Getting to Know — Jack Miller

Tag: TTB Andrew

12Jul 2011
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Getting to Know — Jack Miller

Jack Miller has been around football his entire life. His father, a former Division 2 college football player, introduced Jack to the game at a young age. This early exposure instilled in Miller a love for the sport and led him to begin playing organized football before most of his peers knew what a first down was. Growing up, Jack also watched a lot of the NFL, rooting passionately for the Cleveland Browns. Of course, this made a lot of sense since Jack lived in the exact same neighborhood as several Cleveland Brown players.

“Yeah, I remember all of their names. A lot of them were lineman, guys like Shaun O’ Hara, who now plays for the Giants, or Ryan Tucker, who’s retired, or Ross Verba, who’s retired. There were plenty more – Courtney Brown, who was the #2 pick in the draft. I could go on and on with guys that we knew.”

Wow. That sounds like a nice neighborhood — in more ways than one. But Jack doesn’t live in that neighborhood anymore. Not only did Miller move to Ann Arbor on the 25th of June, but his family relocated from Cleveland to Toledo when he was an adolescent. The distance between the two cities is only a couple of hours, but after Jack made that relatively short travel, he noticed a change among the fans and learned more about the University of Michigan.

“Like I said, I’m from Toledo, but I grew up in Cleveland my whole life, which is completely Buckeye territory. Toledo is a lot more supportive [of Michigan] than it is over in Cleveland. So I didn’t know that much about Michigan…but when I opened up to Michigan more, I realized what a special place it is. And here I am, a few days away from heading up there [to Ann Arbor].”

Jack began “opening up” to Michigan as a recruit by familiarizing himself with the university and building relationships with the coaching staff. But that coaching staff, of course, was fired only weeks before signing day. Viewing Miller as a priority, Coach Hoke didn’t waste any time reestablishing Jack’s relationship with the Michigan coaching staff.

“He [Coach Hoke] was able to come down to my house a few days after he got hired. I was able to talk with him, and I just knew he was the right guy for the job. I really believe that. He’s the kind of guy I want to play for…but as personalities go, I think Coach Hoke and his staff are a little bit more laid-back. They’re a little more easy going. Now they’re going to get after you. I think it’s just a more laid-back, calmer atmosphere.”

Recently, Jack has been busy preparing himself mentally and physically for the upcoming season. More specifically, he said that he was able to score “some film on NFL centers” through his aforementioned “NFL contacts.” It sure doesn’t sound like Jack’s life around football is about to come to an end anytime soon.
– For more on Jack, check out his conversations with TomVH and Kyle Warber.
5Jul 2011
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Getting to Know — Chris Barnett

New TE arrival Chris Barnett thinks it’s great to be a Michigan Wolverine. After previously committing to both Oklahoma and Arkansas, Chris couldn’t be happier with his final decision to don the winged helmet. “From visiting with Chris and talking with him about it, he loved everything about his visit to Michigan,” states Barnett’s high school coach Mark Smith. Likewise, Michigan should be pleased with what Chris brings to the table, Coach explains.

“A couple things come to mind when I think of Chris and the way that he plays: #1 is that he’s versatile, and #2 is that he’s explosive. We used Chris in a variety of different ways. We used him in the traditional tight end position; we also used him in the backfield as the fullback, motioning him around a little bit. And we also split him out wide, going three by one, putting him out there by himself — matching him up against a corner and using his length, his athleticism and his physicality to our advantage.”

Chris’ athletic ability may have allowed him to wear many offensive hats against high school competition; however, most observers expect Barnett to play a typical TE role at Michigan. So Coach Smith speaks to that as well.

“Blocking was critical for us and when he got his hands on you, then you were going the other direction. But what I liked about him was how physical he was. And I think Michigan is going to get a really physical, mature player — right away”

So I’d imagine that it’s cool to be Chris Barnett right now. He’s about to receive a free world-class education while showcasing his athletic abilities in front of 110,000 people every Saturday. But while Chris thanks god for his talents and is a “family man,” circumstances for him haven’t always been so positive.

“Growing up, it was always a back and forth situation between my mom’s and my dad’s. I never had a secure place to be; I never really knew who wanted me and who didn’t…I mean, we’ve been homeless and I was sleeping on a washing machine and dryer. I had to take my jeans off and wrap my shoes up in my jeans and use it as a pillow. So life’s been a struggle. And that’s where football came into it….”

Despite these hardships, Barnett has developed good relationships with many members of his sizable family, several of whom are also athletes. His brother, Eryon Barnett, plays CB for the Texas Longhorns, and a close cousin plays FCS ball. No stranger to adversity, however, Barnett experienced an injury on the football field at the beginning of his senior year.

