Tag: Ex-Wolverines

Ex-Wolverine Updates: Pre-Season 2012

Sam McGuffie is the face of the Rice Owls’ program this fall

Some Michigan fans surely don’t care much what happens to guys after they decommit or transfer from Michigan, but I’m not one of them.  I like to track them and see how they’re doing elsewhere.  Most of the time, they don’t find a ton of success on the football field.  But a few – like Toney Clemons, Anthony Fera, DeQuinta Jones, and Sam McGuffie – have become quality players for other FBS programs.  Here are some of the updates since last year, with more info to be found on the Ex-Wolverine Encyclopedia.

Former Michigan QB commit Shavodrick Beaver: Beaver sat out the 2011 season after transferring from Tulsa to Midwestern State.  He is listed as a 6’3″, 193 lb. redshirt junior quarterback for the Mustangs.

Former Michigan CB Greg Brown: Brown is listed as a 5’11”, 195 lb. defensive back on Findlay’s roster.  He transferred shortly into the 2011 season after enrolling early in January 2011.

Former Michigan TE commit Pharaoh Brown: Brown is listed as a 6’6″, 234 lb. freshman tight end on Oregon’s roster.

Former Michigan CB Cullen Christian: Christian is listed as a 6’0″, 195 lb. defensive back on Pitt’s roster.  He is expected to start at cornerback for the Panthers this year.

Former Michigan WR Toney Clemons: Clemons was a 7th round draft pick out of Colorado in the 2012 NFL Draft.  He remains on the Steelers’ roster at this point but did not have a catch in their first preason game against the Eagles.

Former Michigan CB commit Dallas Crawford: Crawford was Miami’s Scout Team Player of the Year on defense, but he is now listed as a 5’11”, 190 lb. running back on the Hurricanes’ roster.

Former Michigan CB commit Demar Dorsey: Dorsey was supposed to enroll at Hawaii after transferring from Grand Rapids Community College, but he does not appear on Hawaii’s roster for the upcoming season.  UPDATE: Dorsey is transferring to Western Arizona Junior College for the upcoming season.

Former Michigan S Vladimir Emilien: Emilien is listed as a 6’1″, 204 lb. safety at Toledo after sitting out the 2011 season due to transfer rules.  He is expected to start this fall at a hybrid safety/linebacker position.

Former Michigan K commit Anthony Fera: Fera transferred from Penn State to Texas after the PSU sanctions were announced.  He currently has a groin injury and is not practicing with the Longhorns, but he is expected to start when healthy.

Former Michigan OT commit Jake Fisher: Fisher is listed as a 6’6″, 294 lb. offensive lineman on Oregon’s roster.  He is expected to start this year for the Ducks.

Former Michigan QB Tate Forcier: Forcier signed with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League after leaving San Jose State, but he was released from the team in June.  His current football status is unknown.

Former Michigan K commit Matt Goudis: Goudis is a redshirt freshman kicker at Miami.

Former Michigan FS Carvin Johnson: Johnson supposedly transferred to Hampton but does not appear on the Pirates’ roster for the upcoming season.

Former Michigan DT commit DeQuinta Jones: Jones is listed as a 6’5″, 299 lb. defensive tackle and is expected to start for the Arkansas Razorbacks this fall.

Former Michigan LB Kellen Jones: Jones left Oklahoma for Clemson, but does not appear on the Tigers’ 2012 roster.

Former Michigan RB Sam McGuffie: McGuffie is listed as a 5’11”, 200 lb. redshirt senior running back on the Rice Owls’ roster, though he is expected to contribute mostly at slot receiver this fall.

Former Michigan WR commit Bryce McNeal: McNeal transferred from Clemson to UConn in the middle of last season, but he does not appear on the Huskies’ roster for 2012.  EDIT: McNeal has instead transferred to Louisville, where it looks like he’ll begin this season as a backup.

Former Michigan QB commit Kevin Newsome: Newsome transferred to Temple from Penn State in the offseason.  He will be eligible to play this fall, but will likely be a backup to the incumbent starter.

Former Michigan WR commit DeWayne Peace: Peace is listed as a 6’0″, 190 lb. redshirt junior wide receiver for Houston.  He is expected to start at wide receiver this fall.

Former Michigan LB Davion Rogers: Rogers left the Youngstown State program after the 2011 season.  His current playing status is unknown.

Former Michigan QB commit Kevin Sousa: Sousa is listed as a 6’3″, 230 lb. redshirt freshman on Wake Forest’s roster.

Former Michigan OL commit Caleb Stacey: Stacey decommitted from Michigan and signed with Cincinnati instead, but he left the team prior to the beginning of fall camp.

Former Michigan CB commit Anthony Standifer: Standifer is listed as a 6’1″, 180 lb. defensive back on Ole Miss’s roster.

Former Michigan WR Je’Ron Stokes: Stokes is listed as a 6’1″, 198 lb. redshirt junior wide receiver for the Bowling Green State University Falcons.  He is in the mix to start this fall.

Former Michigan CB Justin Turner: Turner is listed as a 6’3″, 204 lb. defensive back for Scottsdale Community College, where he started last season.

