Michigan will play host to Under Armour All-American defensive end
Sam Montgomery (Greenwood, S.C./Greenwood) for an official visit this week and Montgomery said on Wednesday night that the Wolverines may have pulled ahead a little.
"I am really liking (Michigan) right now," Montgomery said. "But LSU is in there as well."
The Wolverines are no strangers to recruiting the Palmetto State, having signed at least one player from South Carolina during the last three recruiting cycles. They signed defensive back
J.T. Floyd (Greenville, S.C./J.L. Mann) in last year's class, receiver
Junior Hemingway (Conway, S.C./Conway) in the Class of 2007 and defensive lineman
Adam Patterson (Columbia, S.C./Richland Northeast) in the Class of 2006.
Last week, during practices leading up to the Under Armour All-American Game in Orlando, there was intense speculation that Montgomery would end up in Baton Rouge, including Montgomery himself going on the record with LSU as his leader.
That was before a staff shake-up in Baton Rouge took place on the defensive side of the ball. Co-defensive coordinators Bradley Dale Peveto and Doug Mallory have moved on and defensive line coach Earl Lane, Montgomery's recruiter of record, is not expected to be a part of the staff in 2009.
There could be a strong third player in the Montgomery sweepstakes. He says that after his Ann Arbor trip, he will head to North Carolina for an official visit the following weekend. Tar Heels defensive line coach John Blake is one of Montgomery's favorite recruiters and was instrumental in bringing another South Carolina defensive lineman,
Robert Quinn (North Charleston, S.C./Fort Dorchester) in for the Class of 2008. Quinn played significant snaps this year for the Tar Heels, who finished 8-5 and played in the Meineke Car Care Bowl in Charlotte, their first bowl trip under second-year head coach Butch Davis.
Montgomery also hasn't ruled out in-state schools Clemson and South Carolina. Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney called Montgomery on Wednesday night and the Gamecocks have two of his teammates (Class of 2009 safety
D.J. Swearinger and Class of 2010 defensive tackle
Kelcy Quarles) committed.
Most close to Montgomery believe he ultimately will stay close to home, which is a big sign that he may indeed end up in Chapel Hill if he does not have a change-of-heart about staying in-state.
...Cont'd