The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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46 THE WOLVERINE OCTOBER 2021 BY EJ HOLLAND T o say Michigan attacked the weekend of Sept. 10 with an enthusiasm unknown to mankind would be an understatement. In addition to a 31-10 throttling of a Washington team expected to con- tend for the Pac-12 title, Michigan played host to more than 50 recruits, including several five-star prospects as well as top targets in the 2022, 2023 and 2024 recruiting classes. Led by Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh and bolstered by an up- graded recruiting department fea- turing experienced and energetic staffers Courtney Morgan and Chris- tina DeRuyter, the Wolverines put on a show for prospective student- athletes and their parents. From meetings with the staff to facility tours, an electric pregame at- mosphere and spellbinding halftime show to the victory itself, the week- end was undoubtedly one to remember. Just ask Deon Johnson, ex-Wolverine, father of five-star Michigan cornerback commit Will Johnson and an ambassador for parents of other recruits this cycle. "This weekend was a good look for the current state of Michigan football," Deon Johnson said. "The coaches, operations, support staff, former players that came back for the game and fans all did a great job of leaving a lasting impression on the recruits and their families. The coaches did a good job of taking time to spend with the recruits and their families before and after the game. "They played a really good game, and the atmosphere at The Big House was great. Hopefully, this will show the guys that are being recruited that Michigan is the place for them." The elder Johnson spent extended time with one parent in particular — Randy Jackson, father of five-star USC commit Domani Jackson, who joined Will Johnson on his official visit for the weekend. The Johnson and Jackson families have bonded quite a bit throughout the recruit- ing process. Randy hung out with Deon on their self-guided tour in Ann Arbor last fall, and Deon returned the favor by taking Will out to Los Angeles, where the fami- lies connected at the Jackson residence this summer. With USC recently firing head coach Clay Helton and Michigan having a mon- ster weekend, the Wolverines have a very realistic shot at flipping Domani Jackson. And Randy, an Ohio native and lifelong Michigan fan, made it clear that his son's official visit weekend went a long way toward that effort. "The visit was everything we could ask for and more," Randy Jackson said. "The college environment, academics and set up for life after football was presented to us extremely well." Will Johnson and Domani Jackson weren't the only two five-star recruits on campus. The Wolverines also played host to elite defensive tackle Walter Nolen, the No. 2-ranked overall recruit nationally, his mother Yolunda and his two younger brothers — 2025 offensive lineman War- ren Nolen and 2027 athlete Waylon Nolen. Yolunda has never been shy about ex- pressing her love for Michigan. Her par- ents live in the Detroit-metro, and she has U-M alums in her family. Yolunda was recently on campus for Walter's official visit over the sum- mer and absolutely loved her return trip for the Washington game. "As always, I enjoyed my experi- ence in Ann Arbor," Yolunda Nolen said. "It is a beautiful place with wonderful people. The experience in The Big House was amazing. The boys and I had a really good time. "The 9/11 tribute, the maize out and the light show at halftime all made our experience even better. The 31-10 win was the icing on the cake. Let's go blue." Some parents, like Josh Conerly Sr, father of Rivals100 offensive line- man Josh Conerly — the No. 47 over- all prospect nationally — wished the trip would have been even longer. "It was fun," Josh Conerly Sr. said. "We had a great time. I wish we had one more day just to hang out. From the time we landed to the time we left, there was always something. It was non-stop. Meet here, lunch here, dinner here … it was a busy weekend. "The highlight of our trip was going the next morning and watching film with Coach [Sherrone] Moore. He and Joshua picked each other's brains on play de- signs. I thought that was really special. I like what Coach Moore has going and what he's doing with the line. "It's been open arms since day one. The same feeling that we've felt was felt on this trip, maybe even more. I know it was crazy and hectic as a parent, so I can only imagine what the staff went through. We felt the love. It was definitely a good trip." Conerly is one of Michigan's top overall priorities this cycle. The Wolverines im- pressed him with dominant offensive line play and a running game that racked up more than 300 yards against his home- state team. Of course, the atmosphere in The Big House moved the needle as well. A Seattle Seahawks fan, Josh Sr. likened the envi- ronment to Century Link field, widely FOOTBALL RECRUITING Weekend Of Washington Victory Makes Huge Impact Five-star cornerbacks and close friends Will Johnson (left), a U-M pledge, and Domani Jackson (right) — currently com- mitted to USC, who just fired their head coach — were both on campus for the Washington game Sept. 11. PHOTO BY PER KJELDSEN