Okay, Jim. This is just too much.
A day after we at CFT ran a story on the 26 -- Twenty-Six!! -- satellite camps Michigan has lined up for the month of June, the Wolverines went out and added camps halfway across the world. According to a tweet from ProKick Australia, Michigan will hold a camp in Monbulk, Australia (near Melbourne) on June 3. Michigan is also camping in Florida at that time, so presumably Jim Harbaugh and his staff will have to draw straws.
Here is the news again, because its really exciting and also without the TYPO. Sorry to all the wordsmiths out there pic.twitter.com/sxf1bh8VXM
— Prokick Australia (@ProkickAus) May 11, 2016
Australia has become known for its ability to produce punters -- the Wolverines employ one now in Blake O’Neill -- and, considering the physical nature of the country’s basketball players, planting a maize and blue flag down under probably isn’t the worst idea.
And, if you’re going to go all the way to Australia, you might as well make a few stops along the way, as Michigan Insider publisher Sam Webb reported.
Camps also slated for Samoa and Hawaii... https://t.co/OJQUHA12Hw
— Sam Webb (@SamWebb77) May 11, 2016
Michigan’s 247 site reported special teams coaches Chris Partridge and Jay Harbaugh will stop in Samoa and Hawaii on the way to Australia, and the entire staff will visit the islands after concluding the California portion of what has now become a worldwide tour toward the end of next month.
For those counting at home, Hawaii and Samoa (the Tony Tuioti connection) would make an even 30 for Michigan.
— Nick Baumgardner (@nickbaumgardner) May 11, 2016
That doesn't include the seven camps Michigan will host in Ann Arbor. In total, Michigan should end up w/ at least 37 camps in June.
— Nick Baumgardner (@nickbaumgardner) May 11, 2016
Michigan player personnel director Tony Tuioti gives the Wolverines an in into Hawaii as a former Warriors football player. Hawaii has become a large exporter of high-level football talent following the success of Manti Te’o, Marcus Mariota and DeForest Buckner, and American Samoa has a long history of producing high level, physical players.