Source: www.mgoblue.com

Michigan Inks 22 Student-Athletes to Letters of Intent

February 4, 2009

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- University of Michigan head football coach Rich Rodriguez announced today (Wednesday, Feb. 4) the signing of 22 individuals to binding Letters of Intent during the first day of the signing period. The announcement was made during a press conference held in the Junge Family Champions Center at 3 p.m. EST.

The Wolverines' recruiting class consists of players from nine states, including eight student-athletes from Florida, four from Michigan and three from Ohio. U-M gained at least one player at every single position group.

2009 University of Michigan Football Recruiting Class
(As of Wednesday, Feb. 4, at 3 p.m. EST)
Player Pos. Ht. Wt. Hometown (High School) Coach
Isaiah Bell DB 6-2 205 Youngstown, Ohio (Liberty High School) Jeff Whittaker
William Campbell DL 6-5 317 Detroit, Mich. (Cass Technical) Thomas Wilcher
Vladimir Emilien DB 6-0 186 Lauderhill, Fla. (Plantation) Steve Davis
Tate Forcier QB 6-1 185 San Diego, Calif. (Scripps Ranch) Sergio Diaz
Jeremy Gallon RB/SR 5-8 165 Apopka, Fla. (Apopka High School) Rick Darlington
Brendan Gibbons K 6-0 215 West Palm Beach, Fla. (Cardinal Newman High School) Don Dicus
Cameron Gordon WR 6-2 210 Inkster, Mich. (Inkster High School) Greg Carter
Thomas Gordon DB 5-11 200 Detroit, Mich. (Cass Technical High School) Thomas Wilcher
Brandin Hawthorne LB 6-0 197 Pahokee, Fla. (Pahokee) Blaze Thompson
Mike Jones DB 6-2 200 Orlando, Fla. (Edgewater) Bill Gierke
Teric Jones RB/SR 5-9 191 Detroit, Mich. (Cass Technical High School) Thomas Wilcher
Anthony LaLota DE 6-6 260 Princeton, N.J. (The Hun School) Dave Dudeck
Taylor Lewan OL 6-6 270 Scottsdale, Ariz. (Chaparral High School) Charlie Ragle
Denard Robinson QB 6-0 180 Deerfield Beach, Fla. (Deerfield Beach High School) Art Taylor
Craig Roh DE 6-4 230 Scottsdale, Ariz. (Chaparral High School) Charlie Ragle
Michael Schofield OL 6-6 270 Orland Park, Ill. (Carl Sandburg High School) Dave Wierzal
Vincent Smith RB 5-6 159 Pahokee, Fla. (Pahokee) Blaze Thompson
Je'Ron Stokes WR 6-1 178 Philadelphia, Pa. (Northeast) Mel Hinton
Fitzgerald Toussaint RB 5-10 185 Youngstown, Ohio (Liberty High School) Jeff Whittaker
J.T. Turner DB 6-2 185 Massillon, Ohio (Washington High School) Jason Hall
Quinton Washington OL 6-3 315 St. Stephen, S.C. (Timberland High School) Art Craig
Adrian Witty DB 5-11 170 Deerfield Beach, Fla. (Deerfield Beach High School) Art Taylor

PLAYERS BY POSITION

Defensive Back: Isaiah Bell, Vladimir Emilien, Thomas Gordon, Mike Jones, J.T. Turner, Adrian Witty
Defensive End: Anthony LaLota, Craig Roh
Defensive Line: William Campbell
Linebacker: Brandin Hawthorne
Offensive Line: Taylor Lewan, Michael Schofield, Quinton Washington
Placekicker: Brendan Gibbons
Quarterback: Tate Forcier, Denard Robinson
Running Back: Vincent Smith, Fitzgerald Toussaint
Running Back/Slot Receiver: Teric Jones, Jeremy Gallon
Wide Receiver: Cameron Gordon, Je'Ron Stokes

