Chris Fox, Ex-Wolverine

Chris Fox (right) with Jourdan Lewis, Dymonte Thomas, Derrick Green, and Jake Butt
at the 2013 U.S. Army All-American Bowl.

Redshirt sophomore offensive lineman Chris Fox has called it quits after dealing with injuries over the past few years. A product of the class of 2013, he tore his ACL near the end of his senior season and has not been the same since. Listed at 6'6" and 303 lbs., he could never get back into great playing shape. He played in just one game during his career, which was last year's season opening demolition of Appalachian State. He will remain with the program as a student assistant while finishing out his undergrad career.

After committing to Michigan in February of 2012 (LINK), Fox was on his way to playing in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl as a high school senior but could not participate. As we have also seen with Ondre Pipkins, ACL tears for big guys can be very damaging. Fox was a 247 Composite 4-star, the #9 offensive guard, and #110 overall in 2013. Believe it or not, he was just Michigan's seventh-highest ranked recruit behind Derrick Green, Patrick Kugler, Dymonte Thomas, Shane Morris, Kyle Bosch, and David Dawson.

Michigan took six linemen and 27 total players in the 2013 class. Two of the linemen (Fox and Kyle Bosch) have left the program, and three total players (toss in wide receiver Csont'e York) have departed for various reasons.

Fox's departure, which I had been expecting since the spring, is the second of the two medical hardships I had previously mentioned; the other was Pipkins, whose transfer to Texas Tech apparently goes against the grain of Michigan's medical staff, who thought he should probably hang up the cleats. There are still other players who will probably not be on the fall roster, although all but Dennis Norfleet have been listed on Michigan's summer camp roster. The loss of Fox is also a reason that Michigan is looking to take such a large offensive line class in 2016. With Ben Bredeson, Devery Hamilton, Michael Onwenu, and Erik Swenson already in the fold, the Wolverines could potentially still take two more linemen in this class.

Ondre Pipkins will transfer to Texas Tech

Joe Schad announced on Twitter that Ondre Pipkins is transferring from Michigan to Texas Tech. As a player going into his fourth year of college, he will have to sit out the 2015 season and will be eligible in 2016.

As far as Texas Tech's depth chart goes, the Red Raiders have three seniors, one sophomore, and one freshman on their 2015 depth chart at the defensive tackle spots. When Pipkins is eligible to play in 2016, he will be the most experienced guy on the roster and should be able to find some significant playing time as long as his injuries don't cause him further trouble.

Ondre Pipkins, Ex-Wolverine

Ondre Pipkins

Rising senior defensive tackle Ondre Pipkins is going to attempt to transfer. A couple times I have hinted that this was going to happen, and unfortunately, it's not happening in a positive light for Jim Harbaugh and the program. Pipkins feels he was forced out because the staff needed a scholarship, even though that doesn't make sense because Pipkins would have been a senior and vacating his scholarship for a class of 2016 player, anyway.

Regardless, Pipkins is now out of the picture. I had recently placed him at #66 on the 2015 Season Countdown (LINK), and I did not expect him to make a big impact this season even if he had stayed. He tore his ACL in the middle of his sophomore year, but in 24 career games, he made just 23 tackles and 1 tackle for loss. He was a promising high school prospect who did not seem destined to match his recruiting profile once he saw the field in college.

Pipkins has received permission to talk to Florida State, Georgia State, Oklahoma State, TCU, Tennessee, and Washington State. Former Wolverine Josh Furman was drafted out of Oklahoma State this spring after playing the 2014 season there as a graduate transfer. Former Michigan linebackers/cornerbacks coach Roy Manning is now coaching at Washington State.

Thoughts on Countess and Hayes Transfers

It has been known for a while that running back Justice Hayes would transfer, although the destination was unknown; he's now planning to play for Southern Miss. Blake Countess somewhat abruptly announced a transfer not long ago, and yesterday he told the world that he would be ending up at Auburn.

