Where You At?: Marcus Ray Edition

The "Where You At?" series returns with a look at former Michigan safety Marcus Ray.

Anyone who has followed Michigan recently knows that the Wolverines have had their fair share of problems at safety (the mere mention of Ryan Mundy or Stevie Brown sends shivers down my spine). However, the 1997 national title team featured Marcus Ray, one of my personal favorite Wolverines and a hard hitting strong safety.

Ray was a product of the same Columbus, OH high school that produced Archie Griffin (Eastmoor High School). While Charles Woodson was the more highly-regarded defensive back in the 1995 recruiting class, Ray also made an immediate impact during his freshman year. He started six games at safety, amassing 27 tackles, three pass breakups, and an interception.

Woodson and Ray: Not a bad DB class (photo from mikedesimone.com)

He broke out as a sophomore, starting all twelve games at strong safety. His best game came in Michigan's 45-29 victory over Michigan State, when he tallied ten tackles, broke up a pass, and had two of the Wolverines' four interceptions. Ray would finish the season with 100 tackles, good for second on the team, as well as seven pass breakups and three picks. He was named second-team All-Big Ten, as selected by the coaches, and was an honorable mention for the media team.

As we all know, everything came together during the 1997 season. Ray finished third on the team with 71 tackles, broke up four passes and had five interceptions (second on the team behind a certain Heisman Trophy winner). He had two interceptions during Michigan's 28-24 comeback victory over Iowa, and added two more during the team's blowout of Michigan State. However, the defining moment of Ray's season, career, and arguably the 1997 season as a whole came during the regular season finale against Ohio State. Late in the fourth quarter, OSU quarterback Joe Germaine rolled to his right and sailed a pass over the head of receiver David Boston, who had been physically and verbally battling with the Wolverine defensive backfield all day. Ray pounced on the opportunity to give Boston the licking he deserved, and sent him flying up into the air before crashing down onto his back (video here). The hit was immortalized on the next week's cover of Sports Illustrated, and would come to symbolize the smashmouth defense of the 1997 title team. Ray was named second-team All-America and first-team All-Big Ten after the season.

Ray's 1998 season was a rocky one. After Ray started in the Wolverines' season-opening losses to Notre Dame and Syracuse, it came to light that he had accepted illegal benefits from a Cincinnati-based agent named James Gould. He was forced to serve a five-game suspension, and when he returned his starting role and captaincy were both gone. He would finish the season with only 31 tackles and one interception, coming in the last regular season game against Hawaii.

After graduating from Michigan in 1998, Ray went undrafted, and signed a free agent deal with the Oakland Raiders for the 1999 season. He appeared in eight games and recorded one tackle that year, and in 2000 was optioned to the Scottish Claymores of NFL Europe. He had a solid season for the Claymores, recording 39 tackles, defending seven passes, and picking off a pass while helping lead the team to a World Bowl appearance.

Ray after a game-sealing interception of Danny Wuerffel sent the Claymores to the 2000 World Bowl (I'm not making this up)

Ray hung up his cleats after the 2000 season, and he took a job as co-defensive coordinator at Linden McKinley High School in Columbus in 2001. The next season he was the assistant head coach and defensive coordinator at Eastmoor, his alma mater, before taking the same positions in 2003 at Northland High School.

He moved his way up to the college ranks in 2004, taking over as defensive backs coach for Division II Ohio Dominican University. He coached for three years at Ohio Dominican before accepting a job as a graduate assistant on Lloyd Carr's staff in 2007. When Carr retired, he helped Ray get a job as a graduate assistant at Central Michigan, where he currently works. He lives with his wife, Lynda, and his two young sons, Marcus II ("Deuce") and Malik.

Here's hoping Ray works his way onto Michigan's coaching staff in the future. He sure seems to be a football lifer, and it would always be great to have a former national champ and All-American. Having potential recruiting ties into Ohio State's backyard certainly wouldn't hurt either.

Ray, today (photo from cmuchippewas.com)

I cannot let this article end without commenting on an incredibly strange thing I stumbled across while researching this piece. In September 1998, just nine months after Michigan won the national title, the movie "Knock Out" was released. According to IMDB, in the movie "Action star Jean Claude Van Damme plays a fashion designer who must join forces with a C.I.A. agent to combat terrorism.". The name of Van Damme's character: Marcus Ray. Coincidence, right? Not so fast, my friend! His sidekick, played by Rob Schneider (what a cast!) is named Tommy Hendricks, which also happens to be the name of the Wolverines' starting free safety in '97. I used Wikipedia to the best of my ability to try to find the reason for the main characters being named after the Michigan safety duo, and the only thing I could find was that the screenwriter, Steven E. de Souza (who also wrote Die Hard and Die Hard II) went to Penn State. The only reason I can think of for him naming the characters Marcus Ray and Tommy Hendricks is that he lost a bet. If so, just be glad the characters weren't named Curtis Enis and Mike McQueary.

UPDATE: Something I missed last night that attests to Ray's character: while suspended during the 1998 season, he suited up at running back for the scout team after the Wolverines struggled mightily against two option offenses. That's how to put your ego on the back burner and do whatever it takes to help the team win.

Sources:
MGoBlue Statistics Archive
Bentley Historical Library
NCAA: Ray to miss two more games (Michigan Daily)
Marcus Ray Statistics (Pro-Football-Reference.com)
2000 Scottish Claymores Team Statistics (indexNFLEL)
Scottish Claymores (Wikipedia)
NFLE2000 Week 9 (Scottish Cheddarheads)
CMU adds well-known graduate assistant (MLive)
Marcus Ray (CMUChippewas.com)
Knock Off (Wikipedia)

Where You At?: "MidKnight" Marcus Knight Edition

The Where You At? series continues with a profile of former Michigan wide receiver Marcus Knight.

Michigan churns out a lot of professional players at every position, but arguably the strongest position for the Wolverines in recent memory is wide receiver. Michigan has produced top-10 picks in Desmond Howard, David Terrell, and Braylon Edwards, as well as a cast of tremendous collegiate wideouts, from Amani Toomer through Mario Manningham. Michigan may not be known as Wideout U, but it might as well be.

