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Dan Villari is the lowest-rated Michigan quarterback signee in the Jim Harbaugh era.
And Villari – ranked No. 1,370 overall in his class – is well aware.
“I see it all over Twitter,” Villari said. “I’m going to prove them wrong.”
The Massapequa (N.Y.) Plainedge three-star prospect also understands he wasn’t Michigan’s first or second option.
The 2020 quarterback was supposed to be Phoenix (Ariz.) Pinnacle three-star JD Johnson until he medically retired due to a heart condition linked to a congenital heart defect called coarctation of the aorta.
Johnson, who was ranked No. 446 in the nation, spent three seasons as the backup to Oklahoma quarterback Spencer Rattler before taking over at Pinnacle as a senior.
Michigan countered the situation by turning its focus to Rancho Cucamonga (Calif.) 2020 four-star CJ Stroud, who took a two-day official visit from Dec. 6-7. Students at Crisler Center for U-M’s basketball game against Iowa chanted his name while he watched the 103-91 victory over the Hawkeyes.
But the scheme to get the nation’s top uncommitted quarterback didn’t work, as Stroud picked Ohio State over the Wolverines on Dec. 18, the first day of the NCAA early signing period.
After the retirement of Johnson and losing out on Stroud, Villari entered the picture.
“We began looking for another quarterback, and Dan Villari stood out at the time,” Harbaugh said on his “Attack Each Day” podcast. “He does everything offensively – runs and throws, and that’s how he came onto our radar.”
Villari received an offer from Michigan, committed on the spot and signed – all occurring immediately following Stroud’s decision.
“I was in school and on my phone like the whole time,” Villari said. “I don’t think I paid attention to a thing in class.”
‘If CJ goes to Michigan, I’m out’
Michigan’s No. 1 option at quarterback – following the news of Johnson’s retirement – was Stroud. Led by quarterbacks coach Ben McDaniels, the coaching staff pushed hard for the 6-foot-3, 194-pound pro-style quarterback from California.
Villari was the backup plan.
Without having firm confidence in where Stroud was headed, Michigan told Villari he’d be offered at a different position if Stroud committed to the Wolverines. The coaches liked the 6-foot-4, 215-pound quarterback’s athletic ability but didn’t want to give up on the press for Stroud’s pledge.
That offer wasn’t enticing to Villari, but he still took an official visit from Dec. 13-14 – exactly one week after Stroud’s trip.
The night before the early signing period began, Villari spoke with McDaniels, who told him he would be calling after Stroud made his decision.
“If CJ goes to Michigan, I’m out,” Villari recalled telling McDaniels.
When Harbaugh reached out the morning of Stroud’s signing day festivities, Villari began to feel at peace.
“He said, ‘Inside sources say he’s going to pick Ohio State,'” Villari said of his conversation with Harbaugh. “He asked if I was in if he went (to Ohio State).”
Of course, Villari was all in on the Wolverines if he could commit on scholarship as the No. 1 quarterback option for the 2020 class.
Expecting Stroud to pick the Buckeyes but knowing nothing was etched in stone, Villari struggled to pay attention in school that Wednesday. He spent the entire morning on his phone, patiently waiting for the West Coast prospect to sign his letter of intent.
“I was anxious,” Villari said.
Villari’s phone eventually died, and he asked to use his teacher’s charger during class. While Villari’s phone was charging, Stroud announced his decision to attend Ohio State at 12:36 p.m. ET.
McDaniels, just as promised, called Villari roughly one minute later.
Villari didn’t answer. He wasn’t near his phone and was unaware Stroud had picked the Buckeyes.
“The next period I had off, so I went out to my car and gave (McDaniels) a call,” Villari said. “He offered me over the phone.”
Villari committed, signed and sent his national letter of intent at 9 p.m. that day, solidifying himself as Michigan’s quarterback in the 2020 class.
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If Stroud would’ve picked Michigan, Villari said he was planning to wait until National Signing Day on Feb. 5 to see if three schools – Virginia Tech, Pittsburgh and Syracuse – would give him a scholarship offer.
“That day, while I was waiting to see where CJ committed, Virginia Tech had two coaches hit me up and send me paragraphs about how they liked me and wanted to get started with the recruiting process,” Villari said.
Knowing the impact of Stroud’s impending commitment, Villari waited until after McDaniels delivered the news of his offer to send a text message back to the Hokie coaches.
“I’m locked in with Michigan,” he later said to them, “but I appreciate it.”
‘He obviously had no idea who I was’
Plainedge coach Rob Shaver was suspended one game for a 61-13 victory Oct. 25 against South Shore. The reason for his suspension was due to a “lopsided scores policy” set in place by Nassau County. Both teams on Long Island were undefeated entering the contest.
Ultimately, Shaver’s suspension led to Michigan’s interest in Villari, who scored five touchdowns in the win.
