Here are VB’s videos from the spring game:

Offense
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPGhsM2KPjQ&hl=en]

Enjoy

Posted under Coaching, Spring Coverage, Video

Homer Ferguson from the site I referenced earlier today about Jelani Jenkins sent me an e-mail explaining what I didn’t get the first time around:

Jelani Jenkins was a UVa lean, but his teammate Caleb Porzel decommitted about a week ago. Porzel’s parents got very nervous about the number of kids who Al Groh has brought in who get busted for weed. Also, Mike London was the lead recruiter for that high school, and London left last January to take the head job at Richmond. His first move was to bring in 3 kids from the Peninsula District, which is the hotbed of HS football in the area. UVA never had much luck there because Al Groh doesn’t get along well with the local coaches.

Homer was also kind enough to give his take on Kevin Newsome:

You also referenced Kevin Newsome. Forget it. He’s going to Vah-tech. Michigan doesn’t have a shot in the world. If he commits to Michigan, that means they bought his mama a new house. To get a player out of the 757, you need to get someone with ties to the area or deep, deep pockets (a la Percy Harvin, Chris Bell, Jerod Mayo). WVU hired Chris Beattie who coached Tahj Boyd one year at Landsdown (alma mater of Percy Harvin) and knew Logan Heastie from trying to recruit him to move into Landsdown district. Coach Cav and Coach Newsome from Vah-tech are going to lock Newsome up ASAFP. They thought they could sleep on Boyd because they have his HS coach in their back pocket, but Boyd and Heastie were a combo deal. Heastie wanted to go out of state, and Boyd got mad because Vah-tech wasn’t pushing that hard. But, Coach Cav won’t let that happen with Newsome.

I’m not necessarily sure he is going to be right in the long haul, though I do see VT as one of Newsome’s favorites. However, it’s a bit too impersonal to say Player is from X area, therefore he will attend X State University. Newsome seems to be genuinely interested in Michigan, and they have a real void at his position. We’ll have to see how this one shakes out. Note – I have also heard (secondhand) that VT people think they are fighting an uphill battle for Newsome.

Anyway, thanks a ton to Homer, and make sure you check out his site.

Posted under Recruiting

Full Board.

Recruits at the Spring Game:
Obviously a lower turnout than usual because of a variety of circumstances, but Kevin Newsome, AJ Fenton, Zach Martin, and Henry Conway were all there, along with several 2008 commits and (I believe both of) the 2009 Cass Tech guys.

Added:
IN OL Zach Martin. He was at the spring game, and I believe he got offered.
OH OL Henry Conway. He was at the spring game, and I’ve heard he was an impressive physical specimen.

New Information:
PA DE Tahir Basil visits PSU and Rutgers.
MN WR Fritz Rock Florida visit.
MD LB Jelani Jenkins probably won’t go to UVa. I do not follow this post’s logic at all, so help me out if you get it.

Etc.: Freep C”>Spring Game Article. Ranking the BCS coaches. Much more Spring Game stuff up later today or tomorrow, including video.

Posted under Recruiting

More on the spring game coming up later today.

Posted under Spring Coverage, Video

Taking a page out of the MGoBlue.com book, instead of having a heavy a page with a lot of images, you get a slide show!

If you’d like to get high quality versions of the images you can look through them here or just click on the picture. I guess you can even order prints if you’re into that kind of thing.

I’m going to try to get my initial impressions posted tonight before the standard college Saturday night starts. Look for player and coach interviews to be up tomorrow. The footage from the scrimmage, warm-ups and position drills will be posted throughout the week.

Posted under Blog News, Photo Album, Spring Coverage

This will be short because I am still cold, wet and quite tired. Multimedia content will be up tonight or tomorrow depending on how busy I am tonight.

Some quick observations:

• The starting linebackers were Jonas Mouton and Austin Panter on the outside with Obi Ezeh in the middle.
• Marell Evans was injured and had limited participation.
• The first team offensive line from left to right: Ortmann, McAvoy, Moosman, Zirbel Schilling.
• Terrance Taylor worked exclusively with the second team defense. I have to look at the pictures to tell you exactly who played on the 1st team defensive line.
• Threet looked serviceable; Sheridan did not.
• Carlos Brown was out. Minor and Grady split reps with the first team offense.
• Greg Matthews was the best receiver by far and really showed good athleticism and blocking.
• Brandon Graham absolutely leveled Grady on a zone read.

Blogger isn’t liking the pictures I try to upload, so those will be saved for a later post.

Posted under Spring Coverage

Boardasaurus Rex. Big Spring Practice stuff tomorrow (will Michigan get a commit? I wuldn’t be surprised, but I’m not expecting it). Don’t forget to drop your questions in the comments for the post below.

Added:
VA RB David Wilson. A weird message board post from his coach(?) says he has received a Michigan offer.
TX QB Shavodrick Beaver. He now has a Michigan offer, and is liking the Wolverines. Also, he will face Tyrik Rollison’s Sulphur Springs team hopefully on ESPN2 this fall.

New Information:
Eugene Smith has reportedly been offered.
Chris Freeman. More basketball information. Seriously, what?
Stephon Gilmore and Devonte Holloman visit South Carolina.
Corey Adams and Devon Kennard visit Arizona State.
MD CB Travis Hawkins plans to enroll early.
Removed:
Ain’t Nobody

Etc.:
Colin Cowherd had many positive thoughts about Rich Rodriguez on Wednesday, basically stating that snake oil and wizard hats are boss. (Link for those with Insider). Jake Long may go first in the Draft.

Posted under Recruiting

What hockey game? I haven’t heard anything about a hockey game.

Anyway, Varsity Blue will be having team coverage of the final spring practice. If tradition holds, there will be a chance to interview players after the practice. This is where you come in. Let us know if you have any burning questions you’d like us to ask the players.

Posted under Spring Coverage

Da compleet seriez: #1, #2, #3, #4, #5. Substantive hockey update coming before tonight’s game.

Online:

Yost Ice Arena is Michigan’s hockey hot spot

A Historical Tour of the University of Michigan Campus

Yost Ice Arena

Fifty Years of Cameron Indoor Stadium

NCAASports.com

Brian Schick: Yost still boasts the best fans on campus

Yost’s “’improvements’ aren’t worth it for fans

In print:

Canham, Donald B. From the Inside: A Half Century of Michigan Athletics. Ann Arbor: Olympia Sports Press, 1996.

Hilton, John. “Don Canham’s Empire.” Ann Arbor Observer Sept. 1983: 67-77.

Bacon, John U. Blue Ice: The Story of Michigan Hockey. Ann Arbor: Olympia Sports Press, 2001.

Bacon, John U. “Fielding Yost.” A Legacy of Champions: The Story of the Men Who Built University of Michigan Football. By Joe Falls, et al. Ann Arbor: F. Svedbeck Publishing, 1996. 14-73.

Posted under Analysis, Hockey

Full audio from Tuesday’s press conference.

Click me.

Also. Arist’s rendering of the new practice facility:

Posted under Coaching