Michigan football is nearly done with the 2025 class and is now turning its attention to 2026. The Wolverines already have a big fish committed in 2026 Cocoa (Fla.) four-star quarterback Brady Hart, as well as Jacksonville (Fla.) Mandarin three-star cornerback Brody Jennings. And now the maize and blue are looking to add another.
Hailing from Dallas (Tx.) Parish Episcopal School, Jaylen Pile is a three-star wide receiver who has a long list of solid offers. Arizona, Arkansas, Auburn, Florida State, Illinois, Mississippi State, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, Utah, Washington, and Wisconsin are among his suitors. However, he shut down his recruitment, having committed to Michigan football.
BREAKING: CO/26 4 ⭐️ WR Jaylen Pile ( @jaylenpile2026 ) has committed to Michigan rivals sources tell me.
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Jaylen is a 6’1 170 LBS WR out of Dallas, TX. He has a total of 23 offers and chose Michigan over schools such as Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas and more!!
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Michigan fans… pic.twitter.com/1LpRUQXx9V
Here is how Pile ranks according to the recruiting services:
*
Ovr
Pos
St
247Sports Composite
3
492
78
66
On3 Industry Ranking
3
482
83
64
247Sports
3
–
125
90
On3
3
–
132
103
ESPN
–
–
–
–
Rivals
4
–
47
41
A Virginia Tech legacy, Pile also runs track and ran a 11.95 100-meter dash. He’s listed 6-foot, 175-pounds. In 2023, Pile had 16 receptions for 427 yards and five touchdowns.
Pulling back the curtain on the school’s favorite (and least favorite) 2024 Super Bowl commercials.
USA TODAY Ad Meter kicked off an inaugural college/university spotlight program in 2024, with five schools participating. The mission was simple: expand the Super Bowl commercial conversation to the next generation.
From the minds of future marketers, creatives, the movers and shakers of decades to come, we pulled back the curtain on the Ad Meter ratings of each school, taking an inside look at what worked during the Big Game, and what missed the mark.
Next up on the stage is Middle Tennessee State University, where students from the class of assistant marketing professor Gaia Rancati weighed in on the Big Game spots.
The longtime agent of Michael Jordan and marketing pioneer sat down with USA TODAY Ad Meter at SEICon in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Somewhere at the intersection of creating commercial concepts over beer and sushi and Super Bowl advertising infamy awaits David Falk, one of the most influential figures not just in sports marketing but also in USA TODAY Ad Meter lore.
The famed agent of Michael Jordan and the man behind the iconic “Air Jordan” branding sat down with Ad Meter while in Las Vegas, Nevada, for SEICon to take a nostalgic look at advertising’s biggest stage.
For Falk, the view is rather unique.
He has been part of two winning commercials in the Super Bowl ratings, taking the top spot in 1992 with Nike and in ’93 with McDonald’s.
That alone is impressive, even more so considering it’s two different brands. But Falk’s help with the marketing vision for each concept—a thoughtful mix of Looney Tunes and, finally, saying that it was OK not to have Jordan as the lone star of the show—still holds up in pop culture today, spotlighting how impactful the campaigns were and are.
“What those commercials became was more than simply advertising,” said Falk. “It became culture.”
First up was Nike, which had been working with Jordan since 1984. At that point, the famed “Shoe Deal” progressed from the early stages to a global trend, with the Swoosh and Jumpman logo combining for a proverbial marketing slam dunk.
The origin story, as Falk noted, was more gorilla-style than polished blockbuster, though. In the early days, he and Nike created commercial concepts over sushi and beer until the brand suggested they “get some real ad power in here.”
What followed that marketing nudge was a literal trip down a rabbit hole, one that landed at the lucky foot of Bugs Bunny ahead of the 1992 Super Bowl.
But a cartoon in a commercial? With Michael?
“It was very tough because people don’t realize that with a green screen, you’re standing in front of a blank screen, you’re there by yourself—there’s no human interaction, no back-and-forth,” Falk explained. “You have to figure out what direction you are talking to, and you have to do multiple takes.”
