1. Fallout
Look, this sucks. I get it. I know you guys expect more from Michigan and are extremely disappointed in the season. Trust me, it's hard for us, too. Obviously, I'm not a Michigan fan and didn't have ties to the university before I got here. But it's fun to cover recruiting when the program you write about is winning on the football field. When the team struggles, it makes my job a lot harder. With that said, I don't believe the 2021 Michigan recruiting class is in jeopardy of losing many if any commits. And I'm not just saying that as a positive spin. There were plenty of decommits in years of uncertainty at Texas and even SMU. But this class seems really firm with the Wolverines. As you saw today, Michigan quarterback commit JJ McCarthy led the way on Twitter with positive tweets about U-M. Other commits followed suit. Again, I just don't think there is much to worry about with this class. This season is having more of an effect on 2022 recruiting, which is in a bit of limbo.
2. Class Bond
Like I just said, this class is really firm. It's definitely the most committed class I've ever covered in a season marred by losses and uncertainty. This weekend obviously gave the commits a chance to meet and get to know each other. Everybody loves the aforementioned McCarthy. The commits believe in him, his talent and his message. McCarthy has been dubbed by some as the 'savior.' He obviously has lofty expectations, but he's more than capable of living up to it. Tristan Bounds was a big personality at the event that a lot of guys enjoyed meeting. And commits on the defensive side like Ja'Den McBurrows, TJ Guy and Junior Colson all enjoyed spending time together .In fact, Colson and Guy hit it off so much that they are now looking to room together. Specialist Tommy Doman also got a ton of positive reviews. Everybody admired his passion for Michigan.
3. Will There Be A Decommit?
Again, I'm not expecting Michigan to have guys jump ship left and right. But I am starting to grow even more concerned about Michigan losing three-star Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas linebacker Jaydon Hood. He was a no show this weekend, and I'm told he's been very quiet with the commits as of late. From everything I've been able together, I think it's more likely that Hood ends up elsewhere when it's all said and done — at least right now. As we've reported, Hood still has a lot of interest in Miami and Minnesota and would have visited those schools this fall had the dead period not been extended. Hood still hasn't been to campus, and early signing day is just a month away. Rivals100 wide receiver Xavier Worthy cancelled last minute, but he visited last weekend, and the Worthy family has consistently told me that they are not wavering at all.
4. How Did This Weekend Come Together?
Obviously, the dead period is ongoing. With it being extended into April, 2021 Michigan commits will not be able to make official visits — at least not the early enrollees. So Jim McCarthy, father of JJ, took matters into his own hand. Jim and the parents have a group text of their own, and he was instrumental in setting up the visit weekend. From getting everyone together to inviting underclassmen to setting an itinerary, Jim was the mastermind behind it all. You guys know the passion JJ has for Michigan. Jim is the same way. He absolutely loves the program and wants all the parents to truly feel like part of the family. I think he accomplished that this weekend. The parents and the kids all got a ton of quality time together.
5. So What Did The Recruits Do?
A lot of the recruits arrived throughout the day on Friday — some earlier than others. Guys like Domani Jackson and Ceyair Wright had 6 a.m. flights out of LA, while Tyler Martin had an evening flight out of Boston. After checking in at the Hyatt Place, the recruits and their parents all went out to Buffalo Wild Wings, where they hung out for several hours. The following day, the recruits made it out to a local field for some fun. Doman showed off some trick kicks. JJ wowed the other recruits with his arm. Tristan Bounds was the talk of the group thanks to his size. Mostly, the guys just played around and mingled. Some more commits arrived throughout Saturday, including Colson, Guy and McBurrows. After the field and some lunch, the recruits got an in-depth look at campus and also did some shopping for Michigan gear. That night, the recruits and their parents watched the game at The Blue Leprechaun. The recruits actually had their own private room. All of the recruits except Colson checked out throughout the morning on Sunday — Colson is staying until tomorrow.
