2014 Mone is off the board to Michigan
Michigan's coaching staff was thrilled to accept the verbal commitment of Salt Lake City Highland defensive tackle Bryan Mone. Don't get that fact twisted. Wolverines personal passed the phone around and offered their congratulations and excitement. All of that was standard.
It's just that there was more than a slight hint of shock in the voices of each coach while they were doing so.
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"The were all surprised because they didn't expect me to do commit already," Mone said. "I think it took them off guard."
In a way, it took everybody off guard. Mone, a four-star high school junior, claims eight scholarship offers and the feeling was that many more were on the way. His name was gaining notoriety, and buzz was building quickly. Then, Tuesday happened.
And, in a flash, it was over.
"I'm done," Mone said. "I'm done with visits and with recruiting."
The call that ended his recruitment was placed to Michigan assistant coach Jerry Montgomery. The conversation with his defensive line coach was short-lived, though. The one-on-one chat quickly became a party of sorts.
"I ended up talking to Coach Mongomery, Coach [Brady] Hoke and Coach [Dan] Ferrigno and Coach [Greg] Mattison. They were excited. They were happy. They were extremely happy. It was nice."
So why Michigan and why now? The answer to the first part of that question is simple. Mone explains it in the broadest of terms.
"I chose Michigan because it's a great program with a great coaching staff," he said.
The reasons for the timing aren't so cut and dry. Whatever the case, though, the deal is done. Nearly a year before he'll sign a national letter of intent, Bryan Mone is a Wolverine.
And that, it seems, is all that matters to him.
"Why today? Well, I just talked to all of my coaches and just felt it was time," Mone said. "I felt good about it, so I it was time to do it."