With Michigan just days away from a huge apparel switch the buzz around Nike and Jordan is growing stronger and stronger. Adidas is out and the Swoosh and Jumpan are in and players, coaches, and fans couldn’t be more excited.
Many players have been tweeting in recent days about how great the Jordan apparel is and leaks have been steadily popping up on Twitter, some intentional, some not. One picture that hasn’t been seen by too many people appears to depict the new game jerseys that Michigan will wear in 2016. The basic set up is the same, as to be expected, with the home dark blues and maize pants remaining relatively unchanged expect for the Jumpman logo on the left chest and left hip. The all-white road unis also look similar to last years but also include the new apparel icon in the same spot as the home threads.
While color and basic layout remain untouched, the numbers appear to have been brought into a new era. A more modern, college-type of font looks to be in place for the numbers, that give a more edgy, up-to-date look from the standard block numbers that have adorned the Maize and Blue for so long.
The pictures have not been completely confirmed as legitimate but they are from a current player’s snapchat and are definitely real jerseys, on mannequins, from inside the locker room. Similar jerseys were noticed in a picture earlier this year from a recruit visit photo but were barely visible far back in the distance.
Either way, we will get a sneak peek on Aug. 2 and then a public unveiling will take place a few days later.
On football recruiting, Detroit Cass Tech safety Jaylen Kelly-Powell and Detroit King cornerback Ambry Thomas are cousins and have been going through the recruiting process together. Nothing has changed with the Detroit duo and it still appears that both will end up in Ann Arbor.
Kelly-Powell’s father is a huge Michigan advocate and has been very forthcoming with us about where things stand. Both are extremely high on the U-M coaching staff but are even higher on the degree Jaylen would receive at Michigan.
We were once told that Thomas was a lock and had already committed to the staff, but people close to him seem to think that Michigan State is still in the mix. We have been in close communication with several people in the King circle and remain fully confident that Thomas loves Don Brown and will ultimately play for him in college.
Kelly-Powell is a 6-0, 180-pound, three-star safety ranked No. 27 at his position. Thomas is a 5-11, 165-pound, four-star cornerback ranked No. 15 at his position and No. 174 overall nationally.
Keeping with the Detroit theme, four-star 2018 cornerback Kalon Gervin out of Cass Tech is another coveted prospect holding offers from Arkansas, California, Michigan State, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Penn State, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Wisconsin among others. The 5-11, 175-pound rising junior has not made his top 10 public yet but did confide in us that Michigan will definitely make the cut.
Gervin has been on campus many times and has also frequented Michigan State. The Detroit product is also looking pretty hard at Wisconsin, Penn State, and Pittsburgh, who have all tried to make in roads into the Motor City.
Michigan director of player personnel Tony Tuioti has been a huge asset to U-M’s recruiting efforts. The Samoan native is making a big impact in recruiting players of Polynesian decent. Three such players are at or near the top of the board for their respective positions.
South Jordan (Utah) Bingham four-star defensive tackle Jay Tufele is the top target remaining on the defensive line. The 6-2, 306-pounder hails from the same state and plays the same position as Michigan junior Bryan Mone, which may give the Wolverines some pull. Tufele is high on the Buckeyes and as always, kids with his background and from the western part of the country always look hard at schools like UCLA, USC, Washington, and Oregon. Tufele is the No. 5 defensive tackle and the No. 99 overall prospect in the country.
If Brooklyn (N.Y.) Poly Prep five-star offensive tackle Isaiah Wilson is target No. 1 among offensive linemen for Michigan, four-star offensive tackle Chuck Filiaga may be No. 2. The 6-6, 335-pounder is an absolute monster of a young man and has some of the heaviest hands in the country when it comes to the overall size of his mitts and the force behind his initial punch.
As the No. 15 offensive tackle and No. 121 overall prospect in the country, he’s wanted by many schools including Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Ole Miss, Oklahoma, Oregon, TCU, and of course UCLA and USC. The big tackle was formerly at Murrietta (Calif.) Vista Murrieta but will play his senior season at Aledo High School in Aledo, Texas. That could add an interesting twist on his recruitment but regardless of where he plays, he wants to see U-M in person.
“I definitely want to visit Michigan,” he said. “I’ll probably try to do an unofficial visit. I’m going to do my best to get up there. I haven’t really started thinking about official visits yet. I don’t even have one planned out."
