The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1451622
2022 FOOTBALL RECRUITING ISSUE Spurlock, a two-time Alabama Sports Writers Association All-State selection at linebacker, accounted for 186 tackles as a senior, including 27 tackles for loss and eight sacks. PHOTO BY EJ HOLLAND MARCH 2022 THE WOLVERINE 59 DID YOU KNOW? • Played both sides of the ball for Mad- ison Academy. • Snared 13 passes for 252 yards and three touchdowns as a senior; hauled in 17 receptions for 493 yards with six touchdowns as a junior; and collected 44 catches for 559 yards and one touch- down as a sophomore. • In a single game during his senior season, Spurlock recorded 21 tackles, six tackles for loss and three sacks. • Nicknamed "Deuce" as another way of saying Tim Spurlock II. • Born April 6, 2004. THEY SAID IT • Madison Academy head coach Bob Godsey: "I think he can fit in anywhere. That's another strength of his. He's a hybrid. He can do a lot of things. He can play the edge or the middle. He can blitz or play the pass. He can play half-field safety. Having multiple talents would be an asset for any program, es- pecially Michigan." communication open and was trans- parent throughout the process. "He just kept on communicating with me," Spurlock said. "But most of all, he kept it honest the whole time. There was no hiding or anything like that. We just kept an open line of communica- tion and built the trust that you need to be able to have a great player-coach relationship — but also a brothers type of relationship." Spurlock is viewed as a potential dia- mond in the rough of the 2022 recruit- ing class. The On3 Consensus pegs the three-star as the No. 1,031 player in the country, but Michigan feels much better about his long-term outlook. "I have the talent. And they feel like I was a steal," he said. "So just keep on improving. Get to work the first year and by the second year, I should be ready to go. It just depends on how I develop. If they feel like I'm ready, then I'm ready. But it's just how I develop and how I take things to the next level." Spurlock carries a calm confidence about him, but he knows that his suc- cess is team success and vice versa. He is excited about the chance to add to the culture in Ann Arbor. "They are getting a team player," he said. "I love seeing everybody succeed. I'm selfless, but most of all, I just want to see everybody win and be very com- petitive. Off the field, I'm nice, respect- ful, easy to talk to. The biggest thing, though, is being competitive on the field." Spurlock also knows the burden that comes with being a student-athlete. There is business to take care of, both on the field and in the classroom. "I want to have a good college expe- rience, but also I came here to do my job," he said. "Of course I want to get to the [NFL]. But I also want to be able to graduate with a top-notch education in either mechanical engineering or kine- siology. That, along with making bonds with people for life, are probably the two biggest things." Spurlock, like most young prospects, does have his sights set on playing pro- fessional football and named a trio of star linebackers and one hybrid player he studies and tries to emulate. "Darius Leonard [Indianapolis Colts], Devin White [Tampa Bay Buccaneers] and Luke Kuechly [formerly of the Caro- lina Panthers] are linebackers I watch closely," he revealed. "And then [Seattle Seahawks safety] Jamal Adams is another that I love. All those players are really good, they can pretty much do what I do. "I just watch and take parts of their game and add it to mine. Like Darius, he's good at forcing fumbles, or turnovers in general. And then Devin is a freak, able to make all plays and guard people, stuff like that. And then Jamal Adams has been the best hybrid safety in a league where you can cover tight ends, but he can also play the edge and do all that type of stuff. "So just being able to take all those and add them to my game and then apply it on the field. They make me better and then I just add my taste to it." ❑ Spurlock "I have the talent. And they feel like I was a steal. … Of course I want to get to the [NFL]. But I also want to be able to graduate with a top-notch education."