effort on the field.

Wormley claims to be 270 lbs. now and he's headed for the strongside defensive end position, unless or until he outgrows the position.  There has been a lot of discussion about his potential to play the 3-tech defensive tackle spot, and that seems to be a distinct possibility down the road.  Strongside end is a tough position to play for a true freshman because of the technique and strength required to hold up against double teams, so Wormley should probably redshirt.  After senior starter Craig Roh graduates, Wormley can battle with his classmates, Keith Heitzman, and Nathan Brink for the starting job.

Prediction: Redshirt if possible

Wolverine Nation: Entrance Interview with Chris Wormley

Kylie Bisutti

Michael Rothstein interviews incoming freshman defensive end Chris Wormley.

Chris Wormley Answers Your Questions

Image via ESPNHS Football 

Incoming defensive lineman Chris Wormley has been a busy guy the last few years.  Besides keeping up with his classes and coursework, Wormley was a three-sport athlete at Toledo Whitmer, participating in football, basketball, and track & field.  His academic and athletic efforts earned him scholarship offers from some of the best institutions and programs in the nation, including the majority of the Big Ten, Alabama, Florida, and Notre Dame, among others. And as if those undertakings weren't enough to keep him swamped, Wormley also held down not one but two jobs for much of his high school career - one umpiring baseball and another making pizzas.

Despite his tireless schedule, Chris found a few minutes to speak with me before punching in at work in order to discuss his future at Michigan and answer several reader questions.

Throwing heavy objects:  "Last year I made states in both shot put and discus, and I place sixth in disc and ninth in shot.  My farthest so far for shot is 58.3 feet and discus is 184.1. . . .yeah, there's the strength and then the technique is pretty big."

Screaming like a Panther:  "That photo shoot was for The Blade, which is our newspaper in Toledo.  The photographer was just doing different poses and different shots.  It was for defensive player of the year for all of division one in Ohio."

Kickin' it with Koger:  "Oh yeah, he actually went to Whitmer as well.  Right before my sophomore year is when we started talking and stuff.  He was my host up there when I went on my visit, so he showed me around campus and everything.  I definitely talk to him and stuff. . . . He would say stuff on my Facebook [during the recruiting process] like, "Go Blue!" and one of my good friends lives across the street from him, so I'd go over there, and he'd be over there for discing or something and we'd throw it across the yard.  But he wasn't too annoying with it to the point where I'd get annoyed, but he'd put stuff in my ear. . . . Oh, man, who'd win [in a game of basketball] between me and Kevin (laughs)?  Well, he's been away from basketball for five years now and he's pretty massive, but I think my shot's a little better than his right now, so I'd have to take me. . . . I think I'd win."

Strengths and weaknesses:  "I think one of my strengths is my size.  You know, most D-ends are 6'4'', but I'm 6'5''/6'6'' - and my intelligence of the game, too, knowing the game.  I think one of my weaknesses is going side to side, which is definitely a big part of defensive end.  You have to change your direction, so that's something I'll have to work on during the next four years."

Height, weight, position:  "I'm 6'5'' and 270 [pounds]. . . . Hopefully they can give me a target weight when I get up there but as of now they haven't given me a certain weight that I should get to. . . .As of now they said [I'll play] the 5-technique, but depending on if I lose a little weight or gain twenty pounds that could affect the 3-tech position that way, whether I go down there or just stay at the 5-technique."

Redshirting:  "Well, I think most freshmen come in and try to get on the field and try to play.  But if not and I get redshirted, then that's an extra year of school, an extra year to get bigger and stronger and work on the game of football."

Strong motivation and drive:  "Just wait and see.  You can watch film all you want and roll back the tape of the games, but come out to practice, come out to a workout, go in the classroom and I'll definitely prove you wrong, whoever thinks that my motivation isn't at 100%." 


Learn from the pros:  "I like the way Jared Allen plays for the Vikings, just how he plays defensive end and his style of play.  I like to watch Jared Allen and DeMarcus Ware.  Those are my two favorite defensive end players."  

More Wormley:

Ask a Question: Chris Wormley

Image via seanworkphotography.com

I should be talking with incoming defensive lineman Chris Wormley from Toledo, OH, in the next day or two.  If you have any questions for him, leave them in the comments section, and I'll address them in the interview.

Final Scout 300 Released for 2012

Lakewood (OH) St. Edward's Kyle Kalis is Michigan's top-rated player to Scout

The Scout 300 was released on Wednesday.  For a refresher on where kids used to be ranked, check out this post from April.