With all of those high profile receiving alumni, Marcus Knight's name gets lost in the discussion of best Michigan wideouts. Although he only really had an impact during his junior and senior seasons, Knight was a tremendous deep threat who averaged more than 17 yards per catch over his career. Although he was overshadowed during his career by Tai Streets and the aforementioned Terrell, Knight put up solid numbers and was a more-than-capable second option in 1998 and 1999.

Knight grew up in the small Alabama town of Sylacauga, where there was tremendous pressure on him to play for either Alabama or Auburn. He even had an older brother, Damien Jeffries, who had played for 'Bama. However, he bucked the trend of most southern high schoolers and went north to Michigan, choosing the Wolverines over the Crimson Tide on signing day. According to Knight, it all came down to a gut feeling:

"On signing day I had both of the scholarships in front of me,'' Knight said. "I had them in my hand, both FedExed to me. Me and a friend took them in the bathroom. And I just had the feeling Michigan was the scholarship I needed to sign. It came down to signing day.''

However, stuck behind Streets, Russell Shaw, and even cornerback Charles Woodson on the receiving depth chart, Knight had little impact in the 1996 and 1997 seasons, tallying only seven total catches during his first two campaigns. After his sophomore season, Knight seriously considered transferring back to Alabama, with the hopes of getting more playing time in his home state. Michigan had just signed two blue chip recruits, Terrell and Marquise Walker, at receiver, and Knight would have to earn his spot on every snap despite being an upperclassman.

"After my sophomore year I was thinking about transferring just because of the fact that I wasn't having the success I should have in college football,'' Knight said. "I was pretty close. That was my plan, to go and try to get with Alabama, see if I could get back to the state of Alabama.''

Instead of transferring, Knight stuck it out. His decision would be rewarded on week one of the 1998 season, when Knight hauled in five catches for 126 yards against Notre Dame, solidifying his spot as the starting receiver opposite Streets. Knight would finish the season with 42 catches for 603 yards and a touchdown, including a seven catch, 116 yard performance in the Wolverines' game against Ohio State. Knight's breakout season gave him confidence, and a bit of swagger that was missing his first two years:

"Believe it or not, Marcus Knight has been waiting to do this for a long time," Marcus Knight says in the third-person, a telltale sign of an athlete who knows how to throw clichés to the press while still sounding cool at the same time. "It's just that things weren't working out the way I'd have liked."

Marcus Knight probably liked the way Marcus Knight caught this ball (photo from michiganfansite.com).

Knight improved upon his solid 1998 performance with a great 1999 season. Despite once again being the second option, with Terrell stepping in for Streets, Knight came up big time and again for the Wolverines in his senior year. He put together three straight 100-yard games (Purdue, @ Michigan State, Illinois) and finished the season with 794 yards and six touchdowns, while posting a stellar 20.4 yards per catch average. Fittingly, Knight ended his Michigan career playing against Alabama. He tallied three catches for 28 yards against his hometown team as the Wolverines won a classic Orange Bowl matchup against the #5 team in the country. Knight earned second-team All-Big Ten honors, as well as the Bob Ufer Award, given to the senior who shows the most love and enthusiasm for the Michigan program, which is a pretty big turnaround for a guy who almost transferred halfway through his career.

After going undrafted by the NFL, Knight spent the 2000 season on the Oakland Raiders' practice squad. In 2001, he made the team in training camp, and appeared in five games without registering any statistics. In 2002, he earned his place on the Raiders, returning 29 kickoffs for 705 yards, a solid 24.3 yard average. Knight also recorded the only three receptions of his career. The highlight of his NFL career came in the Super Bowl, when he got to return eight kickoffs for 143 yards. Unfortunately, that was because the Raiders got absolutely shellacked by the Buccaneers, but at least he got the ball a lot.

Knight (83) returns a kickoff in Super Bowl XXXVII

In 2003, Knight was allocated by the Raiders to their NFL Europe team, the Amsterdam Admirals. He earned All-NFL Europe honors, catching 40 passes for 546 yards and five touchdowns. However, this was not enough for the Raiders to take him back, and in 2004, he was back on an NFL practice squad, this time with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Knight would not earn a callup to the NFL again, and decided in 2005 to take his game to the Arena Football League. He joined the Philadelphia Soul, where he was third on the team in receiving with 65 catches, 886 yards and 23 touchdown (remember, this is the Arena League). In 2006, after spending half the season with the Soul, he was moved to the Columbus Destroyers, where he went from being an offensive specialist to a wide receiver/linebacker (Arena League is weird, etc.). Knight spent the next season and a half with the Destroyers, before disappearing from the league after the 2007 season, presumably to do something that does not involve playing football in a padded box. Sometime in his Arena League career, Knight earned the moniker "MidKnight". I'm sure whoever thought of that thinks he/she is really, really clever.

MidKnight, Destroyer of Worlds

Michigan finally feels like home to Marcus Knight (Knight-Ridder Newspapers)
Knight and day (Michigan Daily)
MGoBlue Statistics Archive
Marcus Knight Statistics (pro-football-reference.com)
Super Bowl XXXVII Box Score (NFL.com)
"MidKnight" Marcus Knight (ArenaFan)
Marcus Knight (arenafootball.com)

Where You At?: Chris Howard Edition

The Where You At? series returns with a new, cat-free logo. Today's edition takes a look at the post-Michigan career of running back Chris Howard.

It seems somewhat ironic that in an era of superstar Michigan running backs (Wheatley, Biakabutuka, Thomas, Perry, Hart) the running back who started for the 1997 National Champs was relatively unspectacular. Since 1990, there have been only five seasons in which Michigan did not produce a 1000-yard rusher. Two of those seasons came when Chris Howard was in his junior and senior campaigns, and in 1997 (his senior year) he was the feature back in Michigan's offense.

I am not claiming that Howard was a poor back. Far from it, in fact. However, almost every feature back before and after him was a first-day NFL Draft Pick (and the one that wasn't, Mike Hart, is Michigan's all-time leading rusher). Because of this, Howard is the forgotten back of the Lloyd Carr era, despite anchoring the ground game for the 1997 champs.

Howard came to Michigan from the Louisiana powerhouse John Curtis Christian High School, which has produced 13 NFL players. Buried on the depth chart behind Tyrone Wheatley and Tim Biakabutuka, Howard saw little action in his first two seasons. After Biakabutuka left early for the NFL in 1995, Howard and sophomore Clarence Williams split the running back duties in 1996. Although he only started two games, Howard amassed 725 yards and ten touchdowns on the ground, and ran for over 100 yards in five of his ten games.

