Wolverine Digest

Former Alabama commit says Michigan 'feels like home', building a connection with current players

Jerred Johnson|
Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore watches a play behind quarterback Bryce Underwood (19)
Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore watches a play behind quarterback Bryce Underwood (19) | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Michigan Wolverines

Building relationships is a critical piece to success in college football recruiting. Even in the NIL era, you cannot succeed without relationship building. Every school can offer money, they all have fanbases, they all have talented coaching staffs, they can all point to NFL players that have come through their schools. The majority have elite-level facilities and strength and conditioning programs as well. What makes teams successful on the trail now is relationship building, trust building, and getting potential recruits to connect with current players.

It helps if some of those players come from the same region culturally as the recruit you are trying to sway. Michigan is using that approach with former four-star Alabama EDGE commit Ba'Roc Willis. While not from Alabama, the Metcalf brothers, Tevis and TJ, are from the south. They grew up in Mississippi and both played at Arkansas before transferring to Michigan. That southern connection has made Willis feel more comfortable with the idea of coming to Michigan.

"Down there (Michigan), it doesn't necessarily feel like the south, but it just feels like home."
EDGE target Ba'Roc Willis

Pulling an elite-level talent out of Alabama and Auburn's backyard is a tall task for any school. Michigan seems up to the challenge and has a couple of solid ambassadors in the Metcalf brothers to assist their efforts. It remains to be seen if that is enough, but Willis's quote has to have emboldened the staff to push harder to secure a commitment.

Moore
Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Jerred Johnson
JERRED JOHNSON

Jerred Johnson has served in the United States military for over 23 years. He has a Bachelors in Marketing, a Masters in Management and is in the final phases of completing his Doctorate in Business Administration.

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