The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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DECEMBER 2021 THE WOLVERINE 53 COMMITMENT PROFILE BY EJ HOLLAND M ichigan had a great holiday on the recruiting trail. After the turkeys were stuffed and the pies were consumed, the Wolver- ines notched their first commitment of the 2023 class in local kicker Adam Samaha, who informed the staff of his decision on Thanksgiving night. The Ann Arbor (Mich.) Huron product said his commitment came down to Michigan's blend of elite football and academics, and he felt there was no better day to commit than on a holiday based around gratitude and ap- preciation. "It was a good decision to make on that day, specifically because I'm thankful for every- thing," Samaha said. "Thanks- giving is a holiday where you show thanks and gratitude for everything you have. It was a perfect time to commit to the University of Michigan. "There are great things that come with the University of Michigan, such as the great academics and the great football program." U-M has made it a point to recruit high-level special teams prospects dur- ing Jim Harbaugh's tenure in Ann Ar- bor. The Wolverines reeled in top combo punter-kicker Tommy Doman in the 2021 recruiting class and set their eyes on Samaha early in the process. Michigan extended an offer to Sa- maha in the summer and immediately took the lead in his recruitment. A big reason was Michigan special teams coach Jay Harbaugh, who made a strong impression during Samaha's visit for the BBQ at The Big House. "I really enjoy how much time and ef- fort he puts into special teams," Samaha said. "I was at the BBQ this summer, and he showed us the playbook and the different schemes for field goal, kickoff and kickoff return. "I love his attention to detail and commitment to special teams." Samaha returned to Michigan a cou- ple of times this fall before ultimately pulling the trigger. He was back on cam- pus over the weekend for The Game and was impressed with U-M's dominant win over rival Ohio State. "The win was huge," Samaha said. "I knew we were going to win even be- fore the game started. The coaches were dialed in and so were the players. The atmosphere was crazy. "There were 111,000 people in the stands in 20-degree weather with snow. That's real commitment. I appreciate those fans." While Michigan's Jake Moody only had to kick extra points in the victory, he has been one of the best field goal kickers in the country this year. Samaha had a chance to spend some time with Moody after the contest and said he ad- mires his game. "Jake is my guy," Samaha noted. "In my opinion, he's the best kicker in America. It's great to see him show off and do what he loves to do. I met him when he was a senior in high school, and I've formed a relationship with him. "It's been fun to work with him at times. We talked at The Game, and he's excited for me." Samaha, who is rated as the nation's top kicker by Korn- blue Kicking, is excited to be a leader for Michigan next cycle. As the first commit in the class, he wants to take charge and re- cruit other top prospects to Ann Arbor. And he already has his eyes set on one recruit in particular — elite in-state 2024 quarter- back CJ Carr. "I have a big responsibility," Samaha said. "I hope a lot of kids with Michigan offers come to Ann Arbor. I've been heavily recruiting my guy CJ Carr. I need CJ to come home. We play each other every year. "I'm going to be bugging him and telling him he knows what the move is. He just needs to come home." ❏ Local Kicker Adam Samaha Becomes The First Member Of U-M's 2023 Class Kornblue Kicking rates Samaha, a product of Ann Arbor Huron, as the nation's No. 1 kicker. PHOTO COURTESY KORNBLUE KICKING PLAYER EVALUATION Strengths: Adam Samaha is everything you want in a field goal kicker. He boasts a strong leg, and is accurate on short and intermediate field goals. He also has he leg strength to connect on longer field goals with a range of 50-57 yards. Samaha was named as a five-star kicker at the Kornblue Kicking Michigan Fab 50 Camp in 2020. He is the youngest kicker in the camp's 10 years of existence to earn a five-star rating. Samaha is also excellent at kickoffs and should produce plenty of touchbacks in Ann Arbor. Areas Of Improvement: Samaha is a bit of a specialist in the sense that he's a pure kicker. Michigan got a two-for-one deal in the 2021 recruiting class with the addition of Tommy Doman, who was widely considered the nation's top kicker and punter. Samaha can punt but likely will not handle those duties at the next level. Michigan Player Comparison: Samaha models his game after Michigan kicker Jake Moody, who has proved to be one of the most accurate and consistent kick- ers in college football this season. Like Moody, Samaha has the leg strength, accuracy and poise to drill field goals in key moments. Expect Samaha to slide right into Moody's role when he steps on campus. — EJ Holland