The latest edition of INSIDE THE FORT, including behind the scenes recruiting, football and basketball information …
Starting with football recruiting …
Michigan isn’t hosting many big name visitors this weekend, but one of its highest rated commits — Fairfield (Ohio) High four-star tight end Erick All — will be on campus.
All explained that he’s never actually been to a game at The Big House, and can’t wait to see what the atmosphere is like.
“I’m most looking forward to watching the team play in person and feel their crowd up there,” he said. “I know it’s the biggest stadium in the nation, and I can’t wait to see how loud they get.”
Although game day weekends aren’t necessarily the ideal time to converse with the coaching staff, All admitted he’s looking forward to furthering his relationship with three coaches in particular.
“Coach Jim Harbaugh, Coach Sherrone Moore and Coach Al Washington,” he explained. “All the rest of the coaches too, but I’ve built the best relationship with those three. Those guys are super cool — it’s like talking to a teammate or a friend when I speak with them.”
As for players on the current team, All said he only knows one, and it happens to be someone who he could potentially be playing a similar role to someday.
“Zach Gentry is the only one,” he noted. “We talked a little bit when I was on my visit. He seemed like a cool guy, and the coaches were the ones who introduced us to each other.
“I’ve watched him play every single game this year since then. I can’t wait to get up there and be a part of the offense and get used in a similar way. I just like how Shea Patterson’s first look on most pass plays is to the tight end. The way Harbaugh uses the position is one of the things that sold me on Michigan.”
All revealed a little over a month ago that Florida State was the only school still contacting him, and provided an update on where things stand with the Seminoles.
“They’re not contacting me as much as they used to,” he admitted. “Every now and then, they’ll send me a quote or something like that. I don’t have any interest in them at all though — it’s 100 percent Michigan for me.”
His infatuation with the Wolverines has caused him to strike up friendships with the other commits in the class, including newest addition five-star Daxton Hill.
“That was so great when he committed,” All exclaimed. “I can’t wait to compete and practice with him. That was such a boost for Michigan’s 2019 class rankings. I just can’t wait to build a relationship with him and all the other guys in our 2019 class.
“I actually know [five-star defensive end] Zach Harrison a little bit too. I’ve talked to him a handful of times on different visits we’ve been on throughout the recruiting process. I’ve never really talked to him about schools, but as far as vibes go, he’s very quiet. Landing another elite kid like him would be so huge. Elite kids want to play together, and it attracts others when you pull them in.
“I was watching film of some of Michigan’s other commits — like [five-star defensive end] Chris Hinton — and we’re in such good shape in that class. I haven’t really had a chance to bond with many of the other commits, but we have a group chat going among all of us. Daxton is in there, and so is Chris Hinton, Mazi Smith, Cade McNamara, and pretty much the whole 2019 recruiting class.
“We usually talk about the game itself on Saturdays, but we also just talk about Michigan in general too. We also talk about music and basically everything else.”
More recruiting …
Clayton (Ohio) Northmont three-star weakside defensive end and Michigan commit Gabe Newburg has been hampered this season by a nagging injury and last week he found out it was worse than he realized.
The 6-5, 230-pounder was informed that he had been playing on a broken ankle/foot since the second game of the season. Newburg injured his foot on about the second play of the second game of the year back in August and hasn’t been quite right since. He missed some time and was held out in order to try to heal up before finally getting to the bottom of his injury.
On Oct. 4, Newburg went and saw a specialist to find out if he was going to have to sit for the remainder of his season. He made it clear that he was fighting hard to be able to play. After that appointment, it was determined that he would be able to play still but it could come with some restrictions.
Obviously if it gets worse, he’ll probably be shut down for the year. For now, he’s going to fight through the pain and give what he can on Friday nights.
It’s been made quite clear that Michigan would like to land one more offensive lineman in the form of a true tackle in the 2019 class. Lakeville (Minn.) Lakeville North three-star offensive tackle Bryce Benhart has been on U-M’s board for a while and it looks like they’ll get a chance to impress him next week.
Benhart took his first official visit last April to Tennessee for their spring game weekend. His second official visit went to Wisconsin the weekend of June 8. The third official visit was to Nebraska for the opening weekend of college football in a game the Cornhuskers had to cancel due to weather. It’s starting to look like official visit No. 4 will be to Ann Arbor next weekend for the Wisconsin game.
