How Michigan was able to land Amir Herring
Amir Herring sat down on a table located right at the center of the West Bloomfield High basketball gymnasium Thursday afternoon. He was positioned next to both of his parents and his football head coach.
Four hats were situated in front of Herring: Michigan, Nebraska, Boston College, and Missouri.
When it finally came time for Herring to announce his college decision with close friends, family, and longtime teammates at West Bloomfield all watching, the four-star offensive lineman picked up all four hats. One-by-one, he dropped them back on the table before only the Michigan logo stood still.
The crowd exploded in applause as Herring placed the maize cap on his heard while taking off a white sweatshirt that covered another white shirt that had the block M logo right in the center.
That moment of time, with the cheers echoing throughout the school, was dedicated solely to Herring, who after years of college exposure through dedication to his craft, became the next great out of suburban metro Detroit to pledge to the local juggernaut.
Thursday marked the final chapter of a prolonged and steady recruiting journey by Michigan. Years of visits, phone calls, and texts all came down to Herring choosing to remain in-state.
How did we get to this point? How did Michigan successfully land a rising junior who’s already being described as a “Michigan Man”?
That story in of itself deserves to be told right.
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West Bloomfield underwent a head coaching change following the 2020 season. Despite all of the twists and turns that endured that year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Lakers, through all of the talent in the program at the time, captured their first MHSAA State Championship in program history.
Nothing like sending off a head coach who had rebuilt West Bloomfield into a perennial contender after taking over a decade earlier. It was time for Ron Bellamy to move on and did so by returning to his alma mater at the college level.
Earning the reigns was Tyrice Grice, who had been an assistant under Bellamy for eight years, acting as both defensive coordinator and linebackers coach during that span.
Grice, when sitting next to Herring's father Thursday, remembered the day in which Herring first arrived for summer workouts in 2019. As a rising eighth grader where he played youth football for the Detroit Spartans alongside Oregon commit Dante Moore, Herring entered high school as a raw but determined athlete ready to be given a starting role in his first year.
“As a person, he’s one of those kids who you love dearly," Grice told Maize & Blue Review. "He could be a friends of yours. If you had a son, and you wanted to model him into someone, that someone is Amir. That’s the type of kid he is. He’s very humble and very respectful. As a player, he’s a tough and nasty son-of-a-gun on the football field. That’s what he like about our football players (at West Bloomfield). They’re respectful, humble, and do what they’re supposed to do off the field. But on the football field, be a team leader. Amir encompasses all of that.”
It's one thing for a freshman to be promoted to the varsity squad, but it's another for that freshman to be named a full-time starter. That's exactly what Herring was able to achieve in a league (OAA) that experts consider to be the toughest and most enduring across the entire state of Michigan.
The experience at the varsity level for Herring, as an underclassmen, molded him into the No. 7 ranked overall prospect in the state currently by Rivals.com. Being that stalwart tackle on a state championship caliber program enters its final year as Herring will look to repeat his prowess this upcoming season.
“Amir’s first year was where he progressed big time because his confidence built up," Grice said. "He played in a conference which has some of the best defensive lineman in the state and he held his own his freshman year. Last year, he was more dominant and going into his senior year, you’re going to see something special. Amir is going to lock on guys and drive them out of there. He’s going to really special for us this fall.”
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If you ask Herring's mother, Chris Herring, about the type of school that laid dormant in her son's heart, it would be Michigan.
For a prospect that cares deeply about both his athletic and academic success, when searching for the right college that would provide him with the complete bundle, it just so happened that it would only be a 40-minute drive from home.
"From my perspective, Michigan is getting the full package," Chris told Maize & Blue Review. "Amir is going to give them everything plus more. They have truly won because Amir is going to give them his all both on-and-off the field. He’s very serious about his academics so I plan on him continuing that. On the field, Michigan is getting someone who can play across the entire offensive line. Michigan is getting an athlete but also a man.”
The Wolverines might have won out this recruitment but it would come with a hefty battle for a majority of the offseason. Even if Herring, at times, seemed like a lock to commit to Michigan, he was going to take his time with the process.
Entering the month of June, Herring set out for official visits to the other three programs that were included in his final four Thursday. He was originally supposed to visit Michigan again on June 17th unofficially but made the change in order to get more of a detailed experience compared to his previous trips to Ann Arbor.
It was Herring's way of broadening his horizons and pay respects to the coaches who have courted him significantly. Of course, being able to enjoy the benefits of the recruitment process is something that any highly rated prospect hopes to capture.
“I think Amir did a great job in building relationships with college coaches," Grice said. "Being up front with them in terms of where he’s at and keeping to himself. But he wanted to experience that process and give coaches the chance to present their case. For him to take those official visits gave him a good look at seeing what the other schools outside of Michigan could provide."
The opportunity to travel the country and be showered with early praise at such a young age is a memory that can't be mimicked later in life. Nebraska, Missouri, and Boston College each did its part in showing Herring why he could find fame and fortune outside of his home state.
