The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1520409
JUNE/JULY 2024 ❱ THE WOLVERINE 47 ❱ FOOTBALL RECRUITING "We had high expectations, and we weren't disappointed at all. They ex- ceeded our expectations. They have a very simple approach to success. I thought that was really refreshing. … We felt like we were at home. My wife and I were walking around the facility as if we'd been there for years. It felt com- fortable. "There were some superstars walk- ing through the hall. Everybody is down to earth. The familial atmosphere in the building and the calmness of the coaches leads me to believe they are prepared for whatever is in front of them. That's really appealing to me." A lot changed at Michigan this offsea- son, including the departure of former head coach Jim Harbaugh. However, new Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore has brought a more aggressive approach to the recruiting trail and made a strong impression on the Jones family. "He's really down to earth," AJ said about Moore. "That's probably the an- swer most people give you. He's the head coach at Michigan and coming off a na- tional championship, but he's very, very approachable. "You can tell he understands what the goal is and the formula it takes to get there. He's preaching that while under- standing what it means to be a Michigan Man. He's promoted that school better than I could have ever expected. "It wasn't a surprise that he was char- ismatic. But it was refreshing to see how consistent he was with what he was say- ing and the things he was doing on the field." While Esposito did not have a preex- isting relationship with Marco and AJ, he impressed both of them throughout the weekend. In fact, AJ believes Esposito is a natural fit at U-M from both a culture and coaching standpoint. "Coach Espo is an interesting, dy- namic person," AJ said. "He's unique in so many regards. That's probably a good way to describe him. He's a really good fit. He's knowledgeable. He just got in the building, but he already understands schemes and the stuff Coach Wink [Martindale] is putting out there. "I gauge how good a coach is on more than X's and O's. Would I leave my kid with him to help raise him as part of his journey? The answer, based on my brief experience with Coach Espo, is absolutely." Marco is listed at 6-foot-4, 215 pounds in On3's database. However, he measured in at 6-5, 240 pounds during the visit to Ann Arbor. Marco is an impressive physical specimen with a terrific athletic background — he also doubles as a high- end baseball player that has attracted interest from Major League scouts. While Marco, who recorded an eye- popping 166 tackles, including 15 tack- les for loss, 2.5 sacks and 3 interceptions as a junior last season, spends a lot of time at middle linebacker for his high school team, he has the potential to be another great U-M pass rusher in new defensive coordinator Wink Martin- dale's scheme. "The scheme is fantastic," AJ said. "We had an opportunity to talk X's and O's with them, which is what Marco and I love. It's an NFL scheme. It's the Balti- more Ravens' scheme. Coach Wink in- vented it. Who better to teach it to you than the person who helped develop it? "I think Marco would fit in really well in that scheme because of the amount of things they ask their edges to do. He can be an edge rusher, he can line up in the 'A' gap and he can drop into coverage. All the things he does as a middle linebacker in high school would be similar to the things that he would be doing in college with the exception of really being on that edge rushing the passer. It's a really good scheme for him, and one that is built for success." Overall, Michigan's elite blend of ath- letics and academics has the Wolverines squarely in the mix in this recruitment going into official visit season, which will be the most critical part of Marco's process. "The on-the-field product is pretty obvious," AJ said. "It's top-tier, elite- level. It's consistent. The coolest part about that is the young men they are re- cruiting to come to Michigan and the values they uphold and the work ethic. Michigan doesn't skimp on that. They make sure that every recruit fits that bill and checks those boxes and then some. I like that part of it. "I also think it's underrated, at least to the world, with academics. It's a global degree. "The athletic and academic depart- ment work hand in hand, and their goal is to get you graduated as quickly as pos- sible by throwing all the resources they have at you. The academic portion is hugely important. A lot of people might not know that the alumni base and net- working are as deep as they are." Marco is set to return to Michigan for an official visit on May 31. He is also looking at Alabama, Oregon, Texas and Texas A&M as other potential official visit destinations. The family would like to make a final decision before the end of the summer. ❑ Jones, whose father, AJ, played linebacker at both Northwestern and Colorado, spends a lot of time at middle linebacker on his high school team but projects as an edge in Michigan's defensive scheme. PHOTO COURTESY OF ON3