U-M Football Announces Signing of 21 Student-Athletes
2/6/2002 12:00:00 AM | Football
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- University of Michigan football coach Lloyd Carr announced the signing of 21 student-athletes to binding National Letters of Intent for the upcoming 2002 season. The announcement was made today (Wednesday, Feb. 6) -- the first day of the NLI signing period -- at a press conference held in the Michigan Sports Television Production Studio at 1 p.m. EST.
Four incoming recruits received recognition from USA Today, with defensive lineman Gabriel Watson (Novi, Mich./Southfield HS) being selected the publication's High School All-America second team along the offensive line. Wide receiver Jason Avant (Chicago, Ill./Carver HS) and quarterback Matt Gutierrez (Concord, Calif./DeLaSalle HS) were selected as "Players to Watch" in their respective states by USA Today. Tight end Mike Kolodziej (Joliet, Ill./Joliet Catholic Academy) was named by the publication as one of the Super 25 football players.
This year's recruiting class includes 12 players from the state of Michigan, a record number of in-state recruits for Carr, who begins his eighth year as head coach. It is also the most in-state recruits for the Wolverines program in over 20 years. The Wolverines also added a pair of players from Illinois and Ohio, with a total of eight states comprising the sum total of this recruiting class.
Five members of the recruiting class will join former high school teammates on the Michigan roster. Defensive lineman Larry Harrison (Detroit, Mich./Martin Luther King HS) joins prep teammate Ernest Shazor, while running back Darnell Hood (Detroit, Mich./Bishop Gallagher HS) gets reacquainted with the Curry brothers (Julius and Markus) and Braylon Edwards. Running back Pierre Rembert (Milwaukee, Wis./Cudahy HS) looks to earn a spot alongside prep teammate John Navarre, U-M's 2001 starting quarterback. Linebacker Jeremy Van Alstyne (Greenwood, Ind./Center Grove HS) reunites with punter/placekicker Adam Finley, and defensive back Jacob Stewart (Ypsilanti, Mich./Ypsilanti HS/Bridgton Academy) looks to enter the defensive unit alongside prep teammate defensive lineman Alex Ofili. Stewart originally signed with the Wolverines last year but attended Bridgton Academy last fall.
Linebacker Brian Thompson (Saginaw, Mich./Nouvel HS) continues the lineage in his family, entering the Wolverine family following this season's graduation of his brother Shawn Thompson, a co-captain and tight end on the 2001 Michigan team.
2002 Michigan Football Recruits (as of 1 p.m. EST, Feb. 6, 2002)
| Name | Pos. | Ht. | Wt. | Hometown (High School) |
| Jason Avant | WR | 6-2 | 195 | Chicago, Ill. (Carver) Coach Willie Simpson |
| Willis Barringer | DB | 6-1 | 185 | Toledo, Ohio (Scott) Coach Matt Davis |
| Tom Berishaj | OL | 6-5 | 295 | Sterling Heights, Mich. (Stevenson) Coach Richard Bye |
| Rondell Biggs | DL | 6-4 | 250 | Southfield, Mich. (Southfield Lathrup) Coach Stephon Thompson |
| Mark Bihl | OL | 6-5 | 265 | Washington Court, Ohio (Washington Court House) Coach John Enochs |
| Steve Breaston | WR | 6-0 | 170 | North Braddock, Pa. (Woodland Hills) Coach George Novak |
| Greg Cooper | DB | 6-0 | 180 | Flint, Mich. (Flint Northern) Coach Gary Lee |
| Matt Gutierrez | QB | 6-4 | 206 | Concord, Calif. (DeLaSalle) Coach Bob Ladouceur |
| Dave Harris | LB | 6-1 | 217 | Grand Rapids, Mich. (Ottawa Hills) Coach Jerry Dutcher |
| Larry Harrison | DL | 6-2 | 261 | Detroit, Mich. (Martin Luther King) Coach James Reynolds |
| Darnell Hood | RB | 5-11 | 186 | Detroit, Mich. (Bishop Gallagher) Coach George Sahadi |
| Mike Kolodziej | TE | 6-7 | 280 | Joliet, Ill. (Joliet Catholic Academy) Coach Dan Sharp |
| Quinton McCoy | DB | 5-11 | 172 | Mesa, Ariz. (Valley Christian) Coach Sean Loomer |
| Kevin Murphy | TE | 6-5 | 220 | Grand Rapids, Mich. (Forest Hills Central) Coach Tim McGee |
| Pierre Rembert | RB | 6-1 | 197 | Milwaukee, Wis. (Cudahy) Coach Jeff Cavanaugh |
| Rueben Riley | OL | 6-3 | 311 | Grand Rapids, Mich. (Creston) Coach Charles McEwen |
| Jacob Stewart | DB | 6-0 | 195 | Ypsilanti, Mich. (Ypsilanti/Bridgton Academy) Coach Rick Marcella |
| Carl Tabb | WR | 6-2 | 171 | Ann Arbor, Mich. (Huron) Coach Paul Verska |
| Brian Thompson | LB | 6-3 | 215 | Saginaw, Mich. (Nouvel) Coach Mike Boyd |
| Jeremy Van Alstyne | LB | 6-4 | 224 | Greenwood, Ind. (Center Grove) Coach Eric Moore |
| Gabriel Watson | DL | 6-4 | 334 | Novi, Mich. (Southfield) Coach David Reese |
RECRUITS BY STATE
Arizona (1): Quinton McCoy
California (1): Matt Gutierrez
Illinois (2): Jason Avant, Mike Kolodziej
Indiana (1): Jeremy Van Alstyne
Michigan (12): Tom Berishaj, Rondell Biggs, Greg Cooper, David Harris, Larry Harrison, Darnell Hood, Kevin Murphy, Rueben Riley, Jacob Stewart, Carl Tabb, Brian Thompson, Gabriel Watson
Ohio (2): Willis Barringer, Mark Bihl
Pennsylvania (1): Steve Breaston
Wisconsin (1): Pierre Rembert
RECRUITS BY POSITION
Offensive Linemen (3): Tom Berishaj, Mike Bihl, Rueben Riley
Tight Ends (2): Mike Kolodziej, Kevin Murphy
Wide Receiver (3): Jason Avant, Steve Breaston, Carl Tabb
Running Backs (2): Darnell Hood, Pierre Rembert
Quarterback (1): Matt Gutierrez
Defensive Line (3): Rondell Biggs, Larry Harrison, Gabriel Watson
Linebackers (3): Dave Harris, Brian Thompson, Jeremy Van Alstyne
Defensive Backs (4): Willis Barringer, Greg Cooper, Quinton McCoy, Jacob Stewart
Contact: Dave Ablauf, Jim Schneider (734) 763-4423
