Michigan Preview 2008: Part 6-Linebackers

While the coaches praised the linebacking corps the most during Spring ball, most Michigan fans and followers were a little confused considering Michigan lost two main starters in Shawn (late hit) Crable and Chris (underachieving) Graham. Obi Ezeh comes back though and the coaches love him. It seems like the coaches love the speed of some of the outside guys too like Marell Evans and Jonas Mouton. There are five guys being talked about for the linebacker spots, and two freshman who may see some time as well. And while the coaches love this group, it still remains the biggest question mark since Ezeh will have to step up his play to be a leader, and two inexperienced guys will be starting at the other spots.

Middle (MIKE) Linebacker:

1. #45 Obi Ezeh 6’2”247 RSSo. Grand Rapids, MI (Catholic Central)
Obi started 10 games last year at inside linebacker as a redshirt freshman. He played especially well in the last three games of the regular season recording 13 tackles and 2 sacks against MSU, 10 tackles at Wisconsin, and 12 against O-State. He will be the starter at MIKE linebacker this year and will play a pivotal role in run stopping for Michigan. As the MIKE backer, he is responsible for calling out any audibles for the linebackers. Also, he will be the guy who will have to read the draw plays and plug the hole left open by the attacking defensive ends. Linebackers coach Jay Hopson absolutely loves Ezeh and thinks he could be all-conference this year. Ezeh will have to play like that for Michigan to consistently stop the run. If you’ve seen Ezeh lately, he looks like a beast. I think he has the potential to be like David Harris, maybe not quite this year, but he’ll start getting close as the year progresses.

2. #49 John Thompson 6’1” 239 5thSr. Detroit, MI (Crockett Tech)
Thompson has had a strange career in which he played very well his freshman year at times, saw his production actually decrease his sophomore year, and then played well the first half of the year last year as a backup, before getting injured for the middle part of the year and not doing much the rest of the season. The coaches also love Thompson, but say that it’s unfortunate that Ezeh is in front of him. Thompson is strictly a MIKE linebacker in this scheme so the coaches have experimented a little with moving Ezeh to the outside so Thompson can get on the field. We might see that a little bit this season, but Thompson will probably just rotate in for Ezeh when he needs a rest. Having Thompson as the backup though is a luxury because if he stays healthy, there should not be a huge drop off between the two. Thompson is a fifth year senior and has been waiting his turn for a healthy campaign. I expect him to be very productive when called upon.

3. #42 J.B. Fitzgerald 6’3” 230 Fr. Princeton Junction, NJ (West Windsor Plainsboro)
Coach Jay Hopson has said Fitzgerald, along with Kenny Demens are the freshmen likely to see some action at linebacker. If that indeed does happen, Fitzgerald will contribute mostly on special teams and will play at MIKE if there is an injury or he will play sparingly. Fitzgerald was the player of the year in New Jersey and has great size. He was rated a four-star by almost every recruiting service and has the talent to contribute right away. I don’t think we will see him too much, but in the future he will be fun to watch.

Outside Linebackers:

Three guys are fighting for two spots here. I have a hunch on who the two guys will be, based on experience, but the coaches maintain it’s a three man battle.

1a. #54 Austin Panter 6’3” 231 Sr. Athol, Kansas (Kensington HS, Butler C.C.)
Panter, the JUCO transfer, played in seven games last year and then did not see the field after the Illinois game. He did have one of the starting spots at outside linebacker in the spring, though, and received the Iron Wolverine Award for the best conditioned athlete in the “middle group.” I think he will grab one of the two spots at least at the start of the year, probably on the strong side. In this scheme, in addition to stopping the run and some coverage at times, he will blitz a lot and be asked to make plays in the backfield which is what he did his last year at Butler C.C. picking up 17 TFLs and 9 sacks. The three guys competing for these spots though will probably end up rotating in and out frequently. Panter has a chance to be good and I’m sure he will want to try and impress scouts as a senior to give himself a shot at signing as a free agent in the NFL. He’ll be tough.

1b. #8 Jonas Mouton 6’2” 230 RSSo. Los Angeles, CA (Venice)
Mouton played as a backup weakside linebacker last season. Recruited as a safety out of high school, he switched to linebacker and has a lot of speed for a guy at that spot. This is why the current coaching staff loves him so much, and why he should be a big hit in this scheme. More so even than Panter, if Mouton is on the weakside he will blitz all the time. With his speed, he should make a lot of plays and has the potential to have a breakout year. I expect him to get the nod, though the coaches maintain Marell Evans is still in the competition and he will rotate in as well.

2. #33 Marell Evans 6’3” 231 So. Richmond, VA (Varina)
Evans will play the weakside as well, and the coaches also like his speed. He only played in 6 games, all on special teams last season. Like I said, the coaches love his speed and he will blitz a lot when he gets into the game. I think he will not start right away since he has the least experience of the three and because Mouton might be a little faster than him anyway. He did not play much on kick or punt coverage last year, only on punt and kick return. He has not recorded a tackle, and that kind of scares me as well, that he might not have been on kick or punt coverage or at linebacker because of his inability to tackle. I’m sure the coaches have addressed that and he will be ready, but the fact that we don’t know makes me think he will not start.

3. #25 Kenny Demens 6’1” 226 Fr. Oak Park, MI (Detroit Country Day)
Kenny Demens is a strong athlete at this spot which the coaches love. In high school he could already bench 375 and, in addition to recording 163 tackles his senior year, he threw for three touchdowns and returned a kickoff for a touchdown. I have a feeling he will be a great outside linebacker for Michigan in the future and will probably play a little more than Fitzgerald this season. He also will be fun to watch for as the season progresses.

Other Backups:
Coach Hopson mentioned two other guys as potential contributors at the linebacker spots, but they are unlikely to play much.

#58 Brandon Herron 6’2” 218 RSFr. Stafford, TX (Dulles)
Herron is probably and outside linebacker and was pretty highly recruited out of high school receiving four stars from scout.com. I don’t remember watching him in the Spring game, but he is young and will likely contribute later in his career while contributing on special teams this year.
#52 Kevin Leach 6’1” 202 RSFr. Kentwood, MI (Grand Rapids Catholic Central)
Leach walked onto the team prior to last year and coach Hopson seems to be pleasantly surprised by him. He probably will get a chance to play some special teams.

Obi Ezeh has to play great this season in order for Michigan’s run defense to be great. If Ezeh gets off to a good start, I think the rest of the linebackers will follow his lead and also play great. While I have been skeptical of why the coaches like this unit so much, after looking at what is there, I see why the coaches like them. The middle linebackers have great knowledge, experience, and physical tools. And while there is not a whole lot of depth at the outside spot, the outside guys have speed to get into the backfield and disrupt the opposition’s offense.

Current Grade: B- This could go up, but I feel this is just right for a group with a lot of talent, but hardly any experience on the outside. The scheme will help those outside guys, but only time will tell if they do come along. This could end up being one of the better groups in the Big Ten by season’s end, surprising a lot of people. But for right now, Ezeh is the only sure thing to be good. But the talent is there to be great.

We’ll preview the secondary next.