“If I had to go through what I went through just for Dan to do this, then I’m in,” Shaver said. “You can run my name through the dirt. Obviously, it’s a ridiculous rule.”
Michigan assistant recruiting coordinator Nate Crutchfield noticed the story on Twitter and got Shaver’s contact information for Harbaugh to call the high school coach.
Harbaugh stuttered in an incorrect attempt to pronounce Villari’s last name on the first reference.
“He obviously had no idea who I was,” Villari said.
Despite the mispronunciation, Harbaugh’s conversation with Shaver led him to Villari’s cell phone a few days later.
“I’m sitting in my room and got a call from a random number from Ann Arbor,” Villari said. “I picked it up thinking it was going to be a recruiting coordinator, but it was him.
“I was like, ‘Woah.'”
Harbaugh brought up a preferred walk-on deal where Villari would spend his first season in Ann Arbor as a walk-on quarterback before taking a scholarship for the 2021 season.
Already with offers from UMass, Fordham, Albany, Buffalo, Central Connecticut State and Kent State, Villari told Harbaugh he would be taking the scholarship route out of high school.
“Kent State came in, saw him make three throws and offered him on the spot,” Shaver said. “UMass watched us in warmups and said, ‘Holy crap. This kid isn’t taken yet?’ They offered him right on the spot.”
As the season continued, Villari continued sending Michigan his game film.
Harbaugh called back to explain the preferred walk-on was the worst-case scenario. Villari didn’t budge.
A week before Villari’s Dec. 13-14 visit, Harbaugh went to Plainedge with McDaniels and offensive coordinator Josh Gattis to see the quarterback.
The three coaches were impressed and named Villari as the second option to Stroud, eventually leading to him being appointed as the top choice.
“In my mind, they were probably thinking, ‘How did anyone miss this guy?'” Shaver said. “When Harbaugh and those guys came here, they were taken aback at how Syracuse, Boston College and those schools missed out.”
‘He looks like an NFL quarterback’
When Villari began working with Long Island area quarterback trainer James Brady as a freshman, a football wasn’t used for four-straight private sessions. Instead, Brady worked with Villari on his confidence, a piece of his character that was severely lacking at the time.
“We had conversations about things that were going on in his life, his approach to the game and his attitude about himself,” Brady said. “He put in a lot of time, like journaling, to help make him realize he can do anything he chooses if he puts in the work.”
As Villari’s confidence grew, he went from a 5-foot-10, 160-pound freshman to a 6-foot-4, 215-pound senior. He worked relentlessly on himself off the field from an internal standpoint, resulting in the creation of the person he always wanted to become.
Villari carried the ball 121 times for 1,522 yards and 23 touchdowns along with completing 67-of-113 passes for 1,306 yards with 13 touchdowns against one interception during his senior season.
The Red Devils finished the 2019 campaign with a 12-0 record.
Shaver said Villari’s size gives him an advantage as a quarterback. His favorite exercises are the squat and deadlift.
“Most kids like curls and bench presses, but he’s not like that,” Shaver said. “He looks like an NFL quarterback.”
How tight the football spins, how straight it flies and his ability to put different tempos on the ball were the most common aspects of Villari’s quarterbacking abilities that impressed college coaches.
Over the past year, he’s made progress in the fundamentals of his footwork, which has helped him with his anticipation.
Brady compared Villari to Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields, who threw for 3,273 yards and 41 touchdowns against three interceptions as a sophomore in 2019.
“His size, athleticism, arm talent, confidence, the way he plays the game,” Brady said. “Occasionally, Dan will have a tendency in his mechanics to get a little long, meaning he drops the ball below his elbow as he brings the ball back. Justin Fields does the same exact thing.
“That’s just something guys that have elite talent can sometimes get away with, but it can affect the flight of the ball, and we want to clean that up.”
Villari is locked in as a member of the Wolverines, and he’s prepared to start his journey to discredit the doubters that only view him as Harbaugh’s third option.
As a two-year starter at Plainedge, Villari finished with a 23-1 overall record.
“Everything I do, I have to win,” Villari said. “I’m the ultimate competitor. They’ll see I’m going to do whatever it takes to win games and championships.”
Focusing on his self-esteem with Brady as a 15-year-old has officially paid off. Even when the world seems to doubt him, Villari is as confident as ever in his potential to lead Michigan to new heights.
Shaver – the coach whose suspension helped lead to his quarterback’s offer from the Wolverines – also thinks Villari has a bright future ahead.
“If he prepares himself, which I think he will, and gets an opportunity,” Shaver said, “then I think all the people are going to stop doubting.”
Villari believes at least half of his critics haven’t watched his film, instead only focusing on stars and rankings, so he doesn’t worry about what those people have to say.
He’s only concentrated on his growth as a Wolverine.
“I know coach McDaniels is going to develop me,” Villari said, “so I’m blocking out the noise.”
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