Jehu Chesson Answers Your Questions

Tag: TTB Andrew

21Feb 2012
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Jehu Chesson Answers Your Questions

Jehu Chesson
(image via stlhighschoolsports.com)
If you’ve seen the results of the latest TTB poll, glanced at the roster, or read Jehu’s “Ask a Question” post, then you know that Michigan has a need at wide receiver. Enter Mr. Jehu Chesson. Although Chesson is a 3-star player to the four major recruiting sites, there remain dissenting evaluations forecasting a higher ceiling, including his TTB commitment post and updated TTB rating. Chesson is currently working hard to reach his potential by training at Velocity Sports performance with former Detroit Lion Brett Fischer while running track in the latter part of his senior year. He also takes time to communicate with the media, study Michigan football history, and answer questions from Michigan fans.
Reasons for choosing Michigan: “It came down to Northwestern and Michigan. They’re both very good academic institutions, and I felt that both of their football programs were on the rise. But Michigan’s the school where I felt I could do more at because of their status. If Northwestern had the alumni base behind it, then I feel they could be just like Michigan, but that’s what they lack. . . . The thing that really separated Michigan were the kids in the recruiting class. I felt way closer with them than I did with any other group. I mean, I just related with them almost immediately.”
A workin’ man: “I work for my community center. Yesterday what I was doing was being a referee for basketball, and then on Friday night I was a DJ for a father-daughter dance . . . and then over the summer and spring break – a lot of kids go out of town for spring break – but I usually volunteer to be a camp counselor and hang out with the kids, which is pretty fun.
Parallels with Amara Darboh: “Well, right off the bat, we were both born in Western Africa, so we both thought that was really neat because we really haven’t seen anyone like our age since the war . . . .and we both have similar personalities; we both like to have fun, be a little goofy sometimes.”

Physical Development: “From a physical standpoint, I understand that I do need to get bigger, so I’m working on that. . . . I’m 185 lbs., and right now I’m running track, and I probably won’t virtually put on any weight, but if I do it’ll be only two to three solid pounds because of track. But when track is over, I really have about three weeks, and then I leave for Michigan, so hopefully I’ll be about 188 lbs. and then when I get down there, they’ll probably get me up to 195 lbs. or something before the first game. I don’t know; we’ll see. I talked to Coach Hoke and he said [the ideal playing weight will be] 210/215 lbs. I’ve heard from other coaches from other schools anywhere from 210 – 225 lbs.”
Hitting another gear senior year: “Well, it really is all mental. . . . My junior year, they [the coaches] never really put me on special teams because they didn’t want me to get hurt. But then they put me on special teams my senior year, actually in the last couple of games, and every time I got the ball I would score, except for once. Those [plays] aren’t even on my highlight tape because I couldn’t figure out how to put them on. But it was just what the team demanded of me mentally and physically because every single game I played both ways. I played safety on defense; I was sometimes the kicker, and then on kickoffs I was the return man. I just played what the team needed me to play, and that leadership role just kind of took over.”
The #1 jersey: “Yeah, I know a lot about the #1 jersey. . . . The last to wear it was Braylon Edwards. He wore #80 before he wore the #1 jersey. But it might draw attention that might not be necessary also. It’s very positive and negative at the same time. A positive is that you deserve to wear it. . . . A negative is that if you do something wrong, it’s magnified. It’s like a blessing and a curse. . . “

Goals/ambitions at Michigan: “I want to maximize my potential and be the best player I can be. A lot of people ask me about the NFL, but that’s in the background; it’s not in the foreground. Because right now I’m just trying to get to each step to try to get to that point. . . . I’m just looking forward to being a part of Michigan’s future.”
7Feb 2012
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Amara Darboh Answers Your Questions

West Des Moines (IA) Dowling Catholic WR Amara Darboh
Four-star wide receiver Amara Darboh recently signed his National Letter of Intent for Michigan on February 1st, which was also his birthday. Less than 48 hours before his big day, Amara was nice enough to give us an update and answer several reader questions.

Experiences in Ann Arbor: “I’ve been there twice. I went there last summer and then I went there for the Ohio State game. When I went there in the summer, I got to see a lot of the town and it’s a really fun atmosphere. And then the Ohio State game was just unbelievable. The atmosphere was great; the fans were great. We sat in the front row on the 50-yard line. . . There seems like a lot to do there.”