But in the end, remaining close to his family and loved ones would help drive the deciding factor.
“It’s interesting because in my heart, I always knew that Michigan was a part of the group of schools that he was interested in," Chris said. "But I’ll be honest with you, it was truly beneficial for us to go on these official visits because we were able to get more insight. It did ultimately come down to that final decision by Amir.”
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Herring is indeed a family man.
He likely wouldn't be in the same position that he is now without the unconditional support of his parents, grandparents, and other close relatives. Showered with the love that every child deserves throughout their young life, Herring probably knew that he would have that continue at the same degree from years past if he remained nearby in college.
“Amir is a person who’s very close with his family," Grice said. "His mom and dad were very encouraging in helping Amir get to where he wanted to be. Also, for his parents to have another opportunity to be a part of his football career was a big reason.”
Outside of that, it was Herring's ability to pursue his dream of earning a degree in the medical field at one of the more prestigious programs in the country, as well as learning under both Sherrone Moore and Jim Harbaugh.
“All of the schools in Amir's top four had excellent (medical) programs but it was the ability to stay home and for his grandparents to see him," Chris said. "We’re very family oriented and we have a lot of members in our family. As you can see, Amir is well loved and liked. So just the ability to have people come out and cheer him on was something that Amir always looked for and will always have.”
Moore, who picked up his first offensive line commit within the 2023 class in Herring, had been recruiting the latter for the past two years, ever since he transitioned over from tight ends to the offensive line and starting when Herring was offered the summer before his sophomore season.
According to Grice, it was Moore who stayed in contact and connected well with him and Herring. It appeared that the relationship transformed into something greater once Herring and his family took a personal visit to campus back in April to meet with Moore individually.
What occurred during that fateful trip became a major catalyst in Herring deciding to make his return officially for "Victors Weekend." The three days alongside Moore and Harbaugh, as well as time spent with the current offensive lineman on the roster, was crucial in Herring seeing the family environment and tight knit atmosphere that Michigan excelled in constructing under the current coaching staff.
“We had the opportunity to meet with academic advisor which was very impressive for me," Chris said. "Even meeting with coach Harbaugh and coach Moore was very impressive. Coach Moore has been instrumental in the push to talk about Michigan and how Michigan can fit for Amir. Honestly, I think the official visit and the visit in April was what brought Michigan into the conversation of being a top contender.”
Moore also became very vocal in Herring's versatility because of his frame and athleticism. The 6-foot-4, 300-pounder is the anchor at West Bloomfield but will move over inside to either guard or center for his freshman year at Michigan. Herring used the entire offseason at various national camps to take snaps at both positions to get that experience in time for the anticipated change.
"Amir is very smart in picking things up so whatever coach Moore brings to the table for him, he’s going to adapt," Grice said. "He’s such a quick learner that he’ll be successful at any position on the offensive line.”
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It can't be said enough of how important it is for a college to establish strong pipelines with the local high schools that produce next level ready talent.
Even without the inclusion of Bellamy to the staff, Michigan's recent success in landing Makari Paige, Donovan Edwards, and 2023 four-star wide receiver Semaj Morgan has instilled that perception of Ann Arbor being a mini West Bloomfield. For those currently in the Lakers program, driving the short distance brings about a level of comfort that can't be replicated elsewhere because of the magnitude of connections.
“I think we have a pipeline with Michigan because of the relationships that we have every time we go up to campus," Grice said. "Amir knows the players at Michigan who came from West Bloomfield like Donovan and Makari, as well as our former head coach in Ron."
Herring's decision is just another example of how well the Wolverines have recruited West Bloomfield and how well they developed those players. For those like Herring and Morgan, they bare witness to the impact that both Paige and Edwards have had for Michigan, especially last season during its College Football Playoff run, and hope to replicate that trend as early as next year.
“We really enjoy that connection with Michigan," Grice said. "We enjoy it because our former players are going there to play. They’re not sitting out and are playing on a consistent basis. That only will grow that pipeline with our boys continuing to play. We have some younger guys in our system that Michigan will be looking at who are going to be very special in their own right. Amir is just one of many who are going to keep that pipeline going.”
Credit for Herring's pledge also needs to be due to Morgan and his parents, who since committing back in December, have remained in the ear of their close friends for the past several months in order to team up once again at the next level.
“We’ve known the Morgan’s for quite some time," Chris said. "Amir and Semaj played basketball together originally. Of course, they go to the same high school as well. I’ll be the first to tell you that yes, they’ve been advocates in Amir coming to Michigan. They’ve all been true advocates of the program at Michigan and Amir being a team member of theirs.”
It just goes to show how much work behind the scenes is done for the end result to be in favor of said school. Three years of hoping, exploring, and pondering all came down to 30 seconds of Herring picking up the final hat.
With that stage of his career now over, Herring can move forward and focus on his next goal: becoming a two-time state champion.
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