Countess is headed to Auburn, which has a depleted secondary that might become even more depleted in the coming weeks. Jonathon Mincy graduated and got a tryout with the Atlanta Falcons. Jonathan Jones, meanwhile, made 6 picks last season and despite suffering a minor injury this spring, he will be one of the Tigers' starting corners this fall. On the other side, Joshua Holsey is a senior who started seven games last fall, making 41 tackles and 2 pass breakups. He will probably be Countess's primary competition to start, since no other returning players saw much action. Otherwise, Auburn is bringing in several freshmen to compete, including 4-stars Carlton Davis and Javarius Davis. If Countess transferred for playing time reasons (which is partially rumored to be the case, since the coaching staff pursued Wayne Lyons), he's going to have to compete against Holsey and some other talented athletes in the SEC.

In Hayes's case, Southern Mississippi returns its top four running backs from last year. None of them was very accomplished, though. The leading back was then freshman Ito Smith (536 yards, 3.9 yards/carry, 2 touchdowns), while little used freshman Tez Parks and junior Jalen Richard averaged 5.6 and 5.9 yards/carry, respectively. Hayes enters a rather crowded backfield, but Conference USA is weaker competition, and Southern Miss typically survives with 3-star and 2-star recruits. Hayes has decent speed, and while his production was never anything special at Michigan, he should be able to get some playing time in that backfield. He also offers the flexibility to be able to move out into the slot and catch some passes, and he could help on kickoff returns, although the Golden Eagles return senior Michael Thomas, who averaged over 24 yards/return and took one to the house last year.

Neither player is walking into a situation where he will be guaranteed a starting gig, and he won't necessarily be the most talented guy at his position, either. In recent years we have seen players like Josh Furman, Thomas Rawls, and Richard Ash leave Michigan only to flourish elsewhere immediately. It will be interesting to see whether Hayes and Countess continue that trend. Personally, I have always been high on Countess and I think he's better than Holsey - but I also think he's better than Wayne Lyons. Meanwhile, Hayes was uninspiring during his time at Michigan and struggles to run through contact, but he should bring a little speed to the Southern Miss backfield and get a fair chance to shine.

Blake Countess, Ex-Wolverine

Blake Countess

Rising fifth-year senior cornerback Blake Countess has elected to play his final year of college ball elsewhere. The 5'10", 185 lb. corner was expected to compete for a starting job this fall after having a disappointing 2014 season.

Coming out of Olney (MD) Good Counsel, Countess was a Rivals 4-star and the #133 player nationally in the 2011 class. I gave him a TTB Rating of 84 (LINK) and was pleased with his commitment (LINK), which took place shortly before Rich Rodriguez was fired. I thought he would be Michigan's next good corner after Donovan Warren departed in 2009.

Countess played immediately as a freshman in 2011 and started six games that year, finishing with 44 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, 6 pass breakups, and 1 forced fumble. ESPN and the Big Ten Network included him on their conference all-freshman teams. Entering the 2012 season as a starter, Countess got injured playing special teams in the season opener against Alabama and missed the rest of the year with a torn ACL. He came back with a vengeance in 2013, making First Team All-Big Ten with 46 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 6 interceptions (1 touchdown), and 4 pass breakups. Big things were expected, but his production fell off (24 tackles, 3 pass breakups) and he saw diminished playing time in 2014.

Rumors started to pop up about Countess potentially transferring around the same time Wayne Lyons appeared headed to Michigan. Essentially, the defensive backfield was getting crowded with talented and/or veteran players - Countess, Lyons, junior Jourdan Lewis, sophomore Jabrill Peppers, and senior Jarrod Wilson are all starting-caliber players, and a couple other guys are pushing for playing time. Countess is not a physical corner, and new defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin's preferred style of defense did not seem primed to mesh with Countess's. Even so, Countess would have seen plenty of playing time even if he didn't start.

But a 4-star guy in his fifth year - a guy who had 6 picks in one season a couple years ago - should probably be starting somewhere. A player of his caliber has an eye on the NFL, and the NFL doesn't draft many college backups. It's somewhat understandable that Countess would look to transfer to a more amenable situation.

Unfortunately, this transfer comes at the expense of Michigan's quality depth. There's likely no question that the two front-runners for the cornerback jobs are Lewis and Lyons, but the only experienced backup is junior Channing Stribling, who has yet to make a significant play despite a fair amount of time on the field. The position is supplemented by redshirt junior Terry Richardson, redshirt sophomore Ross Taylor-Douglas, redshirt sophomore Reon Dawson, and redshirt freshman Brandon Watson, none of whom have registered a single stat. Furthermore, the lone cornerback in the 2015 class is lanky project Keith Washington. There appears to be a serious deficit in cornerback talent when you get younger than Lewis, although Watson has some potential.