The No. 38 offensive tackle in the country certainly fits the “true tackle” mold with his height and length and would be a great compliment to the versatile and interior guys already committed to U-M. Kansas City (Mo.) Rockhurst four-star offensive tackle Danielson Ike and Crystal Lake (Ill.) Crystal Lake South four-star offensive tackle Trevor Keegan are also both still in play.
As we reported earlier in the week, Marietta (Ga.) High four-star pro-style quarterback Harrison Bailey will be in Ann Arbor this weekend, and that’s looking like more and more of a big deal. The 6-4, 220-pounder junior has been high on Michigan throughout the process and this weekend the U-M staff will get a chance to convince him that Ann Arbor is the place for him.
Bailey, the No. 2 pro-style quarterback and No. 27 overall prospect nationally, has really taken a liking to passing game coordinator Pep Hamilton and will get a chance to further that relationship this weekend.
"It’s all about Coach Hamilton. Man, he’s something," Bailey said. "The first time I met him he was tough on me — like real tough. It was different because all other coaches just say that they want me and tell me what I want to hear. He really sat down and broke my film down and told me what I was doing wrong and really coached me. He was pointing out things I could do better, and I really felt like he could help me. It’s different with Coach Hamilton and I like that."
That kind of sentiment is a big deal for someone like Bailey who aspires to be in the NFL. Bonding with coaches like Hamilton and Jim Harbaugh this weekend could really put Michigan in the driver’s seat for Bailey.
For a while it looked like Tennessee was going to be the team to beat but with Jeremy Pruitt and his staff struggling out of the gate, Bailey is looking harder at other schools. Plus, no college staff in the country can related to quarterbacks the way Harbaugh and Hamilton can, especially when considering they’re connections with guys in the league.
Dacula (Ga.) High four-star cornerback Jalen Perry committed to Georgia on October 30, 2017 ending what seemed to be an uncontested recruitment but the 6-1, 188-pounder remained intrigued by Michigan. Last night, Perry de-committed from the Dawgs and is already expected in Ann Arbor next weekend for the Wisconsin game.
"I love the coaching staff up there," Perry said back in April. "Coach [Mike] Zordich, Coach [Al] Washington and Coach [Jim] Harbaugh — I love those guys. They talk to me a lot and they’re coming after me hard. I like the style of defense that they play — they play a lot of man to man with their corners and they have a very aggressive defense.”
Perry had been saying all along that Michigan was going to get a visit but it seemed like lip service until last night. The No. 14 cornerback and No. 115 overall prospect nationally would be a great addition and compliment to DJ Turner II and I’m sure the coaches will be talking to him about that this weekend.
South Carolina is the other school talked about in association with Perry’s name, but Michigan is going to get a big opportunity to impress him next weekend during the showdown with the Badgers. Perry plans to figure everything out relatively soon in order to sign during the December signing period.
****
To football now …
It was announced on Wednesday that one of the key cogs in Maryland’s offense would miss tomorrow’s game at Michigan.
“Maryland will be without junior running back Lorenzo Harrison for the rest of the year after he suffered a non-contact knee injury in practice last week,” a Terrapin insider informed. “He had season-ending knee surgery and will likely redshirt, after rushing for over 1,200 yards the previous two seasons.
“Maryland will also be without junior running back Jake Funk, who is out indefinitely after suffering a wrist injury earlier in the season. Finally, third string quarterback Max Bortenschlager injured his ankle this week and will miss the remainder of the season as well.”
We’re not saying Borsetlsachasldikruger would have played against the Wolverines, but the way this team is attacking quarterbacks with 10 sacks and 24 TFLs in Big Ten play … well …
As for Michigan’s injury situation … we expect junior defensive end Rashan Gary to sit this one out and heal up so he can be ready to play against Wisconsin. The Wolverines have plenty of healthy bodies at defensive end who can fill in, and while they’re not Gary, they’re certainly capable.
Wisconsin, of course, is considered the next big measuring stick for this team, and that’s next week at night. They expect an electric crowd for that one, and though this weekend’s game is homecoming (and not to be overlooked – and we’re not, really), it’s going to be another homecoming of sorts for a lot of guys who want to support the program.
