If you’ve read this blog for long, you know I love to look back at past recruiting classes and – in some cases – what could have been. The 2013 class was extremely volatile, with elite recruits busting, players getting kicked off the team, and transfers galore.
TRANSFERS
Kyle Bosch – Offensive guard – Wheaton (IL) St. Francis
Bosch came from Wheaton (IL) St. Francis and committed in February of 2012. As a true freshman in 2013, he was forced into action due to injuries and underperformance by his elders. He started three games late in the year but was eventually replaced. In 2014 he played the final offensive snap of the season opener, and then it was reported that he was taking “an indefinite leave of absence” from the team that was related to a personal issue. He tweeted that he would return the following semester, but he ended up transferring to West Virginia. At WVU he started all 26 games at offensive guard in 2015 and 2016, along with another eleven in 2017, and he was First Team All-Big 12 in 2016. He was not drafted in the 2018 NFL Draft, and after spending some time with the Carolina Panthers and Dallas Cowboys, he is no longer on an NFL roster. Current status: Out of football
David Dawson – Offensive guard – Detroit (MI) Cass Tech
Dawson took a roundabout path to Michigan by committing to the Wolverines, testing then Michigan coach Brady Hoke’s policy of not allowing visits to other schools, decommitting by visiting Florida, and then recommitting to Michigan. He redshirted in 2013 and then played as a backup offensive guard in twelve games throughout his career with the Wolverines. Following his redshirt junior year in 2016, he announced he would take a graduate transfer spot at Iowa State, but he left the Cyclones within a couple weeks of arriving. The 2017 season was spent helping out the Belleville (MI) Belleville football team, and he transferred to Grand Valley State University for the 2018 season. He started all twelve games for the Lakers in 2018. Current status: Out of football
Name: Scott Sypniewski Height: 6’1″ Weight: 231 lbs. High school: Ottawa (IL) Marquette Position: Long snapper Class: Redshirt junior Jersey number: #31 Last year: I ranked Sypniewski #26 and said he would be the starting long snapper (LINK). He started twelves games at long snapper.
A lot of people probably don’t know the name of their favorite team’s long snapper, and it’s usually best that way. A lot of Michigan fans probably still don’t know Sypniewski’s name . . . but they know his most famous play. Most of his 2016 season went off without a hitch, but late in the game against Michigan State, an errant punt snap turned Michigan’s world upside down. The Wolverines had led for the entire game, and with 10 seconds remaining and a one-score lead, Sypniewski’s snap to punter Blake O’Neill sailed low and to the right. O’Neill dropped the snap, still tried to punt it despite twirling in a circle, and watched the Spartans score the game-winning touchdown with no time left on the clock. Sypniewski may have been the victim of a personal foul when an MSU rusher rammed into him, and he ended up hurting his thumb on the play. (If you want to watch the play, here’s the LINK but I won’t torture everyone.)
Related or not, Rivals reported this off-season that Sypniewski might be looking to transfer and could play elsewhere this season. It appears he will continue his career at Michigan, and that story seemed a little far-fetched since I can’t remember a single case where a long snapper transferred schools. Michigan does have a decent backup snapper in Andrew Robinson (whom I did not bother profiling in this year’s countdown), but Sypniewski will presumably continue in his starting role this season. Let’s hope he got his mulligan out of the way and has a forgettable future career at the University of Michigan.
Name: Scott Sypniewski Height: 6’1″ Weight: 226 lbs. High school: Ottawa (IL) Marquette Position: Long snapper Class: Redshirt freshman Jersey number: #43 Last year:I ranked Sypniewski #94 and said he would redshirt. He redshirted.
Sypniewski was offered a scholarship out of high school for his long snapping prowess. That’s rare for long snappers, and unheard of (as far as I know) for Michigan in the modern era of the 85-scholarship limit. Last year the Wolverines could afford to redshirt him since they had the near-flawless Jareth Glanda to snap on both the field goal/extra point team and the punt unit. Now Glanda has graduated, and Sypniewski is the only long snapper on the roster. That means there’s a premium on keeping him healthy and getting him prepared for high-pressure situations. The coaches will probably be adding some walk-ons this fall, at least one or two of whom will be able to long snap. We always see a game or two each season come down to the difference between a made field goal and a missed one, and bad punt snaps can be disastrous. Let’s hope that Sypniewski proves he was worth giving a scholarship.
Name: Scott Sypniewski Height: 6’1″ Weight: 230 lbs. High school: Ottawa (IL) Marquette Position: Long snapper Class: Freshman Jersey number: N/A Last year:Sypniewski was a senior in high school.