Five years later, linebacker Desmond Morgan is the only player remaining from the 2011 class, which was the Rodriguez-to-Hoke transition year. Attrition can be expected from classes with that kind of instability, but too many players played early and exhausted their eligibility this past season.

Dennis Norfleet, Ex-Wolverine

Dennis Norfleet (image via USA Today)

Running back/slot receiver/cornerback/kick returner/punt returner Dennis Norfleet has been dismissed from Michigan's football team. Steve Lorenz from 247 Sports reported that he skipped several final exams, which is not a good idea for you prospective college students out there.

Rumors had been swirling about Norfleet for the past couple weeks, and this was likely the reason. The story going around is that Jim Harbaugh informed him that he did not see Norfleet playing a significant role in Michigan's future, which caused Norfleet to have a negative reaction. He essentially made an emotional decision and put his academics on the back burner, which sealed the deal for his departure.

You may remember that Norfleet was switched to defense in the spring game. Primarily an offensive and special teams player throughout his career, he played cornerback a little at the end of the 2012 season and then this spring. The spring game saw Shane Morris, Amara Darboh, and Jaron Dukes picking on him for several completions, including the only touchdown of the day. Those were unfair matchups since Norfleet was largely inexperienced at the position and going against much larger receivers (Norfleet is 5'7", while Darboh and Dukes are comfortably over 6'0"), but regardless, he had a job to do and didn't get it done.

His career offensive output includes 15 carries for 130 yards (8.7 yards/carry) and 21 catches for 157 yards (7.5 yards/catch). He was a little awkward in 2014 as a downfield receiver, excelling more as a screen guy, a change-of-pace guy out of the backfield, etc. Norfleet's biggest contribution came as a kickoff returner, where he was the school's all-time return yardage leader (94 returns for 2,203 yards). He also returned 15 career punts for 90 yards. Norfleet never scored a touchdown in a Michigan uniform, unless you count the game against Maryland when an apparent punt return score was called back due to a penalty.

Norfleet was a late addition to the 2012 class, flipping from Cincinnati just before National Signing Day when the Wolverines stepped forward with an offer. In my commitment post (LINK), I thought he would be a solid starter on special teams, and he was. Too small to expect much of a regular role on either side of the ball, I said that I was bothered by the way Norfleet finished plays. It looks like that criticism carries over to classes, too.

Despite my criticism, I am a little disappointed that Norfleet will not return to the field for Michigan. He brought a lot of energy with his dancing and antics, and I can't help feeling a little bad for a guy who touches the ball so much and never crosses the goal line. When Norfleet ambled over to the sideline when his touchdown was called back against Maryland, he needed consoling. It seemed like only a matter of time before Norfleet would break a big return, but he was always a half-step too slow or a bit too weak to break the last tackle attempt.

Norfleet will likely look to transfer. Since he reportedly has not graduated, he will have to either sit out a year while waiting to become eligible at another FBS school or transfer to a lower division for immediate eligibility. Meanwhile, Michigan will have to find a guy or guys to fill his special teams roles. Jabrill Peppers will probably handle some of those duties, while other candidates include Jourdan Lewis, Freddy Canteen, Amara Darboh, Brian Cole, Blake Countess, and Da'Mario Jones.

Ex-Wolverine Updates

Josh Furman (right) became a seventh round draft pick at Oklahoma State

Thanks to David for the recent donation! If you would also like to donate to the site redesign drive, please use Paypal (on the left sidebar) or do some shopping on Amazon (LINK). Thanks!
---------------

The NFL Draft is over and guys are signing undrafted free agent contracts, so it's time for another ex-Wolverine update. I'm also including the fates of a few coaches, in case you're wondering what some of those guys up to these days.

Former offensive coordinator Al Borges: Borges has been hired as San Jose State's offensive coordinator (LINK). He joins former Michigan defensive coordinator Greg Robinson, who is SJSU's defensive coordinator.

Former offensive line coach Darrell Funk: Funk has been hired as Akron's offensive line coach (LINK).

