Ex-Wolverine Updates

Former DT Richard Ash: Ash had 6 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, and 1 blocked field goal in Western Michigan's 31-21 loss to Northern Illinois. On the year Ash has 40 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, 2 pass breakups, and 2 blocked kicks. Western Michigan finishes the regular season at 8-4 and awaits a potential bowl destination.

Former CB Cullen Christian: Christian made 1 tackle in West Virginia's 37-24 win over Iowa State. That's the first time he's appeared on the stat sheet since week five against Kansas, and it gives him a whopping 5 tackles on the year.

Former CB commit Gareon Conley: Conley had 1 tackle in Ohio State's 42-28 win over Michigan.

Former CB commit Dallas Crawford: Crawford had 4 tackles and 1 pass breakup in Miami's 35-23 loss to Pitt.

Former RB commit Demetrius Hart: Hart had 23 carries for 115 yards, but #21 Colorado State was upset by Air Force, 27-24. Hart has 1,139 yards and 16 touchdowns on the ground this season. The Rams finish the regular season with a 10-2 record.

Former head coach Rich Rodriguez: Arizona improved their record to 10-2 with a 42-35 win over #17 Arizona State. It was a back-and-forth affair that started off with Arizona returning a fumble for a touchdown, and then Arizona State returning the favor. It was 21-21 at the half before the Wildcats pulled away a little bit in the second half. Running back Nick Wilson ran for 178 yards and 3 touchdowns, while quarterback Anu Solomon completed 71% of his passes for 2 scores and 0 picks. Rodriguez and his crew will play Oregon for the Pac-12 championship next Saturday.

Former S Ray Vinopal: Vinopal had 6 tackles in Pitt's 35-23 win over Miami.

You can find other updates on the Ex-Wolverine Encyclopedia.

Ex-Wolverine Updates

Jay Hopson has Alcorn State chugging along pretty nicely.

Former DT Richard Ash: Ash made 1 tackle in Western Michigan's 45-14 victory over Murray State.

Former TE commit Pharaoh Brown: Brown had 3 catches for 38 yards, including an 8-yard touchdown in Oregon's 38-31 win over Washington State. The game was tied 31-31 until the Ducks scored the go-ahead touchdown with 5:33 left.

Former CB Cullen Christian: Christian had 1 tackle in West Virginia's 45-33 loss to Oklahoma.

Former CB commit Dallas Crawford: Crawford made 3 tackles in Miami's 41-31 loss to Nebraska.

Former K Matt Goudis: Goudis sat out Miami's loss to Nebraska with an injury.

Former LB coach Jay Hopson: Hopson, the head coach at D-II Alcorn State, moved to 3-1 with a 52-9 win over Mississippi Valley State. His only loss this year came at the hands of Southern Miss, an FBS school, by a score of 26-20. Against D-II opponents, the Braves have scored 50+ points in each game and they have allowed 6, 7, and 9 points.

Former defensive coordinator Greg Robinson: Robinson is now the defensive coordinator at San Jose State, a team that is #99 nationally with 31 points per game allowed. They're also #59 nationally by giving up 375 yards/game, which isn't terrible considering two of their opponents have been Auburn and Minnesota.

Former head coach Rich Rodriguez: Arizona won a ridiculous game against Cal by a score of 49-45. Arizona was down 28-6 at halftime, but they outscored Cal 43-17 in the second half. The game was finally won on a 47-yard Hail Mary from Anu Solomon to Austin Hill as time expired. Solomon was 47/73 for 520 yards, 5 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions. Receiver Cayleb Jones caught 13 passes for 186 yards and 3 touchdowns, and Hill caught 8 passes for 127 yards and 2 touchdowns. It's interesting to watch from afar as Rodriguez has gone from a run-heavy spread offense at West Virginia and Michigan to a passer-friendly one in Arizona, although they usually still run the ball well.

Former S Ray Vinopal: Vinopal made 7 tackles in Pitt's 24-20 loss to Iowa.

Ex-Wolverine Updates: Pre-Season 2014

This is Cullen Christian. He used to play for Michigan. Then he played for Pitt.
Now he's a Mountaineer.

DT Richard Ash: After spending his first four years of college at Michigan, Ash became a grad year transfer to Western Michigan, where he is listed as a 6'3", 314 lb. defensive tackle. He had 3 tackles as a redshirt junior in 2013.

Defensive backs coach Vance Bedford: Bedford is the new defensive coordinator at Texas. He spent 2010-2013 as defensive coordinator at Louisville before moving with head coach Charlie Strong to Austin.

Safeties coach Adam Braithwaite: Braithwaite is in his second season as the defensive coordinator and safeties coach at Tennessee-Chattanooga.

TE Pharaoh Brown: Brown is listed as a 6'6", 241 lb. junior tight end for Oregon. He had 10 receptions for 123 yards and 2 touchdowns as a sophomore in 2013.

Wide receivers coach Erik Campbell: Campbell spent last season as the wide receivers coach for the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League.

CB Cullen Christian: Christian is listed as a 6'0", 195 lb. safety for West Virginia. He spent the 2010 season at Michigan before transferring to Pitt, where he was from 2011-2013. He played in just two games as a redshirt junior at Pitt due to injury.

CB Gareon Conley: Conley is listed as a 6'0", 190 lb. redshirt freshman for Ohio State.

CB Dallas Crawford: Crawford is listed as a 5'10", 195 lb. defensive back for Miami. That's right - Crawford is going to play safety for Miami after he was the backup and injury fill-in for Duke Johnson in 2013, when Crawford ran 137 times for 558 yards and 12 touchdowns and caught 20 passes for 171 yards and 1 touchdown.

Hit the jump for updates on over 20 more former Wolverines.

Ex-Wolverine Updates

S/LB Isaiah Bell: Bell is a 6'2", 252 lb. linebacker at Lake Erie College, which opens its season this coming Saturday against Gannon. Last year he had 7 tackles as a backup linebacker and special teamer.

CB Cullen Christian: Christian, who transferred to Pitt after his 2010 freshman season, had 1 tackle as a backup free safety in the Panthers' 41-13 loss to Florida State.

CB Dallas Crawford: Crawford, now a running back for the Miami Hurricanes, had 2 carries for 6 yards and 1 touchdown in a 34-6 victory over Florida Atlantic.

