Michigan Thursday: An Empty Big House

There are very few options for football this fall.  It will either be played or it won't.  If it is played there might be limited fans or none at all.  Michigan notified the world yesterday that there won't be season tickets this year.   Which means there might be a limited number of tickets available and/or just student tickets.  

I can't imagine the secondary market if they open single game tickets to the general public. I feel bad for those folks that haven't missed a home game since 1965.  Their streak most likely is going to come to an end.   Hopefully the AD's office is aware of those folks and give them an option to continue to be in the Big House if they want to risk it.  

• True Freshman in the 2020 class Aaron Lewis a 3 star DE from NJ has to leave Ann Arbor due to a family health issue.  He is now in the transfer portal and had enrolled at Michigan in January.   I wonder in this time if there would be an option for him to go home, take virtual classes and redshirt for a year.   I assume that option was discussed.  

• Does this move sound fishy to anyone else?  Central Michigan University athletic director Michael Alford is leaving the Chippewas to become the CEO of Seminole Boosters.

• Speaking of misleading information:  University of St. Thomas is moving from Division 3 to Division 1.   To me The University of St. Thomas sounds like a school on the beach in the Bahamas.  It's actually in Minnesota.  Buzz kill. 

• Michigan and MSU coaches have jointly done a Michigan PSA on Wearing a Mask.  

from The BIG HOUSE Blog http://mbighouse.blogspot.com/2020/07/michigan-thursday-empty-big-house.html

Wolverine Wednesday: #Free David Ojabo

Evening Express 

If your golfer with deep pockets, being stuck in Scotland for a few month is not a bad thing (as long as the golf courses are open!).   That is not the case for Michigan redshirt freshman DE David Ojabo, who left the US when COVID hit to be with his family in Scotland for a few weeks.  Those few weeks have turned into 3+ months.

“As soon as we got signs the whole world was going to shut down, I was like, ‘Nah, I can’t be stuck in America, I need to be with my family,’” said Ojabo, who turned 20 on May 17, the first time in four years he was able to celebrate with family. “I only get to go home once a year. Last year I didn’t go home at all. I was away from home a year. So I was like, ‘Nah, there’s no way I’m going to be stuck (in the U.S.) My whole family is going to be there without me, not knowing when I’ll be back, not knowing if there’s even going to be a season.’”

David is working out daily and even playing soccer with friends.  He is also getting some great food with mom's home cooking.    Shaun Nua is in constant contact with David and keeping him updated and supporting him just like he was in Ann Arbor, even though David misses his teammates and working out with Coach Herb.  

The road to get back to Ann Arbor is a bumpy one.  He thought maybe he could get back through Canada but that was shot down.   There is also a crazy option of flying to Australia,  being in quarantine for two weeks and then flying to the US.  

Good Luck to David and hopefully there will be a season and an opportunity for him to come home to Ann Arbor soon.  



from The BIG HOUSE Blog http://mbighouse.blogspot.com/2020/07/wolverine-wednesday-free-david-ojabo.html

Michigan Tuesday: Nico to #1?

U of M Athletics

Social Media is buzzing that Michigan's #1 wide receiver is going to wear #1 next season (if we have a season).  Nico Collins is clearly Michigan's best WR and highest rated Wolverine for next years NFL Draft.   A ton will fall on the new Michigan QB but Nico is primed to have a very good season.   

I personally feel the #1 jersey on offense needs to be earned, not given.   The legacy of that number includes greats like "AC" Anthony Carter, Braylon Edwards, and David Terrell.    Nico very much deserves the number and it should be his, if he wants it.  The last WR to wear #1 was Crawford in 2017 before transferring out of the program.   As a reminder, Giles Jackson also switched numbers from #15 to Agent 0.



from The BIG HOUSE Blog http://mbighouse.blogspot.com/2020/07/michigan-tuesday-nico-to-1.html

Michigan Monday: Doubles It Up on Friday

To steal a SportsCenter line, "Bartender make it a double!"   Friday afternoon Michigan landed two big time recruits in basketball and football.   

Jim Harbaugh and Josh Gattis, landed one of the top rising recruits in the nation when 4 star CA WR Xavier "Flash" Worthy picked Michigan over Oregon.  His other offers included Alabama, LSU. Georgia, PSU, USC, Washington, and many more.   

Worthy maybe one of the fastest players to ever put on the Maize and Blue as his 22.05-200m time earlier this year was the 4th fastest in the country.  Michigan is finally putting on the field elite speed and playmakers which clearly as been a priority for Josh Gattis who did it at Penn State and at Alabama.   Let's hope one of Michigan's top 2 QB's can throw the deep ball as Michigan is really starting to build something at WR.  

Welcome "Flash" and sign that paper in early December!! 