Though it was a questionable production move with complex ideas, Falk had confidence in his client. By 1992, Jordan had been doing commercials for eight years, and his personality and on-camera presence were just as impressive as his talents on the court.
“He was great at it,” Falk exclaimed.
So, there was little doubt that Jordan couldn’t handle such a strange shooting schedule. (And to be fair, Bugs Bunny had over 50 years of television work under his belt, so his ability to keep up with the frantic pace probably wasn’t a concern either.)
With first-time Super Bowl commercial director Joe Pytka taking the reins, Nike, Bugs, Michael and David set off to create the campaign.
Then, showtime!
After the clock ticked down to zero during Super Bowl 27, the Dallas Cowboys were the champions. And so was Nike’s “Hare Jordan,” taking the top spot in the Ad Meter ratings while creating history as the first winning ad ever to have an animal of any kind in a leading role.
It was a major hit, but Falk and Jordan were just getting started.
One year later, McDonald’s entered the Super Bowl scene.
This time, there wouldn’t be any green screen or production days spent figuring out the logistics of an animated rabbit. But it did involve a co-star, an actual human named Larry Bird.
That presented a philosophical problem more complex than any roadblocks during previous campaign.
Larry Bird in a commercial? With Michael?
“For most of Michael’s career, we never let him be in ads with anyone else,” Falk revealed. “I always wanted Michael to be by himself. I didn’t think he needed any supporting characters.”
However, his admiration for Bird helped sway the marketing pendulum ever so slightly, and Jordan’s respect and relationship with the Celtics legend was strong enough for Falk to see the connection.
“The contrast in personalities… I thought it was a great idea, so I broke my own rule and allowed another person to be in the commercial,” said Falk.
The McDonald’s commercial concept would be one of the exceptions—and what an exception the campaign turned out to be, one of the greatest games of HORSE ever.
The Super Bowl spot, titled “The Showdown,” turned out to be another winner, this time making Ad Meter history as the first ad ever to get a rating of a collective 9 (out of a possible 10).
Like most of his career, Falk’s entry into the Super Bowl Sunday rush was a success: Two years, two ads, two Ad Meter wins, and two footnotes of historical trivia.
But, as he noted before, there was more to both of the campaigns when looking through the lens of the advertising roadmap that has sped along in the 30-plus years since then.
The pioneering efforts of both spots helped move the advertising needle in a new direction. Only a few years later, Pepsi produced a winning formula that starred animated bears dancing to the Village People’s “YMCA.” That was followed by creative campaigns looking to push boundaries while packing the 30 seconds with star power, which has transformed in today’s marketing world to include ensemble casts of all-time greats.
“That’s a testimony to the creativity of the people who created the commercials,” said Falk.
And the creative success for Falk and Jordan didn’t stop there, of course.
He saw more to the ’92 storyboard, a progression that eventually turned into the 1996 hit movie “Space Jam,” directed by Pytka. And he still enjoys hearing people, himself included, say “nothing but net” after making a solid point or shot, whether that’s on the basketball court, the golf course, wherever.
As for the Super Bowl commercials today, Falk is definitely a fan and enjoys seeing the massive audience element as a way to present campaigns and capture attention in a streaming-heavy world.
“As it gets bigger and bigger, I think one of the most fun parts of the Super Bowl is the ads,” he began. “It’s become the Super Bowl of Commercials.”
It’s Super Bowl time! And that means we’re getting super pumped for … the commercials.
No, seriously! The ads are just as much a part of the experience as the game itself. From the beer ads to Doritos to Pepsi campaigns, we’ve seen it all.
Another yearly big-game tradition? USA TODAY’s Ad Meter will once again measure which Super Bowl commercials are best. Since 1989, we’ve gotten the answer to which ad reigned supreme.
So let’s look back at a history of the Ad Meter winners, from 1989 through last year, according to participants who registered and rated every single Super Bowl commercial that’s won.