Michigan commits are in the following slots:

• 35. Kyle Kalis
• 65. Ondre Pipkins
• 69. Joe Bolden
• 82. Erik Magnuson
• 83. James Ross
• 93. Tom Strobel
• 111. Royce Jenkins-Stone
• 162. Mario Ojemudia
• 164. Chris Wormley
• 183. Terry Richardson
• 205. Amara Darboh
• 221. Devin Funchess
• 225. A.J. Williams
• 249. Jarrod Wilson

Michigan has offered 133 of these 300 players (44.3%).  As is the custom 'round these parts, here's a look at Michigan offerees in Scout's final 300:

5-stars:
1. Dorial Green-Beckham - WR - Missouri
2. Arik Armstead - OT - California
3. Shaq Thompson - S - California (Cal)
4. Mario Edwards - DE - Texas (Florida State)
5. Noah Spence - DE - Pennsylvania (Ohio State)
6. Stefon Diggs - WR - Maryland
7. John Theus - OT - Florida (Georgia)
9. Ronald Darby - CB - Maryland
10. Adolphus Washington - DE - Ohio (Ohio State)
11. D.J. Humphries - OT - Florida (Florida)
12. Keith Marshall - RB - North Carolina (Georgia)
14. Kyle Murphy - OT - California
19. Jordan Jenkins - DE - Georgia (Georgia)
20. Darius Hamilton - DE - New Jersey
23. Ellis McCarthy - DT - California (Cal)
25. Brian Poole - CB - Florida (Florida)
26. Eli Harold - DE - Virginia (Virginia)
27. Avery Young - OT - Florida
31. Eddie Goldman - DT - Washington, D.C.
32. Bri'onte Dunn - RB - Ohio (Ohio State)
35. Kyle Kalis - OT - Ohio (Michigan)
38. Gunner Kiel - QB - Indiana (LSU)
39. Tee Shepard - CB - California (Notre Dame)
42. Joshua Garnett - OG - Washington
43. Bryce Treggs - WR - California (Cal)
45. Cyrus Jones - WR - Maryland (Alabama)
47. Jordan Diamond - OT - Illinois
48. Tommy Schutt - DT - Illinois
50. Sheldon Day - DT - Indiana (Notre Dame)

