Midweek News

My apologies to my loyal readers (anyone?), I have been rather busy these past couple days with work-work that I've been finding it hard to make my appearance here. However, since there is a lack of anything worth posting, this break comes at a good time.

Obviously, still no word on the defensive coordinator spot. As usual, mgoblog has been the best place for info so far. All we have is speculation and hearsay...but since when has that stopped us from going crazy in the past. Usually one of those is needed for Wolverine fans to go into hysterics.

There has been some speculation that Jim Hermann, former Michigan DC and current linebackers coach for the New York Jets has been brought into the conversation. We all remember Jim and his time here. I have no idea if this is a real possibility or not, but I would hope that sanity will prevail and Jim will stay in the NFL for a while.

I think that the next DC will surely be someone from outside of the program. There is still a chance it could be someone who will be promoted from within, but given the length of time since Shafer's departure, it's clear that Rodriguez wants someone from the outside. I would assume that someone will be named before signing day in early February.

UMTailgate likes Jim Hermann. No, this Jim Hermann! And we would have to agree!

As everyone knows by now, Michigan hosted 8 potential recruits this past weekend in Ann Arbor for one of the biggest recruiting weekends Michigan has had since the season was over. No verbals from that weekend yet, but word is a few guys really liked what they saw. We surely do not pretend to speculate about the fickle world of college recruiting, that is best left to the experts. But all we know is, some of the guys who came in left with Michigan much higher on their radar than they did when they arrived.

Who? You might ask? Sam Montgomery is a prime example. The 6-4, 230 lb. defensive end from Greenwood, South Carolina has a list of schools a mile long on his radar. But word is, from his HS coach, he returned from Ann Arbor this week with rave reviews. Rivals lists him as a pretty solid 4-star DE. This would be a great get for the 2009 class.

And finally, this blogger is not a huge fan of Detroit Free Press feature and sports writer Mitch Albom. He's a great writer of course. We know him from his work on "Fab Five" and "Bo", but most people know him from "Tuesday's with Morrie", "The 5 People You Meet in Heaven", etc. But what makes me bring him up today is his latest feature which appeared in a recent issue of Sports Illustrated. The piece pretty much nails how I have felt recently about the city of Detroit and the whole state of Michigan. It's a great read.