Former safety Josh Furman: Furman, who spent his fifth year senior season playing linebacker at Oklahoma State, was drafted in the seventh round by the Denver Broncos (LINK).

Hit the jump for more ex-Wolverines, including a list of the fates of all 27 players from the 2010 class.

Messiah DeWeaver, Ex-Wolverine

Messiah DeWeaver

Huber Heights (OH) Wayne quarterback Messiah DeWeaver decommitted from Michigan on Tuesday night. He had been committed to the Wolverines since June of 2014. DeWeaver is a 6'3", 202 lb. kid in the class of 2016. He's a 247 Composite 4-star, the #14 pro-style quarterback, and #310 overall.

Before he was originally offered a scholarship, I was hoping the coaching staff would hold off. The Wolverines were evaluating or had offered several other quarterbacks who I believed had higher potential, and I thought DeWeaver would jump at the chance to play for Michigan. The poor 2014 season for Michigan may have derailed their chances with some of the guys I viewed as better prospects, so for Michigan's long-term prospects, that may have been a blessing in disguise. Once a player decommits from a program, it can be tough to tuck the tail between the legs and come back.

Now Michigan has a fresh start with a well-established new coach in Jim Harbaugh. Harbaugh has had success developing quarterbacks in the past, including former #1 overall draft pick Andrew Luck (Stanford) and former 5th round draft pick Josh Johnson (San Diego), not to mention NFL quarterbacks Alex Smith and Colin Kaepernick. When Harbaugh was at Stanford, he brought in an average of two quarterbacks per class, and he looks to continue to do so at Michigan. The Wolverines already have Alex Malzone enrolled early, and last weekend saw a commitment from Zach Gentry, who will sign with Michigan next week. Meanwhile, even with DeWeaver committed, Harbaugh had been meeting with California QB K.J. Costello and Washington QB Jacob Eason, who are the #4 and #1 pro-style quarterbacks for the 2016 class. The previous staff had offered seven quarterbacks (LINK), and that number may increase in the near future.

With DeWeaver committed, I had secretly been hoping to avoid doing scouting reports on 10-20 quarterback prospects for 2016. But now it looks like that's exactly what I'll be doing in the next couple weeks.

Kyle Bosch, Ex-Wolverine

Kyle Bosch

Sophomore offensive guard Kyle Bosch has received his transfer release. His destination is unclear. If he transfers to another Division I school, he will have to sit out one season before playing again, which means the earliest he could play would be as a redshirt junior. If he transfers to a lower division, he should be able to play immediately.

Bosch came from Wheaton (IL) St. Francis and committed in February of 2012 (LINK). I gave him a TTB Rating of 88, confident that he would be a good starting guard down the line. As a true freshman in 2013, he was forced into action due to injuries and underperformance by his elders. He started three games late in the year but was eventually replaced. This year he played the final offensive snap of the season opener, and then it was reported that he was taking "an indefinite leave of absence" from the team that sounded like some sort of personal or family issue. He tweeted that he would return the next semester, and he has supposedly done so (he tweeted that he was "back in Ann Arbor") but not to play football. At least not for Jim Harbaugh.

I am disappointed about Bosch's departure because I thought he would be a very good player. I ranked him as Michigan's top lineman in the 2013 class, he played first, and he had a nasty disposition. In fact, I think his style of play would work better for Harbaugh than it would have for Brady Hoke. But for whatever reason(s), he has chosen to depart. Of course, part of it may have to do with the issue that caused him to leave the team for almost the whole first semester. Another part may have to do with the fact that Michigan returns all five starters in 2015, plus versatile backup Erik Magnuson. Overall, the reasons seem to have to do with things other than football.

This is the second player to transfer since the firing of Brady Hoke (freshman linebacker Michael Ferns was the first) and the first player to transfer since the hiring of Jim Harbaugh. Bosch is also the first member of the 2013 class to leave, a class that included six linemen altogether. He will probably not be the last player to leave through the transition, and I have heard rumors about 1-2 other linemen, but those rumors came through before Harbaugh was hired; Bosch was also initially on that list of rumored departures, but again, that was somewhat predictable after he left school for three months.

Michigan has six current commits in the 2015 class and at least eight openings, so the class could reach 14 or more.

