Local Prospects Get a Chance to Shine at Michigan Satellite Camp in CT

CHESHIRE - History was made Saturday at Cheshire Academy, as the first satellite camp in New England was held, with the Michigan Wolverines as the headliner.

Over 300 players, ranging from grades 8-12 and hailing from seven different states came to showcase their skills in front of college coaches from every level. The FBS schools were Michigan, Boston College, UMass, and UConn.

The Huskies sent Frank Verducci (Offensive coordinator), Mike Cummings (co-OC, OL), Josh Reardon (CBs and Special Teams) and Kevin Wolthausen (Recruiting Coordinator, DL) to scout and help run the drills. Verducci spent part of the day working with spread-offense quarterbacks, and told the players that they needed to be good at listening and processing information to play for him.

Some notable players in attendance include Cheshire Academy’s Tarik Black and CJ Holmes, who both hold national interest. Neither are going to end up at UConn given the variety of offers those two hold from the Pac-12, SEC, and Big 10 powers.

Coby Tippett, the son of Hall of Famer Andre Tippett, impressed as a wide receiver, as he was repeatedly lauded for his footwork during position group drills. Omar Fortt, a defensive back from St. Luke’s, was very impressive in 1-on-1 action, taking extra reps and intercepting a couple balls.

CJ Lewis, a QB/ATH who was getting interest from UConn, was not present as he was visiting Tennessee.

Overall, the event was a resounding success. Michigan is no stranger to satellite camps, so the drills were well put-together and they were able to move things along. Cheshire Academy was a great host, as they were well-organized, which helped the day go by without issue.

The recruits seemed to enjoy the camp as well. Brandon Sebastian, a Cheshire Academy player currently committed to Boston College, said it was great to get on the field with his future coaches. For others, it was good to start the recruitment process.

A topic of conversation throughout the day was the NCAA’s temporary decision to ban satellite camps and the negative effects it would have. After seeing one play out, it's hard to find any negatives to them. Players need an opportunity to showcase themselves, especially considering how short the high school football season is.

In areas like New England, that aren’t exactly overflowing with talent, but still have plenty of it, kids often have a hard time getting attention but showcases like this one offer a chance to gain exposure to a wide variety of schools from FBS all the way down to Division III. That seems like a good thing.