S Vladimir Emilien: Emilien had 2 tackles in Toledo's 24-6 loss to Florida.

WR/TE Ricardo Miller: Miller graduated from Michigan and transferred to UMass, where he started Saturday's game against Wisconsin after the player ahead of him got injured prior to the season. Miller has 2 catches for 22 yards in the 45-0 loss.

QB Kevin Newsome: Newsome, who de-committed in favor of Penn State during his recruitment, ended up as a wide receiver, then H-back, then running back at Temple. He chose to quit football after graduating this summer and is no longer on the Owls' roster.

WR Dewayne Peace: Peace was declared academically ineligible at Houston for the 2013 season and entered the NFL's supplemental draft, where he went undrafted (along with every other prospect who was available). Now he will presumably attempt to continue his professional football career in some fashion.

WR Je'Ron Stokes: Stokes, now at Norfolk State, had 2 catches for 24 yards in a 23-6 loss to Maine. In kind of a neat story, the second pass he caught was from his younger brother Malik.

S Ray Vinopal: Now Pitt's starting free safety, Vinopal had 9 tackles in the loss to FSU.

CB Adrian Witty: Witty, who starts at free safety for Cincinnati, had 2 tackles and 1 interception returned 41 yards for a touchdown in a 42-7 win over Purdue. You can see that pick and return starting at about 2:59 in the video at the top.

Ex-Wolverine updates: Pre-Season Edition

This used to be Cullen Christian.

TE Chris Barnett: Barnett left Michigan shortly after arriving in 2011, and I have been unable to find any hard updates on him. He supposedly showed interest in playing for UMass this past winter, but he never enrolled there. He also talked about having interest in playing Division II as a middle linebacker.

CB Greg Brown: Brown had transferred to Findlay, but never played a game there in 2012. He has since left the football program and his whereabouts are unknown to me.

TE Pharaoh Brown: Brown is listed as a 6'6", 241 lb. tight end on Oregon's roster. He had 2 receptions for 42 yards in twelve games last season. Oregon has been talking about using more formations with two tight ends to get Brown on the field with Colt Lyerla.

CB Cullen Christian: After having 16 tackles and 2 pass breakups as a corner in 2012, Christian is now listed as a 6'0", 195 lb. backup free safety for the Pitt Panthers. The starter? Former Michigan free safety Ray Vinopal.

CB Gareon Conley: Conley is listed as a 6'2", 170 lb. cornerback on Ohio State's roster. He has been practice some with the starting unit while Bradley Roby has been demoted to a backup for his off-the-field transgressions.

CB Dallas Crawford: Crawford is listed as a 5'10", 196 lb. redshirt sophomore running back on Miami's roster. Last year he had an interception on a fake punt; offensively, he had 6 carries for 23 yards and was 1/2 passing for 29 yards. He will likely be the backup running back to starter Duke Johnson.

S Vladimir Emilien: Emilien is listed as a 6'1", 204 lb. safety for the Toledo Rockets. Last year he had 33 tackles and 1 interception for the Rockets. He will likely start this year at their strong safety/outside linebacker hybrid position.

OT Jake Fisher: Fisher is a 6'6", 291 lb. offensive tackle for Oregon. Last year he was the starter at right tackle, and he even scored a touchdown when De'Anthony Thomas fumbled into the endzone, where Fisher jumped on it.

K Matt Goudis: Goudis is listed as a 6'0", 172 lb. redshirt sophomore kicker for the Miami Hurricanes. Last year he had a 37-yard punt and two kickoffs that averaged 55.0 yards.

S Carvin Johnson: Johnson is listed as a 6'2", 205 lb. safety for Hampton University. Last year he had 57 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 10 pass breakups, and 3 fumble recoveries. He will likely start this fall.

LB Kellen Jones: Jones is listed as a 6'1", 225 lb. linebacker for Clemson. After leaving Michigan before his freshman season even began, he transferred to Oklahoma for the 2011 season, then sat out the 2012 year after transferring to Clemson, and will now be a backup inside linebacker for the Tigers.

WR Ricardo Miller: Miller is listed as a 6'4", 226 lb. tight end/wide receiver for UMass. With the starting tight end injured to begin the year, Miller will start at TE for the Minutemen.

DE Chris Rock: Rock is listed as a 6'4", 272 lb. defensive lineman for Ohio State after enrolling there in August 2012. Listed as a redshirt sophomore, he is not expected to be a heavy contributor this fall.

QB Kevin Sousa: Sousa is listed as a 6'3", 230 lb. redshirt sophomore quarterback for Wake Forest, but he not listed as one of the top three quarterbacks on the Demon Deacons' depth chart.

OG Caleb Stacey: Stacey transferred to the College of Mount St. Joseph during winter semester and intended to play football this fall. Their roster has not been released, so it's unclear if he's still on the team.

CB Anthony Standifer: Standifer is listed as a 6'1", 175 lb. cornerback on the Ole Miss roster. A blogger for the Rebels ranked him as the #57 most important player for the upcoming season. He had 3 tackles last year.

WR Je'Ron Stokes: Stokes is listed as a 6'0", 200 lb. wideout for Norfolk State, an FCS program. He joins younger brother Malik, a quarterback. Stokes played the last couple seasons at Bowling Green State University.

S Ray Vinopal: Vinopal is a 5'10", 200 lb. starting free safety for the Pitt Panthers. He had 14 tackles and 1.5 sacks as a redshirt sophomore in 2012.

CB Adrian Witty: Witty is listed as a 5'10", 187 lb. cornerback for the Cincinnati Bearcats. He had 25 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, 4 pass breakups, and a forced fumble last year. It appears he's the front-runner for the starting free safety job this fall.

Ex-Wolverine Updates

Sam McGuffie

Former Michigan cornerback Cullen Christian: Christian had 2 tackles in Pitt's 38-17 loss to Ole Miss in the BBVA Compass Bowl.

Former Michigan running back Sam McGuffie: McGuffie had 5 receptions for 80 yards in Rice's 33-14 victory over Air Force in the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl.  He ends the season with 54 catches, 603 yards, and 5 touchdowns, along with 5 carries for 16 yards.

