Football recruiting - Class of 2009

[Moodini31]

From the mouth of Russell Shepard-

“I would say Texas is still up there, but Michigan is really at the top of my list, especially if they don’t get (2008 top recruit) Terrelle Pryor,” he said. “I feel like I could go there and play right away. I’m also looking at Florida and LSU. Both of those schools have pretty good depth-chart situations for me.”

Have you guys seen his video? I watched his sophomore highlights on rivals, and I obviously can't post that here, but I would say it was more impressive than Pryor's. It says they both run a 4.4, but Shepard seems faster on film. Here's a youtube highlight reel. It's the best I could do.

[b-diddy]

i dont know, at 6'2 hes probably more troy smith than vince young. obviously, either would be great but one is obviously preferable. combine that with the immidiate need THIS year, and its hard to get too excited about this kid.

[Wilfredo Ledezma]

Russell Shepherd will be a Wolverine before August...he said he plans to commit before his senior season begins, and I can't see any reason to think he will go elsewhere...especially since TP is not going to come here anymore...

I'll take it.

[Zip Goshboots]

diddy, half the time I wonder if you are about to put a bullet in your head.

[Zip Goshboots]

Let me also add that if the kid is a 6'2 high school junior, chances are he could grow a bit more, maybe top out at 6'4 or something.
He has what it takes in the HEART: He told Texas he'd comitt if the offered him any shcollie, he just wants a chance to play. I think he's a great kid, and RichGod would do well to lock him up. UM has alot of yoot this coming year. With the yoots on OLINE coming in, if they can get a year of experience, and the rest of the team can get a year running the spread, then whoever RR brings in to quarterback (assuming that Threet isn't the second coming of Vince Young that many are predicting he will be) will have a btter team around him. Hell, maybe the kid they land can do what Stonum did and gruate early and enroll in time for spring ball.

See how this thing works diddy? YOU ask "why?" I ask "How". I make shit happen, you are afraid of Jim Tressel (and maybe even Joe Tiller).

NOTE: All UM recruiting info, and commits, goes into Jethro's thread or you will be banned.
Get it together, Ledezma. We are trying to build the #1 UM Football thread on the intranet. Don't be lazy or your ass wil get Barwissed

[detroitsportscity]

I just don't see Mack not saying 'Hey, I'll take a top 5 in the nation kid, even if it means I have to let him try out at QB. Look how Vince did.' So I doubt UM will get Russell.

Maybe the Indiana kid though.

[Zip Goshboots]

I just don't see Mack not saying 'Hey, I'll take a top 5 in the nation kid, even if it means I have to let him try out at QB. Look how Vince did.' So I doubt UM will get Russell.

Maybe the Indiana kid though.

Just what we like. A fair and balanced assessment of the situation from a Spartie.

[Glenn]

Russell Shepherd will be a Wolverine before August...

I'll believe it when twins says it is so.

[b-diddy]

diddy, half the time I wonder if you are about to put a bullet in your head.

your just upset cuz im down with twins. way down.

anyway, an inch or two would probably help the kid alot, especially for his own sake come draft day.

but a top 2 threat qb would be great. and if this kid is so down with michigan, i might even prefer him to a better talent who needs to be coddled at all times and isnt sure he wants to be here (pryor).

im just worried about barwis's prophecy, from the word of rod, that we would have as many championships as there are stars in the sky after rod's first season in ann arbor. gonna be hard to do without a qb. does barwis have any eligibility left?

[tommyz]

BCC's Caper keeping his college options open
Feb 12, 2008
Jeff Karzen
The Enquirer

Battle Creek Central's Larry Caper II, one of the top ranked junior football players in America, said he doesn't plan to pick a college anytime soon.

Caper, a running back, had previously said he wanted to verbally commit before his senior season.

Not anymore.

"I just want to experience the whole process," Caper said.

"I want to get to know the schools and I don't want to cut anything off short."

Caper said he doesn't have a leader and has received scholarship offers from Michigan, Michigan State, Purdue, Iowa, Stanford and Cincinnati.

The early lists are out for the class of 2009 and Caper is stacking up well. Tom Lemming, a recruiting analyst for CSTV, ranked Caper 33rd overall in the country and No. 1 in Michigan.

Rivals.com, a leading recruiting service, has Caper as a four-star recruit ? 64th overall and third in Michigan.

A 5-foot-11, 210-pound combination of power and speed, Caper rushed for more than 1,400 yards this season despite sharing carries with senior backs Bill Young and James Williams. Caper has taken multiple unofficial visits ? including to Michigan, MSU and Notre Dame ? but he'd like to take the NCAA-alloted five official visits next fall.

While he doesn't have a leader, Caper said MSU is recruiting him the hardest.

"I just like how they come to me," he said of MSU.

"Most recruiters say, 'We have this or we have that.' Michigan State is a more laid-back feeling. They put everything on the table and let me choose my decision. Coach (Mark) Dantonio is a good person."

Caper, who has a 3.8 GPA and has qualified academically for college, has not heard from Michigan since new coach Rich Rodriguez was hired in mid-December.

"I really don't know about Michigan right now," Caper said.

"My running style doesn't really fit their (spread attack) system. I think I could do it, but from a coaches' point of view, they want a scat back."

Caper plans to attend upcoming Junior Days at Wisconsin, MSU and possibly others. Last year, he was the only sophomore at Michigan's Junior Day.