Get a first look at the brand’s Super Bowl 58 commercial featuring the Kawasaki Ridge — and a lot of mullets.
Kawasaki knows a thing or two about mixing work and play, and the hairstyle and star power the brand’s unveiling in its Super Bowl 58 commercial proves it.
It’s an inaugural appearance on advertising’s biggest stage for the company, which joins several first-time brands in the national lineup. And while that distinction can often entail recollections of production woes and unknowns, the Super Bowl campaign for the all-new Kawasaki Ridge, which is part of a skyrocketing side-by-side vehicle industry, flips that script.
Instead, it’s a story filled with full-circle nostalgia, a perfect location, product knowledge, and yes, Steve Austin rocking a mullet—which is also fashionably adorned by a tortoise, a bear, a dog, and a not-so-Bald Eagle.
The origin — “Close your eyes. What stuck out? What do I immediately remember?”
The type of growth with side-by-side vehicles progressing to a broader audience got the proverbial wheels spinning at Kawasaki, with the think tank for the Ridge creative focusing on a specific date on the calendar, where a game that draws in over 100 million viewers awaited.
“Everyone knows the Super Bowl gives you that mass reach,” said Bob O’Brien, Director of Marketing at Kawasaki. “And that is what we need to reach outside of our community. To bring a new product to market that has mass appeal outside of utility use or even heavy-sports use as quickly as possible.”
O’Brien was part of the trio who spoke with USA TODAY Ad Meter about the brand’s leap into the Big Game, a significant advertising decision that wasn’t a last-minute effort by any means.
“They knew what they wanted a long time ago, which is great,” explained A.J. Warren, Creative Director at Goodby Silverstein & Partners. “They had their sights set on the Super Bowl and I think that’s why they included GS&P in the process.”
Big picture, it was a smart path to take. As Super Bowl advertising goes, looking to an agency like GS&P to help build the campaign is arguably like asking Tom Brady to teach you to throw a football. They have multiple commercials in the 2024 Big Game lineup and a trove of successful past spots. And to know of Jeff Goodby’s reputation is to simply say, “Got Milk?” and the rest speaks for itself.
So, not surprisingly, it was a Goodby-ism that transformed the “30 concepts that were seriously considered” for highlighting the Ridge’s mix of work and play into one classic piece of Americana.
“It’s all about ‘Remember what you remember,'” said Warren of Goodby’s process. “You see a bunch of different scripts, a bunch of different concepts, close your eyes, don’t look at your notes, and just think: What stuck out? What do I immediately remember?”
The answer for the Kawasaki Ridge campaign?
Mullets.
Enter a Brand Ambassador who needs little introduction (Or: Thank you, Mrs. Austin)
Steve Austin has the type of persona that somehow makes a casual Zoom call feel like a 3-D experience. Alongside O’Brien, he sat with a casual chill tucked behind a herculean physique to talk about his role in the commercial.
The wrestling legend has worked with Kawasaki since 2015, though Austin’s admiration for the brand goes well beyond the collaboration and partnership.
His first dirtbike was a 1976 Kawasaki KE100 (that was missing second gear) that he “saw in a guy’s garage” and purchased for $100. Then, in 1998, he bought his first side-by-side vehicle, a Kawasaki Mule.
“It’s like family,” said Austin.
And that longtime respect and, more importantly, use of the Kawasaki brand places him at the forefront of an advertising sweet spot.
“For this audience,” noted Warren, “credibility, authenticity, is super important. You want to know that the celebrity endorsing the product really uses them.”
O’Brien echoed the same thoughts when looking ahead and back on a relationship that began over nine years ago: “This is why we’re working with Steve. Who else would you plug in for that? This concept with this product and our Brand Ambassador—it’s a perfect mix.”
But that perfect casting still required a yes or no from Austin, who got a call from his agent about the 2024 Ridge creative with a simple note: “You’re either going to love it, or you’re going to hate it.”