Michigan Preview 2008: Part 5-Defensive Line

While the O-line lacks any depth, the defensive line has plenty of depth and plenty of talent. While the departure of Marques Slocum (grades) and John Ferrara (O-line) hurts the depth at Defensive tackle, there are still very talented young guys to step in and provide depth there. This is arguably one of the best defensive fronts if not the best defensive front in the Big Ten. Nobody will call them the best due to last year’s pretty bad performance, but enter Scott Shafer’s attack/react scheme and Mike Barwis, the talent here should shine brightly this season. The D-line will need to wreak havoc and lead the defense which needs to be outstanding and tremendous (hey Lloyd) to make up for the work-in-progress offense. They will get after the quarterback, and force the QB into bad decisions that will lead to turnovers. Scott Shafer stresses attacking, making plays, and SCORING POINTS for his defense. That would help too. It all starts up front.

Defensive Ends:

Starters:

#90 Tim Jamison 6’3” 263 5thSr. Riverdale, IL (Harvey Thornton)
Jamison has plenty of experience starting all 13 games last season and playing in 38 games throughout his career. He was third on the team last year with 5.5 sacks while he had 5 sacks the year before as a backup. After going through Barwis’ strength and conditioning program and learning Shafer’s scheme of letting the D-ends go after the quarterback all the time, Jamison set this lofty goal of 24 sacks. He figured two per game for twelve games leads to 24. While there is no chance he gets to that figure, don’t be at all surprised to see him get half way there to 12 which would tie Lamar Woodley’s single season record. I have a feeling that either Jamison or Graham will reach this mark due to Shafer’s scheme. Jamison will be ready to prove himself again after a sub-par 2007 campaign. He should be great and fans will start to see him in the backfield a lot getting to the quarterback.

#55 Brandon Graham 6’2” 270 Jr. Detroit, MI (Crockett Tech)
Despite only starting 5 games last year (in Carr’s doghouse), Graham still led the team in sacks with 8.5. That was just as a sophomore, without Mike Barwis, and without Shafer’s scheme which will have him go after the quarterback all the time. Did I mention he probably will start every game this year too. Big things are expected from Graham this year, and barring injury, he should deliver. Highly touted as soon as he stepped onto campus two years ago, Graham will be able to make himself a household name, not only for Big Ten football fans, but college football fans in general. He forced three fumbles last year, as well, and I expect to see those numbers go up too. It will be very exciting to watch these two guys play all year. The one concern I have, however, is that if they are always getting after the quarterback, draw plays could lead to big yards for opponents. I will talk more about that with the linebackers, but it is something to watch for IMO. But they will get to the quarterback often.

Reserves:

#92 Greg Banks 6’4” 258 RSSo. Denver, CO (Montibello)
He played in eleven games last year on special teams and, towards the second half of the year, was playing a little D-end in almost every game. He should be one of the top backups this season at D-end and I think he will play well. He has good strength and speed off the end and, in this scheme, he should be able to make some plays.

#53 Ryan Van Bergen 6’6” 265 RSFr. Whitehall, MI
Redshirted last year, but impressed the coaches a lot in the spring. Rodriguez has said he has continued improvement in camp and will play quite a bit this year at D-end. In the spring he rotated in and did look impressive, but that was against the Michigan O-line. Still, he has a lot of talent and in this system that will let him loose, he should also make plays. The coaches have said that defensive end is probably one of the most fun positions to play in this scheme. That plays right into the hands of Van Bergen who should be able to blow by tackles if put in one-on-one situations with them. He will be a key backup if not the most important by season’s end.

#99 Adam Patterson 6’3” 259 Jr. Columbia, SC (Richland Northeast)
He has played in 18 games throughout his career as a backup D-end including 12 last year. He recorded a sack in the Northwestern game last year. Nothing has really jumped out at me watching Patterson, I just never think I noticed him, but he will probably rotate in a little bit. Again, the scheme should make all these guys look successful when they are playing.

#88 Andre Criswell 6’2” 264 RSJr. Detroit, MI (Renaissance)
Yes, Criswell was a tight end last year. Criswell was also on the receiving end of the only returning pass completion (Yes, David Cone’s throw). But the coaches really liked Criswell at defensive end, and moved him there in the spring. Criswell now has played a different position each year he has played here. As a redshirt freshman he played some fullback. As a sophomore last year, he was a tight end. Now a D-end. They should have probably moved him to the O-line, I'm just saying...I don’t know whether he’ll play, but since the coaches moved him, they must like him there and he’ll probably play some.

Defensive Tackles:

Starters:

#67 Terrance Taylor 6’0” 319 Sr. Muskegon, MI (Muskegon)
Everyone has heard now that Taylor went on Extreme Makeover with Mike Barwis and he looks like he’s in great shape. The roster still has him at 319, but we’ve all heard that weight has gone way down. Despite getting out of shape last season, Taylor became the first D-tackle since 1997 to register over 50 tackles in a season with 55. He was All-Big Ten second team, and after his great conditioning in the off-season, he should make that a first team, and maybe get some mention for All-America, maybe. Taylor, like the rest of the D-line, is excited for the scheme and the shape that they are in. This should be a spectacular year for Taylor. While Michigan will play mainly a 4-3, on passing situations it seems like they will play something like a 3-4 except with the fourth “linebacker” being a defensive back. Taylor will be the main nose tackle in this formation. I think he will need to do very well as a run-stopper. With the ends going after the quarterback, Taylor is going to have to get a sense of where the hole is going to be in the O-line on running/draw plays, and get there to stuff the run. That will be more important for him than getting into the backfield for TFL’s IMO.

#97 Will Johnson 6’5” 285 5thSr. Oakland, MI (Lake Orion)
This returning starter is best known for holding almost every current D-line record for strength and conditioning, while playing soft, or just not very well last year. While his size and strength have a lot of media who do not follow Michigan football closely hyping him up, many who follow Michigan closer say that they know better. I’m ambivalent on Johnson one day thinking he is overrated and will continue to play sub-par, and the next thinking he is going to play more aggressively this year and therefore better. Today, and seemingly more and more days as the season nears, I’m thinking that he will play more aggressively this year. For one, I do not think the current coaching staff would continue to praise him if they saw him playing soft. Two, it is his last season, and he has been Barwisified. We’ll find out soon, as in August 30th, when Michigan has to play a senior-laden, big Utah offensive line. I
think Johnson will be good though and if he’s not, there are young talent guys behind him waiting for their chance.

Reserves:

#95 Renaldo Sagesse 6’4” 308 So. Montreal, Quebec (Vieux Montreal)
He played in 6 games last year as a backup DT as a true freshman. His size, strength, and potential is what seems to have the coaches and fans excited. After Johnson and Taylor leave next year, he will be competing for the starting job. I’m sure the coaches have that in mind too and should rotate him in every game to get some experience. His size really sticks out and hopefully he can live up to the hype.

#93 Jason Kates 6’2” 339 RSSo. Harrisburg, PA (Bishop McDevitt)
Kates played in five games last year and in the last three games of the regular season, he came in a lot for goal line defense. His size really jumps out too, though I’m sure he has gone down from 339 since Barwis and co. arrived. His size might keep him from playing as much, since the current staff seems to like players a little lighter at every spot, but he does have that goal line experience in three big time Big Ten games. He should rotate in there as well.

#68 Mike Martin 6’2 285 Fr. Redford, MI (Catholic Central)
This hyped up Gatorade player of the year in Michigan will get to play as a true freshman at DT. With the departure of Slocum and Ferrara from the position, Rodriguez has said that Martin will play. He has a lot of talent and it will be interesting to see if he is up to the task at competing so early. These three backups might get to see an equal amount of time rotating in early in the season until a couple solidify themselves as the top backups. Martin will have his chance and should be fun to watch. He is very strong benching 420 and squatting 520 coming out of high school.