Word on the street … the honorary captains will be the crème de la crème of Michigan offensive linemen over the years, dating back years and years. Guys who earned first team All-Big Ten honors or better will be invited back for the honor, and the point seems pretty clear —Offensive Line U. wants its classification back.
Wisconsin, of course, has become one of the conference’s best at churning out elite linemen in recent years, and while the Wolverines have had some really good ones — Taylor Lewan might be the NFL’s best tackle, and Patrick Omameh has been a multi-year starter in the league — the Badgers don’t mince words on the recruiting trail when it comes to staking their claim.
Now, this isn’t the first time that Michigan alums have rallied to support the troops in times of need. During the RichRod error, former lettermen lined the field against Michigan State, Ohio State etc. to try to bridge the gap between the past and the future. The goal was to remind the guys in the winged helmets who they were playing for … not just themselves, but for everyone who played before them and sacrificed to win championships.
That didn’t work out so well a few times, of course.
One time it did … when many of them came to greet the team as it got off the bus before the 2007 game with Notre Dame. The Wolverines had lost to Appalachian State and Oregon, of course, and needed a win, and the alums came out to support them. Russell Crowe came, too, for the hell of it.
U-M destroyed the Fighting Irish, 38-0, that day, and the support really fired up the team. They’ll hope for a similar result against the Badgers … and of course, the team has tomorrow’s game to take care of, first.
Another cool event will take place this afternoon at Schembechler Hall. Many are excited about the christening of the new weight room (of course, “it’s easy to grin when your ship has come in”), and it will be named in honor of longtime strength coach Mike Gittleson. Some of the Michigan elite will be there, and it’s expected that Tom Brady — one of the biggest contributors, if not the biggest, to the upgrade — will be on hand.
Gittleson’s methods were controversial, of course, and the subject of some ridicule at times, even, because his team’s didn’t do squats and he relied heavily on HIT methods (high intensity training). Some who played under him feel the last several years prove he’s owed an apology.
“He broke us down mentally and physically, and there was never a time in Big Ten play — ever — that we weren’t the mentally tougher team in the fourth quarter,” one former Wolverine All-Big Ten player said. “We didn’t win all those games, but we won a hell of a lot of them, and Mike Gittleson was a big reason why.
“I can promise you this, too. There was never a time we didn’t feel like the stronger team on the field. We pushed people around, and we did it when it mattered. And we won championships.”
So say what you will — the results pretty much speak for themselves. Strength training isn’t all about how much you can lift … there’s a huge mental aspect to it, as well. And we’ve written plenty about new strength coach Ben Herbert, but guys current and past love his approach, too, and feel good about the program’s direction under his tutelage.
****
Finishing with basketball and recruiting …
Michigan was in to see Ben Carlson, the four-star power forward out of Minnesota, this week following a recent unofficial visit.
“They showed me around and it was really nice. They had a really good team last year and made it to the championship game,” Carlson said of his trip. “We went to the football game and got to see that atmosphere, so that was cool.”
Carlson, an elite student, likes Stanford a lot, and Kansas State seems to have made a move. Michigan is very interested, but there’s no offer yet. We do expect Pennsylvania guard Ethan Morton, another four-star, to get one when he visits later this month. He’d be No. 2 to receive an offer with Zeb Jackson of Toledo.
Jackson confirmed he was in Ann Arbor again last weekend. Ohio State is some of the main competition here and again, he’s not close to a commitment. But he’s like a brother to Zavier Simpson, is coached by Simpson’s dad (and has been since he was seven). Michigan is in good shape here as of now.
As for practice … they’re off and running, and the two big things we’ve picked up:
1) Big man Austin Davis has continued to make strides and is proving he wants to play. He’s been much better on the defensive end, where he’s struggled in the past.
2 Ignas Brazdeikis is going to be hard to keep off the floor.
“He might be their best player,” one close to it said of the frosh. “They’re going to have to find a way to play him. He’s unstoppable when he wants to get to the rim.”
They’re also making it a point of emphasis to have him shoot the ball. He’s a very good shooter, and while he was hesitant to pull it over in Spain, he’s getting more and more comfortable.