The forgotten Wolverine running back goes off tackle against Ohio State in 1997.

Howard beat out Williams for the starting running back spot in 1997, although he was still pushed for carries by Williams and true freshman Anthony Thomas. Howard rose to the challenge, tallying four more 100-yard games en route to rushing for 938 yards and seven touchdowns. Against Penn State, in the biggest game of his career to that point, Howard 120 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries against the then-#3 team in the country. Michigan crushed the Nittany Lions, 34-8, in a game that would vault them to #1 spot in the polls. The rest, as they say, is history.

After winning North team MVP honors in the 1998 Hula Bowl (116 yards on 14 carries), Howard was taken in the fifth round of the NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos. His career in the Mile-High City didn't last long, however, as Howard was released after fumbling five times in two preseason games. The Jaguars picked up Howard two weeks into the 1998 season after James Stewart went down with a torn ACL, and Coach Tom Coughlin looked to fix Howard's fumbling issues:

''It was carelessness,'' Coughlin said of Howard's fumbles. ''Basically, we'll start from scratch with him fundamentally here.''

Unfortunately, Howard was stuck deep in the Jaguars depth chart. In three seasons, he only carried the ball 41 times for 123 yards and a touchdown. He never got a start until his third season in Jacksonville. That year, Howard appeared in the first two games, fumbled twice, and never saw NFL action again.

Tuck it, Chris, TUCK IT!

Although his NFL career was brief, Howard took full advantage of his time in the league. At a 1999 party in Jacksonville, he met actress Gabrielle Union, who you may know from being in such movies as "10 Things I Hate About You", "Love and Basketball", "The Others", and, um, others. You may also know her from being very, very attractive. Howard and Union married in 2001, a major coup for a guy who only spent three years in the NFL.

Chris Howard, clearly still stunned at how damn lucky he is.

Unfortunately, Howard and Union divorced in 2005, which led to this quote from a People Magazine article:

Last June, while promoting her role in The Honeymooners, Union lightheartedly expressed some complaints about her husband, saying: "He never hangs his clothes up. I'm the kind of person whose clothes are all hung up and color-coordinated, to the point where my whites don't touch my creams. And he thinks that he can just stick things in the dishwasher – apparently the dishwasher is magic. Oh, and he leaves the toilet seat up. I guess all the things you have to get used to about living with a guy."

Wait, you can't just stick things in the dishwasher? Sometimes I cram my head in there and put it on the "Pots and Pans" setting before hitting the town. Works like a charm.

Since the divorce, Howard has gone underground (at least by Google search standards). Still, from what I've read, the guy is living a pretty charmed life. Four years at Michigan, a National Title, three seasons in the NFL, and four years of Gabrielle Union. Not a bad decade by anyone's standards.

Chris Howard (Wikipedia)
Statistics Archive (MGoBlue)
Jaguars: Stewart goes on IR; Howard takes his spot (Jacksonville.com)
Chris Howard Statistics (Pro-Football-Reference.com)
Gabrielle Union, Husband Split (People)
Gabrielle Union (imdb.com)

Where You At?: Rob Renes Edition

The Where You At? series keeps on truckin' (or trackin'?) (please stop me from making more puns) with a look a former defensive tackle Rob Renes.

Michigan has had its fair share of pile-pushing DT's in recent years; Terrence Taylor, Alan Branch, and Gabe Watson all come to mind. However, none of these talented players received the accolades of Rob Renes, who lettered from 1996-99.

I remember Renes as a short, round white guy who looked like he wanted to burrow under the center when he lined up. He never looked particularly threatening until the ball was snapped, when he showed shocking quickness for a man of his size. Renes always seemed to make his way into the backfield, and I was a big fan of the way he disrupted plays and always seemed to be giving his all (typical white guy praise, I know, but he really deserves it).

Rob Renes may have to look up at your quarterback, but he'll be in his face all day

Renes saw very limited action in four games as a freshman, stuck behind All-American William Carr at nose tackle. With Carr gone in 1997, however, Renes stepped in and filled Carr's (quite large) gap admirably. Although he was overshadowed on the Michigan defense by Charles Woodson, Marcus Ray, Glen Steele, and others, he actually had his best season statistically during the National Title season. Renes recorded 47 tackles, nine of them for a loss, and had a career-high four sacks.

Renes kept up his solid play the next two seasons. In 1998, he tallied 51 tackles (a career-high), nine more TFL's, forced a fumble and recovered two. Renes, for the second straight season, picked up the Arthur Robinson Scholarship Award, given to the Michigan player who achieves the most in the classroom. He also picked up the hilariously-named Dick Katcher award, which acknowledges Michigan's outstanding defensive lineman or outside linebacker. The following season, Renes became only the fourth Wolverine to be named first team All-America both on the field and academically. The co-captain tallied 46 tackles (five for loss), one sack, a forced fumble and a recovery on the season, won another Katcher (muffled snicker) award, and finished his career as one of the most accomplished Wolverines in history, both on and off the field.

A scholar and a, well, really good defensive tackle. As well as a gentleman, from all accounts.

Renes was taken in the seventh round of the 2000 NFL Draft by the Indianapolis Colts, but his career would be cut short. Two weeks into training camp, he fractured a vertebrae and was place on injured reserve. Forced to wear a back brace, Renes was waived by the Colts after the season, and never played a down in the NFL.

Luckily, Renes took full advantage of his Michigan education. He taught at Saline Middle School from 2001-2002, and then moved on to teaching at Reeths-Puffer Middle School in Muskegon County. Renes (who is referred to as "Robbie" in his Reeths-Puffer profile) picked up his Masters in Educational Leadership from Western Michigan in 2007, and continues to teach Geography and History and Reeths-Puffer. He has added a few extra titles since teaching in Muskegon, as he is now the NCA Committee Co-Chair, Social Studies Department Co-Chair, and Supervisor of F.A.P.E. Services. I'm not sure what some of that means, but it sounds like he's a quick riser in the teaching world.

"Robbie" Renes

Renes provides his general philosophy on education and his vision for learners in his profile:

General Philosophy of Education:

My general philosophy of education is that all students are capable of learning. I believe that as a teacher, it is my responsibility to provide opportunities for students to learn, while it is the responsibility of the student to take advantage of those opportunities.

