This week's edition of Inside the Fort brings you the latest on what we're hearing in regards to several of the Michigan Wolverines' most important football players, and the decisions they'll have to make in the wake of the Big Ten's cancellation of the fall season.
We also spoke to a handful of former Wolverine football players to get their thoughts on these unprecedented times, while providing an update on basketball coach Juwan Howard's recruiting efforts as well.
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A sample of what's inside…
Starting with football …
We know now there won’t be any games this fall in the Big Ten, and according to more than one at Schembechler Hall, the feeling of inevitability permeated through many on the team (players and coaches included). They held out hope but understood the plug could be pulled at any time, which it obviously was earlier this week.
To their credit, the players never took it easy, and this was a team that had a lot of upside … and no, we don’t believe we’ll see it in the spring, either. Nor do most close to it. Even the folks doing the fundraising aren’t sure what’s next, or what exactly to tell the donors and season-ticket holders about the next time they’ll see this team on the field.
We expect it will be fall, and while the NCAA will likely grant an added year of eligibility, we’ve probably seen the last of a number of the seniors. Again, the team is still practicing, but one source told us senior end Kwity Paye is “already gone” and preparing to work out for the NFL. Others will likely follow.
We’d heard as many as five to 10 players might have opted out for the fall season, regardless. Some of the starters, including two in the secondary, hadn’t been at practice all fall. One in particular, Ambry Thomas, made a lot of sense given his past health issues in battling colitis last summer and nearly missing the season.
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