I'm stealing a page from the Geoff Ketchum playbook over at our Texas site and will be doing this 10 thoughts piece every Sunday. Let me know what you think about it.
1. We Have Real Football
It almost doesn't feel like I covered an actual football game less than 48 hours ago. Honestly, it feels a little bit like a dream. Maybe it's just how weird the offseason has been. Maybe it's the fact that the game was only an hour and a half long because there was a running clock in the second half. Maybe it's just the fact that I wasn't expecting to cover any games this fall. Anyway, it felt awesome to be out there. You could tell everyone in the stadium was just happy to be there. I'm having trouble writing this paragraph because, well, it's pretty indescribable. All I'lll can think to write is that I had the biggest smile on my face during warmups. At that moment, I felt a sense of serenity. I know the players did, too. After being cooped up for months and told the sport we love wasn't going to happen, we had a damn football game ahead of us.
2. The Game
I've written a ton about Michigan linebacker commit Junior Colson and my thoughts on his performance, so I won't rehash that too much. His Brentwood (Tenn.) Ravenwood team beat the brakes off of Franklin (Tenn.) Centennial, 48-0, and it was even worse than the score. Ravenwood was up 42-0 at half, and they ran the clock in second half. Junior was terrific considering Centennial ran away from him as much as possible. He was a terror off the edge and showed off his versatility. Like I've said, I can see him being a Viper, but I have a feeling he'll play multiple spots under Don Brown. Junior is the perfect fit for his attacking scheme. Junior is up to 225 pounds and with his speed and agility, it's almost cheating at the high school level.
3. It Almost Didn't Happen
We had a longer lightning delay than we did an actual game. The first 45 minutes I spent hiding under a cover of a building waiting for the rain to go away. It felt like it was getting worse. The Weather.com app and the AccuWeather app both showed different things on the radar, which was frustrating. I decided it was best to make a run to Chick-Fil-A. We hardly have them in Chicago, so any chance I get to have it, I do. I got the 8-count and when my wife picked me up from Midway the following day, I had it again and got the Spicy Chicken Sandwich. Chick-Fil-A is the best fast food restaurant. No question. Anyway, Junior's mom kept me updated on the game status, and they finally set kickoff for 9 p.m. I was just thankful they didn't cancel.
4. Finessing
A key trait for being a recruiting reporter is the ability to finesse. I know getting media passes to games is going to be a pain during this season with everything going on. Junior's family was nice enough to get me a ticket ahead of time. But luckily, it was senior night, so I pretended to be a family member, walked through an open gate and continued undetected to the other side of the field. Nobody ever questioned me, and I stayed on the sideline all game. Another key skill for being a recruiting reporter — fence hopping. Our Clayton Sayfie got to hop one with me when we went to that Cass Tech workout a couple of weeks ago because the gate by the parking lot was locked. I also had to do it for Myles Rowser's workout.
5. The Colson Fam
If you haven't read my lengthy profile on Junior Colson, please do. He has the best story in college football recruiting this year. His mother, Melanie, and his father, Steve, are two of the best people you'll ever meet. Junior is very fortunate to have them in his life and vice versa. You can't ask for a better kid than Junior. He takes care of business in the classroom, does everything right on and off the field and always has a smile on his face. The Colson family is exactly what Jim Harbaugh wants when it comes to the culture he's trying to build at Michigan. They will be ambassadors for the program for years to come.
6. Enrolling Early
As I reported here, Junior will be an early enrollee at Michigan. Look, I'm hopeful that a spring season will actually happen. I certainly wouldn't bet on it, but I'm hopeful. If it does, I wouldn't be surprised if Junior gets on the field right away. He's already built like a college linebacker and has the speed and change of direction to make an immediate impact. Everyone has said not having a fall season will hurt Michigan recruiting, but Junior sees opportunity. He fully believes he can get on the field for the Wolverines a month after enrolling, and that's super appealing to him.
7. How Did I Get Close To Colson?
If you've been a member on this site, then you know I'm super close to Colson and his family. They let me break his commitment and had me over for lasagna. To be honest, I got close to the Colson family on accident. Colson was the first prospect I saw on this beat last year. I was actually flying out to Louisville to see Dekel Crowdus, but he transferred to IMG literally the day before my flight. I had to improvise, so I looked at Michigan's offer list and decided that I would land in Louisville and drive to Nashville to see Junior. He was the highest rated prospect in the vicinity. After the game, I usually try to talk to the families and just hit it off with Junior and his parents. His mom grew up a Michigan fan, so she was really excited that I came down for the game. Junior also happens to train with Buck Fitzgerald, who was a big recruiting figure in Texas for many years and was a good source of mine. It all just worked out.
8. This Tweet
The tweet apparently rubbed some people the wrong way. Look, I love my job, and I think The Fort knows that. One of the reasons I feel like I'm good at my job is because I genuinely take the time to get to know the kids and their families. I absolutely cannot stand our industry sometimes. The amount of lazy people that do recruiting is unbearable. It's a huge disservice to the kids when guys that report and rank them can't even get off their couch to go watch them. On top of that, it's the most rewarding part of the job. Seeing Junior play as a senior made everything come full circle. I wish those people would go find another job. Lastly, I grew up loving Terrell Owens and hating Peyton Manning. I'm going to say what I feel and be honest. It might ruffle some feathers and be considered 'unprofessional,' but man, somebody has to be real.