Reasons for choosing Michigan: “When I went there it seemed like I connected with the players right away. And I was just talking to the coaches, and I had just got done talking with Coach Hoke and I looked out – because he has this balcony place outside his office – and I saw Devin Gardner and Jeremy Gallon playing catch. . . . Then I saw Roy [Roundtree] and I talked to him and Devin and Jeremy and we all got along great. That was one of the biggest things because you want to get along with the guys that you’ll be playing with next year, especially the older ones because they’re going to be the leaders. . . . And after I met all of the coaches, I had great feelings about them, and I can see why all of the players love them.”
Positive recruiting: “There were coaches at other schools that would say stuff about other schools and ask questions about other schools. But it seemed like Michigan didn’t really worry about other schools and just recruited me, so that was something I liked, too.”
Early playing time: “That’s something that I’ve always wanted to do. I’m not an impatient person, but I feel with my body type, I’m kind of like a mid-year guy already. . . . So yeah, that’s something that I saw the chance for at Michigan.”
Role at Michigan: “They [they coaches] are telling me that I’m more like the new Michigan type of receiver. Like an outside sort of a receiver, I have a bigger frame, and I weigh like 205 lbs. now. I’m a pretty big receiver, so I’ll be playing outside. So what [the coaches] were telling me was about the direction that they’re taking the program, and they like taking receivers like me. . . . They were comparing me to Hemingway and stuff; we’re both big receivers.”
Shoulder surgery: “I’m on the basketball team, but I had surgery during the year, so I only got a chance to play in a couple of games. . . . The surgery was on my labrum; I had dislocated my shoulder. So I decided to have [the surgery] early in basketball season so I could have time to recover and be ready by the time I go to Ann Arbor. It’s feeling pretty good right now. It’s been like a month since I’ve had the surgery. I don’t have the sling anymore and I can move it, but I don’t have full range of motion yet, but I’m going to physical therapy and it’s getting better every day. I should be good by March. So I’ll definitely be ready by the time July comes around.”
Roommate: “I think I’ll be rooming – at least during the summer – with Jehu Chesson. We took our official [visit] together and like talking.”
The #1 Jersey: “Yeah, I’ve heard about it. We’ve got a few Michigan fans around here, so I’ve heard about it. Braylon Edwards wore it last, I think. It’s one of my goals while I’m at Michigan, but it’s not like my first goal. My first goal is to get there, earn a spot and some playing time.”
College major: “I’m going to try to go into the business school. I don’t know if it’ll be like marketing, financing, or managing or what, so I’ll take some basic business classes and take it from there.”
The NFL: “That’s a goal of mine. That’s one of my goals for sure. I’ve worked hard before and I’m working hard now and in the end, that’s where I’m hoping to get to. . . . I like watching Brandon Marshall and other guys like Andre Johnson and Calvin Johnson. . . . I really like watching Brandon Marshall, so if he wasn’t on the Dolphins, I wouldn’t really like the Dolphins, so I guess I don’t really have a favorite [NFL] team.”
Leisure: “I play a lot of video games with my friends, like Madden and NCAA. And then we get ping-pong going, and we play pick up games, football and basketball. . .”
Managing criticism and feedback: “I like my coaches to be honest with me, but then there are some people who will just say things and they don’t know what they’re talking about. I’m the type of person who if you say something and you don’t know what you’re talking about, I’ll tell you. I won’t be rude about it, but I’ll tell you. But with my coaches, I feel like I’m a coachable player and I try to learn every day.”
Dunkin’: “I grew up liking basketball. I liked football, too, but basketball was more my thing back then. . .Yeah, I can dunk. I think that’s [one of the reasons] why I like basketball. Going into eighth grade, that’s the first time I dunked the ball. The one that I used to do all the time back in eighth is I’d throw it off the backboard. And then, have you seen when LeBron puts his hand behind his head and then dunks it? Yeah, I’d do that one a lot, too.”
Read more about Amara and learn about his unique personal journey in an AnnArbor.com story titled “War-time orphan to big-time football: Michigan recruit Amara Darboh survives to become Freetown’s finest.” Make sure to also check out his TTB commitment post.
17Jan 2012
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Matt Godin Answers Your Questions

Novi (MI) Catholic Central DE Matt Godin

Before interviewing incoming freshman Matt Godin, we invited readers ask him questions. Here are his responses.

