The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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NOVEMBER 2023 ❱ THE WOLVERINE 49 ❱ FOOTBALL RECRUITING what you love. The money will eventu- ally come to you. "You'll get paid for your performance, and you're an amazing player. I think parents need more education on it. "A lot of players are getting caught up in NIL, and they are making the worst decisions of their lives, even to where it affects their future NFL contracts." Zephyrhills is a small town northeast of Tampa with a population of fewer than 20,000. On the drive to the high school stadium, you'll find an array of fruit stands and local businesses. It's far from the bustling life of Florida's major cities. The Picketts were actually Zeph- yrhills's second African American set- tlers. DJ has deep ties in his community and values what it means to be part of a family. NIL won't move the needle. Fam- ily will. And that's a big reason why Michigan is such a strong contender in DJ's re- cruitment early on. Tammie attended Michigan, DJ's grandmother lives less than an hour away from The Big House, DJ's late aunt, Niara Sudarkasa, was the first tenured African American professor at U-M, and DJ's cousin, Michael Sudarkasa, is a member of the Michigan Provost's Ad- visory Committee. The connections are never-ending. "Michigan is a part of our legacy," Tammie said. "Michigan is home to us. The recruiting with Michigan is a little different because it's like family. It's not as aggressive as everybody else. "We don't get the edited effect every week like 'Go DJ, we're rooting for you.' It's not like that with Michigan. "When DJ goes there, it's like home to him. There is no other school like Michi- gan, and I'm not just saying that because I attended." Then there is the man at the top. Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh literally embodies the university. U-M's core values can be seen in the way Har- baugh approaches his football team and treats everyone from assistants to staff- ers to players like family. Harbaugh also values hard work. His stance on NIL has been critiqued by some who would prefer a pay-for-play model. However, Harbaugh wants his players to earn their money, and more importantly, have opportunities in life outside of football. In many ways, Tam- mie's views on NIL and the recruiting process, as a whole, perfectly align. Perhaps Tammie's best quote from the whole interview was this: "Who says you are going to make it to the NFL? When you go to college, there's no more five stars. You have to work." That sounds a lot like … Harbaugh. "I love Jim," Tammie said. "I love Jay [Harbaugh]. I love his dad [Jack]. Jim doesn't sell Michigan. Michigan sells it- self. He's an old school coach. You have to work hard. "He makes all his new employees wear that blue collar shirt. Back in the day, people would pump your gas for you, and his grandfather owned one of those gas stations. It's that blue shirt with your name on it, and it's about hard work and dedication and never forgetting your ties. "Jim also doesn't sugarcoat anything. It's not all peaches and cream." The same can be said about Michigan co-defensive coordinator Steve Clink- scale and safeties coach Jay Harbaugh. The pair are leading the way in Pickett's recruitment and have taken the same approach. "I love Steve," Tammie said. "Him and DJ have a really good relationship. I have a really good relationship with him and his wife. It's the same thing with Jay. "When DJ is with them, it's not just about the football. He excels at that. He's a five-star. But his thing is, 'What are you going to teach me off the field?' and 'Are you going to teach me to be a great man and husband one day?' "A lot of people say my kid is different. He knows football is going to get him to his next plateau, but he's still going to be a young man when football is over with. "He wants to see how coaches interact with their own kids. DJ is very family- oriented and very religious. I don't have to tell him to go to church on Sundays. Family is everything to him. I think that's something Michigan offers more than everybody else." Pickett will get another look at Michi- gan's family atmosphere when he re- turns to Ann Arbor for the game against Indiana. However, both DJ and Tammie have already been on campus on nu- merous occasions over the past several years — some visits have even gone un- reported. Tammie still refers to Ohio State sim- ply as Ohio and enjoys reflecting on her time on campus. She knows Michigan can offer a unique experience. And now, DJ is quickly learning what it means to be a Michigan Man. "With Michigan, it's the people, the pride and the interaction," Tammie said. "It doesn't feel forced. "I've been to other schools, and it feels forced. I understand it's part of the pro- cess, but when we go to Michigan, it's not like that. I want to see the good and the bad. "Sometimes, we've gone and haven't told them that we're there. We have a home in Rochester Hills, so I'll pop up just to see things. Jim said 'Tammie, we love that.' I want it to be the real thing. "Jim said, 'We don't sugarcoat any- thing… it is what it is.' He said, 'DJ can go anywhere and succeed, but is he going to get this experience?'" That question remains to be an- swered. While Michigan has a lot going for it in this recruitment, SEC stalwarts Florida and Georgia are also high on DJ's mind. Oregon is set to get him on campus later this month, and both Alabama and Texas are heavily involved. Michigan has a special place in Tam- mie's heart, but she'll support DJ no matter where he decides to go to school. And that means the recruiting process and all the stress that comes with it is just heating up. With more than a year to go before DJ has to put pen to paper on National Signing Day in December 2025, Tammie has plenty of time to work on her book. DJ, on the other hand, will be adding more plush footballs to his collection. He'll certainly need them. ❑ ❱ Pickett's mother, Tammie, on U-M head coach Jim Harbaugh "Jim doesn't sell Michigan. Michigan sells itself. He's an old school coach. You have to work hard."