E.J. Levenberry (Woodbridge, VA) LB

[The Black Hand]

Figured I would start the thread before this kid falls off the radar.

http://michigan.scout.com/a.z?s=162&p=8&c=1&nid=5120124 6'3 220

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/footbal...rry Jr.-104478 6'3 226

Early Scout and Rivals 4*


Encouraging words about Levenberry as an early Michigan prospect at the 10:10 mark.

http://www.wtka.com/pages/9395307.php

Edit: You'll have to scroll down to the 2/3/12 Recruiting Roundup. The podcasts aren't on individual pages anymore.

[ChrisBrown]

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/re...ciplined-coach

The Levenberry family is looking for a paternal figure to guide their son's career. They've found it in Ann Arbor.

E.J. Levenberry Jr. said this week that Michigan is the lead school for his services and the ESPNU 150 Watch List linebacker prospect from Woodbridge (Va.) C.D. Hylton referenced Wolverines head coach Brady Hoke as one of the primary reasons why.

"He kind of reminds me of my dad, the way he carries himself," Levenberry said.

The comparison is simple. Levenberry's father, Eric Levenberry, is a police officer and he and Hoke share a fondness for discipline.

"I'm on my son hard but I give him love also," said the elder Levenberry who added that he sees the same in Hoke.

Said E.J., "Let me tell you about coach Hoke. He's a family person. He does everything by the book. He cares about each one of his players. ... They're family and they treat you like how your parents raised you and how they want you to grow up as a man. They're going to give you that tough love but in the long run it's going to pay off."

However, the Levenberrys aren't just basing their assessment of Hoke off their relationship with him. They've also done their research, asking Hoke's current and former players about the second-year Michigan head coach. The reviews have all been positive.

"When I met him I thought he was one of the coolest coaches I've ever met," E.J. said. "He might not be the biggest name out there but he's definitely going to get there."

The Levenberrys see in Hoke a grounded coach with the best of both worlds. He has strong Michigan ties from his assistant coaching days in Ann Arbor, which would seem to make his latest job his last assuming things work out at his alma mater. He's also young and energetic which has boded well on the recruiting trail and on the field.

"That just tells you right there how he's taking Michigan back to where it was," E.J. said.

Hoke isn't the only Wolverines coach to have a strong bond with E.J. Much of the Michigan staff has made the Levenberrys feel wanted, which is a common theme in E.J.'s recruitment.

Michigan, they wrote me handwritten letters almost every day," he said. "I call them and they talk to me on the phone for a long period of time. They hit me up on Facebook. Michigan people (fans) hit me up almost every day (in social media)

"Just little things like that show me they're interested."

Levenberry said he plans to wait until January or possibly national signing day to announce his decision. Even with Michigan in the lead, he said he wants to take his time and inspect each school.

He'll take a visit to Southern California and likely Alabama this spring. He'll definitely be in attendance for the Michigan spring game, where he admitted there's at least a slight possibility he could commit if the trip feels just right. Yet visits will only mean so much. E.J. seems more concerned about relationships.

The Michigan appreciation signals a change in E.J.'s recruitment, who seemed like he was leaning towards Florida State after a visit to Tallahassee last summer. Make no mistake, the Seminoles are still in the thick of E.J.'s recruitment. Dad is comfortable with either school.

"For me, I don't care which school E.J. chooses right now, Michigan or Florida State, because either of those schools he would attend, I would be happy because I know (Florida State head coach) Jimbo (Fisher) is going to take care of his kids and I know Brady is going to take care of his kids. I know both coaches don't stand for off-the-field foolishness.

"If you want to act a fool and get yourself in trouble and make your family look bad and your school look bad, they're going to send you home."

Alabama has made a strong push recently as well, led by head coach Nick Saban and ace recruiter Lance Thompson. The Crimson Tide's recruitment of E.J. was a bit derailed when former linebacker coach Sal Sunseri, who recruits the mid-Atlantic area, left the Crimson Tide to become defensive coordinator at Tennessee. The Vols were once high on the Levenberry's list, but they said they have heard from Tennessee's coaches in a substantial amount of time.

While the pecking order seems well set, things could certainly change. E.J. is all too aware that the world of college football is always morphing with coaches constantly leaving for what they perceive as greener pastures.

"They're the leader right now," he said of Michigan, "but I'm keeping my options open because it's a business and things change every year."

Any school that wants to land Levenberry had better have strict coaches.

"To me it's very important," the elder Levenberry said. "Next to your kid getting a good education ... you want to make sure your kid is in an environment where he understands there are rules in society and there's a price to pay when you don't follow those rules in society.

"I instilled that in my son in my house and I want my son to play for a coach that's going to continue what I started and make sure my son is going to be a productive citizen in society."

Hoke, Fisher and Saban all seem well suited for that.

Kid is ranked the #15 prospect in the country according to Rivals.

[Marklar]

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/re...ciplined-coach



Kid is ranked the #15 prospect in the country according to Rivals.

Yes please.

[ChrisBrown]

So I guess Mike Farrell of Rivals came out saying that FSU leads for Levenberry today:

Mike Farrell ‏ @rivalsmike
I'm saying I think #FSU is team to beat, #Michigan close 2 @hail2thavctrs: @rivalsmike r u saying Michigan doesn't lead for Levenberry

And UM fans kind of went off on him, so he went and contacted the kid himself:

Mike Farrell ‏ @rivalsmike
EJ Levenberry confirmed #Michigan leads, but I still say watch out for #FSU

[The Black Hand]

I bet that's the last time he goes around making up **** off the top of his head.

[Cheech]

Sadly it won't be...

[ChrisBrown]

So Farrell tweeted that Levenberry is making his decision on Tuesday. Most put this as a 50-50 battle between UM and FSU, but I get the suspicion that he'll head to Florida State.

[GoBlue75]

Farrell seems to have been tied to FSU and now is the first to come out he is announcing? Well that smells like FSU but well see, Michigan had the last visit.

[Marklar]

Farrell is a douche. If he says FSU, it has to be Michigan. He has been saying FSU since the very start...he isn't changing now.

Just read this tweet from tonight, and you see exactly what I mean, especially if you have followed his recruitment...

"#Michigan made up a lot of ground for Levenberry, clearly a lot. I still feel #FSU but not nearly as confident. This will be close."



*Not that any of this is entirely true beyond the douche part. Could easily choose FSU.

[Lee Dog]

I think Farrell gets the last laugh on this one.

[The Black Hand]

Listening to the replay of the recruiting round up, Sam Webb didn’t seem discouraged at all. Even with the fat guy from Washington who went to Stanford, Sam Webb said he wasn’t confident and there was some analyst out west who said he was still thinking the fat kid would go to Stanford. Webb hadn’t mentioned Farrell at all or mentioned that there are analysts who think he will go to FSU. Webb won’t say he has s strong gut feeling but I think he may know something. At this point, the strong gut feeling is widely known as a silent commitment. I don’t expect him to use that bit anymore but he says Michigan fans shouldn’t be discouraged since the announcement is coming two weeks after he just made it to the spring game with his entire family including his mom and his sisters.