On conditioning, weight, and preparation: “They [the coaches] just told me to go hard in the weight room like I always have. They know because Mike Martin came from my school, so they know about the strength program at our school and how good it is. I work out every day during the week, and [my schedule] switches between my upper and lower body [each day]…Right now I’m 6’6″ and 273 lbs. (EDIT: he’s not 6’8″, as was previously reported; that was a typo), and I’ll probably get to 285 by the season; I don’t know. But I’m going to be able to move; that’s the main thing. And, plus, I don’t look it – I mean, the coaches thought I was 260 lbs. My goal is to add good weight, maybe a little bit of fat in my stomach, but good weight all around.”

On recruitment, recent Hoke in-home: “We’re already close and Coach Jackson came up earlier, too, like two weeks ago. Coach Hoke just keeps telling me how I just need to be ready and stuff. Other than that, we just had fun, ate dinner and talked about things. We kind of put football to the side, which was nice. My parents were there and it was just nice.”

On anticipated role along the d-line: “I’m going to be a guy who’s going to mix it up inside and outside. I mean, that’s what the 5-technique is: you play outside and inside. My run stopping and pass rushing are both pretty much equal, so I’ll be able to mix it up and do both.”

On Michigan’s recruitment of teammate Wyatt Shallman: “I’ll be honest – I have no clue. I mean, I don’t really talk to him that much, though. We’ll see, it’s early….He could be a sophomore right now, too; he’s young. I mean, he is a junior, but he’s really young. It’s kind of unbelievable how big he is naturally for how young he is.”

On the 2012 recruiting class: “I’m excited to play with all of them. On the official visit we all had fun together. I’m excited to play by Mario and Strobel for sure…we’re all already pretty close for not really hanging out that much. Kalis and Strobel and Allen Gant and then the rest of the in-state guys are [who] I’m probably the closest with.”

On Tennessee, Derek Dooley and the Arnett situation: “…Any coach who does that to his players or treats them like that – that’s just obnoxious. I don’t know who he [Dooley] thinks he is with that losing record…I haven’t really talked about it with anyone else. I mean, everyone thinks it’s terrible how DeAnthony has a serious issue going on, and he should have let him go. That’s pretty much what everyone thinks.”

20Sep 2011
Uncategorized 14 comments

Wolverines in the NFL: A Team-by-Team Breakdown (Updated)

Here’s a 2011 guide to former Michigan players in the NFL broken down by team, conference and division. Hopefully it can provide easy reference for lazy Sundays when looking for an excuse to watch more football.
AFC East (6)
Buffalo Bills: shame
Miami Dolphins: Chad Henne, QB; Jake Long, OL
New England Patriots: Tom Brady, QB; Ryan Mallett, QB; Zoltan Mesko, P
New York Jets: David Harris, LB

AFC North (5)
Baltimore Ravens: shame
Cincinnati Bengals: Leon Hall, CB; Morgan Trent, CB
Cleveland Browns: shame
Pittsburgh Steelsers: Larry Foote, LB; Ryan Mundy, S; LaMarr Woodley, OLB

AFC South (2)
Houston Texans: Tim Jamison, DE
Indianapolis Colts: Stevie Brown, S
Jacksonville Jaguars: shame
Tennessee Titans: shame
AFC West (4)
Denver Broncos: Brandon Minor, RB (on the Injured Reserve)
Kansas City Chiefs: Steve Breaston, WR
Oakland Raiders: shame
San Diego Chargers: Jonas Mouton, LB; Steve Schilling, OL

————————————————————————————-

NFC East (5)
Dallas Cowboys: shame
New York Giants: Mario Manningham, WR; David Baas, OL
Philadelphia Eagles: Brandon Graham, DE (on Physically Unable to Perform list); Jason Avant, WR
Washington Redskins: shame

NFC North (3)
Chicago Bears: shame
Detroit Lions: Jeff Backus, OL
Green Bay Packers: Charles Woodson, DB
Minnesota Vikings: Steve Hutchinson, OL

NFC South (2)
Atlanta Falcons: shame
Carolina Panthers: shame
New Orleans Saints: Adrian Arrington, WR
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: shame
NFC West (5)
Arizona Cardinals: Jay Feely, K
St. Louis Rams: James Hall, DE
San Francisco 49ers: Braylon Edwards, WR; Jonathan Goodwin, OL
Seattle Seahawks: Alan Branch, DT