A Vision for Learners:

My vision for learners is simple. I envision all learners developing the skills necessary to become life-long learners. With these skills in hand, I believe anyone is capable of deriving value from any given situation.

It sounds like Renes is a dedicated and successful teacher, and it is great to see that he is using his Academic All-American background to help others learn. It's unfortunate that his playing career was cut short, but he has landed on his feet quite nicely, and is giving back to his community.

Rob Renes (Wikipedia)
Rob Renes, Football All-American (Bentley Historical Library)
Annual Michigan Football Bust: Scholarships and Awards
MGoBlue Statistics Archive
Robbie Renes Profile (Reeths-Puffer Schools)

Where You At?: Michael Taylor Edition

Today's edition of Where You At? looks at former Wolverine quarterback Michael Taylor, the last Michigan starter with true dual-threat capability.

Believe it or not, there once was a time (pre-RichRod) when Michigan quarterbacks were not enormous white statues who seemingly all came off the same assembly line equipped with cannon arms and 5.2 speed. To watch a Michigan quarterback of the Moeller/Carr era take off from the pocket was to watch a Wright Brothers creation occupy the same airspace as the Blue Angels. You just prayed the poor pedaling sap got out of the way before he got sucked into a jet engine.

John Navarre (left) looks for an escape from the oncoming defense. I recommend the nearest sideline, pronto.

However, there was a time when Michigan actually utilized the mobile quarterback to great effect. Michael Taylor, who lettered at Michigan from 1987-89, was the last of these quarterbacks, before Michigan ditched Bo Schembechler's triple option attack and put Elvis Grbac under center.

A highly touted recruit out of Cincinnati Princeton High School in 1984 (he was personally recruited by Bo), Taylor entered Michigan at the same time as Demetrious Brown, another dual-threat QB with aspirations of replacing Jim Harbaugh once he departed after the 1986 season. When the 1987 season rolled around, Taylor was locked into an intense competition with Brown for the starting job, which he would lose by the beginning of the season. Relegated to the bench, Taylor jumped at the opportunity to start when Brown was injured in a loss to Indiana. The next game, Taylor rushed for 163 yards and two touchdowns on 14 carries in a 31-10 Homecoming victory (passing was a bit of an afterthought, he was 1-5 for 3 yards, but when you run that well, who needs to throw?).

Although Taylor expected that performance to earn him the starting job, he was back on the bench the very next game. He had never had a good relationship with Gary Moeller, who at the time was the offensive coordinator, and this latest benching really did not sit well with him. From Jim Cnockaert's book "Where Have You Gone?":

"The week of the Ohio State game, I did something I had never done before: I didn't care what I did out there in practice," he said. "At some point I had had enough. I thought: 'If they are not going to play me, why should I bust my butt? Why go through the hassle if you're not going to play because someone doesn't like you?' I figured I wasn't going to play, so I threw interceptions on purpose."

Taylor ended up having to relieve an injured Brown in the Ohio State game, which Michigan ended up losing, 23-20. He was back on the bench for Michigan's victory over Alabama in the Hall of Fame Bowl.

Taylor did not see eye-to-eye with Gary Moeller (right)

In 1988, Taylor got his shot at being the starting quarterback after Brown had trouble qualifying academically. He started the first eight games, in which Michigan went 5-2-1 (with losses to Notre Dame and Miami), and amassed over 1000 all-purpose yards. Brown then returned, leading Michigan to three consecutive victories to end the season, putting Michigan in the Rose Bowl against USC. However, Taylor earned the starting job in practice leading up to the Rose Bowl, but a broken collarbone suffered the week before New Year's ended his season prematurely. (Correction from an anonymous commenter: "In 1988, Taylor lost the starting QB job in 1988 when he broke his collarbone in the first series of the Minnesota game. He did not lose the starting job because Brown got healthy, and he did not break his collarbone right before the Rose Bowl." Cnockaert says Brown broke his collarbone the week before the Rose Bowl. I believe the commenter, but haven't found anything to back it up. Anyone know?)

Michael Taylor, front and center in 1989 (#9 in the front row)

Demetrious Brown was ineligible for the 1989 season, opening the door for Taylor to assume the starting role full-time. Although Taylor suffered three cracked vertebrae after taking a hit against Notre Dame, and was forced to earn his job back from Elvis Grbac upon his return five games later, he led Michigan to a 10-2 record and the conference title. Most importantly, he again beat Ohio State (the amazing WolverineHistorian with the video; Taylor is #9, although you probably figured that out when he lined up under center):

A closely-fought 17-10 loss to USC in the 1990 Rose Bowl ended Taylor's up-and-down career at Michigan, and he did not leave the school on particularly good terms. Upset that Michigan would not pay for medical treatment of a recurring arm injury if it was not performed by a University doctor, Taylor cut himself off from the team for years. He didn't even attend games, despite continuing to live in the Ann Arbor area.

Finally, Taylor's wife Tina convinced him to reconcile with the University, and since 2000 he has done radio broadcast work at WTKA, including covering Michigan football postgames and doing the GoBlueWolverine Radio Hour. Taylor also works as a salesman for Detroit Building Supply.

Taylor recently popped up in a surprising role on the radio recently, staunchly defending the Michigan football program he one butted heads with in the wake of the Ann Arbor News' investigation into the program. To hear him defend the program, check out the audio clip over at MVictors.

Where Have You Gone?: Michael Taylor (Google Books)
WTKA hosts react to news article (MVictors)
GBW Hour is Back! With Former UM QB Michael Taylor (Scout)
MGoBlue Statistics Archive
Bentley Historical Library: Football

Where You At?: Ali Haji-Sheikh Edition

It's been a little while since I threw one of these together. Without further ado, I present the Where You At? for former Michigan kicker Ali Haji-Sheikh.

Ali Haji-Sheikh certainly has one of the more memorable names in Michigan football history. Born in Ann Arbor, Haji-Sheikh walked on to Michigan after an outstanding high school kicking career in Arlington, Texas (his area has produced eight NFL kickers, which is somewhat remarkable). After handling kickoff duties as a freshman, Haji-Sheikh became Michigan's full time kicker in 1980.

