Tag: Michael Cox

Review of 2008 Recruiting: Running Backs

Sam McGuffie (image via AnnArbor.com)

THE ROSTER
Kevin Grady (RS Jr.)
Carlos Brown (Jr.)
Brandon Minor (Jr.)
Avery Horn (RS Fr.)

THE RECRUITS
Michael Cox
High school: Avon (CT) Old Farms
Ratings: Rivals 3-star RB
College: Michigan UMass
Other notable offers: Boston College, Connecticut, Maryland
Scoop: Cox redshirted as a freshman. He had 13 carries for 113 yards (8.7 yards/carry) and 2 touchdowns in 2009, and then he had 6 carries for 56 yards (9.3 yards/carry) in 2010. He remained for 2011 but didn’t touch the ball. He took a grad transfer exception to end up at UMass in 2012, where he ended up as the starting running back. He had 198 carries for 710 yards (3.6 yards/carry) and 5 touchdowns, along with 13 catches for 63 yards. He was drafted in the 7th round (#253 overall) in the 2013 NFL Draft by the New York Giants. Over the 2013-2014 seasons, he totaled 26 carries for 76 yards and 5 catches for 21 yards. He was used extensively as a kick returner, totaling 31 returns for 697 yards (22.5 yards/return). He has been out of the league since the end of that 2014 season.

Sam McGuffie
High school: Cypress (TX) Cy-Fair
Ratings: Rivals 4-star, #10 APB
College: Michigan Rice
Other notable offers: Notre Dame, USC
Scoop: McGuffie played immediately as a freshman, carrying the ball 118 times for 486 yards (4.1 yards/carry) and 3 touchdowns; he also caught 19 passes for 175 yards and 1 touchdown. He transferred to Rice after the season and sat out 2009. He carried the ball 197 times for 883 yards (4.5 yards/carry) and 6 touchdowns, and he also caught 39 passes for 384 yards (9.8 yards/catch) and 3 touchdowns, in 2010. An injury-shortened season in 2011 saw him carry the ball 38 times for 158 yards (4.2 yards/carry) and 1 touchdown, along with 9 catches for 72 yards (8.0 yards/catch) and 1 touchdown. He moved to slot receiver for 2012, catching 54 passes for 603 yards (11.2 yards/catch) and 5 touchdowns. He went undrafted in 2013 and spent some time on a few practice squads. He’s now a member of the U.S.A. bobsled team.

Michael Shaw
High school: Trotwood (OH) Trotwood-Madison
Ratings: Rivals 4-star, #7 RB, #102 overall
College: Michigan
Other notable offers: Clemson, Nebraska, Penn State, Tennessee, West Virginia
Scoop: Shaw started his career as a backup and maintained that role for the remainder of his four-year career. He had 42 carries for 215 yards (5.1 yards/carry) in 2008. Then in 2009, he had 42 rushes for 185 yards (4.4 yards/carry) and 2 scores. In 2010 he ran 75 times for 402 yards (5.4 yards/carry) and 9 touchdowns. With the arrival of Brady Hoke in 2011, his attempts fell to 31 while rushing for 199 yards (6.4 yards/carry) and 3 touchdowns. For his career, he had a respectable 190 carries for 1,001 yards (5.3 yards/carry) and 14 touchdowns, along with 19 catches for 124 yards (6.5 yards/catch) and 1 score. He was undrafted in 2012 and did not play professionally.

Hit the jump for other players the Wolverines targeted in 2008, along with some other bits and pieces at the end.

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Former Michigan Athlete of the Week: Denard Robinson

Denard Robinson

Denard Robinson had 15 carries for 60 yards and 2 touchdowns, plus 2 catches for 10 yards, in the Jacksonville Jaguars’ 31-17 loss to the Dallas Cowboys.

