In The House

Draft-day stories

Emptying the notebook in regards to today's article on three local Big Ten football players - Clay graduate Jordan Kovacs, Fostoria graduate Micah Hyde and Wauseon graduate Elliott Mealer - who will join NFL teams ...

Jordan Kovacs is currently in Florida, for the first day of rookie mini-camp with the Miami Dolphins, but admitted this about a phone call he took in regards to joining the Dolphins: when Stephen Ross - a Michigan graduate, the owner of the Dolphins and the namesake of Michigan's business school - contacted him by phone, Kovacs had no idea what the phone call was about.

But Ross told him this: "He said to me, 'it's a great fit for you, and if you don't get picked by the end of the seventh round, I'm going to get you on the phone with the coaches and the defensive coordinator.' And that's how it happened." 

Kovacs, who played safety at Michigan, agreed to a free-agent deal with the Dolphins immediately after the conclusion of the NFL draft on April 27, and the Dolphins' rookie mini-camp opened today. But in the hours leading up to his agreement with the Dolphins - he plans to sign a free-agent contract while in Florida - not an NFL team called his name during the fifth, sixth and seventh rounds, which drove him outside of his family's home in Curtice. 

"The process was crazy," said Kovacs, who spoke with or worked out for representatives from the majority of the NFL's 32 teams from January to the week of the draft. "It was stressful. It was a roller-coaster ride in one day. There was a point where I was ready to write a handful of teams on a piece of paper, put them in a hat and draw one."

But, he added, laughing, "that might not have been the best thing to do!"

***

While Kovacs spent the day at home, former Fostoria standout Micah Hyde, a cornerback at Iowa, was golfing at a local course with friends when his phone rang - and a Wisconsin area code showed up on the screen. 

"My buddy freaked out," said Hyde, who was drafted in the fifth round by the Packers. "It said Green Bay, Wisconsin, and when I took the call, I couldn't even hear the general manager or the coach because my friends were yelling and screaming. I hope we didn't make any other golfers mad."

Hyde said he received more than 200 text messages and that his voice mail was full. In fact, he didn't check his voice mail until Sunday morning.

Hyde has some unfinished business in Iowa. He graduates later this month, but still has a court date following a October arrest for public intoxication and interference with official acts - stemming from a bar incident in Iowa City, in which he fled the scene after allegedly being involved in a fight involving at least 15 people. According to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, Hyde pleaded guilty to the interference charge and paid fines and court costs, and entered a not-guilty plea on the public intoxication charge.

(For what it's worth, when asked about it, Hyde has been very frank and professional in discussing the incident.)

***

Elliott Mealer, a Wauseon graduate who played on Michigan's offensive line, will join the New Orleans Saints' rookie mini-camp next week and likened the courtship with the Saints more to a job interview and less to the college recruiting process.

"The Saints were the only team that brought me to their facilities, and I went into this decision with my family in mind," Mealer said. "In the end, this is the team I had my heart set on."

Kovacs and Mealer are two of seven Michigan players to join teams as undrafted free agents, joining defensive end Craig Roh (Carolina), linebacker Kenny Demens (Houston), offensive lineman Patrick Omameh (San Francisco), offensive lineman Ricky Barnum (Washington) and wide receiver Roy Roundtree (Cincinnati)

"It's an exciting time in our lives," Mealer said. "For me, going to Michigan was so exciting and now, to embark on this, it's going to be a neat journey, to go to Louisiana and be on my own for the first time. 

"For me and my teammates, we're all scattered across the board to different places across the country. Everyone's going to be following each other." 

Robinson, Campbell head to NFL

Each time an ESPN camera peeked in on Denard Robinson's living room in Deerfield Beach, Fla., the former Michigan quarterback sat on the couch with a weary look on his face. As the fourth round of Saturday's NFL draft wore on, it was clear to translate the expression: Worry. Frustration. Wondering where - and even if - he would get selected by a pro football team.

Finally, two picks into the fifth round, the Jacksonville Jaguars called Robinson's name as the 135th pick.

“Of course you want to go higher, but I'm think this makes me hungry,” Robinson told Jaguars.com on Saturday. “I'm not mad about it. I'm happy to be drafted and I'm ready to go to work." 

