Wolverine Wednesday: Finding Diamonds

Recruiting Services are interesting things.  I've always wondered about the kids that play at small schools or don't go to the high profile camps and combines.   Are they not great athletes?  Don't they deserve a Division 1 offer?

Recruiting Services can't be everywhere and can't see every kid play.   So some kids must fall through the cracks and aren't ranked but should be.  Case in point is Boise State, they have been building their program over the years with just these type of kids. 

Another example is 2013 Michigan DB commit Channing Stribling who was basically an un-known when he camped at Michigan this summer and earned an offer.  The offer surprised many of us that follow recruiting due to the facts that only a few spots were available in the class and the high profile prospects still considering Michigan. 

Channing's team kicked off his season last weekend and he made a quick impression on an ESPN scout:   He made several impressive plays Friday, opening the game by showing great leaping ability on an interception, making a shoestring catch on the sideline and sticking the wide receiver at the line of scrimmage. With offers going out to underclassmen across the nation without colleges ever seeing them in person, the story of Stribling earning his offer by impressing the Wolverines staff at camp is refreshing.

In this humble writer’s opinion, Brady Hoke and his staff should be wearing ski masks when discussing Stribling on signing day, as they have stolen a gem from the Tar Heel State.

I also love these comments from Channing and ESPN:

“The coaching staff there does not worry about stars. They worry about me as a person and as a player,” he said. “They know I’m not ranked, but they love what I bring to the program. That’s why it feels good to be a Wolverine.”

“I see more Ohio State fans in my area than anything,” he said. “My pizza man came by and saw I had my Michigan shirt on and he said he was an Ohio State fan and yelled, ‘Go Buckeyes!’ ”

Great Stuff Channing!


Brady spoke again to the media on Tuesday, here are the highlights:

-Practicing at Ford Field today to get used to dome distractions.
-Pewee is back practicing in full pads.
-Elliot Mealer is doing well at left guard.
-Roy Roundtree seems to be healing quickly from his knee procedure.
-Big Will is practicing at the 3-tech, Ash, Washington and Pipkins at the nose.

• Scouts Top Midwest Rankings came out yesterday.  Shane Morris is #4.  Michigan has 17 players in the top 150 by my count.

• No Jail for Cornflakes:  St. Joseph County Judge Jane Woodward Miller sentenced Brown to consecutive two-year prison sentences, which she suspended and placed him on probation. Miller ordered Brown to continue counseling and take any medications prescribed as part of his probation. She also told him he couldn't own a gun and ordered him to pay more than $8,000 in restitution to two police departments that responded to the standoff.

• Derrick Green told ESPN yesterday that he plans to take all his officials.  I guess that would take him committing this weekend on ESPN off the table for now.