81% Shooting Will Get You a lot of Wins

It was senior night at Crisler Arena last night but a Junior and Sophomore were the stars of the show. DeShawn Sims scored a career high 29 points and Manny (being Manny) Harris went for 27 in Michigan's 87-78 win over #16 ranked Purdue.

Michigan shot an amazing 81% from the floor in the second half. Since most of them were short jumpers or lay ups by Sims and Harris. The only flaw in an all most perfect second half was the lack of free throw shooting in the last 3 minutes. Michigan continued to miss the front end of free throws and gave Purdue a little bit of life down the stretch.

So the big question is, Does this win get Michigan into the NCAA Tournament? The answer is not yet. Michigan needs to win one of their remaining two road games (Wisconsin and Minnesota) and at least one win in the Big Ten Tournament. I think they make a strong case at 20 wins and a really strong case at 21. Michigan has good wins against, Duke, UCLA, Illinois, and Purdue with their only bad losses coming last weekend against Iowa.

Great Win guys, let's keep the mojo going for a couple more weeks!

• Seems the Gators are a still a little sore about losing Nu’Keese Richardson. Here are a few tidbits from the Gators Insider from the Palm Beach Post: Nu’Keese Richardson was a relatively unknown four-star receiver prospect out of Pahokee. - Tenn. WR's coach Frank Wilson appeared on a Knoxville sports talk radio show. Wilson was asked if any player on the roster reminds the staff of Reggie Bush, the Heisman winner who played for Kiffin at USC. “Yeah,” Wilson said. “Nu’Keese Richardson.” Nothing against Richardson, but Reggie Bush? Come on. Richardson, meanwhile, was a stand-out on Pahokee’s state championship team in 2008, but he may have not even been the best player on his team. He accounted for 20 touchdowns this year in 13 games and was named to the Palm Beach Post All Area First Team. But his teammate, running back Vincent Smith, beat him out for Player of the Year, while his other teammate, Brandin Hawthorne, won Defensive Player of the Year. Both are headed to Michigan. If Richardson had come to Florida, he would have been near the bottom of a stacked depth chart at receiver. He would have had to fight for playing time on special teams, and may have red-shirted his first year. BHB- First off for anyone that follows recruiting Nu’Keese was a talented and highly rated WR the entire recruiting season. To say he wasn't well know is complete fiction. I do like that he thinks both Michigan recruits Brandin Hawthorne and Vincent Smith were better players!

Must Win and Q&A Day

Tonight is a must win for Michigan Basketball if they have any hope of getting an NCAA bid with out winning the Big Ten Tournament. The key to the game will be how Manny Harris deals with his poor performance and benching in OT against Iowa this past weekend. This game will be close and Michigan will need the Crisler Arena crowd to lift them to an important win.

Sporting News does a Q&A with former Michigan QB Ryan Mallett:

Q: You left Michigan after Rich Rodriguez replaced Lloyd Carr. How did that go down? A: We met after (Rodriguez) was hired, and I think we both realized his offense wasn't the right offense for me. It was a mutual thing. After we felt each other out, we knew it wouldn't work. There were no hard feelings. Q: The Internet rumors of your scout team performances are legendary. Can you shed some light? A: Well, I didn't want to stand on the sidelines the entire season. I couldn't just stand there and do nothing. So I had a lot of fun with it. I wanted to give our guys the best look they could get. I went hard every day. Q: Your fumbled snaps at Michigan were legendary, can you shed some light on that? A: I just didn't have my head in the game and I didn't like Mario Manningham yelling at me. -- Sorry that last question and answer, I made up. Also, I follow college football pretty closely and didn't hear anything about the legendary scout teams at Arkansas. I might have to look into that.

ESPN interviewed new Michigan DC Greg Robinson: Here's the highlights:

Q:You talked last month about not getting too wrapped up in 3-4, 4-3, alignment stuff. Is there a time where you'll start formulate that, or are you going to wait to see how guys look in the spring?
GR: No, we'll have a plan going into spring ball. You don't just go out there and play. We'll have the ability to be a four-man front and the ability to be a three-man front. I've done that, really, since I was at the New York Jets to the Denver Broncos to the Kansas City Chiefs to [University of Texas] and at Syracuse, where we have had some hybrid-type players who can play defensive end or linebacker. We'll continue to do those types of things. Then, as you get to working with people, you realize some strengths that maybe were unnoticed that you could take advantage of, and then you work hard to work those kinds of things into the scheme.

Q: You mentioned last month about building the attitude on defense. Are there things you do early in spring practice to form it? What needs to go into it?
GR: I would never imply that I'm trying to make something different than what things were. I'm just going to coach defense the way I know how to coach defense. I know this: This defense will not be outhustled. We will fly around, we will hit, we will play together as a group. You'll sense an enthusiasm about them that they really enjoy playing together. As we get to know the athletes that we like, their talents, we'll be a very tough defense to deal with.

Q: As far as Rich, how have those discussions gone and where are you two in terms of philosophy?
GR: We spent a lot of time talking about those things early, when I came in. I have a good feel for the things he believes in as a defensive football team. I don't think we're very far off in anything philosophically. I can adapt to anything that he has interest in. Philosophically, we're on the same page. The things that are really important to him, I feel very comfortable that I can satisfy those kinds of things. It comes down to effort, philosophical-type things.
As we've talked, I know that there's nothing that's a red flag where I say, 'This is something very different in the thinking.' I just go about my business.

Q:You mentioned talking a lot with the other defensive assistants. As a guy who didn't hire any of those guys, how has that process been with a new staff?
GR: I've been very pleased and I feel very comfortable with the group that we're working with. Bruce Tall, the defensive line coach, and Tony Gibson, the secondary coach, those guys have worked together a number of years. Jay Hopson is a guy that's been around their program. I'm very fortunate to have a group of guys who really know football. I like their foundation of fundamentals as well as understanding schematics and things like that. Our graduate assistant group is a good group to work with. Really, I've been very comfortable and I look forward to getting out on the practice field.

Jaylen Watkins

It is still really early in the recruiting process and already the big time offers are rolling in for Cape Coral (FL) cornerback Jaylen Watkins. Tennessee and Florida State were the latest to offer Watkins, but the Alabama Crimson Tide is his current leader. The two-way star is exceptional on both sides of the ball and the recruiting process and forthcoming offers are proof of that.

Watkins Favors Bama and Adds Offers

Glen Coffee's Stock on the Rise!

Coffee had one of the better overall performances in the combine workouts, posting several marks that put him among the top 10 running backs. He displayed his speed with a 4.58 40-yard dash (ninth among running backs), had a broad jump of 10 feet, 1 inch (fifth), bench pressed 225 pounds 24 times (seventh) and had a 36-inch vertical jump (sixth).

Glen Coffee is a good, solid football player,' NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock said on Friday. 'He's not a first-round pick, (but) he has a little buzz around him right now.'

Coffee's workout creates a buzz

Did Michigan make Warren Buffett Mad?

Usually when your a public institution that relies on donations to do things like spend hundreds of millions dollars renovating your football stadium or putting up a new basketball practice facility, you usually don't want to piss off the richest man in the world. For those of you that don't know, Microsoft founder Bill Gates is now behind good friend Warren Buffett as the richest man in the world. On a side note, I hear they play in the member/member golf tournament together at Augusta National. I wonder what they talk about during the round? I would guess their golf cart radio would be playing a new song specially made for them by The Bare Naked Ladies called, "If I had 50 Billion Dollars". For the record Buffett is about 62 Billion and Gates is at 58.

So you ask, how would have The University of Michigan not made Warren B very happy?

Well, Michigan did this..........The University of Michigan will not renew its apparel licensing deal with Russell Corp.

Russell Corporation, owned by Berkshire Hathaway Corp (Warren's firm) has come under fire from labor advocates who said workers' rights to unionize were violated at factories in Honduras. One factory was closed partly due to anti-union animus, labor advocates said. Russell said the closure was prompted by declining demand for the apparel it produced.

This from unionvoice.org: Last year, Russell Corporation engaged in a series of mass firings of workers at its apparel plants in Choloma, Honduras -- in all, the company fired nearly 150 workers in blatant acts of retaliation for exercising their basic right to join a union. In response to pressure from universities and colleges whose logo apparel Russell produces, however, the company agreed to provide reinstatement offers and back pay to the fired workers, and to recognize a union at its Jerzees de Honduras plant.

