The latest edition of INSIDE THE FORT, including several football recruiting nuggets to start this one off …
It’s been a couple of weeks but no one is going to forget about Michigan’s 78-0 beatdown of Rutgers, and that includes five-star offensive tackle Isaiah Wilson. The 6-6, 330-pounder was in the house as a Rutgers visitor (kind of) and witnessed the massacre first hand. Obviously seeing Michigan win so handily helped the Wolverines by itself, but leading up to the game Wilson was already approaching it as a U-M visitor rather than as a guest of the Scarlet Knights.
Wilson was apparently joking around with some of the Michigan staff in the days leading up to that contest saying that he was going to wear a Michigan jacket for the game and would be singing along with the visitors and cheering for the Maize and Blue. None of that actually happened but the No. 2 offensive tackle and No. 6 overall player in American definitely watched the game with far more Michigan interest than a Rutgers visitor should have. After the game was over he did interact with some of the Michigan players and fans and seemed to be taking in a game in Ann Arbor rather than in Piscataway.
It’s clear that U-M is in very, very good shape with Wilson and those close to the program feel very confident that he’ll end up in Ann Arbor. Recent reports have circulated that Wilson has cancelled trips to Alabama and that he won’t be focusing as much on the Tide moving forward. The big tackle told TheWolverine.com that those reports are false and that Bama is still definitely a part of his picture. Even if the Tide are in the mix, Michigan seems to be the front runner and many not relinquish that spot regardless of what else happens with the Crimson Tide.
As for current offensive line commits,. all four of them are priorities for the Michigan coaching staff. Oak Park (Mich.) three-star offensive tackle Ja’Raymond Hall, Darien (Conn.) three-star offensive tackle Andrew Stueber, Sugarcreek (Ohio) Garaway three-star offensive tackle Joel Honigford, and Plantation (Fla.) American Heritage four-star offensive tackle Kai-Leon Herbert are all committed and are all solid takes.
Hall has really developed well physically and is now close to 290 pounds. His technique still needs work but he’s maintained his athleticism while bulking up. He was in Ann Arbor earlier this week to fill out his early enrollment paperwork and is excited about being a Wolverine. He’s considered the No. 72 offensive tackle in the country.
Honigford plays for a small school in Ohio against weak competition but the 6-5, 277-pounder is a top guard prospect for the Michigan staff. The No. 47 offensive tackle according to Rivals.com is the son of two Buckeyes and resides in the heart of Buckeye country but he can’t wait to be a Wolverine.
The Wolverine staff recently revisited Stueber’s film and he’s also a solid take. The 6-6, 305-pounder impressed offensive line coach Tim Drevno this summer at Michigan’s big man camp, earned an offer, and committed about a week later. The No. 69 offensive tackle in the country has college-ready size and pretty solid technique already and is considered a future right tackle.
Finally, Herbert’s status with U-M may be the most fluid of the group but it’s not from Michigan’s end. The 6-4, 279-pounder is still solidly committed to the Wolverines but in-state Florida is coming after him very, very hard. The Gators have run out of offensive line targets and are selling immediate playing time and are giving the No. 28 offensive tackle and No. 228 player in the country a ton of attention. Herbert and his mother will be in Ann Arbor this weekend for his official visit and that should go a long way in getting Herbert back on board and solidifying his feeling of being “all in” with Michigan. Convincing Herbert’s mom that Ann Arbor is the best place for him is priority No. 1 for this weekend’s official.
The theory behind Michigan’s offensive line recruiting is that in a haul of seven to eight guys, not all of them can be five-star, highly-touted players. Sprinkle a few of those in with another couple talented, lesser-recruited guys that have been identified by Jim Harbaugh and Drevno, and the staff feels good with the overall sum of the parts.
With a very solid official visitor slate in the rearview for the Wisconsin game and another one upcoming for the Illinois game, several of Michigan’s big-time targets are making their way to Ann Arbor. It will continue on Nov. 5 for the Maryland game.
Michigan commits Groton (Mass.) Lawrence Academy four-star running back AJ Dillon and Canadian four-star cornerback Benjamin St-Juste will both be in the house for the contest against the Terps indicating that both of them are solid to U-M still. The headliner for the game though is five-star wide receiver Nico Collins. The 6-5, 193-pounder is considered the No. 4 wide receiver and No. 23 overall prospect in the country. He’s also the No. 1 player in the state of Alabama and holds offers from both the Crimson Tide and Auburn.