I think this defensive line is the best in the Big Ten especially under Shafer’s scheme. They will produce a lot of sacks, hit the quarterback a lot, and force him into bad decisions. They should also stuff the run in the backfield a lot. The one concern is draw plays with the ends attacking the quarterback so much. Holes should open up for off tackle runs and the DTs, linebackers (particularly Ezeh), and safeties, have to be up to the task of plugging up those holes. The D-line should do their part IMO, and the rest will be up to the LBs and safeties. This D-line will get a lot of national attention as the year progresses.

Current Grade: A-/A I really think the talent is here for something spectacular under Shafer’s scheme. Barwis got them ready, now they should really give OC’s nightmares.

Up next: Linebackers, the only big question mark on the defense.

No Foolin'; Zirbel out indefinitely

Redshirt Junior Cory Zirbel will undergo surgery this week that will keep him out indefinitely. Zirbel was supposed to bring much needed experience to an already thing offensive line. Zirbel saw limited time last year, playing mostly on special teams and trying his hand at LT a few times to give Jake Long a breather in blowout games.

On Sunday at Michigan's Media/Photo day, Zirbel joined his teammates for the events, albeit on crutches. When I asked Cory what had happened, he said he had "torn some cartilage" in his knee and was planning on getting surgery ASAP. While walking out to take individual photos, a few teammates joked with Zirbel, telling him to "stop faking." Zirbel replied sarcastically, "Yeah, I'm faking. I'm getting surgery, but I'm faking."

Now, I'm not a doctor. But usually when a guy has torn some cartilage, the knee is scoped before anything else is done. The recovery time for a cartilage injury in the knee (without prior damage) is 3-8 weeks, depending on how severe the damage is. Assuming the damage is done only to the cartilage and not the ligaments, there is a slight chance he could be back this season after getting treatment. And with the Wolverines being as thin as they are at O-Line, they could use all the help they can get down the stretch.

Hope for the best.

Michigan Preview 2008: Part 4-Offensive Line

Quick note: Terrence Robinson will be out at least for the opener and he’ll be out for a few weeks (small knee injury). And transitioning to offensive line, a HUGE LOSS as Cory Zirbel, starting RG, will undergo arthroscopic knee surgery and be out for a large part of the season if not the entire season. He was a projected starter and this is a huge loss for the O-line that has virtually no depth. Guard Mark Huyge is week-to-week and might be ready for Utah, but its doubtful.

Speaking of the O-line, it is the major question mark on this team other than the quarterback spot. With only one starter returning in Stephen Schilling, and, with Zirbel’s injury, only about 6 other offensive linemen with experience, this unit is inexperienced and absolutely cannot afford any more injuries. Having said that, the starting five, even without Zirbel, could be better than some think. The offense should involve a lot of quick 3-step drops where the quarterbacks get the ball to receivers or backs out in space. That should alleviate the role of the O-line. But there is no getting around an inexperienced O-line at times. At times, the quarterbacks are going to get banged up, the running backs will get stuffed. The offensive can find a way, however, to avoid that by getting the ball outside quickly. Here is the tentative depth chart, if you can call it that. I’m only going to go two deep, and I’ll still be guessing some there.

This is what it’s looking like for Utah, from LT to RT, if Huyge is injured:

Mark Ortmann-Tim McAvoy-David Molk-Dave Moosman-Stephen Schilling

Top back-ups: Perry Dorrestein (tackle or guard), John Ferrara (Guard), Rocko Khoury (Center or guard), Ricky Barnum (Guard), Dann O’Neill (Tackle who isn’t ready)

I think we are screwed with depth at tackle.

If Huyge is ready to go, move Moosman back to center, take Molk out, and insert Huyge as the starter at RG. Rodriguez has said that Ferrara (converted DT who never played O-line even in high school) will have a chance to compete for that starting job as well.

Starters:

#71 Mark Ortmann 6’7” 294 RSJr. Klein, TX (Klein)
Ortmann started two games at right tackle last year (EMU and Purdue). He also played in another four games. In 2006, he played in seven games mostly as a backup LT. So Ortmann has played some. Though he played tight end in high school, he was recruited mostly as a tackle and was a 3 star prospect by rivals. For this offense, one huge factor to note is that he ran a 4.9 40 yard dash in high school, pretty good speed for an O-lineman. I’m sure Lloyd and co. slowed him down, but enter Barwis and he is probably back at that 4.9 level. He is athletic and still weighs in the 290s, which plays right into what the coaching staff wants out of their O-lineman. This system might work out for him, I’m just confused as to why the inexperienced tackle is protecting the blind side while the only experienced guy (Schilling) is on the right. We’ll see.

#62 Tim McAvoy 6’6” 288 RSJr. Bloomington, IL (Bloomington)
McAvoy played in five games last season as a backup guard and made one start at RG (Northwestern). He was injured the remainder of the season (sat out games and then just banged up) so he actually might have started a few more games or at least been a key backup. He also played tight end in high school, but was recruited as a tackle by some, and an interior lineman by others. He was actually pretty highly regarded with Tom Lemming ranking him as the 20th best interior lineman in the country. Rivals gave him 3-stars looking at him as a tackle. SuperPrep Magazine named him an All-American on the O-line, maybe a stretch, but that’s what they thought. McAvoy also ran a 4.9 40 coming out of high school and I expect him to be around there for the same reason I think Ortmann will be running that speed. This system, which values athleticism, could also benefit McAvoy. I would not be surprised if this left side does very well as the season progresses, but that’s hard to project when they have never started. Both do have plenty of playing experience though so it might not be too bad.

#50 David Molk 6’2” 282 RSFr. Lemont, IL (Lemont Township)
Redshirted last year and has no playing experience which is scary since he is the projected starter for Utah. He was very highly regarded out of high school though. Scout.com gave him four stars and ranked him the 3rd best center in the country. Rivals named him the 5th best center in the country and gave him 3 stars. The one thing that concerns me with Molk is his size and strength. Hopefully Barwis has gotten him stronger because I keep picturing him snapping the ball and then a nose tackle getting under him and putting him straight on his back. I really hope I’m wrong and maybe his lack of height will help him get some leverage on guys coming at him. He is supposed to be good if not great at some point, but he was not supposed to start until the injuries and I don’t know if he is quite ready to yet. The coaches have said that there have been virtually no problems snapping the ball though which alleviates one concern.

#60 Dave Moosman 6’5” 292 RSJr. Libertyville, IL (Libertyville)
Moosman played three games last year, and four games two years ago, all as a reserve center. Not much experience, especially at guard. But the coaches have taught him guard especially with the injuries to Zirbel and Huyge, and the fact that Molk only can play center right now. Hopefully Huyge gets back and Moosman can move back to center, but for now he has to be RG. He was highly regarded out of high school. Rivals gave him four-stars projecting him at guard, and naming him the 11th best guard in the country. Tom Lemming ranked him the 7th best interior lineman in the nation. He came out a bit slower running the 40 in 5.2, but hopefully Barwis has worked with him. We will have to see, but I think he will be better at center when Huyge gets back.