For Austin, the first impression was as positive as it was unmistakably Steve Austin. “I laughed my [butt] off!”
But there was another person in the household who would be “the barometer.”
“I showed it to my wife,” he continued, “and she goes, ‘Oh, you’ve got to do it!'”
The Shoot — Vancouver has a ‘Field of Dreams’ … for filming Kawasaki Ridge commercials
With Austin on board, the next steps on the production timeline were to head to Vancouver, B.C., where the shoot would take place on a ranch over two days.
It brought back some nostalgia for Austin, who recalled filming “a low-budget movie years ago in Vancouver,” and it also presented some luck in the grand scheme of capturing the Ridge in all its fast-paced glory.
“It was shot on a ranch that’s owned by a former stuntman,” said Warren. “So some of the “movie magic” was already in place for the team. There were trails for the Ridge to whip around, and there was a separate track already there for the camera car.”
Even the weather hit its mark, with a storm system arriving that helped set the tone of the commercial.
So, with luck on the their side, the only thing left to get into the frame was the classic 80s hairstyle that has since encountered a popularity surge.
“When I saw Steve with the mullet on for the first time,” O’Brien begins with a smile, “he looked at me, and I said, Well, what do you think, Steve?”
“I look 30 years younger!” a mullet-clad Austin replied.
“I didn’t get the lifetime guarantee,” Austin continued while reminiscing about a hairline that he said started to waive adios when he was 25. “But for me to be in an amazing commercial, to be aired on the Super Bowl, promoting a product and brand that I love with me rocking a mullet? Two thumbs up!”
The Reveal — Lights…camera….mullet…action!
We wrapped our conversation with a bit of interesting reflection. It has been 25 years since Steve Austin appeared in a national Super Bowl spot, which is as much of a testament to his star power as his hard work.
And while the professional wrestling accolades have shaped so much of Austin’s career, his face lights up with undeniable pride when talking about winning Rookie of the Year and third overall—”at 58 years of age”—in the Valley Off Road Racing Association (VORRA), where he races a Kawasaki Teryx KRX.
“I retired from a business that got too rough for me,” he explained. “But I’m very competitive, so now I’m in a sport where not only can I go out and have fun and satisfy my competitive urge, but I get to do it in a brand that I love and represent.
“And to still be around, kicking, and repping Kawasaki 25 years later? Man, I feel like I’m on top of the world.”
Like the messaging behind the Kawasaki Ridge, he ended the thought with another perfect combination: “It’s a win-win for me.”
Get a First Look at the Kawasaki Super Bowl 58 Commercial below:
USA TODAY Ad Meter is looking to highlight to the voices of the next generation during Super Bowl 58.
Rating the big game commercials today. Creating the big game commercials tomorrow.
USA TODAY Ad Meter is looking for the voices of the next generation in 2024, the creative talents and marketing maestros in college or university programs. Those who are not only fans of Super Bowl commercials but aspire one day to be part of the creative force behind campaigns that will appear on advertising’s biggest stage.
Since 1989, Ad Meter has been the industry-leading tool for gauging consumers’ opinions on the national block of Super Bowl commercials, with hundreds of thousands of panelists weighing in on the ads over the past 35 years.
Heading into the 36th year, the Ad Meter editorial team wants to take the pop-culture excitement surrounding the ratings and the commercial conversations that escalate the following week and spotlight the marketing students who have a keen interest—and, more so, an interesting opinion—on the big game ads.
The origin of this opportunity began last year, which you can read about here.
This year, we’re looking to expand to other marketing schools/classes/programs around the U.S. collegiate map.
How does it work?
If interested, have your professor or school’s appointed correspondent email Ad Meter Editor Rick Suter (rsuter@gannett.com) about the opportunity.
After the school has been confirmed for participation, each student (18 years or older) will register as an Ad Meter panelist. (Note: 2024 registration has not been opened at this time. Like past years, it will open in January and remain open even during the big game.)
