I forgot to link it Monday, but don’t forget that the board is here.

Moved to Committed:
LA DE DeQuinta Jones. The awesomely-named one is also added to the board in this update. Commit article.

New Information:
VA QB commit Kevin Newsome. Some glorious, glorious reassurance from Sam Webb that he is firmly committed, and recruiting other players to Michigan. Now in convenient print form! Newsome speaks with SI about transferring to Hargrave.
FL QB Eugene Smith. He made the Elite 11. And is performing quite well.
FL S Jonathan Scott. Michigan in his top 3 (info in header).
SC DEs Sam Montgomery and Chris Bonds. Both plan to take officials to Michigan.
FL CB Mywan Jackson. Michigan visit this weekend.
NJ DE/OL Anthony LaLota. Narrows his list to 7 (including the Wolverines).
NV DE Keenan Graham. Will he decide before getting a chance to visit Michigan?
MS S Rod Woodson. Now reports an offer.

Removed:
AL DE William Ming. Alabama commit.
IN LB TyQuan Hammock. After not getting the Michigan offer he wanted, commits to Michigan State.

Analysis:
Hooray, a defensive end! Michigan will want at least one more in this class, likely a speed rusher. Other sources of celebration: Reassurance on the Newsome front! Hooray!

Posted under Recruiting

Coming this afternoon: Michigan State Preview.
Coming sometime this week: A classic Bo interview (“classic” in this case meaning “old,” not “something seen by people other than those who lived in the dorms circa 1994”).
Coming Sunday: The podcast (like usual, but this one that I’m particularly excited about).

For Newsome-worriers: Rest assured (for now). More in the Friday recruiting update.

Jim Stefani has a bit more on DeQuinta.

An interesting discussion that took place in the comments last week:
Why is Indiana having recruiting success in Michigan?
Paul theorized thusly:

I wonder if that means that MSU is getting better players outside of Michigan so they don’t have to pick up the crumbs or if MSU is just losing its grip on said crumbs.

I think it’s neither. Pretty much all of the guys from Michigan who have committed to the Hoosiers either would never have gotten a High-level BCS offer (sorry Indiana), such as Kenny Watkins and Jamonne Chester, or are sleepers who would have had to wait a while for even an MSU offer, like Charles Chapman and Jeremy Gainer.

The only difference between this year and past years is that Indiana’s recruiting class is filling up earlier, so they can grab these sleepers before better offers come, or snatch the other guys away from the jaws of MAC schools.

Posted under Blog News, Blogcast, Recruiting

Rivals is reporting that Louisiana defensive end DeQuinta Jones has given Rich Rodriguez his word to become a Michigan Wolverine. Jones (6-2, 265, 4.7) hails from Bastrop High School, the home of one of the nation’s top receivers in Rueben Randle. Jones is the 13th commit in this class, and the coaches would certainly like him to bring his teammate up north as well. Jones is a three-star to both sites.

Recruiting Notes
Jones’s recruitment stayed out of the mainstream media, with Scout and Rivals the only main sources to follow his every move (creepy, I know). However, in early July, he was featured in an article on GoBlueWolverine.com. Michigan fans took notice. Jones committed to Michigan on. He cited his relationship with linebackers coach Jay Hopson (the former headman at Southern Miss) among the reasons that he picked Michigan.

Player Notes
Jones is a big-time defensive end – something the Wolverines sorely need after missing on Nick Perry in 2008. He is considered more of a run-stuffer with speed than an edge rusher, but he shows ability to get to the quarterback as well. He has good size, and may even be able to grow into a defensive tackle unless the staff wishes to keep him at end. He comes from a winning program (Bastrop won the Louisiana state title in 2007) and hopes to bring his success to Ann Arbor. Jones was listed by the Times-Picayune as a player just outside the top 25 in the state of Louisiana. Blogger Dandy Don pegs him at #19 in the state, while praising his work ethic.

Video

Bastrop in the state finals.

Posted under Recruiting

Slow weekend for recruiting news, despite big camps across the south (I guess that could qualify as good news)…

Added:
IL OL Patrick Ward. Four-star is considering Michigan, and will narrow to a top 7 list soon.