However, the Jaguars selected Robinson as a running back - and not as a wide receiver, as he entered the draft, or as a quarterback, the position in which he flourished in his four seasons at Michigan. 

In 37 starts at Michigan - including two games at running back - Robinson rushed for 4,495 yards, an NCAA Division I-A record for quarterbacks. In 2010, Robinson became the first FBS player to pass for at least 2,500 yards (2,570) and rush for at least 1,500 yards (1,702) in one season. 

Robinson finished his four years at Michigan second in career rushing yards and third in career rushing touchdowns (42).

Robinson also played at wide receiver in the Senior Bowl and worked out on special teams in preparation for the draft, and the Florida Times-Union also reported that the Jaguars plan to utilize Robinson as a kick returner and possibly in its Wildcat package.

While Robinson’s strength is in his speed, also factoring into Robinson’s shift was an injury to the ulnar nerve in his right (throwing) arm, sustained in October, that limited his ability to throw. In early April, NFL.com reported that Robinson regained sensation in his right hand and fingers, and testing at an NFL draft combine re-check last month showed that the strength in Robinson’s right hand had doubled.

"I'm surprised he didn't go earlier," NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock told NFL.com. "Forget about durability and size, this is a kid that's as tough as anybody I've ever seen. He's a playmaker. I don't care if he's a slot, running back or a return man. I bet you he's a gunner on punt return, too. You have to find a spot for him."

Now, he’s taken to labeling himself as an “offensive weapon.”

“A lot of teams put me at different positions so it was fun doing that stuff,” Robinson said. “Now it's time for me to go to work.

“Whatever it takes to get on the football field, that's what I'm going to do. I'm an offensive weapon.”

 ***

Also, be genuinely happy for Will Campbell, whom the New York Jets took in the sixth round today. Three years ago, he volunteered to move from defensive line to offensive line under Rich Rodriguez and during the course of his career at Michigan, he struggled with his weight. One had to wonder if he had any future in football outside of Michigan.

But coming into this year, Campbell committed. During the preseason in August, you could tell a noticable difference in Campbell - there wasn't a proverbial spare tire hanging around his waist. 

"I was a complete slob," the 6-foot-5, 311-pound Campbell told the Detroit Free Press. "Now I'm in shape, flat stomach, can run all day. It's just a complete difference. It was terrible ... now it's a complete difference." 

Although he wasn't invited to the combine, Campbell, a Cass Tech product, worked out for several teams leading up to the draft, including the Jets and the Detroit Lions.

Some thoughts on the spring game

ANN ARBOR - Since I've only been up to spring practices once this spring - given the nature of Michigan's basketball team, which made quite the run to the national championship game, and given that the media can't watch any of Michigan's practices - I finally got a chance to see what this Team 134 is all about.

(If you haven't figured it out by now, "Team 134" is in reference to the fact that this is the 134th team in Michigan football history.)

The pro-style offense - something that Michigan had to take on last season when Gardner moved from wide receiver to quarterback after Denard Robinson suffered an injury to the ulnar nerve in his right arm - hasn't been a struggle for the Wolverines. In fact, it's going to allow for more and better passing from quarterback Devin Gardner and more work from Gardner under center, as opposed to working out of the shotgun formation, and it will likely bring more balance between Michigan's rushing and passsing games - but won't overshadow the quarterback's efforts.

However, the X-factor will be how Gardner responds to contact over the course of 12 games under center - something he did well during the course of the final five games of the 2012 season, but Gardner (along with quarterbacks Brian Cleary and Alex Swieca) wore orange non-contact jerseys Saturday - in part, due to Michigan's lack of depth at quarterback.

That, right now, is the result of Russell Bellomy tearing his ACL late last month, which means that Michigan still has no proven back-up quarterback behind Gardner. And with high school quarterback prospect Shane Morris not joining the football team until August, the Wolverines have to improvise.

***

Bellomy and linebacker Jake Ryan were on crutches this afternoon. Ryan underwent surgery to repair a torn ACL on March 28, while Bellomy - who, coincidentally, suffered the ACL tear March 29 - will undergo surgery May 1.

