Review of 2009 Recruiting: Quarterback

Tag: Kevin Newsome


25Mar 2021
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Review of 2009 Recruiting: Quarterback

Tate Forcier (#5) and Denard Robinson (#16, image via Maize and Blue Nation)

The 2009 recruiting class was Rich Rodriguez’s first full recruiting class in Ann Arbor, and he did his best to bring in the type of running quarterback that had been successful for him at previous stops like West Virginia (Pat White) and Clemson (Woody Dantzler). Rodriguez did about as well as expected, landing two starting-caliber quarterbacks.

THE ROSTER
David Cone, RS Jr.
Nick Sheridan, RS Jr. (walk-on)

THE RECRUITS
Tate Forcier
Ratings: 247 Composite 4-star, #4 dual-threat QB, #120 overall
High school: San Diego (CA) Scripps Ranch
College: Michigan San Jose State
Other notable offers: Florida, Oregon, Penn State, Stanford
Scoop: Forcier was an early enrollee in January 2009, the first true quarterback prospect to arrive on campus since Rich Rodriguez’s arrival.  He seized the starting job as a freshman and started all 12 games.  His most memorable game in a 5-7 season was against Notre Dame, in which he had a couple clutch touchdowns to finish off the Irish.  He finished the season 165-for-281 for 2,050 yards, 13 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions; he also gained 240 yards and had 3 touchdowns on the ground. However, Forcier fell out of favor with the coaches in the off-season and was demoted for his sophomore year in 2010 in favor of Denard Robinson. He played in 8 games and replaced an injured Robinson in the Illinois game, leading the team to a 67-65 victory in triple-overtime. Forcier finished his sophomore season 54-for-84 for 597 yards, 4 touchdowns, and 4 interceptions; he also rushed 22 times for 51 yards and 1 touchdown. He transferred to San Jose State University and sat out the 2011 season due to NCAA transfer rules, but left the school in January 2012 for academic reasons. He signed with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the CFL in spring 2012 but was cut from the team a month later.

Denard Robinson
Ratings: 247 Composite 4-star, #9 ATH, #121 overall
High school: Deerfield Beach (FL) Deerfield Beach
College: Michigan
Other notable offers: Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Ohio State
Scoop: Robinson was recruited by many schools as an “athlete” or defensive back, and Michigan was one of only a couple schools offering him a chance to play quarterback. He was a late addition to the 2009 class, committing on National Signing Day in February. After being a backup/gadget player as a freshman, he went on to start for most of the next three seasons, a run ended by an elbow injury halfway through his senior year. Overall, he completed 57.2% of his passes for 6,250 yards, 49 touchdowns, and 39 interceptions. His biggest impact came in the running game, where the lightning-fast Robinson ran for 4,495 yards on 6.2 yards/carry and scored 42 touchdowns. He was an All-American in 2010, a two-time First Team All-Big Ten selection, and finished #6 in the Heisman voting in 2010. He was picked in the 5th round (#135 overall) by the Jacksonville Jaguars as a running back and played for the Jags from 2013-2016, totaling 1,058 rushing yards and 5 total touchdowns.

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

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3Sep 2013
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Ex-Wolverine Updates




S/LB Isaiah Bell: Bell is a 6’2″, 252 lb. linebacker at Lake Erie College, which opens its season this coming Saturday against Gannon. Last year he had 7 tackles as a backup linebacker and special teamer.

CB Cullen Christian: Christian, who transferred to Pitt after his 2010 freshman season, had 1 tackle as a backup free safety in the Panthers’ 41-13 loss to Florida State.

CB Dallas Crawford: Crawford, now a running back for the Miami Hurricanes, had 2 carries for 6 yards and 1 touchdown in a 34-6 victory over Florida Atlantic.

S Vladimir Emilien: Emilien had 2 tackles in Toledo’s 24-6 loss to Florida.

WR/TE Ricardo Miller: Miller graduated from Michigan and transferred to UMass, where he started Saturday’s game against Wisconsin after the player ahead of him got injured prior to the season. Miller has 2 catches for 22 yards in the 45-0 loss.

QB Kevin Newsome: Newsome, who de-committed in favor of Penn State during his recruitment, ended up as a wide receiver, then H-back, then running back at Temple. He chose to quit football after graduating this summer and is no longer on the Owls’ roster.

WR Dewayne Peace: Peace was declared academically ineligible at Houston for the 2013 season and entered the NFL’s supplemental draft, where he went undrafted (along with every other prospect who was available). Now he will presumably attempt to continue his professional football career in some fashion.

WR Je’Ron Stokes: Stokes, now at Norfolk State, had 2 catches for 24 yards in a 23-6 loss to Maine. In kind of a neat story, the second pass he caught was from his younger brother Malik.

S Ray Vinopal: Now Pitt’s starting free safety, Vinopal had 9 tackles in the loss to FSU.

CB Adrian Witty: Witty, who starts at free safety for Cincinnati, had 2 tackles and 1 interception returned 41 yards for a touchdown in a 42-7 win over Purdue. You can see that pick and return starting at about 2:59 in the video at the top.

14Nov 2012
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Ex-Wolverine Updates

Rich Rodriguez

Former Michigan RB Michael Cox: Cox had 15 carries for 44 yards in UMass’s first victory this season, a 22-14 win over Akron.  UMass is 1-9 and Akron is 1-10, so this wasn’t exactly a huge upset.

Former Michigan CB commit Dallas Crawford: Crawford had 3 tackles in Miami’s 41-40 loss to Virginia.

Former Michigan S Carvin Johnson: Johnson had 4 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, and 1 fumble recovery in Hampton’s 35-27 loss to Delaware State.

Former Michigan QB commit Kevin Newsome: Newsome played as a backup quarterback, going 0/1 passing with 2 rushing attempts for 5 yards.  Temple lost by a score of 34-10.

Former Michigan head coach Rich Rodriguez: Without injured starting quarterback Matt Scott, Rodriguez relied on the running game to beat Colorado 56-31.  Arizona running back Ka’Deem Carey had 25 carries for 366 yards and 5 touchdowns.  Carey now has 1,381 yards and 18 touchdowns on the season.


Former Michigan S Ray Vinopal: Vinopal had 1 tackle in Pitt’s 24-17 loss to UConn.

Former Michigan CB commit Adrian Witty: Witty had 2 tackles and 1/2 a tackle for loss in Cincinnati’s 34-10 victory over Temple.

11Jan 2011
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What Could Have Been . . . Austin White

Former Michigan running back Austin White has enrolled at Central Michigan University and joined the football program there.  White was a part of the Class of 2010 and enrolled at Michigan in January 2010, but he clashed with the coaches and got into some trouble over the summer.  White was one of the players who had to “earn his wings” in fall camp, and the two parties decided to go their separate ways prior to the season.

Visit the Ex-Wolverine Encyclopedia page to find updates on former Michigan commits/players like Dewayne Peace, Sam McGuffie, Ryan Mallett, Shavodrick Beaver, Pearlie Graves, DeQuinta Jones, Dann O’Neill, Bryce McNeal, Kevin Newsome, Toney Clemons, Cobrani Mixon, and Quintin Woods.