Ex-Wolverine Updates: Post-Bowl Edition

Oregon offensive tackle Jake Fisher was first team all-conference

The national championship game still remains for Gareon Conley at Ohio State and Jake Fisher at Oregon, but otherwise, the former Wolverines are finished with their college seasons. Here's a look at what former players, commits, and coaches accomplished during the 2014 season.

Former DT Richard Ash: Ash's Western Michigan Broncos lost to Air Force in the Idaho Potato Bowl by a score of 38-24. Ash made 2 tackles in the game, finishing the year with 42 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, 2 pass breakups, and 2 blocked kicks. The Broncos went 8-5 on the year.

Former TE commit Pharaoh Brown: Brown suffered a nasty knee injury in game ten, so he has missed a chunk of Oregon's run to the national championship game. He still put up pretty darn good numbers with 25 catches, 420 yards (16.8 yards/catch), and 6 touchdowns, and those were good enough to earn him First Team All-Pac 12 honors. He played too much of this season to get a medical redshirt, so he will presumably return to playing as a true senior in 2015 as long as his knee heals well.

Former CB Cullen Christian: Christian was declared academically ineligible for West Virginia's Liberty Bowl appearance against Texas A&M, which the Aggies won by a score of 45-37. The Mountaineers went 7-6 this season and didn't get much help from Christian, who made 5 total tackles on the year as a backup safety.

Hit the jump for the rest of the rundown.

Michael Ferns III, Ex-Wolverine

Michael Ferns (front middle, image via Times Leader)

Rising sophomore linebacker Michael Ferns III has left Michigan's football program, most likely headed for West Virginia. He redshirted as a freshman this past season.

Ferns was Michigan's first commitment in the class of 2014 and committed in August 2012, almost six months prior to the next guy (Wilton Speight). Ferns spearheaded a project to send "Team 135" t-shirts to every new Michigan commit for the remainder of the class. Meanwhile, he was a stalwart at St. Clairsville (OH) St. Clairsville and earned some national notoriety for running out of bounds at the 1-yard line to allow a grieving high school teammate to score a touchdown. He finished the recruiting cycle as a 247 Composite 4-star, the #6 inside linebacker, and #158 overall.

Ferns was listed at 6'3", 239 lbs. and was playing middle linebacker, although he was reportedly really struggling to adjust to the college game. He was buried on the depth chart behind several promising inside linebackers, including a few who will be returning in 2015 (fifth year senior Desmond Morgan, senior Joe Bolden, junior Ben Gedeon, and redshirt sophomore Mike McCray II) and even some classmates.

The depth chart may have less to do with the transfer than some expect. Ferns was recruited to Michigan by Brady Hoke and sold on the "Team 135" thing, and now that whole idea has lost some of its luster. Also, Michael has a younger brother named Brendan, a 2016 linebacker who has not been offered by the Wolverines. The reasons for the lack of an offer are unclear (he's a 247 Composite 4-star, the #2 inside linebacker, and #74 overall), but that was probably causing some friction, anyway. Brendan holds offers from Ohio State, Oklahoma, Penn State, and West Virginia, and part of the plan could be to play together in Morgantown; 247 Sports' Crystal Ball prediction for Brendan has him at 64% for Ohio State.

Regardless, Michael Ferns is the first casualty from the 2014 class. The Wolverines have three other linebackers remaining from the 2014 class, and the aforementioned inside linebackers have the position pretty well under control. This move would not appear to affect Michigan's defense in the long run, and it opens up another spot in the 2015 class (LINK). Right now it looks like Michigan can comfortably fit 12 players into the class, but that number could grow in the coming weeks, depending on Michigan's coaching situation. I have heard rumors of a few other players also considering transfers, and I would guess that at least one or two of them come to fruition.

Chris Clark, Ex-Wolverine

Avon (CT) Old Farms tight end Chris Clark

Avon (CT) Old Farms tight end Chris Clark decommitted from Michigan on Tuesday evening after head coach Brady Hoke was fired. Clark originally committed to the Wolverines in June (LINK).

Clark has had an up-and-down recruitment. He originally committed to North Carolina, then took a bunch of visits, then committed to Michigan, then expressed interest in visiting elsewhere. I always viewed his commitment as being lukewarm because of how often he changed his mind, so this was not a surprise at all, especially because he had stated that his commitment was mostly contingent on Hoke and tight ends coach Dan Ferrigno remaining on staff.