Two weeks later, for the Indiana game, the visitor slate is stacked once again. Five-stars Isaiah Wilson and Cam Akers will be in attendance. Akers, the 5-11, 211-pounder, is the No. 2 running back and No. 12 overall player in the country. He too tops his state list as the No. 1 player in Mississippi. Running backs coach Tyrone Wheatley nailed down this visit while in Clinton, Miss. during the bye week.
Akers has been a bit up and down with Michigan throughout his process but an eventual official visit seems to indicate that things are up right now. It’s believed that Michigan along with LSU, Auburn, Ole Miss, and Ohio State are the biggest players for Akers and getting him on campus certainly will give the coaches and players at U-M a shot at jumping toward the top of that list.
Also on the list for that game is the nation’s top fullback, Tory Carter. The 6-2, 255-pounder is currently committed to LSU and will stay committed unless a new coach comes in who doesn’t use a fullback, a la Tom Herman.
Carter has been very upfront with current LSU interim head coach Ed Orgeron and Harbaugh. If the scheme at LSU doesn’t match up with Carter’s skill set, there’s a very, very good chance he winds up in Ann Arbor.
From curly156 on our board, we can confirm this on four-star defensive tackle Rutger Reitmaier of Nashville, Tenn., currently an Oregon pledge. Here’s what curly writes:
“I can tell you that Michigan has really put on the full court press and really wants the kid and have told him and dad so. Once they saw his most recent video they were all over him. They love his drive/ motor, first step quickness, etc. He has been told that he will be used like [Ryan] Glasgow.
“Dad has spent time talking with coaches (especially Jim Harbaugh] and loves them all [especially Harbaugh]. The kid really likes Oregon and wants to keep his word and handshake for Oregon, but there's the reality of the situation there and options will probably be explored. Dad is impressed with Michigan and not just in a football way, he looked into the curriculum of the football players and was blown away when he compared it to some of the other places he has talked to.
“So it's a fluid situation and if Oregon continues to fail, things will open up more. Oh … of course OSU is all over this now and is trying to get in there even under their tight schollie situation.”
We’ve received more confirmation that the Wolverines are, indeed, serious about Reitmaier and feeling pretty good about where things stand. DT is an emphasis in this class, of course, and Rivals.com’s No. 28 DT would be a good start.
****
To football now …
Some encouraging news comes from our inside sources at Wisconsin, where strong conclusions emerged following the Badgers’ overtime loss to Ohio State. Paul Chryst’s crew got to see the Big Ten East’s two best teams in a span of three weeks, absorbing a pair of losses in that time.
There’s no question – according to some close to Wisconsin football – that Michigan is the better of the two teams. While the Badgers reportedly felt fortunate to be within a touchdown of Michigan in Ann Arbor, they felt like they should have beaten the Buckeyes at home.
Part of that, of course, has to do with venue, playing OSU at Camp Randall Stadium, rather than on the road. But that’s not all of it. The feeling coming out of those two games is that Michigan fields the more physical of the two squads, an attribute all Wisconsin teams respect.
While they recognize Ohio State as a good team, some in Madison would be anxious to play the Buckeyes again whenever and wherever. If the Badgers bounce back, they could face Michigan or Ohio State in the Big Ten championship game.
They wouldn’t say so publicly, but those who know insist the Badgers would take the rematch with Urban Meyer & Co.
The “improvement week,” meanwhile, served its purpose in giving several underclassmen a look with added reps. Per those closest to it, there will be no shortage of talent on the field next year – just experience – an even then, a number of players coming back will be very well seasoned.
Corners Lavert Hill and David Long are being called the “next great pair” of Michigan corners, though Long has been battling some lower body injuries. Chris Partridge mentioned linebacker Devin Bush as one to watch Wednesday … guys in the football building say they would feel more than comfortable if anything happened to one of the starters. Bush has been that impressive.
“They aren’t conceding anything next year,” one close to it said. “There is a lot of talent here, and with this freshman class, the guys returning and what they expect to get in next year’s class, this is going to be similar to what you’ve seen in Columbus this year – not a rebuild.”
This same source confirmed what fifth-year senior Chris Wormley said about DT Maurice Hurst … they fully expect him back in Ann Arbor next year. The Michigan program has long had its share of guys who could go, but have stayed, mainly before and after the Rich Rodriguez/Brady Hoke eras, and guys are in no hurry to leave.
There will always be the obvious ones like Desmond Howard, Charles Woodson, probably Jabrill Peppers (though he has things he wants to accomplish here), but the culture is such now that guys aren’t in a rush for the door.
