The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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MAY 2020 THE WOLVERINE 51 COMMITMENT PROFILE M ichigan's streak of commit- ments to kick off the month of April included an interesting land. Three-star Dedham (Mass.) No- ble & Greenough linebacker Casey Phinney didn't have the normal offer sheet of a U-M recruit and wasn't a prospect that received much atten- tion in recruiting circles. Still, Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh and defensive coordina- tor Don Brown recruited him hard over the last couple of months. Even though he has never visited Mich- igan, Phinney decided to give the Wolverines a verbal pledge. "I had a FaceTime call with Coach Harbaugh and Coach Brown, and they made it clear that I was a pri- ority and wanted me to commit as soon as possible," Phinney said. "It felt right. I felt like it was time, so I made the decision. I had seen all the facilities through the virtual tours of the school. I connected with Coach Brown the most out of any coach. They showed a lot of interest. It just felt right." Phinney committed to Michigan over an offer from Massachusetts, the only other Football Bowl Subdivision school that extended a scholarship. A big reason he decided to shut down his process as opposed to wait- ing for more offers to come in was his relationship with the aforementioned Brown, who has deep roots in New England. "He's full of energy," Phinney said. "He's from around where I live. We just had a good relationship from the beginning. It's been almost three years since I got an offer from him. It's been a long time coming. We just built up that relationship over the years. He's a great coach. I'm excited to play for him. "New England is just really com- ing on the football scene. He under- stands us. Coach Brown believes in us. It's great to see him giving us a chance because there are a lot of good players here." Phinney's commitment to Michi- gan wasn't filled with the usual fan- fare. Instead, he received harsh criti- cism on social media from fans and pundits. More motivated that ever, the pros- pect is ready to show the Michigan faithful why Harbaugh and company took a shot on him. "I definitely have a chip on my shoulder," Phinney said. "I didn't do any camps. I didn't try to promote myself. I just believed in my hard work. If a school wants me, they can come to me. Michigan did that from the beginning. "It's funny seeing people talk about me. I'm ready to prove them wrong and show what I'm capable of." Phinney started at both inside line- backer and running back for Noble & Greenough as a junior. He best projects as a true inside linebacker at the next level thanks to his physical nature and ability to fill gaps quickly. Rivals.com rates the 6-1, 228-pound Phinney as the No. 7 prospect in Massachusetts. — EJ Holland Underrated Linebacker Casey Phinney Will Bring A Chip On His Shoulder To Ann Arbor FILM EVALUATION Strengths: Casey Phinney is a natural inside linebacker that loves to come up and lay the wood. He fills gaps quickly and is your typical run-stuffing Mike backer. He lives for contact and plays with an aggressive demeanor. He has a knack for meeting ball carriers in the hole and limiting them to little or no gain. He is a throwback in terms of being that feared downhill linebacker in the middle. He also has the versatility to contribute as a fullback. Weaknesses: Phinney seems like a one-dimensional linebacker. While he stuffs the run, there isn't much else about his game that pops. He needs to improve his hips and movement. He is not a plus athlete, so he may struggle in pass cover- age at the next level. He will be best utilized against very run-heavy opponents. Michigan Player Comparison: New transfer Edward Warinner (from Michigan State) may be a player that Phinney best compares to. Warinner was an unher- alded inside linebacker coming out of high school that most pegged as having limited athleticism. Phinney may never be a star, but he could provide depth and be a key contributor in certain game plans. — EJ Holland Phinney "I definitely have a chip on my shoulder. I didn't do any camps. I didn't try to promote myself. I just be- lieved in my hard work. … It's funny seeing people talk about me. I'm ready to prove them wrong and show what I'm capable of." Phinney committed to Michigan over an offer from Massachusetts, the only other Football Bowl Subdivision program to tender him a scholarship. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS.COM