When recruiting started for Westland John Glenn senior Michael Gray, Wayne State football coach Tyrone Wheatley offered him as a safety.
When Gray attended Grand Valley’s camp, the Lakers’ staff told the 5-foot-10, 160-pound speedster they saw him more as a running back.
He’s also heard from Mid-American Conference teams and other Division II schools in Michigan about being a kick and punt returner.
“That shows his versatility, when one school sees this out of him, and another school sees that out of him, and both schools are right,” said Rockets coach Milton Jones during a midnight practice on Aug. 11. “He’s a Swiss Army knife.”
Coming off a breakout junior season, Gray should only continue to show that versatility when Glenn kicks off the season on Aug. 28 at River Rouge.
Despite sharing carries with track star Ethan Moore in 2024, Gray rushed for 665 yards and nine touchdowns, averaging 73.9 yards per game en route to All-Kensington Lakes Activities Association first-team honors.
He also returned five punts for 188 yards and nine kickoffs for 305, while nabbing one interception and recovering a fumble on defense.
With Moore now at Madonna, Gray becomes the featured back in the Rockets’ wing-T and full-house offenses, which is why he focused on agility training, cardio and plyometrics in the offseason. He doesn’t want to get caught from behind after bursting through the line and getting past the linebackers.
“The sky is the limit,” Jones added. “If we stay healthy, keep it simple for our kids, let them know who we have to block and execute with good pad level and angles, we could really have a dynamic offense this year.”
Up front is where the success starts for Gray, who believes having sound chemistry with your offensive linemen is the only way you’ll get to the end zone.
Unfortunately for him, they graduated their top blocker, 6-4, 265-pound tackle Bryan Inman, an All-KLAA and all-region selection now playing at Michigan Tech.
But they return two seniors that assistant Matt Sauter calls “bulldogs.”
While Max Czarnik might be undersized at 5-9 and 235 pounds, he’s arguably one of the best athletes in the program, and Glenn’s offense would be nothing without an athletic guard who can pull around the center and spring tailbacks.
Czarnik, another returning All-KLAA first-teamer, will anchor the line and be the vocal leader, which will be essential with the first-year varsity players brought in to fill out the rest of the line. Jones said Czarnik is his nastiest blocker and just an old-school, throwback lineman, even saying to the senior this offseason, “The best compliment I can give you is you’re someone I wished I would’ve played with when I was in high school because you’re that tough.”
Czarnik has blocked for Gray since the two first played together as 6-year-olds.
Helping on the line is Jeremiah McKinney, a 6-2, 260-pound tackle who Jones said has “a burning desire to become a good player” and, likely, a college recruit.
“We’ve got good connections,” Gray said. “I feel like building that connection with your O-line, as a running back, is mandatory. For me to play with a purpose, run with a purpose and know where I’m supposed to be, I know I need a strong O-line to help me get there, and that place is in the end zone.”
Outside of offseason training and practices, Gray has bonded with the linemen over organized team breakfasts and dinners.
“My goal this season is to elevate my teammates just as much as I want to elevate myself,” Gray added. “I want to elevate their game along with my game and complement each other. When you have team chemistry, that’s when you pull the wins out.”
Of course, Gray won’t have to do it alone in the backfield.
Quarterback Julian McLeod-Sessom returns, while they will rotate three fullbacks — Donald Marchinwinski, KeSean Rowls and Deshan Molden — and three other tailbacks — Raymond Watson Jr., Clifton Edwards Jr. and Khaden O’Neal.
Watson Jr. has been the surprise of the summer and should pick up the production that Moore left behind after graduating.
“He’s similar to Mike, but he’s more physical,” Jones said. “Mike is more of a scat back. When Mike gets a crease, he’s gone. Not to say Ray can’t run away from you, but Ray is one of those kids who will lower his pads and run through you.”
Jones said Watson Jr., who was the offensive MVP on JV last season, brings a senior’s work ethic to practice, despite being only a junior.
He also said Watson Jr. is their best BYOB — bring your own block — running back, meaning in a one-on-one situation against a defensive back, Watson Jr. won’t need a blocker. He can be his own blocker while carrying the ball.
His skill set should come in handy should an injury or scheme change force Jones to move Gray, his Swiss Army knife, to a different position to shore up any deficiencies.
Watson Jr. is capable of being the featured back, but Gray can do it all. And that’s what makes him so attractive to colleges on the recruiting trail.
“Mike is an electrifying kid,” Jones said. “He could play a lot of different positions. He’s very talented with the ball, but he’s got a lot of great defensive instincts. He can play safety. He can play corner. On offense, he can play all three backs. He can play quarterback. You can even spread him out, and he’s a great receiver.”
Westland John Glenn
2024 record: 3-6, 3-4
Season opener: at River Rouge, 7 p.m. Aug. 28
Offensive starters back: 6
Defensive starters back: 3
Key returners: QB/RB/DB Michael Gray, QB Julian McLeod-Sessom, OG/NG Max Czarnik and OT/DE Jeremiah McKinney.
Brandon Folsom covers high school sports in metro Detroit for Hometown Life. Follow him on his new X.com account at @folsomwrites.
This article originally appeared on Hometownlife.com: Expect ‘Swiss Army knife’ Michael Gray to lead Westland John Glenn football
Reporting by Brandon Folsom, Hometownlife.com / Hometownlife.com
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