Clark quickly tweeted out that he would only be considering five schools going forward - Michigan, North Carolina, Texas, UCLA, and USC. If Michigan brings in someone known for using the tight end, like . . . say . . . Jim Harbaugh, I think there's at least a decent chance that Clark re-enters the fold. On the other hand, if Michigan brings in a spread guru like Rich Rodriguez - who barely recruited the tight end position - then Clark is bound to land elsewhere.

The only other offered prospects at the tight end position are Floridian Devonaire Clarington (no chance) and Tyrone Wheatley, Jr. Wheatley did not react well to the firing of Hoke, so some fences may need to be mended there. He could also play offensive tackle or defensive end at the next level. For what it's worth, Josh Helmholdt from Rivals believes that Tyrone Wheatley, Sr. might be willing to coach at Michigan if presented with an offer; he's currently the running backs coach for the Buffalo Bills. It's unlikely, but a hiring of Wheatley, Sr. would virtually cement a commitment from Wheatley, Jr.

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

Demetrius Hart goes airborne for one of his six scores

Former DT Richard Ash: Ash had 4 tackles and 1 pass knockdown in Western Michigan's 32-20 win over Central Michigan.

Former S Josh Furman: Furman made 2 tackles in Oklahoma State's 49-28 loss to #6 Baylor. After starting off 5-1, the Cowboys have now lost five in a row and will be fighting for bowl eligibility next week against Oklahoma.

Former RB commit Demetrius Hart: Hart carried the ball 20 times for 230 yards and 5 touchdowns in Colorado State's 58-20 win over New Mexico. He also caught 2 passes for 42 yards and 1 touchdown. His receiving touchdown was from 20 yards out, and his rushing scores came from 76, 55, 6, 4, and 2 yards. He's now up to 1,139 yards and 16 rushing touchdowns this year on a 7.0 yard average.

Former RB Thomas Rawls: Rawls had 19 carries for 76 yards and 2 catches for 10 yards in Central Michigan's 32-20 loss to Western Michigan.

Former head coach Rich Rodriguez: Rodriguez and his Arizona Wildcats beat #20 Utah by a score of 42-10. That's the same Utah team that beat Michigan 26-10. I wonder how badly Arizona would beat Michigan right now. Anyway, running back Nick Wilson had 20 carries for 218 yards and 3 touchdowns. The team is 9-2 with a game next week against a pretty good Arizona State team.

Former S Ray Vinopal: In Pitt's 30-7 win over Syracuse, Vinopal had 5 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 2 forced fumbles, and 1 pass breakup. Pitt will be fighting for bowl eligibility next week against Miami.

Michael Weber, Ex-Wolverine

Michael Weber

Detroit (MI) Cass Tech running back Michael Weber decommitted from Michigan on Saturday afternoon. Or at least he made it public, via his Twitter account. Weber is a 247 Composite 4-star, the #13 running back, and #113 overall in the 2015 class. As a senior this season, he ran for over 2,000 yards during Cass Tech's run to the state semifinals.

Weber had committed to the Wolverines back in August over offers from Michigan State, Ohio State, USC, and Wisconsin, among others. Almost immediately he mentioned that he still wanted to visit other schools, and I have been saying all along that I did not trust his commitment. Of course, Michigan fans shouldn't hold it against a kid when he sees the coach who recruited him sitting on the hottest of hot seats. It's practically a foregone conclusion that head coach Brady Hoke will be replaced sometime in the coming weeks, so it's understandable that he would want to explore his options.

Hit the jump for thoughts on the position going forward.

Ex-Wolverine Updates

Josh Furman (#14) attempts to tackle Texas's Tyrone Swoopes

Former DT Richard Ash: Ash made 1 tackle in Western Michigan's 51-7 beatdown of Eastern Michigan.

Former CB commit Dallas Crawford: Crawford made 2 tackles in Miami-FL's 30-26 loss to Florida State.

Former S Josh Furman: Furman had 5 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, and 1 sack in Oklahoma State's 28-7 loss to Texas. Oklahoma State started off 5-1, but they have since lost four in a row to Big 12 opponents. Furman has 54 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, 6 sacks, 4 pass breakups, and 1 interception on the season.