New Information:
VA DE Will Hill. A bit of fluff involving Michigan.
SC DB Damario Jeffrey. Michigan in his final 7.
AR CB Darius Winston. Despite an Arkansas decommit, he shows up to their senior camp. Also, he no longer maintains that Michigan is his leader.
FL QB Eugene Smith. Michigan makes his top 5.

Removed:
VA RB David Wilson. Committed to Virginia Tech.
IL OL Zach Martin. Notre Dame commit.

Etc.:
Steven Threet fluff from the Toledo Blade. Cathy Schembechler interview in the Dayton Daily News.

Posted under Recruiting

Scout unveiled a new set of rankings, but I’m not going to bother updating the stars for now, since I’m planning to switch to Rivals’ rankings son anyway.

Action since last rankings:
7-12-08 Michigan State gains commitment from Bennie Fowler. Penn state gains commitment from Nate Cadogan.
7-13-08 N0tre Dame gains commitment from Chris Watt. Michigan State gains commitment from Derek Hoebing.
7-14-08 Indiana gains commitment from Mitch Ewald. Indiana gains commitment from Pat McShane.
7-15-08 Purdue gains commitment from Kris Cooke.
7-16-08 Illinois gains commitment from Nathan Scheelhaase. Indiana gains commitment from Lawrence Barnett.
7-17-08 Indiana gains commitment from Dustin Kiel.
7-18-08 Indiana gains commitment from Charles Champan.

New Rankings:

Sam Longo commits. OSU probably has 3-4 slots left for people like Marcus Hall, Jaamal Berry, etc.

Michigan is waiting for more commits.

Nate Cadogan commitment is now official. Figueroa and Kuntz figure to be low three-star types, maybe dropping in twos.

Chris Watt commits, failing to realize that ND OL have underperformed horrifically in recent times. Turk and Tausch have a rating ceiling of high three-stars (standard for non-all-world kickers).

Wisconsin’s OL commits get a bonus half0star because of their inherent Wisconsin-ness. Borland will be a mid three-star, frederick a high three.

Bennie Fowler and Derek Hoebing commit. Reynolds will be a low three-star, as will Klatt and probably Fowler. Hoebing may end up a high two-star.

Keise, Rengel, and Michel probably low-3/high-2 guys. Orseske will end up a high two.

Thrash will be a mid three-star, Fuller a high two.

Dustin Kiel, Lawrence Barnett, Charles Chapman, Mitch Ewald, and Pat McShane commit. While the Hoosiers have a lot of commitments (which would rank them higher in many ranking systems) their abundance of 2-star guys really limits where this class can end up.

Trumpy and Battle will be low threes, Moulton a high two.

Aristide could end up a high three-star. He was on the verge of being a big prospect before a bad junior year injury. Bush will be a mid three-star. The Boilermakers pass Iowa.

Ferentz’s glory days in recruiting seem to be over. Rogers will end up a low two-star.

Posted under Recruiting

Added:
NC OL Travis Bond. Plans to visit Mich (info in header). Smart money is on MSU or Toledo weekends.
TN WR Marsalis Teague. There is some Michigan interest.
VA OL Morgan Moses. Virginia’s top OL plans a Michigan visit.
SC DB David Sims. He plans to take an official visit to Michigan, so it stands to reason that they are in his top 5.
AL DE William Ming. Mega-old article, but it mentions that Michigan is recruiting him.
IN LB Tyquan Hammock. Visited Michigan this week.

New Information:
MD DE Jason Ankrah. Extends his PSU visit. Is he feeling the Nittany Lions?
MD LB Jelani Jenkins. His teammate Caleb Porzel picks Maryland. The two had discussed being a package deal.

Removed:
MD RB Caleb Porzel. Committed to Maryland.

Posted under Recruiting

It’s time to respond to a post that I find to be completely off-base regarding Kevin Newsome. You may remember the author from giving us an insight or two on Newsome and Jelani Jenkins a while back, but I’m not going to link the source article, since it was particularly dickish when all I’ve done is give the guy hits:

For any of the folks from the Varsity Blue web site that as still visiting, let me say, to quote the great poet Henry Rollins: “HA HA HA, sucker! Sucker!” Did you really think you were going to get Kevin Newsome out of the 757? You are a total idiot for doubting me. His brother, rising junior standout Keevon Newsome, wants to go to Vah-tech, and Kevin Newsome is already concerned that Michigan is going to present some problems. You don’t leave your native school to go to Hargrave because your grades are above the line, so he obviously has some academic problems. Nobody is as accomodating of academic and behavioral shortcomings as Frank Beamer, and none of Rich-Rod’s shady, illegal recruiting tactics are going to change that. A lot of people with optics into this one tell me it is already done and that Newsome will formally back out of his verbal to Michigan and commit to Vah-Tech before the season starts. For all you Varsity Blue dorks, my prediction remains unchanged: Kevin Newsome will be a Hokie, and Jim Tressel will bitch-slap the Wolverines for another five straight years (at least).