4-stars:
51. Andrus Peat - OT - Arizona
52. Kwon Alexander - LB - Alabama
55. Elijah Shumate - LB - New Jersey (Notre Dame)
58. Se'von Pittman - DE - Ohio (Ohio State)
61. Nelson Agholor - S - Florida
62. Jordan Simmons - OG - California (USC)
63. Aaron Burbridge - WR - Michigan (Michigan State)
65. Ondre Pipkins - DT - Missouri (Michigan)
68. Michael Starts - OG - Texas (Texas Tech)
69. Joe Bolden - LB - Ohio (Michigan)
72. Zach Banner - OT - Washington
73. Kent Taylor - TE - Florida (Florida)
75. Ifeadi Odenigbo - DE - Ohio (Northwestern)
76. Jonathan Taylor - DT - Georgia (Georgia)
77. Taylor Decker - OT - Ohio (Notre Dame)
78. Javonte Magee - DE - Texas
79. Armani Reeves - CB - Massachusetts (Penn State)
82. Erik Magnuson - OT - California (Michigan)
83. James Ross - LB - Michigan (Michigan)
84. Leonte Carroo - WR - New Jersey (Rutgers)
85. LaDarrell McNeil - S - Texas (Tennessee)
88. Devin Fuller - QB - New Jersey
91. Wes Brown - RB - Maryland (Maryland)
92. Marcus Maye - S - Florida (Florida)
93. Tom Strobel - DE - Ohio (Michigan)
95. Jordan Payton - WR - California (Cal)
96. Max Tuerk - OG - California (USC)
99. Dan Voltz - OG - Illinois (Wisconsin)
100. Jaquay Williams - WR - Georgia (Auburn)
104. D.J. Foster - RB - Arizona
105. Durron Neal - WR - Missouri (Oklahoma)
111. Royce Jenkins-Stone - LB - Michigan (Michigan)
116. Evan Boehm - C - Missouri (Missouri)
119. Devonte Fields - DE - Texas (TCU)
122. Geno Smith - CB - Georgia (Alabama)
123. Zach Kline - QB - California (Cal)
124. Greg Garmon - RB - Pennsylvania (Iowa)
127. J.J. Denman - OT - Pennsylvania (Wisconsin)
128. Ryan Watson - OG - Maryland (Virginia)
129. Brock Stadnik - OT - North Carolina (South Carolina)
130. Paul Thurston - OT - Colorado (Nebraska)
135. Peter Jinkens - LB - Texas (Texas)
137. Matt Jones - RB - Florida (Florida)
139. Jabari Ruffin - LB - California (USC)
145. Scott Starr - LB - California (USC)
146. Yuri Wright - CB - New Jersey
153. Reginald Davis - WR - Texas (Texas Tech)
159. Monty Madaris - WR - Ohio
162. Mario Ojemudia - DE - Michigan (Michigan)
164. Chris Wormley - DE - Ohio (Michigan)
167. John Michael McGee - OG - Texas (Oklahoma)
170. Dillon Lee - LB - Georgia (Alabama)
172. Camren Williams - LB - Massachusetts (Penn State)
173. Jonathan Williams - RB - Texas (Arkansas)
175. Sean Price - TE - Florida
176. Raphael Kirby - LB - Georgia (Miami)
178. Faith Ekakitie - DT - Illinois (Iowa)
181. Kyle Dodson - OT - Ohio (Wisconsin)
182. Dalton Santos - LB - Texas (Tennessee)
183. Terry Richardson - CB - Michigan (Michigan)
185. D.J. Singleton - S - New Jersey (Wisconsin)
188. Troy Hinds - DE - Utah (BYU)
191. Aziz Shittu - DT - California
192. Nick Davidson - OT - Minnesota (Stanford)
193. Deaysean Rippy - LB - Pennsylvania
196. Warren Ball - RB - Ohio (Ohio State)
198. Derrick Woods - S - California (Oklahoma)
199. Martin Aiken - DE - South Carolina (Clemson)
200. Connor Brewer - QB - Arizona (Texas)
202. Ken Ekanem - DE - Virginia
205. Amara Darboh - WR - Iowa (Michigan)
209. Keith Brown - LB - Miami (Louisville)
212. David Perkins - LB - Indiana
214. Jalen Overstreet - S - Texas (Texas)
217. Deontay McManus - WR - Maryland (West Virginia)
219. Kendall Sanders - CB - Texas (Texas)
221. Devin Funchess - TE - Michigan (Michigan)
222. Dominique Wheeler - WR - Texas (Texas Tech)
223. Vince Biegel - LB - Wisconsin (Wisconsin)
225. A.J. Williams - OT - Ohio (Michigan)
229. Jarron Jones - OT - New York (Notre Dame)
231. Deon Bush - S - Florida (Miami)
232. Derek Edinburgh - OT - Louisiana (LSU)
236. Evan Baylis - TE - Colorado (Oregon)
240. Maty Mauk - QB - Ohio (Missouri)
242. Tyler Orlosky - OG - Ohio (West Virginia)
243. J.P. Holtz - TE - Pennsylvania
244. Tyriq McCord - DE - Florida (Miami)
245. Jarrod Wilson - S - Ohio (Michigan)
247. Drew Harris - RB - Pennsylvania
250. Dalvin Tomlinson - DT - Georgia
251. Michael Moore - DE - Maryland (Penn State)
255. Danny O'Brien - DT - Michigan (Tennessee)
264. Ty Darlington - C - Florida (Oklahoma)
270. Avery Johnson - WR - Florida (LSU)
277. Kenny Lawler - CB - Washington, D.C.
278. Jaleel Johnson - DT - Illinois (Iowa)
280. Jason Croom - WR - Georgia (Tennessee)
282. Zeke Pike - QB - Kentucky (Auburn)
285. Jake Rodrigues - QB - California (Oregon)
286. Pharaoh Brown - TE - Ohio (Oregon)
287. Hiva Lutui - C - California
292. Devan Bogard - S - Ohio (Ohio State)
297. Vonte Jackson - RB - Wisconsin (Wisconsin)
298. Ron Thompson - TE - Michigan (Syracuse)
299. Shane Callahan - OT - Colorado (Auburn)

Recruit Tracker: The Remaining Few

Royce Jenkins-Stone carries the ball against Eisenhower
(image via here)

Most Michigan recruits are done for the season, but several remain active deep in the playoffs. Here are a few notes from this weekend's action. Complete senior year statistics for the 2012 class can be found by clicking on this link.

Matt Godin and Detroit Catholic Central defeated Rockford, 23-20, in overtime and advance to the Division 1 championship game against Terry Richardson, Royce Jenkins-Stone and Cass Tech. "It's time to take care of business," Godin said in a text.

Royce Jenkins-Stone scored Cass Tech's only touchdown of the night on a 1-yard run in a 6-3 victory over Eisenhower. He rushed for 84 [edit: 122] yards on 22 carries during the game. Next week, Jenkins-Stone and his team will square off against Matt Godin and DCC at Ford Field, which is less than a mile away from Cass Tech. "Everyone doubted PSL, and here we are going to states," Royce said. "We're about to show them that the PSL is ready to play."