“I tore my ACL in early October, and I didn’t have surgery for it until December, because like I said, me and my mom, we struggle. We don’t have a whole bunch of money. So the injury thing wasn’t to the point where I could go get surgery. But I’ve been working out really hard…I came up on the spring game, and I was 295 [lbs]. Right now, I’m 272. Coach wants me to be 280 — no [not any] more than 280. But at the same time, I’m getting stronger. I’m crisp [while] running. My knee that I had surgery on still isn’t 100%, so I go about 80/85%. But talking to Coach, I still have 2 months [before the season starts] to rehab with them. I don’t know, but I’m trying. But if I’m not ready and Coach doesn’t let me play and I got to redshirt, then I got to redshirt. It is what it is. And if it is, well, then I feel sorry for whoever we play next year.”

With a host of mitigating factors, it’s difficult to predict whether or not Chris will see the field his freshman year. But it doesn’t appear that his HS coach would be surprised to see Barnett on the field in 2011.

“Chris understands that he has to go in and earn a position there and find a hole that he can fit into and he can play. I know when Coach Hoke and the staff were here [in Texas], they expressed that they didn’t have many tight ends on the roster. At that spot in particular, they were going to have to have some freshman contribute. I know Chris and the way that he works and his habits on the field are going to put him in a position to contribute right away….”

Early PT or not, it sounds like Chris is doing his best to help “lay the foundation” for Michigan’s future. Not only is Barnett keeping in shape and preparing for the season, but he is also creating a winning mindset.

“We [Chris Bryant, Frank Clark, Justice Hayes] have been talking constantly, like every day, about the things that we’re trying to accomplish. And I told everybody, ‘this is the coaches’ first year; we’re the freshman recruiting class; we’re the first people to come in with them…so it’s really our job to lay down a foundation.”

Chris was so excited to start laying the foundation that he caught a plane to SE Michigan early in the morning on Friday June 24th. Presumably, Barnett then unpacked his bags, said “what’s up?” to his new roommate Chris Bryant and began breaking ground.
30Jun 2011
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Getting to Know — Desmond Morgan

Desmond Morgan had his sights set on Michigan during the recruiting process. Originally committing under the Rodriguez regime, Desmond remained firm in his pledge to the university from the beginning to the end of the coaching change. “I committed to the school, not just the coaching staff,” he stated. And although Morgan is currently undecided about his college major, he is a 4.0 student who should fit in nicely with his chosen school’s academia.
Desmond grew up in Holland, Michigan, which is located on the far west side of the state. Taking advantage of his surroundings, Morgan often enjoyed going to the beach with friends and listening to music while playing a pick-up game. Rap/Hip-Hop is his preferred style of music, and although I don’t listen to a lot of that genre, I do have the internet, so I know what it’s about.
When I caught up with Desmond, he was preparing for the 2011 Michigan High School Football East West All Star Game and also getting interviewed by people other than me. He performed well in the contest, tallying six tackles. But it’s clear that Desmond isn’t complacent about his football capabilities:

“What are my greatest weaknesses? I’ll be honest; I have quite a few of them. I’d say my biggest one would be my pass coverage and recognizing when two receivers are crossing, which one is the biggest threat, and [recognizing] which DB needs the most help picking up a guy coming across, things like that. So I’m working on that, getting depth and recognizing the different routes and being able to get underneath, making a play on the ball. In high school, we didn’t have to do that as much, especially with all of the man coverage that we ran. And with line backing, I’d say we were usually more focused on the run. So the biggest thing I’m working on is helping my pass coverage game out.”

With his intelligence, work ethic and willingness to look in the mirror, Desmond sounds like a coach’s dream. It’s just not yet completely clear which coaches will get the opportunity to work with Morgan. Although Desmond was definitely recruited as a linebacker, it has been speculated on this blog that Morgan’s skill set could lead to playing time at another position, such as fullback or upback. We are not alone: Desmond and his dad see that as a possibility too.

“Most of the talks [with the coaching staff] have been playing linebacker. To be honest, I don’t even know which position, as far as one of the linebackers, it will be. But my junior year I played fullback as well; I actually started at fullback. So I kind of understand the fullback position a little bit. But I’m open to anything. At this point, the way I look at it – any position that they need me to play that will allow me to help the team and see the field, I’ll do….My dad had read some of the online stuff, and I think that planted the idea in his mind too, and he said, ‘What do you think about fullback?’ And I was like, ‘What do you mean?’ And he said, ‘With the new staff, they might be looking for fullbacks – would you be open to that?’ And I said, ‘Yeah, sure, whatever it takes to get on the field, I’ll do it.'”

