The first edition of the Varsity Blue recruiting video podcast is live! In the near future, look for the podcast to also be available for subscription on iTunes. In the first edition, the current Michigan commitments are introduced.

As of today, we are planning to make this a weekly offering.

Posted under Recruiting

Purdue is officially last to the party, as Indiana picks up their first commit.

Action since last rankings:
6-8-08 Ohio State gains commitment from Dominic Clarke. Michigan State gains commitment from Patrick White.
6-9-08 Indiana gain commitment from Josh Keyt.
6-10-08 Ohio State gains commitment from Adam Bellamy. Wisconsin gains commitment from Zac Matthias.
6-11-08 Penn State gains commitment from Curtis Drake.
6-12-08 Notre Dame gains commitment from Ben Turk.

New Rankings:

Dominic Clarke is lightly-regarded at this point, but it seems like the Bucks really know what they’re doing when evaluating DBs. He’ll be in the high three-star range. Boren will be a three-star whose commitment is more celebrated for bringing in his brother.

Bell will likely end up a high 3-star or low 4-star (ESPN loves him). Gallon

Arcidiacono is underrated, Howle will end up as a high-three star, Figueroa a low three-star, and Felder somewhere in between. New commit Curtis Drake is being brought in as a QB unless the Nittany Lions get a top-notch signal caller in this calss (in which case he will likely be a WR). Penn State has a quantity-over-quality class right now.

Michigan and Ohio State didn’t seem to be pursuing Fox at all, and he wasn’t exactly a sleeper, so I doubt he is much better than a high three-star (with requisite ND-rounding to four). New punter commit! Notre Dame will rule the world!

MSU has started losing coveted in-state guys to other schools.

Keise will probably end up a mid 3-star.

Zac Matthias brings the Badgers past Illinois. His ranking is bumped in my mind by the Wisconsin seal of approval.

Illinois started fast, but has since stagnated (and lost Melvin Fellows to the Bucks).

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

At least they have some commits.

Keyt is a long snapper/DE who will greyshirt, according to IUFootball (who deserves props: writing about Indiana football has to be among the most thankless jobs out there).

12th – Purdue (0 commits)

Posted under Recruiting

The Board.

Added:
PA OL Adam Gress. Offered (info in header).
FL DE Ryne Giddins. Offered.

New Information:
NJ DE Anthony Lalota. ND is probably his favorite.
MD LB Jelani Jenkins. West coast swing.
FL DT Antwan Lowery. Miami and Florida are near the top of his list.
GA S Darren Myles. Michigan will make his next cut.
AZ DEs Craig Roh and Devon Kennard. Both will have top 10 lists out soon.
MS DT Josh Boyd. He will camp at Michigan.

Removed:
SC WR Alshon Jeffrey. Southern Cal commit.
FL OL Nick Alajajian. Not in his top 6, combined with the fact that a decision date has been set, seem to show that Michigan is not in this race.
MI OL Zac Matthias. Wisconsin commit.

Analysis:
Jeffrey and Alajajian were both considered longshots with only token inclusion on the recruiting board. Matthias is a bogger loss for MSU (the Spartans need all the good linemen they can get – especially instate and especially those who are good enough to end up at a lineman factory like Wisconsin) than it is for Michigan, who didn’t like him enough to offer before camp…. Speaking of camp, those itching for more commitments should be in luck, as summer camp (Sunday-Thursday) is usually a time when a couple guys get offers and commit.

Posted under Recruiting

While it is not news to anyone who follows the Big Ten that Penn State fans have an… uncomfortable fixation on Michigan, typically this has been restricted to fans. Nittany Lions supporters have a focus on Michigan that seems unwarranted but for the Wolverines’ dominance over PSU in recent years. Now, even those who write in the mainstream media have latched onto the obsession as a crutch for writing their terrible columns (entire relevant section quoted to avoid giving this idiot clickthroughs):

An interesting sidebar to these rankings: How much will they be different if QB Kevin Newsome winds up in a Penn State uniform? He committed to Michigan earlier, but all indications are that Penn State is still recruiting him hard. So much for the gentlemen’s agreement between Big Ten teams about not talking to verbal committments. What years of sportsmanship and living up to one’s word built up, Rich Rodriguez and Michael Shaw tore down.

While I don’t need to point how how dumb the bolded portion of this quote is (nor do I need to point out that Donnie Collins doesn’t know how to spell “gentleman’s” or “commitment”), I will anyway.

