Getting to know: Juwann Bushell-Beatty

Tag: interviews

4Jun 2013
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Getting to know: Juwann Bushell-Beatty

        

Juwann Bushell-Beatty is no
stranger to success. He anchored an offensive line that helped lead Paramus
(NJ) Catholic to a 10-2 record and a New Jersey non-public, Group 4 state title.
Following the season, Juwann flew up the recruiting boards, garnering three- and
four-star ratings from the major recruiting services.  Juwann was offered in February and committed
to the Wolverines shortly after his early April visit to Ann Arbor. Despite the
instant success and busy offseason he stays humbled by the experience. “Me
personally I am very grateful to be where I am at right now. Not many people
can say they have done all this in such a short period of time. I can say I’m
blessed to be where I am at.”

Being
blessed certainly doesn’t mean being comfortable. Speaking with Juwann he was adamant
about the work that he still needs to do before he arrives on the Michigan
campus in over a year from now. “I really don’t have one aspect of my game I need
to improve; I would say my game in a whole. Last year I was satisfied because
it was my first year really starting.  Then
I went back and looked at the tape a couple of months later, and I wasn’t really
that impressed with myself.  There is a
lot I need to work on so I can play at that second level. I need to bring
everything I have to the table so I can get on the field sooner.  I want to improve my all around game, run
blocking, pass blocking, how low I come off the ball, quickness of my feet and
stuff like that.  That is just a small
part of it in becoming a better all around player.” He doesn’t only have the
mindset, but the work ethic is there to match it and an understanding of how he
can translate his game to the next level. “I really like the explosive aspect,
working on speed training and that’s one thing I feel I need to work on the
most. As a college offensive lineman you need to be explosive. That’s a major
thing we work on and something I take very seriously.”


The
honesty of the Michigan coaching staff and the academic integrity of the school
were two of the major factors that stood out on the unofficial visit. “When I
got up there I had a real good time. What I was really looking for was the
academic aspect of a school, and Michigan had that.  I really liked the coaches and the players;
they are a high intensity team, there was just a lot of really interesting
things. I think Coach Hoke is a great guy, I love him, and he is really down to Earth. I got a chance to really see what he was about and what he believed in
when I was out there.” Along with coach Hoke, there seemed to be a good
connection with offensive line coach Darrell Funk and the unprecedented tradition
of Michigan offensive linemen. “It shows you what they produce, all of the
great players that have come through there. I see that aspect in myself one
day. I got a chance to talk to Coach Funk. He is a great guy and I really like
the way he coaches. They always have great O-lineman coming out of there, and
that is something I wanted and something I know the coaches can provide for me.”

With Juwann
and the recent commitment of teammate Jabrill Peppers, it seems like Michigan’s
New Jersey pipeline is growing. With Rutgers joining the Big 10, a chance to
play back in their home state may be an added advantage. “It’s going to be real
exciting, going to be back home after being away for a little while.  It will be Rutgers first year in and I will
be able to have all my family there, so that will be exciting.”

Being the eighth
commitment of the class of 2014, I asked Juwann if he will be joining the likes
of Michael Ferns and Wilton Speight in recruiting others to the class and
handing out team 135 T-Shirts.  He was
pretty clear that a school like Michigan recruits itself. “At the end of the
day it’s always going to come down to their opinion. What I would say if you’re
looking for real down to Earth coaches, who are going to give it to you the
right way, and show you what you need to know to develop you into a great
player, then that’s where you want to be. The players are great guys, real hard
workers, just like the coaches. If you are looking for a place like that, then
Michigan is where you want to be.”  And
Michigan is where Juwann will be, but not before a senior season in which he
will look to repeat another state title and embrace the opportunity to play
some national high school powerhouses. “It’s really great, coming from where
this program was a few years ago, and how fast Coach Partridge and all the
other coaches got us to where we are at. This year coming up, I’d say I am most
excited about the first game of the season against [Baltimore (MD) Gilman, Henry Poggi’s alma mater], they are going
to be a couple weeks in already and we will be coming fresh out of camp. We get
to play a lot of big talent around the country, and see what is out there.”
One
constant through last season Juwann says, “Wearing my team issued game day Under Armour each week.” I would say with the success of this past year and the
promise of things to come … don’t change that shirt.

7May 2013
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Getting to know Maurice Hurst, Jr.

Westwood (MA) Xaverian Brothers defensive tackle Maurice
Hurst, Jr is a high-intensity player that the Michigan coaches are going to love
to work with.  The athletic defensive tackle
plays with a lot of energy and a great motor. With his passion for the game and
willingness to serve his community and help others, Maurice Hurst, Jr. has Michigan
man written all over him. He kindly took the time out of his preparation and
busy schedule to answer a few questions about becoming a Wolverine.
  