If there was a concern if Juwan could recruit or not, I think those fears have completely subsided as Michigan Basketball continues it's streak on the recruiting trail by landing Grand Rapids 4 star guard Kobe Bufkin on Friday.   Kobe is 6'5 and around 170 pounds and a bit of a hybrid that could play the 1-3 positions and perfect in today's position-less basketball. 

Kobe's offer list was a bit unique due to the virus and a ton less live recruiting events and AAU games.  His offers included MSU, DePaul, LSU, OSU, Northwestern, and others.  

Welcome Kobe and maybe the Jordan Brand will allow you some flexibility to wear a pair of shoes from the late great Kobe Bryant in Crisler. 

• Shea Patterson didn't even make it to camp and was cut by the Chiefs.   CFL or Baseball maybe?

• RIP to The Palace 

from The BIG HOUSE Blog http://mbighouse.blogspot.com/2020/07/michigan-monday-doubles-it-up-on-friday.html

Norway’s AquaCon invests in Eastern Shore aquaculture project

AquaCon, a Norway-based aquaculture firm, is partnering with the University of Maryland, Baltimore County and the Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology as part of a new international aquaculture project. This global partnership will funnel up to a $1 billion investment into Maryland's Eastern Shore and local aquaculture industry. 

from http://open.maryland.gov/blog/norways-aquacon-invests-eastern-shore-aquaculture-project/

Michigan Friday: Decision Day and Conference Games Only

The biggest news hit last night, which wasn't shocking if your a regular reader of BHB.  The Big Ten decided on playing only conference games next season.   The details are yet to be worked out but many high profile non-conference games have been dropped off the schedule including Michigan @ Washington. 

So now what?  The Big Ten must figure out the schedule in and out of the Big Ten divisions and how to add another game.  Also how many fans if any will be allowed in the stadium?  So more to come but I give a hat tip to the Big Ten for being a leader instead of a follower during this Pandemic.  

2 Big Michigan Prospects are announcing today! (1 in basketball and 1 in football) 

-Instate GR 4 star guard Kobe Bufkin has been trending towards the good guys.   

-California 4 star WR Xavier Worthy who has explosive speed is also expected to pick Michigan today.   Xavier was very close to picking Oregon a couple of weeks ago before Michigan turned up the heat on the speedster.  

• 1 of 2 top Instate targets Rocco Spindler is announcing in a month on 8/8.   Seems to be a Michigan - ND battle.  

• 3 star TX RB Tavierre Dunlap has Michigan in his top 8.

• NFL scouts seem to love Nico and I hope we get one more season with this freak talent.  I expect him to a 1st rounder next NFL Draft.  

• The 40 year old Jamal Crawford who had a cup of coffee at Michigan got signed for the bubble by the Nets.  Crawford and LeVert are going to get a few buckets in Orlando.  

from The BIG HOUSE Blog http://mbighouse.blogspot.com/2020/07/michigan-friday-decision-day-and.html

Michigan Thursday: Not A Good Day For Football In The Fall

As Big Ten officials meet to try to figure out a way to have some type of adjusted season, other factors around College Football are trending the wrong way: 

• The Ivy League cancelled all fall sports 
• OSU had to shut down workouts due to COVID spread
• North Carolina had to do the same 
• Stanford shutdown 11 sports (not football) 

This news caused me to think a couple thoughts:  How are rich kids going to get into Stanford now that their parents can't bribe the rowing coach?  The Ivy League is really not risking anything by shutting down those sports, as their sports programs lose money.   On the other hand, I don't think we can ignore some of the highest academic institutions and feeling its not safe.   Personally, I think we should listen to the smartest people in the US, not the most powerful or political.  

Now to a bit of good news:  Tom Deinhart from Rivals is reporting that the Big Ten is considering a 10 game season probably played over 13-14 weeks.

This makes sense to me but I would at least like one non-conference MAC game for the first game of the season, so Michigan can iron out any mistakes before opening the Big Ten season.   With that said, "beggars can't be choosers" when it comes to football this fall. 

Some folks talk about a spring football season.   I don't know if this is viable or not, as NFL ready kids are not going to want to risk injury so close to the NFL draft.   Another issue is do they play in the Spring and then in the Fall in 2021?  That is a lot of football in one calendar year.  

I think the Big Ten will try to do football in the fall because financially its so important to many programs but it seems a bit like a Hail Mary at this point.   Can you imagine trying to keep COVID away from 100 college kids in a contact sport?  I hope I'm wrong and the virus starts trending the other way.  

• Jimmy had a zoom presser yesterday and social media blew up for a minute on statement that was taken out of context on football and COVID.   The real news was that Jimmy was in contract extension talks prior to COVID and those talks are on hold until all the issues are cleared up.  

from The BIG HOUSE Blog http://mbighouse.blogspot.com/2020/07/michigan-thursday-not-good-day-for.html