The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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APRIL 2023 ❱ THE WOLVERINE 45 ❱ FOOTBALL RECRUITING have any other college football powers involved in the process early on. It was a layup for Hart. Cabana may also be a jack-of-all-trades as opposed to a true every-down back. This cycle would need to be different. The pressure was on Hart to reel in an elite every-down back. And it's safe to say he rose to the occasion. As soon as the contact period opened up this January, Hart hit the recruiting trail harder than he ever had before. He cast a wide net, offering several top backs from around the country, especially in Texas, where he visited a number of high schools — from Dallas to Houston to ev- erywhere in between. While doing this, Hart continued to build a strong bond with Marshall in Ohio. After getting him in for an unof- ficial visit in late October for the game against Michigan State, Hart secured a return visit in January and again in March. By the third visit, it appeared Hart had Michigan slightly ahead for Marshall. But nobody saw a commitment coming as soon as it did. Marshall spurned Ohio State and picked Michigan on March 21, just days after his visit. It was U-M's first head-to-head win over Ohio State for an Ohio prospect in quite some time. The victory signified several shifts — Hart's recruiting approach, Michigan's success in topping OSU on the trail and the Wolverines' ability to pull blue-chip prospects out of enemy territory. Marshall's commitment is a true turn- ing point for both Michigan recruiting and Hart. Moving forward, he has an op- portunity to be one of the best recruiters nationally. He's reenergized and is taking as much pride in being a top recruiter as he is a top on-field assistant. That's evident by his increase in ef- fort with running back targets as well as area recruiting. Hart has already made an impact locally and is now doing so in Washington, D.C. — his assigned area and a pivotal recruiting battleground for the Wolverines. In fact, Hart is playing a key role in the recruitment of five-star Washington (D.C.) Friendship Collegiate Academy edge Dylan Stewart, who visited Michigan in March and is ranked as the No. 1 overall recruit in the country this cycle, per On3. "I met Mike years ago when he was at Eastern Michigan," said Friendship head coach Mike Hunter. "When he was at Syr- acuse, one of my guys went up there, and he was very instrumental in that recruit- ment. We've always kept in touch. "The thing I respect about Mike is he's always going to be honest. He doesn't give you a whole bunch of fluff. He's going to tell you what the real is. "As a high school coach, I definitely re- spect that. Mike will tell you if he doesn't like a guy, while other coaches string you along. I respect guys that are honest and upfront. Mike has done a great job of that." Hart isn't done recruiting his position, either. While Marshall is on board, Michi- gan remains in play for Tatum. The na- "The thing I respect about Mike is he's always going to be honest. He doesn't give you a whole bunch of fluff. He's going to tell you what the real is." ❱ Mike Hunter, head coach, Washington (D.C.) Friendship Collegiate Academy tion's No. 2 running back recruit out of Longview (Texas) High has Michigan in his top group, and he is set to make an of- ficial visit this summer. Hart's winter run through Texas also paid off with Tatum, who made his first unofficial visit to Ann Arbor. Tatum said Marshall's decision will have no impact on his own. And that means Hart has the chance to land two top-100 backs this cycle. "It's very exciting to have a chance to play for Coach Hart," Tatum said. "Michi- gan has always been known for running the football. We run the ball a lot at my high school — about 80 percent of the time. "It would be great to continue that at the next level. It would be something I would take advantage of. … Every day, he texts me saying, 'What's up?' I'm busy with baseball and track, but he's still on me hard." Hart is also keeping in contact with a handful of other backs, including three- star Frisco (Texas) Centennial prospect Harry Stewart, who made two visits in March. "He's an amazing coach," Stewart said. "He knows the game and how to get to the next level. I feel like our relationship got really close on the visits. I had dinner with him and talked to him about life. "We talked about football, but I feel like he got to know me as a person. I learned a lot about him this past week. That rela- tionship is only getting better." Three-star Chicago Mount Carmel prospect Darrion Dupree is another op- tion with high praise for Hart. "Coach Hart reminds me a lot of my stepdad at home," Dupree said. "They are very similar. The way they talk to me is the same, and I think I'll be able to understand him more as a coach. It's another key [in my recruitment]. "I'm blessed to have my stepdad around. He shows me where I can go and everything great about each school. He understands, because he was once in my situation." Hart has hit his stride on the recruit- ing trail. From increased efforts with top backs to more activity on the road to con- necting with kids on a personal level, Hart is quickly becoming a force on the trail. The turnaround has been nothing short of amazing. ❏ PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL