Michigan Wolverines Football: Hellos and Goodbyes

• Goodbye, Sam McGuffie? Sam didn't attend Michigan's 88th Michigan Football Bust last night. The "word" (which could change) out of Ann Arbor is that Sam is again looking to transfer closer to home. The rumored schools he is looking at are Texas Tech and TCU. On a side note, I'm a big Sam McGuffie fan, but I'm concerned about his health with at least two concussions last season (some have thought as many as three). I hope Sam takes some time and considers staying at Michigan and even not playing football again.
• Hello, Brandon Graham: Who was named the MVP at the Michigan Football Bust and declared he was coming back for his senior year. Let's hope! Michigan needs all the help they can get in 2009, and Brandon will be a huge part of the defense!
• Goodbye, Michigan State: What a bad week for Sparty! First Plaxico Burress goes and shoots himself in the leg, then the MSU Basketball team gets "run" out of Ford Field by North Carolina, and now Charles Rogers former State WR and top draft pick of the Detroit Lions, ends up in jail, because he tested positive for narcotics while on probation for a Assault and Battery charge back in September. Kids, if you want to be an NFL WR, please follow Amani Toomer's example and not Charles and Plaxico's example. Where did Amani go to school again? That's right: Michigan!
• Hello, Steve Sarkisian: Sources are saying will be named the new head coach of the Washington Huskies. Steve turned down the Oakland Raiders job last year and is known as a great offensive mind. I know these programs are very interested in the next "hot" candidate but there comes a lot of risk when you choose someone that has never been a head coach. I'm not sure you want that person learning how do be a head coach at the expense of your program. Look at Urban Meyer's background: head coach at Bowling Green, Utah, then Florida. That is a very good resume in leadership.
• Goodbye, Julius Franks Jr.: Julius was laid to rest this week at the age of 86. Julius will be remembered as All-American guard for UofM in 1942, only the second black man to achieve the feat for the Wolverines at that time. He was also a well-known dentist in Grand Rapids.
• Hello, Tim Beckman: Tim has been the defensive coordinator for Oklahoma State and was just named the new head coach for the Toledo Rockets. Sounds like a good hire for a guy with Ohio ties.
• Goodbye, Auburn Recruits: ESPN was reporting last night that five Auburn recruits de-committed from Auburn and re-opened up their recruitments after the resignation of Tommy Tuberville.
• Hello: The latest list of recruits Michigan has coming in this weekend for an official visit: Michigan verbal commits: Thomas Gordon, Teric Jones, Isaiah Bell, Fitzgerald Toussaint, Justin Turner. Big time Recruits: MI DT William Campbell, DE Pernell McPhee is a Mississippi State commit and WR Jamal Patterson a Stanford commit.