Former Michigan head coach Rich Rodriguez: Rodriguez ended the year with a 49-48 win in the Gildan New Mexico Bowl.  Running back Ka'Deem Carey (1,929 rushing yards, 23 touchdowns) ends the year as the FBS leader in rushing yards.  In true Rich Rodriguez fashion, the Wildcats finished #117 in passing defense and #118 in total defense, but they still went 8-5.

Former Michigan wide receiver Je'Ron Stokes: Stokes had 1 carry for 1 yard in Bowling Green's 29-20 loss to San Jose State in the Military Bowl.  He ended the season with 15 catches for 114 yards and 1 carry for 1 yard.

Former Michigan safety Ray Vinopal: Vinopal had 1 tackle in Pitt's 38-17 loss to Ole Miss in the BBVA Compass Bowl.

Former Michigan cornerback commit Adrian Witty: Witty had 3 tackles in Cincinnati's 48-34 win over Duke in the Belk Bowl.

Ex-Wolverine Updates

Vladimir Emilien

Former Michigan CB Cullen Christian: Christian had 5 tackles in Pitt's 14-13 loss to Syracuse.

Former Michigan S Vladimir Emilien: Emilien had 7 tackles in Toledo's 50-35 victory over Central Michigan.

Former Michigan K commit Anthony Fera: Fera made a 38-yard field goal, but missed a 41-yarder.  His Texas Longhorns lost to West Virginia by a score of 48-45.

Former Michigan DT commit DeQuinta Jones: Jones had 1 pass breakup in Arkansas' 24-7 victory over Auburn.

Former Michigan RB Sam McGuffie: McGuffie had 5 receptions for 13 yards in Rice's 14-10 loss to Memphis.

Former Michigan WR/CB commit Dewayne Peace: Peace had 9 receptions for 83 yards and 1 touchdown in Houston's 44-21 victory over North Texas.

Former Michigan head coach Rich Rodriguez: Arizona is now 3-3 after losing a 54-48 game to Stanford in overtime.  Both teams had 617 total yards of offense.  Offensively, Arizona quarterback Matt Scott was 45/69 for 491 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 1 interception.  But the Wildcats gave up 257 yards on the ground and 360 passing yards.

Ex-Wolverine Updates

DeWayne Peace had an excellent game for Houston

Former Michigan CB Cullen Christian: Christian had 2 tackles and 1 pass breakup for Pitt, but they lost to Cincinnati by a score of 34-10.

Former Michigan RB Michael Cox: Cox had 15 carries for 36 yards and 4 receptions for -2 yards as UMass lost to Indiana by a score of 45-6.

Former Michigan S Carvin Johnson: Johnson had 18 tackles and 1 tackle for loss, but Hampton lost to Tennessee Tech by a score of 41-31 in week 1.

Former Michigan DT commit DeQuinta Jones: Jones had 3 tackles, but Arkansas was upset by Louisiana-Monroe by a score of 34-31 in overtime.

Former Michigan RB Sam McGuffie: McGuffie had 2 rushes for 14 yards and 3 receptions for 15 yards as Rice beat Kansas by a score of 25-24.

Former Michigan WR commit Dewayne Peace: Peace had 11 receptions for 141 yards and 1 touchdown, but Houston lost to Louisiana Tech by a score of 56-49.

Former Michigan head coach Rich Rodriguez: Rodriguez's Arizona team upset #18 Oklahoma State by a score of 59-28.  His offense put up 501 yards, which was 135 fewer than OSU . . . but his defense came up with 3 interceptions.  The Wildcats are 2-0 on the year.

Former Michigan WR Je'Ron Stokes: Stokes had 1 reception for 15 yards and 1 touchdown in Bowling Green's 21-13 victory over Idaho.

Former Michigan WR Darryl Stonum: Stonum had 2 receptions for 41 yards and 1 touchdown in Baylor's 59-24 blowout of SMU in week 1.

Former Michigan CB commit Adrian Witty: Witty had 1 tackle in Cincinnati's 34-10 victory over Pitt.

Ex-Wolverine Updates

Rich Rodriguez won his debut as the Arizona Wildcats head coach

Former Michigan TE/DE commit Pharaoh Brown: Brown had 1 reception for 16 yards in Oregon's 57-34 win over Arkansas State.

Former Michigan CB Cullen Christian: Christian had 5 tackles, but Pitt lost to Youngstown State by a score of 31-17.

Former Michigan RB commit Dee Hart: Hart had 9 carries for 19 yards as a backup running back in Alabama's 41-14 demolition of Michigan.

Former Michigan RB Sam McGuffie: McGuffie is now a full-time slot receiver for the spread offense at Rice.  In a 49-24 loss to UCLA, he had 8 receptions for 63 yards and 1 touchdown.

Former Michigan WR/CB commit Dewayne Peace: Peace, now a wide receiver for the Houston Cougars, had 2 receptions for 13 yards in UH's 30-13 loss to Texas State.

Former Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez: Rodriguez won his first game as Arizona's head coach, a 24-17 victory over Toledo in overtime.  The Wildcats had 624 total yards of offense.

Former Michigan WR Je'ron Stokes: Stokes, now playing for Bowling Green State University, had 4 receptions for 32 yards in BGSU's 27-14 loss to the Florida Gators.

Former Michigan S Ray Vinopal: Vinopal, a current teammate of Christian at Pitt, had 3 tackles in the 31-17 loss to Youngstown State.

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.

Ex-Wolverine Updates: The Class of 2010

Former Michigan signee Demar Dorsey played for Grand Rapids
Community College during the 2011 season
(image via MLive)

Former Michigan cornerback Cullen Christian redshirted at Pitt this past season due to NCAA transfer rules.  He transferred to Pitt in order to follow former Michigan defensive backs coach Tony Gibson, who has since been hired for the same role at Arizona.  Christian made several negative comments on Twitter about Gibson and Pitt head coach Todd Graham for leaving Pitt so soon.  Christian will presumably remain at Pitt with new head coach Paul Chryst, since he's already transferred once and he's near home.

Former Michigan signee Demar Dorsey spent this past season at Grand Rapids Community College in Michigan.  He played in just seven games and ended the season with 10.5 tackles, 1 interception (for 51 yards), 4 pass breakups, and 2 kickoff returns for 51 yards.  He's going to need a new place to play, though, because GRCC disbanded its football program this past week.

Former Michigan commit Tony Drake spent 2010 as a wide receiver/running back at Colorado State, but was declared academically ineligible for the 2011 season.  It's unclear if he will return to the program.