I'm not hear to advocate who is right and who is wrong in these situations, we all know the reasons for and against unions and U of M had every right to end it's relationship with Russell for any reasons they see fit. I just hope Bill Martin didn't have a call into Warren about a new hockey practice facility or even a couple of suites in the new Big House!

The Russell story also had this interesting tid bit: This is the first time U-M has cut ties with an apparel manufacturer since a 2003 dispute with Land's End. That license was renewed several months later. Does anyone know why Michigan has a licensing agreement with Lands End? I haven't seen too much Lands End gear at the MDen? Is Lands End making a Michigan Snuggie or what?

Also, I think Michigan had a pretty public separation from Nike last year, so I'm not sure Lands End is the only apparel manufacturer Michigan has ended ties with since 2003.

Michigan 2010 Recruiting News and Notes

• Michigan has offered running back Marcus Lattimore. Marcus has 19 offers at the moment and doesn't expect to announce until signing day.

• 5 Star Safety from Florida Marvin Robinson, at one time believed to be a Michigan lean told ESPN that he is wide open and considering schools like Michigan, Ohio State, South Florida, and North Carolina. He is also not expected to "announce" until he has completed his final year of high school football.

• Michigan has offered GA dual threat QB Blake Simms. Blake has impressive numbers: The 6-foot, 180-pound Sims threw for 2,785 yards, rushed for more than 1,000 yards and accounted for 42 touchdowns. Sims boasts 4.5 speed in the 40-yard dash and has the dual-threat capabilities Rodriguez prefers.

• Michigan maybe the leader for SC Dual Threat QB Cornelius Jones. CJ is 6"3 185 lbs.

• Remember DE Alain Kashama? Well, he signed with the CFL's Calgary Stampeders on Monday.

• Ever wonder who might start at QB for your favorite university? There really isn't a ton of mystery around Michigan's starter, but the answer is: go down to your "official outfitter" and see what number jersey they will be selling. Like I said, Michigan's isn't a mystery, so why not sell a few Tate jersey's? Talk about pressure on a kid that hasn't even taken his first live snap in Michigan Stadium yet. Good Luck Tate!

New Michigan Football "Preferred" Walk On News

Thanks to Brian at Mgoblog and Scouts Go Blue Wolverines the Magazine; The Big House Blog has become your one stop shop for Michigan walk on information.

With that said, we have more Walk On news to report and yes, it's from another local Michigan player. Royal Oak's Eddie Murray will join the Wolverines next year as a preferred walk on. The first name that comes to mind is the Baltimore Orioles Eddie Murray, but sorry no relation. Then when you find out Michigan's new walk on is a kicker, you think maybe he is related to the Detroit Lions former kicker Eddie Murray? but sorry no again.

Eddie is just Eddie from Royal Oak and has only been kicking the pigskin for 6 games during his senior year. The Royal Oaks Ravens went "Detroit Lions" last year and didn't win a game so Eddie only had a chance to kick 3 field goals as a senior. He didn't even play football as a junior.

So why would Michigan even be interested in a kid that has only kicked in 6 high school games? Well, he is a good athlete and had some baseball scholarship offers to smaller schools and also played Free Safety and WR for Royal Oak this year.

But the real reason, is Eddie has a strong leg and has worked a little bit with kicking legend Jason Hanson from the Detroit Lions. Michigan needs depth at the kicker position and if Eddie does see the field early, look for him to be a kick off specialist.

"Both of my parents went to Michigan. I've been watching Michigan football my whole life. To get an opportunity to put on that uniform and play in the Big House will just be incredible.

"I know I might never get a chance to kick, but I am not afraid to compete. I've always had a strong leg. Even back when I was a youngster playing soccer, I had trouble kicking it in the goal. I was always kicking the ball over the goal. I wanted to kick from further and further away."

NFL Combine: Wolverine Sean Griffin

When you think about former NCAA players at the Indianapolis combine this weekend you think of stars like Michael Crabtree, Mathew Stafford, Knowshon Moreno, and Andre Smith. When you think about potential Wolverines getting drafted, former seniors like Tim Jamison and Terrance Taylor come to mind.

What about Sean Griffin? Like myself, many Michigan fans might be saying who? Many might remember Michael Griffin the small forward on Michigan's National Championship basketball squad in 1989, but as you have probably guessed that is a different Griffin. Then who is Sean Griffin? Sean was Michigan's long snapper who got invited to the NFL Combine to participate like any player would. Sean was one of two long snappers invited to this years combine, joining him was Hawaii’s Jacob Ingram. Sean has been writing a diary for the Detroit Free Press on his experience which ended on Saturday.

Here is a summary of how it went for Michigan's former long snapper:

Snapping?
"We worked out for four hours. ... The whole kicking process took three hours. There were eight punters and each punter took 14 punts. They did 11 kickoffs for each person, there were 10 guys doing kickoffs, each kicker took 15 kicks, and there were seven kickers."

Lifting?
Sean put up the 225 pound bench press 14 times.

Testing?
Sean took the Wonderlic test at 7:00AM on Friday and also did a strange color test.
The test featured a list of colors, but the words were printed in a different color than the word said. For instance, the word red printed in black or the word blue printed in green. The first time through they asked what color it was and the second time what the word said. Griffin was told he scored in the top 20%.

The 40?
Sean had hoped to run a 4.8 in the 40 but Saturday didn't go as well as planned: "While doing the warm-up to do these, they said, 'You're going to have plenty of time to get ready for your 40 (yard dash), don't worry.' (U-M strength coach Mike) Barwis gave me a progression of things to warm up before my 40. Then they said, 'Change cleats and get ready, specialists you're up in 3 minutes.' We went completely cold, hadn't warmed up at all and had to run." Sean ran a disappointing 5.1 in the 40 which was his final drill at the Combine.

What's next?
"I'm going to rerun at pro day at Michigan (March 13). The disappointing thing is I trained to do all the drills after I did the 40 (shuttle run, agility cone drills, etc.) and they said you guys are done. I said, 'No, I'm ready to do all of them.' They said, 'No, you're done, you don't have to do them.' "

So how do you think it went?
"The two biggest things were your weight and how you snap. It is the 40 a little bit, the 225 test maybe a little bit. But during snapping they had coaches try to bull rush, and I was blocking them fine. That's the only knock teams had against me coming in. They knew I could snap, knew I could cover and didn't know if I could snap and cover. I did it well. I think this was a huge success."

'Bama in the 2009 NFL Draft/Combine

(#8 - QB) John Parker Wilson, Alabama 6-0, 210
Positives: Game manager … Solid passer with nice mechanics … Veteran who saw it all.

Negatives: Not big. Not a prototype … Mediocre arm … Not mobile enough for his size.

(#1 - Safety) Rashad Johnson, Alabama (FS) 6-0, 195
Positives: Tremendous worker and a great leader … A playmaker. Made things happen as the star of a strong defense … Good closing ability when the ball is in the air.

Negatives: Not an elite athlete. A better football player than he’ll be in any workout … Not all that big. Not a huge hitter … He’ll have to get bigger and stronger or there might be a ceiling on what he can do.

(#1 - Offensive Tackle) Andre Smith, Alabama 6-5, 345
Positives: Dominant all-around blocker from day one … Elite strength and can handle himself well against speed rushers … Destroys defenders in the running game.

Negatives: Could stand to drop a little weight … Could stand to use a little more technique work … Needs to change his body a bit and get more muscular.

(#5 - Center) Antoine Caldwell, Alabama 6-3, 300
Positives: Extremely smart … Very quick and great on the move … Can be moved to guard.

Negatives: Can be pushed around by bigger tackles … Needs a little work on his technique … Could stand to be nastier as a run blocker.


(#15 - Running Back) Glen Coffee, Alabama 6-1, 200
Positives: Productive star in the SEC … Good around the goal line and between the 20s … Quick through the line.

Negatives: Isn’t special in any one area … Injury concerns. Banged up throughout Bama career … Not an NFL-caliber receiver.

2009 NFL Draft Preworkout Rankings

(NFL Draft) Andre Smith Value is Slipping and Slipping

The former Alabama left tackle and reigning Outland Trophy winner, Andre Smith,announced when he arrived that he was unlikely to work out for scouts. He had been busy choosing an agent, he said, and had only trained seriously for a few weeks. When it came time to run today, Smith was gone.