Can you elaborate on your decision of
become a Wolverine, what stood out the most about Michigan, and what was your
deciding factor?
 “The tradition is what stood out to me the most. Before I even had an offer
to the university, I knew that it would be my top school. Another thing was the
coaches. Coach Hoke is a very family oriented guy and that’s the type of person
that I am also. With a Defensive Coordinator like Coach Mattison and his
history how can you not put all of your faith inside of him and know he’s going
to set your team up to make plays on the defensive side of the ball?”
Have
the coaches discussed contributing next year, and do you have a preference in
redshirting or not?
 “Coaches haven’t discussed whether I would
redshirt or not and of course I would like to contribute right away. I want to
go in there and dominate and if they think I need to redshirt, so be it.”
How
has your father’s experience in college and the NFL helped you with your path to
becoming a collegiate athlete?
“I don’t
really have a relationship with my father but knowing my father made it to the
next level, I know that I have high expectations in the football world and need
to live up and exceed those expectations.”
 Have the coaches discussed a playing weight
for you, and where are you most comfortable?
“No, they
haven’t really discussed a weight for me to play at with the coaches but
between 285 and 290 would probably be the best weight for me to maintain my
speed.”
 Is there a game on the schedule next year
that you have circled?
“Every
game to me is important but the Notre Dame game is probably one of the ones
that I am most excited about. It is only going to be the second one under the
lights, and the first one was so exciting with that catch by Roundtree.”
 We saw the moves on your highlight tape. Any
dreams of a goal line fullback package at Michigan?
“I
love being versatile and utilizing all of my athletic abilities and just love
the sport.  If I had a chance to ever
carry the ball in a Michigan uniform, it would be a wonderful experience.”
 Any idea of who you will be rooming with
when you arrive at Ann Arbor?
 “No, I’m not sure yet who I’m going to room with.”
Do
you have any pregame superstitions?
“Listen to music.”
Meal
of choice the night before the game?
“Chicken Parm.”
Hobbies
outside of football?
“Playing Madden and I love to volunteer
my time to my community.”
12Apr 2013
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Q&A with Jabrill Peppers

I got the chance to speak with 2014 Rivals #2
overall player Jabrill Peppers, following his unofficial visit to Michigan this
past weekend. The junior dominated for Paramus (NJ) Catholic, rushing for over
1,500 yards and 18 touchdowns, catching 5 more, while adding 77 tackles and 3
picks on defense. Despite the success,
the Charles Woodson comparisons, and the jam-packed off-season, Jabrill
remains humble and focused on an even stronger senior season. He kindly took
the time out of his busy schedule to talk with me about his training, goals,
and thoughts on his visit to Ann Arbor. Make sure to take a look at the
attached video links of Jabrill taking his training to a different level.
Coming
off an amazing junior year, how are you preparing for your senior season?
“To be even better, to be bigger, smarter, faster, and
make it real tough for everyone in the country.”
Any
part of your game that you feel you need to fine tune or improve on?
“Yes, definitely, my cornerbacking skills. From down
to my stance, pedal, footwork, my breaks on the ball, hand eye coordination.
Things I really need, the fundamentals. In college there is not going to be
that much of a difference between talent and speed, so it’s really going to be
the fundamentals that set you apart.”
  

What
are some of the things you are doing to improve on those fundamentals?
“Ladders, fitness ball work, repetition in my backpedal, really a lot of repetition in my breaks. Making sure that the defense
we run is engraved in my head because when you know what you’re doing, you play
faster and you have a better feel of the game.”
Tell
me a little bit about your off-season training at Total Nunziato Training (TNT)
and how it’s helping you elevate your game?
“TNT is really helping me. There is a great group of
trainers that really hone in on what you need to do to be better. They focus on
where you need to be at and the process they can help you with to get there.
They really push you to your maximum limit and get the full potential out of
you and take you to places that you can’t take yourself.”
What
stood out the most from your Michigan trip this past weekend?
“I loved it, it definitely was not what I expected.
I expected it to be good but not as great as it was. I really loved all of the
coaches and everything about that place. Down from the players and even the
students, it was a really friendly place. Academics, they’re the number
seventeen university in the nation academically, so that’s really huge for me.”
I
caught the picture of you and Denard Robinson from the weekend in Ann Arbor. Can you elaborate on any of the other guys you met out there or coaches that
you met with?
“I got a chance to meet [John] Beilein, the head basketball
coach. I pretty much met the whole basketball team, from Trey Burke to Hardaway
Jr, Mitch Mcgary, so that was pretty cool before the national championship
game.”
Did
you get to check some of spring ball practice out?
“Yeah, I got to see them practice. Very intense,
reminds me of our practice, a lot of hitting, a lot of fundamentals. Everything
is run to a “T”, they are never off schedule, and they really get after their
guys in practice making them the best they can be.”
We
hear a lot about cornerback, and you mentioned working on your cornerback
skills before. Have the Michigan coaches talked to you about a position if you
were to attend the school? And what position would you prefer to play?
“I am definitely going to go to college to be a
defensive back, and there were some talks about getting me a package on
offense. Getting to play a little offense and returning some punts and kicks,
whatever I can do. My goal is to win the Heisman as a true freshman, and to be
the first player to ever do that, and I will do whatever it takes to accomplish
that.”
Coming
off a state championship season at Paramus Catholic, what are some of your
goals as a team and personally?
“Well the number one goal is not losing any games,
and to win a national championship. We have enough national powers on our
schedule for us to obtain that goal. Every game is going to be a war so we
really need to fine tune our bodies this off-season to prepare for that. It is
really the most important thing. There are no cupcake games this year. We
really want to repeat in the state as well. 12-0 is the goal. For me, I just
want to be better than last year. I want to be a better leader and be able to
take over the game more than I could do last year. Everyone says even from my
sophomore year that I wouldn’t get better, so I topped my sophomore year. Now
we are just going to do the same thing, just my drive, the people and coaches I
surround myself with that push me. We are all just really hungry, we know we
have the opportunity to do something great that has never happened before. We
are definitely excited and ready to go.”
In
terms of commitment, I know some players like to get everything squared away
before their senior season, while others prefer the highly anticipated hat
ceremony at the last minute. Do you have an idea of when you will be
comfortable making your announcement?
“I’m definitely going to wait until after the
season. My team and our goals are the most important thing right now. We should
have about 8-12 guys on our team that can go Division I, so I’m going to have a
commitment party. I want to get everyone together and have the media there, so
we all can make our announcements then.”
http://m.bleacherreport.com/articles/1596658-jabrill-peppers-highlights-5-star-athlete-wants-to-be-best-ever

