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Insider HQH Plus 2/24: A quiet first week in the books

Michigan has wrapped up its first week of spring practice and it was a fairly quiet one for the program.

Here are some very brief quick hitters from the week.

- Good energy this week
- Reports of physical practices, pretty good for a first day in pads
- No known injuries this week (always a good thing)
- Nothing really jumped out in terms of player performance.

The team is off next week which will allow some players to travel south and get some rest in during the school-wide break.

Will have more once the team gets back at it in two weeks time.

Recruiting 5 quick hitters for the week in Michigan football recruiting

A growing list of prospects have announced upcoming visits to Ann Arbor this spring, while Michigan makes the cut for several recruits who have reduced their list of schools.

Recapping the week that was in Michigan football recruiting:

It's Good News Wednesday! 2-22-23

My good news is that spring ball has started. I love how optimistic everything is in the spring.

We moved a piece of equipment yesterday. The lift we were using failed. The machine fell over, and I was able to get out of the way at the last second. It bit me a little, but it could have been worse. Very grateful that I still retain a few cat-like reflexes in my ripe old age. The good Lord was looking out for me.

I'm also thankful for good equipment insurance.

What's your good news?

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A huge hockey weekend starts tonight... here are some notes

The magnitude of this weekend in Big Ten hockey cannot be overstated. Michigan takes on Notre Dame tonight and tomorrow at Yost. Below is a slightly lengthy breakdown of how things could play out.

Current Standings:

1. Minnesota (51 points)
T2. Michigan (36 points)
T2. Ohio State (36 points)
4. Michigan State (34 points)*
T5. Penn State (31 points)
T5. Notre Dame (31 points)
7. Wisconsin (15 points)

*Michigan State is idle this weekend. They will finish at 34 points regardless of what happens in any game.

Notes:

Minnesota has won the Big Ten and has earned a bye in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament, which starts next weekend. They advance to the semifinals.

The highest Michigan can finish is 2nd in the league, but the lowest it can finish is 5th.

Obviously, Michigan would like to finish as high as possible. A 2nd, 3rd or 4th place finish would mean Michigan hosts a 7th, 6th or 5th place team, respectively, in the first round of Big Ten Tournament next weekend. The Wolverines need at least one point this weekend to ensure home ice next weekend.

Michigan needs to score more points than Ohio State this weekend to secure the 2nd place finish. Luckily for the Wolverines, the Buckeyes go on the road to play Minnesota.

Hypothetically, if Michigan sweeps Notre Dame this weekend (which would be six points), it will finish with 42 points. Anything less than six points from Ohio State will give U-M the 2nd seed.

Obviously there's a lot to sort out, and it will all start tonight. Michigan hosts Notre Dame at 7 p.m. Minnesota will host Ohio State at 9 p.m.

OT: OSU: If Holtmann is out, who could be a Michigan transfer target?

I was watching OSU play (and lose) yesterday to PSU.

What a strangely composed roster: OSU has a gigantic backcourt: Thornton-6'2", 215 lbs; Liekele-6'5", 215 lbs; Sean McNeil- 6'4" 205; and Roddy Gayle-6'4" 205 lbs; and Tanner Holden-6'6", 200 lbs. Add to this, a couple of 6'6" power players at SF : Sensabaugh at 6'6", 235 lbs; and Sueing at 6'6", 210.

Sensabaugh is an all-around scorer, so his height/weight combo is not an issue, but Sueing tries to play like a power player at his height (he shoots 22% from 3).

Weird roster with huge Gs and only one player in the rotation over 6'8" (6'11" freshman Felix Okapara).

This seems like a random post, but looking at their record, it looks like Holtmann will lose his job, and if not that, at least some players to the portal.

The only "Michigan fits" I see (as Sensabaugh will probably declare rather than transfer), are true freshman G Bruce Thornton, and G Senior Sean McNeil.

Thornton would give us some real size in the backcourt at 6'2" 215, and be able to fill multiple roles, as a Combo guard who can shoot like a SG. The issue is that he would be the third guard (37% from 3, 44% FG, and 77% FT) and come off the bench in the Joey Baker role...Pretty sure that he would want to start.

McNeil is not the all-around player that Thornton is, and has a much more limited upside as a possible one season grad transfer option... That said, McNeil is also a very good shooter (career 36% from three, 35.7 this season, and an absolutely lights-out FT shooter (87% this season, 86% career). Not the 2-point finisher (career 40% from the field), or PG-option that Thornton is, but also capable to replace Baker.

That said, my preference would be for Baker (40% from 3) to return (if possible), for the sake of continuity, but OSU is an interesting case where I envision a team with, if Holtman goes, a ton of turnover, and if not, at least a few transfers out.

Insider HQH Plus: Diving into Jim Harbaugh’s comments on Amorion Walker

Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh said today that Amorion Walker was considered a starter at cornerback but still wants him to be a two-way player for the program.

At first glance, it certainly seems like it’s lofty expectations for Walker who hasn’t had much experience as a cornerback.

However, it’s a totally different viewpoint inside the building.

I am told that the opinion of Walker is that he’s ‘crazy good’ and one person believed he was the ‘odds on favorite to be the starter at the end of the season.’ I trust the opinion of where this is coming from so that’s VERY high praise.

He had shown quite a bit playing around in practice and such. Sounds like he is building on a strong end to the year by continuing the momentum two spring practices in.

Football Harbaugh calls loaded OL "a good problem"

Harbaugh mentioned 16 players when discussing the offensive line today.
With Nugent and Hinton dealing with injuries, and Henderson not yet with the program, he gives the edge to Wolverines on the roster last season.
Who he thinks are already "starters" and how they can make sure the loaded group stays successful.

Football Harbaugh addresses NFL rumors...again

It's the same answer it has always been.
Harbaugh will take NFL calls because he doesn't think it has anything to do with his commitment to Michigan.
I think this is a song and dance we will always come back to, as long as the NFL keeps calling, he's going to answer the phone.
Some guys like Schefter think the NFL is going to stop calling. Guess we'll wait and see.

Recruiting HQH: On Michigan's perspective of Jadyn Davis

I got some intel on what Michigan is thinking regarding Jadyn Davis and where the program thinks it stands as his visit to campus is only a few weeks away.

Let's get started.

As you all know, Davis is expected to visit campus for the spring game and the hope is that the staff can push for a commitment during said visit. A reliable source told me that the Wolverines think he's their's where things stand today. However, I would be remiss not to acknowledge that there is a little bit of nervousness around the program about this recruitment. This nervousness DOES NOT come from anything Davis or his family has said to the program, it's mainly looking at the landscape and realizing the longer this recruitment goes on, the more worrisome it's going to get.

This is why the program is going to try to push for a public commitment during the spring game visit. Obviously, the sooner this gets wrapped up, the better and things can move forward.

If things go beyond the spring game, and who knows if they will at this point, the Wolverines have a number of 2024 quarterbacks it likes (I didn't get names) and won't hesitate to offer them and start getting involved as a last resort. Davis is the clear number one guy on their boards but they're not going to get left at the alter if it feels like it'll come down to that.

As for chances that a public commitment could happen, I can't speak to that part. That's a Davis and his family question to ask, this update is from a Michigan-only perspective.
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