Wednesday Recruitin' Is Set On Nightmare Fuel
Today's recruiting roundup discusses newest 2013 commit Ross Douglas, Shane Morris's Elite 11 finals performance, BBQ at the Big House visitors, and more.
Prep Kickoff Classic Presser Wrap
The Detroit Sports Commission Prep Kickoff Classic—formerly known as the Big Day Prep Showdown—will be held this year at Wayne State on August 24-25, and features a headlining matchup between Division 1 state champ Cass Tech and Division 2 champs Birmingham Brother Rice. Yesterday, the Detroit Sports Commission held a luncheon promoting the event, so I made the drive up to Detroit with the promise of an opportunity to interview some of Cass Tech's top players.
Unfortunately, every team but Cass Tech sent a contingent of players, and I left the event empty-handed. Well, save for this photo of Southgate Anderson's terrifying mascot:
Don't all thank me at once, now.
Hello: Ross Douglas
As ryebreadboy noted in the comments of yesterday's Hello post, recruits have a knack for making my job a little difficult, so of course OH CB Ross Douglas committed yesterday while I was in Detroit. There's this guy named Brian who does a decent job of blogging himself, however, so the site didn't miss a beat. Douglas's commitment has spurred the usual slew of scouting reports, including one from Scout's Bill Greene that compares him to the same player Brian did, Courtney Avery. More from Greene ($):
Douglas is a pure speed athlete, first and foremost. He can run and jump with the best of Ohio's top defensive backs ... He has a lot of upside as a cornerback, because he has a lot to learn about playing the position. The skill set is more than adequate, and all he lacks is game experience at the position, but he will get another year's worth this season.
The usual concerns about height crop up, as well. The fact that Douglas has done so well at corner despite his inexperience at the position is a good indicator of his natural athletic ability.
ESPN's Billy Tucker also provides a report; this excerpt comes from above the paywall fold:
Not the biggest perimeter defender but he can cover with very good footwork, transitional skills and above average speed. Does a good job in both man and zone schemes. While not the biggest or fastest, Douglas closes with good burst, is instinctive, technically sound and well-rounded.
Matt Pargoff caught up with Douglas's high school coach, who had nothing but good things to say about his character:
“No one works harder than Ross when it comes to football,” said Elder. “In all my years of coaching high school football, I’ve probably never had a kid that works as hard at it as he does. I’ve watched him grow from the freshman that started at corner for us to the senior that he is now, and it’s been a lot of fun to coach him and watch him develop.
“He’s a high character kid. He comes from a great family. I just talked to Coach [Brady] Hoke on the phone probably about an hour ago and the one thing I told him was, I can promise you – obviously they know he’s a great football player or they wouldn’t recruit him – but I said he’s a great kid who will never embarrass your program. That’s something that I’m proud of as a coach. He’s a good kid. He treats people with respect. He’s a good student. He’s going to do things the right way and work hard.["]
A welcome addition to the program, to be sure.
Bonus: Rivals has a free article on sleeper prospects that is largely devoted to Michigan's recruitment of Channing Stribling.
Elite 11 Or 25 Or Whatever
Depending on where you look, Shane Morris was either the best quarterback at the Elite 11 (Scout), in the top four (Rivals), or outside of the top 11 (the Elite 11 staff). You can judge for yourself, as Fox Sports/Scout provides video of all of Morris's throws from the camp. His performance was a little uneven, especially when throwing deep, but then you watch the throw at 2:25 and swoon:
Scout's Scott Kennedy cites Morris's big arm in naming him the top QB at the camp, though he also has the same concerns you likely do after watching the above video:
The biggest arm at the camp, Morris shook off a rough outing on his first day to steadily improve each week. Morris is capable of making throws that only a few in this class can hope to match. Needs to develop better field vision and consistency.