Of course, due to a highly-publicized quote from Joe Tiller, suddenly Rich Rodriguez is to blame for Penn State’s recruiting tactics. Umm… what? If he wants to try to hold Penn State up as a bastion of sportsmanship, maybe he shouldn’t do so in reference to an incident where they are doing something he deems to be “unsporting.” If Penn State was as virtuous as Collins intends to imply, they wouldn’t be recruiting Newsome, regardless of what Michigan did last year.

In addition, it’s great to see him trying to slam an 18-year-old kid for picking a school that he liked more than Penn State. If Penn State was worth going to, Shaw would have ended up there. Rich Rodriguez is not some sort of hypnotist. Of course, Shaw wasn’t even the recruit that caused the “controversy” in the first place (that would be Roy Roundtree).

And of course, Collins’s entire argument hinges on the presumption that Rodriguez was the first coach to recruit other schools’ commits, which (actually good) columnist Sam Webb pointed out to be not at all true in an unfortunately-no longer free Detroit News article.

Posted under Coaching, Recruiting

The board.

Added
FL LB Brandon Hawthorne. Michigan in his top two with USF (info in header).
SC S David Sims. Offered.
SC S DJ Swearinger. He has a Michigan offer.
FL CB Angelo Hadley. Offer.

New Information
SC DE Chris Bonds. Recruiting fluff with mention that one of his officials will be to Michigan.
OH OL Chris Freeman. WVU-tinted recruiting fluff.
AZ DE Craig Roh. Plans a summer visit to Michigan.
AL DB Dre Kirkpatrick. Plans to take a visit to Michigan.
NC WR Jheranie Boyd. Michigan is in his top 15.
FL OL Nick Alajajian. He plans to make a summer decision without taking a visit to Michigan. Things don’t look so good here.
SC OL Quinton Washington. Michigan doesn’t make his top 5, but is just barely on the outside.
MD Slot Tavon Austin. Georgia has distinguished itself in his recruitment by offering him as a slot. Michigan has done the same (most other schools want him to play RB), but does not garner special mention.

Removed
TN OL Alex Bullard. Notre Dame commit.

Analysis
Alex Bullard isn’t a huge loss, mostly because it was expected. It may also indirectly help out with Chris Watt (whom I believe UM covets more than Bullard) by making the Irish less appealing to him.

Posted under Recruiting

Those who follow Michigan recruiting are likely aware that top quarterback commit Kevin Newsome is an elite track athlete. Newsome was an indoor All-American in the 60m hurdles, and now he is a state champ in outdoor track as well.

Newsome’s Western Branch team won the state title, thanks in part to Newsome’s victory in the 100m hurdle event. If simply reading about Newsome’s track exploits isn’t gratifying enough for you, take the time to indulge yourself in video of his championship performance:

Newsome is in the 5th lane, wearing dark blue with white compression shorts. Note the fact that he’s twice the size of most of the kids he’s running against.

Newsome also gave an interview to Milestat.com, available here. He doesn’t say anything that could be considered directly relevant to football, but it’s always nice to hear from Michigan commits to get an idea of what they are like as people.

Congratulations to Kevin, and we look forward to seeing him in Ann Arbor… though if he plans to enroll early, it does mean he’ll have to forgo track his senior year.

In news on other commits…
Newsome’s QB counterpart was named City Athlete of the Year. Fitzgerald Toussaint has missed most of track season with an injury. Free update on 2008 JT Floyd from Scout’s SC site.

Posted under Recruiting, Video

Action since last rankings:
5-17-08 Michigan gains commitment from Bryce McNeal.
5-20-08 Wisconsin gains commitment from Jon Budmayr.
5-21-08 Notre Dame gains commitment from Carlo Calabrese.
5-26-08 Penn State gains commitment from Stephon Morris.
5-27-08 Ohio State gains commitment from Reid Fragel. Penn State gains commitments from Brandon Felder and Sean Stanley.
6-5-08 Michigan gains commitment from Jeremy Gallon. Notre Dame gains commitment from Dan Fox.
6-6-08 Notre Dame gains commitment from Alex Bullard.

New Rankings:

Buckeyes grab another Michigan player in Reid Fragel. It seems as though the instate schools (definitely Michigan) didn’t really want him.

Bell will likely end up a high 3-star or low 4-star (ESPN loves him). Bryce McNeal was one of Michigan’s top targets at split end. Gallon appeared on the Michigan radar about as fast as he runs. He is a top-100 player on Rivals, and will be ranked in the four-star range.

