Michigan Thursday: No New Players on NSD

National Signing Day in February has now become the NIT of college football recruiting.  All programs are trying to get their recruits to sign in December so they can lock up their class and start prioritizing the next year.

Michigan didn't add any scholarship athlethes yesterday.  It did get clarity from one commit that Michigan had offered but didn't send an LOI to in Shea Patterson's brother, Nick.  Nick had committed to Michigan a long time ago but didn't develop as the coaches had hoped and is now going to Princeton to hit the books and play football.   Good luck to him!

• Michigan did add another PWO in Lake Orion WR Sam Staruch who is 6'2 and 180 pounds.  If you didn't notice, Sam is not a DT.  

• Nick Patterson's brother got invited to the NFL Combine.   He is going to need a great performance after a poor week at the senior bowl.  

• GR3 got traded from Golden State to Philly. 

• Matt Campbell and Pat Narduzzi have already turned down interest in the MSU head coaching job.  Seems it's down to Tressel's son or Cincinnati's Luke Fickell.   No word if Harbaugh isn't supporting Fickell's proposed move from Cincinnati to East Lansing with the NCAA.  It would really be tough if Luke took the MSU job and had to sit out a year. 

• Is it fair to say that Harbaugh has run both of Michigan's top rivals head coaches out of their jobs? :) 

from The BIG HOUSE Blog http://mbighouse.blogspot.com/2020/02/michigan-thursday-no-new-players-on-nsd.html

Wolverine Wednesday: There Are No Coincidences

If you run into a college buddy at the Dallas Airport that is a coincidence.   If you stalk your old girlfriend on social media and end up running into her at Whole Foods, that isn't.

Which leads me to Mark Dantonio's retirement last night.  If you listen to him, he has been considering this for a long time.   He even wrote his goodbye on a plane last week.   The work load was too much for his 80 hour week job.  Makes sense, but it doesn't.

Mark picked up a cool $4.3M bonus a couple weeks ago, is being sued for wrongful termination from an old employee, and just a day ago there was new allegations of NCAA violations.   This was all after saying he was completing the circle and staying on to coach his team.

The new allegations are the ones that broke the camel's back and Mark hit the exit button as soon as he could.

This is a cut and paste from Mgoblog last night:

Blackwell's lawyers allege:

Dantonio orchestrated employment for the parents of two MSU football players, with mega-donor Bob Skandalaris, whose name is on the football facility.

Dantonio had Blackwell accompany him on a Metro Detroit home visit of an unnamed five-star recruit, when Blackwell, in his role as director of college advancement and performance, wasn't authorized to conduct off-campus visits.

Dantonio said in his Jan. 10 deposition that Blackwell never did any home visits because it would've been an NCAA violation. He did recall Blackwell once traveling with him to see a recruit, but that Blackwell remained in the car.

In his filing, Paterson said Blackwell "is prepared to provide the court with an affidavit attesting" to the visit of the five-star recruit, which can be "verified by the former five-star recruit and his parents, who were also present during the recruiting visit."

This was no coincidence.

• I have no comment on that game Michigan Basketball played last night. 

from The BIG HOUSE Blog http://mbighouse.blogspot.com/2020/02/wolverine-wednesday-there-are-no.html

Sonavi Labs wins global pitch competition

Local medical device company Sonavi Labs, Inc., recently put Maryland on the map during a start-up contest overseas.

from https://open.maryland.gov/blog/sonavi-labs-wins-global-pitch-competition/

Michigan Tuesday: Another Walk-on and Duke Loading Up

Michigan isn't expected to sign anyone new on NSD tomorrow but they are loading up on PWO's.  The next guy to drop is Jake Thaw who is an athlete from CT.  In high school Jake played QB, WR and DB.  Probably will end up at slot WR/special teams player at Michigan.  Welcome Jake "Spring" Thaw.

Duke is loading up from players from the transfer portal.  Yesterday they confirmed Clemson QB Chase Brice was transferring in.  Chase a former 4 star QB and a grad transfer with two years to play.  Then former Michigan commit Devery Hamilton announced he was grad transferring to Duke as well. Hamilton played at Stanford and struggled last year on the offensive line.   On a side note, Greg Frey is Duke's new offensive line coach.

• Duncan Robinson got invited to the All Star Game 3 point contest 

• Michigan Basketball hosts OSU tonight at Crisler 7:00 ESPN2

from The BIG HOUSE Blog http://mbighouse.blogspot.com/2020/02/michigan-tuesday-another-walk-on-and.html

How the 2020 Census affects Maryland businesses

From easing work commutes to natural disaster responses, your community counts in the 2020 Census. Here in Maryland, we are asking businesses to encourage employees, customers, and surrounding communities to fill out their census forms. An accurate count of all Marylanders will help the state receive necessary federal funding for programs and resources – from Western Maryland to the Eastern Shore – and everywhere in between.

from https://open.maryland.gov/blog/how-2020-census-affects-maryland-businesses/

Michigan Monday: Super Bowl Steals A Play From Fritz Crisler

U of M had plenty of influence on the Super Bowl Champions KC Chiefs, with Chad Henne as a back-up QB and Frank Clark as the starting DE.   (Yes, I understand how Frank's time in Ann Arbor ended).  

What was more interesting to me was the play that KC OC Eric Bieniemy stole from the 1948 Rose Bowl and Fritz Crisler.   The play was the 4th and 1 full house backfield, 3 spin move and direct snap to the RB.   The play worked for a first down and ended up on the 1 yard line.   Here are both plays if your interested.  

I tip my hat to the Super Bowl champs and to Eric going old school and plucking a heck of a good play from the Mad Magicians.  I remember when Michigan's head coach would run old school unique plays in his first year at Michigan.  

• X came back and Brandon Johns went for 20 as Michigan got a nice home win in NYC on Saturday over a ranked Rutgers team.  I agree there are a lot of confusing statements in that sentence.  Michigan did play a home game at MSG and Rutgers is ranked 25th in the country.   This was a brilliant move for Coach B who scheduled this game as Michigan plays it best basketball at neutral sites.   The Wolverines get to play Ohio State and Michigan State this week.  

• Cade McNamara's brother Kyle has committed to Michigan.  Kyle is a 5'8 170 pound WR.  I assume this is a PWO offer as Kyle is ranked as a 2 star to 24/7.   Kyle reports two offers to CMU and Ohio State.   I'm guessing the OSU offer wasn't committable.  Welcome Kyle!  

• Michigan did get a confirmed PWO commit from Traverse City QB Peyton Smith. Peyton is a 2 star QB and the 153rd Pro Style QB in the 2020 class. 

• Former Wolverine Stephen Spanellis is transferring to Vandy.  Congrats Stephen and get that Vanderbilt graduate degree with your Michigan degree.

• Former Wolverine offense lineman Steve Hutchinson was named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.  Congrats Hutch! 

from The BIG HOUSE Blog http://mbighouse.blogspot.com/2020/02/michigan-monday-super-bowl-steals-play.html

Choptank Transport plans major expansion on Eastern Shore

Local logistics provider Choptank Transport is expanding its footprint in Maryland and adding more than a hundred new jobs on the Eastern Shore.

from https://open.maryland.gov/blog/choptank-transport-plans-major-expansion-eastern-shore/