Erik Magnuson and La Costa Canyon will begin playoff action against Westview on Friday.

Terry Richardson and the Cass Tech defense showed Eisenhower "a whole lot of defensive looks," according to Richardson, who also had a 23-yard reception in his team's 6-3 defensive-lead victory.

James Ross recorded a team-high 13 tackles as his team Orchard Lakes St. Mary's defeated Harper Creek, 14-10, to advance to the division 3 state championship game against Mount Pleasant this Saturday at Ford Field.

Tom Strobel and Mentor were defeated by Cleveland St. Ignatius, 23-17, but "walk away proudly." "You know, I think all year long we played hard," Strobel said. "We showed the whole state of Ohio who we are, and I think we made a statement."

Chris Wormley and Toledo Whitmer defeated Wadesworth by a score of 37-0. Wadesworth running back Jack Snowball entered the contest averaging 209 yards per game, but Wormley and Whitmer stopped Snowball's roll (I couldn't resist), slowing him to 90 yards on 30 carries. Whitmer faces Cleveland St. Ignatius in a D1 state semifinal this Saturday.

Recruit Tracker (updated)

Tom Strobel (#36) had 3.5 sacks on Friday night (image via The Wolverine Blog)

OL Blake Bars and Montgomery Bell (1-3) were defeated by Baylor by a score of 23-16.

LB Joe Bolden and Colerain (2-1) were defeated by St. Xavier in an out of conference contest 17-14, snapping Colerain's 61 game home winning streak.


OL Ben Braden's team the Rockford Rams (2-1) were victorious in their contest against Grand Haven, winning 42-30.


DE Pharaoh Brown's team the Brush Arcs (0-3) were defeated by Kenston 31-27 after holding a 14-0 lead. Brown recorded a 21-yard touchdown reception in the contest.

S Jeremy Clark and North Hopkins (1-3) were defeated by Henderson County 33-21.  Clark had 3 tackles and returned a punt for a touchdown.

TE Devin Funchess caught a 69 yard touchdown pass as Farmington Hills Harrison (3-0) rolled Rochester Hills Stoney Creek following a weather delay by the score of 37-0.  He ended the game with 2 receptions for 78 yards.

S Allen Gant and the Southview Cougars (2-1) were defeated by the Start Spartans 28-22.  Gant had 12 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, and 1 forced fumble.

DL Matt Godin and Detroit Catholic Central (3-0) defeated Inkster 48-0. Godin recorded 2 tackles and a sack. Ace attended the game and reported via Twitter that Godin was a disruptive force who allowed other lineman to get sacks and make plays. Godin also saw some time on the offensive side of the line.

FB Sione Houma had only 1 carry for 3 yards and a 70-yard kickoff return before exiting the game due to a sprained ankle. His team the Highland Rams (3-1) were defeated by Lone Peak 56-41.

LB Royce Jenkins-Stone and Detroit Cass Tech (2-1) defeated Detroit Southeastern 51-0.  He had 10 tackles, 1 fumble recovery, and 1 forced fumble.  He also carried the ball 15 times for 86 yards and 2 touchdowns.

OL Kyle Kalis and the Lakewood St. Edward's Eagles (3-0) beat Youngstown Cardinal Mooney by a score of 34-17.


OL Erik Magnuson's team the La Costa Canyon Mavericks (1-1) were defeated 28-14 by Poway.

QB Shane Morris threw for 117 yards and a score as his team Warren De La Salle (3-0) won 31-28 over Dearborn Fordson. Morris put his legs on display late in the game on a third down play by taking off and hurdling a defender for a first down, which allowed De La Salle to run off the remaining time on the clock.

DL Mario Ojemudia blocked a punt for a safety during Farmington Hills Harrison's (3-0) 37-0 victory over Rochester Hills Stoney Creek.  He also had 5 tackles and 2 sacks.

DT Ondre Pipkins and his Park Hill Trojans won 13-7 over Park Hill South, improving to 3-0 on the season. For what it's worth (probably not much) this guy thinks Pipkins became tired late in the third quarter.  Pipkins had 9 tackles and 3 tackles for loss.


CB Terry Richardson helped Detroit Cass (2-1) Tech make quick work of Detroit Southeastern 51-0.  He caught 4 passes for 67 yards and made 1 tackle.

LB Kaleb Ringer and his Northmont High School squad (0-3) lost to Cincinnati Moeller by a score of 63-12. Michigan offeree Monty Madaris had 2 touchdown receptions in the blowout.


LB James Ross and Orchard Lake St. Mary's (2-1) defeated Highland Park 44-0.