Michigan coach Brady Hoke said he anticipates Ryan to return to the field in mid-October, which would be a boon to Michigan's linebacking corps. 

Tight end Devin Funchess also got banged up Saturday afternoon and Hoke didn't spend much time on Funchess' status, but didn't go so far as to label it "a boo-boo."

"He'll be alright," Hoke said of Funchess.

***

And in case you missed it earlier this week, Elliott Mealer's beard is no longer. The center from Wauseon, who will graduate later this month, took the shears to the chin, something he'd been pondering for a few weeks.

In Pitino's words, he talks Michigan

ATLANTA - Thirteen years ago, Michigan made an offer that at the time, Rick Pitino couldn't refuse. After three-and-a-half unsuccessful seasons with the Boston Celtics, he agreed to take over as the Wolverines' mens basketball coach but got some backlash from his wife in regards to that decision - one he later recanted. 

Well, I'll let Pitino tell the rest of the story. From the transcript of today's press conference: 

Q. You mentioned that you had some contact with Michigan. Can you take us through that decision‑making process from 2001. Is it a little bit ironic you're facing them tomorrow night for a chance to win another title? 

COACH PITINO: "It was kind of a funny story because I agreed to be the Michigan coach. I lived in Boston right on [Commonwealth] Avenue. We visited Las Vegas. I love Las Vegas. My wife doesn't like Las Vegas. We had young children at the time. She said, 'Look, if we were all 'let's go,' we have young kids. I just don't want to go out west. I don't want to go to a different time zone. I want to stay near our family.' 

It wasn't Las Vegas as a town, it was the fact that it was west of the Mississippi. 

I'll go to any job, but want to stay closer to home. 

So I took the Michigan job. That morning I agreed. I forget what the name was, I think it was 'Outright,' which when I called [Bill Martin] the Michigan AD, he didn't want me to use my real name to get through to him. My wife came up and, as I said, I'm on the third floor, putting together all the things together with the Michigan contract. 

"She had a book. There was an expression in the book that, I'd rather live one day as a lion than a thousand as a Lamb. My wife doesn't swear. She didn't want to go to Michigan because I've never visited there, I didn't know anybody there. She wanted to go back to Kentucky where she saw the family so happy for eight years. 

"I said to her, 'You don't understand, the Kentucky coach can't coach at Louisville. You're just not getting it.'  She said, 'It's one game every year, and every other year you have to visit. What's the big deal?' 

"I said, 'It's a big deal. We don't want to do that. We'll be miserable. You don't want to put yourself in that situation.' 

"She said, 'You know what, that line you're always using, I'd rather live one day as a lion than a thousand as a lamb, you're an F‑ing Lamb,' then walked downstairs.

"I said, 'Think about it. There's half a million Kentucky fans in our town. It's not like living in Lexington where if you wear red, you get shot. It doesn't work that way.'

"She said, 'I don't care, your family is going to be happy.'  Now I have to call the AD. It's 12:00. He had a thing between 12:00 and 1:30. I think it was squash or racquetball, where he can never be disturbed unless it's a matter of life and death. His assistant said, 'Is it a matter of life and death?'

"I said, 'No, it's really, really important. It's a matter of life and death, because I changed my mind.' 

'''I'm sorry, I can't put him through to you, do you want his voice mail?' 

"So now I'm leaving this long voice mail. I rambled on, saying 'it's one of the greatest jobs in the world, but I have to go back home where my family grew up, my children grew up.'  I gave a long‑winded story. Never till the NIT when I got a chance to speak to him in person about it. I went to Louisville. It was the right move, not necessarily for me. But it was the right move for my family." 

Cashing in, or cashing out?

ATLANTA -  USA Today reported this morning that adidas discontinued sales of a t-shirt inspired by injured Louisville guard Kevin Ware, with a message inspiring its wearers to "Ri5e to The Occasion" - clearly portraying Ware's uniform number. 

Chase Behanan, Ware's best friend and teammate, was asked about the $25 shirts on Friday. He gave a seemingly ambivalent answer.

"I really don't have a feeling," Behanan said. "You have to look at it as, he's still a college athlete and with the rules of NCAA, special privileges ... it really doesn't matter. He hasn't complained about it."

