The Wolverine

December 2015 Issue

The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports

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W hile Michigan's roster will al- ways be comprised primarily of scholarship athletes — and highly ranked ones, at that — the Wolver- ines have looked to augment their three-, four- and five-star talent with their walk-on program. Nearly two dozen senior prospects have been offered preferred walk-on opportu- nities by Jim Harbaugh and his staff, and three have already accepted. Both Camp Hill (Pa.) quarterback Michael Shuster and Kalamazoo (Mich.) Loy Norrix wide receiver Simeon Smith passed up lower- level offers — including several Ivy League schools, in Shuster's case — to join Michigan next fall. Bowling Green (Ky.) defensive end Dane Drobocky was limited in his recruitment by a senior-year ankle injury, or he may have had offers of his own, but he also plans to walk on at Michigan nonetheless. "The academics at Michigan are, first and foremost, the reason I com- mitted," Shuster said. "Being able to have an opportunity to play for a guy like Jim Harbaugh is something that a lot of guys dream about." "I love the atmosphere and the toughness at Michigan," Smith chimed in. "The fact that they are a top-five engineering school is huge for me too. I've been on other Big Ten visits, and the combination of football, atmosphere and academics at Michigan just makes me want to be there more than anywhere else." It's likely that the Maize and Blue will add several more preferred walk-on commitments by the time the 2016 class is completed. There is no limit to the number of walk-on players that a team can carry (though there is a limit on the number they can bring into fall camp, spring prac- tice and dress for games). Players as far-flung as Southern California (Newport Beach Corona Del Mar quarterback Peter Bush), Georgia (Roswell High School offen-   MICHIGAN RECRUITING Preferred Walk-On Program Is In Full Force Bowling Green (Ky.) defensive end Dane Drobocky is one of three who have already accepted the option to be a preferred walk- on at Michigan. PHOTO BY TIM SULLIVAN

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