Former linebackers coach Jay Hopson: Hopson, now the head coach at Alcorn State, moved to 9-2 on the season with a 56-6 victory over Arkansas-Pine Bluff.

Former RB Thomas Rawls: Rawls had 3 carries for 16 yards in Central Michigan's 34-27 victory over Miami-OH.

Former head coach Rich Rodriguez: Rodriguez's Arizona Wildcats beat Washington by a score of 27-26. The Huskies were ahead 26-24 with three seconds remaining when Arizona kicker Casey Skowron missed a potential game-winning field goal, but Washington head coach Chris Petersen had called a timeout to ice the kicker. Skowron hit the field goal on his second try and Arizona pulled out the win. Arizona is now 8-2 on the year.

Former S Ray Vinopal: Vinopal had 5 tackles in Pitt's 40-35 loss to North Carolina.

Ex-Wolverine Updates

Demetrius Hart

Former TE commit Pharaoh Brown: Brown suffered a gruesome knee injury in the game, but prior to doing so, he caught 3 passes for 40 yards and 1 touchdown. Oregon beat Utah by a score of 51-27. Brown's season is presumably over, so he finishes with 25 catches for 420 yards (16.8 yards/catch) and 6 touchdowns. You can watch below, but watch at your own risk:



Former CB commit Gareon Conley: Conley had 3 tackles in Ohio State's 49-37 win over Michigan State. He now has 12 tackles and 1 pass breakup in his redshirt freshman season.

Former RB commit Demetrius Hart: Hart carried the ball 11 times for 115 yards and 1 touchdown in Colorado State's 49-22 win over Hawaii. He also had 1 catch for 9 yards. Hart now has 909 yards and 11 rushing touchdowns, averaging 6.3 yards/carry.

Former head coach Rich Rodriguez: Rodriguez and his Arizona Wildcats beat Colorado by a score of 38-20. Arizona racked up 499 yards on offense, including 153 and and 115 rushing yards by running back Nick Wilson and quarterback Anu Solomon, respectively.

For more updates, check out the Ex-Wolverine Encyclopedia (LINK).

Ex-Wolverine Updates

Former Michigan DT Richard Ash (#9) with his cousin, Rontavious Atkins (image via MLive)

Former DT Richard Ash: Ash had 2 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, and 1 sack in Western Michigan's 41-10 win over Miami-OH. He now has 29 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, 1 pass breakup, and 1 blocked kick on the season. While looking for a picture to post (which is above), I came across this somewhat enlightening story about Ash's childhood in Florida (LINK).

Former TE commit Pharaoh Brown: The Oregon Ducks usually struggle with Stanford, but not this time. The Ducks beat the Cardinal by a score of 45-14. Brown had 2 catches for 36 yards.

Former CB commit Gareon Conley: Conley had 3 tackles in Ohio State's 55-14 victory over Illinois.

Former LB Josh Furman: After a promising 5-1 start to the season, Oklahoma State has lost three in a row. This week they got blown out by Kansas State by a score of 48-14. Furman had 2 tackles in the loss.

Former RB commit Demetrius Hart: Hart had 24 carries for 104 yards and 4 touchdowns in Colorado State's 38-31 win over San Jose State. This seven-game win streak is CSU's longest win streak since 1997. They are now 8-1. San Jose State's defense is coordinated by former Michigan defensive coordinator Greg Robinson.

Former head coach Rich Rodriguez: Arizona scored a touchdown a couple minutes into the game, and then their offense completely sputtered. They lost to UCLA by a score of 17-7. Wildcats quarterback Anu Solomono completed just 18/48 passes for 175 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 pick, and they were held to 80 rushing yards on 31 carries.

Former recruits WR Laquon Treadwell (Ole Miss) and LB Kris Frost (Auburn): Neither one was ever committed to Michigan, but both were really, really close. At the end of Saturday's game, Treadwell caught a screen pass and nearly scored a touchdown before Frost tackled him from behind, falling on Treadwell's leg and breaking it in the process. Meanwhile, Treadwell understandably fumbled the ball just inches from the goal line, so while the play was initially ruled as a potential game-winning touchdown, replay determined that it was a fumble recovered by Auburn. The Tigers won by a score of 35-31. WARNING: Don't watch the video if you're squeamish about seeing broken extremities.

