The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/111015
what Michigan has to offer is going to appeal to a certain number of kids around the country. It���s our job to find the kids that fit Michigan athletically, academically and characterwise, and present the opportunity to them. That���s going to enable us to continue to work ahead. ���We were working on 2014s in December more so than 2013s. And that gives us the jumpstart in building relationships. Then you bring them on campus and show them what the university has to offer ��� not only just as a football player, but what it is going to do for them the rest of their lives ��� they���re going to be excited. ���We were fortunate enough to get a group of kids together on campus who were what we are looking for.��� Director of player personnel Chris Singletary: ���We try to figure out the science to it, and there���s no exact science. We never thought that was going to happen, have eight guys commit. You might have known about maybe two, but eight? We���ve all been around this game long enough and done this and that, and we���ve never seen a windfall like that.��� Head coach Brady Hoke: ���I think it goes back to the work that the assistant coaches and Chris [Singletary] put in when these guys are juniors. Identification, evaluation and trying to know as much as you can about them are big parts of it. I think the environment and the culture of the community that we want to have here is a big part of it. I think that touched these guys and their families. There were some pretty good players that wanted to play together and be a part of it.��� ��� Early Commits Could Be New U-M Trend For the second year in a row ��� for both of the full classes since Brady Hoke has been in charge ��� Michigan raced out to an early start in recruiting before picking up the final few pieces in the months leading up to Signing Day. In fact, the surge in the 2013 group came even earlier in the process than 2012. Michigan���s first commitment in the class of 2012 came March 24, 2011, when Rockford, Mich., offensive lineman Ben Braden pledged to the coaching staff. Over the remainder of the spring and through the summer, Michigan added 20 more players who would ultimately sign their letters of intent to Michigan. That left only five players who committed after the beginning of the 2011 season. It was more of the same in 2012, although the timetable was accelerated in a big way. Warren (Mich.) De La Salle quarterback Shane Morris committed to Michigan May 11, 2011. Ohio defensive back Dymonte Thomas became the second commit, pledging in the early morning hours of Sept. 11, 2011. After that, there was a five-month waiting period, then the deluge of commitments began in mid-February. By the end of April, 14 players ��� half of the eventual signees (not including Detroit Cass Tech offensive lineman David