Tag: Ex-Wolverines

Ex-Wolverine Updates: The Class of 2009

Shavodrick Beaver (pictured here in his days at Tulsa) is now at Midwestern State, which is a real place.

Former Michigan quarterback commit Shavodrick Beaver sat out the 2011 season after transferring from Tulsa to Midwestern State, which is in Beaver’s hometown of Wichita Falls, Texas.  Midwestern State’s starting quarterback, Brandon Kelsey, had 1,951 yards passing and 967 yards rushing.  Beaver will be a redshirt junior at MSU in fall 2012.

Darryl Stonum, ex-Wolverine

Michigan’s class of 2008 participants in the Under Armour All-America Game: Darryl Stonum, Christian Wilson, Dann O’Neill, and Brandon Moore.

Wide receiver Darryl Stonum was booted off the team today.  I’m not going to go through his litany of legal issues, but he had some alcohol- and probation-related offenses in the past that caused him to be suspended for the entirety of the 2011 season.  Head coach Brady Hoke hoped that the suspension would give Stonum a chance to get his life in order, but that obviously wasn’t the case.

Stonum’s final season of eligibility would have been 2012, so he leaves with one year remaining.  He had 76 career receptions for 1,008 yards and 6 touchdowns in his three years of play, with a school single-season record of 1,001 kickoff return yards (94 of which came on a TD return against Notre Dame) in 2009.  It’s unclear whether he will try to enter the NFL Draft or whether he will transfer to a lower division and play college ball next season.  My guess is that he will end up at an FCS school and try to make it to the NFL in 2013.

Michigan is now even thinner at wide receiver, a position that couldn’t really afford further attrition.  Junior Hemingway, Martavious Odoms, and Kelvin Grady have played their final year at Michigan, leaving rising senior Roy Roundtree, rising junior Jeremy Gallon, rising junior Jeremy Jackson, rising junior Drew Dileo, and a bunch of young’ns who haven’t seen the field at all; class of 2012 receivers Jehu Chesson and Amara Darboh will have an even better chance of play this fall than they previously had.  Gallon is tiny, Jackson is slow, and Dileo is a little of both, so there’s no clear-cut successor at the outside receiver position.

There are some more potential options in the class of 2012, with Cincinnati (OH) Moeller’s Monty Madaris and Westlake Village (CA) Oaks Christian’s Jordan Payton both flirting with Michigan.  Madaris had potentially eliminated Michigan from contention, but this opens the door to playing time a little quicker.  Meanwhile, Payton is “committed” to the California Golden Bears, but their lead recruiter Tosh Lupoi just left for the Washington Huskies and Payton is rethinking his pledge.  Of course, there’s also the potential for more receivers to grab offers from Michigan or for the coaches to bank the scholarship for 2013.  However – and I questioned this at the time – Brady Hoke chose to bank a scholarship for 2012 instead of taking class of 2011 receiver Devin Lucien, who chose UCLA instead.  Lucien redshirted this past season for the Bruins, but he would have been another option for Michigan in 2012.

(I just happened to find the above picture interesting for its irrelevance to Michigan now.  Stonum was a huge disappointment and got booted, Wilson de-committed for North Carolina and now is a mediocre Tarheel H-back, O’Neill transferred to Western Michigan, and Brandon Moore has been an ineffective backup TE who has 2 career receptions.)

Ex-Wolverine Updates: The Class of 2010

Former Michigan signee Demar Dorsey played for Grand Rapids Community College during the 2011 season (image via MLive)

Former Michigan cornerback Cullen Christian redshirted at Pitt this past season due to NCAA transfer rules.  He transferred to Pitt in order to follow former Michigan defensive backs coach Tony Gibson, who has since been hired for the same role at Arizona.  Christian made several negative comments on Twitter about Gibson and Pitt head coach Todd Graham for leaving Pitt so soon.  Christian will presumably remain at Pitt with new head coach Paul Chryst, since he’s already transferred once and he’s near home.

Former Michigan signee Demar Dorsey spent this past season at Grand Rapids Community College in Michigan.  He played in just seven games and ended the season with 10.5 tackles, 1 interception (for 51 yards), 4 pass breakups, and 2 kickoff returns for 51 yards.  He’s going to need a new place to play, though, because GRCC disbanded its football program this past week.

Former Michigan commit Tony Drake spent 2010 as a wide receiver/running back at Colorado State, but was declared academically ineligible for the 2011 season.  It’s unclear if he will return to the program.

Former Michigan safety Carvin Johnson left the football program in the middle of the 2011 season.  He was enrolled at Michigan throughout the fall semester.  Prior to his departure, he played in eight games for the Wolverines and made 14 tackles, 1 pass breakup, and 1 fumble recovery.

Former Michigan signee Conelius Jones was academically ineligible to play at Marshall this past season.  Since graduating in 2010, he has yet to appear on a college roster.  His current status is unknown.

Former Michigan signee Antonio Kinard attended Hargrave Military Academy in 2010, then signed with Miami in 2011 . . . and was declared academically ineligible at Miami, too.  He is headed to Arizona Western to play football in fall 2012.

Former Michigan center Christian Pace injured his shoulder during practice in 2010 and left the team this past off-season on a medical scholarship.  He is still enrolled at the University of Michigan.

Former Michigan linebacker Davion Rogers spent the 2011 season as a 6’6″, 215 lb. linebacker at Youngstown State.  He played in 11 games and made 45 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 5 pass breakups, and 1 interception (which was returned 27 yards for a touchdown).  He also blocked 2 kicks.

