The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/787035
86 THE WOLVERINE MARCH 2017 2017 FOOTBALL RECRUITING ISSUE BY CHRIS BALAS Darien (Conn.) High offensive line- man Andrew Stueber was only 16 years old when he received his first significant offer, earning it at a Boston College football camp the summer af- ter his sophomore season. Penn State and Maryland followed, and then the Ivy League schools also jumped in. None of it, though, was enough to convince him that he'd become one of the elite prep offensive linemen in the country. Even after Michigan of- fered (and he accepted) last summer, Stueber admitted the enormity of his accomplishment had yet to sink in. "It's still kind of setting in," he said with a laugh Jan. 31, the day before he would sign with the Wolverines and send in his letter of intent — and that was with the letter sitting on the table in front of him. "To be part of that … I guess it will sink in over the the next few months and the summer when I get up there. "I think after signing day, when I get the playbook and start to talk to the coaches more, that's when it will really start to set in. I'm really excited to get up there and see what I can do." He was set to send his letter at 7:01 a.m. on National Signing Day, he noted, to get it in as early as possible. When he did and received confirma- tion that the Michigan coaches had it, it ended one journey — a quest to at- tend the school he'd always admired growing up — and opened the door to the possibility of becoming one of the next Michigan greats. Though not the most highly rated lineman U-M has ever recruited (Ri- vals.com's No. 74 tackle nationally and a three-star prospect, although Scout, 247Sports and ESPN viewed him as a four-star recruit), Stueber has great potential. He's a man-child at 6-7, 290 pounds with plans to reach 300 or 305 by the time he enrolls this summer, and he doesn't have much bad weight. He also has the frame to add more good poundage, and he moves well for his size. U-M will need depth on the line this fall, and Stueber is well aware. Offensive coordinator/line coach Tim Drevno has not hesitated to play true freshmen in the past, and he started one this year in guard Ben Bredeson. "I definitely know how important time and development is at the of- fensive line position, and me being young for my grade, I know how hard it is to start as a freshman," Stue- ber said. "I've been working with a trainer, five or six times a week. I'm going to go in with a competitive mindset, play as hard as I can and see where it lands me." He'll have no regrets whether he plays this year or not, Stueber ex- plained. He knew from the moment he stepped on campus last summer for the Wolverines' big man camp, where he earned his offer from Drevno, that Michigan was the right fit. "On my first trip out there, it was everything I expected," he said. "I knew it was kind of a big school com- ing into it, but it definitely felt like a community within such a big school. "Growing up in small town Con- necticut, I wanted to venture out to something bigger, like a school like Michigan, but I still wanted that type of community when I was out there. That was something I really liked." As the first big-name recruit from his high school, Stueber remained un- der the radar for a period of time. His coaches — and his play — helped get him noticed, and he didn't stay a se- cret for long. Partaking in one of the Michigan satellite camps earned him notice from the U-M staff. "That's when I really got a sense for what level I could compete at," he said. "Coach Drevno wasn't there, though, so they really wanted me to come out to their big man camp, which I was happy to do. I wasn't go- ing to pass on an opportunity to play in The Big House, Michigan Stadium, which is awesome. "Coach Drevno liked me, and he offered me right in the middle of the stadium. Getting that offer at the big man camp, it really kind of set in what level I could compete at. It felt great." He committed shortly thereaf- ter and hasn't looked back. Several schools called to take his tempera- ture, so to speak, in the last few weeks before National Signing Day, but he never wavered. "I was confident in my decision and I stayed strong," he said. "I'm fully on board. Michigan always preached to me the academic side, life after foot- ball. I couldn't be happier with my decision." ❏ Small Town Product Andrew Stueber Hit The Big Time With Michigan The 6-7, 290-pound Stueber is rated as a three-star recruit by Rivals.com, but the other three major recruiting services rated him a four-star prospect. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS.COM