Finally, a true Samoan hailing from Leone High School in Pago Pago, American Samoa, athlete/outside linebacker Juliano Falaniko is very high on Michigan’s board. The 6-4, 200-pound, freaky pass rusher is currently committed to USC but is giving Michigan a serious look after attending the early-June satellite camp. He had a chance to bond with Tuioti and other members of U-M’s staff and is very intrigued by blazing a new trail in Ann Arbor. He’s also very intrigued by the opportunity to play for Jim Harbaugh as a huge 49ers fan. Falaniko has two official visits planned, one to USC and one to Michigan, and even said that a flip to U-M is something he thinks about a lot. Falaniko is a four-star prospect and is the No. 31 athlete in the nation.
More recruiting …
We have reported that it was believed that four-star offensive lineman Plantation (Fla.) American Heritage TJ Slaton would stay in-state. After talking to a source inside the state, Harbaugh’s presence at his high school is huge and down there it’s believed he will in fact choose the Wolverines when his decision comes.
There is a lot of time to go, but as for now U-M is back to being the favorite to land Slaton and put him back with former teammate Nick Eubanks and current teammate/commit Kai-Leon Herbert.
Another Florida prospect, Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy linebacker Jordan Anthony, told us he was headed to the BBQ at the Big House, but we were able to snag some even bigger news. A source close to Anthony let us know that it is a strong belief that the Wolverines lead for his services right now. It seems to be a pretty big lead for the four-star linebacker, but it is believed that he isn’t making it public so other schools don’t lay off pursing him just because he has a leader (which happens often).
He probably isn’t making his decision until an all-star game, but if the BBQ can convince him, then he could commit, along with others. The event on August 6 could have a big impact on Anthony … it is his second unofficial visit to Ann Arbor, which means it’s on his own dime. There’s no doubt he will official here, too.
Four-star Paramus Catholic (N.J.) Drew Singleton has been chased hard by Clemson and Tennessee, but we still believe the Maize and Blue to lead this race, as well. A class that includes those two would be a really good one that Michigan needs at this position.
To football now, where expectations are extremely high. The upperclassmen were tight lipped about freshmen at Big Ten Media Day this week, but there’s been some off the record chatter that the freshman class is going to be even better than expected. As much as head coach Jim Harbaugh looks for “football players,” it’s the athleticism of the group that is opening eyes.
Everyone has been talking about the 26 times freshman defensive end Rashan Gary put up 225 pounds, and they should. He’s got freakish strength. But his work ethic is also off the charts, and it’s looking more and more as though he’ll eventually start at strongside end and move fifth-year senior Chris Wormley inside, giving U-M it’s best possible defensive line.
In other words, Gary is meeting the hype. That said, Wormley will play on the edge, as well, and there will be plenty of moving around up front. This will be the deepest and most talented line the Wolverines have had in over a decade – maybe longer.
The “explosion” is the trait most noticeable among the freshman receivers, according to many. Senior Jourdan Lewis brought up Californian Dylan Crawford as one who “wants to play now,” and seems like he might be able to, but he’s not the only one. All of them are extremely confident and have made plays in 7-on-7s … and the same goes with the quarterbacks. The race is “too close to call,” one said, though we still remain confident that redshirt junior John O’Korn will be the starter when the Wolverines open with Hawaii Sept. 3.
The potential sleeper in the frosh class – Pembroke Pines, Fla., safety Josh Metellus. There’s been a ton of talk about Pennsylvanian Khaleke Hudson (and he’ll play early – he’s Jabrill Peppers lite, according to those close to it) – but Metellus has skills and is one many have been talking about.
It’s been an overall great summer for the team in terms of conditioning, one of the reasons head coach Jim Harbaugh seemed excited about his team in Chicago. The work ethic is off the charts.
****
To basketball and recruiting now, starting with the current team. All are healthy and returning to form, and that’s big news especially for senior Zak Irvin. Irvin was way behind last year – he had been off for eight weeks before getting hurt, so when he came back early in the season he was nowhere near the kind of shape he’d been before (or needed to be).
Early returns on the freshmen have been positive. All four can play, and three of them likely will (one of the big men, shooting guard Ibi Watson and point guard Xavier Simpson).
If we had to bet we’d go with 7-1 Ohioan Jon Teske to see some time at the five. He’s already gained 15 pounds and is up to 255, and he’s been a rim protector with his shot blocking ability in some scrimmages. Watson, meanwhile, is extremely athletic - all four should help.
On the recruiting front, the Wolverines currently have plenty of momentum. They really wanted Minnesotan Brad Davison in the 2017 class, a high three-star who went to Wisconsin, but pledge Eli Brooks was no consolation prize. In fact, Brooks’ offer list was growing faster than Davison’s and he was shooting the ball just as well by the end of summer.
