The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/418536
FOOTBALL RECRUITING wide receiver Laquon Treadwell, to Oxford. Treadwell was a Freshman All-American for the Rebels. THE CLASS OF 2013 Michigan suffered just one decom- mitment in the 2013 class, and the Wolverines put together their stron- gest group of the Hoke era, accord- ing to the Rivals.com team recruiting rankings. Massillon (Ohio) Washington de- fensive back Gareon Conley made an early commitment to Michigan when he held offers from only U-M and Northwestern in early March 2012. Thanks to Conley's Michigan pledge, his offer list didn't expand rapidly over time. However, Ohio State offered shortly before the two teams faced off the final weekend of November, and Conley informed the U-M staff he would be decommitting in order to visit Columbus. The three- star and No. 50 cornerback nationally flipped to the Buckeyes a week later. The 6-2, 165-pounder redshirted as a freshman, but has seen plenty of the field in his redshirt freshman year. He played in six of the Buckeyes' first nine games, notching 12 total tackles, mostly on special teams. He has also seen some defensive action, breaking up one pass. The 2013 class is when Michigan fully refined its policy for recruits, and defined what it would mean for players to take other visits. In Con- ley's case, he knew it meant that he wouldn't be able to see Ohio State while still committed to the Wol- verines, so he backed off his initial pledge. That is where the policy can bite Michigan — if a player decom- mits, he's unlikely to recommit to that school. However, Michigan did re-secure a pledge from one player who re- opened his recruitment. Detroit Cass Tech offensive lineman David Dawson was one of six commits for Michigan Feb. 18, 2012 (a number that would total eight among play- ers on campus that day by the end of the week). The 6-4, 282-pounder was a solid Michigan commitment for much of the process, but after the unexpected passing of his father he re-opened his recruitment and did some personal soul searching. After officially visiting Florida, Dawson realized that he wanted to stay close to home and re-committed to Michigan Dec. 14. He redshirted as a true freshman, and played in two non-conference contests this fall for his first in-game action. THE CLASS OF 2014 The 2014 class didn't see any play- ers leave Michigan's ranks after they'd committed. Part of the reason for that was a slower pace of pledges for the Maize and Blue. The 2012 sea- son had been a struggle (a year after winning the Sugar Bowl, the Wolver- ines went 8-5 and lost in the Outback Bowl to South Carolina), and many of the top players U-M pursued opted to take their time evaluating the course of the 2013 squad before pulling the trigger for Michigan. The season was a second straight poor one, with a 7-6 final mark and