The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/100796
������ michigan recruiting Safety Jeremy Clark To��� Join Michigan���s 2012 Class W hen Madisonville, Ky., senior Jeremy Clark committed to Michigan in June, the three-star defensive back accepted a greyshirt offer from the Wolverines��� coaching staff. He would enroll as a part-time student in the fall of 2012 (to preserve his eligibility), and join the team as a scholarship player in 2013. Clark had impressed Michigan���s coaches at U-M���s annual summer camp, but space was tight in the 2012 recruiting class, and the coaches weren���t sure they���d be able to fit another defensive back into the group. ���At that point, it didn���t matter what I had to do, I was just excited to go to Michigan,��� Clark said. ���The coaches kept telling me that they were going to try to work something out. I thought they were just talking to try to make me feel better, but I guess they did.��� Clark found out Oct. 23 Michigan���s coaching staff managed to find room for him in the class of 2012. Instead of greyshirting, he will join the Wolverines��� roster next season along with the rest of the senior commitments. That was welcome news for Clark, and although he never wavered in his Michigan commitment he���s happy to get a vote of confidence from his future coaches. ���It makes me feel a little bit more important now,��� he said. ���I���m really excited for the opportunity.��� Clark is having an impressive senior season on the gridiron for North Hopkins. He has two interceptions as a free safety ��� both returned for touchdowns ��� along with a fumble return for a score and two punts returned for touchdowns. That success on the football field comes as no surprise to North Hopkins coach Will Weaver, who has nothing but praise for his young talent. ���He is playing so well for us,��� ������ 2012 Football Commitments Name Pos. Blake Bars OL Joe Bolden LB Ben Braden OL Pharaoh Brown DE Jeremy Clark DB Devin Funchess TE Allen Gant DB Matthew Godin DT Sione Houma RB Royce Jenkins-Stone LB Kyle Kalis OL Erik Magnuson OL Mario Ojemudia DE Ondre Pipkins DT Terry Richardson DB Kaleb Ringer LB James Ross LB Caleb Stacey OL Anthony Standifer DB Tom Strobel TE A.J. Williams TE Jarrod Wilson DB Christopher Wormely DE Ht. 6-5 6-2 6-6 6-6 6-4 6-5 6-2 6-6 6-0 6-2 6-5 6-6 6-3 6-3 5-9 6-0 6-0 6-4 6-1 6-6 6-6 6-2 6-4 Wt. 275 225 285 220 205 205 210 270 211 215 302 275 215 325 160 219 209 275 178 245 260 190 255 Hometown (High School) Nashville, Tenn. (Montgomery Bell Academy) Cincinnati (Colerain) Rockford, Mich. (Rockford) Lyndhurst, Ohio (Brush) Madisonville, Ky. (Madisonville N. Hopkins) Farmington Hills, Mich. (Harrison) Sylvania, Ohio (Sylvania Southview) Novi, Mich. (Detroit Catholic Central) Salt Lake City (Highland) Detroit (Cass Tech) Lakewood, Ohio (St. Edward) Carlsbad, Calif. (La Costa Canyon) Farmington Hills, Mich. (Harrison) Kansas City, Mo. (Park Hill) Detroit (Cass Tech) Clayton, Ohio (Northmont) Orchard Lake, Mich. (St. Mary���s) Cincinnati (Oak Hills) Crete, Ill. (Crete Monee) Mentor, Ohio (Mentor) Cincinnati (Sycamore) Akron, Ohio (Buchtel) Toledo, Ohio (Whitmer) 2013 Football Commitments Name Shane Morris Dymonte Thomas Pos. Ht. Wt. Hometown (High School) QB 6-3 183 Warren, Mich. (De La Salle) DB 5-11 167 Alliance, Ohio (Marlington) 84��� the wolverine��� ������ November 2011 Clark is rated as a three-star prospect and the No. 6 player in the state of Kentucky by Rivals.com. Photo courtesy Rivals.com Weaver said. ���He is very excited about this opportunity to join the class of 2012.��� After playing most of his junior season at about 6-0, Clark has grown into a 6-4, 200-pound prospect over the course of the past year. He could find a role as an intimidating force at strong safety, or even grow into an athletic linebacker in college. He has a long wingspan, which helps defend against the pass and shed blockers when taking on run plays. He needs to add plenty of muscle to his frame, regardless of which position he ends up playing, but once he gets into a college weight-training program, there should be no issues in bulking up. ���He has a great speed, and he���s very physical,��� Weaver said. ���He���s a really smart kid. And he has a knack for getting to the football. And on top of that, I really think his best football is ahead of him.��� Weaver believes that Clark���s growth spurt has given Michigan a true sleeper prospect, one that would have many more offers if he hadn���t committed to the Wolverines this summer. In fact, several other schools ��� including Florida, Illinois, and Tennessee ��� showed interest in Clark, but he insisted he was a solid commitment to U-M, even when he was expecting to greyshirt. Clark is the fifth defensive back in Michigan���s recruiting class, and the 23rd member overall. Other defensive backs in the group include fourstars Jarrod Wilson of Akron, Ohio, and Terry Richardson of Detroit Cass Tech, and three-stars Anthony Standifer from Crete, Ill., and Allen Gant of Sylvania, Ohio. ��� Tim Sullivan