The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1340560
2021 FOOTBALL RECRUITING ISSUE 58 THE WOLVERINE MARCH 2021 STATISTICS Year Tackles TFL Sacks 2020 Postponed To Spring 2019 43 6 5 HONORS • Landed on the Massachusetts State Coaches All-Star Team in 2019. • Boston Herald All-Scholastic hon- oree as a junior. RECRUITMENT • Pledged on April 17, 2020. • Was committed to Boston College from Nov. 10, 2019, to Feb. 12, 2020. • Held offers from Boston College, Nebraska, Pittsburgh, Syracuse and Virginia. DID YOU KNOW? • Was a two-year captain. • Led his squad to an 11-1 record and a Division 2 state title as a junior. • Lettered in basketball at Mansfield. • Also played offensive tackle, paving the way for an offense that rushed for more than 2,000 yards in 2019. THEY SAID IT • Attleboro head coach Michael Strachan, who coached against Guy: "He has great football knowl- edge and that allows him to be in the right place at the right time. Guy also had very good technique and is well- coached. … Plus, he'll only get better — he has huge upside." • TheWolverine.com recruiting analyst EJ Holland: "Guy is one of the most underrated commits in the Michigan class. He has a chip on his shoulder, and you can tell he's deter- mined to prove doubters wrong. Guy's work ethic and attitude will serve him well at Michigan, because he's some- one who's going to come in and do whatever it takes to reach his ceiling — which is a high one. The thought of Guy as a finished product is scary." TJ Guy Can Play Anywhere On The U-M Defensive Line BY CLAYTON SAYFIE Mansfield (Mass.) High three-star defensive lineman TJ Guy pledged to Michigan in April of 2020 due in large part to former U-M defensive coordinator Don Brown, who was also a Massachusetts native and re- cruited the area heavily. While Brown is no longer in Ann Arbor and has been replaced by new coordinator Mike Macdonald, Guy is still looking forward to joining the Wolverines this summer. "He's very excited about going out there," Mansfield head coach Mike Redding said. "I know his initial con- tacts with the transition have been very positive. I think he'll be out [in Ann Arbor] within days after gradu- ation, get into their summer program and get working to see what he can do to help the program." Guy chose the Maize and Blue for much more than just Brown. Playing at the winningest program of all time and competing for championships were a strong draw, and so was at- tending one of the top public univer- sities in the nation from an academic standpoint. "Beyond Donnie's recruiting was just the lure of Big Ten football, hav- ing a chance to play in one of the best conferences in football, with a chance to hopefully play for a na- tional championship," Redding said. "And then to go to a really elite aca- demic school, I think that was a re- ally big factor, just playing high-level football and getting a great education — that combination." At 6-4, 240 pounds, Guy has pri- marily played defensive end in high school but also slid inside to tackle at times. He has the ability to play both spots at the college level, something that will help him dart up the depth chart when opportunities arise. "He's done whatever we've asked here, and I think he'll do the same at Michigan," Redding said. "If they want him to put on some weight, get stronger and move inside, he'll do it. If they like how active he is off the edge, he stays outside. "One of his strengths coming in is his flexibility. He doesn't come in locked in and can only play one spot. He has a chance to play two or three different spots for them." A two-year team captain, Guy is more than willing to play wherever he's needed. That mindset will con- tinue when he gets to Ann Arbor, Redding strongly predicted, noting how much his star pupil wants to learn more about the game. "I think one of the things that'll im- press their coaches is his intelligence and his maturity," Redding continued. "He listens, looks you in the eye, takes it in and asks good questions." ❏ Guy was a two -year team captain at Mansfield (Mass.) High, and helped lead his team to an 11-1 record and state title as a junior. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS.COM 2021 Projection Guy likely won't see the field as a freshman when considering how many young defensive ends will be vying for playing time opposite veteran Aidan Hutchinson (redshirt sophomore Taylor Upshaw, redshirt freshman Braiden McGregor, red- shirt freshman Gabe Newburg, etc.). A redshirt year would serve Guy well in 2021, before potentially earning his way into the rotation in 2022. TJ GUY DEFENSIVE LINEMAN 6-4 • 240 MANSFIELD H.S. MANSFIELD, MASS. RANKINGS STARS NAT. POS. STATE ✪ ✪ ✪ — — 7 ✪ ✪ ✪ — 36* 5 ✪ ✪ ✪ — 106^ 9 * Ranked at weakside defensive end; ^ ranked at defensive end