So they announced on the PA that Smith was AWOL. The backlash from the analysts came swiftly. They drilled him for not being in shape, for not communicating, and for not staying. Later, his agent Alvin Keels told NFL Network reporter Adam Schefter that it was Keels' fault for not telling teams that Smith had left for Atlanta.

Andre Smith goes AWOL at NFL Combine... pandemonium ensues!

BJ Scott to Defense!

Tide fans on message boards all across the interwebs have been speculating whether or not BJ Scott would be moved to the defensive side of the ball. Wonder no more. The deal is done according to BamaOnline. Scott was recruited as a 5-star athlete in last year’s class. He played QB and DB in high school and started out his Alabama career as a slot receiver. He saw very little action last season due to both a knee injury and having trouble making the switch to receiver. Scott has the ability to play anywhere in the secondary, but I think he gets first crack at free safety, where Rashad Johnson’s departure leaves a sizable hole to fill.

BJ Scott will make the move to DB

Friday News and Notes

• More Walk On News: This from BHB reader Biggame7: Johnny Childers has accepted a preferred walk on invite to join Michigan's 2009 recruiting class. Johnny is 6"1 233 and played LB and FB in high school for Muskegon Mona Shores. Here is Johnny's ESPN write up: Childers is a tough, thickly-built, blue-collar fullback prospect who also is an effective inside run plugger when employed at linebacker. Looks a bit like a throwback player and his game lacks a lot of finesse. He has good height and a compact, well-built frame that could bulk up to the 240-pound range while retaining his adequate straight-line speed. More of a battering ram of runner who is effective on quick North-South hitters up the middle. Good initial quicks through the hole for his size and will surprise you now and then with his agility as a runner. Tends to run high though and flashes difficulty sliding through the small creases. YAC is inconsistent. Won't be much more than a short-yardage fullback at the next level but has soft hands out of the backfield and shows the physical tools needed to develop into an effective blocker. Can stalemate defenders but will need to work on leverage and controlling/finishing blocks at the point of attack. Not as powerful or superior at the high school level as you would think as a blocker. Defensively, he is a bit stiff, range is limited to between the tackles but he can blow up the Iso and is difficult to turn at the point of attack. Overall Childers looks good on the hoof and has the physical tools for a mid-major program to mold as a situational fullback
  
  
  
  
  

• Central Michigan is now joining the Adidas family. Central is leaving behind "New Balance" and joining The University of Michigan in the Adidas family. This will be the first time Central has had an apparel and athletic shoe contract. Central's athletic department is struggling so this new contract should off set some costs for the Chips. Terms of the deal were not released.

• Athlon Ranking: Defensive Tackles: Remember earlier this week when Athlon ranked all the DE's in the 2009 recruiting class. Well, it's the DT's turn and "Big Will" Campbell ranked #4 nationally.

• The Miami Dolphins hints it would have started Chad Henne, if Chad Pennington wasn't released by the Jets: Coach Sparano, "Henne ran our football team pretty well in [the] preseason. That was a good problem to have." "Knowing Chad [Henne], if he was in the [starter] situation I would have been comfortable with him there. Look at the two young quarterbacks that had to play this year. They did a nice job," Sparano said.

• Update on the young man with the unfortunate last name, Larry Raper. Larry was thought to be "possibly" getting a Michigan offer this week. Larry was a Clemson 2009 commit before the coaching change, when he de-committed. Then it's believed Larry didn't have a qualifying test score that kept this 3 star speedster off many of the top programs recruiting boards close to signing day. It is believed that Larry has qualified and Michigan still has a couple of scholarships available and are looking at this 5"10 165 lbs. with 4.4 speed in the 40, athlete to play cornerback. Larry was mainly a running back and WR in high school. Michigan has asked Larry to visit Ann Arbor before they offer and his visit is expected to happen in the next few weeks. If Larry impresses the coaches, I would expect him to get offered. Michigan needs depth at CB and having a guy with 4.4 speed doesn't hurt.

• Check out his break away speed below!! The kid can catch the ball as well. After watching this video, I think Michigan should offer (if he can qualify acdemically of course).

Michigan being Michigan

Isn't it nice to see the Michigan Basketball team shoot well from outside? It seemed like the game against Duke was the last time Michigan saw the 3 ball go in consistently. Michigan was 13-28 tonight behind the arch and beat Minnesota 74-62. The game wasn't that close, with Michigan up by as much as 25 in the second half. The star of the night for the Wolverines was Zack Novak who made 6 three's and ended the night with 18 points. Even Kelvin Grady played well and added 12 points off the bench.

Michigan has back to back wins heading into this weekends game at Iowa on Sunday. Let's hope the win streak gets to 3. The game is a 5:00 tip on the BTN.

• Is it me or does Ed Hightower ref every NCAA basketball game? Every game I watch on ESPN or the BTN it seems Eddie Hightower is on the court calling fouls. Watch closely and see if he shows up on the 7:00 and 9:00 games on ESPN. It could happen!

• Remember that guy who was suing Marlin Jackson for $10 Million? Well, Marlin counter sued him and said his draft status dropped because of the accusation. Well, a Ann Arbor jury agreed with Marlin and awarded him $225,000 today.

• Michigan is lowering the price on football tickets for the 2009 season. The average price per ticket will go down to $50 a game which is a $3.57 decrease from last year.

• Last word on Threet: I keep reading newspaper articles that Rich Rodriguez gave Steven Threet no choice but to leave. Are you kidding me? I know Steve wasn't the QB of the future, but if your a head coach, I think you want a guy with some experience in his complex offense then none at all. Maybe Steve wouldn't have been the starter on opening day, but the worst he would have been was the #2 guy. I assume when he transferred to Michigan when Ryan Mallett was there, he sort of knew the #2 spot was going to be his. So maybe there was other issues behind the curtain we don't know about, but to say RR pushed him out is crazy. All he did was recruit the position and I am willing to bet dollars to donuts that he wanted Steve on the team to be the back up or even the starter. Threet's decision makes little sense to me, even if he does transfer to North Dakota State and becomes their starter.

Injury Updates

Alabama receiver Earl Alexander and tailback Roy Upchurch will not be cleared for contact work when the Crimson Tide starts spring practice March 23.

Julio Jones, who had procedures on his left shoulder and left wrist. Jones is expected to be 100 percent in time for spring practice.

CB Kareem Jackson (left wrist): OL Barrett Jones (right shoulder); LB Rolando McClain (right thumb); TE Colin Peek (left foot); LB Cory Reamer (right knee and right wrist); WR B.J. Scott (right knee); TE Brad Smelley (right wrist) and DE Lorenzo Washington (right thumb).

All players except Alexander and Upchurch are expected to cleared for full contact during spring drills

Want To Know if a Recruit is "Really" Committed to your University?

1. The committed player commits during his junior year.


2. He is rated one of the top players in the State of Florida.


3. Said player is expected to be a high 4 or 5 star recruit.


4. Committed Player helps recruit other players to come to the University he verbally committed to.


5. Committed player wants his new University fan base to know he is going to other schools junior days just to see other places but he promised his grandmother that he would play for the University he committed to.


6. Now the committed player and family is planning to move from Florida to Ann Arbor this summer, so that he can play high school football in Ann Arbor and go to every home Michigan game this fall.

Yes, ladies and gentlemen we are talking about Ricardo Miller a Michigan verbal commit true and true. On Michigan Blogs, we always talk about "Michigan Men" and I'm not sure I have ever seen a better example then Ricardo. To go from the arguably the best State for high school football to Ann Arbor, just to be closer to his university in a word is, outstanding.

Here is my prediction for Ricardo. He comes in and makes an instant impact in 2010. In 2011, he wears the #1 jersey with Braylon's approval. In 2012, we talk about him in the same breath as Braylon, Desmond, or Anthony Carter as one of best WR's in Michigan's history. I know that is a lot of pressure to put on a young man and that's not my intent at all. I'm just blown away in his love and passion for Michigan Football and hope nothing but great things for him.
The only mistake I can see that he is making is he is going to Huron High instead of Pioneer! :-) I hope Huron has a good QB since he is going to be throwing to 2 top WR's in Miller and Jackson!

Wacky Wednesday: a Potpourri of Information

• The USA Today has Jevon Ringer dropping on it's draft board: 57. Javon Ringer, RB, Michigan State, 5-09, 205, 4.53, 2-3: Although he showed toughness in 2008 by carrying Michigan State's offense with 1,743 yards and 22 touchdowns, scouts are concerned about his durability. He has torn multiple knee ligaments over the years and was not 100% much of last season. In January, Ringer had surgery to repair his right knee but expects to take part in the combine.