Free Agents: Obi Ezeh, LB (Camped with Washington); Greg Banks, DE (camped with Detroit); James Rogers, DB (camped with Denver); Donovan Warren (formerly with Detroit); Todd Collins, QB (formely with Chicago); Martell Webb, TE (camped with Philadelphia); Greg Mathews, WR (formerly with St. Louis); Marlin Jackson, CB (formerly with Philadelphia), Jamar Adams, S (formerly with Philadelphia); Gabe Watson, DT (formerly with New York Giants); Matt Gutierrez, QB (formerly with Washington); Prescott Burgess, LB (formerly with Baltimore); Carson Butler, TE (formerly with New England); Pierre Woods, LB (formerly with Buffalo)
The AFC East is your conference leader, the New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers your team leaders.

Updated on September 25, 2011

22Aug 2011
Uncategorized 3 comments

Getting to Know — Matt Wile


Interestingly, Matt Wile is the lowest rated member of the 2011 class, yet he is the most likely of the 19 freshman to make an immediate impact this season. This paradox centers around Wile’s position as a kicker: recruiting services tend to view the position as having less value.
But don’t tell that to Michigan fans, who have recently been reminded–the hard way–of the value provided by a competent kicker. Now, after two years of woeful performance at the position, all of Wolverine nation crosses its collective fingers, holds its collective breath and prays to the heavens that Matt Wile can come in as a true freshman and produce points*.
That’s a lot of pressure.
But by all indications, Matt is a confident young man with an even temperament. He is also doing everything in his power to prepare for his pressure packed moments at the Big House.

“I’m trying to get myself in some sorts of pressure situations. It’s really hard to do when it’s just myself, but one of the things I’ll do is I’ll set up balls in a certain location and I’ll give myself 10 seconds to run from the sideline to kick a field goal.”

To further prepare, Matt utilized the assistance of a kicking coach, Lance Ortega of the San Diego School of Football, to get himself in optimal form for the 2011 season. The duo worked exceptionally hard just prior to Wile’s move to Ann Arbor, spending hours addressing kicking mechanics, drills and habits. Matt is kind enough to spare us the intricate details of his kicking procedures, but he gives us a short overview of his game time routine.

“I go out on the field and get set-up; I take three steps back, two steps over. And before I give my head-nod to the holder to let him know that I’m ready, I always take one really deep breath [to] calm my nerves. And when the ball’s snapped, it usually ends up happening where I don’t hear anything anymore and all I focus on is the ball. And it usually goes through.”

My favorite part of the quote is where Matt says that the ball usually goes through the uprights–yeah, that part was awesome. And it’s also true. In fact, Matt’s field goal average over his junior and senior seasons was a cool 76%. So Matt is accustomed to success and sees no reason why things should change once he starts kicking at Michigan Stadium. Actually, Wile’s ahead of the game since he’s already made a field goal at the Big House.

“From [the ages of] 6 -12, I used to travel with my dad and go to football games. And I was 10 or 12 and San Diego State was playing Michigan. It was a couple hours before the game; there weren’t too many people on the field, so I asked my dad if I could go kick a field goal, and he said ‘sure’…and I ended up kicking a 30 yard field goal in my tennis shoes…right down the middle.”

Despite relocating to a school over two thousand miles away, Matt should feel right at home at Michigan. Not only is he a 5th generation Michigan student, but his father–who attended medical school at Michigan and works as an M.D. for the San Diego State University football team–plans to fly in to see all of his games(!). If that weren’t enough, Wile’s relationship with Coach Hoke dates back several years.

“They [the Hoke coaching staff] knew about me at San Diego State, and they offered me. The first year that Hoke was with San Diego State, they offered me. So over two or three years, I was actually able to develop a relationship with the coaches, and that played a major factor in me choosing Michigan.”

Academics were another primary reason that Matt chose Michigan, and although many recruits say that, it appears to be especially true for Matt, who is a 4.0 student with plans to enroll in the College of Engineering. It sure doesn’t sound like Wile is adverse to pressure, whether it’s on the football field or in the classroom.
*…and effectively step in as punter during the first four games