Cornerback recruit Adrian Witty still hoping to be a Wolverine
Cornerback recruit Adrian Witty, who never made it to campus as a non-qualifier this fall, still hopes to join Michigan next year, his former high school coach said Thursday.
“I stay in contact what Witty all the time and he’s excited about trying to get back up to Michigan,” former Deerfield Beach (Fla.) coach Art Taylor said. “And that’s someone that I think Michigan misses right now because Adrian can fly. He was the only kid that could beat Shoelace in a race.”
Witty, a prep teammate of current Michigan quarterback Denard “Shoelace” Robinson, was expected to contend for playing time this year in Michigan’s thin secondary, a group that took another hit this week when cornerback Boubacar Cissoko was dismissed for violating team rules.
Witty, Robinson and running back Cassius McDowell, currently a senior at Deerfield Beach, were members of the school’s state championship 4x100-meter relay team, Taylor said.
“Before Witty got injured there was times he could beat Denard in a race,” Taylor said. “That’s flying. And Adrian Witty is such a great, great kid also.”
Witty is currently in Florida taking classes in an effort to boost his SAT score, Taylor said.
McDowell told PalmettoSports.com that “Michigan is recruiting me the hardest” among a group of schools that includes South Carolina, West Virginia and UConn.
The Wolverines already have three running back commitments for 2010 in Livonia Stevenson's Austin White and Texas prep stars Tony Drake and Stephen Hopkins.
Robinson, by the way, has a younger brother, Tevon, a high school sophomore, who plays running back and defensive back for Taylor at Zion Lutheran in Deerfield Beach.
"Speed runs in the family," Taylor said.
Dave Birkett covers University of Michigan football for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached by phone at 734-623-2552 or by e-mail at davidbirkett@annarbor.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.
Comments
2000Blue
Thu, Oct 29, 2009 : 2:19 p.m.
When do we find our if he qualifies for the Spring 2010 semester?
jeremy
Thu, Oct 29, 2009 : 2:10 p.m.
and drob showed last week that he is one dimensional....he cant throw the ball and i doubt he can see over the line either since he's what 6'0". Whether they keep drob at qb or not isnt going to affect Gardner from coming here as he will beat out both next year for the starting job by midseason.
81wolverine
Thu, Oct 29, 2009 : 2:05 p.m.
Is Taylor serious about Witty beating Robinson in some sprints? Hopefully he still has the speed post-injury and that he qualifies soon. I was wondering what had become of Witty, as I hadn't seen his name on the roster. As was said, we need all the fast help we can get in the d-backfield.
KeepingItReal
Thu, Oct 29, 2009 : 1:55 p.m.
leathercoach: you must have an in with Coach RR since you are so sure that Shoelace will work out just fine at wide receiver. Shoelace was recruited as a QB and he should be given every opportunity to compete and play QB. Anything short of this would be disengenious on behalf of RR and Shoelace should consider transferring. Any effort to convert Shoelace should raise a red flag with that recruit out of Inkster who then should reconsider coming to Michigan since Michigan does not honor its commitment. Also, From the looks of it, RR may have to consider converting Tate. He suffers from the McGuffie syndrome; he can't throw over tall linemen; and, take away that little out sprint of his and he becomes a one dimensional QB, easily predictable.
leathercouch
Thu, Oct 29, 2009 : 1:41 p.m.
hope he can boost those scores...would be nice to have some speed in the secondary. and maybe a return guy. now just teach shoelace how to catch the ball. and start running those WR screens like breaston used to run and we are set.