Still, the fact that adidas attempted to profit off a gruesome injury was, well, gruesome, but it again raised a question that's become inherent to college sports: Should athletes be in a position to profit from participating in college sports? Because they're part of a system in which they're helping an institution make money.

Last week in Dallas, Florida coach Billy Donovan was asked about the topic. Here's the lengthy answer:

"I think there has to be something done, in my opinion. And I don't know what that is. I don't have a solution or an answer to that. 

"I do think there are situations with kids that ‑‑ there's almost, I think, getting to a point now in college basketball where there's maybe little bit of a distaste because you have all these amateur rules. And I understand both sides. I understand the NCAA and the rules committee, I understand all that in terms of keeping integrity and amateurism status and all those things. 

"And I also understand the players' side of it. When you're on the road like we are as coaches and you go into some of these situations and kids are not in a good situation financially at all or even to eat or their families don't understand the NCAA rules, somebody comes in and gives them something. There's a lot of things that people can look at from the outside and sit and point fingers and say is wrong. 

But there's a lot of financial gains being made through this tournament, through the coaches, administrators and universities. And I'm not saying these guys should be on a full salary, but there should be something done for them to make their life a little bit easier when they're going through college."

The 1993 Michigan basketball team took thousands and thousands of dollars from a wayward booster - an illegal transaction in the eyes of the NCAA - and raised a question that Dan Lebowitz, the executive director for Northeastern University's Center for Sport in Society, said is a byproduct of evolution. Sixty years ago, the question of paying college athletes wouldn't have even been considered, given that major college sports wasn't the economic machine it is today.

"Great minds such as Taylor Branch asked that in Atlantic Monthly (See: "The Shame of College Sports," written by Branch in 2011), a place where you don’t see a sports story," Lebowitz said. "One of the greatest historians in the world asks about free trade.

"When you think about big-money sports, that’s a question that needs to stay on the table. On the contrary - if you look at rules of capitalism and free trade, it’s like a feudal or an indentured-slave system."

 Academic institutions, clearly, are getting paid. So why can't athletes? 

There's another argument to it, one that I've adhered to: College athletes on scholarship have access to certain top-level things: travel, clothing, training facilities, medical care and treatment, nutrition (ever see a Division I football training table?) and to a college education that is worth thousands and thousands of dollars.

But after watching the machine operate during the course of the NCAA Tournament, I'm inclined to change my mind. It might take a little more work - unless it involves a little more integrity. 

That might involve a little more waiting on my part. 

The question of 1993

ATLANTA - Of the four voice mails I received when I got back to the office after covering the NCAA Tournament in Dallas, this one stuck out to me. 

"Why did you mention the 1993 Michigan men's basketball team in Monday's story ... and what year did you graduate from Ohio State?"

Well, I guess this means I'm officially a Michigan beat writer. 

But in all seriousness. It would be remiss if publications overlooked an important yet dubious part of the Michigan athletic program's history and the basketball program's brand. The "Fab Five" is what helped Michigan maintain its hold on national basketball prominence after it won the 1989 national championship. 

You can't just acknowledge the good parts of history. You have to take in account the struggles and conflicts in history, as well. And in college athletics, both the good and the bad become part of a college program's brand. While I'm no means a sycophant, I'll echo Michigan athletic director Dave Brandon's statements on branding and college athletics that he made earlier this year at a speaking engagement here in Toledo.

Consider the Jerry Sandusky scandal at Penn State, one of the biggest in college athletics. Before that, Penn State was known as one of most prominent football schools in the country. Now, people can't bring up Penn State without taking into consideration a scandal that damaged the lives of children, killed the career of an otherwise legendary coach and cast what some considered an irreparable pall over the football program.

And consider Michigan basketball. While it's in no means anywhere near the same degree as a heinous crime, the Fab Five put Michigan basketball back on the map 20 years ago, and for years - even in the lean years for Michigan basketball, after the NCAA handed down and the school self-imposed sanctions on the basketball program - you couldn't mention Michigan basketball without mentioning Chris Webber, Jalen Rose, et al. And the sanctions and investigation that affected the program. All of that became part of the Michigan basketball brand, for better and for worse. 