#52 Stephen Schilling 6’5” 295 RSSo. Bellevue, WA (Bellevue)
Started 11 games at RT and moved to RG for 2 games when injuries struck the O-line (those two are when Ortmann filled in at RT). While people attack Schilling for getting blown up at times last year, let’s not forget, he was a RS freshman last year. Players improve, and with Barwis and co. I’m sure Schilling will too. He was voted second team freshman All-America by The Sporting News and is obviously the only returning starter on this O-line. He gives the right side more stability on the outside while the RG spot will probably remain questionable throughout the year IMO. Yes, Schilling was rated a five-star by BOTH rivals and scout. He will have to live up to the billing this year in order to keep that right side intact. I really think Schilling will have a great year. I wonder why they are keeping him on the right side though, and not moving him to the left to protect the blindside. Either the coaches have a lot of confidence in Ortmann or Schilling can only play the right. I hope it’s the former.

Backups:

#79 Perry Dorrestein 6’7” 308 RSSo. Plainfield, IL (Plainfield Central)
He played in four games last year as a back up tackle (2 at LT 2 at RT) and that is his experience since he redshirted his first year. He is a Carr regime tackle: big and slow, though I’m sure Barwis has tried to change that. Apparently it took a while for Dorrestein to get on board with the new staff, but he did, and hopefully he slimmed down a little and got a little faster. He will play a lot since he will be the backup for both tackle spots. Hopefully there are no injuries so he does not have to play extended time, but chances are there will be a game in which he will have to play extended minutes. He was a 3-star and the 43rd best tackle in the country three years ago, according to rivals.

#74 John Ferrara 6’4” 274 RSSo. Staten Island, NY (Monsigor Farrell)
His switch really shows how desperate this team is for some depth on the O-line. He has played DT and was going to rotate in there this season. He played tight-end in high school, absolutely no offensive line. He has been on the defensive line since he stepped onto campus. Now, as of earlier this week, he is on the O-line at guard. There is no experience or any other way to guage how he will be at OG. The coaches think he can compete to be a starter right now, which again, is a sign that this offensive line, well, isn’t too great right now. He is athletic and quick for a lineman. And maybe he plays mean? I don’t know, but the coaches see potential in him to start and I have to agree with them because they know more about what they want from O-linemen than anyone else. I count this as a Rodriguez recruit to the O-line so he could be alright. But no experience here, ever.

#63 Rocko Khoury 6’5” 280 Fr. Traverse City, MI (Traverse City West)
Khoury has been impressing the coaching staff at guard and particularly at center. At a press conference last week, Rodriguez specifically mentioned Khoury and Ricky Barnum as freshmen who will be on the two-deep for the O-line. Khoury was mainly recruited as a tackle and was a 3-star prospect by both rivals and scout. He played some D-line in high school and seems to be pretty athletic, which is probably why the coaches like him. He will rotate in there at times, and if Molk struggles at center while Huyge is out, Khoury might get a chance there early. This is really getting scary as we know that the third guy off the bench right now, will be a true freshman. But Khoury will certainly be good down the line, the question is how he will adjust being thrown into the mix right away. There will certainly be some growing pains.

#56 Ricky Barnum 6’2” 265 Fr. Lakeland, FL (Lake Gibson)
He was highly recruited, remember the wizard hat RichRod wore to get him from Florida? Barnum comes in as a four-star by rivals, scout, and ESPN. He was in the ESPN top 150. Scout named him the fourth best guard prospect while rivals named him the fifth best center. He will play guard, at least this year. He played tackle in high school, so perhaps he will get in there as well considering Dorrestein is the only experience backup at tackle, and then O’Neill has been said by many to not be ready yet. Barnum will play, most likely at guard, but if the team avoids injuries, hopefully he won’t get thrown into the fire too much. But he is certainly on the two-deep.

#78 Dann O’Neill 6’7” 295 Fr. Grand Haven, MI (Grand Haven)
O’Neill was the most anticipated offensive lineman in this freshman class with so going as far to say he is the next Jake Long. While I think that’s way too far of a stretch, he should be very good down the road. A four-star prospect by rivals and scout, and ranked 69th in the ESPN Top 150, O’Neill, a tackle, should be great. The only problem is, the coaches, and others I have talked to who have seen practice, say that O’Neill just is not ready yet. He has a great frame, but needs to work a little on his technique and grasping the scheme. Regardless, right now, with the injuries on the line, and the lack of depth at tackle, I think O’Neill will be on the two-deep and see some time. Hopefully he starts to understand the schemes better as the season goes on so he can fill in if needed. In an ideal world though, he would be redshirted. This season is not exactly what you would call ideal though.

Injured Players:

#75 Cory Zirbel 6’5” 292 RSJr. Murray, KY (Murray)
I won’t say much about him because it looks like he could be out for the year and it upsets me to think about injuries on the O-line. But he would have been the starter at RG. He’s played in 21 games in his career including all 13 last year along the offensive line. He was a four-star top-100 player out of high school and his talent and experience was sorely needed and it really sucks that he is injured. Hopefully he responds well to surgery and maybe, just maybe, we can get him back sometime in the second half of the year. Doubtful though.

#72 Mark Huyge 6’6” 292 RSFr. Wyoming, MI (Catholic Central)
He is “week-to-week” and there is still a chance that he is ready for Utah, but I doubt it. He should be back sometime early in the season though. He redshirted last year and has no experience. He was an average guy coming out of high school getting three stars from rivals and two stars from scout. Still, he impressed the coaches enough to initially fill into the starting right guard spot vacated by Zirbel. His return will be huge, regardless of whether he is very good or not, because he is the only guy who the coaches trust enough at guard, that will allow Moosman to move back to center taking young David Molk out of the starting lineup. The sooner he gets back the better. He played hockey and basketball so he must be athletic (hockey? Really?). That’s probably why the coaches like him. He will start at RG at some point during the year, unless Ferrara catches on fast.

Michigan needs to avoid any more injuries at the O-line or this will be a long year filled with watching freshman linemen getting bowled over, blown by, learning on the job, and getting the quarterbacks and running backs pounded. If you are a semi-religious Michigan fan, please pray for the health of these guys all year. I will be. Because if more guys get hurt, this could be that dreaded 4-8 season or even as bad as ND’s 3 win year last year. Hopefully the guys who are hurt return soon and those who are healthy stay healthy. There is enough talent among the starters to form a formidable Big Ten offensive line. There is virtually no depth here and that is scary thing. Please stay healthy O-line, PLEASE.

Current Grade: D+/C- This is not lower because I see talent in the starting five and see Huyge coming back. If he doesn’t or if one more starter gets injured, this is an F or D- though and I’ll be peeking through my fingers every time the offense takes the field. If they stay health though, they can be an average O-line IMO. They certainly won’t be great, and probably not good, but on the average/good borderline. Staying healthy is a tough task for O-lineman though, so we really just have to hope. PLEASE STAY HEALTHY.

Move to the more promising defense tomorrow! Thank God. We’ll start with the D-line.