Former S Ray Vinopal: Pitt lost a shootout in double-overtime to Duke by a score of 51-48. Vinopal had 7 tackles in the loss. Pitt piled up 358 rushing yards, including 263 from James Conner - who had ZERO negative-yardage plays.

Ex-Wolverine Updates

Oregon tight end Pharaoh Brown (image via Statesman Journal)

Former DT Richard Ash: Ash had 6 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, and 1.5 sacks in Western Michigan's 42-21 win over Ohio. He helped hold the Bobcats to 88 yards on 36 rushing attempts (2.4 yards/carry).

Former TE commit Pharaoh Brown: Brown caught 2 passes for 30 yards and 2 touchdowns (21 and 9 yards) in Oregon's 59-41 win over Cal on Friday night. Ducks quarterback Marcus Mariota finally threw his first interception on the year.

Former CB commit Dallas Crawford: Crawford had 2 tackles and .5 tackles for loss in Miami's 30-6 win over Virginia Tech.

Former S Josh Furman: Furman had 8 tackles and 1 tackle for loss in Oklahoma State's 34-10 loss to West Virginia.

Former RB commit Demetrius Hart: Hart had 13 carries for 87 yards and 1 catch for 21 yards in Colorado State's 45-31 victory over Wyoming.

Former linebackers coach Jay Hopson: Hopson and his Alcorn State Braves improved to 7-2 on the season with a 77-48 win over Prairie View A&M. Alcorn State gained 699 total yards (337 rushing, 362 passing) in a balanced attack, but they also gave up 545.

Former RB Thomas Rawls: Rawls had 3 carries for 4 yards in Central Michigan's 20-14 victory over Ball State.

Former head coach Rich Rodriguez: Rodriguez and his Arizona Wildcats beat Washington State by a score of 59-37. Arizona was outgained (543 to 491) in total yardage, but they returned a punt 81 yards for a touchdown and also returned a late WSU onside kick for a touchdown. Meanwhile, quarterback Anu Solomon threw for 294 yards, 5 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions.

Former S Ray Vinopal: Vinopal had 7 tackles and 1 tackle for loss, but Pitt lost to Georgia Tech by a score of 56-28. Five players for Georgia Tech had more than 50 yards rushing, and the Yellowjackets averaged 7.3 yards/carry.

Ex-Wolverine Updates

Pharaoh Brown (image via Daily Emerald)

Former DT Richard Ash: Ash made 1 tackle in Western Michigan's 26-14 victory over Bowling Green.

Former TE commit Pharaoh Brown: Brown had 3 receptions for a career-high 99 yards in Oregon's 45-20 victory over Washington. He has 18 catches for 314 yards (17.4 yards/catch) and 3 touchdowns on the season.

Former CB commit Gareon Conley: Conley made 2 tackles and 1 pass breakup in Ohio State's 56-17 dismantling of Rutgers.

Former S Josh Furman: Oklahoma State suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of TCU, 42-9. Furman made 5 tackles and 1 tackle for loss in the defeat. He now has 39 tackles, 9 tackles for loss, 5 sacks, 1 interception, 3 pass breakups, and 1 forced fumble.

Former RB commit Demetrius Hart: Hart's Colorado State team beat Utah State by a score of 16-13. Hart ran the ball 12 times for 60 yards (5.0 yards/carry) and 1 touchdown, and he caught 1 pass for 9 yards.

Former linebackers coach Jay Hopson: Hopson, now the head coach at Alcorn State, went to 6-2 with a 40-25 win over Texas Southern. The two losses came against Southern Mississippi in week two and Grambling State on October 11th. Hopson is 19-12 as a head coach in two-plus seasons.

Former RB Thomas Rawls: Rawls nearly continued his streak of 200+ yard rushing games, but alas, he ended this week's contest with 37 carries for 181 yards (4.9 yards/carry) and 1 touchdown. He also caught 1 pass for 6 yards, but Central Michigan lost to Ball State by a score of 32-29. Rawls passed the 1,000-yard barrier for the season and now has 1,007 yards and 10 rushing touchdowns.

Former S Ray Vinopal: Vinopal had 3 tackles and 2 pass breakups in Pitt's 21-16 victory over Virginia Tech.