Michigan Football: Wolverines showing interest in JUCO DT
Michigan football doesn’t usually pursue junior college players but there are signs that Wolverines are interested in a run-stuffing DT.
The idea that Michigan football needs to add some depth and size inside on defense isn’t a radical one and it appears that the coaching staff believes it too.
The Michigan Insider ($) reported an interesting tidbit earlier Monday, as Brice Marich talked about the Wolverines expressing interest in three-star JUCO defensive tackle Almosse Titi.
Titi is ranked 142nd among JUCO prospects, who are eligible to play immediately and will be able to sign with college programs next month. Titi has received a number of offers, including from Arizona, Arkansas State, Southern Miss and Troy, but not from Michigan football.
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At least not yet.
However, it’s possible that one could be on the way as Titi reported that Michigan football coaches are now following him on Twitter. That might not seem like much to go on, but in this new age of recruiting, that’s generally a good sign that coaches are interested in a player. So we shall see.
At the very least, it shows that Michigan football is looking to address defensive tackle, a position that was exposed by Ohio State.
Of course, the Wolverines probably aren’t in as bad a spot as some might imagine, since Chris Hinton and Mazi Smith, two 300-pound run stuffers, should be ready for expanded roles after development seasons as freshmen. They are two guys to watch closely during the Citrus Bowl.
It’s also looking like Carol Kemp and Michael Dwumfour will both be back, which will prevent the Wolverines from playing young guys before they are ready. Yet, it won’t change the fact that Michigan needs bigger bodies inside something Titi could help with.
Titi played at Iowa Western Community College and is the No. 16 defensive tackle available in the junior college ranks. It’s hard to know what kind of impact he could make immediately and it’s premature since an offer hasn’t even been extended.
The encouraging thing is that if Michigan is kicking the tires on Titi, the Wolverines may be looking into other players that could offer immediate help, such as some available in the transfer portal.
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The run defense broke down against Wisconsin and Ohio State and it will be challenged against a very tough and talented Alabama squad. We’ll see how it holds up, but at the very least, the coaches are seeing what they can do to upgrade and that’s a positive sign.