9. 2022 Rankings
I'll give more in-depth thoughts later in the week in the Coffee House Column. Here are some brief ones.
Three Rankings I Loved
Domani Jackson (No. 2) — Domani might be the best prospect in the country. He's a sure fire bet to be a star in college and beyond. Also love Will Johnson at No. 13. Sneaking that in here because they are both elite and top targets.
Sebastian Cheeks (No. 97) — It seems like you guys weren't really excited when I went out and saw Cheeks this offseason. You need to be. This guy is a baller and could be a potential land for Michigan next cycle. Love his size, athleticism and versatility.
Drew Shelton (No. 110) — Haven't seen him live yet but looks like a stud on tape. Ed Warinner knows how to evaluate offensive linemen and got on him super early. Like Cheeks, I could easily see Shelton being a Michigan Man next cycle.
Three Rankings I Didn't Love
Myles Rowser (No. 33) — I agree more with TOS. Rowser is way too high. I still like him a lot, but I would have him closer to 150. I think Domani and Will are definitely in a higher tier.
Joshua Burnham (No. 186) — Too low. I went out to Traverse City and evaluated Burnham in-person. He has all the tools to be a Top 70 prospect nationally, and his tape is terrific. He's my No. 2 overall prospect in the state behind Will. Alex VanSumeren is next, btw.
Tay'Shawn Trent (No. 230) — I'm a sucker for big receivers, but I'm not sold on Trent being a Top 250 guy. He may even turn into a tight end or an outside linebacker. I would grade him as a mid- or high three-star at this time.
10. Happy Trails
Elite 2022 QB Quinn Ewers came off the board this week. Ewers is staying close to home and committed to Texas. He was a top target for Michigan. At this point, I'm not sure Michigan will follow up JJ McCarthy with another top level land at the position. In-state 2022 linebacker/safety Nolan Ziegler committed to Notre Dame. I got the heads up a couple of days ago that it was going to happen. Not much of a surprise. He has a lot of family ties, and I actually told our Clayton Sayfie after our stop in Grand Rapids a couple of weeks ago: 'This kid seems exactly like a Notre Dame kid.' I like Ziegler as a mid- to high three-star. Good land for the Irish but not anything to get upset about if you're Michigan. Elite safety Dasan McCullough committed to Ohio State. He's a beast, man. So is fellow safety/linebacker commit CJ Hicks. OSU is off to another dominant recruiting start.
1. We Have Real Football
It almost doesn't feel like I covered an actual football game less than 48 hours ago. Honestly, it feels a little bit like a dream. Maybe it's just how weird the offseason has been. Maybe it's the fact that the game was only an hour and a half long because there was a running clock in the second half. Maybe it's just the fact that I wasn't expecting to cover any games this fall. Anyway, it felt awesome to be out there. You could tell everyone in the stadium was just happy to be there. I'm having trouble writing this paragraph because, well, it's pretty indescribable. All I'lll can think to write is that I had the biggest smile on my face during warmups. At that moment, I felt a sense of serenity. I know the players did, too. After being cooped up for months and told the sport we love wasn't going to happen, we had a damn football game ahead of us.
2. The Game
I've written a ton about Michigan linebacker commit Junior Colson and my thoughts on his performance, so I won't rehash that too much. His Brentwood (Tenn.) Ravenwood team beat the brakes off of Franklin (Tenn.) Centennial, 48-0, and it was even worse than the score. Ravenwood was up 42-0 at half, and they ran the clock in second half. Junior was terrific considering Centennial ran away from him as much as possible. He was a terror off the edge and showed off his versatility. Like I've said, I can see him being a Viper, but I have a feeling he'll play multiple spots under Don Brown. Junior is the perfect fit for his attacking scheme. Junior is up to 225 pounds and with his speed and agility, it's almost cheating at the high school level.
3. It Almost Didn't Happen
We had a longer lightning delay than we did an actual game. The first 45 minutes I spent hiding under a cover of a building waiting for the rain to go away. It felt like it was getting worse. The Weather.com app and the AccuWeather app both showed different things on the radar, which was frustrating. I decided it was best to make a run to Chick-Fil-A. We hardly have them in Chicago, so any chance I get to have it, I do. I got the 8-count and when my wife picked me up from Midway the following day, I had it again and got the Spicy Chicken Sandwich. Chick-Fil-A is the best fast food restaurant. No question. Anyway, Junior's mom kept me updated on the game status, and they finally set kickoff for 9 p.m. I was just thankful they didn't cancel.
4. Finessing
A key trait for being a recruiting reporter is the ability to finesse. I know getting media passes to games is going to be a pain during this season with everything going on. Junior's family was nice enough to get me a ticket ahead of time. But luckily, it was senior night, so I pretended to be a family member, walked through an open gate and continued undetected to the other side of the field. Nobody ever questioned me, and I stayed on the sideline all game. Another key skill for being a recruiting reporter — fence hopping. Our Clayton Sayfie got to hop one with me when we went to that Cass Tech workout a couple of weeks ago because the gate by the parking lot was locked. I also had to do it for Myles Rowser's workout.