Former Michigan safety Ray Vinopal sat out the 2011 season at Pitt due to NCAA transfer rules.  In much the same situation as Cullen Christian (minus the childish Twitter rant), he will be a redshirt sophomore in fall 2012.

Former Michigan running back Austin White sat out the 2011 season at Central Michigan due to NCAA transfer rules.  He will be a redshirt sophomore at CMU in fall 2012.

The current whereabouts of former Michigan defensive tackle Terry Talbott and wide receiver D.J. Williamson are unknown.

Class of 2011 Bonus: Former Michigan offensive lineman Tony Posada is no longer playing football.  Thanks for yet another wasted scholarship, Rich Rodriguez!

For further updates on ex-Wolverines and former commits, check out the Ex-Wolverine Encyclopedia.

Ex-Wolverine Updates: The Class of 2011

Oklahoma’s Kellen Jones (#52) and Tony Jefferson bring down Iowa C.J. Fiedorowicz in the endzone (image via Greenwich Time)

Former Michigan cornerback Greg Brown left the program mid-season and has transferred to Findlay, a D-II school.

Former Michigan commit and current Miami Hurricane defensive back Dallas Crawford redshirted this past season.

Former Michigan commit and current Oregon Duck offensive tackle Jake Fisher played a backup role in 13 games this season.

Former Michigan commit and current Miami Hurricane kicker Matt Goudis redshirted this past season.

Former Michigan signee and current Oklahoma Sooner linebacker Kellen Jones played as a backup and special teamer in 11 games this past season, making 9 total tackles.

Former Michigan commit and current Wake Forest Demon Deacon quarterback Kevin Sousa redshirted this past season.

The future plans of former Michigan tight end Chris Barnett and former offensive lineman Tony Posada are unknown.  Both decided to leave the program after they were already enrolled at Michigan this past fall.

For recaps of these players and more, check out the Ex-Wolverine Encyclopedia.

Ex-Wolverine Updates: Rodriguez’s Staff

Former safeties coach Adam Braithwaite arguably had the most success of any former Rodriguez staffer in 2011, as his Christopher Newport team almost finished in the top third of D-III defenses and the team went 8-3. (image via Daily Press)

Former head coach Rich Rodriguez spent the 2011 season as an NCAA football analyst for CBS Sports.

Former offensive coordinator Calvin Magee spent the 2011 season as the offensive coordinator at Pitt.  The Panthers finished the regular season #68 in rushing offense (151 yards per game), #75 in passing offense (211 yards per game), #83 in total offense (362 yards per game), and #69 in scoring offense (25.75 points per game).  They also allowed more sacks than any other team with 4.75 per game.  Magee has been hired to re-join Rodriguez at Arizona and coordinate the offense.

Former defensive coordinator Scott Shafer (’08) has spent the last few seasons at Syracuse.  In 2011 the Orangemen finished #32 in rushing defense, #98 in passing defense, #64 in total defense, and #74 in scoring defense.

Former defensive coordinator Greg Robinson (’09-’10) spent the 2011 season away from football.

Former quarterbacks coach Rod Smith (’08-’10) spent the 2011 season as the quarterbacks coach at Indiana.  The Hoosiers went 1-11 with a victory over South Carolina State.  True freshman Tre Roberson finished the season  at 81-for-142 passing for 937 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 6 interceptions.  He also ran the ball 109 times for 426 yards (3.9 yards per carry) and 2 touchdowns.  Sophomore Edward Wright-Backer finished the year at 91-for-153 passing for 1,029 yards, 4 touchdowns, and 4 interceptions.  He ran the ball 46 times for 68 yards and 0 touchdowns.  Overall, the Hoosiers had the #80 passing offense, the #85 total offense, and the #101 scoring offense (21.4 points per game).

Running backs coach Fred Jackson (’08-’10) spent the 2011 season at Michigan, turning Fitzgerald Toussaint into an awesome running back.

Former wide receivers coach Tony Dews (’08-’10) spent the 2011 season as the tight ends coach at Pitt.  Starter Hubie Graham finished the year with 27 catches for 307 yards and 3 touchdowns.  Dews has been hired to re-join Rodriguez at Arizona as the wide receivers coach.

Former offensive line coach Greg Frey (’08-’10) spent the 2011 season as the offensive line coach at Indiana.  The Hoosiers finished #58 in rushing (161 yards per game) and #95 in sacks allowed (2.58 per game).

Former defensive line coach Bruce Tall (’08-’10) was hired as the defensive coordinator at Charlotte, a fledgling football program that won’t begin playing until 2013.

Former linebackers coach Jay Hopson (’08-’09) spent 2010 and the first part of 2011 at Memphis.  However, he resigned at Memphis after the first two games of the season, when he gave up 59 and 47 points to Mississippi State and Arkansas State, respectively.  His current job situation is unknown.

Former secondary coach Tony Gibson (’08-’10) spent the 2011 season as the secondary coach at Pitt.  The Panthers finished #71 in the country in pass defense (233 yards per game) and his defensive backs made just 4 total interceptions.  Gibson has been hired to re-join Rodriguez at Arizona as the Wildcats’ secondary coach.

Former safeties coach Adam Braithwaite (’10) spent the 2011 season as the defensive coordinator at Christopher Newport, a Division III program.  CNU finished #85 in rushing defense, #94 in pass defense, #83 in total defense, and #116 in scoring defense while going 8-3 on the year.  There are 238 teams in Division III.