Honorable mention: New York Giants running back Michael Cox tallied 4 carries for 33 yards, 2 catches for 9 yards, and 6 kickoff returns for 121 yards in their most recent losses to the Indianapolis Colts and Seattle Seahawks, but he broke his leg on Sunday and will miss the rest of the year. Arizona Cardinals linebacker Larry Foote made 7 tackles in a 31-14 win over the St. Louis Rams, which puts the Cardinals at 8-1 on the year. Chicago Bears safety Ryan Mundy made 11 tackles and 1 fumble recovery in a 55-7 loss to the Green Bay Packers, in which Aaron Rodgers had 6 touchdown passes in the first half. Charles Woodson made 10 tackles, but the Oakland Raiders lost to the Denver Broncos by a score of 41-17.

Former Michigan Athlete of the Week: Denard Robinson

Denard Robinson (image via blackandteal.com)

In Denard Robinson’s third start for the Jacksonville Jaguars this year, he carried the ball 22 times for 127 yards and 1 touchdown. Jacksonville won the game against the Cleveland Browns by a score of 24-6.

Honorable mention: Oakland Raider Charles Woodson made 7 tackles, 1 pass breakup, and 1 interception, which he returned for 30 yards; Oakland lost to the Arizona Cardinals by a score of 24-13; on the other side, linebacker Larry Foote made 4 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, and 1 sack. Linebacker David Harris notched 4 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 1 sack, and 1 quarterback hurry in the New York Jets’ 27-25 loss to the New England Patriots; Patriot quarterback Tom Brady completed 20/37 passes for 261 yards and 3 touchdowns.. Stephen Schilling made his first career start for the Seattle Seahawks at center, but it was a 28-26 loss to the St. Louis Rams. New York Giants running back Michael Cox returned 3 kickoffs for 87 yards (29 yards/return) in a 31-21 loss to the Dallas Cowboys.

Former Michigan Athlete of the Week: Tom Brady

Tom Brady (image via Big House Report)

Tom Brady had his best game of the year so far when he went 27/37 for 361 yards and 4 touchdowns in New England’s 37-22 win over the Buffalo Bills.

Honorable mention: Carolina Panther Jason Avant caught 5 passes for 47 yards in a 37-37 tie with the Cincinnati Bengals. Michael Cox was called up from the practice squad to return 2 kicks for 53 yards in the New York Giants’ 27-0 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles; on the other side, Brandon Graham made 4 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 1 sack, and 1 forced fumble. Taylor Lewan made his first career start, which was at left tackle in the Tennessee Titans’ 16-14 win over Jacksonville. In that same game, Denard Robinson had 5 carries for 22 yards and 3 catches for 14 yards on the losing side.

Ex-Wolverine Updates: NFL Draft edition

Darryl Stonum is now a Kansas City Chief

Former Michigan running back Michael Cox measured in at 6’0″, 222 lbs. at the UMass pro day.  He ran a 4.58 forty, had a 4.08 shuttle, showed a 41″ vertical, did 24 reps on the bench, and broad jumped 10’11”.  He spent the 2012 season as a Minuteman and was selected in the 7th round (#253 overall) by the New York Giants.

Former Michigan defensive tackle commit DeQuinta Jones measured in at 6’4″, 306 lbs. at the Arkansas pro day.  He proceeded to run a 5.4 forty and do 19 reps on the bench press, which got him signed by the Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted free agent.

Former Michigan running back Sam McGuffie tested at the regional combine prior to the NFL Draft with a 4.28 forty, a 41.5″ vertical, 11.2″ broad jump, a 3.8 shuttle, and 26 reps on the bench press.  He had been playing running back and wide receiver for the past few years at Rice, and on Saturday night, he signed with the Oakland Raiders as an undrafted free agent.

Former Michigan offensive tackle Dann O’Neill measured in at 6’7″, 326 lbs., did 26 reps on the bench, and ran a 5.41 forty at his pro day.  He had been playing right tackle for Western Michigan for the past few seasons.  O’Neill signed with the Houston Texans on Saturday night as an undrafted free agent.

Former Michigan wide receiver Darryl Stonum measured in at 6’1″, 205 lbs., did 16 reps on the bench, ran a 4.57 forty, broad jumped 10’3″, had a 4.64 shuttle, and had a 36.5″ vertical.  Stonum played sparingly for Baylor in 2012.  On Saturday night he signed with the Kansas City Chiefs as an undrafted free agent.