They also continue to work on a sixth year for Jeremy Clark, which would be huge for a cornerback corps that will be reloading next year, and he’s been receptive to the idea.
Everything right now, however, is on the task at hand … beating Illinois, of course, with an eye on Michigan State. For all the angst among the fan base that the Spartans will “be up for that one,” just know that the Wolverines have been preparing for this one for months. There’s no overconfidence, but an extreme sense of confidence (even before the Spartans started to tank) that the game – and the series going forward – will be in the Wolverines’ favor.
And there’s nobody in that building that fears Ohio State.
****
Finishing with basketball and recruiting …
Michigan is well underway in practice, and those close to the team like what they’ve seen so far. This is an extremely close-knit group with a lot of pride that feels like it has a lot to prove, and while they’re saying all the right things publicly, there’s certainly the “lack of respect” angle right now.
“This is a team that returns five starters, one of them [Zak Irvin] who was only a shell of himself last year, and they think Moe Wagner is ready to become a force,” one close to it said. “And yet there are some who believe they’re going to be worse?
“No.”
Three freshmen will play – point guard Xavier Simpson, shooting guard Ibi Watson and big man Austin Davis, most likely (meaning Jon Teske will likely redshirt). There’s been a lot of talk of Derrick Walton Jr. playing off the ball, and he and Simpson have already developed a nice rapport while playing at the same time.
“X is a winner,” our source said. “He makes everyone better. His teams [in scrimmages] … they win.”
Watson, meanwhile, has impressed as a shooter and will have a role. He’s had practices where he’s been lights out.
On the recruiting front, a big weekend in that No. 62 junior nationally Cormac Ryan of Milton (Mass.) Academy will be in with his parents for a second visit in a few months. The 6-4 gaurd is looking for the right fit and loves U-M, but he’s in no hurry to make a decision.
“He and his parents are looking forward to it,” Middlesex Magic AAU coach Mike Crotty Jr. said. “I think they are still doing their trips and getting feels for each place. There’s no condensed list or anything at this point.”
But he was well aware that the Michigan assistants saw most of his AAU games this summer, recruiting him harder than anyone.
Stanford has offered, and he’s intrigued by the education. Notre Dame is right there and Villanova has offered. Michigan, however, is as strong as anyone.
It’s been a couple of weeks but no one is going to forget about Michigan’s 78-0 beatdown of Rutgers, and that includes five-star offensive tackle Isaiah Wilson. The 6-6, 330-pounder was in the house as a Rutgers visitor (kind of) and witnessed the massacre first hand. Obviously seeing Michigan win so handily helped the Wolverines by itself, but leading up to the game Wilson was already approaching it as a U-M visitor rather than as a guest of the Scarlet Knights.
Wilson was apparently joking around with some of the Michigan staff in the days leading up to that contest saying that he was going to wear a Michigan jacket for the game and would be singing along with the visitors and cheering for the Maize and Blue. None of that actually happened but the No. 2 offensive tackle and No. 6 overall player in American definitely watched the game with far more Michigan interest than a Rutgers visitor should have. After the game was over he did interact with some of the Michigan players and fans and seemed to be taking in a game in Ann Arbor rather than in Piscataway.
It’s clear that U-M is in very, very good shape with Wilson and those close to the program feel very confident that he’ll end up in Ann Arbor. Recent reports have circulated that Wilson has cancelled trips to Alabama and that he won’t be focusing as much on the Tide moving forward. The big tackle told TheWolverine.com that those reports are false and that Bama is still definitely a part of his picture. Even if the Tide are in the mix, Michigan seems to be the front runner and many not relinquish that spot regardless of what else happens with the Crimson Tide.
As for current offensive line commits,. all four of them are priorities for the Michigan coaching staff. Oak Park (Mich.) three-star offensive tackle Ja’Raymond Hall, Darien (Conn.) three-star offensive tackle Andrew Stueber, Sugarcreek (Ohio) Garaway three-star offensive tackle Joel Honigford, and Plantation (Fla.) American Heritage four-star offensive tackle Kai-Leon Herbert are all committed and are all solid takes.
Hall has really developed well physically and is now close to 290 pounds. His technique still needs work but he’s maintained his athleticism while bulking up. He was in Ann Arbor earlier this week to fill out his early enrollment paperwork and is excited about being a Wolverine. He’s considered the No. 72 offensive tackle in the country.