This is where Michigan's online statistical resources fail me, as their kicking statistics only go back to 1984, which happens to be two seasons after the Sheikh graduated. However, I can tell you he made 31 field goals during his career at Michigan, which I believe places him fourth on the school's all-time list. By all accounts, he was a tremendous kicker while at Michigan, and I will have to go by the word of others on that, since I wasn't yet born in 1982 and internet data on his collegiate career is sorely lacking (or at least very well hidden).

Ali Haji-Sheikh, very well hidden (1980 team photo from MGoBlue)

Haji-Sheikh was drafted in the 9th round (which no longer exists) of the 1983 NFL Draft by the New York Giants, and proceeded to set the kicking world on fire. In his rookie season, he set the NFL record for made field goals in a season (35, which still stands as the eighth-best mark of all time), made the Pro Bowl, and was selected first-team All-Pro. He also still holds the Giants records after making a 56-yard kick against the Lions. Life was good.

Haji-Sheikh, admiring how damn good he is (in 1983)

Unfortunately, kicking is somewhat of a cruel art. The all-time makes list is littered with young kickers who had one or two great seasons, only to disappear from the NFL before you can say "Chris Boniol". Haji-Sheikh struggled with a hamstring injury in 1984, went 17-for-33 on his field goals, missed three extra points, and subsequently earned the moniker "Haji-Shank" from the New York media. He was cut by the Giants after going 2-for-5 in the first two games of the season. Cartoon anvils have plummeted with less expediency than Haji-Sheikh's career with the Giants.

The Sheikh, circa 1985

Haji-Sheikh spent two more seasons in the NFL, one with Atlanta and one with Washington. He went 22-for-31 over that span and earned a Super Bowl Ring with the Redskins in 1987, despite missing 2 out of 3 kicks in the NFC Championship Game. He tried to hang on to his career by trying out for Washington again in 1987, but was cut in favor of rookie Chip Lohmiller and never played another NFL game.

Where does an unwanted kicker turn to after his football career is over? Selling cars, apparently. The Sheikh started selling cars at a dealership in New Jersey, and a 1991 New York Times article gave this gem of a quote:

Out of the National Football League since 1988, Haji-Sheikh is busy selling cars at Bergen Passaic Motors in Fair Lawn, N.J. Very busy. He was one of the top 25 sales people in the country for Volkswagen last year, when he sold more than 150 vehicles. "I was in the top five for a while, but I had a slump," said the 30-year-old Haji-Sheik.

Man, that had to feel like deja-vu. Luckily, Haji-Sheikh busted out of his slump, and is now the general manager of an Audi dealership in Birmingham, Michigan. He has settled down, has five kids, and spends a lot of his time coaching soccer and flag football.

Haji-Sheikh, showing off that golden leg while selling you an Audi (AP Photo)

Arlington-ex getting kids off on the right foot as youth coach (Dallas Morning News)
Shifting Gears; Car Salesman Still Looks to NFL (New York Times)
Ali Haji-Sheikh Statistics (Pro-Football-Reference.com)
Single-Season Total Field Goals Made Leaders (Pro-Football-Reference.com)

Where You At?: Kelly Baraka Edition

The "Where You At?" series continues with a look at former Michigan running back and Portage Northern phenom Kelly Baraka.

In college football, where 18 year-old kids are told they are destined for NFL millions before ever setting foot in a college classroom, there are bound to be some major "what-ifs". Every college football team has at least one. What if Randy Moss had not been kicked out of both Notre Dame and Florida State before ending up at Marshall? What if Jason Gwaltney could ever get his act together at West Virginia? What if Willie Williams could stay out of jail long enough to stick at Miami or Louisville? The list goes on.

For Michigan fans, Kelly Baraka is the [insert here] portion of that what if question. The Portage Northern standout was Tom Lemming's 16th ranked overall player for the recruiting class of 2001, a versatile speedster who could make an immediate impact at running back, wide receiver, defensive back, and returner. Baraka was a recruit who had reached mythical status, the sort of can't miss prospect that gets an offer from every major program in the country. In his first game of his junior season at Portage, he ran for 149 yards on 18 carries, caught 3 passes for 65 yards, made 9 tackles on defense, and returned a punt 64 yards for a touchdown...in the first half. He also ran a 10.3 100 yard dash, beating future Spartan superstar (and Lions bust) Charles Rogers for the state title.

I Am Legend

Baraka headlined a Michigan recruiting class that featured six top-100 players, including Marlin Jackson, Ernest Shazor, and Pierre Woods (as well as Pat Massey and David Underwood...oh well). However, he was arrested twice for marijuana possession before the start of his freshman campaign, and was suspended for the season by Lloyd Carr. Still, before the 2002 season, Baraka was supposed to bring lightning speed to a Michigan backfield that hadn't seen a speedster of his caliber since Tyrone Wheatley. Instead, Baraka was dismissed from the team for "undisclosed reasons" in April of 2002.

Without a Division 1-A team calling, and with the stigma of two drug arrests on his record, Baraka spent a season and a half at Joliet Junior College, a member of the NJCAA, before injuries and lost passion for the game dropped him completely off the football map.

Baraka resurfaced in 2006, showing up at a tryout for the Grand Rapids Rampage of the Arena Football League. He recorded the fastest 40-yard dash time at the tryout (4.57 seconds), but failed to latch on with the team.

One would think that failing to stick in the Arena League would signal the end of Kelly Baraka's tumultuous football career. However, Baraka was determined to continue playing the game he had a renewed passion for. For the past two seasons, Baraka has played for the Kalamazoo Xplosion, a member of the Continental Indoor Football League. The CIFL is a professional 7-on-7 indoor league, based in the Great Lakes area, that boasts high scoring games and an opportunity to move on to higher leagues.

An older, wiser, cornrowed Baraka.

Baraka has not put up mind-blowing numbers at Kalamazoo, but he sounds like he has landed on his feet. In a March 2008 interview with ESPN Radio's Kalamazoo affiliate, he expressed gratitude for the opportunity to play professional football, as well as remorse for his past mistakes. He still holds out hope of making the NFL, but most importantly, he sounds like he has his life together, and has learned from his checkered past. I'd highly recommend listening to the entirety of the interview, which can be found here.

