Michigan Thursday: OUCH!

That stings a bit.   It wasn't a loss to a top 10 team, it was a loss to the worst team in the Big Ten.  A team that didn't have a conference win.  

I was happy to see John Beilein go off in the huddle last night, I think he needs to do more of that.  Throw in a technical foul, show some fire.   Because his team sure isn't.

Where is the defense?  Where is the rebounding?  Where is the free throw shooting? 

Where is the offense in crunch time?  All is see is Trey Burke dribbling the ball and guys standing around. 

This game reminded me of the early days of Beilein at Michigan:  Live by the 3 die by the 3.  The officiating was terrible (a good reason to get a technical foul when Michigan was up 10 or so in my opinion).

Right now this team is not playing hard.  They are reading how great they are and seeing their ranking.   They really haven't played well in a few weeks.  Now MSU, Purdue on the road and IU at home.   They can use what happened last night as a "wake up call" or they can just continue with this level of play and get bounced in the Big 10 & NCAA tournament earlier then expected.   It seems a share of the Big Ten title is now lost, so finishing strong and the tournaments are all that is left in the season.

• Drew Henson is the new hitting coach for the Yankees Organization in the Gulf Coast leagues.

• The rumor mill is saying Drake Harris might be back in Ann Arbor this weekend.   Which would be a little strange since Michigan plays MSU the team he is a soft commit to.  

Wolverine Wednesday: Opens the Big House to All Comers

Today is the day the public can take a tour of the new Big House.  I hope they draw my name for the free luxury box for the year (just kidding they are not holding that contest).   Take the tour today and see if you agree with the way Bill Martin spent the 226 Million.  From last years games and the photos I have seen, I think they did a very nice job. The folks that decide to take the tour today will get the first look at Michigan's new Field Turf.  "For FieldTurf to be on the hallowed ground of Michigan Stadium is an honor for our company, and it is a responsibility that we take very seriously. We pledge to continue to provide the very finest and safest turf available in the world today."

The Big House is the biggest once again.  The offical capcity is up to 109,901 and the largest college or pro football stadium. 

• Fall out from the NCAA investigation?  Brad Labadie, director of Michigan football operations, who was involved in the Countable Athletically-Related Activity (CARA) forms that were mishandled and a focus of the NCAA investigation, has resigned.    Brad has taken a job a Blue Cross and Blue Shield.  David Brandon:  "I absolutely don't think people should" think his departure has anything to do with the NCAA investigation.   Speaking for myself; If I was in Brad's situation, I might find a new job as well. 

• Drew Henson remembers his former Boss and the late George Steinbrenner.  (Freep Link)  As a baseball fan, I always thought it was interesting on how George always put winning first and built his Yankee empire.  As a Michigan fan, I wasn't real happy that he took maybe the most talented (skill wise) QB Michigan has ever seen a year to early.  

• Ford Field says, Big Ten pick me for your Championship Game!

• Charles Woodson escapes a home that was on fire this weekend. 

• TomVH from Mgoblog gives us a quick update on Cyrus Hobbi's visit yesterday to Ann Arbor.  In short, it went great and he will seriously consider Michigan in his recruitment.

Wolverine Wednesday: Notes from Practice this Week

• Denard on Monday: Scored 4 touchdowns: 2 running and 2 throwing. One of his tosses was a 78-yard touchdown pass to tight end Brandon Moore. On Tuesday he ran for 68 yards on a broken play.
  


• Drew Henson stopped by practice on Monday and Tuesday. He has a year left right? No on Jason Forcier - maybe a Yes on Drew? :)
  


• On Monday James Rodgers caught 2 touchdowns including one 58 yard bomb from Tate Forcier.

• Vlad Emilien picked off Tate
  


• Sheridan also hit TE Web for a 48 yard touchdown. (I hope all these long balls are a good sign for the offense and not a reflection of the defense)
  


• Tuesday, Kevin Grady ran for a 48 yard gain when the offense was backed up at the 2 yard line.
  


