The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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Michigan's evaluators don't work off a star ranking by any service, Hoke reiterated. "We were looking at a lot of dif- ferent inside guys, and as we kept looking at them, he had something special a lot of them didn't have," Hoke insisted. "His hand placement, his movement, how he played with his hands, all that stuff. "This was one of those things where Greg [Mattison, Michigan de- fensive coordinator] and I thought, let's bring this guy in now. He was a state wrestling champion a year ago. Rob Renes and some of the guys who have played inside were wrestlers — wrestlers have pretty good leverage and know what to do." As for stars, Hoke invoked the memory of recent Wolverines who weren't among the galaxy in recruit- ing, but who delivered in a big way on the field. "What was Jake Ryan?" Hoke asked, rhetorically. "How about Jor- dan Kovacs? I don't put much stock in it. I really don't. "We're looking for guys who are, number one, football players. Aca- demically, they have to understand the value of a Michigan degree. We want guys who understand the con- cept of being a team, on the field and off the field." Tight end Ian Bunting (6-7, 223) from Hillsdale, Ill., fits that bill. Academically, he comes in with an impeccable record and a frame that could fill out quite nicely as a blocker and pass catcher. Like the rest of the Wolverines arriving in the class of 2014, Bunting comes in with incred- ibly high hopes. All of them like what Hoke is building, despite the recent disap- pointment of the Wolverines' No- vember nosedive. They're convinced Michigan is on the verge of getting back to consistent seasons like the one Hoke hung on the board his first year at Michigan, including an 11-2 record and BCS bowl victory. For his part, Hoke insists even with limited numbers in this class, Michigan's coaches have achieved the right fit. In an era featuring a ramped-up commitment process and a long battle to retain commitments until National Signing Day, he likes what he landed. If he could alter the route, though, Quarterback Wilton Speight threw for nearly 6,000 yards in his final two prep seasons and is reminiscent of the classic U-M drop- back passers of the 1990s and early 2000s. PHOTO BY TIM SULLIVAN