February 2nd, 2017 at 7:35 AM ^
Adding quality walk-ons is incredibly important. I love what Harbaugh is doing!
February 2nd, 2017 at 8:05 AM ^
Mike DeBord is in love.
February 2nd, 2017 at 10:48 AM ^
Oh my gawd, I yell when I see receivers run short out patterns. I wonder what the neighbors think. Especially the ones that are 1 or 2 yards short of a first down marker on 3rd down. Then to only get tackled and have to punt. Seriously, if you have the receiver go up field 1 or 2 more strides and then break out, you have a first down. So someone tell me the gamble or huge difference if the ball is caught outside the hash or short of/right at the hash? If you are tackled at the first down marker or the pass is broken up by a linebacker, at least you tried instead of having Jake Butt or Amara Darboh trying to outrun faster guys and getting tackled short of the marker over and over. Or at least have McDoom be the only guy who gets to run the short outs or crossing routes. Damnit!
February 2nd, 2017 at 8:22 AM ^
I know CT is not known as a big football state, but we have three signees from the state in the class (Black, Mason, Stueber), four if you count Hawkins, who played at Suffield Academy in CT this year. That's more signees than Ohio (two) this year. So maybe CT is the next pipeline of talent for Michigan. Nutmeggers represent!
Or, it's just an anomaly.
February 2nd, 2017 at 8:47 AM ^
February 2nd, 2017 at 9:41 AM ^
Yeah, we all saw Jordan Kovacs and the Glasgows being contributors! Point is, you never know how these kids develop.
February 2nd, 2017 at 10:24 AM ^
No, you never know, but then that could be said about every PWO ever.
February 2nd, 2017 at 11:30 AM ^
Magnus, you have to admit that Hunter is probably as good as gets for a PWO though. (non big guys)
I have don't what his ceiling is, but 4.5 speed, 185 lbs, and "6 ft" is something to work with. He looks like a football player to me.
February 2nd, 2017 at 1:30 PM ^
Sure, he looks fine. But we're recruiting at a level where he shouldn't see the field much.
February 2nd, 2017 at 12:04 PM ^
This board always forces unrealistic expectations on walk-ons for no reason other than some other guy at the same position walked on and was good. Hundreds of walk-ons have come through this program without ever playing a snap.
February 2nd, 2017 at 3:14 PM ^
and while I'd be thrilled if each one could get their own 15 min of fame, I'm happy that these players appear good enough to push those scholarship starters to do their best every practice.
February 2nd, 2017 at 2:58 PM ^
because Harbaugh didn't extend him an offer.
February 2nd, 2017 at 5:12 PM ^
You're right that the majority of these PWO will never see the 2-deep and are hopefully guys that will contribute on special teams. That said it is just easy to root for this type of player. People get enamored with walk-ons everywhere. It is fun to see someone overcome the odds and outpace their predicted potential.
But every year there are examples of walk-ons stepping up to be major contributors around the country. The combination of just enough athleticism alongside the right mental makeup and a kid can overachieve. Athletically Hunter Renfrow couldn't sniff anyone on that Bama defense but he burned them all game long.
So here is to hoping this Hunter, or any other member of this superb "class" of PWO can blow up and become a dude.
February 2nd, 2017 at 9:50 AM ^
Kovacs and the Glasgows are the exceptions to the rule... little or no expectations for walk-ons at any position other than K/P/LS
February 2nd, 2017 at 10:09 AM ^
You don't remember the other great walk-ons? peperidge farm remembers.
February 2nd, 2017 at 10:18 AM ^
February 2nd, 2017 at 10:16 AM ^
A former walk-on also named Hunter caught the game-winning TD in the Natty this year.
To make things correlate, our new Hunter WAS a wide receiver who plays on the opposite side. Hopefully if anyone else who walked on rises to the top in big games when we need someone it could be him.
February 2nd, 2017 at 10:30 AM ^
Hunter Renfrow had an Appalachian State offer, among others. AFAIK, Reynolds had no other offers.
February 2nd, 2017 at 12:17 PM ^
he had one offer and that was from Stetson...
http://www.scout.com/player/212658-hunter-reynolds/recruiting?year=2016
February 2nd, 2017 at 12:35 PM ^
so I guess that's at least one feather in his hat
February 2nd, 2017 at 10:55 AM ^
Hi,
I think the most reasonable expectation is that they make good practice players, or help bring up the team grade point average/graduation rate (do walk ons count for that?). If a few of them turn into backup or special teams players or even a starter due to injuries, then its gravy.
February 2nd, 2017 at 10:57 AM ^
I'm surprised you don't see more recruits go the walk-on route as a strategy.
Brian Griese walked on to Michigan because his family could afford the tuition. Michigan was a place he really wanted to go, so he used the walk-on route to go there without having to worry about limited slots being open.
If you read contemporary accounts of his recruitment, it was clear that nobody in the program thought of him as a true walk-on out of the student body. He was a wanted recruit that did not happen to count against the scholarship limit. It was a win-win.
You always hear stories of guys that really want to go to a program and the program really wants them, but there are just no slots left.
In some cases, thoese guys should walk-on with the clear understanding they are not to be treated as guys just trying out from the student body, but guys that are coveted recruits that just happen not to count against the scholarship limit.
Obviously the subset of recruits and their families that could afford to pay their own way to get into a program they really want to be it is small, but they are out there.
February 2nd, 2017 at 11:34 AM ^
February 2nd, 2017 at 4:54 PM ^
Not many families where a recruit is that good to almost get a spot and have family money to cover the expenses. There is also the ego thing of being a scholarship athlete, plus the benefits that come with it (I think some dining and access to tutors and travel is limited). Michigan is pretty blessed to have had Griese and the Glasgows. It is a brilliant way to work around scholarship limits if you can. The only person I can think of that I was surprised dind't take this route was Braylon Edwards brother. Ithought he may have joined as a PWO to play where his brother played.
February 2nd, 2017 at 6:33 PM ^
Yeah, Braylon's brother is a good case. He really wanted to be here, and we would have liked to have him here. But we just did not have the room and there were some other folks that were higher priorities.
It would have been great if he walked on with the understanding that he is a "regular" recruit that does not cost a scholarship spot, not some kid trying out from the student body.
Yes, it's expensive but there are lots of families that have to pay for their kid's tuition to Michigan. If any of my kids go to Michigan, I'm going to have to pay for it. And I don't exactly have Braylon Edwards family money.
February 2nd, 2017 at 4:53 PM ^
I'll tell you why Im excited to see all of these PWO. Most of these guys had offers to go play elsewhere (Ivy League, Air Force, FBS etc) so they're a few steps ahead of a typical student body walk-on. I fully expect quite a few to contribute on special teams. What that really means to me moving forward is fewer burned redshirts while also allowing more of your starters to not have to risk injury for competent ST play.
February 2nd, 2017 at 6:39 PM ^
at the very least it makes practices better - more solid players to keep moving through, especially as starters are dinged up
mop up time, special teams, and making the 2-deep if fortunate
better to have good PWO's than not