Michigan Preview 2008: Part 3-Receivers and Tight Ends

So, Kevin Newsome decommitted yesterday and that means he probably won’t be coming back. Come on down Tate or Eugene Smith. But, today is for the receivers and tight ends that Threet and/or Sheridan will be throwing to. The outside receivers won’t be looked to as much for big plays. Their role should be third down conversions so just hanging on to the football. The inside guys actually will have to be the big play threats after they get the ball in their hands. Speed is what those guys have and they will be dangerous after the quarterbacks get them the ball. Everyone is still wondering what Rodriguez will do with all these tight ends. He insists he will use them, since there are so many talented ones, and I’m starting to actually believe him a little bit, at least for this year. With a weak offensive line, the offense will need some extra bodies for blocking so expect tight ends to be in there often mainly to block. Also, since the offense has athletic tight ends like Butler and Webb, he will be able to use them for some quick 5-10 yard pick ups from time to time. I believe Rodriguez will make the most of what he has this year regardless if he really likes having tight ends or not.

Outside Receivers:

1. #13 Greg Matthews 6’3” 207 Jr. Orlando, FL (Edgewater)
Matthews really came along last season, especially towards the end of last year with 7 catches in the Capital One Bowl. He will be the top deep threat and third down target for the Wolverines this year. Matthews will have to have sure hands throughout the year for the Wolverine offense to stay on the field. While the freshmen and slot guys will be looked to for yards after the catch, Matthews will have to be that reliable guy who will pick up whatever yards are needed either down the field or across the middle. His experience from the last couple of seasons should pay off and he should be ready to be the go-to guy for this offense. He will have to also make some very tough catches with the raw quarterbacks this team will have. He is no Braylon Edwards, but some Edwards-esque catches will certainly help and might even be needed for this offense to be successful.

2. #22 Daryl Stonum 6’2” 190 Fr. Stafford, TX (Dulles)
Stonum was a highly touted recruit, was here early, and could make a big splash at outside wide receiver. He will be on the field a lot, being in the top two with Matthews. He was highly sought after as many know with the whole Urban Meyer being a complete scum and lying to Stonum in an effort to lure him to Florida after the coaching change. But Stonum stayed true and is loved by the coaches. He should be a legitimate deep threat and will be relied on to make some tough catches with the questionable quarterback situation. Matthews and Stonum will be forced to step up their game early either making spectacular plays on poorly thrown balls from the QBs (since there will be a lot of poorly thrown balls) or simply making sure defenders don’t pick them off. Stonum has the speed, size, athleticism, and hands to be a great outside threat. He should be fun to watch as the season progresses.

3. #21 Junior Hemingway 6’1” 214 So. Conway, SC (Conway)
Sidelined with an injury in the spring, Hemingway fell behind Daryl Stonum for that second spot at outside receiver. The fact that he played last year as a receiver and kick returner, plus his talent, pretty much ensures that he will see the field. He even got a couple of snaps from the quarterback spot against Penn State which is something Rodriguez certainly will not shy away from doing. He’s too talented to keep off the field when healthy, but he probably will not play as much as Matthews or Stonum. I think he will get to play a little bit of slot and outside receiver throughout the year and will have a chance to become a playmaker.

4. #16 Roy Roundtree 6’0” 154 Fr. Trotwood, OH (Trotwood-Madison)
Roundtree most likely will not be red-shirted, but I don’t see him playing as much as the other freshman. The coaches have said he’ll probably play on the outside and he is way too thin right now to play IMO. 154 is probably right on with how skinny he is (about as skinny as me). But he has impressed the coaches enough to be discussed for playing time and maybe he makes up for his size with speed, athleticism, and hands. Still, he isn’t getting as much buzz as the other guys and should get in a couple times a game. But I’m not expecting much production from him comparatively speaking.

5. #82 Laterryal Savoy 6’3” 210 RSJr. Mamou, LA (Mamou)
Playing with the twos on the outside, in the spring, Savoy was mentioned by Rodriguez as an experienced guy who he liked. However, not much has been said about Savoy since the spring. There were not really many newcomers to the outside spot, since Stonum was here in the spring. The only one really would be Roy Roundtree, if he is still playing with the outside guys. Savoy has played the last two years on special teams and has one career reception which came against Eastern last year. I would like to say Savoy will contribute positively as a backup, but I have to wonder if the reason he never played the last two years is because he simply isn’t good. We’ll see, but don’t expect much from Savoy offensively. On special teams he should have a chance to make an impact.

Inside (Slot) Receivers:

1a. #17 Toney Clemons 6’3” 201 So. New Kensington, PA (Valley)
Clemons was the number one slot guy in the spring and was the main target in that spring offense. He was the recipient of a lot of short passes where he would have to pick up a majority of the yards after the catch. Clemons has conceded that the freshmen, Odoms and Robinson, are faster than him and would beat him in a foot race any day. But, if Odoms and Robinson have trouble hanging onto the ball, Clemons certainly will be the guy the coaches look to for ball security. I expect to see Clemons in more on third and long situations where the offense needs someone to catch it beyond the sticks instead of making a big play after the catch. He should play plenty, but the big plays will most likely come from the freshmen and not him.

1b. #9 Martavious Odoms 5’9”171 Fr. Pahokee, FL (Pahokee)
Rodriguez said he, along with Shaw, McGuffie, and Robinson, will play as freshmen. The reason: speed. Odoms is extremely fast and will play often at the slot position. He will be one of the main guys the quarterbacks will try to get the ball to in open space, or on quick slants. If he gets going it will be tough for anybody to stop him. Odoms should rotate with Clemons and Robinson at that slot position with often times two of them out on the field at the same time. He has a chance to become a fan-favorite really early as this position is an intricate part of the offense and he can fly.

1c. #7 Terrence Robinson 5’9” 170 Fr. Klein, TX (Oak)
Robinson’s little preview is pretty much the exact same as Odoms; he is fast very fast. He played quarterback in high school even though he ran a majority of the time. Some of his highlights are unbelievable. He is extremely fast and he will also rotate at the slot position with Clemons and Odoms. This is based off of nothing really except the little I have seen of the freshmen, but I like Robinson a little more than Odoms coming in. He played in Texas and his highlights are simply more impressive than Odoms. Regardless, both are lightning fast, will be exciting to watch, and have a chance to become huge playmakers early.

2. McGuffie, Shaw, and other backs

3. #26 Zion Babb 6’1” 189 So. Montibello, CA (Alhambra)
Babb got some reps with the first and second team in the spring, mainly the second, and most of it was from the slot. With the incoming freshmen he’s screwed out of playing time at wide receiver, probably. But he could be a big contributor on kickoff coverage and punt coverage. Not something most people will see, but he played a lot of special teams last year and will try to impress the coaches there.

Tight Ends:

1a. #85 Carson Butler 6’5” 250 RSJr. Detroit, MI (Renaissance)
Butler is better known for dropping balls, holding calls, and off the field troubles with Carr, but is extremely athletic and talented, and will most likely split starting time at tight end with Massey. Butler’s athleticism will make him the pass target from the tight end spot and he could come up big in third down situations, if he hangs onto the ball. If Rodriguez does indeed try to use the tight ends, Butler might get the ball thrown his way often. Let’s just hope he decides to block and not hold.

1b. #83 Mike Massey 6’5” 225 5thSr. Brecksville, OH (St. Ignatius)
Although he has played for two and a half years (sat out most of last year with an injury) Massey has never been too impressive. Still, he has played a lot. IMO he will be used quite a bit as an extra blocker at the tight end spot. Again, this all hinges on whether or not Rodriguez will actually use the tight end spot, but I do think he will, especially for blocking. Therefore, Massey should split time with Butler, with Massey handling most of the blocking duties. But really there is no way of knowing what Rodriguez has in mind for this group.

