Trieu: Michigan football targets in-state recruits
Michigan has started this contact period of recruiting with an aggressive approach toward in-state recruiting.
Since the dead period ended late last week, the Wolverines have extended offers to six prospects in Michigan: Ypsilanti Lincoln junior offensive tackle Tate Mackenzie, Detroit Cass Tech sophomore linebacker Kobe King and sophomore cornerback Kalen King, Southfield A&T junior quarterback Anthony Romphf, Detroit King junior running back Peny Boone, and seventh-grade quarterback Isaiah Marshall, who attends MacArthur University Academy in Lathrup Village.
Mackenzie is a 6-foot-8, 315-pound prospect who visited Michigan in the fall for a game. Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh came to the school last week, and Mackenzie visited Michigan’s campus the same day he was offered a scholarship.
"It was really cool. They came to school — (defensive coordinator Don Brown), Coach Harbaugh and (director of recruiting Matt Dudek)" Mackenzie said. "The entire school knew about it in about 12 seconds because they must have seen Coach Harbaugh in the hallway. Then we went over to campus, to Schembechler Hall and got a tour of stuff.”
Romphf was offered on Tuesday, following Brown and Harbaugh being at A&T. That is also when they offered McKenzie.
Some schools have viewed the speedy 6-foot-0, 175-pound Romphf as an athlete, but Michigan offered him as a quarterback.
“Michigan has been my dream school since I was younger, and I am very proud to say that I have accomplished my dream,” Romphf said.
He will attend Michigan’s junior day on Jan. 26.
Boone is a bruising 6-foot-2, 225-pound back, but he is more than just a power runner as he is an excellent pass-catcher from the backfield and has shown throughout his career that he can break longer runs similar to his touchdown run against Muskegon in the state title game.
Michigan now joins Tennessee, Nebraska, Iowa, Kentucky and more on his offer list.
“I was happy,” Boone said. “I like Michigan. It’s a great vibe (there)."
With the King brothers receiving offers, Michigan has offered has three sophomores at Cass Tech, with center Raheem Anderson being the other. Central Michigan, Indiana, Iowa State, Toledo and Western Michigan also have offered both Kalen and Kobe.
In addition to these prospects, Michigan’s staff has reportedly stopped at Ithaca, Grand Rapids Northview, Waterford Mott, Waterford Kettering, Clarkston, West Bloomfield, Oak Park, and more during this contact period.
Wolverines add in-state walk-on
Zack Conti, a 6-foot-7, 293-pound senior offensive tackle from Trenton has committed to Michigan as a preferred walk-on. Conti was previously committed to Eastern Michigan as a preferred walk-on.
Conti helped his Trojan squad reach the second round of the playoffs his senior season.
More information
Allen Trieu covers Midwest football recruiting for 247Sports. He has been featured on the Big Ten Network on its annual Signing Day Show. His Michigan and Michigan State recruiting columns appear weekly at detroitnews.com.