Jordan Whittley, Wolverine

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21May 2021
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Jordan Whittley, Wolverine

Jordan Whittley (image via Detroit News)

Oregon State graduate transfer defensive tackle Jordan Whittley has selected the Michigan Wolverines as his destination for 2021.

Whittley is a 6’1″, 358 lb. nose tackle. He missed 2020 with a tumor near his heart, but the last time he played (when he was listed at 6’1″, 324), he made 14 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 1 pass breakup, and 1 quarterback hurry. Before Oregon State he was at Laney College, a JUCO in Oakland, California, that was profiled in season four of Last Chance U. Out of high school in the class of 2014, he was a 247 Sports 2-star and the #287 athlete, signing with San Jose State but never attending.

Whittley was listed as a 6’2″, 225 lb. running back coming out of high school. He tore his ACL and put on 100 lbs. or so while he was laid up recovering.

Michigan needs help on the interior of the defensive line. Former defensive coordinator Don Brown did not stockpile nose tackle types, leaving the Wolverines thin on pluggers and heavy on tackle/end tweeners. Michigan addressed the dearth of defensive tackles in the 2021 recruiting class, but nobody is ready to play as a true nose tackle right away. Whittley – if healthy – should be able to hold up to double teams. He won’t be Maurice Hurst, Jr. and living in the offensive backfield, but he should be able to let the linebackers flow to do their job.

20May 2021
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Thoughts on Michigan’s Recruiting Restructure

Courtney Morgan (image via MGoBlue)

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As you may have heard, Michigan has done some restructuring of its recruiting plan. About a year ago, I wrote about how I thought Michigan could “fix” its recruiting (LINK). Some of those steps have been taken, and others not mentioned have also occurred.

A few things have changed in the past year, largely for the better.

1. Ronald Bellamy replaces Bob Shoop as safeties coach. There are rumors about Shoop’s time at Michigan, but he was never known as a good recruiter – though recruits did say a few positive things once in a while – and basically served as an analyst in 2020. Shoop is more of an X’s and O’s guy. Meanwhile, Bellamy spent the last chunk of his life coaching West Bloomfield (MI) West Bloomfield to a point where it was a perennial threat to win a state championship. Bellamy got good talent to come to West Bloomfield – who would normally have attended other schools – and coached them up. He developed positive relationships with athletes who didn’t even attend West Bloomfield, and recruits seem to gravitate toward him. The former Wolverines wide receiver seems to be more of a father figure than a bombastic personality, but it appears to be working on the recruiting trail.

Hit the jump for more.

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18May 2021
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2021 Season Countdown: #112 Matt Torey

Matt Torey (image via Twitter)

Name: Matt Torey
Height:
5’10”
Weight:
180 lbs.
High school:
Birmingham (MI) Brother Rice
Position:
Wide receiver
Class:
Redshirt junior
Jersey number:
#39
Last year:
I did not rank Torey. He did not play.
TTB Rating:
N/A

Matt Torey has been named Scout Team Player of the Week twice in his career at Michigan, once on offense in 2019 and once on special teams in 2020.

He is still on the football team.

Matt Torey, ladies and gentlemen!

17May 2021
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2021 Season Countdown: #114 Luke Fisher

Luke Fisher (image via MGoBlue)

Name: Luke Fisher
Height:
6’4″
Weight:
292 lbs.
High school:
Plymouth (MI) Plymouth
Position:
Offensive guard
Class:
Redshirt sophomore
Jersey number:
#60
Last year:
I did not rank Fisher. He did not play.
TTB Rating:
N/A

Fisher has been in the program now for two years, going on three. He probably does not have as good of a chance at getting on the field as some of the receivers listed already, but it’s important in practice to have veteran offensive linemen who can execute the scout team offense. Fisher has adequate size at 6’4 and 292 lbs., but what I know of him – which boils down to his high school senior highlights – suggests that he will probably not be able to work his way into the rotation.

Prediction: Backup offensive lineman

17May 2021
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Review of 2009 Recruiting: Wide Receiver

Jeremy Gallon

The 2009 recruiting class was Rich Rodriguez’s first full recruiting class in Ann Arbor. Ultimately, not one of Michigan’s targets turned into a standout receiver on a national level, and the most productive player was Michigan’s own diminutive Jeremy Gallon.

THE ROSTER

  • LaTerryal Savoy (RS Sr.)
  • Greg Mathews (Sr.)
  • James Rogers (Jr.)
  • Junior Hemingway (RS So.)
  • Darryl Stonum (So.)

THE RECRUITS

Jeremy Gallon
Ratings: 4-star, #12 ATH, #244 overall
High school: Apopka (FL) Apopka
College: Michigan
Other notable offers: Auburn, Iowa
Scoop: Gallon’s usage steadily increased throughout his career, starting with a redshirt in 2009, 4 catches in 2010, then 31, 41, and 89. Though he made some great players in 2012 with the combination of Denard Robinson and Devin Gardner behind center, his career really took off in 2013, when he and Gardner developed a special chemistry that resulted in 1,379 yards and 9 touchdowns. Gallon also averaged 7.1 yards/return on 47 punt returns and 20.6 yards/return on 32 kickoff returns. He was taken by the Patriots in the 7th round (#244 overall) in 2014 but never played in the NFL.

Cameron Gordon
Ratings: 4-star, #43 WR, #317 overall
High school: Inkster (MI) Inkster
College: Michigan
Other notable offers: Iowa, Minnesota
Scoop: Gordon was brought in with the promise to get a chance at wide receiver, so he redshirted in 2009 while figuring out that he wasn’t a receiver. The crack defensive staff at Michigan thought he should then be a safety, so they put him there in 2010, where he made 77 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 3 interceptions, and 1 fumble recovery for a touchdown. When Brady Hoke was hired in 2011, Gordon moved to a better spot at outside linebacker. By 2013 he made 40 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, and 5 sacks. Altogether, his college career saw him make 138 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, 5 sacks, 3 interceptions, 2 fumble recoveries, 1 fumble recovery, and 1 fumble return TD. Gordon went undrafted in 2014 but spent parts of two seasons with the Patriots and Chiefs, including winning a Super Bowl with New England while on injured reserve.

Je’Ron Stokes
Ratings: 4-star, #11 WR, #94 overall
High school: Philadelphia (PA) Northeast
College: Michigan Bowling Green Norfolk State
Other notable offers: Florida, Georgia, Oklahoma, Penn State
Scoop: Stokes made just 3 catches for 27 yards over two seasons at Michigan before transferring to Bowling Green. After sitting out a season due to transfer rules, he made 15 catches for 114 yards and 1 touchdown for the Falcons. For his final year of eligibility in 2013, he transferred to Norfolk State to play with his brother, quarterback Malik Stokes, and ended up making 15 catches for 158 yards and 1 touchdown.

Hit the jump for a look at the rest of Michigan’s quarterback recruiting efforts in 2009.

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