Wright headed to Michigan By CRAIG SWEENEY
Salem News sports writer
Bryan Wright is ready to trade the red and black of Salem for the maize and blue of Michigan.
Wright, a senior kicker at Salem High School, verbally committed to the University of Michigan Tuesday to play football for the Wolverines. Wright, a 2005 Division III Northeast Inland First-Team All-District selection, was offered a full-ride scholarship by the Wolverines Tuesday and accepted.
According to Salem coach Doug Phillips, Wright received a phone call at approximately 1:45 p.m. Tuesday and was offered a scholarship. At 4:30 p.m., Wright called Michigan coach Lloyd Carr and accepted the offer.
"It's a dream come true for a family and a son," Phillips said.
Phillips credited the scholarship offer to all of the hard work Wright has put into his craft.
"It starts with Bryan working hard and having a dream of being the best kicker in the state of Ohio," Phillips said.
"He has a great passion for the game of football - especially kicking."
The 6-foot-2, 205-pound Wright has the second longest field goal in Ohio high school football history. On Oct. 14, Wright kicked a 57-yard field goal during Salem's loss to Poland. The state record is a 60-yard field goal by B.J. Sanders of Cincinnati Roger Bacon in 1998.
Wright was on the Michigan campus for the Wolverines' games against Indiana and Ohio State this season.
Michigan has a 7-4 record this season and is a member of the Big Ten Conference.
Wright will not officially become a Wolverine until he signs his National Letter of Intent. The first day he can sign on the dotted line is Feb. 1, 2006.
This season Wright helped lead the Quakers to a 7-3 record and the program's first back-to-back winning seasons since 1972-73.
Others schools to show interest in Wright were Ohio State, Cincinnati, Pitt and Bowling Green.