http://www.usatodayhss.com/news/videos/video/0000013d-4580-da6f-a3bd-679898990000

4Oct 2012
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Ask a Question: Tony Anderson

Tony Anderson #17

There’s a good chance I’ll be speaking with former defensive back Tony Anderson in the next few days.  Leave a topic/question for him in the comments section if there’s something you’d like for me to address.

5Sep 2012
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An interview with J.B. Fitzgerald

J.B. Fitzgerald holds the ball high after recovering a fumble in the 2011 Nebraska game.

School of Kinesiology graduate and three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree J.B. Fitzgerald came to Michigan as a member of the 2008 recruiting class.  He subsequently appeared in 50 games throughout his four year career as both a reserve linebacker and special teams starter.  Seeing action in all thirteen games his senior year, J.B. finished his Michigan career with 54 tackles, a forced fumble, and a recovered fumble.  Fitzgerald has focused on non-football related endeavors since graduation and was actually out of the country when I contacted him about an interview.  However, he still made time one late August afternoon to answer several Michigan football questions via email, and update us on his immediate plans.

(1.)  Now that you have earned your Michigan degree, what do you plan on doing next?

“Once I return from my Europe trip, I will be moving out to California and beginning my professional career in Los Angeles in the entertainment business.”

(2.)  What’s your favorite Michigan memory?

“So many great memories, first bowl game was great due to the ones we missed out on my first two years, but this whole last year feels like one amazing memory, especially the way we ended it down in New Orleans.”

(3.)  If you had to choose, who was your favorite coach at Michigan, including position coaches?

“So many great coaches I had the privilege of learning from, which I expected going into a program like Michigan. Two coaches really stand out.  First, Greg Robinson – truly a class act and the depth of football knowledge that I was able to gain from him is hard to put a price on. And then of course Coach Hoke. Coach Hoke is pretty much everything that you could ever want in a head coach and more. What a privilege it was for me to be able to play for him my senior year.  I see nothing but great success for him and Michigan moving forward.”

(4.)  Who was the best player you played with at Michigan?

“Best player is a really hard one because there was so much talent. Obviously, Denard is an incredible talent and someone I was very glad to not have to play against when it counted. However, overall I would probably go with Brandon Graham. The things that BG could do from the end position, especially the speed and quickness from a guy his size truly just left me in awe so many times.”

(5.)  Who was the smartest player you played with at Michigan?

“I’d probably say the smartest player I played with would have to be Jordan Kovacs. Obviously everyone knows his story and what not but when you get past the walk-on story, the way he plays he game is just brilliant. I almost feel like the game just moves slower for him because he just always seemed to not just be in the right place at the right time but making the right move at the right time as well. And his production clearly backs that up as well.”

(6.)  Who do you think will be Michigan’s breakout player in 2012?

“A player that I think will ‘breakout’ for me is tough to say because I just see a few guys that already started to make a name for themselves just really elevate their game this year and start to become big, big time guys. Those guys are Blake countess, Jake Ryan, and Frank Clark. All three will be some of the best at their positions in the country by the time they’re done.  But if I had one big breakout for this year I’d go with Brennen Beyer – gonna be a machine, I believe.”

(7.)  Have you read John U. Bacon’s book Three and Out?  If so, what did you think about it?

“My parents actually gave me a copy of the John Bacon book for Christmas and I have begun reading it, although I am not very far in unfortunately (very slow reader ha).”

(8.)  What advice would you give to freshmen as they begin their first season?

“To the younger guys just starting out, I know it may sound a little cliche, but I would say above all else, get the school work done so you can get your degree. At the end of it all, if you have a degree from the University of Michigan, it really sets you up in life. And as far as football goes, the kind of player you want to be is all up to you.”