Spring League Football Begins, With One Former Michigan Player on a Roster
The Spring League - the developmental league which has been around since 2017 - kicked off tonight on FS1. There are eight teams playing games with no fans in two locations - Indianapolis and Rice Stadium in Houston. Brian Lewerke is quarterbacking one of the teams.
So, of course, I started scouring rosters looking for former Michigan players, and I found one. A team called the Blues, playing in the South Division in Houston, has a former Wolverine on the roster. I'll give you 20 guesses and I'll bet you won't get it.
Time's up.
The answer is ... Tyrone "T.J." Wheatley Jr. He spent three disappointing years here, catching one touchdown pass, before transferring to someplace called Stony Brook. He was a tight end in college, but for the Blues, he's listed as an offensive lineman. You'll also see from the roster below that Florida State's Deondre Francois is the team's quarterback.
If you want to see TJ in action, the Blues are on TV at 9:30 p.m. Friday on FS1.
Ryan Mallet on the Generals as well.
TJ switched to OL, hope it works out for him.
Should of played LT his freshman year, probably would of been a 1st or 2nd pick
This.
Should “have”.
Didn't he fight moving to OL the whole time here? then he ends up playing OL at Stony Brook? SMDH
Yes.
James Hudson did the same thing...then got drafted at OL.
Kids these days!
So I'm guessing this league is in the same vein as the NBA "G" League?
If so, I really wonder what the % of them will actually get any type of contract from NFL teams. I'm just thinking that some have already played NFL snaps (Mallet, etc..) or have been removed from football long enough nobody remembers them. I bet there will be scouts but how do they compete with recently drafted players and then the 10-15 UDFA teams pick up as well. Maybe there are some diamonds in the rough?
According to their website, 104 players have been signed to NFL teams since 2017. *shrug*
Did Wheatley also wind up following his dad to Morgan St.?
He transferred there but never played in a game.
That play in the Ford Field practice against Devin Bush remains the highlight of his career here.
I actually think his HS highlights were the highlights of his UM career.
I watched both games last night, and will watch Friday and Saturday's games as well mostly because its football during a usual football drought. Wasn't too bad and it kept me entertained for the most part. No flashy lights, huge visual pop ups with every stat, none of that stuff, felt just like going to the local field to watch the local team play under the lights, except in a huge empty stadium.
The announcers, who were actually pretty good, explained that many players only got a week of practice with the team before the season started, so a lot of dropped passes, missed routes and assignments, QB yelling at players, and all that fun stuff.
Seeing Lewerke's kept me mad the entire Alphas vs Aviators game though, I will be a happy man when his name isn't on my screen anymore.
Overall it wasn't the best football I've seen, definitely not the worst, and I'll tune in to as many games as I can.