Honigford plays for a small school in Ohio against weak competition but the 6-5, 277-pounder is a top guard prospect for the Michigan staff. The No. 47 offensive tackle according to Rivals.com is the son of two Buckeyes and resides in the heart of Buckeye country but he can’t wait to be a Wolverine.
The Wolverine staff recently revisited Stueber’s film and he’s also a solid take. The 6-6, 305-pounder impressed offensive line coach Tim Drevno this summer at Michigan’s big man camp, earned an offer, and committed about a week later. The No. 69 offensive tackle in the country has college-ready size and pretty solid technique already and is considered a future right tackle.
Finally, Herbert’s status with U-M may be the most fluid of the group but it’s not from Michigan’s end. The 6-4, 279-pounder is still solidly committed to the Wolverines but in-state Florida is coming after him very, very hard. The Gators have run out of offensive line targets and are selling immediate playing time and are giving the No. 28 offensive tackle and No. 228 player in the country a ton of attention. Herbert and his mother will be in Ann Arbor this weekend for his official visit and that should go a long way in getting Herbert back on board and solidifying his feeling of being “all in” with Michigan. Convincing Herbert’s mom that Ann Arbor is the best place for him is priority No. 1 for this weekend’s official.
The theory behind Michigan’s offensive line recruiting is that in a haul of seven to eight guys, not all of them can be five-star, highly-touted players. Sprinkle a few of those in with another couple talented, lesser-recruited guys that have been identified by Jim Harbaugh and Drevno, and the staff feels good with the overall sum of the parts.
With a very solid official visitor slate in the rearview for the Wisconsin game and another one upcoming for the Illinois game, several of Michigan’s big-time targets are making their way to Ann Arbor. It will continue on Nov. 5 for the Maryland game.
Michigan commits Groton (Mass.) Lawrence Academy four-star running back AJ Dillon and Canadian four-star cornerback Benjamin St-Juste will both be in the house for the contest against the Terps indicating that both of them are solid to U-M still. The headliner for the game though is five-star wide receiver Nico Collins. The 6-5, 193-pounder is considered the No. 4 wide receiver and No. 23 overall prospect in the country. He’s also the No. 1 player in the state of Alabama and holds offers from both the Crimson Tide and Auburn.
Two weeks later, for the Indiana game, the visitor slate is stacked once again. Five-stars Isaiah Wilson and Cam Akers will be in attendance. Akers, the 5-11, 211-pounder, is the No. 2 running back and No. 12 overall player in the country. He too tops his state list as the No. 1 player in Mississippi. Running backs coach Tyrone Wheatley nailed down this visit while in Clinton, Miss. during the bye week.
Akers has been a bit up and down with Michigan throughout his process but an eventual official visit seems to indicate that things are up right now. It’s believed that Michigan along with LSU, Auburn, Ole Miss, and Ohio State are the biggest players for Akers and getting him on campus certainly will give the coaches and players at U-M a shot at jumping toward the top of that list.
Also on the list for that game is the nation’s top fullback, Tory Carter. The 6-2, 255-pounder is currently committed to LSU and will stay committed unless a new coach comes in who doesn’t use a fullback, a la Tom Herman.
Carter has been very upfront with current LSU interim head coach Ed Orgeron and Harbaugh. If the scheme at LSU doesn’t match up with Carter’s skill set, there’s a very, very good chance he winds up in Ann Arbor.
From curly156 on our board, we can confirm this on four-star defensive tackle Rutger Reitmaier of Nashville, Tenn., currently an Oregon pledge. Here’s what curly writes:
“I can tell you that Michigan has really put on the full court press and really wants the kid and have told him and dad so. Once they saw his most recent video they were all over him. They love his drive/ motor, first step quickness, etc. He has been told that he will be used like [Ryan] Glasgow.
“Dad has spent time talking with coaches (especially Jim Harbaugh] and loves them all [especially Harbaugh]. The kid really likes Oregon and wants to keep his word and handshake for Oregon, but there's the reality of the situation there and options will probably be explored. Dad is impressed with Michigan and not just in a football way, he looked into the curriculum of the football players and was blown away when he compared it to some of the other places he has talked to.
“So it's a fluid situation and if Oregon continues to fail, things will open up more. Oh … of course OSU is all over this now and is trying to get in there even under their tight schollie situation.”
We’ve received more confirmation that the Wolverines are, indeed, serious about Reitmaier and feeling pretty good about where things stand. DT is an emphasis in this class, of course, and Rivals.com’s No. 28 DT would be a good start.