• Michigan worked on a overtime drill Tuesday where Shaw scored on a run and Sheridan hit Greg Matthews for another score.
  


• Also during the OT drill Tate hit senior WR LaTerryal Savoy on a WR screen that went 25 yards for another score.

Random Michigan Thoughts:

• There has been a lot of buzz around Savoy being a starter this year. Which would be somewhat of a surprise since he hasn't seen much action at all during his Wolverine career.


• Seems the offense maybe ahead of the defense at this point? It seems the D is giving up a ton of big plays.


• Michigan has a ton of running backs. I hope we see some triple option this year.


• Is Denard making a "run" for the starting job? I know he is behind Tate in knowing the offense but his speed and athleticism maybe hard to keep off the field.


• Teric Jones seems to be doing well in his move to CB and had a pass break up on Tuesday.

Michigan Football Recruiting Round Up

With Spring Ball over and the "summer" freshmen not yet on campus, the Wolverines are knee deep in the Barwis Summer Work out program. The coaches on the other hand are all over the US talking to kids about Michigan's program.

Recruiting always heats up over the summer months with camps and official visits. As you have seen over the past five years, recruiting starts earlier and earlier. Michigan has about 50% of it's 2010 class filled already but still has some outstanding needs at defensive back, a second QB, linebacker, and at defensive tackle. The latest report has Michigan having 150 offers on the street.

Here is an update on where Michigan stands with some of it's prospective players for 2010:

• Michigan QB Prospect preforms well at an Elite 11 Camp: Per ESPN: Munchie Legaux (New Orleans/Edna Carr) has excellent size (6-foot-4, 187 pounds) and can throw the football well. He had 15 rushing touchdowns last season, so he can also run. Legaux claims an offer from Michigan -- and others from Tulane, Louisiana Tech and Florida International. Baylor, Oregon and Virginia are also showing him attention.Legaux is likely going to benefit from his performance and see his stock rise. He was impressive.

• FL RB Cassius McDowell has Michigan listed as his leader. He is team mates with future 2009 Wolverines Denard Robinson and Adrian Witty.

• Rashad Knight a CB from Florida has offers from BYU, Georgia Tech, Illinois, Indiana, Louisville, Rutgers and Maryland but Michigan just offered on Tuesday and Rashad seems very interested in the Wolverines.

• Do you think RR and Staff are recruiting speed? Check this out: Liberty senior Fitzgerald Toussaint ran a blistering 10.86 to cruise in the 100. Also this: Toussaint, who won a state indoor title in the 60 in March, also anchored the third-place 4x100 relay, which included fellow University of Michigan football recruit Isaiah Bell. A third Michigan recruit, junior Antonio Kinard, joined Bell on the sixth-place 4x200 relay. Bell is a 2009 safety recruit for the Wolverines and Antonio is a 2010 committed linebacker recruit, yes a linebacker.

• FL OL Torrian Wilson still has Michigan in his top group with Tennessee, Stanford, and Miami.

• Michigan has offered Cincinnati Tight End Alex Welch. Alex should feel honored because Michigan doesn't offer too many tight ends anymore. What's next a full back?

• Michigan offered Baltimore (Md.) City College wide receiver Adrian Coxson. Adrian is 6-4, 185-pound and the # 158 prospect in the country by Rivals.

• Michigan went into Hyattsville,Maryland DeMatha and offered just about the entire team including: safeties Jeff Knox, Lorenzo Waters and Michael Coley and offensive lineman Arie Kouandjio.

• Decatur (Ga.) Southwest DeKalb cornerback Jonathan Mincy has been offered by the Wolverines and so has his teammate defensive end T.J. Stripling (6-6, 215 pounds).

• Running back Andre Givens from Ohio who rushed for 1,433 yards and 18 touchdowns last season is also sporting a new Michigan offer.

• Larry Foote heading by foot or plane to the Detroit Lions? Seems the Pittsburgh Steelers were prepared to release Larry Foote yesterday but Larry started to get immediate interest from the Detroit Lions and now the Steelers are trying to work a trade for the former Wolverine linebacker. If a trade can't be worked out, look for Larry to be released by this weekend.

