The Wolverine

April 2012

The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports

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COMMITMENT PROFILE Wyatt Shallman Will Carry The Rock For Michigan and weigh 255 pounds are not common at the college level, but Novi (Mich.) Detroit Catholic Central athlete Wyatt Shallman plans to be just that when he enrolls at Michigan. The coun- try's No. 160 player, according to Rivals.com, could project to a number of different positions, but he plans to carry the ball for the Wolverines. "I don't need convincing from Running backs who stand 6-3 other people that I can play running back, Fred Jackson has faith in Shall- man's ability to run the ball for Michigan and has let the four- star know that he's in their plans as a tailback - one of the reasons Shallman picked Michigan over offers from Michigan State, Ohio State, and others. Michigan's longtime coach at the position, Jackson has even broken down some of the offense to Shallman on his unofficial trips to campus. "We just talked a lot about the of- Michigan running backs coach " know that I work hard enough, and I have enough faith that I can do it. " Shallman said. "I to find a spot on the field once he reaches Ann Arbor, even if running back doesn't work out. Shallman is already the size of a college fullback, and could eventually play that position or tight end on offense, or even find a home on the defensive line, where he also stars for De- troit Catholic Central. He is one of just a few Shamrock players who start on both sides of the ball, when healthy. The opportunity to start out That athleticism will allow him at tailback was a big part of Shallman's decision to commit to Michigan. Catholic Central also has an esteemed recent history of players going on to Ann Arbor for their college ball, and that certainly didn't hurt the Wolverines' chances. "I know he's been talking Shallman is rated the country's No. 160 player in the class of 2013 by Rivals.com. fense," Shallman said. "We got the chance to do a little bit of chalk talk stuff, and he said how he wants me to play running back. It was just a good talk, asking him how he sees the of- fense going and what he sees. It was jut good to pick his brain a little bit and know what he's thinking. the course of his junior season and missed much of the year. That rendered him unable to reprise his 53 carries for 355 yards (6.7 yards per carry) and six touchdowns as a sophomore. Now, he's back to full health and already working hard to get back into shape for a senior season with high expectations. Playing at a football powerhouse such as De- troit Catholic Central, he's no stranger to hard work. "There really is no offseason at Catho- lic Central," he said. "We started working Shallman tore his hamstring during " out for football a week after we lost [in the state championship game]. We run every day outside, regardless of condi- tions. We run every day, and then we lift every day Monday through Thursday. We get after it pretty good. Among Catholic Central's players, " Shamrocks coach Tom Mach says Shall- man stands out for his work ethic and skills on the field. "We don't have a whole lot of guys like him. Not many people do," Mach said. "He's very athletic. He has great potential and great talent. He's a good ball-catcher. He can throw the ball 70 yards in the air. He's just a very good all-around athlete. " PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL there, and Matthew Godin sign a letter of intent there. They have great things to say about Michigan. I think all of that really helps in the fact that he was very positive about everything Michigan." Now that he's committed to become about Michigan," Mach said. "His family is very pro-Michigan. He has a good feeling toward the coaching staff. And we just had Mike Martin graduate from a member of the Wolverines, Shallman is certain to be one of those positive Michigan influences in the near future. — Tim Sullivan large frame. He runs with square shoulders in a solid north/south fashion and is not afraid to punish tacklers. He also shows a pretty good level of shiftiness for a big back. He has good vision and can dismiss tacklers with lateral movement that is rare for his size. Areas of Improvement: On offense, Shallman runs strong but will need to Strengths: Shallman plays with the power and strength expected from his FILM EVALUATION learn to keep his shoulders low. Big Ten linebackers and safeties will take knock- out shots on high runners which can jar the ball loose and lead to injury. His size/ speed combo is impressive, but to be a featured back in college, he will have to continue working to improve. He could be a linebacker killer when blocking out of the backfield and protect- ing the quarterback on blitz pickups. His film shows good blocking in open space against undersized opponents. He will be expected to stop Big Ten linebackers stone cold on pass protection. Michigan Offensive Player Comparison: B.J. Askew was a fine back on the 2002 Michigan team. Shallman tips the scale heavier than Askew, but has similar running and blocking styles. Both have the size to play fullback but the skills to carry the ball. — Analysis from TheWolverine.com APRIL 2012 THE WOLVERINE 71

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