The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/144506
commitment profile and told them that I was going to ac‑ cept the offer," the younger Runyan said. "All of the coaches were over‑ joyed, especially Coach Hoke's wife and daughter. You could hear them screaming in the background." Jon Jr., like his dad, is an offen‑ sive lineman, though he's not a 6‑8, 300-pound behemoth like his old man. Standing 6-4, 250 pounds as a junior-to-be, he has plenty of time to grow into the position. He showed Wolverines take the field in person. He hopes to change that this fall, while continuing to lead his St. Jo‑ seph's Prep football team to another stellar record — the Hawks finished 10‑1 in 2012. While taking care of his team's on-field priorities, Runyan would also like to make it to The Big House. "In terms of visits, I don't have anything planned," he said. "If any‑ thing pops up, maybe I'll consider it, Runyan "I called the Michigan coaches and told them that I was going to accept the offer. All of the coaches were overjoyed, especially Coach Hoke's wife and daughter. You could hear them screaming in the background." enough game to pick up an early Michigan offer, and he admitted that the rest of his recruitment was a foregone conclusion with dad's alma mater in the mix. "I've always been a Michigan fan, but I'm not ready to make a decision on my own," he said. "I just had to talk to my dad and my mom. I really enjoyed the campus and the coaches. Just the history behind Michigan football is so impressive. "I talked to my dad, and he said that I couldn't go wrong with choos‑ ing Michigan. Eventually, it was up to me, and I really just didn't want to play anywhere else besides Michi‑ gan." Despite his lifelong affinity for the Maize and Blue, Runyan plays a pri‑ vate school football schedule that has prevented him from seeing the but nothing is in the works. "I have not been to a Michigan game. I've been planning on it, but since I go to a private school most of our games are on Saturdays. I've grown up dreaming about going to a Michigan game though." Michigan was the first school to of‑ fer, but Runyan also fielded interest from Boston College, Penn State and Rutgers, among others. Hoke has taken Michigan back to the future. The Wolverines are re‑ cruiting as well as they ever have, and the results are picking up on the field. A few years down the road, when a familiar name takes the field and touches the banner while wear‑ ing a winged helmet, everything will come full circle for the Runyans — and the Wolverines. — Tim Sullivan