The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/49941
PREP PROFILES Michigan Pursuing Prolific Illinois Junior Back Joliet (Ill.) Catholic Academy has seen its fair share of talented high school football players in the past. Fullback Mike Alstott and offensive lineman Tom Thayer went on to the NFL follow- ing productive college careers. Ty Isaac Joliet Catholic Academy Joliet, Ill. Position: Running Back Ht.: 6-3 • Wt.: 215 A player on the Hilltoppers' roster now, junior running back Ty Isaac, might have as much potential as any to come through the school. Isaac already holds offers from Michigan, Notre Dame and Wisconsin, among others. "We always knew he was a special talent," Joliet Catholic coach Dan Sharp said. "We always knew he'd be good, I don't know if anybody thought any back — not just Ty, but anybody — could play the way he's playing right now. He's in a zone right now as far running backs go, in running and catching the ball." Isaac has the numbers to back up his coach's comments. He finished his junior season with 2,629 rushing yards with an eye-popping average of more than 11 yards each time he carried the ball. He also set a Joliet Catholic Acad- emy scoring record with 51 touch- downs on the year. "He's a big, fast back, but I think the thing that's really impressive with him is his ability to cut in short space and make guys miss," Sharp said. "Once he makes a guy miss, he's got tremendous speed. He kicks it into another gear. He also has the ability to run through tackles as well." Isaac combines that robust skill set with an intimidating stature. He stands 6-3, 215 pounds, and will continue to put on weight before reaching the col- lege level. It's easy to see why college coaches covet him so much. He saw a number of college teams in action this season, including Michigan for the Wolverines' victory over Purdue in Oc- tober. The coaching staff has let him know he's a priority. "They just told me that I'm the type of back that they want: big and can run downhill for them," Isaac said. "I know they're starting to switch back over to a power-I, pro-I. It's definitely something good to run out of and get behind their big linemen. It would def- initely be something good." Isaac, however, is in no hurry to come to a college decision. Ty Isaac "They just told me that I'm the type of back that they want: big and can run down- hill for them." "I'm going to be waiting until about spring at the earliest to start worrying about recruiting," he said. "I'm just go- ing to keep staying in contact and just work at that." — Tim Sullivan Despite a robust group of offensive linemen in Michigan's 2012 class, the Wolverines will again be in the hunt for blockers in the 2013 group. Whea- ton (Ill.) St. Francis tackle Kyle Bosch has already received an offer from Michigan and has been to Ann Arbor twice this fall, taking in Michigan victories over Purdue and Nebraska. "Michigan's coaches said I play with a lot of intensity, and they wanted me to be on the team," Bosch noted. "They said that they're probably going to go back to a pro-style after [Denard] Rob- inson leaves. They want a bunch of big offensive linemen that can get a good Kyle Bosch "Michigan's coaches said I play with a lot of intensity, and they wanted me to be on the team. They said that they're probably going to go back to a pro-style after [Denard] Robin- son leaves. They want a bunch of big offensive linemen that can get a good offensive line push for when Denard leaves." offensive line push for when Denard leaves." Greg Purnell, the coach of Bosch's high school team, agrees with the Michigan coaching staff's assessment of Bosch's 70 THE WOLVERINE DECEMBER 2011 tensity level that I've never seen in a big guy. He loves contact. That, to me, is the big difference." Bosch's talent has a number of schools highly interested. With a number of Illinois Junior Lineman Has Made Two Visits To Ann Arbor Kyle Bosch St. Francis High School Wheaton, Ill. Position: Offensive Lineman Ht.: 6-7 • Wt.: 285 strengths. His 6-7, 285-pound stand- out has the drive and stamina rare in a player his size — and he's just a junior. "I think the biggest thing is that he has such a high motor," Purnell said. "He's a very intense football player, and I think a lot of times, bigger kids like that take a while to develop that. He has an in- scholarships already on the table, he projects as one of the Midwest's top of- fensive line prospects in the 2013 class. "I got a Stanford offer, Northwestern offer, Iowa offer, Indiana, Purdue, Michi- gan State, Michigan, Illinois, West Vir- ginia, and Arizona," he said. Bosch is taking a proactive approach to his recruitment. In addition to the two trips to Michigan Stadium, he has seen some of his other favorites in per- son, as well. Once he gets the chance to evaluate all of the campuses, he'll start to narrow his recruiting list. "Iowa, I've seen, I've been to Notre Dame, I went to the Wisconsin spring game, I'm going to Stanford. And that's about it," he said. "I'm thinking probably by the time I visit all the schools I want to and meet the coaching staffs and get to know them better — that's probably when I'll make a decision." With his junior season of high school in the books, Bosch has more of an op- portunity to shift his focus to recruiting. Though he doesn't have a timeline set in stone, once he's comfortable with a particular school, he'll be ready to make a commitment. — Tim Sullivan