• Athlon Sports rated all the DE's in the 2009 recruiting class and Michigan's Craig Roh came in at #12 and Anthony LaLota came in at #13.

• Fromer State Player going to jail after knocking off a couple of banks: Craig Timothy Johnson, a 42-year-old who played on the Spartans 1988 Rose Bowl championship team, was arrested Jan. 7, 2008, hours after he and Ricky Ledale Johnson pulled off a heist at a Comerica Bank in Alpine Township. Craig Johnson will spend 6 + years in jail after robbing at least two banks and being swindled out of $35,000 by a business partner.

• Big House still the Biggest: With the construction this past year, most of us expected the Big House to be second to Penn State in attendance for the next two years. Well, Michigan actually is still #1 with an average of 108, 500 people attending each of it's home games, Penn State was second with an average of 108,200.

• Shahin Farokhrany is suing former Wolverine and current Indianapolis Colts CB Marlin Jackson for $10M for a fight way back in June 2003. Faroklrany actually had his case thrown out when he repeatedly failed to appear for depositions and hearings but an appellate court recently reversed the decision and sent it back to trial. Farokhrany alleges that Jackson hit him in the eye with a bottle, Jackson said it was with is fist. Marlin is also counter suing Farokhrary for unspecified damages for the drop in his draft status and continued embarrassment over the incident.

• Had enough Boren information? Nope, I guess not. I guess a low 3 star LB can still flab his gums and it becomes news worthy: "Now, linebacker recruit Zach Boren has joined his brother as a Buckeye, resulting in a transformation of loyalty among the entire family. "Everyone in the whole family is an Ohio State fan now," Zach said. "No one cares about Michigan at all anymore. That was in the past and we're all looking forward to being Buckeyes and staying Buckeyes for the rest of our lives." I wouldn't even have put this garbage on my site, but I wanted to point out that Zach's offer list looked like the following: Akron, Kent State, Toledo, Miami - OH, Cincinnati, and of course Ohio State. Interesting...........
  

'Bama 09 Seniors & their NFL Draft Projections

- Left tackle Andre Smith is forecast in the top seven overall picks.

- Safety Rashad Johnson's stock is rising and he could do as well as the second round (Not back for a former walk-on running back.

- Tailback Glen Coffee should go in the third-to-fifth rounds.

- Center Antoine Caldwell could fall to the fifth round due to a deep crop of centers.

- Quarterback John Parker Wilson is a possible seventh-round pick and will likely go undrafted.

Draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. runs down Alabama's NFL prospects

What is going on around here?

The day Stephen Threet leaves Michigan, another former Wolverine leaves his new school:
Jason Forcier (pictured to the right) brother of "soon to be starter" Tate Forcier has left Jim Harbough's Stanford Cardinal program. I wonder if there has ever been a case where, you transfer from one school to another, only to go back to the original school? This is another clear case where Jason made "too quick" of a decision on transferring and would most likely have been Michigan's two year starter right now. I wish Jason luck and hope he pays his own way and comes back to Michigan. BTW: 7 players left the Stanford program yesterday.

• Recruiting Update from TomVH at Mgoblog: It seems RR and staff will decide today if they want to offer Larry Raper a scholarship for the 2009 class. Larry reportedly will sign on the spot if offered by the Wolverines. The word on the street is this guy is crazy fast. Not sure why he didn't/doesn't have more offers. If this kid qualifies academically, then I say we take a flier on him and see what he can do. We all know Michigan has another scholarship available now. Michigan is looking for him to play cornerback.
  
  


• Also, top 2010 QB recruit Devin Gardner from the State of Michigan has dropped OSU due to their focus on a young man with a pretty good blood line: Nick Montana. As we have heard in the past, Devin has always been an OSU fan so we will see how this plays out over the summer. If Nick does go "nuts" and picks the Buckeyes, I would guess Devin would look elsewhere.
  
  


• Rumor Mill: is saying that Threet might end up at Eastern Michigan to play for former Michigan defensive coordinator now head coach Ron English. If Steve, did decide this route he would have to sit out a year and have two years still remaining to play. Since he transferred once already, he loses the right to redshirt.
  
  


• I know zero about Hockey but Michigan is pretty good and ranked #3 in the country.
  
  


• Michigan AD Bill Martin says the $226 million expansion and renovation of Michigan Stadium are on track to be complete for the first home football game of the 2010 season. He also said the athletic department is in a strong financial position, but he expects to see a downturn in donations from private individuals and less corporate sponsorship because of the nationwide financial crisis.
  
  


• 2010 Safety prospect: LaTwan Anderson, from Lakewood Ohio has got a Michigan offer. LaTwan happens to be tight with Michigan 2010 commit Jerald Robinson. LaTwan is 5"11 185 with offers from State, BC, Iowa, Cincinnati, and Indiana.

SEC Cocktail Hour

1) The Les Miles Martini for the James Bond style of guy who is cool under pressure. Drink this and you’ll “Have A Great Day.”

2) The Nick Saban Manhattan, the no-nonsense businessman’s drink. Great for afternoon meetings and taking care of business.

3) The Steve Spurrier Margarita. It has that Jimmy Buffet Florida Keys feel to it. Just kind of hanging out and seeing what the wind blows in.

4) The Urban Meyer Hot Buttered Rum. It’s a pirate’s drink. It will surprise you. It hits hard and fast and overwhelms.

5) The Houston Nutt Long Island Iced Tea. The drink is stronger than the name indicates; if you don’t watch out, it will knock you on your butt.

6) The Lane Kiffin Shirley Temple with a Twist at a party. It seems weak but someone may have added something stronger. So you really don’t know what is in it.

7) A Bobby Johnson Beer. One too many and you can’t drive.

8) The Rich Brooks Mint Julep. Watch out; it can lull you to sleep.

There are other drinks being introduced out of Starkville and Auburn but the final blends are not complete yet. When they’re ready, we will add them to the menu.

Pick Your Drink for the SEC Cocktail Hour

RB Commitment Class of 2010

Jalston Fowler, a 6-foot, 245-pound running back from the Mobile area, became the Crimson Tide's second commitment for the 2010 class. He told coach Nick Saban the news this afternoon, after Saban had extended an offer last week.

Very large running back becomes Alabama's second commitment for 2010

Introducing D.J. Fluker ...

Fluker made his name as a star defensive lineman in Mobile before switching to offense his senior season at Foley High school. Despite only playing one year at LT in high school, he quickly emerged as a top lineman (#1 OL on Rivals) and eventually one of the top prospects (#3 overall player on Rivals) after his stellar performances in various All-Star games. With attrition on the line at key spots like LT, C, and RG, and not a whole lot of stand out options to plug them, we simply had to have someone like Fluker.

According to ESPN analyst Tom Luginbill, "he has every bit the ability, the size, the strength and the penchant for finishing plays that Andre Smith had." Smith earned the starting job the moment he set foot on campus, as I'm sure you all will remember, and if Fluker is as good as everyone claims then knowing the scheme inside out or not may not matter, he could just be simply too good not to play.

Saban's Jewel Crown: D.J. Fluker

Single Threet QB to Transfer from Michigan

First off, I wish Stephen nothing but the best and hope he makes an impact at whichever school he picks.

"I have decided to transfer from the University of Michigan," Threet wrote in the statement. "I have requested and received my release. I do not yet know where I will continue my collegiate career, and have no further comment until that decision is made."

Second, I just don't understand when kids make these type of decisions. I know, he is not a good fit for RR's offense, and that Michigan recruited two high profile QB's in this class, and that Michigan will continue to recruit dual threat QB's in 2010.

So sure, Threet has every right to pack up his bags and look for another place to play. Why wouldn't he? Well, here are a few reasons he should have decided to stay at Michigan.