2. #80 Martell Webb 6’4” 249 So. Pontiac, MI (Pontiac Northern)
Webb is a very athletic tight end who was recruited by many schools to be a wide receiver. When he came to Michigan though, Lloyd and co. made him gain 25 pounds and move to tight end. That kind of sucks for Webb now as Rodriguez might have used him at WR, but really doesn’t seem to have the affinity for tight ends. Still, Webb is very talented, playing in ten games as a freshman last year. He should play rotating in for Massey and Butler. If he’s improved his blocking he may play quite a bit. Otherwise, he will probably used to gain 5-10 yards receiving a few times throughout the year. I would say Rodriguez might use him as an outside wide receiver, but I don’t think he is nearly fast enough any more to play wide out. But with Barwis you never know.

3.? #86 Kevin Koger 6’4” 220 Fr. Toledo, OH (Whitmer)
Despite the thought that Rodriguez’s offense does not have a spot for tight ends, Rodriguez has mentioned Koger multiple times as a guy who he likes a lot and who will have a chance to play. I’m skeptical of this simply because Koger plays tight end and there are already three experienced guys at the spot. But the fact that Rodriguez likes him probably should not be ignored and might be a sign that he does want to use tight ends this year. Or, perhaps, Koger will be a special teams contributor. Or, he might like him, but redshirt him anyway. Nobody knows, but Koger is an athletic tight end who also plays very physically and blocks well. I doubt he could beat out the experienced guys but who knows.

RS: #88 Brandon Moore 6’6” 221 Fr. Trotwood, OH (Trotwood-Madison)
Moore was also a highly recruited tight end, but Rodriguez has not mentioned him as much as Koger. I expect him to be redshirted, but he has a lot of talent for the future. If Rodriguez does indeed start to include the tight end into his offense, Moore is someone to watch out for in the next few years. Not this year though.

The receivers, especially the slot guys, are going to have to be great after the catch in order for this offense to be successful. With a weak offensive line and very inexperienced quarterbacks, there will be a lot of quick few step drops and short throws to the receivers. If they can’t make something happen after the catch, let alone catch it, this offense will be lucky to score 10 to 17 points a game. If they can make plays after the catch, the offense could surprise a lot of people. They won’t be great, but could be good. Each group has its role and the outside guys are average right now and with balls that will be underthrown, overthrown, and thrown far to either side, they will have to become great at adjusting to the ball. Matthews has shown that potential, but never really has had to make plays on poorly thrown balls, while everyone is hoping Stonum will be able to. The tight ends also are pretty solid, but will probably be used mainly for blocking and sparingly for route-running.

Current Grade: B- The reason this is not higher is because, although we are expecting big things from the slot guys, they have no experience. Also, the offense lost its top two receivers from last year which does not help and we have not seen how Matthews will respond when being the go-to guy. Hopefully this improves as the year goes on, because if the receivers are dropping balls and not making plays with our terrible QB situation, the offense will not find the endzone. I expect this position to improve and be extremely exciting to watch especially with the young slot guys.

Tomorrow we’ll preview the O-line…again, YIKES.

Michigan Preview 2008: Part 2-Backfield

Replacing Michigan’s all-time leading rusher would seem impossible. And it would be if Michigan was looking for one guy to step into the void. But Michigan will have at least four guys share the carries to fill in the void left by Mike Hart. Brandon Minor and Carlos Brown are the two obvious experienced guys to get the majority of the carries. Kevin Grady would have followed them before making one really bad decision on one summer night (getting behind the wheel while thinking Mickey Mouse was a dog). But his suspension has opened the door for two very fast true freshmen in Sam McGuffie and Michael Shaw, to impress in camp. They have, and now Rodriguez has said they will play this season. Throw in Avery Horn who was very impressive and fast in the spring game and despite losing Mike Hart, this is probably the deepest and most dangerous unit on the offense. Granted there is still a very inexperienced offensive line in front of them, but the offense is designed to get them the ball in open space. They will be running backs by name, but especially for McGuffie and Shaw, a lot of their touches will probably come from screen passes and receptions on quick flare routes. Here is how the depth chart will probably shape up at running back IMO.

Running Backs:
1a. #4 Brandon Minor 6’1” 214 Jr. Richmond, VA (Varina)
Minor has been the top backup for Mike Hart the last two seasons. Both years he has also been the team’s second leading rusher. He is typically labeled a North-South runner, but IMO I like him once he gets to the outside and runs downhill. He runs a little two straight up and has been taken down a little two easily up the middle the last two seasons for me to label him a strictly North-South runner. Hopefully he has changed that because with the exception of suspended back Kevin Grady, he will have to be the guy earning the tough yards this season. Due to that I think he will be getting the majority of the carries up the middle, off tackle and whenever the quarterback is actually under center as opposed to in the shotgun. He, along with Brown has been waiting for this chance to be the guy and hopefully he can shine. He’s been banged up a little bit in camp the last week, but it doesn’t sound like anything too serious and he should be ready to go August 30th.

1b. #23 Carlos Brown 6’0” 213 Jr. Franklin, GA (Heard County)
Brown was out in the spring with a broken finger, which probably set him behind Minor from the start. But he will still be on the field as much as Minor, though his touches will probably come in a wider variety of ways. Brown is best known for his speed and the fact that he played some quarterback in high school. For this reason, the coaches should try to get him the ball in the open field a little more, or of course, at the quarterback spot. So while Minor will get more carries, I think Brown and Minor will be on the field about the same amount each game and sometimes will even share the backfield. Brown had some very good performances last year, highlighted by his start at Illinois in which he gained 113 yards on 25 carries. I don’t count the Minnesota game because, well, it was Minnesota. But Brown certainly showed at times last year that he can be a reliable productive back. He also is a little banged up right now, but there is no indication that he will be out for a prolonged amount of time. Brown and Minor should prove to be a good compliment to each other Minor (power, hopefully) and Brown (speed and elusiveness).

2a. #2 Sam McGuffie 5’11” 185 Fr. Cypress, TX (Cypress-Fair)
Everyone knows about McGuffie and Youtube videos. When Carr was still in charge, I was of the opinion that McGuffie, in that Michigan offense, would be too small, try to hurdle someone going up the middle, get his knee dismantled and would be a complete bust. When we hired Rodriguez, though, all of that changed because Rodriguez’s offense will allow McGuffie to get the ball in space a lot more. Space, space space, seems to have been the word beaten into the ground with this offense, but it is exactly what playmakers like McGuffie need. According to the coaches, Sam has picked up on the offense very quickly and as Rodriguez said last week “has done enough to earn significant playing time this year” along with Shaw. Teammates seem to be impressed with McGuffie too. McGuffie should get a chance to make a big impact early with tosses to the outside, screen passes and flare passes which all get him to the outside and in space. He has showcased great speed which the coaching staff has been dying to see. McGuffie should make some big plays this year once he gets to the outside, makes someone miss, and can start running downhill. Rodriguez still maintains that nobody has one the starting job at this spot either. And while a few months ago I would have called you crazy if you said McGuffie might start at some point during the year, don’t be surprised if that happens if he gets off to a good start. Regardless he will play and I think get 5-10 touches a game, if not more as the year progresses. Expect to see him in the slot position as well, as in the backfield. They will move him around a lot IMO.