Brooks told us recently it was extremely hard to say ‘no’ to his childhood favorite, Villanova, adding that he called head coach Jay Wright personally to tell him. Wright appreciated it and predicted big things for Brooks in the Big Ten. Ohio State and N.C. State had offered and Texas just called about Brooks yesterday (July 28), so this is a big get.
Brooks plans to visit official Sept. 3, the day Michael Jordan is honorary captain for the Wolverines when they unveil the Jumpman uniforms for the first time. Look for a lot of hoops visitors that day.
U-M could take two more in the 2017 class, including one power forward. Both Massillon, Ohio, Jackson four-star Kyle Young and Kalamazoo, Mich., Central three-star Isaiah Livers have been offered and will announce around the same time (mid to late September).
Young will take official visits that will help him make his final decision. Some believe Purdue and Ohio State have the edge heading into visits, but there are plenty in his town in Michigan’s corner. One coach at Massillon is a big fan of head coach John Beilein’s, so that should help.
Livers grew up an MSU fan and his dad loves the Spartans, but he feels like he’s a really good fit at U-M. Still, those don’t usually end up going Michigan’s way (childhood favorite MSU, in-state).
We wouldn’t call the Wolverines the favorite for either at this point, though they are certainly right in the picture. Five-star Kris Wilkes, too, will be back on campus one more time (hopefully Sept. 3) but won’t decide until spring. Michigan will wait this one out, for sure.
One thing to note – many were worried about assistant Billy Donlon and whether or not he’d recruit well. He’s hit it hard and has been an absolute asset. Brooks singled him out as one of the guys he really connected with, and other recruits have told us the same.
U-M has worked extremely hard for its top prospects, and it’s been noticeable this summer. We’d call the Wolverines the leader for four-star 2018 power forward Brandon Johns of East Lansing, Mich., four-star Canadian 2018 PG Andrew Nembhard and – especially – Milton, Mass., Academy’s Cormac Ryan. The 6-5 point guard has picked up an Indiana offer but noticed U-M coaches at every single one of his games this summer.
Ryan is hoping to get an offer Aug. 6, and though he won’t jump on it, U-M is his leader and he loves the fit. There are plenty in his camp in Michigan’s corner, as well.
Many players have been tweeting in recent days about how great the Jordan apparel is and leaks have been steadily popping up on Twitter, some intentional, some not. One picture that hasn’t been seen by too many people appears to depict the new game jerseys that Michigan will wear in 2016. The basic set up is the same, as to be expected, with the home dark blues and maize pants remaining relatively unchanged expect for the Jumpman logo on the left chest and left hip. The all-white road unis also look similar to last years but also include the new apparel icon in the same spot as the home threads.
While color and basic layout remain untouched, the numbers appear to have been brought into a new era. A more modern, college-type of font looks to be in place for the numbers, that give a more edgy, up-to-date look from the standard block numbers that have adorned the Maize and Blue for so long.
The pictures have not been completely confirmed as legitimate but they are from a current player’s snapchat and are definitely real jerseys, on mannequins, from inside the locker room. Similar jerseys were noticed in a picture earlier this year from a recruit visit photo but were barely visible far back in the distance.
Either way, we will get a sneak peek on Aug. 2 and then a public unveiling will take place a few days later.
On football recruiting, Detroit Cass Tech safety Jaylen Kelly-Powell and Detroit King cornerback Ambry Thomas are cousins and have been going through the recruiting process together. Nothing has changed with the Detroit duo and it still appears that both will end up in Ann Arbor.
Kelly-Powell’s father is a huge Michigan advocate and has been very forthcoming with us about where things stand. Both are extremely high on the U-M coaching staff but are even higher on the degree Jaylen would receive at Michigan.
We were once told that Thomas was a lock and had already committed to the staff, but people close to him seem to think that Michigan State is still in the mix. We have been in close communication with several people in the King circle and remain fully confident that Thomas loves Don Brown and will ultimately play for him in college.
Kelly-Powell is a 6-0, 180-pound, three-star safety ranked No. 27 at his position. Thomas is a 5-11, 165-pound, four-star cornerback ranked No. 15 at his position and No. 174 overall nationally.
Keeping with the Detroit theme, four-star 2018 cornerback Kalon Gervin out of Cass Tech is another coveted prospect holding offers from Arkansas, California, Michigan State, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Penn State, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Wisconsin among others. The 5-11, 175-pound rising junior has not made his top 10 public yet but did confide in us that Michigan will definitely make the cut.