1. A "Free" First Class education. He has already transferred from Georgia Tech and now Michigan. If he wants to play right away, he will have to go to a D1AA school. So for a smart kid, I guess the academics side of this decision didn't really come in to play too much. Of course he can go to another D1 school, but would have to sit out another year (since he transferred once already, he can not use a redshirt, so he would lose a year). Getting a Michigan education gets lost in these decisions and I think that is really too bad. Let's be honest, 1% of athletes make it to the NFL, a Michigan degree means something.
2. He has a year of experience in this offense: No matter how good Tate Forcier is, Steve has more knowledge and experience in this offense and would have been the odds on starter for the Western Michigan game.
3. Did he learn anything from his own experience? Steve transferred to Michigan to "sit" behind 5 star QB Ryan Mallett and then got the chance of a lifetime last year and got to play right away. You never know what will happen in this sport.
4. Competition: Makes you a better player. Use Michigan QB history as an example. Michigan had the strong armed QB "golden boy" Drew Henson that was 5 Star in everything he did. Michigan also had another QB at the same time named Tom Brady. Everyone wanted Drew to play, mostly when Tom struggled and Drew did. Drew got in and struggled as all young QB's do. Tom, came back in and saved a few wins and even got drafted. I guess, I forget to mention he did pretty well in the NFL.

Steve, I wish you all the best in whichever school you decide to continue your career yet, but I wish you would have stayed and competed for the QB position at Michigan.

Memo to all of us Michigan fans: this departure equals even a worse shot at a Bowl Game next year. I had envisioned Foricer staring and Threet pulling out some games. Now it looks like, all our cards are on the table with a couple of freshman and a couple of walk on's. Not good my friends, not good.

Welcome to Michigan Tate and Good Luck!

Lane Kiffin is a Walking Recruiting Violation

Lane joked about getting 29 out of 30 on his NCAA recruiting test. I wonder which question he missed? Because he is a walking talking Recruiting Violation, even UCLA head coach Rick Neuheisel thinks Lane is out of control and has had too many violations in just a few weeks.

If your keeping score at home, Lane's first two violations came when he called out Florida head coach Urban Meyer for cheating when he called a recruit while he visited Tennessee, then he used a fog machine and faked a press conference when some recruits visited Knoxville. Now his third violation came when he mentioned un-signed #1 ranked running back Bryce Brown by name on the radio. Kiffin was talking about the growing trend of high school prospects waiting until after signing day to choose a school and made a reference to "great players like Bryce Brown" while appearing on WNML Radio. Those comments came after the host of the show, Dave Hooker, couched the question by reminding Kiffin that he couldn't talk about specific recruits.

Lane has been on the job since December 1st and has seemly can't get out of his own way when it comes to recruiting. Maybe old man Al Davis was right, this guy might be a little unstable?
I know the NCAA doesn't usually come down hard when programs self report minor violations, but they might have to send a message to Lane with all these violations.

Keep it up Lane! Your bringing some much needed spice to usually a slow time for college football news. I'm really looking forward to watching the Vol's this year, mostly when they meet the National Champions Florida Gators!

'Bama Players in the NFL Hall of Fame

Alabama Players in the Pro Football Hall of Fame:

Don Hutson (Green Bay, 1963)
Bart Starr (Green Bay, 1977)
Joe Namath (New York Jets, 1985)
John Hannah (New England, 1991)
Dwight Stephenson (Miami Dolphins, 1998)
Ozzie Newsome (Cleveland Browns, 1999)
Derrick Thomas (Kansas City, 2009)

Alabama is fourth in college football history with seven Pro Football Hall of Fame selections.

UA's Derrick Thomas Elected to Pro Football Hall of Fame

Fast Friday Michigan Update

• Top College Sports Town: Forbes.com ran an article listing the top college sports towns and Ann Arbor came up #1. Of course it is!



• Michigan Basketball: Remember the must win that didn't happen on Tuesday, well Michigan plays Northwestern this Sunday and of course it's a must (fill in the blank). Tip is at 3:00 BTN



• 2010 Slot WR Recruit: From Pahokee, Florida, De'Joshua Johnson, doesn't have Michigan in his top 5. He is listing WVU, Miami, Florida State, South Florida, and Alabama.



• Kirk Ferentz signed a new 7 year deal.



• Steve Stripling: Don't be fooled by hair replacement guy with the tag line "I'm not just the President, I'm a client". This is the former U of M Defensive Line coach under Lloyd Carr. Steve has taken a job with RR's close friend Butch Davis at Central Michigan as their associate head coach-defense and Defensive Back coach. Here is a picture of Steve, maybe he should call the "other" Steve. Never mind.

• Dugan's Brother: Dan Fife is the head basketball coach at IPFW and is only 29. You might remember Dan when he played at Indiana.

• The State of Michigan is loaded with Dual Threat QB's in the class of 2010. The headliner has been Devin Gardner but Robert Bolden might have something to say about that. Robert is also 6"4 200lbs. Here is what an analyst from Scouts had to say about Robert: "He's very smooth and polished," said Scout.com Midwest analyst Allen Trieu. "You watch him on his drops and his release, and it's very effortless. He probably has the best mechanics of any quarterback in the state. He's a good athlete that can run, but I like that he prefers to be in the pocket." "Bolden is more polished than Gardner or Boisture," Trieu continued, "but he has a different style from both of them. Gardner is more of a true dual-threat and Boisture is more of a gunner." Robert does hold an offer from The University of Michigan.

• Per Mgoblog and Varsity Blue: Here are the numbers for the already enrolled freshman: "Big Will" Campbell #73, Vlad Emilien #5, Tate Forcier #5, Mike Jones #27, Brandin Hawthorne #7, and Anthony LaLota #90. (you can have duplicate numbers, they just can't be on the field at the same time)

2009 Way Early Predication! Florida vs Who in the SEC Championship Game?

1. Alabama: Proved in their bowl game and matchup with Florida (WITHOUT Harvin their best playmaker) that they can't compete with above average team speed and an option/spread offense. They also lose their QB and top RB Coffee which hurts an already ailing offense down the stretch. Utah exposed 'Bama, and the SEC took notice. They will break down the film second by second, and be better prepared for Saban the next time around.

2. Georgia: Loses Moreno AND Stafford at the same time, which will cripple an offense that attempted to carry a weaker than usual Bulldog defense in '08. They gave up 30 or more points 4 times, including 45 POINTS to an ACC team in GT, one of the least respected major conferences in all of college football.

3. LSU: Destroyed this same Georgia Tech team, and held them to only 3 points in their bowl game. This shows how mediocre Georgia's usually great defense truly was, as LSU was losers of 4 OF THEIR LAST 6 coming in, with their only wins coming over Tulane and Troy....wow. They are not the same Tigers we are accustomed to at all. A 3-5 SEC showing is enough in itself to write them off for 2009.

4. Auburn?: Not even worth discussing at 5-7 and 2-6 in conference

5. Ole Miss?: Excellent turnaround season and showed a lot of promise with a GREAT young QB who will only get better in Jevan Snead. I will actually go out on a limb and pick them to upset Alabama and claim the SEC West title in '09. They played as good as anyone down the stretch, going 6-0 to finish the season. They defeated Florida, LSU, and Texas Tech in '08, as well as nearly taking down #2 Alabama.

College Football 2009 SEC Preview

'Bama NFL Prospects ....

LT Andre Smith -- A consensus top three pick, Smith was a dominant left tackle from the moment he stepped on campus. Smith elected to leave after his junior year. He was the Tide's most consistent run blocker for three years, and its best pass-blocker, too, protecting QB John Parker Wilson's blind side.

SS Rashad Johnson -- A former walk-on who wound up his career as an All-American, with 224 career tackles and 11 interceptions. Johnson had five interceptions as a senior. Johnson became Nick Saban's quarterback on defense because of his knowledge of every position on the field and ability to react to offensive formations. Johnson impressed scouts this year as the leader of one of the best defenses in the country.

RB Glen Coffee -- The SEC's second-leading rusher (1,383 yards) surprised many by coming out after his junior season. He isn't considered one of the top running backs coming out this year, but perhaps he figured with so many holes to fill on the Alabama offensive line, he might never have as good a year as he did this past year.

OC Antoine Caldwell -- Considered one of the top centers in college football. However, centers are not always a priority in the NFL, and Caldwell is expected to be a mid-round draft pick.

QB John Parker Wilson -- Threw for 7,924 yards and 47 touchdowns in his Alabama career. Wilson was the MVP of the Senior Bowl game.

PRO POTENTIAL

Thursday's Pot Luck of Michigan Information

• Do you remember QB Lee Mondol? I guess he was a Wolverine at one point and then transferred to Ventura College and now is joining South Dakota State. Good for him, I guess. I don't remember this kid at all.