PLAYERS BY STATE

Arizona: Taylor Lewan, Craig Roh
California: Tate Forcier
Florida: Vladimir Emilien, Jeremy Gallon, Brendan Gibbons, Brandin Hawthorne, Mike Jones, Denard Robinson, Vincent Smith, Adrian Witty
Illinois: Michael Schofield
Michigan: William Campbell, Cameron Gordon, Thomas Gordon, Teric Jones
New Jersey: Anthony LaLota
Ohio: Isaiah Bell, Fitzgerald Toussaint, J.T. Turner
Pennsylvania: Je'Ron Stokes
South Carolina: Quinton Washington

N O T E S

• William Campbell and J.T. Turner earned five-star rankings from scout.com and Campbell added a five-star listing from Rivals.com.

• Campbell garnered PARADE Magazine All-American honors and was named to the EA Sports All-American first team squad.

• Defensive end Craig Roh was named the Gatorade Player of the Year for the state of Arizona.

• Campbell and Turner are the top-rated players in the state of Michigan and Ohio, respectively. This is the first time that the Wolverines had the top-ranked athletes from both states since 2002: Prescott Burgess (Ohio) and LaMarr Woodley (Michigan).

• Tate Forcier was rated the nation's most accurate quarterback according to Rivals.com.

• Forcier's brother, Jason, played at Michigan during the 2005 and 2006 seasons before transferring to Stanford. Both of Tate's brothers play in the Pac-10: Jason (Stanford) and Chris (UCLA).

• J.T. Turner is ranked the No. 3 cornerback nationally according to scout.com and Rivals.com. William Campbell is rated the No. 4 defensive tackle and Tate Forcier is graded the fifth-best dual threat quarterback nationally by Rivals.com.

• Defensive end Anthony LaLota was the No. 2 prospect in the state of New Jersey.

• High school teammates Taylor Lewan and Craig Roh are listed as the fifth- and fourth-ranked players in the state of Arizona, respectively.

• Six recruits played in the U.S. Army All-American game: William Campbell, Jeremy Gallon, Brendan Gibbons, Anthony LaLota, Je'Ron Stokes and J.T. Turner.

• Isaiah Bell, Taylor Lewan, Craig Roh and Quinton Washington participated in the 2009 Under Armour All-American game.

• The Wolverines had 13 signees land among the Rivals250 rankings: William Campbell (26), J.T. Turner (35), Je'Ron Stokes (104), Jeremy Gallon (151), Craig Roh (156), Tate Forcier (164), Denard Robinson (188), Taylor Lewan (194), Quinton Washington (213), Anthony LaLota (215), Michael Schofield (221), Cameron Gordon (233) and Fitzgerald Toussaint (239)

• Six recruits are ranked among the ESPNU 150: Craig Roh (48), Quinton Washington (82), Isaiah Bell (92), Denard Robinson (102), Tate Forcier (145) and Taylor Lewan (149).

• A total of six recruits attended the Michigan Summer Football Camp: William Campbell, Brendan Gibbons, Cameron Gordon, Thomas Gordon, Teric Jones and J.T. Turner.

Big Ten Network Special
The Big Ten Network will air a Football Signing Day Special at 4:30 p.m. EST on Wednesday. The 90-minute program will feature video highlights, press conferences, interviews coaches and expert recruiting analysis. The show will re-air Wednesday at 11:30 p.m. EST.

U-M, Alabama, LSU do best to lure Campbell

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Sam Webb: Recruiting

The long and winding recruiting road is fast approaching an end for Detroit Cass Tech lineman William Campbell. With three official visits now under his belt, the Army All American is just weeks away from announcing his final choice.

Outside of his frequent unofficial visits to Ann Arbor during the fall, Scout.com's No. 16 prospect stayed off the recruiting trail so he could focus on helping his high school team make a run at the state title. That dedication was reflected in his performance, as he notched an impressive 55 tackles from his defensive tackle spot, including 22 for loss and nine sacks.

However, Campbell and the Technicians saw their season come an end earlier than expected when they were knocked out of the playoffs in the second round by rival Southeastern. With his final prep campaign in the books, it was time for the coveted youngster to hit the road.