Whether you think Kelly Baraka is a moron who wasted his talent, or a young kid who made one too many mistakes, I hope you don't hold any ill will against him. When high school kids are handed so much, some are bound to make poor choices, and ultimately what Baraka did hurt himself more than it ever hurt the Michigan program (Chris Perry and Mike Hart did a pretty good job of covering the years Baraka would have starred for the Wolverines). It is great to see that he still loves the game of football and is making the most of the opportunities that are still available to him.

Baraka could star at RB, WR or DB (ESPN)
Tom Lemming's revised top 100 for 2001 (ESPN)
Baraka dismissed by Carr, won't return (Michigan Daily)
Kelly Baraka Junior College Statistics (NJCAA)
Former U-M Blue-Chipper at Rampage Tryout (rampagefootball.com)
High school phenom gets another chance at professional football (Kalamazoo Xplosion)
Player Profile: Kelly Baraka (CIFL)
About the CIFL (CIFL)
Podcast: ESPN 1660 Sports Report (Podango)

Where You At? Tim Biakabutuka Edition

The "Where You At" series continues with a look at former Wolverine running back Tshimanga "Tim" Biakabutuka.

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that Tim Biakabutuka was the greatest Wolverine ever to be born in Zaire. Biakabutuka, who was born in Kinshasa, left Zaire for Canada with his family when he was four years old, and did not start playing football until high school. During what would be his senior year of high school, he played for Vanier College, a prep school in Quebec, where he earned the moniker "Touchdown Tim" for, well, obvious reasons.

Biakabutuka committed to Michigan in 1993 after his impressive senior year. Despite joining the football team during the prime of Tyrone Wheatley's career, Tim was able to push for playing time. He first showed his prodigious talent during the ninth game of his freshman season, when he rushed for 140 yards on only 26 carries in a victory over Purdue. Biakabutuka split time with Wheatley in 1994, tallying four more 100-yard games and finishing the season with 783 yards and seven touchdowns.

Finally out of Wheatley's shadow in 1995, Touchdown Tim put up one of the finest seasons in Michigan running back history. He posted 1891 yards on the year, a school record that still stands, averaged six yards per carry, and added 12 touchdowns. In the Big Ten finale against undefeated and #1 ranked Ohio State, Biakabutuka outshone eventual Heisman winner Eddie George and turned in one of the legendary performances in college football history. He rushed for 313 yards, the second-highest single game total in Michigan history, and scored a touchdown as Michigan upset the Buckeyes 31-23. Against a defense that started three future first round draft picks (Mike Vrabel, Antoine Winfield, and Shawn Springs), Biakabutuka could not be stopped:

Biakabutuka decided to leave Michigan after his junior season, and was drafted eighth overall in the 1996 NFL Draft by the Carolina Panthers. Biakabutuka was set to be their back of the future, as the Panthers had only existed one season in the NFL before drafting him. After a lengthy holdout, Tim signed a 6-year, $12.5 million deal, and entered his rookie season as the starter. After only four games, however, he tore a knee ligament and sat out the rest of the season. The next two seasons, Biakabutuka spent much of the season either injured or playing behind Fred Lane (an undrafted free agent picked up in 1997), and ended up starting only two games.


Biakabutuka had his most productive NFL season in 1999, rushing for 718 yards and six touchdowns in 11 games, all of which he started. He showed flashes of the promise that made him the eighth pick in the draft, running for 142 yards and three touchdowns on only 12 carries in a loss to the Redskins, and averaging a solid 5.2 yards per carry on the season. He started 11 more games in 2000, picking up 627 more yards, but was far less productive than the previous year, averaging only 3.6 yards per carry.

Tim's injury-plagued NFL career would come to a gruesome end the following season, in a Week 5 game against Washington. After already racking up 121 yards and a touchdown during the game, Biakabutuka tore every ligament in his right foot while caught in a pile during a fourth-quarter run. The injury was so bad that doctors considered amputating the foot immediately, but luckily the foot was saved. His career, however, was over.

Luckily for Tim, he had taken an interest in entering the business world even before his NFL career ended. In December 2003, with NFL teammates Muhsin Muhammad, Steve Israel, Eric Davis, Anthony Johnson and Dee Brown, as well as longtime friend Velly Janvier as investors, Biakabutuka opened the Beya Jewelry store in Charlotte. He named the store after his grandfather and one of his brothers, and turned an initial $2 million investment into two stores in the Charlotte area.

Although Biakabutuka was admittedly not a very religious man growing up, he turned to faith during his trying NFL career. Beya advertises itself as the "world's premier designer of Couture
Christian Jewelry" and features their own line of Christian jewelry, as well as designer jewelry, and according to a piece in the Charlotte Business Journal, Tim is very involved in the day-to-day operations of the store. Although the stores operated at a loss after formation, Biakabutuka expected them to be profitable by the end of 2007, and was generating annual sales of over $2 million.

Touchdown Tim in front of one of his stores (Photo from Charlotte Business Journal)

Although Biakabutuka said he enjoys being a part of the business world, he is still disappointed with how his NFL career turned out.

He loves business and its challenges, but acknowledges the pain of seeing players in his draft class still active on NFL rosters. If all had gone right, Biakabutuka would only now be winding down his NFL career. Instead, he's winding watches.

Biakabutuka regrets the way his pro career was ruined by injuries. He never had a 1,000-yard season, never played in a Super Bowl. "You wonder why, but what can you do?" he says. "If I didn't have ability, it would have been easier (to leave the NFL). But injuries got in my way."

Biakabutuka was one of my favorite players at Michigan. I was at the 1995 Ohio State game, and even before then I loved to correct people as to how to properly pronounce his given name (it's Tuh-MONG-ah Bee-OCK-ah-buh-too-kuh). I always thought he would make a great pro, and there were many signs that, if not for injuries, he would have been a Pro-Bowl caliber back. Many NFL players never get over how their careers ended, and never have the financial and business savvy to prepare for a life after football. It is great to see that Touchdown Tim is not only surviving in his post-football life, but flourishing, and doing something he has a passion for.

Step in a new direction (Charlotte Business Journal)
Tim Biakabutuka Statistics (Pro-Football-Reference)
Biakabutuka makes a name for himself (Vanier College)
MGoBlue: Statistics Archive
Biakabutuka breaks foot, may miss season (CBC)
Beya Jewelry: Partners

Where You At?: Scott Dreisbach Edition

The "Where You At?" series continues, this time with former Michigan quarterback Scott Dreisbach.