When he starts to knock those down in games … watch out. But he's made huge strides already in that area.
Starting with football recruiting …
Michigan isn’t hosting many big name visitors this weekend, but one of its highest rated commits — Fairfield (Ohio) High four-star tight end Erick All — will be on campus.
All explained that he’s never actually been to a game at The Big House, and can’t wait to see what the atmosphere is like.
“I’m most looking forward to watching the team play in person and feel their crowd up there,” he said. “I know it’s the biggest stadium in the nation, and I can’t wait to see how loud they get.”
Although game day weekends aren’t necessarily the ideal time to converse with the coaching staff, All admitted he’s looking forward to furthering his relationship with three coaches in particular.
“Coach Jim Harbaugh, Coach Sherrone Moore and Coach Al Washington,” he explained. “All the rest of the coaches too, but I’ve built the best relationship with those three. Those guys are super cool — it’s like talking to a teammate or a friend when I speak with them.”
As for players on the current team, All said he only knows one, and it happens to be someone who he could potentially be playing a similar role to someday.
“Zach Gentry is the only one,” he noted. “We talked a little bit when I was on my visit. He seemed like a cool guy, and the coaches were the ones who introduced us to each other.
“I’ve watched him play every single game this year since then. I can’t wait to get up there and be a part of the offense and get used in a similar way. I just like how Shea Patterson’s first look on most pass plays is to the tight end. The way Harbaugh uses the position is one of the things that sold me on Michigan.”
All revealed a little over a month ago that Florida State was the only school still contacting him, and provided an update on where things stand with the Seminoles.
“They’re not contacting me as much as they used to,” he admitted. “Every now and then, they’ll send me a quote or something like that. I don’t have any interest in them at all though — it’s 100 percent Michigan for me.”
His infatuation with the Wolverines has caused him to strike up friendships with the other commits in the class, including newest addition five-star Daxton Hill.
“That was so great when he committed,” All exclaimed. “I can’t wait to compete and practice with him. That was such a boost for Michigan’s 2019 class rankings. I just can’t wait to build a relationship with him and all the other guys in our 2019 class.
“I actually know [five-star defensive end] Zach Harrison a little bit too. I’ve talked to him a handful of times on different visits we’ve been on throughout the recruiting process. I’ve never really talked to him about schools, but as far as vibes go, he’s very quiet. Landing another elite kid like him would be so huge. Elite kids want to play together, and it attracts others when you pull them in.
“I was watching film of some of Michigan’s other commits — like [five-star defensive end] Chris Hinton — and we’re in such good shape in that class. I haven’t really had a chance to bond with many of the other commits, but we have a group chat going among all of us. Daxton is in there, and so is Chris Hinton, Mazi Smith, Cade McNamara, and pretty much the whole 2019 recruiting class.
“We usually talk about the game itself on Saturdays, but we also just talk about Michigan in general too. We also talk about music and basically everything else.”
More recruiting …
Clayton (Ohio) Northmont three-star weakside defensive end and Michigan commit Gabe Newburg has been hampered this season by a nagging injury and last week he found out it was worse than he realized.
The 6-5, 230-pounder was informed that he had been playing on a broken ankle/foot since the second game of the season. Newburg injured his foot on about the second play of the second game of the year back in August and hasn’t been quite right since. He missed some time and was held out in order to try to heal up before finally getting to the bottom of his injury.
On Oct. 4, Newburg went and saw a specialist to find out if he was going to have to sit for the remainder of his season. He made it clear that he was fighting hard to be able to play. After that appointment, it was determined that he would be able to play still but it could come with some restrictions.
Obviously if it gets worse, he’ll probably be shut down for the year. For now, he’s going to fight through the pain and give what he can on Friday nights.
It’s been made quite clear that Michigan would like to land one more offensive lineman in the form of a true tackle in the 2019 class. Lakeville (Minn.) Lakeville North three-star offensive tackle Bryce Benhart has been on U-M’s board for a while and it looks like they’ll get a chance to impress him next week.
Benhart took his first official visit last April to Tennessee for their spring game weekend. His second official visit went to Wisconsin the weekend of June 8. The third official visit was to Nebraska for the opening weekend of college football in a game the Cornhuskers had to cancel due to weather. It’s starting to look like official visit No. 4 will be to Ann Arbor next weekend for the Wisconsin game.