You don't mention historical moments without putting them in a certain context, spoken or unspoken. And even the Michigan basketball program's current figures continue to mention the 1993 squad, whether they're asked or they offer their own thoughts. And through the course of the NCAA Tournament, it's been asked about quite a bit. 

Again, to ignore the Fab Five - and the actions and repercussions that led to some dark days in the program - would be remiss, not to mention irresponsible. 

And, for the record, I graduated from neither Michigan nor Ohio State. 

Wolverines lose Ryan to torn ACL

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. - This one hurts. A lot. 

The Michigan football program announced today that linebacker Jake Ryan is out indefinitely after tearing his ACL on Tuesday, and I can't imagine the pain that Ryan is going through after tearing his ACL earlier this week during the Michigan football team's spring practices.

Even more so, this is going to hamper Michigan's defense. Entering the spring, Ryan had solidified his role as the heart of Michigan's linebacking corps with a breakout 2012 season and was seemingly poised to be the leader of the Wolverines' defense. Instead, the unit takes a noticeable hit and while Wolverines coach Brady Hoke said last week he initially wanted a more mobile, versatile linebacking unit, Michigan instead will be forced to get resourceful with its linebackers. Be careful what you wish for, right?

On statistics alone, Ryan led the Wolverines in 2012 with a 13-game total of 88 tackles - including 54 solo - 16 tackles for a loss of 71 yards and 4 1/2 sacks for a loss of 35 yards. Behind him, Kenny Demens had 82 tackles and linebacker Desmond Morgan and safety Thomas Gordon each had 81 tackles.

Now, Morgan will be among Michigan's defensive de facto leaders. Not because he wants to, but likely because he has to. ACL tears, repairs and recoveries are hardly an overnight process. Whitmer graduate Chris Wormley, a defensive end, tore an ACL over the summer and is just now getting back into practice, while defensive back Blake Countess tore an ACL in Michigan's season opener and right now is not participating in spring contact drills.

Funny that the news was announced Wednesday and the injury happened Tuesday - per a school release, posted on Twitter - a day when the biggest news of the week was some old lady calling left tackle Taylor Lewan an idiot for returning to Michigan and not declaring for the NFL draft. 

(Yes, I'm filing this from Auburn Hills as opposed to putting an Ann Arbor dateline on it - I'm covering the NCAA tournament, so follow along on Twitter: twitter.com/RLenziBlade.) 

Robinson at ... cornerback?

There's plenty of speculation as to what Denard Robinson's future will be once he departs the University of Michigan, but one thing is almost for certain - Denard Robinson is going to get drafted by an NFL team. 

And, of course, Robinson is making the media rounds in the weeks leading up to the NFL Draft, which will be held April 25-27 in New York City. On Friday he sat down with Jim Rome to discuss his future, and while we've heard most of what Robinson has had to say before, Rome brought up something interesting - in December, Gil Brandt, the director of player personnel for the Dallas Cowboys, told the Associated Press he projected Robinson at cornerback.

Cornerback? Robinson didn't throw last Thursday at Michigan's pro day in Ann Arbor, but worked out at tailback, wide receiver and as a returner.

"I feel whatever they draft me as, that's what I'm going to play as," Robinson told Rome.

 

On new coaches and old coaches

ANN ARBOR - When it comes to relating to high school and college football players, Roy Manning already appears to have a grasp on the lexicon. 

"I just stopped cheesing about it, a day ago," Michigan's newly-hired outside linebackers coach said Thursday when he was introduced to the media that covers Michigan.

Unless you need to look it up on the Urban Dictionary (hint: go with definition No. 3), Manning definitely isn't disappointed by the chance to return to Michigan. 

It's his third stop in a year - Manning coached the tailbacks at Cincinnati, then was hired at Northern Illinois in January before, he said, Michigan coach Brady Hoke called him last month, in the wake of Jerry Montgomery's departure to Oklahoma.

"I couldn't believe it, to tell the truth," said Manning, who played at linebacker at Michigan from 2001-2004, but added that he's had 10 different addresses in 10 years. "I almost dropped the phone." 