Scott Dreisbach had one of the more unique career paths of any Michigan player I remember. He played 15 games in is first two seasons, started 11 of the Wolverines' 12 games in 1996, and was a member of the 1997 National Champions. However, Dreisbach only attempted five passes in his last two seasons at Michigan, 47 fewer than he threw in his first game.

It is that first game that Dreisbach is most remembered for by Wolverine fans. In the 1995 season-opening Pigskin Classic against Virginia, he spearheaded a 17-point fourth quarter comeback, capped by a last-second touchdown pass to WR Mercury Hayes (video link via iblogforcookies). The freshman attempted 52 passes in the game, a school record at the time, completing 27 for 372 yards and two scores.


From there, Dreisbach's career at Michigan went mostly downhill. He only played three more games during an injury-riddled freshman season. Although he started the first 11 games of his sophomore season, ineffective play caused him to be benched in favor of Brian Griese during the Ohio State game. He would never start another game at quarterback for the Wolverines. Griese kept the starting job throughout the 1997 season, and a junior by the name of Tom Brady won the starting job in 1998. Dreisbach shared the backup duties that season with freshman Drew Henson, who sucks at baseball. Say what you will about Dreisbach's ability, but you can't say he was beaten out by poor quarterbacks.

Dreisbach went undrafted, but signed a free agent deal with the Oakland Raiders in 1999. After playing in two preseason games, he broke his leg and missed the entire season. His luck didn't get any better from there. Dreisbach was placed on the injured reserve in 2000 with a torn rotator cuff, spent two weeks on Buffalo's practice squad in 2001, and was released from the Lions in August of 2002 after getting sent to the Scottish Claymores of NFL Europe. Despite spending time on three NFL rosters, Dreisbach never saw a minute of playing time during the regular season.

With his NFL dream effectively over, Dreisbach moved on to the Arena Football League. He played for five different teams from 2003-2007, starting two games in 2004 for the Dallas Desperadoes. In 2007, as a member of the Columbus Destroyers, Dreisbach was the backup quarterback, manned the holder duties for 13 games, and even saw time at linebacker(!), recording 11 tackles. In what should come as a shock to no one who has read this article, he broke his arm making a special teams tackle against Georgia, which ended his season early.

Dreisbach has not appeared on an AFL roster (that I can find) since breaking his arm in 2007. However, he has left us with this incredible roster photo, complete with third-grade style background, bedhead, and shirt size. Between this and the Virginia touchdown, I'm pretty content with the career of Scott Dreisbach. Thanks, Scott, and don't ever let anyone tell you that you need a comb or a shirt larger than a children's medium for any picture, ever.

Columbus Destroyers Player Profile
Scottish Claymores Player Profile
Lions dump Scott Dreisbach (CBC)
ArenaFan Online: Scott Dreisbach
MGoBlue Statistics Archive

Where You At?: Dr. Eric Mayes Edition

I realize that the last Where You At? post, while certainly entertaining, did not exactly cast the Michigan football program in the best light. When you consider your team to be one of the upstanding programs in the NCAA, profiling a player who shot at police and eventually got busted with weed is not the best way to prove this point. With that in mind, today's Where You At? looks at the post-Michigan career of linebacker Eric Mayes.

The name that immediately comes to mind when I think of Michigan football captains is linebacker Eric Mayes. The co-captain of the 1997 National Championship team, Mayes only recorded 46 tackles in his career at Michigan. He served as a backup linebacker in 1995 and 1996 after walking on to the football program. His impact on the field in 1997 was overshadowed by the contributions of Woodson, Greise, Streets, Ray, Tuman, and a host of others. However, Mayes' impact as a leader was as large as any player in recent memory.

Mayes' career at Michigan followed a Disney-esque storyline. The Kalamazoo native transferred to Michigan in 1995 after going to Xavier College, a small Louisiana school that did not have a football program. As a walk on, Mayes contributed on special teams during his first two years on the team, registering 16 total tackles in that time. After the departure of All-American and captain Jerrett Irons before 1997, Mayes took advantage of the chance to fill both Irons' starting role and his captaincy. He had the best game of his career against Notre Dame, making 14 tackles (one for a loss) and breaking up a pass.

Unfortunately, his playing career ended in the very next game. On Indiana's fourth play from scrimmage, Mayes took an awkward cut after shedding a block during a routine running play, tearing a ligament in his knee. It was quickly revealed that the injury would not allow him to return that season. As a fifth-year senior who was not eligible for a medical redshirt, Mayes had played his last game as a Wolverine.

Despite not being able to contribute on the field, Mayes continued to fulfill his duties as a captain. One of the most memorable images of the 1997 season occurred after Michigan beat Ohio State, clinching the Big Ten title and sending the #1 Wolverines to the Rose Bowl. During the on-field celebration, the Michigan team carried Mayes on their shoulders. It was one of the happiest and most touching moments I have experienced as a sports fan, and I'm sure most Wolverine fans would agree.

Photo from Michigan Daily Archives

Since Mayes' football career has ended, he has dedicated himself to the world of academia. He got his bachelor's degree from Michigan in 1998, and earned a master's in Education Technology in 2000. In 2006, he received a Ph. D. in Educational Psychology from Howard University. During the time he was at Howard, he "held several positions...including president of the Educational Psychology Student Association; graduate assistant in the Office of Retention, Mentoring and Support Programs; research assistant in the School of Education’s Office of the Dean; and technology assistant in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction." I'm pretty sure the man's resumè had its own aura, smelled of freshly-baked apple pie, and ran triathlons in between visits to the local children's hospital.

In December of 2007, Mayes was appointed associate director of the Merrill-Palmer Skillman Institute and executive director of its Child Development Lab at Wayne State University. To quote the Wayne State University website:

The Merrill Palmer Skillman Institute (MPSI) has been a vital part of Michigan’s landscape for nearly a century. Founded in 1920 as the Merrill-Palmer Institute, early efforts were aimed at serving Detroit’s children through formalized, academic programs in child development – a discipline then in its infancy. Over the years, the Institute has trained generations of early childhood researchers, teachers and mothers, as well as conducting pioneering research in the field with applications nation-wide.