Former Michigan safety Carvin Johnson left the football program in the middle of the 2011 season.  He was enrolled at Michigan throughout the fall semester.  Prior to his departure, he played in eight games for the Wolverines and made 14 tackles, 1 pass breakup, and 1 fumble recovery.

Former Michigan signee Conelius Jones was academically ineligible to play at Marshall this past season.  Since graduating in 2010, he has yet to appear on a college roster.  His current status is unknown.

Former Michigan signee Antonio Kinard attended Hargrave Military Academy in 2010, then signed with Miami in 2011 . . . and was declared academically ineligible at Miami, too.  He is headed to Arizona Western to play football in fall 2012.

Former Michigan center Christian Pace injured his shoulder during practice in 2010 and left the team this past off-season on a medical scholarship.  He is still enrolled at the University of Michigan.

Former Michigan linebacker Davion Rogers spent the 2011 season as a 6'6", 215 lb. linebacker at Youngstown State.  He played in 11 games and made 45 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 5 pass breakups, and 1 interception (which was returned 27 yards for a touchdown).  He also blocked 2 kicks.

Former Michigan safety Ray Vinopal sat out the 2011 season at Pitt due to NCAA transfer rules.  In much the same situation as Cullen Christian (minus the childish Twitter rant), he will be a redshirt sophomore in fall 2012.

Former Michigan running back Austin White sat out the 2011 season at Central Michigan due to NCAA transfer rules.  He will be a redshirt sophomore at CMU in fall 2012.

The current whereabouts of former Michigan defensive tackle Terry Talbott and wide receiver D.J. Williamson are unknown.

Class of 2011 Bonus: Former Michigan offensive lineman Tony Posada is no longer playing football.  Thanks for yet another wasted scholarship, Rich Rodriguez!

For further updates on ex-Wolverines and former commits, check out the Ex-Wolverine Encyclopedia.

Are these things connected?

Was Cullen Christian lonely?

Today at MGoBlog, Brian posted an e-mail from a former walk-on who said:

I talked with Bruce Madej for a while as well as Paul Schmidt.  I was surprised to learn that RR did not force freshman/sophomores to live in the dorm.  The only players who HAD to live in the dorm were the early enrollees, and they only had to stay there until after spring semester. Think about that. An 18 year old kid is going right from living at his folks place and attending high school to instantly living on his own, with rent and phone bills, gas bills, grocery shopping, etc ALL THE WHILE trying to maintain his athletics AND play for a demanding coach. There's no way an 18 year should be put in that situation. It's overwhelming.  Schmitty told me that was the first thing he told Hoke when he arrived.  Hoke immediately switched the policy back to freshman and sophomores MUST live in the dorm.

I found this interesting, since this information comes on the heels of some crippling attrition that included true freshman starter Ray Vinopal and highly rated cornerback Cullen Christian.  In an article on The Wolverine, Christian was quoted as saying:

I didn't come up here for the new coaching staff. So when Coach Gibson left, it got crazy; I wanted to be with somebody who recruited me, somebody who knows me and knows what I'm about.  That's why I picked Michigan in the first place, and if it was a different coaching staff, I wouldn't have committed there. It's a good school with a big name and everything, and they reeled me in. The main thing was Coach Gibson; that was the big thing in getting me to Michigan. I didn't really like it up here.  I didn't like the campus, and really, I've miserable since I've been up here. I think it was just about me and what I'm used to being around; there's a difference between living in Pittsburgh and Ann Arbor. A big difference. A lot of kids like it here, and some don't. It just wasn't for me.  So once the coaches left, there wasn't much holding me here. I was like, 'Why am I here? I don't know these coaches and they didn't recruit me.

The combination of these things makes me wonder if Rodriguez's rule about living situations had anything to do with the departures of Vinopal and Christian, among others.  I did not realize that the players were allowed to live elsewhere on campus, and obviously, it's difficult to know exactly how many freshmen in the past couple years took advantage of living off campus.  It had always been my understanding that freshman and sophomore athletes were required to live in the dorms, and I figured that was just the way of the world forever and ever.

But I do ascribe to the notion that living in a dorm is a key part of the maturation process for college students. I am not naive enough to think that kids can't get in trouble when living in the dorms.  However, it does alleviate some of the stress of buying groceries, paying bills, meeting new people, etc.  When students are forced to live in such close quarters, there are surely clashes of personalities, dustups, etc.  But long-lasting friendships are also forged.  I know many people whose friendships with their freshman year roommates turned into relationships that lasted beyond college.

Christian and Vinopal very well could have ended up transferring whether they lived in South Quad/West Quad or not.  But when Christian says, "Once the coaches left, there wasn't much holding me here," I start to wonder how many friends he had.  What should have been present is a strong bond with one or two of his teammates, guys who could have repeated the mantra "Those who stay will be champions" or fellow freshmen who were also struggling to climb their way up the depth chart.  We often hear recruits or recruits' mentors saying, "Don't go somewhere just because of the coaches, because they could be gone in a year."  That's exactly what happened to Christian, and now he'll be starting anew as a Pitt Panther.

Regardless, Brady Hoke has apparently returned to making freshmen and sophomores live in dorms, so all is right in the world.  Unless kids start transferring in droves.  Then we can blame it on something else.

Cullen Christian, ex-Wolverine

Cullen Christian made a brief appearance on the Michigan football team

Like so many others before him, Michigan defensive back Cullen Christian has departed before ever making an impact in Ann Arbor.  The 6'0", 187 lb. cornerback told Superprep, "I came here to be a part of something big and it has all fallen apart.  Part of you feels like you failed, while another part of you wants to go prove them they were wrong.  I need to move on now and do what is best for me."

When Christian says "prove them they were wrong," he's of course talking about the two coaching staffs who had him lower on the depth chart than lightly recruited fellow freshman Terrence Talbott and walk-on Tony Anderson, among others.

Christian played in ten games as a freshman and made 6 tackles.  However, he was beaten badly on a couple plays and often looked a step or two slow.  There were some questions about his speed coming out of high school, and the biggest question I had was about his tackling.  Despite those apparent faults, he was a top-six cornerback to both Rivals and Scout.  And as a senior in high school, he was selected for the Army All-American Bowl.  I'm not sure that many people expected he would be an instant star at the college level, but I don't think many people expected him to be buried on the depth chart, either; in addition to the aforementioned Talbott and Anderson, he also seemed to be behind fifth year senior Troy Woolfolk, redshirt junior J.T. Floyd, and classmate Courtney Avery.

