December 20, 2023

MGoRadio 9.13: Signing Day Espectaculo

1 hour 56 minutes

wsg Steve Lorenz.

THINGS WE JUST JUMPED OVER:

Hello: Lugard Edokpayi

Maryland LB Jaishawn Barham committed.

Early Signing Day Primer.

The Sponsors

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Featured Musicians: Champagne Saints

The Video:

[After THE JUMP: The things said.]

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1. Defense wsg Steve Lorenz

starts at the top

This used to not be so boring, but Michigan put this class together awhile ago. We launched at the same time Jaishawn Barham and Lugard Edokpayi committed so we're going to do the defense first.

Edge: Michigan lost a bunch of guys and still ended up with one of the best classes in memory. Baxter and Edokpayi are basketball player/Taco Charlton-David Ojabo like potential 1st rounders once they develop, and they got a Mike Morris in Dominic Nichols as well, and teams like Wisconsin were coming for him late.

DT: Owen Wafle was a big ND flip, has a Kris Jenkins get-off/body, was a sneaky good pickup, didn't wear a jacket for the OSU game because he doesn't get cold. Manuel Beigel is a freaky German they need to see in pads for awhile. Ted Hammond committed so early we don't remember him but he was supposed to be a 3-4 DE or off-tackle. Deyvid Palepale had a weird recruitment, got booted from his team in Pittsburgh for a tweet, committed to USC over Michigan and PSU who both thought they were getting him, is Penei Sewell's cousin and grew up in Alaska. Story goes he got back in touch with Michigan after Kenneth Grant ran down Kaytron Allen.

LB: Missed Aaron Chiles, got their Josh Ross in Jeremiah Beasley. Played a ton of football for Belleville, might also be a running back?

DB: Only three guys after they couldn't pry two dudes out of Ohio, but moved on immediately to Jo'Ziah Edmond who was committed to Ryan Walters at Purdue and shot up to a 4-star after. Also got CB/Nickel Jeremiah Lowe after missing on Boo Carter, think if they bulk him up they have their feisty nickel with outside versatility. Jacob Oden is a safe safety in the mode of Tyree Kinnell.

ATH: Don't sleep on Cole Sullivan, who's probably ticketed for the Jaylen Harrell position, because he is a crazy athlete, going to be on the punt block team immediately. Mason Curtis maybe was supposed to grown into an edge or stay a safety but isn't a linebacker. Don't forget about Jaden Smith (Brian did), because he's got Uche-level bend and the speed to play linebacker or safety—could be a Micah Parsons Lite.

2. Offensive Skill Positions

starts at 40:57

QB: Everyone has their take why Jadyn Davis fell from 1st overall when this class started to middle 4-star. Height, time, doesn't make enough big plays, doesn't have THE arm, isn't as high of a pro prospect. Very cerebral player. Brian thinks he's a slightly more athletic Cade McNamara.

HB: Jordan Marshall is a dude. Not quite Blake Corum twitch but a bigger version of the same Mike Hart-like guy with great vision who churns. Micah Ka'apana is more of a home run hitter, like him in a stretch offense because he puts his foot in the ground and goes. Donovan Edwards as a running back.

WR: Hard to recruit when you don't use them. Channing Goodwin is a legacy, sort of a Greg Mathews possession receiver who isn't that fast; Michigan wanted his teammate Jordan Shipp. But Goodwin is good enough that people knock Jadyn Davis so which is it? Seth is higher on I'Marion Stewart, who's a Roman Wilson or Ronnie Bell (7v7 star, can jump) fast guy who may figure early as a returner if that's not Semaj Morgan's role.

3. Offensive Line and Tight End

starts at 1:08:08

TE: Brady Prieskorn and Hogan Hansen are more highly rated Michigan tight ends but still Michigan tight ends so they'll be great. Hansen is the guy Lorenz is stumping for; he plays in a Wing-T offense so he has a lot of blocking experience. Prieskorn is the more Lovelandesque as a 6'6" receiver who wins contested balls on the regular and needs to learn blocking.

OL: Payoff for back-to-back Joe Moore awards. Headliner is Andrew Sprague, a Jake Long-prototypical left tackle prospect except Michigan suggested having him at RT and Blake Frazier, son of Steve, playing LT. Frazier is athletic and would work well if they want to do more zone. But the interior guys are not that. Ben Roebuck plays at St. Ed's with the Armstrong twins and that tells you the difference between what Michigan (brainy maulers like Trevor Keegan) and Ohio State (light-footed and lengthy pass protectors) are looking for at guard. Luke Hamilton is another pure Ohio mauler who's changed his body shape and helped them win so many battles in Ohio. Jake Guarnera was the #1 center on their board, is taller and stronger than the other guys they were looking at.

4. Lightning Round and Transfer Portal Targets, plus Gatlin Bair

starts at 1:31:14

Best player, sleepers, top draft pick, guys who got away. We also discuss Jaishawn Barham who committed today, and Michigan's other portal targets and positions of need. Also discuss Idaho WR Gatlin Bair, a Xavier Worthy-level athlete who's probably deciding in February and then going on a two-year Mormon mission.

About the Featured Musician: THE CHAMPAGNE SAINTS

MGoReaders who haven't played a show since 2013, the Champagne Saints don't have a website, have two albums on Spotify, and a handful of mp3s have been in my Winamp rotation for ages. They've got a cool spacey thing going on in the empty spaces between the rock. I'd say check them out but I don't know where you could. Maybe in those wooden racks at Wazoo?

Song choices:

Starbanger, Bang

A Different Shade of Darkness

The Winter Electric

Also because Across 110th Street will get our Youtubes taken now now, the opener and outro:

“The Employee is Not Afraid”—Bear vs. Shark

“Ruska Vodka”—Motorboat

...more

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