The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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MICHIGAN RECRUITING ing trail Feb. 18, snatching up six commitments in the 2013 class. All are among Rivals.com's initial top 250 prospects nationally, including top-100 players in Parker (Colo.) Ponderosa offensive lineman Chris Fox (No. 46) and Wheaton (Ill.) St. Francis offensive lineman Kyle Bosch (No. 60). By comparison, Michigan didn't ichigan's coaching staff had an exceptional day on the recruit- pick up commitment No. 1 in the 2012 class — Rockford, Mich., of- fensive lineman Ben Braden — until March 24. Since 2002, only two schools have Big Recruiting Weekend Unprecedented For U-M M Hecklinski said. "You're competing for the elite kids, and they are go- ing to make early decisions. If we're doing our job correctly, we're get- ting them on campus, we're showing them everything that Michigan has to offer them, and these kids are go- ing to make early decisions." With recruiting decisions being made earlier and earlier in pros- pects' high school careers, Michigan has to be ready to change with the times. Thanks to their flexibility, the coaching staff has already moved to the forefront of the early commit- ment trend. "You look around the country, and last year the top 100 to 150 kids had made decisions before it even got to October," Hecklinski said. "We have to make sure we're very heavily in- volved in that process." The Wolverines have already ex- had a single day with nearly the impact of Michigan's Feb. 18 haul. Texas picked up 10 commitments on Feb. 11, 2011, but only five of them ultimately earned four-star rank- ings. On Feb. 3, 2010, National Sign- ing Day, USC landed one five-star prospect and five four-star recruits. No. 15, Massillon (Ohio) Wash- ington cornerback Gareon Conley, March 10. The 6-2, 160-pounder is unrated in the Rivals.com's initial listing of the nation's top 250 play- ers, but has the height that the Wol- verines' coaches are looking for at cornerback. "When I saw him, it was against Michigan earned commitment ADDS TO THE CLASS GAREON CONLEY With recruiting decisions being made earlier and earlier in prospect's high school careers, recruiting coordinator Jeff Hecklinski said U-M has had to adjust accordingly. cruiting start is completely new to the Wolverines, it certainly didn't happen by accident. Brady Hoke's coaching staff focused on locking down early verbal commitments in the recruiting class of 2012, and it's clear they're following that pattern once more. "You're at the pinnacle; you're at Although Michigan's fast re- MICHIGAN'S COACHES FOCUSED ON EARLY COMMITMENTS the top," Michigan recruiting coor- dinator and wide receivers coach Jeff Canton McKinley. There's not a big- ger high school game in the coun- try," Rivals.com Midwest recruiting analyst Josh Helmholdt said. "Con- ley's tall, but he's very skinny. He has a good feel for the position. He has solid speed, but is not a blazer. He was a little stiff in the hips, and that's not unusual for a kid that tall. He gets in passing lanes and is able to challenge for jump balls." Conley was limited throughout his junior season with a broken wrist, but played in nine games for Massillon and made 30 total tack- les with three tackles for loss and a sack. He also recorded four intercep- tions and recovered a fumble. 58 THE WOLVERINE APRIL 2012 Kyle Bosch Jake Butt PHOTO BY PER KJELDSEN tended at least six scholarship offers to prospects in the class of 2014, so it doesn't appear they their strategy of early recruiting will slow down any time soon. the fold, Michigan's coaching staff is continuing to work hard on the recruiting trail. Several top prospects have visited Michigan already this spring, or will soon. • Joliet (Ill.) Catholic Academy With 15 commitments already in PLAN SPRING VISITS TOP PROSPECTS running back Ty Isaac visited Ann Arbor March 10. Rivals.com's No. 18 player in the nation is the top tail- back prospect on Michigan's board. He stands 6-3, 215 and ran for 2,629 yards as a junior in 2011. Class Of 2013 Football Commitments Name Patrick Kugler Jourdan Lewis Mike McCray Shane Morris Taco Charlton Gareon Conley David Dawson Jaron Dukes Chris Fox Khalid Hill Pos. Ht. Wt. Hometown (High School) OL TE DE ATH 6-2 165 Massillon, Ohio (Washington) OL 6-5 285 Wheaton, Ill. (St. Francis) 6-6 230 6-6 240 WR 6-4 197 Columbus, Ohio (Marion Franklin) OL TE OL 6-5 305 Detroit (Cass Tech) 6-6 297 Wyatt Shallman Dymonte Thomas Logan Tuley-Thomas OL ATH 6-3 255 Novi, Mich. (Detroit Central Catholic) DB 6-1 175 Alliance, Ohio (Marlington) Peoria, Ill. (Manual) QB 6-3 183 Warren, Mich. (De La Salle) DB 5-11 170 Detroit (Cass Tech) LB 6-7 280 6-5 280 Wexford, Pa. (North Allegheny) 6-4 230 6-2 230 Detroit (Crockett) Parker, Colo. (Ponderosa) Trotwood, Ohio (Trotwood-Madison) Pickerington, Ohio (Pickerington North) Pickerington, Ohio (Central)