Former Michigan S Ray Vinopal: Vinopal is listed as a 5’10”, 190 lb. redshirt sophomore safety on Pitt’s roster.  He is expected to start for the Panthers this season.

Former Michigan CB commit Adrian Witty: Witty is listed as a 5’10”, 182 lb. cornerback for the Cincinnati Bearcats.  He is in the mix to start this fall.

Tamani Carter, Ex-Wolverine

Tamani Carter at the spring game

Head coach Brady Hoke announced at Media Day that redshirt freshman defensive back Tamani Carter has left the team.  No reason was given, and no future destination is known at this point.

Carter committed to Michigan in January 2011, the first guy to commit to Michigan after Hoke was hired.  He came from Pickerington (OH) Central, the same program that will send defensive end Taco Charlton to the Wolverines in the class of 2013.  Carter was a somewhat low-level recruit that Michigan stole from the Minnesota Gophers.  ESPN had him ranked as a 2-star, a designation that seems to be given less and less in the last year or two.  I gave him a TTB Rating of 62 when he was recruited and I ranked him #78 in the 2012 Season Countdown, so not much was expected of him.

Carter redshirted last season and missed a chunk of spring practice because he was involved with Josh Furman’s legal issues.  Carter was unlikely to play much (or at all) this season.  Both starters at safety return, and a couple highly touted recruits are waiting in the wings (Furman and Marvin Robinson).  Michigan also brought in three freshman safeties, one of whom (Jarrod Wilson) leapfrogged Carter on the depth chart in the spring.

Michigan now has 22 scholarships to give for the class of 2013, though the class is expected to reach a size of 24 or more.  By the way, Carter was the player I alluded to when I mentioned in a mailbag post that an underclassman might leave the team.  He is the sixth member of the 20-person class of 2011 to leave the team after Chris Barnett, Greg Brown, Kellen Jones, Tony Posada, and Chris Rock.

Ex-Wolverine Updates: The Coaches

Scot Loeffler is the new offensive coordinator for the Auburn Tigers

Taking a look into the past, here’s a glance at every former Michigan coach over the past decade.  Most of these guys have landed on their feet elsewhere, with the exception of former defensive coordinator Greg Robinson.

If you have additions or corrections, please leave them in the comments section.


Teryl Austin (DBs, 1999-2002): Austin has spent his time since his Michigan days with the Seattle Seahawks, Arizona Cardinals, and Florida Gators.  He was hired as the secondary coach for the Baltimore Ravens prior to the 2011 season and still holds that job.

Vance Bedford (DBs, 1995-98, 2007): Bedford spent 2008-09 as Florida’s cornerbacks coach before becoming defensive coordinator at Louisville in 2010, a job he still holds.

Adam Braithwaite (Safeties, 2010): Braithwaite was the defensive coordinator for Christopher Newport University, a D-III school, in 2011.  He was hired prior to this coming season to be the safeties coach at Tennessee-Chattanooga.

Erik Campbell (WRs, 1995-2007; Asst. HC, 2005-07): Campbell was hired to be Iowa’s wide receivers coach prior to the 2008 season, a position he has held since that time.  He also spent 2008-09 coaching the tight ends.

Mike DeBord (Various positions including OC, OL, TEs, and Asst. HC, 1992-1999, 2004-07): DeBord was hired as an assistant OL coach for the Seattle Seahawks in 2008 and coached the TEs there in 2009.  He spent 2010 and 2011 as the TEs coaches for the Chicago Bears, a position he still holds.

Tony Dews (WRs, 2008-10): Dews spent the 2011 season coaching TEs and being the recruiting coordinator for Pitt.  He was hired prior to this coming season by Rich Rodriguez to be the WRs coach at Arizona.

Ron English (DBs, 2003-07; DC, 05-07): English spent 2008 as the DC for Louisville before becoming the HC at Eastern Michigan, a position he still holds.

Greg Frey (OL, 2008-10): Frey was hired as OL coach at Indiana prior to the 2011 season, a position he still holds.

Tony Gibson (DBs, 2008-10; Asst. HC 2010): Gibson was hired as the DBs coach at Pitt prior to the 2011 season, but left to become Rich Rodriguez’s DBs coach at Arizona prior to the upcoming season.

Jim Herrmann (DC, 1997-2005): Herrmann was the LBs coach for the New York Jets from 2006-2008, then was hired to be the New York Giants LBs coach in 2009, a position he still holds.

Jay Hopson (LBs, 2008-09): Hopson was hired to be the safeties coach and DC at Memphis in 2010, but resigned after the first two games of the 2011 season after being demoted.  He was hired prior to the upcoming season to be the HC at Alcorn State (known best for producing former NFL quarterback Steve McNair).  Hopson is the first white head coach in the history of the SWAC.

Ron Lee (DBs, 2006): Lee was hired by the Minnesota Gophers to be the DBs coach from 2007-10, where he also served as co-defensive coordinator from 2009-10.  I can’t find any info on where he might be coaching now.