6. What Did EJ Do?
Obviously, I provided live updates throughout the event and was basically at everything. I also happened to stay at the Hyatt Place and spent some time with Randy Jackson, father of Domani, in the lobby before heading over to King vs. Eastpointe. The game was short, so I made my way over to Buffalo Wild Wings just to check in with everyone. I mostly left everyone alone and worked at my own table. I didn't want to interrupt the bonding going on, but Mark Martin, father of Tyler, and Christian Dixon, mother of Cristian, came over and spent some extended time with me while I ate some wings — BWW is overrated, tbh. The next morning, Clayton and I hosted some of the recruits at our office on State St. We did the same this morning and will have some really cool video content. After that, I went over to the field. I took some photos and had some casual but brief convos. Others did interviews, but I felt like doing media stuff during the activities was crossing a line. That's why I invited guys over to our office when they had free time in the morning and before activities started. After that, I went over to West Bloomfield vs. Stevenson and then watched the Michigan game in my hotel. Again, I didn't want to involve myself too much in the event, so I didn't go to The Blue Leprechaun. It was more important for the kids and families to get to know each other than it was for me to get interviews. I got a ton of updates from afar and in appropriate pockets of time.
7. Lunch With The Colsons
It was great getting to chat with all the families this weekend. I especially enjoyed my convos with Mark and Christian. But the family I interacted the most with was the Colsons. Both Melanie and Steve have done a terrific job of raising Junior, who is probably my favorite kid in the class. We went out to lunch earlier today at Zingerman's Roadhouse, which was the bomb. I loved their menu and give the biscuits and gravy a high four-star rating. We chatted about everything from vacation spots to the weekend. The Colsons kind of feel like my second family. I've been to their home on a couple of different occasions and even love the family cat. It's really sad my time with them is coming to an end. BTW, Junior can eat. The waitress was literally in shock. He ordered a huge ribeye, eggs, sausage and mac and cheese and completely cleaned off his plate. And he told me he's still going to eat dinner lol. I'm excited for Junior. I think he'll get on the field right away at Michigan.
8. Will There Be A Commit?
I do think the big visit weekend could result in a commit. As I hinted in my update thread and later responded to another thread, I think the Michigan commits did a really, really good job with 2022 Rivals250 safety Isaac Thompson. Coincidentally, Thompson set a decision date of Dec. 4 earlier today. We had Thompson and his family in our office, and you just tell they were having a blast. While the other recruits went to the undisclosed field, Thompson and his family made their own personal tour of campus. They got a great feel for the university, and it's clear they really value academics. Thompson would be a great fit at Michigan, and I feel confident in my FutureCast pick. BTW, Tyler Martin did a tremendous job recruiting Thompson as well as Domani Jackson and Will Johnson — I'll have more on them in Into The Blue tomorrow.
9. Donovan Edwards
Edwards was a monster on the field this weekend. The Rivals100 running back scored an eye-popping six first half touchdowns and helped West Bloomfield destroy Stevenson. As I mentioned in my observations, Edwards has really taken the next step in a lot of areas of his game, and I'm a lot higher on him now. Everything is there for him to be a dominant every down back at the next level. And I just love his personality. Don was super candid in our interview and was absolutely hilarious throughout the game. The moment that defines Don the best is when he came over and counted his touchdowns in front of the cameras and then immediately apologized to the ref for his actions. He's such a great kid. Of course, Don went out to AA and watched the game with the recruits. He did have a really good time despite the result. I'll have a lot more on him in Into The Blue tomorrow.
10. Detroit Pizza
Alright guys, I listened to y'all. After West Bloomfield vs. Stevenson, I drove out to Hazel Park and had Loui's. And yes, it was definitely better than Buddy's. It had an authentic feel to it as opposed to the chain feel that Buddy's gave off. I loved the crust and the local cheese. I wouldn't say it was elite, but it was very, very good. I would rate it a 4/5 overall. If you have more Detroit food suggestions, feel free to share in the comments. I'm obviously out there a ton.