Christian is the eighth (or ninth, depending on where you slot 2010 quarterback/defensive back Conelius Jones) defensive back to sign a National Letter of Intent for Michigan from 2007-2010 and then transfer or fail to qualify.  In other words, there are nine defensive backs floating around the free world (or the imprisoned world, in Boubacar Cissoko's case) who could be playing out their eligibility for the Wolverines right now.  He's also the seventh player of the 27-member class of 2010 to depart prior to the end of his freshman year.  Rich Rodriguez looks like less and less of a recruiting expert as more than 25% of his class disappears in less than a year.

This probably doesn't hurt Michigan in the short term.  Christian was likely a third-string cornerback, and that doesn't even take into account the incoming freshman class, which includes a few talented corners.  But it does potentially hurt Michigan in the long run, especially if other defensive backs continue to flame out at similar rates.  James Rogers essentially defaulted into a starting cornerback job as a senior in 2010, and continued departures could provide more opportunities like that in the coming years.

On the plus side, the Wolverines' small 2012 recruiting class just increased by one.  A class that looked to be 16 should now be able to take 17 players, and I would not be surprised if that number continues to grow.

I would bet a nickel that Christian ends up transferring to Pittsburgh (UPDATE: You owe me a nickel.).  He's from the Pittsburgh area, the Panthers were one of his finalists coming out of high school, his former position coach Tony Gibson latched on at Pitt, and he also has a former high school teammate and good friend, Brandon Ifill, who plays defensive back there.  Fellow ex-Michigan defensive back Ray Vinopal transferred to Pitt in recent weeks as well.

For summaries of other departures, check out the Ex-Wolverine Encyclopedia button at the top of the page.

Ray Vinopal, ex-Wolverine

Ray Vinopal makes a tackle against Illinois

Safety Ray Vinopal, who just finished his freshman season at Michigan, has left the team due to personal reasons.  Coach Brady Hoke did not elaborate on the reason for Vinopal's departure.

When Vinopal was recruited out of Cardinal Mooney (Youngstown, OH) last year, I was not a fan.  I pegged him as a probable backup and special teamer, but Vinopal ascended to the starting free safety role halfway through the season.  His rapid ascension was at least partially due to the ineffectiveness of early-season starter Cam Gordon; the departures of Vlad Emilien and Justin Turner; and injuries to J.T. Floyd and Troy Woolfolk.  My guess is that one of the latter three would have moved ahead of Vinopal at free safety once Gordon proved he wasn't up to the task.  And yet we saw #20, a 2-star recruit, find his way into the starting lineup.

Vinopal exceeded my expectations, but his play was nothing special.  He ended the season with 33 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, 1 interception, and 3 pass breakups.  He made a couple decent plays throughout the season (a pick against Bowling Green, a critical tackle on Mikel Leshoure of Illinois), but he was outmatched by the majority of Michigan's 2010 opponents - too small, a step too slow, or both.

Regardless of his shortcomings, he may have been the frontrunner for the starting free safety job in 2011.  Now Michigan will probably be in the same position it has been for the past few seasons - starting a very inexperienced youngster at the secondary's most critical position.  It was Jordan Kovacs, Mike Williams, and Woolfolk in 2009, Gordon and Vinopal in 2010, and . . . someone else in 2011.  Options include sophomores Carvin Johnson, Marvin Robinson, and Cullen Christian; freshman Tamani Carter; or a converted cornerback like Woolfolk or Floyd.  The situation is less than ideal.

As for the 2010 recruiting class, this is yet another blow to its quality and numbers.  Twenty-seven kids signed National Letters of Intent in February 2010, and only 21 remain.  Safety Demar Dorsey (now at Grand Rapids Community College), quarterback Conelius Jones (Marshall), linebacker Antonio Kinard (Miami), linebacker Davion Rogers (Youngstown State), and running back Austin White (Central Michigan) preceded Vinopal in leaving the program.

Vinopal has not announced a destination, although rumors have floated around that he might be headed to play at Pitt.  His former position coach at Michigan, Tony Gibson, is now the cornerbacks coach for the Panthers.  For those of you who are wondering, Pittsburgh is about one hour and fifteen minutes from Vinopal's hometown of Youngstown.  Ann Arbor is three hours and thirty minutes away.

Troy Woolfolk has an Ouchie

I hope this makes you feel better.

Reports and statements after practice today strongly suggest that senior cornerback Troy Woolfolk dislocated an ankle today. If that rumored prognosis is accurate, Woolfolk will most likely miss the entire 2010 season.

Who will take Woolfolk's spot at cornerback?
This practically cements the starting cornerbacks as redshirt sophomore J.T. Floyd and true freshman Cullen Christian. Floyd was probably set to be the #2 cornerback. Christian is the most talented of three incoming freshmen at the position, with more talent and potential than Terrence Talbott and Courtney Avery. Senior cornerback-turned-wideout-turned-cornerback James Rogers will also be in the mix.

Will any position changes occur to fill the void at cornerback?
Michigan doesn't have the talent or depth at other positions to move many guys. Sophomore Teric Jones played cornerback last year but moved to Bandit in the spring. When redshirt freshman J.T. Turner decided to transfer last week, head coach Rich Rodriguez stated that Jones would get practice reps at Bandit and cornerback. I imagine that Jones will make a full-scale move to cornerback now. Another option is true freshman D.J. Williamson, a 6'1", 170 lb. receiver who played a little defense in high school. Longshots to move include true freshman safety Ray Vinopal and redshirt junior safety Michael Williams, who has seemingly been squeezed out of the competition at Spur. None of these players should be considered as challengers for the starting cornerback job, however.

How did the depth at cornerback get so . . . shallow?
From the Class of 2007, wide receiver/cornerback Zion Babb ran off after Rodriguez arrived in Ann Arbor. Five-star cornerback recruit Donovan Warren entered the 2010 NFL Draft early, only to go undrafted. Cornerback/safety recruit Michael Williams suffered a knee injury and moved to safety full-time after Ron English was let go.

From the Class of 2008, Boubacar Cissoko took stupid pills once he arrived on campus and was booted from the team in mid-2009.