• Is Michigan still looking to add to the 2009 class? The answer is yes and maybe this kid could be a candidate: Larry Raper, the 5-foot-10, 165-pound three-star wide receiver/running back from Shelby, NC. He says he’d like to sign with either Michigan or East Carolina, but neither have offered. “I know that Michigan has been talking to my coach a lot recently,” Raper said. “We sent them some tape and they are checking that out. I’m not sure how many offers they have left but they are recruiting me so they must be interested. If they offered me I’d sign right away.” Scout.com’s No. 61 wide receiver in the country says the Wolverines are recruiting him as a cornerback/athlete.

• U of M Baseball will retire Jim Abbott's #31 on April 18 before a game against Michigan State. "It is truly an amazing feeling," Abbott said in a statement released by the university. "When coach (Rich) Maloney called to tell me, I was speechless. I never could have imagined this happening. For me, going to Michigan was such a proud accomplishment. Being able to wear that jersey and represent the university was so fulfilling for me. I had such a great experience at Michigan and to have them do this for me is beyond words."

An Early Look at 2010 Needs and Potential Recruits

Devin Gardner

As a Michigan fan when you start to think about the recruiting class of 2010, a few needs come quickly to mind. Linebacker, Defensive Line, another QB, and Defensive Backs.

Of course you always take positions like Running Back, WR (already 3 verbally committed to 2010), and Offensive Line. But LB, DL, QB, and DB are the key needs for the Wolverines in 2010. Some fans may argue, Michigan is good at QB with Threet, Forcier, and Robinson but until that position is solidified, Michigan needs to recruit dual threat QB's every year.

For all of you that don't follow recruiting religiously, I will give you some Michigan targets by position for 2010. All of the following recruits either have a Michigan offer or RR and staff are watching them closely.

QB:
1) Devin Gardner, 6-4, 195 from Inkster, MI
2) Robert Bolden, 6-4, 195 from Orchard Lake, MI
3) Christian Green, 6-2, 200 from Tampa, FL
4) Cornelius Jones, 6-3, 185 from Spartansburg, SC

Defensive Line - DE
1) William Gholston, 6-7, 240 from Detroit
2) Derrick Bryant, 6-4, 230 from Columbus, OH
3) Darryl Baldwin, 6-6, 240 from Solon, OH

DT:
1) Jay Guy, 6-2, 300, Texas
2) Johnathon Hankins, 6-3, 326 from Detroit
3) Tremondae Branch, 6-0, 264 from Flint

Cornerbacks:
1) Dior Mathis, 5-9, 171 Detroit Cass Tech
2) Lo Wood, 5-11, 175 Apopka, Fl
3) Cullen Christian, 6-1, 180 Pittsburgh, PA

Linebackers:
1) Austin Gray, 6-2, 210 from Warren, MI
2) Danial Easterly, 6-5, 200 from Detroit Cass Tech
3) Joran Hicks, 6-2 200 from West Chester, OH

A couple of things come to mind when I see this list. Michigan will continue to recruit the States of Michigan and Florida hard. It also looks like the state of Michigan will have a very good crop of recruits for 2010, headlining by Devin Gardner and William Gholsten both expected to be 5 star recruits. Expect to see the following names make trips to the State of Michigan this year: Meyer, Kiffin, Tressel, Zook, and Carroll.

Michigan 2009 Recruiting Class: "Name" Awards

Michigan 2009 class was setting up be the "best" unique named players in the country when the de-commitment bug hit some the "named" stars in this class. Michigan lost: Shavodrick Beaver, DeQuinta Jones, and Pearlie Graves and replaced them with names like Robinson, Washington, and Stokes.

Michigan went quickly from the top of the mountain in the "mystical" top unique recruits names title to middle of the pack. The reason LSU had the top class this year was not the number of 4 and 5 star recruits they were able to attain, it's because they were able to sign Barkevious Mingo. That is a 5 star name if I have ever seen one.

The best the "Vest" could do was Jack Mewhort a 4 star OL from Toledo. Ohio State's class is full of names like Hall, Carter, Brown, Fields, Jackson, and Bell. How is anyone going to recognize those names? I know OSU fan, why don't you give every player on the team a nickname? Things like "Boom" or "Beanie" should do the trick.

Now on to Michigan's nominee list for this year's award (5 player minimum):

1. Fitzgerald Toussaint
2. Vladimir Emilien
3. Tate Forcier
4. Anthony LaLota
5. Taylor Lewan

Players that were not eligible for the Mystical Title include:

1. Isaiah Bell
2. William Campbell
3. Jeremy Gallon
4. Brendan Gibbons
5. Cameron Gordon
6. Thomas Gordon
7. Brandin Hawthorne
8. Mike Jones
9. Teric Jones
10. Denard Robinson
11. Craig Roh
12. Michael Schofield
13. Vincent Smith
14. Je'Ron Stokes
15. Justin Turner
16. Quinton Washington
17. Adrian Witty

As you can see Michigan's top two names are great! But after the losses of Shavodrick, DeQuinta, and Pearlie. Michigan never had a clear shot at the title. There is no way your going to win this title with 2 Gordon's, 2 Jones, a Robinson, and a Turner for goodness sakes. I like Je'Ron coming in late but his last name wasn't enough for him to get nominated.

Outlook for 2010? Not good! There is a Miller, Jackson, and Robinson already verbally committed. The names in this class better start getting unique or we will have to look to 2011 for another trophy. I think Barkevious might have a younger brother?

Another Preferred Walk On at Michigan

The BHB is starting to be the place where you get all your Michigan Wolverine walk-on news.

Coach Rodriguez has found another walk-on he would like to add to next years team. It's Fullback Calvin Smith from Joliet Catholic Academy in Illinois.

Smith is 6-2, 235 and rushed for 537 yards for an average of 5.5 yards per carry.

Now, Smith is planning to enroll in at least one class this summer so that he can participate in Michigan's summer workouts.

"I'd like to get on special teams next season and maybe get a chance to play in goal line situations," he said

My $.02 on walk-on's: I love the idea of a preferred walk-on coming to Michigan, it gives the team depth, but it also gives the team the ability to practice with a higher number of players. One of RR's comments this past year was, Michigan was doing a lot of good things on Monday - Friday that wasn't showing up on Saturday. Maybe having more kids at practice will allow Michigan the ability to practice at a different level and close the Saturday gap.

This policy also gives kids a chance to "live the dream" and put on the winged helmet in front of 110,000 fans on a Fall Saturday. Now that is something they can tell their grandchildren about!
I'm very much in favor of this new policy and hope it gardeners a "diamond in the rough"!

CFN’s 2008 Conference Recruiting Rank: 1

#1. Alabama

The class is heavy on ... linemen. Nick Saban and his staff brought in yet another loaded class that is among the best in the country with RB Trent Richardson leading the way, but the bulk is up front. From JUCO transfer James Carpenter, who might get a starting spot on the offensive line right away, to Darrington Sentimore, Chris Bonds, and Anthony Orr, who’ll load up the defensive front, the Tide secured the lines for the next several years.

The player who'll someday be a really big deal ... RB Trent Richardson
The player you might care about this year ... OT James Carpenter

What it all means to the real world of college football ... Alabama is here to stay. Last year the team was ahead of the curve by a year or two, and now, after the last two recruiting classes, the program is loaded with as much talent as anyone in the country. It still might take one more year, but once everyone starts to mature, which should all kick in next year, and in full force in 2011, this will be a jaw-dropping good team.

CFN’s 2008 Conference Recruiting Rank: 1

Must Win Tuesday

I'm not a big fan of the term "must win" it's way overused in the sports world. It's almost as bad as using coaching "genius", but tonight is a "must win" for the Wolverines. In fact, all of the games for the rest of the year are "must wins" for Michigan if they have hope of breaking their NCAA tournament drought.

The remaining schedule looks like: MSU tonight, at Northwestern, Minnesota, at Iowa, and finishing the year at home against Purdue.

Michigan needs 20+ wins to be in the conversation of the NCAA. Let's hope the "moral" victory against #1 UConn can help propel the Wolverines to a late year win streak.

Being Lane Kiffin: So you get fired from the Oakland Raiders for basically not communicating with the 200 year old owner, you land on your feet by getting a high profile college gig at Tennessee, you hire your father as defensive coordinator, you tell a 5 star QB "thanks but no thanks", you steal a high profile Florida WR from the Gators on signing day, you call out the National Champions head coach by saying that he "cheated" when he really didn't, you get reprimanded by the SEC for making those comments and now this....................