Scot Loeffler (QBs, 2002-07): Loeffler, a former Michigan QB, spent 2008 as the QBs coach for the Detroit Lions.  He then spent 2009-10 as the QBs coach at Florida, 2011 as the OC/QBs coach at Temple, and was hired prior to the upcoming season to be the OC/QBs coach at Auburn.

Calvin Magee (OC, 2008-10): Magee spent the 2011 as Asst. HC, RBs coach, and co-OC at Pitt.  He was hired by Rich Rodriguez to the same role at Arizona for the upcoming season.

Terry Malone (OL, 1997-2005; OC 2002-05): Malone has been the TEs coach for the New Orleans Saints since 2006.

Andy Moeller (OL, 2000-07): Moeller was the assistant OL coach for the Baltimore Ravens from 2008-10, and was promoted to be the OL coach in 2011, a position he still holds.

Greg Robinson (DC, 2009-10): Robinson appears to have retired from coaching after leaving Michigan.

Rich Rodriguez (HC, 2008-10): Rodriguez spent the 2011 season as a college football analyst for CBS Sports before being hired as Arizona’s HC prior to the upcoming season.

Scott Shafer (DC, 2008): Shafer was hired to be the DC at Syracuse prior to the 2009 season, a position he still holds.

Bill Sheridan (LBs, 2002; DL, 2003-04): Sheridan spent the 2005-08 season as LBs coach for the New York Giants before spending one year as DC in 2009.  For the past two seasons, he was the LBs coach for the Miami Dolphins.  He was hired prior to the upcoming season to be the DC for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Rod Smith (QBs, 2008-10): Smith spent the 2011 season as the QBs coach and co-OC at Indiana.  He was hired prior to the upcoming season by Rich Rodriguez to the same position at Arizona.

Steve Stripling (DL, 2005-07): Stripling spent a year out of college coaching before being hired as Central Michigan’s DEs coach for 2009.  Prior to the 2010 season, he was hired to be Cincinnati’s Asst. HC and DL coach.  Prior to the upcoming season, he also added the title of co-defensive coordinator.

Steve Szabo (LBs, 2006-07): Szabo spent as year as the DC/LBs coach at Colgate in 2008, then a year as Asst. HC and LBs coach at Eastern Michigan in 2009.  He took 2010 off from coaching before being hired as Illinois State’s DC/LBs coach prior to the 2011 season, a position he still holds.


Bruce Tall (DL, 2008-10): Tall has not actively been coaching since being let go by Michigan, but he has been hired as the DC for the fledgling college football program from Charlotte, which begins play on August 31, 2013.

Chris Rock, ex-Wolverine

Chris Rock

Defensive lineman Chris Rock has left the football program.  As a part of the class of 2011, he would have been a redshirt freshman in the fall.  Word in the offseason was that he had bulked up significantly from when he arrived and the coaches were toying with moving him from strongside end to 3-tech defensive tackle, but the potential move seems not to have mattered much.  As you can tell from my May 2010 commitment post, I was never a fan of Rock’s abilities; his TTB Rating of 58 meant he looked like a below average starter or a decent backup.  It’s odd that I compared him to Anthony Lalota at the time of his commitment, because neither one lasted long at Michigan.  Lalota, of course, transferred to Rutgers and then didn’t last long there, either.

It is unclear at this point what the reasons are for Rock’s departure and whether or not he will continue his football career elsewhere.  Most guys transfer closer to home, if anywhere, so it would not be surprising to see him pop up at Akron, Kent State, Miami-OH, or perhaps Youngstown State.  While this nominally hurts Michigan’s depth on the defensive line, Rock was buried on the depth chart and likely would have struggled to fend off the 2012 recruits who would have been vying for playing time, such as Matt Godin, Willie Henry, Tom Strobel, and Chris Wormley.

For a rundown of other former Wolverines, check out the Ex-Wolverine Encyclopedia.

Isaiah Bell, ex-Wolverine

Isaiah Bell (#4) was an Under Armour All-American in 2009

Linebacker Isaiah Bell, who would have been a redshirt junior this coming fall, has left the football program.  He was a class of 2009 recruit out of Youngstown (OH) Liberty, a high school classmate of running back Fitzgerald Toussaint and 2010 signee Antonio Kinard, the latter of whom never made it to Michigan.  It’s unclear whether Bell plans to transfer to another school.

I was always a fan of Bell’s abilities from the time he came out of high school.  He was a large, fairly fast free safety as a high schooler.  The rumors surrounding him since he arrived at college were that he was misinformed about his college position.  When he arrived on campus in 2009, he was expecting to play free safety.  Perhaps because he had become a little too large, Rich Rodriguez and his staff stuck him at linebacker.  Bell was reportedly frustrated with that role, struggled to buy into the strength and conditioning program, and floundered on the bench for his entire career.  Bell’s problems seemed to be more mental than physical.  The only real glimpse we had of Bell was during the spring game in April 2011, when he played a bit as a weakside end, much like Jake Ryan did in nickel situations this past season.  As MGoBlog mentioned, he was left off the fall camp roster last season because the coaches can only have 105 players in camp.

Bell is the eighth class of 2009 signee to depart prior to exhausting eligibility.  For recaps of other former Wolverines, check out the Ex-Wolverine Encyclopedia.