Gervin has been on campus many times and has also frequented Michigan State. The Detroit product is also looking pretty hard at Wisconsin, Penn State, and Pittsburgh, who have all tried to make in roads into the Motor City.
Michigan director of player personnel Tony Tuioti has been a huge asset to U-M’s recruiting efforts. The Samoan native is making a big impact in recruiting players of Polynesian decent. Three such players are at or near the top of the board for their respective positions.
South Jordan (Utah) Bingham four-star defensive tackle Jay Tufele is the top target remaining on the defensive line. The 6-2, 306-pounder hails from the same state and plays the same position as Michigan junior Bryan Mone, which may give the Wolverines some pull. Tufele is high on the Buckeyes and as always, kids with his background and from the western part of the country always look hard at schools like UCLA, USC, Washington, and Oregon. Tufele is the No. 5 defensive tackle and the No. 99 overall prospect in the country.
If Brooklyn (N.Y.) Poly Prep five-star offensive tackle Isaiah Wilson is target No. 1 among offensive linemen for Michigan, four-star offensive tackle Chuck Filiaga may be No. 2. The 6-6, 335-pounder is an absolute monster of a young man and has some of the heaviest hands in the country when it comes to the overall size of his mitts and the force behind his initial punch.
As the No. 15 offensive tackle and No. 121 overall prospect in the country, he’s wanted by many schools including Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Ole Miss, Oklahoma, Oregon, TCU, and of course UCLA and USC. The big tackle was formerly at Murrietta (Calif.) Vista Murrieta but will play his senior season at Aledo High School in Aledo, Texas. That could add an interesting twist on his recruitment but regardless of where he plays, he wants to see U-M in person.
“I definitely want to visit Michigan,” he said. “I’ll probably try to do an unofficial visit. I’m going to do my best to get up there. I haven’t really started thinking about official visits yet. I don’t even have one planned out."
Finally, a true Samoan hailing from Leone High School in Pago Pago, American Samoa, athlete/outside linebacker Juliano Falaniko is very high on Michigan’s board. The 6-4, 200-pound, freaky pass rusher is currently committed to USC but is giving Michigan a serious look after attending the early-June satellite camp. He had a chance to bond with Tuioti and other members of U-M’s staff and is very intrigued by blazing a new trail in Ann Arbor. He’s also very intrigued by the opportunity to play for Jim Harbaugh as a huge 49ers fan. Falaniko has two official visits planned, one to USC and one to Michigan, and even said that a flip to U-M is something he thinks about a lot. Falaniko is a four-star prospect and is the No. 31 athlete in the nation.
More recruiting …
We have reported that it was believed that four-star offensive lineman Plantation (Fla.) American Heritage TJ Slaton would stay in-state. After talking to a source inside the state, Harbaugh’s presence at his high school is huge and down there it’s believed he will in fact choose the Wolverines when his decision comes.
There is a lot of time to go, but as for now U-M is back to being the favorite to land Slaton and put him back with former teammate Nick Eubanks and current teammate/commit Kai-Leon Herbert.
Another Florida prospect, Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy linebacker Jordan Anthony, told us he was headed to the BBQ at the Big House, but we were able to snag some even bigger news. A source close to Anthony let us know that it is a strong belief that the Wolverines lead for his services right now. It seems to be a pretty big lead for the four-star linebacker, but it is believed that he isn’t making it public so other schools don’t lay off pursing him just because he has a leader (which happens often).
He probably isn’t making his decision until an all-star game, but if the BBQ can convince him, then he could commit, along with others. The event on August 6 could have a big impact on Anthony … it is his second unofficial visit to Ann Arbor, which means it’s on his own dime. There’s no doubt he will official here, too.
Four-star Paramus Catholic (N.J.) Drew Singleton has been chased hard by Clemson and Tennessee, but we still believe the Maize and Blue to lead this race, as well. A class that includes those two would be a really good one that Michigan needs at this position.
To football now, where expectations are extremely high. The upperclassmen were tight lipped about freshmen at Big Ten Media Day this week, but there’s been some off the record chatter that the freshman class is going to be even better than expected. As much as head coach Jim Harbaugh looks for “football players,” it’s the athleticism of the group that is opening eyes.
Everyone has been talking about the 26 times freshman defensive end Rashan Gary put up 225 pounds, and they should. He’s got freakish strength. But his work ethic is also off the charts, and it’s looking more and more as though he’ll eventually start at strongside end and move fifth-year senior Chris Wormley inside, giving U-M it’s best possible defensive line.
