The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/70101
2012 FOOTBALL RECRUITING ISSUE Kyle Kalis tries to remain diplomatic about the chain of events that led him to Michigan. There are times, though, that the Lakewood (Ohio) St. Edward product (6-5, 305, Rivals.com's No. 22 player nationally) lets his emotions get the better of him. Kyle Kalis Earned His Spot Among The Elite from Ohio State to pledge to U-M, the Buckeyes fan base reacted — well, as perhaps only the Buckeyes fan base would. There were nasty e-mails, insults to his face, even threats to him and his family, to the point that Kalis finally cracked when talking about his future Michigan- Ohio State games. "There will be blood on the field," he said. "And it won't be mine." And understandably so. When Kalis decommitted correct than that," he said apologetically. For the most part, the hateful chatter has flamed out. Buckeye angst, though, hasn't. Kalis, after all, is Ohio's top player, and the Buckeyes have made a habit of rak- ing in the home state's top prospects in the last decade or so. Had OSU's Jim Tressel not been fired amid a scan- dal, they likely would have held on to Kalis, too. Several coaches used the program's woes to their ad- vantage in trying to convince Kalis to switch his pledge. Michigan's staff, though, didn't. It was just one of the factors that made U-M stand out when Kalis was on campus for his visits. "Coach [Greg] Mattison did an incredible job recruit- ing Kyle," St. Edward head coach Rick Finotti said. "He rose above the fray and sold Kyle on relationships, the Michigan experience and the opportunity to develop as a student, an athlete and a citizen. Michigan should be very proud of the way it handled this process, because there was certainly a different approach available to them and they never once used that to their advantage. "One of the things Coach Hoke and every one of his coaches conveys so well is being a Michigan Man, being a part of the tradition. You are not a Michigan football player just for those four or five years you go to school there; you are a Michigan football player for the rest of your life. That's the decision Kyle made, and that's why he'll fit in there so well — because that's what Coach Hoke believes." In hindsight, he wished he'd have remained silent. "Most of the time I try to be a little more politically Kalis is ranked as a five-star prospect, the No. 1 player in Ohio, the No. 4 offensive tackle in the land and the No. 22 overall recruit nationally by Rivals.com. kids across from them," Skene said after watching Kalis' film. "[Kalis] is 6-5, 305 and has the technique of a col- lege player with great balance, feet and hands. You can tell he's paying attention to where he's placing his feet, and he puts his hands in specific spots. That's something you usually don't see." PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS.COM In turn, Michigan is getting a kid whose talents range far beyond the football field. When he's not pancaking linemen into the turf, Kalis is usually strumming a tune on the guitar or painting. Football, though, is his specialty, toughness his trade. He's not content just to handle his assignment … he wants to bury the guy across from him, and if the oppo- nent is foolish enough to get up, bury him again. Whereas many talented high school linemen get by on their size alone, former U-M All-Big Ten lineman Doug Skene noted, Kalis plays with strength and technique that's improved each year. "There are only two or three I have seen on film who have not relied mainly on their size. Most are just doing it because they are so much bigger and stronger than the 60 THE WOLVERINE MARCH 2012 He's also got the toughness of the greats, missing three games this year after tearing a tendon and dislocating his knee when doctors initially told him eight. He was in tears before a game with Cleveland Glenville when it became apparent he wouldn't be able to play. "It wasn't the physical part," he insisted. "That wasn't that tough, because I can take the pain. It wasn't that bad. It was more just mental." That desire, Finotti said, is what endears him to his teammates. Kalis has already made great friends in Ann Arbor, including a good one in Mentor (Ohio) defensive end and fellow class of 2012 signee Tom Strobel, and is well liked. Taking the next step in leadership could put him on the path of his idol, former U-M guard Steve Hutchinson, and some of the other Michigan greats. "His teammates love and respect him, and that would seem like a natural fit, but Kyle liked to stay in the shad- ows at St. Edward because he wanted everyone else to get the spotlight, get their chance," Finotti said. "He chose to be in the background, and while your team- mates appreciate that, he'll have to step to the front to be a captain." For now, he'll be content to put on the winged helmet for the first time this fall and see where it leads. — Chris Balas