The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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MARCH 2023 THE WOLVERINE 47 P L AY E R BIOS BY ZACH LIBBY Michigan co-defensive coordinator Steve Clinkscale had been monitoring and staying in touch with Cincinnati Princeton linebacker/edge Breeon Ishmail for almost two years before pulling the trigger on an offer in mid-October. Clinkscale visited Ishmail at his high school to present the scholarship oppor- tunity following the latter's visit to Ann Arbor for the Penn State game. Ishmail was part of a concerted invasion of Ohio on the recruiting trail by Clinkscale, who of- fered multiple players who ended up becoming mem- bers of Michigan's 2023 re- cruiting class. "It's been really good with Coach Clink," Ishmail said. "He has been talking to me since my sophomore year. We have a really good relationship. He expects me to get up there, be ready to work and fight for my spot." Ishmail was one of two Cincinnati natives to join the Wolverines on National Signing Day in December along with cornerback and early enrollee Cameron Calhoun. Ishmail was in the Big House for the Illinois game, where he pro- vided a silent pledge to the coaching staff. His decision was made public less than 24 hours prior to the win over Ohio State on Thanksgiving weekend. That an- nouncement led to Calhoun, 2024 inte- rior offensive lineman Luke Hamilton and Youngstown (Ohio) Chaney athlete Jason Hewlett each following suit over the next three days. "I feel great about it," Ishmail said. "Whenever I go out, I feel like I see more people loving Michigan. That's good to know. I think when I got the offer, peo- ple thought that I was going to commit, probably because I posted so much about Michigan on social media." Ishmail was already locked in with the Wolverines and wasn't inviting calls from other coaches and schools by the time he took his official visit on the weekend right before National Signing Day. Since he had never been on an official and had the availability and option to so in Ann Arbor, he figured why not, and drove up I-75 with Calhoun to watch a Fiesta Bowl practice and be with several more commits from U-M's class. "The official visit was great because everyone showed a lot of love. I really liked that," Ishmail said. "It was great having everyone together, too. Cam came with me, and we rode up in the same truck. "The bowl practice was really intense, and the freshmen were on the field a lot. It was crazy to see that many fans there, too. The fanbase is crazy." While the Wolverines didn't achieve their ul- timate goal of a national championship last season, it has given Ishmail more motivation and determi- nation to contribute to the cause of re- turning to the College Football Playoff in 2023. That's the expectation he has set for himself. Ishmail will arrive on campus this June. "I feel like it was a great season, and we should have gotten that ring," Ishmail said. "But next year, we're coming back strong. When I get up there, I'm going to work hard and be humble." ❏ 2023 Projection Ishmail's senior season at Princeton, which was also his lone season for the Cincinnati high school, allowed the willing tackler and raw athlete to find and receive higher-level coaching on technique and accountability. He built a strong relationship with Steve Clinkscale during the recruitment process, and the U-M coach emphasized those key attributes as reasons why Michigan was the right fit for him. A full year of development at U-M, which could include a possible redshirt, will benefit Ishmail's climb to becoming a regular contributor on defense. Ishmail was named second- team All-Ohio as a senior at Cincinnati's Princeton High. PHOTO COURTESY ON3.COM STATISTICS Year Tackles TFL Sacks FF FR INT/TD 2022 64 10.5 3.5 2 3 2/1 2021 38 1 1 – – – HONORS • Second-team All-Ohio as a senior at Princeton. • An All-Greater Miami Conference selec- tion as a senior. • Helped Princeton finish 9-3 with a playoff appearance as a senior. RECRUITMENT • Pledged to Michigan Nov. 25, 2022 — less than 24 hours before U-M's 45-23 win over Ohio State in Columbus. • Received his offer on Oct. 21, 2022. • Picked U-M over offers from Kentucky, Cincinnati, Tennessee and Iowa State. • Recruited by co-defensive coordina- tor and defensive backs coach Steve Clinkscale. DID YOU KNOW? • Played his first three years at Hamilton High before transferring to Princeton for his senior season. • Also played wide receiver as a junior at Hamilton, finishing with 16 catches for 290 yards and 2 TDs. • Part of a Hamilton team that went 6-4 and reached the playoffs during his sophomore season. • Played varsity basketball at Hamilton, earning all-conference honors as a junior. • Son of Jimmy Hazel and Bredia Ishmail. • Born Nov. 14, 2004. THEY SAID IT Dawn Stallard, principal at Princeton High: "I was impressed with Coach Clink- scale and with the way he came to talk to us and offered Breeon. Kids are promised a lot of things, but I thought he was very upfront." BREEON ISHMAIL EDGE 6-4 • 225 PRINCETON HIGH SCHOOL HAMILTON, OHIO RANKINGS* STARS NAT. POS. STATE ✪ ✪ ✪ 1,202 58 37 ✪ ✪ ✪ — 116 81 ✪ ✪ ✪ — 95 38 ✪ ✪ ✪ — 73 30 ✪ ✪ ✪ — — 25 * Rated as an Athlete by all four recruiting services. consensus Cincinnati Edge Breeon Ishmail Set Off A Chain Reaction From Ohio To Ann Arbor