Tennessee notified the NCAA it found a Southeastern Conference coach committing recruiting violations - the Volunteers' own Lane Kiffin.

In letters to the NCAA and SEC, the Tennessee athletic department said the secondary violations occurred in January. One violation occurred when nine prospects on an official visit to the school participated in a mock press conference at Neyland Stadium's media center.
Another violation occurred when a fog machine was used as a recruit entered the field at Neyland Stadium during his official visit on Jan. 9.

A fog machine and a pretend press conference? Are you kidding me? Were the Business School and Law Schools closed? Did the Library get flooded? I guess Coach Kiffin needs gimmicks to sell recruits on the University of Tennessee. Which is sad and sends the wrong message to 18 year-old kids.

BTW: Kiffin joked he got 39 out of 40 on his NCAA recruiting test? I'm guessing me might need to retake it!

Coach you just got hired on December 1st. What is going to happen when they start playing games?

Does anyone want to coach at Louisville? I wrote an entire post on the coaching turnover at Louisville recently. It's been downright crazy. They have pretty much replaced their entire staff in less then a year, with only the offensive coordinator Jeff Brohm staying on board. Until yesterday of course, when head coach Steve Kragthorpe let Jeff go. This program is in complete disarray.

State's turn to schedule a D1A School: Montana State will play Michigan State in its season opener in 2009, traveling to East Lansing, Mich., for the Sept. 5 game.

A View from the Other Side: Ohio State's 2009 Class in Review

2009 Ohio State Recruiting Summary

I hadn’t really spent a great deal of time analyzing Ohio State’s recruiting class in the days before and after last Wednesday. There are several reasons for that. #1 The lack of a Terrell Pryor story line this year. #2 The class had been committed for months. #3 Work responsibilities required attention elsewhere. However, when Big House Bob asks for an update, you have to come up with something. Here goes…….

Overall, I’m very happy with this group of recruits. Players fit in at every position of need. The class was highly ranked by all of the major services. Any ranking in the top 3-6 keeps me happy year after year. ESPN had us a little lower but the composite score of the class was pretty competitive with the other elite teams in the BCS conferences. I also liked the fact that we were able to keep almost all of the best Ohio players from leaving the state and we took some of the best players from Michigan, Pennsylvania and --with Jaamal Berry one -- of the best from Florida. I’m not going to go into individual detail about each recruit but I will take a quick look at how some of these recruits could end up contributing sooner rather than later.

QB - It’s been said by many Ohio State fans that the most important development at this position wasn’t being in the running for Taj Boyd or signing Kenny Guiton. No, the most important development was that Joe Bauserman decided to remain with the team. At the very least we’ll have someone who’s taken live snaps on the roster to back up Pryor. I was never of the opinion that we needed to land Taj or any other highly ranked QB in this class. With a small gap in this class (sorry Kenny) we won’t have to worry as much about playing time issues with recruits in the next few classes. Remember these names…..Robert Bolden and Braxton Miller.

Running Back - This spot became a huge position of need when Beanie declared for the draft. Boom Herron ran well at the end of the season and by all accounts will be the starting tailback next year. Saine continues to disappoint (is he hurt…or not?) and “Rasta’ Wells graduated. Adding Berry is good but I’m really looking forward to seeing Carlos Hyde get some reps. I think his size and speed compare favorably with Beanie and I look for him to be an early contributor. People say other wise but I think Jordan Hall is just part of the package deal with Pryor.

Wide Receiver and Tight Ends - In my mind the struggles that Ohio State had with the passing game last year has taken some of the shine off of the players signed at this position. The Legacy, Duron Carter and Cory Brown are the big names and I’ll admit to being curious to see if either one of them can crack the rotation of receivers. James Jackson is fast, Reif Fragel is tall. Both are from Michigan. That sums up this group of recruits.

Offensive Line - If I’m a little down on the passing game after last year, I’m really down on the play of the offensive line based on the same metric. This unit was terrible last year but there are plenty of reasons to think things will be better this year. Jack Mewhort and Marcus Hall are the two highest rated recruits at this position and both may get a chance to see plenty of playing time. The O-line seems set across the board with Adams, Cordle, Brewster, Boren and Shugarts. Mewhort could see time backing up Brewster at center and Hall could play either of the positions on the right side of the line. Overall, I think this group of players (and all the others that I didn’t mention) makes up the deepest line unit in many, many years. Now, I hope this hype can translate to performance on the field in the fall.

Defensive Line - I have conflicting thoughts about the players signed to play here. Simon and Fellows were given 5 stars at the start of their senior seasons. One dominated play from the outside and one dominated from the inside. Both positions are areas of need for the Buckeyes. However, the hype around both of them seemed to ebb a little bit over the course of the season and by the end of the year neither was getting as much attention. We’ll see what happens but I for one think that one of the keys for success in the upcoming year is improved play across the defensive line. It will be critical for the line to keep blockers from getting to the second level where we will be fielding less experience than the past several years.

Linebacker - Dorian Bell and Storm Klein get mentioned here…if only because I like their names. We’ll need all the depth we can get at this position so the addition of these two to the rotation is key. Most services rated Bell as the number one player in Pennsylvania. Klein has developed a cult like following for his old school play on both sides of the ball. There is even talk of Klein getting some reps at fullback. I think based on his name alone he’s going to be the next great middle linebacker for the Buckeyes.

Defensive Backfield - This is also a position of concern for the team. The safeties are set to return but the corner positions are all up for grabs. Maybe CJ Barnett will be able to crack the rotation.

So…like I said at the beginning….I tried to cover the positions as compared to the individual recruits. Overall I like the players. I like the class ranking. Above all, I trust that all were chosen because they were quality young men who would be exemplary student-athletes who will bring honor (and victories) to the program….especially in 258 days….in Ann Arbor Michigan.

Go BUCKS!!!!

-Buckeye John

Michigan Recruiting Never Sleeps: Welcome to 2010 and Welcome Jerald Robinson

Wasn't signing day just last Wednesday? Wouldn't you think, it's time for the coaches to relax a little, maybe take the kids to Disney World?

Nope! Recruiting never stops, no matter if it's trying to get walk-on's to fill depth needs or recruiting for the class of 2010. MgoBlog and Rivals are both reporting that 2010 Ohio WR Jerald Robinson is going to give his "verbal" commitment to the Wolverines today.

Could DRob end up throwing to JRob? It could happen!

Jerald is 6"3 185 and had 34 catches for 756 yards and 7 touchdowns as a junior at Canton South. He also played Safety and had 56 tackles, with 7 picks, and two forced and recovered fumbles. Mgoblog: "I play receiver and safety. I like receiver more, and that’s what the coaches are talking to me. I play the X receiver, so they want me there"

"I’m excited to meet new people, and to be out of the state of Ohio. I want to get out of Ohio and experience new things. Justin Turner told me that you meet a whole different family, and you can start a new life. That’s what I think I need"

Jearald's head coach, Moe Daniska; "He's always been a Michigan fan. He was hoping either Michigan, Ohio State or Michigan State - those were his top three choices - would offer. I think when Michigan was the first to offer, he just felt that it was the right move."

"He's one of our go to guys. He was one of only three starters we had go both ways," said Daniska. "He's a good size kid, about 6-2, 185 pounds, was a playmaker and difference maker for us. "He has good hands, good speed, goes up and attacks and gets the football. That's what separates him from a lot of guys."

Jearald is currently ranked in Rivals 250 to watch and is Michigan's 3rd verbal and 3rd WR in the class of 2010, which is off to a quick and outstanding start!

Enjoy his video!

'Bama's Back! Why?

First of all, two words: Nick Saban. The Sabanator, St. Nick, Coach Satan, whatever you want to call him, his imprint is definitely now ingrained upon this team.

Secondly, this is one of the nation's youngest teams and it was number one for much of last season. Only losing nine seniors, not all of whom were even starters, means this is a team with experience where it counts.

Bama's defense, already tough, may now be a total roadblock for opposing teams to try to surmount.

Alabama's offense will create mismatches at all positions against most defenses next year. It will truly be a two-headed monster as opposed to the smash mouth team it was for most of last year.

Opponents Should Fear 2009 Alabama

Coaches from the Past .. Enter Saban ...