From the Class of 2009, athlete recruit Denard Robinson was pegged by some teams as a cornerback; he came to Michigan as a quarterback and has seemingly taken the lead in the race to be behind center in 2010. J.T. Turner arrived on campus out of shape and remained out of shape; he decided he'd had enough of Mike Barwis and his crazy "stay in shape" demands, so he received his transfer papers last week. Robinson's high school teammate Adrian Witty failed to qualify initially, and then once he qualified, Michigan's Admissions department failed to admit him for January 2010.

From the Class of 2010, prized defensive back recruit Demar Dorsey failed to meet Michigan's admissions standards (and apparently Louisville's, too). The late pursuit of Dorsey may have curtailed Michigan's chase for a couple potential mid-level cornerback recruits, particularly Rashad Knight and Tony Grimes. Athlete recruit Conelius Jones failed to qualify.

Overall, that's nine potential cornerbacks who are either playing other positions (Michael Williams, Denard Robinson) or no longer on the team. I can't blame Lloyd Carr or Rodriguez for most of those position changes and such. However, the handling of the cases of Adrian Witty, Demar Dorsey, and Conelius Jones should come into question now. Why were those three allowed to sign Letters of Intent if they weren't qualified? At such an important position - and one in such dire need - Rodriguez couldn't afford to hand out scholarships to kids who would never play a down for Michigan. He did anyway. I hope I'm wrong, but this could be a major failure of the Rodriguez regime at Michigan.

Are there any positives that could come of this?
Well . . . uhhh . . . since Woolfolk played as a true freshman in 2007 (a waste of a redshirt at the time), he's only a fourth year senior this season. He could possibly regain his health enough to play as a redshirt senior in 2011.

How much does this impair Michigan on the field in 2010?
Significantly. The likely starter at free safety is a true freshman who changed positions from wide receiver in the spring. One starting cornerback is a guy who many (including me) believed should be a safety . . . that is, if Michigan had enough depth at cornerback to move him. The other starting cornerback is either James Rogers, a senior who has barely seen the field in three years, or a true freshman. Michigan's defense was going to be bad in 2010, anyway. The loss of Woolfolk not only affects the passing game negatively, but also exchanges a solid tackler for an 18-year-old kid who admittedly needs to improve his tackling (Christian). This injury probably lowers Michigan's win total by one or two games.

Justin Turner, ex-Wolverine

Redshirt freshman cornerback Justin Turner has apparently decided to transfer. He has been granted his release by the University of Michigan, although Sam Webb of Scout/WTKA/Detroit News fame has stated that his parents are going to try to talk Turner out of leaving Ann Arbor. We'll see how that goes.

If #2 does indeed follow through with his intentions to leave Michigan, he would be the first member of the 21-person Class of 2009 to leave. (Cornerback Adrian Witty never arrived at Michigan after Michigan's Admissions office failed to grant him entry.) To Rivals he was a 4-star safety, the #35 recruit in the country, and the #3 player at his position; to Scout he was a 5-star cornerback, the #3 player in the country, and the #1 player at his position. To the University of Michigan's football team, he was the #3 or perhaps #4 cornerback for the 2010 season.

The 2009 version of the Wolverines had horrible defenses and very little cornerback depth, especially after then-sophomore Boubacar Cissoko was booted off the team for skipping classes and generally being an idiot. But Turner still couldn't get on the field and redshirted, giving way to fellow freshman Teric Jones, who entered college hoping and expecting to play running back or slot receiver. With Donovan Warren leaving school early to enter the 2010 NFL Draft, many Michigan fans assumed that Turner would assume the starting cornerback role. However, redshirt sophomore JT Floyd took the lead in the battle for the open cornerback position.

There were reports that Turner had ballooned to an unfathomable 197 pounds and got too big to play cornerback, a regular Violet Beauregarde. (Set your sarcasm detectors to ON.) The fall roster even listed him at 198 pounds. However, cornerbacks coach Tony Gibson has spoken highly of Turner in the past, and his disenchantment likely has more to do with playing second fiddle to JT Floyd than anything else. He was 186 lbs. coming out of high school, so adding 11 or 12 pounds in college really isn't that big of a deal. He still could have played corner, although he would have been fighting incoming freshman Cullen Christian - a highly touted corner in his own right, and ranked higher than Turner in my 2010 Season Countdown - for playing time.

Turner was ranked as a safety by Rivals, and I think most Michigan fans were waiting for a time when cornerback depth would allow him to switch positions to free safety or Bandit. If his absence is felt at all, though, it will likely be a year or two down the road if Michigan's 17 safeties can't cobble together a decent starter or three. I'm not going to sit here and say that Michigan is better off without him. But the Wolverines are headed for 7 or 8 wins in 2010 whether Turner's in Ann Arbor or not.

2010 Football Roster Tidbits

This guy is 320 lbs.

The 2010 football roster was released on Monday, and there are several interesting notes. Going down the list numerically . . .

Freshman safety Marvin Robinson is #3 and listed at 6'2", 200 lbs. Not only was Troy Woolfolk impressed with his play at safety during summer 7-on-7s, but for all those people who thought he would bulk up to play linebacker . . . 200 lbs. hardly screams for a position change.

Freshman safety Josh Furman is #6 and listed at 6'2", 207 lbs.

Senior linebacker Jonas Mouton is 240 lbs. now. Last year he was listed at 228. He's not the only linebacker who bulked up, so that's clearly a directive from the coaches and training staff.

Freshman cornerback Courtney Avery is #9 and listed at 5'11", 167 lbs. He has apparently been working hard this summer, but that's not much weight to be spread out across a 5'11" frame.

Freshman safety Carvin Johnson is #13 and listed at 6'0", 195 lbs.

Junior running back Michael Shaw packed on 6 lbs. and is up to 187.

Freshman safety Ray Vinopal is #20 and listed at 5'10", 193 lbs.

Freshman cornerback Terrence Talbott is #22 and listed at 5'11", 171 lbs.

Freshman cornerback Cullen Christian is #24 and listed at 6'0", 187 lbs. That seems like a perfect size to get some playing time this year.

Redshirt sophomore middle linebacker Kenny Demens is 250 lbs. now. And if you've seen any new pictures of him, he's jacked.

Freshman slot receiver Drew Dileo is #26 and listed at 5'10", 171 lbs.