Look, this sucks. I get it. I know you guys expect more from Michigan and are extremely disappointed in the season. Trust me, it's hard for us, too. Obviously, I'm not a Michigan fan and didn't have ties to the university before I got here. But it's fun to cover recruiting when the program you write about is winning on the football field. When the team struggles, it makes my job a lot harder. With that said, I don't believe the 2021 Michigan recruiting class is in jeopardy of losing many if any commits. And I'm not just saying that as a positive spin. There were plenty of decommits in years of uncertainty at Texas and even SMU. But this class seems really firm with the Wolverines. As you saw today, Michigan quarterback commit JJ McCarthy led the way on Twitter with positive tweets about U-M. Other commits followed suit. Again, I just don't think there is much to worry about with this class. This season is having more of an effect on 2022 recruiting, which is in a bit of limbo.
2. Class Bond
Like I just said, this class is really firm. It's definitely the most committed class I've ever covered in a season marred by losses and uncertainty. This weekend obviously gave the commits a chance to meet and get to know each other. Everybody loves the aforementioned McCarthy. The commits believe in him, his talent and his message. McCarthy has been dubbed by some as the 'savior.' He obviously has lofty expectations, but he's more than capable of living up to it. Tristan Bounds was a big personality at the event that a lot of guys enjoyed meeting. And commits on the defensive side like Ja'Den McBurrows, TJ Guy and Junior Colson all enjoyed spending time together .In fact, Colson and Guy hit it off so much that they are now looking to room together. Specialist Tommy Doman also got a ton of positive reviews. Everybody admired his passion for Michigan.
3. Will There Be A Decommit?
Again, I'm not expecting Michigan to have guys jump ship left and right. But I am starting to grow even more concerned about Michigan losing three-star Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas linebacker Jaydon Hood. He was a no show this weekend, and I'm told he's been very quiet with the commits as of late. From everything I've been able together, I think it's more likely that Hood ends up elsewhere when it's all said and done — at least right now. As we've reported, Hood still has a lot of interest in Miami and Minnesota and would have visited those schools this fall had the dead period not been extended. Hood still hasn't been to campus, and early signing day is just a month away. Rivals100 wide receiver Xavier Worthy cancelled last minute, but he visited last weekend, and the Worthy family has consistently told me that they are not wavering at all.
4. How Did This Weekend Come Together?
Obviously, the dead period is ongoing. With it being extended into April, 2021 Michigan commits will not be able to make official visits — at least not the early enrollees. So Jim McCarthy, father of JJ, took matters into his own hand. Jim and the parents have a group text of their own, and he was instrumental in setting up the visit weekend. From getting everyone together to inviting underclassmen to setting an itinerary, Jim was the mastermind behind it all. You guys know the passion JJ has for Michigan. Jim is the same way. He absolutely loves the program and wants all the parents to truly feel like part of the family. I think he accomplished that this weekend. The parents and the kids all got a ton of quality time together.
5. So What Did The Recruits Do?
A lot of the recruits arrived throughout the day on Friday — some earlier than others. Guys like Domani Jackson and Ceyair Wright had 6 a.m. flights out of LA, while Tyler Martin had an evening flight out of Boston. After checking in at the Hyatt Place, the recruits and their parents all went out to Buffalo Wild Wings, where they hung out for several hours. The following day, the recruits made it out to a local field for some fun. Doman showed off some trick kicks. JJ wowed the other recruits with his arm. Tristan Bounds was the talk of the group thanks to his size. Mostly, the guys just played around and mingled. Some more commits arrived throughout Saturday, including Colson, Guy and McBurrows. After the field and some lunch, the recruits got an in-depth look at campus and also did some shopping for Michigan gear. That night, the recruits and their parents watched the game at The Blue Leprechaun. The recruits actually had their own private room. All of the recruits except Colson checked out throughout the morning on Sunday — Colson is staying until tomorrow.