Accompanied by Cass Tech coach Thomas Wilcher and a few teammates, Campbell's first official visit was to Alabama on Nov. 15.

"Alabama was a lot of fun," Campbell told Scout.com. "I expected Tuscaloosa to be a little town, but it wasn't. It was fun, with a lot to do. The fans are amazing. They don't have any pro teams, so everyone there loves (Alabama)."

The next week Campbell flew solo to Baton Rouge, La. Despite being in attendance for one of LSU's five conference losses, he came away extremely impressed.

"They struggled a bit this year," said Campbell. "It may take a year or two to get back on top, but I'm sure they will.

"It was cool seeing (former Cass Tech and current LSU lineman) Joe (Barksdale) again, but he was busy preparing for a test so I got to hang out with a bunch of other guys, too. We spent a lot of time outside the campus and touring around the city, and that was fun. I liked getting off the campus and checking things out."

'Will, come to Michigan'

The third leg of Campbell's tour took place last weekend, when he made his way back to Michigan. He was accompanied on that trip not only by his coach, but also by his mother, father, and three current teammates, including Michigan commitments Teric Jones and Thomas Gordon.

"(The Michigan visit) was real fun," he said. "The (Michigan-Duke basketball) game hyped it up a lot. I ran out (on the floor to celebrate) with the crowd."

U-M fans at the game had a not-so-subtle message for the five-star prospect.

"They kept saying 'Will, come to Michigan'... 'Will, come to Michigan,'" he recalled. "They said if I come there, I've only got to stay in those dorms for four months and then I can get an apartment."

Campbell's parents were more interested in other aspects of the non-football side of Michigan, and like their son, they too said their expectations were met.

"I thought the visit went real good," said Campbell's father, William Sassie. "Educationally, I think Michigan stood out a lot. They really put education first.

"As far as the coaching staff went, they were 110 percent for trying to learn what me and his mother want for him as far as education goes. I really don't care what college he goes to. I just want my son to get a good education and graduate. I would love for my son to go to Michigan because it would be close to home, but that's his decision."

Campbell's mother has stressed the importance of academics throughout her son's athletic career. The visit gave her the opportunity to find out whether the Michigan coaches shared that sentiment.

"I grilled Coach (Tony) Dews and Coach Rodriguez," Ms. Campbell admitted. "Coach Dews was a major help because every question I had, he answered, and he answered them in detail. I put the same ones to Rodriguez because sometimes you've got to repeat what you mean. That way I know everybody is on the same page.

"I asked questions over and over and I didn't feel like I was inconveniencing them. I felt like that with a certain other school. I'm not mentioning any name, but I did. I felt like I was taking up (that school's time) and I don't want to feel like that."

Florida trips on tap

Suffice it to say, U-M's coaches put their best foot forward and now must wait to see if they've done enough to keep the state's No. 1 player home.

"Coach Rodriguez -- he's a good guy," Mr. Sassie said. "As far as what the media says about him -- I think he's a good guy. I think he's a good recruiter. I just feel like everybody should give this man a chance."

Added William: "I like Coach Rich Rodriguez. He's an intense coach and he shows his players a lot of love. I think he'll do great there."

Whether Campbell plans to "do great" with Rodriguez is still a few weeks away from being revealed. Next up for the player is an ACT re-take Saturday, followed by two possible visits to the Sunshine State.

"I'm going to Miami on the 19th and 20th," he said. "I might go to Florida this weekend. I'd go right after the test probably. I'd probably go by myself. I'll talk it about it with Coach Wilcher."

Campbell will announce his decision live on Jan. 3 on NBC during the Army All American game.

Sam Webb is managing editor of GoBlueWolverine magazine and GoBlueWolverine.com, and co-host of the "Michigan Insider" morning show weekdays on Sports Talk 1050 WTKA. His column appears every Thursday.