Redshirt freshman middle linebacker Isaiah Bell is 245 lbs. now, up from 237 in the spring. He was a free safety and about 205-210 coming out of high school, so that's some impressive weight gain. Hooray for chocolate milk.

Redshirt freshman kicker Brendan Gibbons is 227 lbs. There were reports that he had been up to about 245.

Freshman linebacker Jake Ryan is #37 and listed at 6'3", 224 lbs.

Freshman linebacker Davion Rogers is #38 and listed at 6'6", 200 lbs. Maybe he can play small forward for our basketball team, too.

Freshman Kenny Wilkins is #41 and listed at 6'3", 262 lbs. Hopefully that's good weight, and I'm assuming it is because he has a reputation for being a gym rat. He's also listed as a defensive end, despite some people's thoughts that he would play Craig Roh's linebacker position.

Freshman punter Will Hagerup is #43 and listed at 6'4", 210 lbs.

Senior Mark Moundros (a permanent captain for this season) is listed as a "FB/LB," the only player on the team with two positions listed.

Senior middle linebacker Obi Ezeh is up to 250 lbs.

Redshirt junior center David Molk is listed at 285 lbs., up fifteen from the 2009 season.

Freshman defensive tackle Richard Ash is #54 and listed at 6'3", 320 lbs. That's a significant weight gain for someone who was 240 lbs. as a junior and listed at 263 lbs. on his recruiting profiles. That much weight gain can't be good weight.

Freshman defensive end Jibreel Black is #55 and listed at 6'2", 258 lbs. Expect to see him on the field this fall.

Redshirt junior defensive tackle Dominique Ware is still short (5'7").

Sophomore defensive tackle William Campbell has gone through quite a transition. He came in at a reported 330 lbs., got all the way down to 318, and is now listed at 333 lbs. It sounds like the training staff had to melt off some of the flab and turn it into muscle . . . hopefully.

The redshirt freshmen offensve linemen have all put on significant weight. Taylor Lewan is 294, Michael Schofield is 293, and Quinton Washington is now 315. That should make them viable options to play this fall.

Senior tight end Martell Webb is up to 255 lbs.

Freshman wide receiver Ricardo Miller is now 6'4", 215 lbs.

Freshman wide receiver D.J. Williamson is #84 and listed at 6'1", 170 lbs.

Junior tight end Kevin Koger is up to 255 lbs.

Redshirt sophomore tight end Brandon Moore is up to 250 lbs.

Freshman Jordan Paskorz is #94 and listed at 6'3", 242 lbs. He's also listed as a defensive end, which is where someone with his hip stiffness belongs.

Freshman Terry Talbott is #96 and listed at 6'3", 248 lbs. He's destined for a redshirt, especially because he's listed at defensive tackle, not defensive end.

Senior Adam Patterson is still listed as a defensive end, despite the fact that he got snaps at nose tackle in the spring.

2010 Countdown: #32 Cullen Christian

Name: Cullen Christian
Height: 6'0"
Weight: 180 lbs.
High school: Penn Hills High School in Pittsburgh, PA
Position: Cornerback
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: N/A

Christian is one of the most important players in the incoming freshman class due to his a) position and b) skill. Michigan is dangerously thin at cornerback. Presumed starters Troy Woolfolk and J.T. Floyd have less than a full season of starts under their belts . . . combined. The other corners include cornerback-turned-wide-receiver-turned-cornerback James Rogers and redshirt freshman J.T. Turner. And I've never been a big fan of Floyd, so while I hope he does well, I'm also hoping that Christian can come in and challenge for playing time.

Christian is the most likely freshman corner to play this season, and his skills are plentiful (commitment post here). He has okay speed and good awareness. His tackling is suspect but will surely improve. One thing that has impressed me about the Rodriguez regime is the tackling in the secondary; Christian won't see the field if he's unwilling to hit. Regardless, J.T. Floyd reportedly took big strides in the spring, and I'm cautiously optimistic that Floyd will play well enough to stave off Christian, at least for a little while. Christian will be the better player in the long run, but he's only been on campus for a little over a month, whereas Floyd is a redshirt sophomore. Don't be surprised if Christian works his way into the lineup by late October, though.

Prediction for 2010: Backup cornerback, spot starter

2010 Recruiting Grades: Cornerback

Demar Dorsey: good football player, questionable dancer

Michigan picked up four commitments in 2010 from players who will likely end up at cornerback. Cornerback was a glaring need in the 2010 class, considering that the Wolverines enter this coming season with only three scholarship cornerbacks (Justin Turner, JT Floyd, Troy Woolfolk) on the roster, one of whom (Woolfolk) might play safety like he did in early 2009. These four cornerbacks might not immediately fix the defensive backfield, but they'll at least fill up the depth chart and offer some competition.

The first player to commit was Courtney Avery from Lexington, OH. Avery played quarterback - and played it well - as a high schooler, and if he were any taller than 5'10", he might have been worthy of some scholarship offers as a signal caller. Avery had been committed to Jim Harbaugh's Stanford Cardinal prior to pledging for Michigan, but impressed enough at Michigan's summer camp to garner an offer. Shortly afterward, he became a Wolverine. Avery has some shortcomings as a defensive back. He is an aggressive tackler, but he's small-ish and might lack ideal speed for man coverage. I think he'd be better off as a corner in a largely zone scheme, but he's the type of kid who could be a solid backup and perhaps contribute as a gunner on the punt team.

Following Avery, Terrence Talbott from Huber Heights, OH, committed to the Wolverines in mid-August. (His brother, Terry, is a DT commit in this class.) Talbott is a little sturdier than Avery at 172 lbs., and he's a bit smoother of an athlete. Talbott has good speed and excellent leaping ability. He's also a solid tackler and potentially a player who could see some time on special teams. I like him a little more than Avery, and I also think Talbott has better man coverage abilities.

Longtime Michigan lean Cullen Christian finally committed to play in Ann Arbor around Thanksgiving 2009. At the time, Christian was the highest rated defensive back and desperately needed in the wake of Boubacar Cissoko's departure from the team. Christian is a bigger cornerback at 6' and 180 lbs. He has the ability play deep safety but has insisted that he wants to play cornerback, and that's where I think he'll stay. I have some questions about his speed, but his technique is sound; he's a decent tackler but needs to improve in that area.

