Michigan Picks Up Two More Commits

Rich Rodriguez received two commitments from Ohio recruits over the weekend. Wide receiver D.J. Williamson and linebacker Antonio Kinard both committed to Michigan while in Ann Arbor for junior day and spring practice-related festivities. Williamson is from Warren Harding High School, which is where Mario Manningham, Prescott Burgess, and Carl Diggs all went before arriving at Michigan. Kinard is from Youngstown Liberty, which is currently home to class of 2009 signees Isaiah Bell and Fitzgerald Toussaint.

Neither Williamson nor Kinard have been evaluated by Rivals or Scout yet, but there is some basic info out there on each recruit. Williamson is a speedster, as his 40-yard dash time is 4.4. He is definitely an athlete, meaning it isn’t set in stone that he will end up at receiver when he comes to Michigan. As for Kinard, he is listed as an inside linebacker on Rivals, which doesn’t necessarily mean all that much. As Paul at Varsity Blue points out, he could move to the outside with added size and possibly even play a hybrid role of OLB and DE.

For more on both commits, check out Varsity Blue.

Thursday Quick Hits: Big Ten Tournament Begins Today

• Although victories over UCLA and Duke were two of the biggest wins in quite some time for the Michigan basketball program, today really presents the most important game in over a decade. Even though Michigan’s opponent is only Iowa, this could be the day that ends the NCAA tournament drought. Although Selection Sunday is still a few days away, a win against Iowa would likely punch Michigan’s ticket to the Big Dance for the first time since 1998.

  On the flip side, a loss could send Michigan to the NIT and leave them only one victory short of the NCAA tournament yet again. It would be a repeat of the end of Tommy Amaker’s time with Michigan, where the team would always get close but ultimately collapse under pressure.

  Based on what has transpired this season, it would be easy for me to say that this year’s team won’t collapse and will get a win. However, March Madness means that anything is possible, and I won’t rest easy until the clock runs out with Michigan holding the lead. Even then I probably wouldn’t rest easy until I saw Michigan’s name in the NCAA tournament bracket, but that’s getting a little ahead of things. First things first, Michigan has to beat Iowa to ensure that they are going dancing. (Game starts at 2:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2)

• Inkster dual-threat quarterback Devin Gardner is going to announce his college decision sometime this weekend. All signs point to Michigan being his choice, as Gardner is actually going to be in Ann Arbor for junior day on Friday and the beginning of spring practice this weekend. It is expected that a commitment will happen while he is in Ann Arbor, so we should know for sure in the next couple of days. Landing Gardner this early in the recruiting process would be huge, as he is a top priority recruit for Michigan.
• D.J. Williamson, a wide receiver from Ohio, may commit to Michigan this weekend as well. If he does verbal to Michigan, he would be the fourth receiver in the 2010 class already, though I imagine not all of them would actually play WR in college.
• Robert Marve, the quarterback that transferred from the University of Miami, is apparently considering Michigan as a possibility for his next destination.
• Darryl Stonum was sentenced to up to 93 days in jail, $300 in fines, and 360 hours of community service for a charge of operating a vehicle while visibly impaired.
• Louie Caporusso and Aaron Palushaj were named to the All-CCHA First Team.