• Drew is Done: Drew Henson was released by the Lions yesterday, most likely ending his professional football career. So much promise and so little results.

Sheridan is Out and So is Michigan's QB Depth

Paging Stephen Threet, is there a Stephen Threet in the house?

When Steve said he was transferring, I thought it was a bad decision. He had already transferred once and you never know what might happen and all of a sudden you find yourself the starter. Steve should have learned that lesson, since he found himself the only "real" QB on the team last year.

The Detroit Free Press is reporting (you heard it here first this afternoon) that a "source" is saying that Nick Sheridan suffered a "serious" leg injury in Tuesday's practice. Which leaves two scholarship QB's in the Michigan program, both with zero game experience. David Cone did have a couple of snaps in a blow out a few years ago.

Poor Tate Forcier, everyone knew he was "the guy" going into Spring Practice and now he is the only guy. Denard Robinson can't graduate quick enough, RR should send a plane down to get him right now.

If Threet was still on the team, this really wouldn't be a big deal. With Threet deciding to transfer, this injury equals big trouble for the Wolverines QB depth.

Does the Big Man upstairs have something against Michigan QB's? I blame Drew Henson for leaving early for Major League Baseball! I know, I'm still not over it.

Friday "Frost Warning" Edition

• Ron English adds "Wheat" to his coaching staff: Ron English the new head coach at Eastern Michigan and former DC at U of M has hired one of Michigan's famous running backs Tyrone Wheatly. "Wheat" will coach up Eastern's running backs.
• Coach Rod spoke at a coaches clinic in Battle Creek yesterday: here is the link, it's about a 5 minute video.
  
• Curtis Granderson's Celebrity Shootout has some famous names playing/attending: Braylon Edwards, former U-M football coach Lloyd Carr, Drew Henson, David Terrell, U of M swimmer Peter Vanderkaay, and of course Kid Rock! If you want to attend this weekend, please visit http://www.grandkidsfoundation.org/.
• Arkansas really likes "things" from Michigan: former Michigan QB Ryan Mallet and now this? Sources are saying that John L. Smith may join the razorbacks as an assistant coach. Good Luck with that one!
• Visitors this weekend: Je'Ron Stokes WR "soft Tennessee commit", Jeremy Gallon Slot and Brendan Gibbons KR current Michigan commits, and Benny Logan a 3 star DE from LA. Goal for the weekend: keep Gallon and Gibbons committed and get Je'Ron to drink the kool-aide!

Michigan's Weekly Recruiting Blitz

• Fitzgerald Toussaint was named Ohio's DIII Co-Offensive Player of the year. Fitzgerald rushed for 2,229 yards (10.4 per carry) and 28 TDs for Liberty. FT is a Michigan verbal commitment for the class of 2009.
• Toussaint was joined on the All-Ohio first team by teammate and fellow Michigan recruit Isaiah Bell (6-2, 215, Sr.), who was chosen as a defensive back
• Senior center and long snapper Danny Russell was selected by the Associated Press as a Division III All-Ohioan. I want to put the pads back on," Russell admitted. "Michigan brought me up for the Northwestern game a few weeks ago. I'm hoping to hear back from them."
• Michigan Offensive Line recruit Taylor Lewan (6-foot-6, 265-pound) from Scottsdale (AZ) Chaparral, made his official visit to Minnesota Saturday. He is a teammate of Michigan commitment Craig Roh. Taylor plans to visits Oregon and Michigan after his high school playoffs are completed. They play in the semi finals this weekend.
• Florida's Plantation 4 Star CB, Josh Robinson will announce his final decision on where he will attend college this Sunday at Church. He will decide between USF, UCF, FIU, and Michigan. Many have thought it would be difficult for Josh to come North but Michigan might have a couple new advantages like Monday's verbal commitment from teammate Vladimir Emilien to the Wolverines. Josh took an official visit to Michigan this Fall, is 5"10 178 and runs a 4.4 in the 40.