Demar Dorsey was the last cornerback to commit to Michigan, waiting until National Signing Day. Michigan fought hard to steal him from the likes of Florida and USC. He was an Under Armour All American and while he's rough around the edges, he has swagger and speed to burn. I think he'll be a free safety eventually, although Michigan's most immediate need is at cornerback, which is where he'll begin his career. Dorsey has had some off-the-field issues as a youth, but if he can keep those behaviors behind him, the sky is the limit.

Predictions: Courtney Avery will almost surely redshirt in 2010; I think he'll be a decent backup and special teams player throughout his career. Terrence Talbott will likely join his brother and Avery in the redshirt brigade (no relation to the band, by the way), but I think he has a chance to be a one- or two-year starter late in his career. Christian will play in 2010, whether he starts or not; he reminds me of Donovan Warren in some ways. Dorsey is the most likely to play this coming season; like Denard Robinson, he's just too talented to keep off the field. Whether he's returning kicks with Darryl Stonum, starting at corner, or the backup deep safety, his speed and athleticism can't spend a year on the bench.

Grade: A. Rodriguez and Co. did as well as anyone would have expected. I was underwhelmed early on when Avery and Talbott were the only ones onboard and Cullen Christian kept postponing what many thought would be an early commitment, but it all worked out in the end. In two or three years, Michigan's secondary is going to be crawling with speedy, hard-hitting athletes.

Demar Dorsey, Wolverine

I will unleash my 175 lbs. of fury upon you!

This is a few days old, but that's what happens when 25 inches of snow pour down and you have to retreat to safer shelter.

On National Signing Day, Demar Dorsey from Lauderdale Lakes, FL, committed to Michigan. In the overall rankings, Dorsey is #12 to ESPN, #162 to Rivals, and #203 to Scout; many would latch onto that #12 ranking, but ESPN proves over and over again that they know nothing about recruiting, so take that with a grain of salt. Anyway, Dorsey's commitment was somewhat of a surprise, since he wasn't on Michigan fans' radar until about a month before NSD. Dorsey had been committed to Florida for over a year and seemingly visited just to have a good time with his cousin, Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson.

According to Dorsey, though, he knew during his official visit (that coincided with Michigan's basketball victory over Connecticut) that Michigan was The Place. It's unclear whether Florida dropped Dorsey or vice versa, but either way, he also visited Florida State and USC late in the process, so he had the experts confused; most seemed to think he'd ultimately sign with FSU.

I would be remiss not to mention Dorsey's issues as a minor. He had some trouble with the law, but was never found guilty of any wrongdoing and participated in a diversionary program. I will not go into details, as they have been discussed ad nauseam elsewhere. I'll let it suffice to say that Rodriguez is taking a bit of a public relations risk with Dorsey, on the heels of the Justin Feagin situation last year; however, most football coaches taken chances on talented kids with checkered pasts. Hopefully, the diversionary program worked for Dorsey and he can move on to be a productive student and citizen at Michigan.

Back to football, though, Dorsey's position is a bit up in the air. The coaches told him he could play some wide receiver, and he could probably help in the return game, but but he's a defensive back of some sort. Some project him as a strong safety at Michigan; others predict he'll be a cornerback. I feel fairly confident in predicting that Dorsey will battle for playing time at the cornerback position as a freshman in 2010. Michigan has zero experienced cornerbacks returning in 2010 with the departure of Donovan Warren to the NFL. Besides redshirt sophomore J.T. Floyd, every other cornerback on the roster will have freshman eligibility - Justin Turner, Cullen Christian, Courtney Avery, and Terrence Talbott. Michigan needs to throw every available body at the cornerback spot and whichever one performs best should get the job.

Michigan's most experienced cornerback isn't really a cornerback, but a strong safety - Troy Woolfolk. Some have suggested that Woolfolk should move to cornerback and Michigan should play a freshman at strong safety, but that would be disastrous. The only time Woolfolk got burned at the strong safety position was in the 2009 opener when he and the aforementioned Floyd got burned against Western Michigan. In practice, Woolfolk earned the nickname "The Eraser" for his ability to cover up for everyone else's mistakes. Experience is necessary on the back end of your defensive backfield, because young guys get out of position and get fooled by double moves, play action, etc. It's no coincidence that Michigan's defense went south once Woolfolk moved to corner in mid-2009.

With Woolfolk at strong safety and presumably Justin Turner at one cornerback position, the trio of Floyd, Christian, and Dorsey should fight it out for the other corner. Michigan's coaches did everything they could to keep Floyd off the field in 2009 (they'd rather have Jordan Kovacs playing strong safety than have Floyd play corner), so I sincerely doubt he'll start. Dorsey is a better athlete than Christian, but the latter's coverage skills are more refined, so that's kind of a toss-up.

Dorsey is a burner. As a junior, he finished second to Denard Robinson in the state 100 meter finals with a time of 10.60 seconds (compared to Robinson's 10.44). He later ran a 10.55 and has even claimed to have run a 10.3, although I can find no recorded evidence of that time. This athleticism should allow him to run with just about every receiver he faces. It also would allow him to cover a lot of ground from the strong safety position.

However, we can see some of his rawness in the video below. First of all, he's only 175 lbs. In the second still shot (the one from the Under Armour All American game), we can see his scrawny little leg; he has a decided lack of bulk. In the first highlight from the UA game, he causes a fumble on kick coverage. He does a good job of mirroring the returner, but then he reaches and grabs the jersey, flinging the ball carrier to the ground and causing the fumble; this is the tackling technique of a raw cornerback, not the strong safety who is supposed to be a team's last line of defense. Later in the highlights, he plays a ball from the deep middle safety position. Unfortunately, he takes a bad angle to the football; instead of meeting the ball at its highest point or at least aiming to punish the receiver, he takes the path of least resistance and gets a hand on the ball after it gets past the receiver.

All of these factors lead me to believe that Dorsey will be better off starting his career at cornerback. Further evidence exists in that Rich Rodriguez said as much in his signing day press conference. This does not mean that Dorsey couldn't move to strong safety eventually. He could probably be a pretty good strong safety with some technique and experience under his belt. But that won't happen until at least 2011.

My projection for 2010:
CB: Justin Turner
CB: Cullen Christian
FS: Jordan Kovacs
SS: Troy Woolfolk