In other words, Gary is meeting the hype. That said, Wormley will play on the edge, as well, and there will be plenty of moving around up front. This will be the deepest and most talented line the Wolverines have had in over a decade – maybe longer.
The “explosion” is the trait most noticeable among the freshman receivers, according to many. Senior Jourdan Lewis brought up Californian Dylan Crawford as one who “wants to play now,” and seems like he might be able to, but he’s not the only one. All of them are extremely confident and have made plays in 7-on-7s … and the same goes with the quarterbacks. The race is “too close to call,” one said, though we still remain confident that redshirt junior John O’Korn will be the starter when the Wolverines open with Hawaii Sept. 3.
The potential sleeper in the frosh class – Pembroke Pines, Fla., safety Josh Metellus. There’s been a ton of talk about Pennsylvanian Khaleke Hudson (and he’ll play early – he’s Jabrill Peppers lite, according to those close to it) – but Metellus has skills and is one many have been talking about.
It’s been an overall great summer for the team in terms of conditioning, one of the reasons head coach Jim Harbaugh seemed excited about his team in Chicago. The work ethic is off the charts.
****
To basketball and recruiting now, starting with the current team. All are healthy and returning to form, and that’s big news especially for senior Zak Irvin. Irvin was way behind last year – he had been off for eight weeks before getting hurt, so when he came back early in the season he was nowhere near the kind of shape he’d been before (or needed to be).
Early returns on the freshmen have been positive. All four can play, and three of them likely will (one of the big men, shooting guard Ibi Watson and point guard Xavier Simpson).
If we had to bet we’d go with 7-1 Ohioan Jon Teske to see some time at the five. He’s already gained 15 pounds and is up to 255, and he’s been a rim protector with his shot blocking ability in some scrimmages. Watson, meanwhile, is extremely athletic - all four should help.
On the recruiting front, the Wolverines currently have plenty of momentum. They really wanted Minnesotan Brad Davison in the 2017 class, a high three-star who went to Wisconsin, but pledge Eli Brooks was no consolation prize. In fact, Brooks’ offer list was growing faster than Davison’s and he was shooting the ball just as well by the end of summer.
Brooks told us recently it was extremely hard to say ‘no’ to his childhood favorite, Villanova, adding that he called head coach Jay Wright personally to tell him. Wright appreciated it and predicted big things for Brooks in the Big Ten. Ohio State and N.C. State had offered and Texas just called about Brooks yesterday (July 28), so this is a big get.
Brooks plans to visit official Sept. 3, the day Michael Jordan is honorary captain for the Wolverines when they unveil the Jumpman uniforms for the first time. Look for a lot of hoops visitors that day.
U-M could take two more in the 2017 class, including one power forward. Both Massillon, Ohio, Jackson four-star Kyle Young and Kalamazoo, Mich., Central three-star Isaiah Livers have been offered and will announce around the same time (mid to late September).
Young will take official visits that will help him make his final decision. Some believe Purdue and Ohio State have the edge heading into visits, but there are plenty in his town in Michigan’s corner. One coach at Massillon is a big fan of head coach John Beilein’s, so that should help.
Livers grew up an MSU fan and his dad loves the Spartans, but he feels like he’s a really good fit at U-M. Still, those don’t usually end up going Michigan’s way (childhood favorite MSU, in-state).
We wouldn’t call the Wolverines the favorite for either at this point, though they are certainly right in the picture. Five-star Kris Wilkes, too, will be back on campus one more time (hopefully Sept. 3) but won’t decide until spring. Michigan will wait this one out, for sure.
One thing to note – many were worried about assistant Billy Donlon and whether or not he’d recruit well. He’s hit it hard and has been an absolute asset. Brooks singled him out as one of the guys he really connected with, and other recruits have told us the same.
U-M has worked extremely hard for its top prospects, and it’s been noticeable this summer. We’d call the Wolverines the leader for four-star 2018 power forward Brandon Johns of East Lansing, Mich., four-star Canadian 2018 PG Andrew Nembhard and – especially – Milton, Mass., Academy’s Cormac Ryan. The 6-5 point guard has picked up an Indiana offer but noticed U-M coaches at every single one of his games this summer.
Ryan is hoping to get an offer Aug. 6, and though he won’t jump on it, U-M is his leader and he loves the fit. There are plenty in his camp in Michigan’s corner, as well.
