I originally started writing this post in August 2015, but then my own football practices and Michigan’s impending season tore me away from its completion. Six months later, now is a good time to complete it since the Wolverines are practicing at the facilities this week to open spring ball.
Last summer I was cruising Twitter when I saw a Tweet announcing that Camden (NJ) Camden lineman Cesar Ruiz, the #1 center in the country, planned to transfer to Bradenton (FL) IMG Academy. I have seen plenty of announcements over the past few years that players were transferring to IMG Academy, but this one piqued my attention. Ruiz was a 2017 prospect who happened to be the teammate of 2016 wide receiver Brad Hawkins, Jr. and defensive end Ron Johnson, Jr., both of whom committed to and signed with Michigan. Ruiz visited Ann Arbor with them last summer and was offered, and the Wolverines were thought to be in the driver’s seat. Everything seemed to be moving along nicely for Michigan.
Then Ruiz headed to Florida for his junior season of football, and his recruitment might have begun to trend downward for the Wolverines: Despite offers to several current and former IMG Academy players, none has ever committed to Michigan.
Hit the jump for more on IMG Academy and Michigan’s involvement at the school.
So what is IMG Academy? IMG is a private school and training facility for up-and-coming athletes, including players preparing for the NFL Combine. Tuition for high school student-athletes is $72,900 per year, although there are scholarships available to lessen the cost. The outfit is owned by Robert Morris and has sponsorships from Under Armour and Gatorade. It also has programs for baseball, basketball, cross country, golf, lacrosse, soccer, track, and tennis. In fact, the first time I remember hearing about IMG Academy was years ago when I was reading a Sports Illustrated article about the demise of tennis star Jennifer Capriati, who had once been tutored at IMG.
The football team had been coached by Chris Weinke, the former Heisman winner from Florida State who went on to an uninspiring NFL career, mostly with the Carolina Panthers. Last offseason, Weinke took a job as quarterbacks coach for the St. Louis Rams. The aptly named IMG Academy Ascenders had finished the 2014 season ranked #1 in Florida after going 10-1.
The new head coach is Kevin Wright, who won three state championships at Carmel (IN) Carmel after being the offensive coordinator for Western Kentucky. The director of the football program is Steve Walsh, the former 1st rounder who played with the New Orleans Saints and the Chicago Bears. The wide receivers coach is E.G. Green, whom you might remember from Florida State and the Indianapolis Colts. Special teams coach Billy Miller used to hold the same role for Rutgers and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers under Greg Schiano. The defensive coordinator is former Buccaneers cornerback Donnie Abraham, who made a lot of interceptions for me on Madden. Hell, the place is so cool, the Head of China Recruitment is a guy named Marlboro Ma (for real).
IMG has become a national magnet school for players who want to go to college and the NFL to play football. It seems that the number of players has increased every year, and now numerous Michigan targets will be Ascenders this fall. Here’s a list of guys on the 2015 and 2016 rosters who have been offered by the Wolverines:
- 2017 LB Jordan Anthony, originally from Olney (MD) Good Counsel
- 2016 WR T.J. Chase (Clemson), originally from Plant City (FL) Plant City
- 2017 OG Robert Hainsey, originally from Monroeville (PA) Gateway
- 2017 LB Will Ignont, originally from New Market (AL) Buckhorn
- 2017 DE Joshua Kaindoh, originally from Essex (MD) Our Lady of Mt. Carmel
- 2016 TE Isaac Nauta (Georgia), originally from Buford (GA) Buford
- 2016 QB Shea Patterson (Ole Miss), formerly from Shreveport (LA) Calvary Baptist and Hidalgo (TX) Hidalgo
- 2016 S Spencer Perry (Notre Dame), originally from Auburn (AL) Auburn
- 2017 S Isaiah Pryor (Ohio State), originally from Lawrenceville (GA) Archer
- 2017 C Cesar Ruiz, originally from Camden (NJ) Camden
- 2016 LB Rahshaun Smith (Clemson), originally from Towson (MD) Calvert Hall
- 2018 CB Christian Tutt, originally from Thomson (GA) Thomson
- 2018 DT Taron Vincent, originally from Baltimore (MD) Gilman
- 2017 CB Marcus Williamson (Ohio State), originally from Westerville (OH) South
That list does not include 2016 QB Malik Henry (Florida State), who transferred from Westlake Village (CA) Westlake to IMG Academy this past winter. Henry was reportedly booted out of the program last summer, and his spot on the roster was taken by Patterson. (Henry transferred back to a different school in California to finish his high school career.)
Former Michigan targets have included 2015 prospects Deondre Francois (Florida State) and DT Hjalte Froholdt (Arkansas). According to the Rivals database, 3 players signed with FBS teams in the 2014 class. That number increased to 12 in the 2015 class. Another 15 got FBS scholarships in the 2016 class, and that doesn’t include linebacker Joel Dublanko, who has several offers but remains uncommitted, and wide receiver Kerrick Hahn, who accepted Michigan’s preferred walk-on offer.
Michigan will practice on campus this week, and they will have a chance to show their winged helmets and electric new coach to the prospects listed above. Prospects cannot attend the first three practices due to NCAA recruiting rules, but they are welcome to show up for Friday evening’s practice. At that point Michigan will also have an opportunity to impress two 5-star prospects: 2017’s overall #2 prospect in Dylan Moses, a linebacker who is a native Louisianan and former LSU commitment, and Kaindoh, who is #21 overall.
For more on IMG Academy, here is an in-depth article published in The Advocate two weeks ago (LINK).
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