2b. #20 Michael Shaw 6’0” 185 Fr. Trotwood, OH (Trotwood-Madison)
Shaw is still listed as a WR on the roster on MGoBlue, but Rodriguez has made it pretty clear that Shaw is a running back, mentioning him with McGuffie and the backs while making the distinction between them and the slot guys like Odoms, and Robinson. Even though Shaw is a running back, he will see plenty of time at the slot position too, like McGuffie. Shaw, just like McGuffie, brings speed. He is fast, and since he is speedy and has picked up the offense quickly like McGuffie, he also has “done enough to earn significant playing time this year.” Starting off the year Shaw will probably see the field just as much as McGuffie. Then, whoever performs better between the two of them will probably see their touches increase, while the other is put back to more of a backup role. There is not as much hype surrounding Shaw, unless you’re a bitter Penn State fan who is angry that we snake-oiled him away, but the consensus on Shaw has been fast, fast, very fast. I expect a lot from Shaw and McGuffie in terms of changing up the pace and making some big plays on the ground. This offense is not going to very consistent with all of the inexperience. But big plays will come at times, and the speed of these guys gives them a good chance to make the plays whether from out of the backfield or the slot.

3a. #34 Avery Horn 5’10” 185 RSFr. Hanford,CA (Hanford)
Horn might have performed the best out of the three back in the spring game. He is very fast, and once he cuts to the outside, it’ll be tough to catch him. With the incoming freshmen, he probably saw his chance to contribute go down, but if he gets the chance, he could make some big plays and earn some PT.

3b. #24 Kevin Grady 5’9” 228 RSJr. Grand Rapids, MI (East Grand Rapids)
It’s sad that he got his D.U.I. because all of his coaches and teammates were saying he was probably playing better than ever after rehabbing that torn ACL. He looked pretty good in the spring and was up there competing with Brown and Minor for one of the top two spots. He will get his chance to play again, if he doesn’t make any more mistakes, but now the freshmen will have a chance to impress first, and I’ll bet that one of them, at least, makes a big impression. That means Kevin’s chance will probably be slim to see the field. When I asked Rodriguez in the spring if they were thinking of making Kevin a fullback in the Owen Schmidt mold, he said flat out “No.” Kevin is a running back in the coaches’ mind, not a fullback. I hope Kevin does some things to show he can be the Schmidt type fullback because IMO he has all the tools to fulfill that role. And it seems more and more like his chance at running back is fading away barring injury.

Fullbacks:
1. #44 Mark Moundros 6’1” 232 RSSo. Farmington Hills, MI (North Farmington)
When asked about the fullback spot, from spring through fall so far, Moundros has been the guy Rodriguez has mentioned. Moundros started 7 games at fullback last season and his role this season will be mainly as a lead blocker, though I think his use will greatly diminish this year in the Rodriguez scheme. If Rodriguez had the Schmidt type, then the fullback would be used a lot more. And while many Michigan fans, including me, think Grady fits that mold, the coaches don’t agree for whatever reason, at least for now. But when the fullback is in, it should be Moundros. And I really hope he doesn’t get any carries (0 carries all last year and just 3 receptions).

2. #32 Vince Helmuth 6’1” 261 So. Saline, MI (Saline)
Helmuth may get in at times as well. A lot of people think he could step up this year and actually be the starting fullback, again, when we use a fullback. I think this stems from his frame (261 pounds). Seems like the coaches still like Moundros, but who knows. This position really should not be too important this year, but anybody who can block could help that inexperienced O-line.

IMO this is certainly the strongest and deepest unit on the offense. Minor, hopefully has learned to lower the shoulder a bit to run up the middle more effectively; Brown possesses the speed, size, and athleticism that gives the offense a lot of options of where to put him and how to get him the ball; and the freshmen bring speed that will make them dangerous in space. These four guys together I think can help make the absence of Mike Hart a little less glaring. The running game will be very different than running off tackle every first and second down. A lot more emphasis will be placed on getting these guys in space, with the exception, maybe, of Minor (who is the big question mark, hopefully he can be the banger).

Current Grade: B+ If Minor cannot be the tough inside runner that fans and the coaches hope he will be, then this gets bumped down to a B- since there would be a lack of a guy to gain a couple yards on third down, at least until Grady can play again. If Minor can be that guy, and the freshmen turn out to be outstanding, then this gets into the A range. The offense will lean heavily on the back field. For the offense to be the least bit successful, these guys will have to be great and make big plays often. The potential is there.

Tomorrow we will have the receivers and tight end preview.

Michigan Preview 2008: Part 1-QBs

With only 12 days until kickoff we are kicking off our 10-part preview of Michigan (Unit by Unit). However, this year there are more question marks, with only 12 days left before kickoff, than ever before. I'll start off with probably the biggest question mark on the team, the quarterback spot. I'm sure we will learn more about the QB in the next couple weeks and we will update you when news comes. But as of right now, here's the ugly QB preview.

Quarterbacks:

The decision by Ryan Mallett to commit to Michigan two years ago really hurts them, not because he left, but because he forced Jason Forcier to transfer. Had Forcier stayed, he would almost undoubtedly be the starter for next season. Instead, he is competing for the starting job at Stanford. The one event that saved Michigan was Georgia Tech letting all their coaches go two seasons ago making Steven Threet transfer to Michigan immediately after enrolling early at Tech. If that event did not happen, Michigan would be with only 6’0” walk-on Nick Sheridan and 6’0” true freshman Justin Feagin at the quarterback spot. That’s right David Cone does not even count anymore. Imagine the only two quarterbacks being walk-on Nick Sheridan and freshman Justin Feagin, who hasn’t been able to understand the complicated offense much at all (Nightmare). So while the quarterback situation is still downright frightening, it could be a lot worse without Threet here.

Rodriguez said he would start out camp with a three person race for the starting job (Threet, Feagin, and Sheridan), and then whittle it down to two a couple weeks into camp. It is now whittled down to Threet and Sheridan, while Feagin is coming along at a snail’s pace and really struggling. I originally wrote the QB section before camp started and said the starter would undoubtedly be Threet, followed by Feagin because he could run, and then Sheridan the six foot nothing, former coach’s son, walk-on. Turns out I’m glad I did not start posting the preview so early as it looks more and more like Sheridan is actually the FAVORITE right now. Yeah…but still I think the coaches want Threet to start (because of his size) and are just hoping he shows some signs of understanding the offense as much as Sheridan does. But right now they are equal at 1a and 1b. Equal means “a” is no better than “b.”