A string of coaches whose legacies ranged from scorn and betrayal to shame and embarrassment. Mike DuBose and Mike Price were caught in scandals off the field; Price, in fact, was fired without ever coaching a game in Tuscaloosa. Dennis Franchione abandoned the Tide without bothering to say goodbye, while Mike Shula proved too inexperienced to handle the job."A lot of the things I was told about Alabama have not turned out to be so," Saban said."All the positive things have been very positive and some of the negative things haven't really been so."Asked for specifics, he pointed to the enormous expectations that anyone coming after the Bear must ultimately live up to. Ray Perkins thought it best to make a clean break, but he only angered the masses when he ripped down Bryant's famous coaching tower.Bill Curry tried to appease the Alabama faithful, even putting the tower back up, but he was always treated as an outsider because he hadn't played or coached under Bryant.Only Gene Stallings, a Bryant protege who even sounded a bit like his old coach, was able to win over Crimson Tide fans. Of course, it helped that he won the first national championship of the post-Bryant era in 1992.Saban knows he, too, will largely be judged on wins and losses. He can live with that."Everybody says what a hard place it is to coach," Saban said. "I don't see that at all. I appreciate the hoarding five national titles and interest. It wouldn't be a very good thing if there weren't expectations, as long as they're realistic."While Curry stirred up such ire in Tuscaloosa that someone reportedly threw a brick at his office window, he has no ill will toward the school he coached from 1986-89, winning a share of the SEC title.

roll-tide-saban-restores-pride-in-storied-program

Not done Recruiting yet....

Standout Mitchell High junior wide receiver Keiwone Malone said Friday morning he has committed to Alabama.

The 6-1, 165-pound Malone, one of five finalists for The Commercial Appeal’s 2008-09 Pepsi Best of the Preps offensive player of the year award, caught 76 balls for a state-best 1,438 yards and 19 touchdowns this season, helping Mitchell to a Class 3A state runner-up finish.

He broke former Westwood High standout Damien Dodson’s state record for receiving yards in a game this season with his 358-yard, three-touchdown receiving performance against Dyersburg in a state quarterfinal game.

Keiwone Malone commits to Alabama

Top 10 Ten Players to watch for in 2010 and Lots of New Walk On News

Ricardo Miller, gets called out by this Sporting News article as one of the Top 10 recruits to watch for in 2010: Ricardo Miller, WR, 6-3/200, Dr. Phillips (Orlando) Gave pledge to Michigan early, and has family ties in the area. Said he wants to help turn around the program. There is another Michigan prospect on the list as well: Devin Gardner, QB, 6-4/200, Inkster (Detroit)Intriguing personality already has a boatload of scholarship offers, with Notre Dame coming most recently.


Another Walk-on from the State of Michigan: Adam Barker, OL, Adrian: The 6-foot-3, 270-pound Barker helped increase Adrian’s suddenly plentiful list of Division I players after accepting a preferred walk-on offer from Michigan.“He wanted to get a scholarship, but that fell through, so he said he was going to walk on at Michigan,” Jacobs said at Wednesday morning's signing. “(Michigan head coach) Rich Rodriguez was a walk-on at West Virginia, so he treats walk-ons special. Adam is rated 2 stars by Rivals. Seems like a nice pick up!

• More Walk-on news, this from New York: Though he would have merited a ride somewhere else, lineman Tom Lindley of William Floyd will attend Michigan as a preferred walk-on next fall and try to earn a scholarship down the road. Tom is 6'3 297 and played OT in high school.
  
  
• Remember defensive end Quintin Woods? He has spent some time in JR. college in California and signed with Kansas this week.
  

• Did you know Troy Aikman has a step daughter at Michigan? Me either.

• "And the thing about it, until about six months ago, he was the biggest Michigan fan I ever met. But he really loves the Buckeyes now, I am telling you. It's amazing." regarding OSU signee, Duron Carter.



• Just for laughs: Can you ID this person?
  
  
  
  Yes, it's Zach Boren now of Ohio State. Where both Boren's are residing.

12th Game and a Must Win for Michigan Basketball

• 12th Game added: Michigan has added it's 12th game for October 17th at home. Drum roll, please............It's Delaware State of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, in the FCS, formerly Division I-AA. Delaware State did win the MEAC championship in 2007 but was 5-6 last year. I know many fans will say, WTF? regarding this game, but let's be honest here, when your trying to rebuild your program we don't need to be bringing in Utah or some PAC 10 team. If your interested, MSC does a nice job of breaking down Delaware State's record and his thoughts regarding Michigan's 2009 schedule. Another thought many Michigan fans might be having; "is this another App. State disaster?". Anything is possible, but this team isn't the defending FCS National Champions, so they are not going to be bring in too much fire power to The Big House. Hopefully, it's just a great payday for them and a chance for Michigan to get a W, hopefully. Last Question on the minds of Michigan Fans; "Can we find 6+ wins next year?" Here are the best candidates: Western Michigan, Eastern Michigan, ND, Indiana, Delaware State, and Purdue are all at home and most should be winnable. ND might be favored after their nice vacation to Hawaii last December.



• Michigan 71 Penn State 51: Coach Beilein played with the lineup last night and the improved defense got Michigan a much needed win. The major changes were that Grady only saw a minute on the floor, Douglass went for a career high 13 points for the Freshman, Gibson started for Sims but Sims got more minutes, Manny went Manny with 28, and LLP is also seeing a bunch of bench time while he continues his shooting slump going 0-4 last night. Michigan needed this win because they visit #1 ranked UConn on Saturday and host Michigan State on Tuesday. Saturday could be ugly, but Tuesday is the much more important game.



• Michigan offers 2010 WR: Michigan already has two top commits at WR for the 2010 class, but they could always use more: The latest recruit to get offered by RR's staff is 6"4 2o5 lbs. WR from Illinois, Kyle Prater. Kyle currently has a long list of offers from pretty much every program out there.


• More Pahokee Florida kids in 2010? This from the Palm Beach Post: Rodriguez's run in Palm Beach County could roll into next year's class, too. He already has made an offer to Pahokee junior wide receiver De'Joshua Johnson.
  
  
• Per a poster at Mgoblog: It seems Denard is a little bit of a jokester. Seems he is going to fit in well with "Big Will"!

Then he made the right choice!!

New Walk On Depth at DT

After losing 2 four star defensive tackles in the last 24 hours, Michigan has added some depth to the position with two walk-ons from Northern Michigan. Linemen Nate Brink and Jason Nyhof finalized their walk-on status to the Wolverines on Wednesday. Both players are from Holland Christian in Holland, Michigan.

Holland Christian head coach, Willie Snead says:

“I know Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez. He was a walk-on at West Virginia. He has an affinity for kids who are willing to come in and work,” Snead said. “He’s a blue-collar guy. If I’m going to walk on, I’d prefer to walk on to his place or Urban Meyer’s place at Florida.

For the record: Nyhof is 6-3 277lbs and is Brink 6-5 218lbs. Maybe they never see the field during a game, but at least they give Michigan some depth for emergencies and practice.

Upates on Jones & Upchurch

Alabama Head Coach Nick Saban confirmed that upcoming sophomore wide receiver Julio Jones had undergone off-season shoulder surgery. He termed it "minor."

Jones was Alabama's top receiver as a freshman and earned Freshman All-America status despite rumors that he had been playing with an injury during the year.

Saban said Jones was one of "several who have had surgeries," and said an announcement would be made later on the subject.

The Tide coach said none of those who have had operations would be expected to miss spring practice, although he may not have been including tailback Roy Upchurch. Upchurch had a procedure on his neck late in the season and was considered questionable for spring practice.

Saban indicated off-season surgeries might impact to a small degree what players could do in off-season strength and conditioning work, which begins next week.

Julio Will Be Able To Work In Spring

Scout.com Ranks 'Bama's 2009 Recruiting Class #2

Alabama made another mad dash for the No. 1 spot, only to come up just short. With a solid contingent already committed before Signing Day, Alabama had a huge Signing Day haul, including linebacker Tana Patrick, running back Eddie Lacy and offensive tackle Brandon Moore. Alabama has an impressive class across the board, headlined by five-star-rated running back Trent Richardson, linebacker Nico Johnson, and cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick. Michael Bowman and Kevin Norwood are big, talented receivers who should complement Julio Jones well. Alabama recruited depth and talent at every position including a deep pool of offensive linemen spearheaded by massive tackle D.J. Fluker.

National Signing Day Top 25