So a total of 16 HS teams from around the nation will be playing games in Michigan's stadium this coming season.
But none are more notable than Paramus Catholic, one of the elite parochial schools in North Jersey. They will be playing a Catholic School from outside Baltimore.
This school has produced a very strong pipeline of talent, most of which has ended up in Ann Arbor, including Jabrill Peppers, and Rashan Gray. Harbaugh also gave the Commencement Address this year. Their former HS coach is also on staff as the LB Coach for Michigan.
I actually really like the idea! IIRC VT has hosted a handful of HS games in the past, it might be a good idea, and an easy way to draw large number of quality kids to campus despite its distance from most of them.
Just another way to get kids used to thinking about suiting up for the good guys in Lane.
As for the close relations with certain high schools, I am jealous and wish we had been in a better spot the last few years, but Fuente certainly has the ability to do so, especially his Texas roots there, and Burden of course still with his 757 experience ideally.
Nor should we think VT is not above hires that might raise an eyebrow, we all remember when Dwayne Lawsons coach was brought in as a quality control assistant right?
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Mich. coaches can't go to the games or interact with the players and it costs the schools money to play there.
Mich boosters certainly can though. I think it's a savy move by Michigan. Use what you've got to recruit.
That's rule number 1 of not breaking. With how the NCAA is sniffing around Mich if they have boosters stupid enough to talk to these kids I can't wait for those sanctions. The only thing this does is get the idea of playing at Michigan in the kids heads.
Good luck to the NCAA on that. They can sniff all they want but I'm sure only "casual fans" that aren't defined as boosters will do the talking. The NCAA has no teeth especially since Michigan is a blue blood.
Regardless of that, the idea behind it is solid.
I saw figures of between 65k and 75k, article says 72k for all 8 games combined.
That's basically a pittance. And the other 7 games are being played tourney style back to back in August, with 10 dollar tickets per day. And it appears most of the teams are all Michigan schools, if they don't have very solid turnout and make a profit I would be shocked. Honestly this seems like an amazing time for anyone who enjoys football.
While the Paramus one seems made for a down tier ESPN channel to show, which would bring in its own money.
More info and price info
Other games and schedule
so... a HS team from north Jersey plays a team from Baltimore and the game is in ann arbor, michigan? I don't get the appeal.
I'm right there with you.
I want to know who's paying for the travel costs to take both east coast teams to Michigan? I'm pretty sure it's the high schools themselves (at least it should be) but who approved this? Thankfully, they're both private schools, so no tax dollars are being used, but if my kid went to either school and wasn't on the football team, I wouldn't be happy.
If it's a "football fund" that already has money allocated to be used by the football team, then why not use that money to buy better equipment (lets be honest, all high schools can always use new equipment, except for IMG academy)?
If you want your football team to experience a college stadium (not really a valid reason to travel to Michigan) then play a game at Maryland or Rutgers, where your teams are closely located.
In other words, it seems to me that the schools are wasting a lot of money for an event that may benefit 1 or 2 recruits, who probably already have an offer to Michigan anyway.
It's a new 'norm' for high school football. What was a seasonal local sport is now a regional year-round enterprise with 7 on 7 tournaments and high-profile away games.
Our team was going to play an away game in California that was changed to Florida, not because the funding wasn't there, but the optics were bad. Our high school was preparing a request to build a new facility and it was hard to reconcile the request for $$ when the team was travelling cross country.
The kids 'fund raise' but it's a joke...the majority of money comes from a school fund.
We have year-round strength and conditioning coaches/gym, food for the kids, new uniforms/shoes, buses....it's a far cry from when I came up.
I could see VT hosting a neutral site match up between a top team in Maryland, Charlotte area, and/or the 757, with the teams travel costs paid for by a third tier TV network that wanted to air it. If I lived closer I would go, which would likely be one of the issues with having it at VT, but would likely watch it on TV just because it was at VT.
Muskegon is one of the teams playing, home of a current VT commitment and several targets
Aug. 27 games
Novi Detroit CC vs. Sterling Heights Stevenson, 1
East Kentwood vs. Farmington Hills Harrison, 4
Ann Arbor Pioneer vs. Muskegon, 7
I remember turning on the TV and seeing one of the HS state championships just a couple of years ago, and then recognizing the Hokie Stone along the edge of the field. That alone kept my interest for more than a few minutes.
If the Big House is for rent for $12,000, we could chip in and stage a non-conference between VT and Clemson. Or a Pac-12 Referees clinic.
Every school in the nation should chip in and have Ohio State and Michigan State play a game there.