The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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PREP PROFILES As a sophomore, outside linebacker Tyriq Thompson played his high school football at Lee's Summit West High School in Missouri. Moving to Michigan for his junior season turned out to be a big move for his gridiron career. He starred for Martin Luther King High School as a junior, pacing the Crusaders in tackles — which has lead to a burst of scholarship offers. Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Northwestern, North Carolina State, Pittsburgh and Wis- consin were among the earliest to get in the game for the 6-1, 215-pounder. Both Big Ten schools from his new home state also entered the fray, with Michigan following suit last of all. "It was Coach [Greg] Mattison," Thompson explained. "I actually called him on the phone. After we talked for a minute, he told me that he wanted me to come play linebacker up at Michigan. He liked what I was able to do on the field on film, and he wanted to give me an offer. "I was pretty excited. He told me that their evaluation process is pretty deep. They were just taking their time evalu- ating to make sure that I was the right guy." Michigan has a special connection to Thompson, since his father Clar- ence was a U-M defensive back and linebacker from 1993-96. However, the Spartans have made a bigger early im- pact, thanks to the recruiting efforts of linebackers coach Mike Tressel and di- rector of player advancement Curtis Blackwell. "It's been pretty strong for me," he said of Michigan State's recruitment. "From what I have seen, it is just the relationships that they build with their players." Fortunately for Michigan, the of- fer from the Wol- verines has slowed down a recruit- ment that looked like it was heading toward an early MSU pledge. An- other feather in the U-M cap is the quality of the academic programs in Ann Arbor. Thompson holds a GPA above 4.0, thanks to ad- vanced placement classes, and will be evaluating colleges' academics just as much as their football product. "Number one would be education, and then it would be the potential for us to win games and championships," he said. While his father favors Michigan, he's also made it clear that the college de- cision is Tyriq's alone. Either way, it looks like the battle for the Detroit News All-City and All-Metro (all-divisions) pick, and Associated Press All-State Di- visions 1-2 selection will be a classic Wolverines-Spartans battle. — Tim Sullivan Michigan Legacy Looking At Both In-State Schools ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ Martin Luther King High School Detroit Class: 2015 Position: Outside Linebacker Ht.: 6-1 • Wt.: 215 Rivals.com Rankings: No. 10 player in Michigan and No. 29 outside line- backer nationally Tyriq Thompson