The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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2012 FOOTBALL RECRUITING ISSUE In His Father's Footsteps To Michigan Allen Gant Follows paper and became one of the 25 newest Wolverines, he was sitting at home, flipping through the dog-eared pages of his father's old photo album. On one of the pages, he spotted a picture of his dad, A few weeks before Allen Gant finally put pen to Tony, sitting at a table in his high school, donning a block-M cap and scribbling his name on a letter of in- tent, just as Allen would soon do. "After I signed, it brought back flashbacks of seeing that picture," Gant said. "To follow in his footsteps, it's a great honor." When Allen, a three-star safety from Sylvania, Ohio, finally signed his papers, pledging to wear maize and blue next fall, Tony sat directly to his left, wearing his M-Ring — given to every Michigan player after his se- nior year — and an enormous smile. Tony, a native of Fremont, Ohio, played for Bo Schem- bechler from 1982-86. "Words can't express how I feel right now. I'm just so happy," Tony said. "It's comforting to know he's going to Michigan. He's in excellent hands, he's close to home and he's going to get a tremendous education. You re- ally couldn't ask for a more perfect situation." Three days before he signed his own letter of intent, Tony was still choosing between the same schools that would pique Allen's interest 30 years later: Michigan and Ohio State. "I was a huge Ohio State fan until I got recruited, Gant is a three-star safety from Sylvania, Ohio, and his father, Tony, played for Bo Schembechler from 1982-86. and then Bo and Coach Gary Moeller really persuaded me to come to Michigan," Tony said. "It was the same way with Allen. I know he really liked Ohio State with Coach Jim Tressel. When Brady Hoke and Greg Matti- son came, the light switch just came on for him." Tony said his signing experience was "chaos," be- thus far. "You knew Allen was special from the first time he played organized sports, all the way back in first grade," Tony said. "He was a little bigger, faster than other kids. He really grasped what he was doing right away." Gant drove up to Ann Arbor to meet Hoke and his He was reflecting back on Allen's accomplishments cause he waited so long to finally make his decision. For Allen, it wasn't nearly as difficult. After wrestling PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL with the Michigan versus Ohio State decision early, Gant verbally committed to the Wolverines in May, seven months before National Signing Day. "I was working out one day during the summer, and I got a call from [offensive coordinator] Al Borges," Gant said. "He said, 'We want to offer you a scholarship,' and my eyes lit up — I couldn't believe it. At that moment, I wanted to work out real bad. "After talking with my mom and dad, I knew it was the right decision. Deep down, being close to home played a factor in it, and following in my dad's foot- steps actually played a big part, too. I felt like Michi- gan was the place I wanted to be and would make me happy." At every turn of Gant's career, Tony has had flashes of déjà vu. Allen had to choose between the home-state Buckeyes and the rival Wolverines. They were both wowed by Michigan coaches. They both even play the same position: safety. But on the day that Allen signed with Michigan, Tony wasn't thinking of his own career. 50 THE WOLVERINE MARCH 2012 staff for the first time last spring, just a few weeks before he committed. Tony wanted to make it abundantly clear that the decision was Allen's alone — he didn't have to choose Michigan just because his father went there. "I gave him space, but for a while I was concerned that he might go to Ohio State," Tony said. "But I've always said that I wanted him to be happy in college — even if that was at Ohio State. I'm glad with the way it turned out, though." Since Allen did commit, the two have shared stories about Michigan, and Tony has told Allen what to expect. "He's played a big role, knowing that he went through exactly what I did," Gant said. "With me committing to Michigan, he was a DB, and I was, too. They run a lot of the same defenses that he ran for Bo, so that's an advan- tage for me. He can help teach me about the program and everything. I'm glad I have him on my side." Now, it's time for Gant to forge his own maize-and- blue path. "I'm really excited. I've been waiting for this opportu- nity for a really long time," Gant said. "I'm just counting down the days until it happens, until I can put on that helmet. I just thank God for letting me be able to be a part of Team 133." — Andy Reid