Rivals has a slightly more in-depth evaluation ($):
4. Shane Morris, Warren (Mich.) De La Salle: Morris is at the top because of his high ceiling. He has great size, a cannon of an arm and he has started to show the ability to put more touch on his ball. His long ball didn't sail like it has in the past and no one can sling it where it needs to be faster. The interesting thing about Morris is that while he's learning to drop the ball into spots rather than zip it all the time and learning to throw across his body more, he becomes more impressive. He's no longer just a kid with a hose for an arm, he's becoming a complete quarterback.
Morris has consistently improved his ability to change speeds since last fall if you believe his camp evaluations (and I'm not sure why you wouldn't).
If you're curious, South Florida commit Asiantii Woulard took home camp MVP honors; other standouts included Penn State commit Christian Hackenberg, USC commit Max Browne, and Miami (YTM) commit Kevin Olsen.
BBQ Visitors and 2013 News
I've been asked several times for a list of this weekend's BBQ at the Big House visitors, and thankfully Tremendous has done the legwork for me. The list of 2013 uncommitted recruits is small, just VA RB Derrick Green (AZ WR Devon Allen visits the day before the BBQ). One notable name not on the list is IL WR Laquon Treadwell, but fear not: he'll be at the Gridiron Kings camp with, you guessed it, Shane Morris. A slew of 2014 prospects will attend, including offered recruits like MI CB Damon Webb, IL CB Parrker Westphal, and OH LB Michael Ferns. Ferns, especially, could be one to keep an eye on, as he's already named a top three of Michigan, Notre Dame, and Penn State with plans for an early decision; given the situation in Happy Valley, this could already be a two-horse race.
FL WR Alvin Bailey narrowed his list to a group of eight: UCF, Georgia, Florida State, Texas A&M, Auburn, South Carolina, Michigan, and Notre Dame. He gave more detail to Rivals's Chris Nee, saying that among those schools, UCF, Georgia, South Carolina, and Michigan stand out ($). Word is Bailey even has favorites among that top group, South Carolina and UCF, and given Michigan's scholarship situation and the difficulty pulling a prospect from the South, I'd still bank on Treadwell as the most likely WR to end up in the fold.
As mentioned above, Derrick Green will be in Ann Arbor this weekend. He recently took a trip to Auburn, however, and came way saying he "got that feeling," about the school, as did his mother ($). I've never been particularly optimistic about Michigan's chances of landing Green, and that stance hasn't changed.
CA DE Joe Mathis, for whatever it's worth, tells 247's Todd Worly that Michigan remains in his top three with Nebraska and Washington, with all three schools even for now ($).
Happy trails to HI DT Scott Pagano, who committed to Clemson yesterday.
That mascots chin looks like a pair of balls that were too close to a microwave.
#southparkepisode
Born and raised in Southgate and graduated from AHS.
That freak of nature was not around while I was there though haha.
Also a Southgate alum and I've gotta say it is cool seeing Stan get some love on this site. Never noticed how damn scary he looks until now.
so you're saying southgate anderson decided to make mork their mascot recently?
If Green went to Auburn, they would have two very good and complimentary backs. Their class is quickly improving and becoming quite good. Insert $ joke here if you're into that sort of thing
I am. Saying Green "got that feeling" and so did his mom ($) is some incredible unintentional humor if you ask me. Although it gives me RoJo flash backs. His mom "got that feeling ($)" from USC on her visit too.
RB 1: "Those are very nice cleats."
RB 2: "Why thank you, I really like your gloves."
Green going anywhere but Ohio would cause me to come down with a mild case of schadenfreude, given that since at least last summer Buckeyes have been assuming he'd be theirs.
I'm not sure OSU is recruiting him that hard. They have RB commit and a ton of other big backs on the roster. This could be a luxury they can't afford with the scholarship restrictions.
I'm trying to resist commenting on the "feeling" they got at Auburn... but I've seen this movie before, many times.
I think most Buckeyes are hesitant to say he's our to lose now. Last summer, yes, but since then he's talked up just about every school. Plus, the lack of need for a power back leads most to believe the staff isn't hard after him. In fact, there are a few posters at 11W who think he will end up at Michigan.
Doesn't Green always say something super complimentary after coming back from a vist? Seems like a lot of his comments come in a "heat of the moment" type of form (insert Asia jokes here).
