The Wolverine

2021 Michigan Football Preview

The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports

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42 ■ THE WOLVERINE 2021 FOOTBALL PREVIEW When Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh revamped his staff this offseason, it seems being a young, energetic recruiter was at least one of the qualifications. Every new member of Michigan's coaching staff is under the age of 45 and should be equipped with the right tools to connect with kids on and off the field. Winning games in the fall starts with land- ing top talent in the offseason. And you can't land the best talent without elite recruiters. Perhaps the biggest hire of the offseason from a recruiting per- spective was that of new safeties coach Ron Bellamy. While he has no recruiting experience as a first-time college coach, he won a state title at local powerhouse West Bloomfield (Mich.) High last season and was one of the most beloved high school coaches in the state — both by his players and peers. Bellamy has made a seamless transition to the collegiate level and is quickly becoming one of U-M's best recruiters. Bellamy helped flip Rivals100 defensive tackle Rayshaun Benny from Mich- igan State just weeks after taking the job at Michigan. Bellamy also played a key role in closing five-star cornerback Will Johnson and four-star wide receiver Tay'Shawn Trent this cycle. A Louisiana native, Bellamy has been involved in some key southern recruitments as well and is even running point for the most important remaining target in the 2022 class in five-star Memphis- area defensive tackle Walter Nolen. But the addition of Bellamy extends beyond just being relatable on the trail. Michigan has had some perception issues with in-state recruiting. Detroit-metro coaches, in particular, have been critical of the Wolverines' efforts in its own backyard. With Bellamy and new cornerbacks coach Steve Clinkscale on staff, this should no longer be a problem. While U-M initially brought on Maurice Linguist, who left to take the head coaching job at Buffalo without coaching a game in Ann Arbor, Clinkscale was a tremendous hire. After all, he brought in a ton of Detroit-metro talent while at Kentucky and has the re- spect of high school coaches in the area. "I love those guys," Belleville head coach Jermain Crowell, one of the Detroit area's most prominent coaches, said of Bellamy and Clinkscale. "Those are my guys. I wish them nothing but success. I'm happy for them. They are both genuine. They say what they mean and mean what they say. "You can send kids to them, and you know they are going to have their best interest at heart. That's all a high school coach wants. They're like adopted sons of the city. We love them." New U-M running backs coach Mike Hart is also well respected in the state of Michigan and is known as a hidden gem finder that takes under-the-radar backs and turns them into playmakers. While 2022 is a down cycle at the position, the U-M legend has done a nice job of identifying intriguing talent to pursue. There is perhaps no one better suited to mine for talent in the backfield just a year after the Wolverines landed borderline five-star prospect Donovan Edwards. "Great hire," said ex-Wolverine Deon Johnson, co-founder of Sound Mind Sound Body, a training organization for several top in-state recruits. "You see how Mike's running backs have done at Indiana. I think he is going to do great in recruiting. I like his at- titude — he's always been a fiery type of guy. "I think Coach Harbaugh did a great job with adding Mike Hart to the staff." Michigan will always recruit the state of Florida hard and kept that in mind when bringing on new linebackers coach George He- low. A Jacksonville native, he has deep ties to the area and knows how to relate extremely well to kids and coaches from his hometown. Helow already has Michigan in a strong position for a pair of Jacksonville products in three-star outside line- backer Micah Pollard and three-star defensive lineman Hayden Schwartz. The two Floridians could very well be U-M commits by the end of the summer. "I'm excited that they are recruiting down here," said Chad Parker, who coaches Pollard at Bartram Trail. "They've always done it a little bit, but with Helow and his ties to the area they will be doing it a lot more now. I think it's great that Michigan has a guy like Helow. "Michigan is a cool place. There is nothing like The Big House. You get to play against the best in the coun- try. That has our kids excited." The biggest wild cards from a recruiting standpoint are new defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald and quarterbacks coach Matt Weiss. Both joined Michigan after stints with the Baltimore Ravens in the NFL and don't have much experience recruiting at the college level. However, Macdonald is quickly proving to be a top- notch evaluator, while Weiss' analytic background could help not only on the field but the trail as well. Overall, Michigan dramatically reduced the average age of its staff and brought in coaches willing to be aggressive on the trail. That should pay dividends mov- ing forward — assuming the new hires also prove their worth on the field this fall. — EJ Holland New Hires Have Recruiting Trail Buzzing With Praise The addition of cornerbacks coach Steve Clinkscale has helped improve Michi- gan's recruiting efforts in its own backyard. PHOTO BY EJ HOLLAND

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