Penn State grabs a trio from Maryland. Stanley is a good prospect, the other two are underwhelming. They will be mid three-stars. Arcidiacono is underrated, Howle will end up as a high-three star, Figueroa a low three-star. Penn State has a quantity-over-quality class right now.

Calabrese is a very good prospect, not as overrated as your typical ND commit. Michigan and Ohio State didn’t seem to be pursuing Fox at all, and he wasn’t exactly a sleeper, so I doubt he is much better than a high three-star (with requisite ND-rounding to four). Bullard is an inside/outside prospect, who is a low-to-mid four-star. The Irish beat Michigan and Tennessee for his services.

Every player committed to State thus far is from Michigan. They haven’t gotten any commitments in seemingly forever, and more schools are likely to pass them as time goes on.

Keise will probably end up a mid 3-star.

Illinois started fast, but has since stagnated (and lost Melvin Fellows to the Bucks).

Wisconsin grabs their first out-of-state player, QB Jon Budmayr. Another breathing body would move them past Illinois unless the Illini start making some moves.

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

At least they have some commits. Come on, state of Indiana.

T-11th – Indiana, Purdue (0 commits)

Posted under Recruiting

Despite picking up a commitment last night, the Michigan coaching staff has no time to rest. Recruiting may be in focus again this weekend, as the Wolverines host their senior summer camp on Sunday. While the past Michigan regime would use camp as its primary pre-season recruiting effort, Rodriguez and Co. have already secured 9 commitments for 2009.

At this sort of event, there are usually several players who attend in hopes of gaining offers. Previously-offered prospects may attend such an event as a chance to take a campus visit, or get to know the coaching staff better. Committed recruits can also attend, in hopes of comparing their skills to other attendees or swaying top prospects in attendance.

Several in-state or regional prospects will likely attend seeking offers, such as Zach Matthias and Youngstown Liberty’s Julius Ferrell. Among offered prospects, Dennis Thames is a confirmed attendee (info in header).

Michigan’s summer camps won’t end this weekend, however. The Rich Rodriguez Michigan Football Camp takes place the 15th-19th, followed immediately by the 7-on-7 passing camp on the 20th and 21st. The Michigan Kicking Camp takes place June 29th-30th.

Posted under Recruiting

The Board. Pretty much all stuff will be in guys whose status (offered, on/off the board, etc.) has changed. Additional substantive update coming Monday.

Moved to Committed
MN WR Bryce McNeal.
FL WR Jeremy Gallon. Also added to the board in this update. He will probably be a slot.

Added
NJ DE Anthony LaLota. Michigan has offered.
FL WR Jeremy Gallon. Offered and also committed.
IL OL Michael Schofield. Offered.

New Information
TN OT Alex Bullard. He will make a decision today. Probably for TN or ND, though M is still in it until the end.
FL RB Vincent Smith. Offered.
Others Monday.

Removed
MI TE Reid Fragel. Ohio State commit.
NY DE Andre Civil. Rutgers commit.
LA OL Chris Faulk. LSU commit.
NC RB Desmond Scott. Rutgers commit.
FL WR Nu’Keese Richardson. Florida commit.
NC OL Xavier Nixon. Eliminates Michigan.

Analysis
It seems like tons of guys were removed, but keep in mind that this is three weeks of action. A couple commits from somewhat highly-touted players should keep people satisfied, at least somewhat. With camps coming up fast, it should be a fun time to follow recruiting.

Posted under Recruiting

The recruiting sites are reporting that FL receiver Jeremy Gallon has pledged his word to become a Michigan Wolverine. Gallon is a small and speedy player (5-9, 175, 4.5) in the mold of Martavious Odoms or Terrance Robinson. He is the 9th Michigan commitment in the 2009 class.

Recruiting Notes
Gallon emerged on the radar as I was out of comission, and things moved quickly for Michigan. Shortly after the Wolverines offered, they were right near the top of the list. Gallon ended his recruitment by giving a verbal commitment to Rich Rodriguez.

Player Notes
Gallon is small, shifty, and speedy. This is clearly a skill set that Rich Rodriguez covets, and Gallon will likely play the slot position once he dons the winged helmet. He was a high school QB, but much like Terrance Robinson, this was a matter of putting an athlete, rather than a passer, under center. Rivals has a much higher opinion of Gallon than does Scout, ranking him the #5 athlete, and placing him within their top 100.

Thanks to reader Will for being the first to break the news to me.

Posted under Recruiting