‘I’m locked in’: Hometown back CJ Stokes sticking to Michigan pledge despite USC push
CJ Stokes emerged from the huddle after Hammond’s practice wrapped up on Monday wearing several Michigan bracelets down both of his arms.
That’s another outward sign how the Hammond senior running back remains firmly pledged to the Wolverines. Stokes committed to Michigan over the summer shortly after taking his official visit and hasn’t wavered despite a recent push from hometown South Carolina.
Former Gamecock coach Will Muschamp was the first to offer Stokes, and USC’s new coaching staff has been in regular contact with him last winter and through the summer. South Carolina running backs Montario Hardesty attended one of Hammond’s games this fall, and Stokes took a visit to USC for the Eastern Illinois game.
“They were recruiting me kind of harder when they came down and I went to a game. But since then it has backed off since I really haven’t been pursuing it much,” Stokes told The State. “I’m locked into Michigan. ... I’m not flipping.”
Stokes said he hears from Michigan coaching staff regularly and that Wolverines running back coach Mike Hart visited Hammond’s campus a few weeks ago. Michigan is off to a 7-0 start and ranked No. 6 in the latest Associated Press poll going into Saturday’s showdown with Michigan State.
Stokes plans on taking an unofficial visit to Michigan for the Ohio State game on Nov. 27. He won’t be enrolling early because of his class schedule at Hammond but will spend the spring training and getting ready for his college career to begin.
“When I was on campus, I saw everything was fired up and coach Harbaugh’s renewed energy,” Stokes said. “When I saw that and how they are playing this season, it locked in my decision even more. ... All the running backs there get an opportunity to eat as far as running back rotation stuff.”
The 5-foot-11, 190-pound running back is the No. 8 prospect in South Carolina for the Class of 2022 and is closing in on his third-straight 1,000-yard season. Stokes has 933 yards and 16 touchdowns going into Friday’s regular-season finale against Heathwood Hall. Hammond is 9-0 on the season and is in pursuit of the school’s fifth-straight SCISA Class 3A championship.
Stokes’ carries and yards are a little bit down from last year, but first-year Hammond coach Jon Wheeler has been able to get backup Aidan Canatazer — the heir apparent to Stokes — some carries during the season to keep Stokes fresh for the end of season and the playoffs.
Wheeler said Stokes has been working on his game to both help this year and get him ready for college.
“He is running more downhill. He has been blessed with great quickness and vision,” Wheeler said. “He is getting more downhill, which is that Big Ten power football, and I think he is doing the right things to get prepared for that.”
Stokes prides himself as a student of the game and is a big fan of running backs past and present. He said he loves watching old clips of Detroit Lions running back Barry Sanders.
When he isn’t working on school work or preparing for the current week’s opponent, Stokes said he spends about an hour a day watching clips current college running backs in action. He says he tries to take different things from various backs and add it to his own repertoire.
“I pride myself on studying the game and studying running backs and to get better in my game,” Stokes said. “I want to take a little bit out of somebody else’s bag as far as watching college tape and implement it in my game. So, you are getting a hard worker and someone who studies film and wants to get better.”
