In the 1990s, the Michigan Wolverines developed strong footballers like Alfie Burch. Life has come full circle for him as his son is about to start his college football journey. The Wolverines’ focus remains to keep Asa Burch out of arch-rival’s reach.

“Ohio State, Notre Dame, Penn State, and many others have offered the Warren (Ohio) Warren G Harding standout. They checked out all of those schools this spring and returned to Ann Arbor for a camp in June,” On3 reported on July 4. 

Burch is not the only legacy recruit for the Wolverines. He is targeted for the 2028 class, while the program has received the commitment from Charles Woodson Jr. for the 2027 class. If they land Burch, too, their defense would feature two explosive players. 

The Harding High School recruit is a defensive edge player from Ohio. While his father’s history with the Wolverines calls him, the Ohio State Buckeyes are not ready to lose a player who grew up in the state. 

Burch, per 247 Sports, has over 23 offers. Michigan is locked in a battle to keep Burch from rivals circling him nationwide. According to the On3 report, the Wolverines invited him to spend time at his father’s alma mater, which could very well become his home for the next few years. 

“Michigan offered Asa this spring during a visit that left a positive impression,” the report read. “The blue-chip pass rusher spent two days on campus in June, meeting with the coaching staff, watching summer workouts and going through the Wolverines’ camp.”

According to 247 Sports, Burch is a four-star recruit. On the national level, he stands at 162 nationally and fifth in Ohio. On the composite rankings, he is the 129th best recruit overall and fourth in his state. 

Alfie Burch has remained a vocal supporter of the Wolverines, and his son is inclined to the school with a few others. A while ago, he shared which schools are at the top of his list and why. 

Asa Burch’s recruitment driven by family values and school culture

In a conversation with the media post-camp day at Ohio State, Asa Burch shared the factors affecting his choices in picking a school. In June, he named Notre Dame, Michigan and its in-state rival Michigan State, Penn State and Oregon as his top options. 

Surprisingly, Ohio State wasn’t part of the list. When asked what he values the most, Burch replied, “culture.”

“Culture and coaches are a big thing to me,” he told Buckeye Scoop on June 10. “The connection between players to players. It's like a big family, and it's not too far from my mom; my mom is a big part of my life. I don't want to get too far from her.”

The drive from Warren to the University of Michigan is over three hours. The Buckeyes are closer and would welcome him with open arms, but Burch’s eyes appear to be set on maize and blue. 

Which program will he commit to? What are your thoughts? 

Read more at the Michigan Football Community!

Written by

Akanksha Biradar