I highly doubt Kevin Newsome would be the president of his high school chapter of National Honor Society if he had grade issues. Thus, it must follow that he is going to Hargrave for other reasons. Could one of these reasons be to get away from the pressure within the 757 to go to VT? It certainly follows logically, especially when you take into account that Newsome’s new head coach at Hargrave is particularly fond of making his players remain true to verbal commitments.

Also, Keevon is a big VT fan, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he ended up there. However, if Kevin was going to do the same, wouldn’t he have taken the opportunity of the VT camp to take a visit (especially considering Keevon was there for the camp).

I won’t even bother to respond to the allegations of sady recruiting tactics (dumb) or the touting of Frank Beamer as a sketchy character. Both are laughable.

For more information on Michigan’s quarterback situation, check out the Free Press. Even if Newsome does back out of his verbal, Michigan has a couple slightly less-touted contingency plans.

Posted under Recruiting

Much stuff from late last week snuck its way in here because of the JAM PACKED WITH CONTENT nature of Friday’s update.

Added:
FL WR Rontavious Wooten. Michigan is in his top 4, though LSU leads.
WA DT Deandre Coleman. I’m still convinced Michigan needs to take another DT in this class.
FL OL Andrew Carter. Apparently offered.

New Information:
Pahokee, FL prospects. Will play on ESPN August 30, where many of them also plan to announce college decisions. Also, they got in a huge brawl this weekend.
MD RB Tavon Austin. Wants to have freedom in his college offense. Seems a spread attack would be a good fit for him.
GA WR Braxton Lane. Baseball fluff. At this point, I expect him to be a top pick in next spring’s MLB Draft, and would be surprised if he went to college. Hell, we’d definitely take him for both sports.
FL TE Orson Charles. Decision Timeline.
OK RB David Oku. Talks officials (Michigan’s is for the MSU game). Video? Video:

Ladies, if you’re going to go visit him at work, don’t forget to sport some of this stuff.

Removed:
FL DT Antwan Lowery. Down to two (info in header). I’m betting neither is Mich, since he has visited several other schools.

Posted under Recruiting

Audio only this week. Enjoy.

Posted under Recruiting

Action since last rankings:
7-5-08 Ohio State gains commitment from Sam Longo.
7-7-08 Notre Dame gains commitment from Marlon Pollard. Purdue gains commitment from Gary Bush.
7-8-08 Michigan State gains commitment from Nate Klatt. Notre Dame gains commitment from Tyler Eifert.
7-10-08 Indiana gains commitment from Duwyce Wilson.

New Rankings:

Sam Longo commits. OSU probably has 3-4 slots left for people like Marcus Hall, Jaamal Berry, etc.

Michigan is waiting for more commits.

Adam Gress, Curtis Dukes, and Christian Kuntz commit.

The Irish grab two prospects, is big-timer Chris Watt on the horizon?

Wisconsin moves past Michigan State because I give slightly more value (up to a bonus star) to any offensive lineman that Wisconsin deems worthy (and they have 3 so far in this class).

Nate Klatt becomes a Spartan.

Keise, Rengel, and Michel probably low-3/high-2 guys. Kickers are rarely rated very well.

Steve Hull to the Illini.

Indiana gets a boatload of commits. Keyt will be a 2-star (he is being brought in as a greyshirt long-snapper), Gainer might end up a mid-to-high 3-star, and the rest will be in the low 3-star range.

Northwestern is still in on a couple of big-timers. Will they be able to land one?

Ferentz’s glory days in recruiting seem to be over.

Not sure where Aristide will be ranked, but it has to be a more important commit than a long-snapper. He was on the verge of becoming a big prospect before a junior year injury.

Posted under Recruiting