The No. 38 offensive tackle in the country certainly fits the “true tackle” mold with his height and length and would be a great compliment to the versatile and interior guys already committed to U-M. Kansas City (Mo.) Rockhurst four-star offensive tackle Danielson Ike and Crystal Lake (Ill.) Crystal Lake South four-star offensive tackle Trevor Keegan are also both still in play.
As we reported earlier in the week, Marietta (Ga.) High four-star pro-style quarterback Harrison Bailey will be in Ann Arbor this weekend, and that’s looking like more and more of a big deal. The 6-4, 220-pounder junior has been high on Michigan throughout the process and this weekend the U-M staff will get a chance to convince him that Ann Arbor is the place for him.
Bailey, the No. 2 pro-style quarterback and No. 27 overall prospect nationally, has really taken a liking to passing game coordinator Pep Hamilton and will get a chance to further that relationship this weekend.
"It’s all about Coach Hamilton. Man, he’s something," Bailey said. "The first time I met him he was tough on me — like real tough. It was different because all other coaches just say that they want me and tell me what I want to hear. He really sat down and broke my film down and told me what I was doing wrong and really coached me. He was pointing out things I could do better, and I really felt like he could help me. It’s different with Coach Hamilton and I like that."
That kind of sentiment is a big deal for someone like Bailey who aspires to be in the NFL. Bonding with coaches like Hamilton and Jim Harbaugh this weekend could really put Michigan in the driver’s seat for Bailey.
For a while it looked like Tennessee was going to be the team to beat but with Jeremy Pruitt and his staff struggling out of the gate, Bailey is looking harder at other schools. Plus, no college staff in the country can related to quarterbacks the way Harbaugh and Hamilton can, especially when considering they’re connections with guys in the league.
Dacula (Ga.) High four-star cornerback Jalen Perry committed to Georgia on October 30, 2017 ending what seemed to be an uncontested recruitment but the 6-1, 188-pounder remained intrigued by Michigan. Last night, Perry de-committed from the Dawgs and is already expected in Ann Arbor next weekend for the Wisconsin game.
"I love the coaching staff up there," Perry said back in April. "Coach [Mike] Zordich, Coach [Al] Washington and Coach [Jim] Harbaugh — I love those guys. They talk to me a lot and they’re coming after me hard. I like the style of defense that they play — they play a lot of man to man with their corners and they have a very aggressive defense.”
Perry had been saying all along that Michigan was going to get a visit but it seemed like lip service until last night. The No. 14 cornerback and No. 115 overall prospect nationally would be a great addition and compliment to DJ Turner II and I’m sure the coaches will be talking to him about that this weekend.
South Carolina is the other school talked about in association with Perry’s name, but Michigan is going to get a big opportunity to impress him next weekend during the showdown with the Badgers. Perry plans to figure everything out relatively soon in order to sign during the December signing period.
****
To football now …
It was announced on Wednesday that one of the key cogs in Maryland’s offense would miss tomorrow’s game at Michigan.
“Maryland will be without junior running back Lorenzo Harrison for the rest of the year after he suffered a non-contact knee injury in practice last week,” a Terrapin insider informed. “He had season-ending knee surgery and will likely redshirt, after rushing for over 1,200 yards the previous two seasons.
“Maryland will also be without junior running back Jake Funk, who is out indefinitely after suffering a wrist injury earlier in the season. Finally, third string quarterback Max Bortenschlager injured his ankle this week and will miss the remainder of the season as well.”
We’re not saying Borsetlsachasldikruger would have played against the Wolverines, but the way this team is attacking quarterbacks with 10 sacks and 24 TFLs in Big Ten play … well …
As for Michigan’s injury situation … we expect junior defensive end Rashan Gary to sit this one out and heal up so he can be ready to play against Wisconsin. The Wolverines have plenty of healthy bodies at defensive end who can fill in, and while they’re not Gary, they’re certainly capable.
Wisconsin, of course, is considered the next big measuring stick for this team, and that’s next week at night. They expect an electric crowd for that one, and though this weekend’s game is homecoming (and not to be overlooked – and we’re not, really), it’s going to be another homecoming of sorts for a lot of guys who want to support the program.