Today, MPSI remains at the cutting edge of research and training in child development. Long recognized as a leader in childhood research, early education, and family outreach, MPSI continues to expand its efforts to meet the changing conditions and pressures of modern society on urban families and young children.

In the article announcing Mayes' hiring, Wayne State also lists his efforts to better the community.

In the area of community service, he has volunteered for the Special Olympics as a team captain; D.A.R.E. program (Kalamazoo, Mich.); University of Michigan’s Motts Children’s Hospital; City of Hope Cancer Center; and West Side Cubs— Police Athletic League’s football team in Detroit.

Honestly, I don't know what else to say. By all accounts, Eric Mayes is an unbelievable person, a guy who every Michigan student, player, coach, and fan should be proud to associate with their program.

Dr. Eric Mayes: A Gentleman and a Scholar

'M' football co-captain Mayes out for season (Michigan Daily)

MGoBlue: Statistics Archive
Eric Mayes appointed associate director of the MPSI (Wayne State University)
Merrill Palmer Skillman Institute (WSU)

Where You At?: Shonte Peoples Edition

"Where You At?" is my attempt at having a regular feature. I still have no idea how often these things will be posted, but thanks to the guys at mgoblog, I now have a lot of names to look up. By suggestion of Dex of Wolverine Liberation Army, former Michigan safety Shonte Peoples is the subject of today's edition.

I have to admit, Shonte Peoples was before my time (barely). I first started going to Michigan football games in 1994, at the tender age of 6, and Peoples' last season at U of M was 1993. However, by all accounts (and statistics), the Saginaw native was a beast. Playing the strong safety position, he recorded 152 tackles and 7 interceptions in his three-year career. He was All-Big Ten his junior season, notching 67 tackles and 3 interceptions. His senior year, he had 76 tackles and 3 picks. He clearly looked to be in the Ernest Shazor mold of a safety, as today's coaching staff would take one look at him and move him to linebacker.




























Simply Shazorian

The comparisons to Shazor do not end with his position, physique, or collegiate success. Much like Shazor, who left Michigan early after an All-American 2004 season and was never heard from again, Peoples could bring the crazy. In 1994, Shonte was arrested for shooting at undercover police officers from the balcony of his apartment, thinking they were trying to steal his Jeep from the parking lot. Peoples was charged, and found guilty for, two counts of felony assault with a dangerous weapon.

That same year, Peoples signed with the Las Vegas Posse (I'm not going to touch that one), an expansion franchise in the Canadian Football League. He became a linebacker/defensive end in the CFL, as he was too big and slow to play safety (sound familiar?). Peoples bounced around the CFL, playing for five teams between 1994 and 2003. Despite his transient ways, he was actually a very successful player. His best season came in 1997, when he won the James P. McCaffrey Trophy as the best defensive player in the East Divison while playing for the Winnepeg Blue Bombers. He also made the CFL All-Star Team as a member of the Saskatchewan Roughriders in 2000 and 2001.













Peoples: Transgressions as a Rider (CP Photo/John Ulan)

Peoples was arrested again in 2003, this time for possession of 30 grams of marijuana. Although the charges were later dropped, he would not play again in the CFL (although it would inspire, well, Canadian humor). Despite extensive searching, I have no idea what Peoples is up to these days, although I'm sure smarmy CFL message board posters have their theories.

Shonte Peoples (Wikipedia)
1992 Football Team (Bentley Historial Library)
MGoBlue Statistics Archive
Drug charges for Riders' Peoples (CBC)

Where You At?: Glen Steele Edition

Finally, a regular feature for this site. While certainly not an original idea, the occasional "Where Are They Now"-type post can be entertaining for long-time fans of any sports team. I'm not sure yet how often I'll be posting these features, but I plan on it being at least a weekly thing. Between the Michigan football and basketball teams alone, there's enough Where You At?'s to become its own blog. So without further ado, here's the first Where You At?: Former Michigan DE Glen Steele.

Pretty much any Michigan fan, young and old alike, remembers the 1997 National Championship team. But, especially for the younger fans like me (I had just turned 10 when we won the Rose Bowl), as time passes some of the less-heralded contributors are forgotten, and the once-lasting images of the season morph into a fuzzy set of vague memories.

Everybody remembers Charles Woodson, the leader of Michigan's dominant defense and the first primarily defensive player to take home the Heisman. His punt return against Ohio State gets replayed every year leading up the the UM-OSU game, and his gravity-defying interception against Michigan State is YouTube legend.

However, Michigan also had two other All-Americans that season. Jerame Tuman caught a touchdown pass in the Rose Bowl, and is still the gold standard that today's Michigan tight ends are held up against. Glen Steele, on the other hand, has seemingly slipped through the cracks of time. Fellow defensive ends LaMarr Woodley and James Hall have usurped Steele in the minds of most fans, most likely because Steele did not become a standout in the NFL.

Steele had a monster 1997 season, recording 48 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, 7 sacks, and 2 fumble recoveries. He was named a first-team All-Big Ten by both the coaches and the media, first-team All-American, and was awarded the Dick Katcher Award as the Wolverines' top defensive lineman. To this day, he remains second on Michigan's career sacks list with 24, and third in tackles for loss, with 45. If you still don't remember how tenacious of a defender he was, check out the :52 mark of this video from the 1997 Penn State game (video courtesy of WolverineHistorian, who has some amazing footage of old Michigan games).


Beast.

Unfortunately, Steele's collegiate success did not translate to the NFL. He was drafted in the 4th round, 105th overall, by the Cincinnati Bengals. He played six seasons for the Bengals, recording only 3.5 sacks, before being released in 2003. After being released, he tried out with the Giants, 49ers, and again with the Bengals, but could not stick with any of the teams.

Steele resurfaced in 2006, working for the Michigan football team in the weight room. The next season he was hired as a graduate assistant under Lloyd Carr, and from the looks of his picture he could probably still push around Big 10 linemen with ease.













Beast.

MGoBlue, Michigan's official athletics website, doesn't list the graduate assistants for next season, so I'm not sure what Steele is up to these days. However, it certainly appears he's headed for a career coaching football at some level. Steele was one of my favorite Michigan players growing up, and it is great to see that, at least through last year, he remained connected with the team.

Glen Steele (Wikipedia Page)
MGoBlue: 2007 Coach Bio
MGoBlue Statistics Archive