The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/787035
24 THE WOLVERINE MARCH 2017 2017 FOOTBALL RECRUITING ISSUE BY CHRIS BALAS W hen Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh announced through school spokes- men that his program would host a second Signing of the Stars event to introduce U-M's re- cruiting class, many wondered how he could possibly top last year's. That program, streamed live on former perennial MLB All-Star and New York Yankee Derek Jeter's The Players' Tribune website, featured so many big names, including Tom Brady and Jeter himself, that out- doing it was nearly impossible … especially since Brady was in Hous- ton preparing to earn his fifth Super Bowl ring. Instead, though Harbaugh moved the event to a bigger venue (Crisler Center, compared to Hill Auditorium on campus last year), it was scaled back from the star-studded affair it was a year ago. He replaced big names like professional wrestler Ric Flair and rappers Migos with former Wolverines like Jon Jansen, LaMarr Woodley and Brandon Graham. The result was a very Michigan feel. Comedian and alum Randy Sk- lar hosted last year 's alone because his twin brother Jason, the other half of his act, wasn't available, but both were on hand for the sequel. "The first year, nothing had been done like it so they were looking to make a giant splash, and they did," Jason Sklar said. "It was an event people talked about. "This year they said, 'Okay, we did that. Now let's get some for- mer Michigan football players and coaches. … Let's get other people that SUBTLE CELEBRATION Signing Of The Stars II Was More Substance Than Style From left to right, Donovan Peoples-Jones, Ja'Raymond Hall and Cesar Ruiz were among Michigan's 11 early enrollees that appeared at the Signing of the Stars. PHOTO BY PER KJELDSEN