Word on the street … the honorary captains will be the crème de la crème of Michigan offensive linemen over the years, dating back years and years. Guys who earned first team All-Big Ten honors or better will be invited back for the honor, and the point seems pretty clear —Offensive Line U. wants its classification back.
Wisconsin, of course, has become one of the conference’s best at churning out elite linemen in recent years, and while the Wolverines have had some really good ones — Taylor Lewan might be the NFL’s best tackle, and Patrick Omameh has been a multi-year starter in the league — the Badgers don’t mince words on the recruiting trail when it comes to staking their claim.
Now, this isn’t the first time that Michigan alums have rallied to support the troops in times of need. During the RichRod error, former lettermen lined the field against Michigan State, Ohio State etc. to try to bridge the gap between the past and the future. The goal was to remind the guys in the winged helmets who they were playing for … not just themselves, but for everyone who played before them and sacrificed to win championships.
That didn’t work out so well a few times, of course.
One time it did … when many of them came to greet the team as it got off the bus before the 2007 game with Notre Dame. The Wolverines had lost to Appalachian State and Oregon, of course, and needed a win, and the alums came out to support them. Russell Crowe came, too, for the hell of it.
U-M destroyed the Fighting Irish, 38-0, that day, and the support really fired up the team. They’ll hope for a similar result against the Badgers … and of course, the team has tomorrow’s game to take care of, first.
Another cool event will take place this afternoon at Schembechler Hall. Many are excited about the christening of the new weight room (of course, “it’s easy to grin when your ship has come in”), and it will be named in honor of longtime strength coach Mike Gittleson. Some of the Michigan elite will be there, and it’s expected that Tom Brady — one of the biggest contributors, if not the biggest, to the upgrade — will be on hand.
Gittleson’s methods were controversial, of course, and the subject of some ridicule at times, even, because his team’s didn’t do squats and he relied heavily on HIT methods (high intensity training). Some who played under him feel the last several years prove he’s owed an apology.
“He broke us down mentally and physically, and there was never a time in Big Ten play — ever — that we weren’t the mentally tougher team in the fourth quarter,” one former Wolverine All-Big Ten player said. “We didn’t win all those games, but we won a hell of a lot of them, and Mike Gittleson was a big reason why.
“I can promise you this, too. There was never a time we didn’t feel like the stronger team on the field. We pushed people around, and we did it when it mattered. And we won championships.”
So say what you will — the results pretty much speak for themselves. Strength training isn’t all about how much you can lift … there’s a huge mental aspect to it, as well. And we’ve written plenty about new strength coach Ben Herbert, but guys current and past love his approach, too, and feel good about the program’s direction under his tutelage.
****
Finishing with basketball and recruiting …
Michigan was in to see Ben Carlson, the four-star power forward out of Minnesota, this week following a recent unofficial visit.
“They showed me around and it was really nice. They had a really good team last year and made it to the championship game,” Carlson said of his trip. “We went to the football game and got to see that atmosphere, so that was cool.”
Carlson, an elite student, likes Stanford a lot, and Kansas State seems to have made a move. Michigan is very interested, but there’s no offer yet. We do expect Pennsylvania guard Ethan Morton, another four-star, to get one when he visits later this month. He’d be No. 2 to receive an offer with Zeb Jackson of Toledo.
Jackson confirmed he was in Ann Arbor again last weekend. Ohio State is some of the main competition here and again, he’s not close to a commitment. But he’s like a brother to Zavier Simpson, is coached by Simpson’s dad (and has been since he was seven). Michigan is in good shape here as of now.
As for practice … they’re off and running, and the two big things we’ve picked up:
1) Big man Austin Davis has continued to make strides and is proving he wants to play. He’s been much better on the defensive end, where he’s struggled in the past.
2 Ignas Brazdeikis is going to be hard to keep off the floor.
“He might be their best player,” one close to it said of the frosh. “They’re going to have to find a way to play him. He’s unstoppable when he wants to get to the rim.”
They’re also making it a point of emphasis to have him shoot the ball. He’s a very good shooter, and while he was hesitant to pull it over in Spain, he’s getting more and more comfortable.
When he starts to knock those down in games … watch out. But he's made huge strides already in that area.
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