6. What Did EJ Do?
Obviously, I provided live updates throughout the event and was basically at everything. I also happened to stay at the Hyatt Place and spent some time with Randy Jackson, father of Domani, in the lobby before heading over to King vs. Eastpointe. The game was short, so I made my way over to Buffalo Wild Wings just to check in with everyone. I mostly left everyone alone and worked at my own table. I didn't want to interrupt the bonding going on, but Mark Martin, father of Tyler, and Christian Dixon, mother of Cristian, came over and spent some extended time with me while I ate some wings — BWW is overrated, tbh. The next morning, Clayton and I hosted some of the recruits at our office on State St. We did the same this morning and will have some really cool video content. After that, I went over to the field. I took some photos and had some casual but brief convos. Others did interviews, but I felt like doing media stuff during the activities was crossing a line. That's why I invited guys over to our office when they had free time in the morning and before activities started. After that, I went over to West Bloomfield vs. Stevenson and then watched the Michigan game in my hotel. Again, I didn't want to involve myself too much in the event, so I didn't go to The Blue Leprechaun. It was more important for the kids and families to get to know each other than it was for me to get interviews. I got a ton of updates from afar and in appropriate pockets of time.
7. Lunch With The Colsons
It was great getting to chat with all the families this weekend. I especially enjoyed my convos with Mark and Christian. But the family I interacted the most with was the Colsons. Both Melanie and Steve have done a terrific job of raising Junior, who is probably my favorite kid in the class. We went out to lunch earlier today at Zingerman's Roadhouse, which was the bomb. I loved their menu and give the biscuits and gravy a high four-star rating. We chatted about everything from vacation spots to the weekend. The Colsons kind of feel like my second family. I've been to their home on a couple of different occasions and even love the family cat. It's really sad my time with them is coming to an end. BTW, Junior can eat. The waitress was literally in shock. He ordered a huge ribeye, eggs, sausage and mac and cheese and completely cleaned off his plate. And he told me he's still going to eat dinner lol. I'm excited for Junior. I think he'll get on the field right away at Michigan.
8. Will There Be A Commit?
I do think the big visit weekend could result in a commit. As I hinted in my update thread and later responded to another thread, I think the Michigan commits did a really, really good job with 2022 Rivals250 safety Isaac Thompson. Coincidentally, Thompson set a decision date of Dec. 4 earlier today. We had Thompson and his family in our office, and you just tell they were having a blast. While the other recruits went to the undisclosed field, Thompson and his family made their own personal tour of campus. They got a great feel for the university, and it's clear they really value academics. Thompson would be a great fit at Michigan, and I feel confident in my FutureCast pick. BTW, Tyler Martin did a tremendous job recruiting Thompson as well as Domani Jackson and Will Johnson — I'll have more on them in Into The Blue tomorrow.
9. Donovan Edwards
Edwards was a monster on the field this weekend. The Rivals100 running back scored an eye-popping six first half touchdowns and helped West Bloomfield destroy Stevenson. As I mentioned in my observations, Edwards has really taken the next step in a lot of areas of his game, and I'm a lot higher on him now. Everything is there for him to be a dominant every down back at the next level. And I just love his personality. Don was super candid in our interview and was absolutely hilarious throughout the game. The moment that defines Don the best is when he came over and counted his touchdowns in front of the cameras and then immediately apologized to the ref for his actions. He's such a great kid. Of course, Don went out to AA and watched the game with the recruits. He did have a really good time despite the result. I'll have a lot more on him in Into The Blue tomorrow.
10. Detroit Pizza
Alright guys, I listened to y'all. After West Bloomfield vs. Stevenson, I drove out to Hazel Park and had Loui's. And yes, it was definitely better than Buddy's. It had an authentic feel to it as opposed to the chain feel that Buddy's gave off. I loved the crust and the local cheese. I wouldn't say it was elite, but it was very, very good. I would rate it a 4/5 overall. If you have more Detroit food suggestions, feel free to share in the comments. I'm obviously out there a ton.