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Side Note: Former Michigan QB Drew Henson signed a two year deal with the Detroit Lions yesterday and will be the back up to Daunte Culpepper on Thanksgiving. Drew has been with the Lions since the pre-season on the practice squad.

Drew Henson Update

Per ESPN:

He recently got married on Turks and Caicos, with his close friend Keyshawn Johnson in the audience, and he'll soon announce a lucrative new project he's been working on.

I wonder what the lucrative deal is but he had the best QB skills I have ever seen under center for the Wolverines. It's ironic that the guy he was splitting time with might be considered one of the best QB's of all time in the NFL.

I know Drew still should have lots of money left from his time with the Yankees and Cowboys, but I hope the next phase of his life outside of sports is successful.

For what's it worth, Drew started college as a Freshmen with a couple of million dollars in his pocket from his first contract with the Yankees. Does it get any better then that? 5 star QB recruit with a few million in the bank and a freshman in college. Well done Drew. Well done.

Two Sports Stars fail in the end and Michigan has two high profile examples

Everybody wants to be John Elway. A Major League Baseball prospect and the top college football player in the nation. He picked one sport and did pretty well for himself. Many high school athletes are two sports stars and most recent example is, Terrelle Pryor the top HS football recruit in the nation also happened to be a top 100 basketball recruit as well.


During the first days of Business schools they teach you that partnerships don't work. In the last days of senior high they should teach these High School dual sports stars that playing two sports in college doesn't work either. Terrelle, even though getting poor advice on where to attend school, seemed to have gotten good advice on this topic and announced this winter he would only be playing football for the Buckeyes.


As we look back at "high profile" two sports stars it's hard not to think about Drew Henson, Bo Jackson, Deion Sanders, and even Rick Leach. Michigan as been home to two high profile QB's that tried their hand at Professional Baseball.


Drew pretty much broke our hearts as Wolverine fans. Sports Illustrated tabbed him the "Golden Boy" ten years ago. A can't miss prospect for both Baseball and Football. We all remember him backing up Brady and when he finally got his shot he got hurt and then came in (after sitting for 4 games) and beat Illinois on the road when it looked like the Wolverines were headed for a loss. He ends his career with a win against OSU in Columbus and an Orange Bowl victory before he jettisons off to the Yankees with one more year left in Ann Arbor. The story goes, on the way up to his announcement the brand new Houston Texan's call his cell phone and tell him not to play baseball full time that he would be their #1 pick in the draft that next year (and the #1 pick overall). Well, we all know too well he choose baseball and baseball found out he couldn't hit the curve ball. He played 8 games in the majors and got one hit. He hung up his baseball cleats and tried Football one more time but that didn't work out well either. He threw for one NFL touchdown with the Cowboys before getting released.



Rick Leach was basically Drew Henson before Drew Henson was born. Same sort of guy (and would have been perfect for RR's offense by the way). He broke Big Ten records for touchdowns (82) total offense (6460) and touchdown passes (48) but baseball was where his true calling was as a can't miss prospect. Well he did miss, he played 10 years in the league as basically a back up for the Tigers and Blue Jays, his career average was .268 and he hit a total of 18 home runs.



Those are Michigan's most famous examples of two sports stars flaming out. We all know about Deion trying to play baseball (even Jordan trying it) and how close Bo Jackson actually got to being great in two sports. If your a two sport star and a high school senior (Dion Sims is a good example this year, he is prospect for both Basketball as a 6"5 forward or football as a TE in the State of Michigan) and a top prospect in both sports, do yourself a favor and pick one sport and do your best to succeeded in it. Your never know what the professional ranks have in store for you.

Side Note: I did not take into account sports like track. Of course it's natural for football player to run track as well. Track (unless your world class) doesn't really have the professional opportunities as do Basketball, Football, or Baseball.

Second Side Note: You may not know that Frank Thomas played (Tight End as a Freshman and caught 3 passes for 45 yards) football with Bo Jackson at Auburn for a year before he decided to stick to Baseball. Good Move Frank!!