During Desmond’s senior year, he didn’t see much/any time at fullback because he was too busy playing quarterback. Yep, if you didn’t already know, he played middle linebacker and quarterback. That’s quite the unusual pairing, but as unusual as it may be, Thunder often writes that playing QB in HS contributes to a player’s overall development and understanding of the game. So I asked Morgan about it.

“I grew to understand offenses a lot better. It helped me to see my keys on the other side of the ball, recognize pass coverages, see pre-snap stuff…but first and foremost I think it’s leadership. Before my junior year I played middle linebacker and was the captain of the defense, I guess, and I understood the leadership role…but I definitely gained a whole new respect for leadership by playing quarterback because I didn’t realize how close the two positions were in regards to leading their sides of the ball. And playing both of them helped me grow into more of a team leader.”

Although Desmond’s days as a QB are almost certainly finished, he should be able to peruse through the offensive playbook at his convenience since he’s rooming with 2011 QB Russell Bellomy. Here’s to Morgan’s success in the winged helmet — be it at linebacker, upback, fullback, quarterback or slot receiver.

22Jun 2011
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Getting to Know — Matt Godin

If Matt weren’t such a nice guy,
I’d find him intimidating.

Through and through, 2012 defensive line commit Matt Godin is a Michigan Man. Matt grew up in Fenton, MI and would often travel to Ann Arbor with his family for dining, entertainment and football. As a child, Matt was so passionate about Michigan football that he would sometimes “cry over games.” Matt also heard a lot about Michigan academics while growing up, since his father, sister and brother are U-M alumni. So when the time came to declare his college of choice, Matt wisely evaluated his many options and selected the Maize and Blue. As he puts it, “Michigan is in my blood.” Now that’s Pure Michigan.

Although Matt remains focused on his senior season with Detroit Catholic Central, he is also strengthening relationships with his fellow 2012 Michigan commits – and they have a goal:

“…Erik Magnuson, he’s a great guy, and I recruited him since day one. I know [James] Ross, obviously – we both play in the Catholic League. Richardson and Royce, I know both of them; they’re good guys…Our class is working really hard and will continue to work really hard to restore Michigan. We’ve all talked about it.”

Let it be known that Touch the Banner endorses the ambitions of these fine young gentleman. And to help turn these ambitions into reality, Matt expects to forego a redshirt season and see the field his freshman year:

“I want to play my freshman year. And they [the coaches] told me that there’s a high percentage that I’m going to play my freshman year. I know a lot of schools just say that to kids to get them to go [to that school]…but they said they need someone who can come in and play on the D-line. Other than that, coach Jackson wants me to come down [to Ann Arbor] as much as possible next year to see the drills so when I get there [as a student-athlete], I’ll already know how to do them.”

Matt even has a good idea of where and how he’ll contribute to the team:

“We have the main position which I’m going to play, which is the 5-technique. I guess you’d consider it more D-tackle, but I’ll also play outside…I’m only going to have one guy blocking me. It’s more of an outside position, actually, but I’m going to be run stopping a lot, too.”

Interestingly, Matt is committed to wearing the same pair of shoes throughout a given football season, a practice he intends to continue at Michigan. At the very least, this will endear him to Denard Robinson – I would think.

For a defense in need of big bodies, this 6’6” 270lb Michigan Man is a welcomed addition. Currently, Matt is one of four 2012 defensive line commits, along with Pharaoh Brown, Mario Ojemudia and Tom Strobel.
13Jun 2011
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Welcome, Andrew!

Andrew joins the list of sexy men covering Michigan football that previously
consisted of one other person: Me.  (Not pictured: Me.)

Collaborations have been popping up all over the Michigan blogosphere in recent months and years, such as the Varsity Blue guys joining MGoBlog, DGDestroys adding his recruiting knowledge to Ace Anbender’s The Wolverine Blog, and the guys over at Maize ‘n’ Brew adding me to the roster a couple months ago.

In the same vein of collaboration, much like the cast of Ocean’s Eleven (and Twelve and Thirteen), the Miami Heat, the Raconteurs, Monsters of Folk, and the immortal Fear of Pop, I would like to welcome Andrew to the fold at Touch the Banner.

Andrew is a dedicated Michigan fan and a school professional who will be lazing around soon, like school professionals are wont to do in the summer.  He recently moved back to southeastern Michigan and has built up some contacts within the state.  He will be creating some content for the site, mostly in the form of interviewing people connected with the Michigan football program.  There’s some good stuff in store for you, so I hope you enjoy his contributions.  Look for his first post later this week.

Welcome, Andrew!