DB Anthony Standifer and Crete-Monee team (2-1) won at Moline 37-13.  Standifer had 15 tackles, 2 pass breakups, 1 forced fumble, and a punt block.

DE Tom Strobel of Mentor (3-0) racked up 3.5 sacks in 20 tackles in a 38-24 victory over St. Ignatius.

S Dymonte Thomas of Marlington (3-0) committed to the 2013 class in the midst of last night's euphoria. Certainly one of the best prospects in Ohio, Thomas helped Marlington to a 41-23 victory over Poland Seminary by scoring a rushing touchdown.

S Jarrod Wilson and his Akron squad Buchtel (0-3) were defeated by Solon by the odd score of 28-2.

Christopher Wormley's team the Toledo Whitmer Panthers (3-0) took care of Brantford Collegiate by the score of 63-0 after leading 56-0 at halftime. Wormley forced a fumble which was returned for a touchdown in the game and had 2 tackles and 1 sack.

Please let us know if you have any updates to stats or anything else interesting/informative.

Maize 'n' Brew: August 6, 2011 Recruiting Update

Angie Varona

Head on over to Maize 'n' Brew for an update on the last couple weeks of Michigan football recruiting.

Chris Wormley, Wolverine

Ohio defensive end Chris Wormley committed to Michigan on Sunday

Toledo, OH, defensive end Chris Wormley committed to Michigan on Sunday after the "BBQ at the Big House."  He chose the Wolverines over offers from Cincinnati, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan State, Ohio State, and Toledo.

Wormley is 6'4"-ish and 250-ish pounds, depending on the recruiting site.  Speaking of recruiting sites, his ratings vary somewhat wildly from place to place:

ESPN: 4-star, #16 DE
Rivals: 3-star, #22 DE
Scout: 4-star, #20 DE
24/7 Sports: 4-star, #3 SDE, #57 overall

Based on Wormley's ratings and offers, I think it's pretty safe to say that Wormley is a complete wild card.  The only "elite" program to offer Wormley a car scholarship was Ohio State, and the other programs are all middle of the road.  People who look to scholarship offers more than ratings might not be all that enthused.  As for people who prefer ratings, well, the mixed reviews are curious.  Wormley has been on Michigan fans' radar since his sophomore season, he plays for a decent program at Whitmer, and he's a superb shotput/discus thrower.  He's had plenty of attention, but Rivals seems to be down on him.  Those reasons, explained by Josh Helmholdt from The Wolverine at one point, seems to be that he lacks a strong motor, lacks aggression, and might be a better fit at offensive tackle in college.

Most of Wormley's highlights seem to come from his sophomore season, with junior year film surprisingly scarce for such high profile player.  When he was listed as a 6'4", 225 lb. sophomore, he looked like an explosive edge rusher with a good frame and the speed to chase down quarterbacks and even running backs in the open field.  He looked like an absolute beast and I tended to agree that he was an elite player headed for perhaps the top spot in Ohio's recruiting ranks for 2012.

But something happened before his junior year.  He apparently added about 25-30 pounds (or more), lost some of that explosiveness, and just seemed pretty lethargic.  I have even suggested that he looked like he was injured and just couldn't go 100% last season.  Something was amiss.  His 2009 performance should have earned him offers from Michigan and Ohio State; his 2010 performance should have earned him offers from Illinois and Indiana.

The above picture seems to be representative of what I see in Wormley.  He's got big thighs and a big butt, and his upper body doesn't seem to fill out his jersey and shoulder pads.  That indicates to me that he's got some filling out to do, and when he does reach maturity, he might be 30 pounds heavier than he was last season.  If and when that happens, he'll be 6'5"-ish and maybe 285-290 pounds.  Do you turn that guy into a strongside defensive end, a 3-tech defensive tackle, or do you try to make an offensive tackle out of him?  I'm not entirely sure.  He's got the athleticism inside of him to do any of those things, but it depends on whether he's healthy and how hard he pushes himself.

Wormley is the 21st commitment of the 2012 class and joins four other defensive ends (if they all stay at that position group) in the bunch.  The last Whitmer product to come to Michigan was tight end Kevin Koger, who will be a senior this season.

TTB Rating: 73

Maize 'n' Brew: May 15 Recruiting Update

This Tyra Banks picture is still awesome.

Over at my weekly Maize 'n' Brew posting, I discuss this week's commitments, Chris Wormley, and the Rivals rankings that were released last week.

Maize 'n' Brew: An Exercise in Optimism - 2012 Recruiting

I've got that couch.

I put up a post over at Maize 'n' Brew taking an optimistic look at what Michigan's recruiting class could look like in February 2012.