And maybe he has a short memory. Kind of like the 2006 OSU game, where the team with the ball last will win, maybe the team who gets his last visit will win. Which, in that case, probably would not be us because of our (almost) full class.
Not sure where I was going with all of this.
That butt be mean muggin'
FWIW Sam Webb stated in this morning's RR that according to several sources Michigan will take 25 recruits in this recruiting cycle. If that is indeed true does anyone think Michigan would still take McQuay?
I just listened to this. Sam said he is hearing that the current plan is 25 guys, we remain very interested in McQuay (in addition to Treadwell, Green, and Allen), and his belief is that we're the current leader for McQuay. That last part seemed like it was more hunch than anything, but it seems like good news nonetheless.
My dad taught at Southgate Anderson so I'm getting a kick....if I recall, the only SAHS alum to play at UM was Keith Mitchell (#90) who played TE and special teams for Bo in the 80s. He went on to write the screen play for that Bernie Mac baseball movie.
/Cool Story Bro....
taking into account his HS stats, along with the every throw video and reports from Ace before, IMO anyone who thinks he comes here and starts as true freshmen had better think again. Big talent but needs work.
Agree. Cool kid and highly rated doesn't always mean he is going to be a stud from day 1.
when considering his stats in high school, remember that completion percentage and yardage, ect. are not entirely dependent on Shane's performance. When you go 4-17 (or whatever exactly it was) against Cass Tech in the playoffs, sometimes it's not because of the QB. Hard to throw against a D1 CB factory where the depth chart at that high school last season was Terry Richardson, Jourdan Lewis, and Damon Webb (not to mention some other DB's who are now going to MAC schools).
Mentioned by name?? *swoon*
I hope Devon Allen gets "that feeling" (but without the money). I think he's a fantastic talent. In the event that we end up with 25 somehow I'd love to see him as a compliment to LQ.
Ross Douglas and his mother were on Marketplace, a public radio show, yesterday. He sounds like a great kid and I am glad to have him in the fold. I wish he had been asked why he went to Michigan but they were concentrating on the Penn State reaction.
The family is going to have to buy new Michigan gear for his grand parents.
Heard that too. He sounds like a good kid with his head on straight and has a supportive family behind him
Dude reminds me of a young (and mobile) John Navarre. Big, has a cannon arm, but needs to develop touch and consistency.
I'm surprised to hear we might be taking 25 scholarships...and curious to see how that would play out.
What I would love is for us to land Treadwell and Green; with Mathis and Adams as my next two hopefuls.
As for Shane, I really don't see much to complain about in the video. First of all, none of those WRs are getting scholarships at Michigan (thank goodness). Second, Shane showed a very strong arm with some nice touch, and that was with a group of guys he never plays with running plays he never runs.
Here's the thing about football: It takes a lot of practice. Especially at the QB position. While I don't have delusions of Shane throwing TD passes to himself and scrambling for 80-yard Denards, I think this video confirms that he is the most talented QB prospect (I'm talking pro style here) we've had since Mallet, or maybe even Henson. I see a cannon for an arm, exceptional footwork for his age, the ability to move coverage and work progressions, and good mechanics.
The kid is still in HS, and I hope he RS's at Michigan, and then gives us 4 years of delicious B1G Championship-caliber football. Yes, he's talented. Yes, he's unpolished...but what HS QB isn't? Who is the last true freshman QB that was really good and consistent as a pocket passer?
Anyone who thinks Shane leads us to a BCS championship as a freshman is probably being silly, but anyone who thinks this guy can't lead us to a BCS Championship at some point in his career is just being misanthropic.
Adams as in Montravius Adams? I haven't heard he has any interest in Michigan. Have you heard something different?
Don't forget about Bailey... I would be ecstatic with any combination of Treadwell, Bailey, McQuay, or Mathis. I think Green is over-rated, and think we're good for RBs this year.
Does not the Southgate Anderson mascot appear to have a rather Dantonio-like disposition?
the same damn thing...when I first saw it I thought it was supposed to be making fun of Dantonio....
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