The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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44 THE WOLVERINE ❱ OCTOBER 2025 BY EJ HOLLAND D rive along Virginia State Route 33, and you'll pass right through the peculiar town of Cuckoo. A giant skeleton stands tall in front a sign in the shape of a headstone labeled "The Cuckoo Compound." Its arms are extended out, almost hovering over the very few cars taking this path. No, it's not Halloween. And that makes the sight all the more eerie. Is it a cult? A group of hippies? Some- thing more sinister? It's probably not a good idea to stick around and find out. These are the backwoods of Virginia. The true country with no Starbucks drive-throughs or high-rise buildings around for miles. Just six miles north of Cuckoo is Louisa County High School, home of five-star Michigan running back com- mit Savion Hiter. Savion is limited in what he can do for fun. "I usually do yard work and hang out with friends at a gas station," Hiter said with a big smile. Wait, you hang out at a gas station? "Yeah, I just chill with friends and listen to music," Hiter said. "I do four- wheeling a lot on trails. I just ride and chill. … When I go on visits, you can hear the way other kids from the city talk and how they live. It's way different in the country." Louisa County is situated in Min- eral, Virginia — about 60 miles from Shenandoah National Park. The small town has a reported population of 474 and embodies a blue-collar commu- nity. It's an unlikely place to find the No. 1 running back in the country but one that fits everything Hiter stands for. The star ball carrier is humble, hard- working and all about business. "He's going to grab his pail and lunch box and go to work every day," said Hiter's mentor and advisor, Adam Mc- Cann. "He doesn't care about the social media stuff. He's one of those rare kids who doesn't post workouts or do many interviews. He's just one of those kids that wants to work and grind without the social media following." Hiter also loves football. Former Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh always used to talk about finding players who were just as ob- sessed with football as he was — guys who were truly passionate about the game. Hiter first put on a helmet when he was 6 years old. His love for football was instant. "Football has been his life for a long time," said Hiter's father, Rod. "He trav- eled around with the youth league. We played against (Rivals Top 100 athlete) CJ Sadler and all those guys. We played in all-star games and a lot of different cities." It didn't take long for Savion to realize football could be his future. "My family was big Redskins fans, and I just grew up watching and wanting to play," Savion said. "When I got to 11U, I switched travel teams and played bet- ter competition. I was smoking them, too [laughs]." And he kept smoking them. As a freshman, Savion notched his first offer from Maryland. Then Vir- ginia came calling. From there, it was a snowball effect. Savion quickly became one of the most wanted underclassmen in the country. Fast forward to now, and Savion is fresh off a commitment to Michigan, which he announced Aug. 19. He picked U-M over a Who's Who list of college football programs. In an era dominated by social media and NIL, it would be easy for any recruit to get a big head. But the process hasn't changed him. "He's just Savion," Rod said. "He's a humble, quiet kid. He just wants to play football. He's cool, calm and collected. He only has select friends he deals with. He stays grounded. He's a hard worker in the classroom and the field." Savion's drive in all aspects of life led him to transfer from Louisa Country to Woodberry Forest as a sophomore. Woodberry Forest is part of a competi- tive private school league and features some of the best academics in the state of Virginia. While he excelled and earned Max- Preps All-America honors, Savion wanted to come back to Louisa County. ❱ FOOTBALL RECRUITING Meet Five-Star RB Commit Savion Hiter, The Top Ball Carrier In The 2026 Class Hiter, who plays for Mineral (Va.) Louisa County High, is rated as a five-star prospect, the No. 1 running back and the No. 8 overall player in the 2026 class by Rivals. PHOTO BY EJ HOLLAND