:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/58392885/59e6fffe02b01_Athlazon23_2.0.jpeg)
It was just a normal Thursday for West Bloomfield, Michigan 2020 safety Makari Paige, but that didn’t mean everything would be normal for him on that Thursday. In fact, things went from good to great in a matter of moments.
Paige met with his high school football coach — Coach Ron Bellamy — and was then given the news that would make his entire day.
“Coach gave me the great news that day at school,” Paige told Maize n Brew Friday afternoon. “Coach (Chris) Partridge offered (a scholarship).”
Receiving a scholarship from the University of Michigan was a big deal for Makari. He grew up in a household that rooted for the Wolverines, so getting that offer was special to him and his family.
“I was speechless,” Makari said. “I couldn’t believe (it), but I was super excited.”
The jump from high school to college is incredibly challenging for most athletes, but Makari already has his sights on making improvements to his game so that jump isn’t as difficult for him.
“There’s always room for improvement on everything I do, but I’m looking on working on speed, eye discipline and man-to-man (coverage),” he said.
“I’m a hard worker and I want to be great.”
Makari has actually only met with Partridge once before, but that may be changing soon. Makari told me he hopes to unofficially visit Michigan on Feb. 8 — one day after National Signing Day for the 2018 class.
If Feb. 8 is the day for Makari, that will likely be the first day he meets Jim Harbaugh.
“No, not yet,” Makari said when asked if he’d met Harbaugh yet. “Hope to soon.”
Despite holding other offers from Syracuse, Kentucky and Indiana, Makari said Michigan is his early favorite.
They are the team he grew up cheering for, after all.