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University of Michigan Stadium Dedication 1927

Dedication Day, Oct. 22, 1927, UM vs. Ohio State

Article source: Bentley Historical Library

Michigan played in the dedication game of Ohio State's new stadium in 1922, and behind the running and kicking of Harry Kipke spoiled the Buckeye's celebration with a convincing 19-0 victory. The Ohioans came to Ann Arbor in 1927 hoping to return the favor. Michigan was undefeated and unscored on in its first three games, home victories over Ohio Wesleyan and Michigan State and a road win over Wisconsin. All-American end Bennie Oosterbaan led a potent Michigan offense that also featured elusive halfback Louis Gilbert and rugged fullback George Rich. The line was anchored by tackle Ray Baer and guard Otto Pommerening - who would earn All-American honors in 1928.

Unlike the rainy weather which kept the crowd for the opening game against Ohio Wesleyan well below capacity, conditions on dedication day were near perfect. Temporary wooden bleachers (that would, in fact, remain in place until 1949) had been erected around the top of the stadium to provide an additional 10,000 seats in anticipation of a capacity crowd.

The game had sold out well in advance, but hundreds showed up hoping to find a ticket. As the Detroit Free Press reporter told it, "To those within the field, you can add doleful hundreds outside who, a few minutes after the game started had reached the hysterical point where they were asking one another if they didn't have just one ticket to sell. ... One latecomer today was asked and paid $16 for a pair of tickets, or $10 over the printed price."

General admission tickets sold for three dollars. The 11,114 student ticket purchaser had to pay a fifty cent surcharge on the normal $2.50 price for this and the other "big games" of the year. The box seats in the lower rows went for four and five dollars. More than 17,000 tickets were sold at Ohio State.

Nearly one thousand Boy Scouts, from all over Michigan, plus a few from Toledo, Cleveland and Columbus, were on hand to usher the ticket holders to their seats. A crowd of nearly 85, 000 was on hand as the dedication ceremonies got under way at 2:00.

As a football spectacle, of course, the day wholly surpassed anything in Michigan history. As the Michigan Alumnus writer noted "Ann Arbor flung open its gates to a horde of visitors nearly triple the size of its own population - and the new stadium swallowed them by two o-clock in the afternoon." The dedication ceremony itself was simple. Michigan Governor Fred W. Green and his Ohio counterpart Vince Donahey, and Presidents C.C. Little of Michigan and George W. Rightmire of Ohio, led the massed bands of the two universities onto the field from the east tunnel. The bands paraded to the flag pole where the national ensign was raised and the vast throng stood bareheaded during the playing of the "Star Spangled Banner" and "The Yellow and Blue." The Detroit Free Press carried a particularly colorful account of the ceremonies. With the formalities completed, the Stadium was turned over to the use for which it was built.

Among those in attendance on dedication day were "Bennie" and "Biff" the two live wolverine mascots Fielding Yost had acquired after a long search. For a number of years they were brought to the stadium for all the big games. The wolverines lived for a time at a small zoo near the Natural History Museum, but eventually became too vicious to remain on campus and were moved to the Detroit Zoo.

The unquestioned star of Michigan's 21-0 victory was halfback Louis Gilbert. He scored all of Michigan's touchdowns - two on long passes from Oosterbaan featuring elaborate deception in the backfield and the third on a short run off a lateral from Oosterbaan and kicked the extra points. Despite the score, the Buckeyes gave the Wolverines a good game. The Michigan Daily and Michigan Alumnus accounts of the game praised Ohio's efforts. Only an outstanding defensive effort led by Oosterbaan held the powerful Ohio ground game in check.

Both of the remaining home games for 1927 were sellouts. A crowd of 83,650 saw the Wolverines defeat a tough Navy squad 27-12. In the season finale, a homecoming crowd of 84,243 looked on as Michigan dropped a 6-13 decision, and custody of the Little Brown Jug, to Minnesota.

Michigan finished the stadium's inaugural season with a 6-2 overall record; 3-2 in the conference, 4-1 in the "Big House."

Source: Bentley Historical Library http://bentley.umich.edu/athdept/stadium/stadtext/dediday.htm