When Sam McGuffie came to Michigan as a running back out of Texas in 2008, he was a YouTube legend. He transferred to Rice, but it seems U-M has another player with a stunning highlight film.
Kellen Jones, a linebacker from Houston St. Pius X, gave U-M an oral commitment Thursday and his highlight reel is thrilling -- from jumping the pile near the goal line to stripping the quarterback to one-arm tackles and punt blocks during his nine varsity games in 2009.
Yet St. Pius X coach Jason Kimball said Friday the best highlight might not even be on there.
In a preseason scrimmage last year against Bay City (Texas) High School, Jones saw a sweep outside and reacted, hitting the tailback behind the line of scrimmage. Kimball called the hit "violent," bad enough to knock both players from the game and sideline Jones for a few weeks with a concussion. It hurt him and the opposing tailback, but it inspired the team.
"The first time the lights came on when he was at linebacker we knew," Kimball said. "There were wow moments and he continued to make plays."
The 6-1, 209-pound linebacker had the stats, too -- 75 tackles, 22 for loss, 17 hurries, six sacks, three recovered fumbles, four blocked punts, two blocked field goals, three forced fumbles, two TDs and an interception.
It all was enough to get U-M's Texas expert, assistant coach Fred Jackson, down to St. Pius X and begin recruiting Jones. Apparently it wasn't a hard sell -- the whole family was already U-M fans.
"He's already talking smack, drinking the maize-and-blue Kool-Aid," Kimball, an LSU fan, said of Jones.