5. The Colson Fam
If you haven't read my lengthy profile on Junior Colson, please do. He has the best story in college football recruiting this year. His mother, Melanie, and his father, Steve, are two of the best people you'll ever meet. Junior is very fortunate to have them in his life and vice versa. You can't ask for a better kid than Junior. He takes care of business in the classroom, does everything right on and off the field and always has a smile on his face. The Colson family is exactly what Jim Harbaugh wants when it comes to the culture he's trying to build at Michigan. They will be ambassadors for the program for years to come.
6. Enrolling Early
As I reported here, Junior will be an early enrollee at Michigan. Look, I'm hopeful that a spring season will actually happen. I certainly wouldn't bet on it, but I'm hopeful. If it does, I wouldn't be surprised if Junior gets on the field right away. He's already built like a college linebacker and has the speed and change of direction to make an immediate impact. Everyone has said not having a fall season will hurt Michigan recruiting, but Junior sees opportunity. He fully believes he can get on the field for the Wolverines a month after enrolling, and that's super appealing to him.
7. How Did I Get Close To Colson?
If you've been a member on this site, then you know I'm super close to Colson and his family. They let me break his commitment and had me over for lasagna. To be honest, I got close to the Colson family on accident. Colson was the first prospect I saw on this beat last year. I was actually flying out to Louisville to see Dekel Crowdus, but he transferred to IMG literally the day before my flight. I had to improvise, so I looked at Michigan's offer list and decided that I would land in Louisville and drive to Nashville to see Junior. He was the highest rated prospect in the vicinity. After the game, I usually try to talk to the families and just hit it off with Junior and his parents. His mom grew up a Michigan fan, so she was really excited that I came down for the game. Junior also happens to train with Buck Fitzgerald, who was a big recruiting figure in Texas for many years and was a good source of mine. It all just worked out.
8. This Tweet
The tweet apparently rubbed some people the wrong way. Look, I love my job, and I think The Fort knows that. One of the reasons I feel like I'm good at my job is because I genuinely take the time to get to know the kids and their families. I absolutely cannot stand our industry sometimes. The amount of lazy people that do recruiting is unbearable. It's a huge disservice to the kids when guys that report and rank them can't even get off their couch to go watch them. On top of that, it's the most rewarding part of the job. Seeing Junior play as a senior made everything come full circle. I wish those people would go find another job. Lastly, I grew up loving Terrell Owens and hating Peyton Manning. I'm going to say what I feel and be honest. It might ruffle some feathers and be considered 'unprofessional,' but man, somebody has to be real.
9. 2022 Rankings
I'll give more in-depth thoughts later in the week in the Coffee House Column. Here are some brief ones.
Three Rankings I Loved
Domani Jackson (No. 2) — Domani might be the best prospect in the country. He's a sure fire bet to be a star in college and beyond. Also love Will Johnson at No. 13. Sneaking that in here because they are both elite and top targets.
Sebastian Cheeks (No. 97) — It seems like you guys weren't really excited when I went out and saw Cheeks this offseason. You need to be. This guy is a baller and could be a potential land for Michigan next cycle. Love his size, athleticism and versatility.
Drew Shelton (No. 110) — Haven't seen him live yet but looks like a stud on tape. Ed Warinner knows how to evaluate offensive linemen and got on him super early. Like Cheeks, I could easily see Shelton being a Michigan Man next cycle.
Three Rankings I Didn't Love
Myles Rowser (No. 33) — I agree more with TOS. Rowser is way too high. I still like him a lot, but I would have him closer to 150. I think Domani and Will are definitely in a higher tier.
Joshua Burnham (No. 186) — Too low. I went out to Traverse City and evaluated Burnham in-person. He has all the tools to be a Top 70 prospect nationally, and his tape is terrific. He's my No. 2 overall prospect in the state behind Will. Alex VanSumeren is next, btw.
Tay'Shawn Trent (No. 230) — I'm a sucker for big receivers, but I'm not sold on Trent being a Top 250 guy. He may even turn into a tight end or an outside linebacker. I would grade him as a mid- or high three-star at this time.
10. Happy Trails
Elite 2022 QB Quinn Ewers came off the board this week. Ewers is staying close to home and committed to Texas. He was a top target for Michigan. At this point, I'm not sure Michigan will follow up JJ McCarthy with another top level land at the position. In-state 2022 linebacker/safety Nolan Ziegler committed to Notre Dame. I got the heads up a couple of days ago that it was going to happen. Not much of a surprise. He has a lot of family ties, and I actually told our Clayton Sayfie after our stop in Grand Rapids a couple of weeks ago: 'This kid seems exactly like a Notre Dame kid.' I like Ziegler as a mid- to high three-star. Good land for the Irish but not anything to get upset about if you're Michigan. Elite safety Dasan McCullough committed to Ohio State. He's a beast, man. So is fellow safety/linebacker commit CJ Hicks. OSU is off to another dominant recruiting start.
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