****
To football now …
Some encouraging news comes from our inside sources at Wisconsin, where strong conclusions emerged following the Badgers’ overtime loss to Ohio State. Paul Chryst’s crew got to see the Big Ten East’s two best teams in a span of three weeks, absorbing a pair of losses in that time.
There’s no question – according to some close to Wisconsin football – that Michigan is the better of the two teams. While the Badgers reportedly felt fortunate to be within a touchdown of Michigan in Ann Arbor, they felt like they should have beaten the Buckeyes at home.
Part of that, of course, has to do with venue, playing OSU at Camp Randall Stadium, rather than on the road. But that’s not all of it. The feeling coming out of those two games is that Michigan fields the more physical of the two squads, an attribute all Wisconsin teams respect.
While they recognize Ohio State as a good team, some in Madison would be anxious to play the Buckeyes again whenever and wherever. If the Badgers bounce back, they could face Michigan or Ohio State in the Big Ten championship game.
They wouldn’t say so publicly, but those who know insist the Badgers would take the rematch with Urban Meyer & Co.
The “improvement week,” meanwhile, served its purpose in giving several underclassmen a look with added reps. Per those closest to it, there will be no shortage of talent on the field next year – just experience – an even then, a number of players coming back will be very well seasoned.
Corners Lavert Hill and David Long are being called the “next great pair” of Michigan corners, though Long has been battling some lower body injuries. Chris Partridge mentioned linebacker Devin Bush as one to watch Wednesday … guys in the football building say they would feel more than comfortable if anything happened to one of the starters. Bush has been that impressive.
“They aren’t conceding anything next year,” one close to it said. “There is a lot of talent here, and with this freshman class, the guys returning and what they expect to get in next year’s class, this is going to be similar to what you’ve seen in Columbus this year – not a rebuild.”
This same source confirmed what fifth-year senior Chris Wormley said about DT Maurice Hurst … they fully expect him back in Ann Arbor next year. The Michigan program has long had its share of guys who could go, but have stayed, mainly before and after the Rich Rodriguez/Brady Hoke eras, and guys are in no hurry to leave.
There will always be the obvious ones like Desmond Howard, Charles Woodson, probably Jabrill Peppers (though he has things he wants to accomplish here), but the culture is such now that guys aren’t in a rush for the door.
They also continue to work on a sixth year for Jeremy Clark, which would be huge for a cornerback corps that will be reloading next year, and he’s been receptive to the idea.
Everything right now, however, is on the task at hand … beating Illinois, of course, with an eye on Michigan State. For all the angst among the fan base that the Spartans will “be up for that one,” just know that the Wolverines have been preparing for this one for months. There’s no overconfidence, but an extreme sense of confidence (even before the Spartans started to tank) that the game – and the series going forward – will be in the Wolverines’ favor.
And there’s nobody in that building that fears Ohio State.
****
Finishing with basketball and recruiting …
Michigan is well underway in practice, and those close to the team like what they’ve seen so far. This is an extremely close-knit group with a lot of pride that feels like it has a lot to prove, and while they’re saying all the right things publicly, there’s certainly the “lack of respect” angle right now.
“This is a team that returns five starters, one of them [Zak Irvin] who was only a shell of himself last year, and they think Moe Wagner is ready to become a force,” one close to it said. “And yet there are some who believe they’re going to be worse?
“No.”
Three freshmen will play – point guard Xavier Simpson, shooting guard Ibi Watson and big man Austin Davis, most likely (meaning Jon Teske will likely redshirt). There’s been a lot of talk of Derrick Walton Jr. playing off the ball, and he and Simpson have already developed a nice rapport while playing at the same time.
“X is a winner,” our source said. “He makes everyone better. His teams [in scrimmages] … they win.”
Watson, meanwhile, has impressed as a shooter and will have a role. He’s had practices where he’s been lights out.
On the recruiting front, a big weekend in that No. 62 junior nationally Cormac Ryan of Milton (Mass.) Academy will be in with his parents for a second visit in a few months. The 6-4 gaurd is looking for the right fit and loves U-M, but he’s in no hurry to make a decision.
“He and his parents are looking forward to it,” Middlesex Magic AAU coach Mike Crotty Jr. said. “I think they are still doing their trips and getting feels for each place. There’s no condensed list or anything at this point.”
But he was well aware that the Michigan assistants saw most of his AAU games this summer, recruiting him harder than anyone.
Stanford has offered, and he’s intrigued by the education. Notre Dame is right there and Villanova has offered. Michigan, however, is as strong as anyone.
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