The story about the recruitment of Sypniewski was an odd one. In the midst of putting together a highly rated recruiting class, the coaches offered and received a commitment from a long snapper. Nobody really knew whether he was being offered a guaranteed scholarship or a preferred walk-on spot, and as a long snapper, he seems to be the forgotten recruit of the class. It appears to have been a legitimate scholarship offer, so the coaches must think that he can get the job done for the better part of the next five years. In case you don’t remember the story of Taybor Pepper, by the way, let me refresh your memory: Pepper was a preferred walk-on long snapper in the 2012 class who was “committed” to become a Wolverine; well after National Signing Day 2012, he accepted a scholarship to play for the Michigan State Spartans. Sypniewski represents Michigan’s more aggressive approach to recruiting long snappers, who are usually walk-ons that might earn a scholarship if they win the starting job.
The reason Sypniewski is all the way down here at #94 is that Michigan has a returning long snapper in the form of fifth year senior Jareth Glanda. Glanda has done a good job as a short snapper and long snapper over the past couple seasons, and he even caught that miracle pass against Virginia Tech in the Sugar Bowl. Long snappers who catch passes are a pretty rare commodity, so we can probably expect Sypniewski to stare slack-jawed from the sideline as Glanda’s greatness unleashes itself.
2013 Reon Dawson – CB – Trotwood (OH) Trotwood-Madison: Dawson is a 6’2″, 175 lb. prospect who is committed to Illinois. The teammate of Michigan commit Mike McCray, Dawson also holds offers from Arizona, Cincinnati, Kentucky, Pitt, Purdue, Virginia, and West Virginia. (Highlights.)
2014 Brian Allen – C – Hinsdale (IL) Central: Allen is a 6’2″, 275 lb. center prospect. He has offers from Illinois, Iowa, Michigan State, Purdue, and Wisconsin. (Highlights.) Alex Bookser – OT – Pittsburgh (PA) Mt. Lebanon Shores: Bookser is a 6’5″, 295 lb. prospect with no offers at this time.
Avery Edwards – TE – Raleigh (NC) Ravenscroft: Edwards is a 6’5″, 220 lb. prospect with offers from North Carolina, North Carolina State, and Wake Forest. As a sophomore in 2011, he had 45 receptions for 659 yards (14.6 yards/catch) and 10 touchdowns; his junior produced 40 receptions for 490 yards (10.3 yards/catch) and 4 touchdowns. He’s not the most athletic tight end out there, and I think Michigan might have some better options, but he could be a guy they pursue down the road. (Highlights.)
Matt Hammerstein – OT – Uniontown (OH) Lake: I don’t know much about Hammerstein, but my assumption is that he’s the son of former Michigan defensive tackle Mike Hammerstein.
Joe Henderson – DE – Cleveland (OH) Shaker Heights: Henderson is a 6’4″, 220 lb. prospect with offers from Cincinnati, Illinois, Minnesota, and Pitt. Some people think he could play outside linebacker, but he looks like a weakside end to me. He uses his hands well and has pretty good athleticism. He had previously been listed with a Michigan offer, although recent information suggests he was not verbally offered by the Wolverines; however, I would not be surprised if he is offered soon. (Highlights.)
Darryl Long – TE – Westerville (OH) South: Long is a 6’4″, 220 lb. prospect with offers from Illinois, Ohio, and Pitt. (Highlights.)
Evan Mallory – OG – Brownsburg (IN) Brownsburg: Mallory is a 6’4″, 285 lb. prospect with no offers at this time.
Kyle Rachwal – TE – Lapeer (MI) East: Rachwal is a 6’3″, 225-pounder with no offers at this point. This is his fifth or sixth visit to Michigan this season, so I would bet that he would jump on a Michigan offer if he were lucky enough to get one.
Gelen Robinson – DE – St. John (IN) Lake Central: Robinson is a 6’1″, 230 lb. defensive end with no offers at this point. As a junior this season, he had 95 tackles, 47 tackles for loss, 13 sacks, and 2 fumble recoveries. Robinson is the younger brother of Michigan freshman basketball player Glenn Robinson III and, therefore, the son of former Purdue and NBA star Glenn Robinson. (Highlights.)
Vic Roe – DT – Carmel (IN) Carmel: Roe is a 6’3″, 255-pounder without any offers at this point. I do not think Roe is a Michigan-caliber player. (Highlights.)
Shelby Spence – QB – Chicago (IL) De La Salle: Spence is a 6’1″, 193 lb. dual-threat quarterback with no offers at this time. He’s the teammate of 2014 offensive guard offeree Jamarco Jones. Spence does not appear to be a high level FBS prospect. (Highlights.)
Darius West – CB – Lima (OH) Central Catholic: West is a 5’11”, 189 lb. cornerback with offers from Cincinnati, Illinois, and Purdue, along with some MAC schools. As a sophomore in 2011, he had 69 tackles, 1 interception, and 1 forced fumble. If Michigan were to offer him, I think it would be as a slot corner prospect; however, he does not appear to be a player who will be offered by Michigan anytime soon, despite recently being named to the Rivals 250.
2015 John Kelly – S – Oak Park (MI) Oak Park: Kelly is a 5’11”, 180-pounder without any offers at this time, but the buzz suggests that he’ll be a decent recruit in the not-too-distant future.