Each registered student will rate the national commercials on the Ad Meter platform during Super Bowl 58, while also making notes of what they like, don’t like, weighing in on what worked, and what missed.
Finally, the class will select their Top 5 and Bottom 5. Those results will be published in an article during the post-Super Bowl rush the following week, along with selected thoughts from the students.
No article would be complete without images of the students, so we welcome that element as well.
Sound fun?
Space is limited, so we hope to hear from you soon!
USA TODAY Ad Meter is looking to highlight to the voices of the next generation during Super Bowl 58.
Rating the big game commercials today. Creating the big game commercials tomorrow.
USA TODAY Ad Meter is looking for the voices of the next generation in 2024, the creative talents and marketing maestros in college or university programs. Those who are not only fans of Super Bowl commercials but aspire one day to be part of the creative force behind campaigns that will appear on advertising’s biggest stage.
Since 1989, Ad Meter has been the industry-leading tool for gauging consumers’ opinions on the national block of Super Bowl commercials, with hundreds of thousands of panelists weighing in on the ads over the past 35 years.
Heading into the 36th year, the Ad Meter editorial team wants to take the pop-culture excitement surrounding the ratings and the commercial conversations that escalate the following week and spotlight the marketing students who have a keen interest—and, more so, an interesting opinion—on the big game ads.
The origin of this opportunity began last year, which you can read about here.
This year, we’re looking to expand to other marketing schools/classes/programs around the U.S. collegiate map.
How does it work?
If interested, have your professor or school’s appointed correspondent email Ad Meter Editor Rick Suter (rsuter@gannett.com) about the opportunity.
After the school has been confirmed for participation, each student (18 years or older) will register as an Ad Meter panelist. (Note: 2024 registration has not been opened at this time. Like past years, it will open in January and remain open even during the big game.)
Each registered student will rate the national commercials on the Ad Meter platform during Super Bowl 58, while also making notes of what they like, don’t like, weighing in on what worked, and what missed.
Finally, the class will select their Top 5 and Bottom 5. Those results will be published in an article during the post-Super Bowl rush the following week, along with selected thoughts from the students.
No article would be complete without images of the students, so we welcome that element as well.
Sound fun?
Space is limited, so we hope to hear from you soon!
USA TODAY Ad Meter is looking to highlight to the voices of the next generation during Super Bowl 58.
Rating the big game commercials today. Creating the big game commercials tomorrow.
USA TODAY Ad Meter is looking for the voices of the next generation in 2024, the creative talents and marketing maestros in college or university programs. Those who are not only fans of Super Bowl commercials but aspire one day to be part of the creative force behind campaigns that will appear on advertising’s biggest stage.
Since 1989, Ad Meter has been the industry-leading tool for gauging consumers’ opinions on the national block of Super Bowl commercials, with hundreds of thousands of panelists weighing in on the ads over the past 35 years.
Heading into the 36th year, the Ad Meter editorial team wants to take the pop-culture excitement surrounding the ratings and the commercial conversations that escalate the following week and spotlight the marketing students who have a keen interest—and, more so, an interesting opinion—on the big game ads.
The origin of this opportunity began last year, which you can read about here.
This year, we’re looking to expand to other marketing schools/classes/programs around the U.S. collegiate map.
How does it work?
If interested, have your professor or school’s appointed correspondent email Ad Meter Editor Rick Suter (rsuter@gannett.com) about the opportunity.
After the school has been confirmed for participation, each student (18 years or older) will register as an Ad Meter panelist. (Note: 2024 registration has not been opened at this time. Like past years, it will open in January and remain open even during the big game.)
Each registered student will rate the national commercials on the Ad Meter platform during Super Bowl 58, while also making notes of what they like, don’t like, weighing in on what worked, and what missed.
Finally, the class will select their Top 5 and Bottom 5. Those results will be published in an article during the post-Super Bowl rush the following week, along with selected thoughts from the students.
No article would be complete without images of the students, so we welcome that element as well.
Sound fun?
Space is limited, so we hope to hear from you soon!