At Michigan, Manning will also assume recruiting responsibilities, primarily in the Carolinas, Virginia and the mid-Atlantic.

"I'm 31 years old, not married yet and that's a huge thing for me to come here and recruit, and recruit well," Manning said. "I feel like I can connect with those kids a little differently than some coaches can, be it my age or whatever the case may be. I think kids listen to me and that's probably more so because they know that I played, that I played in the NFL." 

***

Today's news out of Ann Arbor: Michigan announced that Wolverines defensive coordinator Greg Mattison received a three-year contract extension, which will keep him on staff until 2016. 

Terms of the new deal were not disclosed, but under his current contract, which was set to expire Dec. 31, Mattison earns a base salary of $250,000, with an additional $500,000 annually for "consulting, promotional activities, sponsorships and other services at the request of the University as part of his duties and responsibilities as the defensive coordinator," per a copy of his contract, obtained through an FOIA request. Additionally, Mattison will receive bonuses of anywhere from $22,500 to $150,000 if Michigan makes or wins a bowl game. 

At 63 years old, Mattison has made it clear that he wants Michigan to be the last stop in his career. 

Coaching tenures as of late seem to have shorter life spans but Mattison has brought stability to Michigan's defensive corps in his first two years.

Mattison's madness - which isn't so much madness as it is calculation (but "Mattison's Madness" sounds good, right?) - works. A football team needs stability and Mattison immediately implemented it when he came to Michigan from the NFL's Baltimore Ravens at the start of 2011.

In that time, they've been among the top ten in the Big Ten Conference and nationally in several statistical categories - after being 110th in 2010 in total defense under Rich Rodriguez's staff.

And while recruiting is becoming a young man's game (see: Manning, Roy; Montgomery, Jerry), Mattison is recognized for his energy and his intellect, as well as his ability to make the perfect pitch: "I can help you get to the pros." Now what ambitious football recruit doesn't want to hear that? 

Also worth noting: Mattison received a contract extension, but offensive coordinator Al Borges did not. Borges' contract expires after the 2014 season - either at its conclusion or on Dec. 31, 2014. 

Are the days numbered?

ANN ARBOR - Wednesday afternoon, Elliott Mealer posted on his Twitter account that with today's pro day at Michigan, he was going to do something drastic. 

The Beard comes off tomorrow as well!

— Elliott Mealer (@el_mealer) March 13, 2013

As of this afternoon, Mealer still had the mane. And he bore a striking resemblance to another figure inside of Schembechler Hall, which is in the process of being stripped down and gutted as part of a renovation.

^{(that's the Paul Bunyan trophy in the background, in case you didn't notice.)}

Mealer was one of 12 Wolverines to go through today's pro day at Michigan, and he trained with former Michigan strength coach Mike Barwis in preparation for today's testing in front of NFL personnel.

"I was a little bit nervous but my confidence kind of took over for me," Mealer said. "I was prepared, I felt good. I woke up this morning, ate breakfast, came up here, and it was kind of hard to sleep. I got up here and we didn't really have meetings, as much. Some of the guys took the Wonderlic, and I'd already taken that, so I just came out and almost got into a game mode. I tried to treat it like a game." 

Mealer worked out Thursday despite recently tweaking a hamstring, which he said may have hampered his output in the 40-yard dash. 

"There's some nerves because this is the first time for any of us seniors to go through something like this on your own," Mealer said. "Since the fifth grade, you've been a part of a team and now, it's all about you and how you perform."

Still, he hopes his versatility on the offensive line will help his prospects of a pro career - Mealer played at right guard in 2011, then at left guard during last spring's practices and through training camp until he was moved to center for the 2012 season.

"In the NFL, numbers are really tight," Mealer said. "You want somebody that can bounce anywhere at the line. I've done that my whole career. There are other guys out there that haven't and maybe they say they can do it, but I've proven I can do it."

As for the beard? 

Former Michigan scribe Jeff Arnold suggested that Mealer donate it to Locks of Love; I suggested a charitable effort, akin to what Pittsburgh Steelers defensive end Brett Keisel has done for the past three years - shaving his epic beard each year for different causes. 

"It gets more love than I do!" Mealer said.