1a. #10 Steven Threet 6’6” 230 RSFr Adrian, MI (Adrian HS)
Threet should have been the favorite for the starting job at quarterback. While Rodriguez said there was a “real” competition between Sheridan and Threet, Threet got all the snaps with 1s in the spring scrimmage while Sheridan was relegated to take snaps with the twos. Also, Sheridan was only on the roster to begin with because his dad, Bill Sheridan, was a coach under Carr and therefore Sheridan was given a walk-on spot. Threet, however, was a top 10 quarterback, four-star recruit out of high school two years ago. He is extremely smart (Valedictorian of his class) and if that parlays onto on-field smarts and good preparation, we may have actually found a legitimate starter.
However, it seems that the older Sheridan has been progressing deeper into the offense than Threet. Still, Threet does have some tools that could make him a solid quarterback in the system this year.
He ran an offense very similar to Rodriguez’s in high school with a zone-read spread. I watched some film of him from high school and he did actually have some plays designed for him to run out of the shotgun where he would pick up 7-10 yard gains. He’s not going to sprint past guys, but he’s slightly faster than any quarterback Michigan has had in the last 10 years (except Henson and maybe Forcier). In the spring he had trouble throwing the ball down the field, but the offense seems to be leaning to more quick short passes into the hands of our quick speedy guys like Toney Clemons and the incoming freshman like Sam McGuffie, Michael Shaw, Martavious Odoms, and Terrence Robinson.
Rodriguez said at Big Ten media day that they will practice the same plays they have always practiced for his offense. From Shaun King to Pat White they have always practiced the same plays, but, they will be practicing the “Shaun King” plays more with Threet. Rodriguez is smart enough to win with a drop back guy like Threet. That’s all he has right now, so he knows he has to be able to win with him. He has done it before and he can do it again this year.
All-in-all, Threet has all the tools to start the season as the starter with this roster. However, it seems that he will be splitting time with Sheridan. Threet would be the third Michigan quarterback in a row to start as a freshman (Navarre and Henne). I believe that he could also turn into a pretty good quarterback as the year goes on. But that six foot nothing walk-on seems to have a better understanding of the offense right now…

1b. #8 Nick Sheridan 6’1” 212 RSSo. Saline, MI (Saline HS)
Sheridan, a walk-on who got his chance to try out since his dad, Bill, was coaching on Carr’s staff, had done enough to surpass David Cone as Threet’s top competitor in the spring and seemingly last season as well. That in and of itself is quite an accomplishment for a guy who once told a friend of mine that the only time he might ever see game action is in a 40-point blowout his senior year. But to Sheridan’s credit, he must have been working hard as he got in for some snaps last year and to be mentioned as a possible starter now. It is hard to guage what skills Sheridan brings to the table since we have not really gotten to see him run with the first-team offense. Sheridan took all of his snaps with the second team in the spring game. Sheridan did not look bad, and does have a little, barely a little, more speed than Threet. It seems that maybe Sheridan plays with a sense of calmness and collectedness that might be giving him an edge right now. Quarterbacks coach Rod Smith said that Sheridan’s now “getting comfortable with himself” and “his reads are getting better” as he gets more comfortable. Judging by Smith and Rodriguez’s comments, it does appear that Sheridan has been performing better than Threet throughout fall camp. Who knows, maybe this could turn into a great story like the last walk-on starter at Michigan, Brian Griese. No nat’l title this year, but it would be great if Sheridan is way better than we think.
Unless Threet really makes a push in these next few weeks, your starting quarterback for the Utah game is…I can’t believe I’m saying this…Nick Sheridan. Threet will still play significant minutes, but Sheridan might be “the man.”

3. #3 Justin Feagin 6’0” 190 Fr. Deerfield, FL (American Heritage)
Last year, as a senior in high school, enroute to finishing in the top 3 in voting for Mr. Florida in football, Feagin rushed for 1,313 yards (8.2 YPC) and 25 TD’s in addition to completing 60% of his passes for 1,420 yards and 19 TD’s to 3 INT’s. His size, or lack thereof, is what made many schools shy away from recruiting the 3-star to the quarterback spot. Some speculate that after this year Feagin might be moved to the slot position, but this year he will definitely have a chance to state his case to stay at QB. He has not been able to learn enough about the system to compete for the starting job. His size won’t help him either. Rodriguez has already said a lot of guys should get reps at QB this year joking that the “over-under is at 20.” Feagin will get in as the season progresses, but Threet and Sheridan should be the starters and play most of the games, at least for the first half of the season. But if Feagin starts to grasp the offense a little better, he could really be used as a secret weapon in certain situations down the road (dare I say O-state?).

4. Wild Card: #23 RB Carlos Brown 6’0” 213 Jr. Franklin, GA
Brown will probably see some reps at quarterback among others. He played QB in high school and everyone seems to want him to be the quarterback. He’s got the speed and I don’t think there is any doubt Rich Rod will give him some snaps at the spot. While Brown should be the main non-quarterback getting snaps, I expect to see a lot of the backs and slot-guys taking some shotgun snaps. Freshman Terrence Robinson played quarterback in high school and don’t be surprised to see others, who never have played quarterback, get some direct snaps throughout the year.

5. #12 David Cone 6’7” 214 RSSo. Statesboro, GA
Waste of size. Waste of supposed talent. To think I actually thought he might compete. If he sees significant time, something has gone terribly wrong. If that happens somebody please shoot me.

No matter who is playing QB this year, it’s going to be a first year starter. That means that no matter how well the coaching staff plays to the guy’s strengths, there are still going to be mistakes, probably a lot of them, especially with an inexperienced offensive line that now is battling some injuries. As Rodriguez has continually said, during this year, the toughest thing with the young guys is teaching them the fundamentals and the new system. Threet has a year of practice at Michigan, but that was in a completely different system, and Sheridan had two years in that completely different system. There are going to be some growing pains, some major growing pains. But, as the season continues on the situation at QB will get better. Before then, the defense, running game, and special teams will really need to carry the team.

Current Grade: D/D+ until proven otherwise. Bottom line, Michigan cannot afford to fall behind too far in games. We do not have a quarterback with any experience to rely on to bring us back from a sizable deficit. Maybe we will by the end of the year, but certainly not for the first half of the year. A grand total of 1 pass attempt of experience for the group, which came from the guy who hopefully won’t see the field (Cone) equals Y-I-K-E-S. The only reason this isn’t a D- or F is because Threet is not some scummy QB who came out of nowhere like many have made him out to be, Sheridan has to have done something we haven’t seen for him to warrant snaps last year and be in the mix now, and Feagin and Brown bring speed to the table to mix things up. Still, until further notice YIKES.

We will have the running backs preview tomorrow.

What does a Wolverine Eat?

Ever wondered how Wolverines get to be the size that they are? Sure, Mike Barwis plays a role, but so does Chef Kelly, head chef at South Quad, who presides over the Training Table dining room which operates exclusively for the Michigan Football and Basketball teams.

The 9" diameter plates that are used by all other dining halls on campus are replaced by 16" platters, the 16 oz blue cups that normal students get? Those are gone in favor of 24 oz blue cups featuring the block M logo. Most players don't even bother with the cups though, choosing to drink straight from 60 oz pitchers instead.

This summer, smoothie machines have been installed for the players' use featuring banana, peach, and strawberry flavors. The smallest size smoothie contains a whopping 635 calories. Last night quite a few players had two or three of those on top of their "normal" meal.

What is a normal meal you ask? Well, here's what was on the serving line last night:

Main Courses

• 16 oz New York Strip Steak (available medium-rare and well-done)
• Seafood Fettuccine with Shrimp, Scallops, and Mussels
• Buffalo Chicken Drumsticks
• Chicken Cordon Bleu
• Grilled Halibut
  
• Penne Pasta with Marinara Sauce
• Pulled Pork Sandwiches
• French Onion Soup
• Pasta with Tomato Basil Sauce
  

Sides

• Mozzarella Sticks
  
• Green Beans
• Corn on the Cob
• Sauteed Mushrooms and Onions

There was also a full salad bar and fresh fruit bar offered. For desert, players could choose from various ice cream novelty bars, soft serve ice cream with assorted toppings, and chocolate/yellow cupcakes and frosting.

The biggest eater of the night was one of the linemen who put away three 16 oz steaks to go with some drumsticks and mozzarella sticks. Most players had no problem polishing off several entrees before heading out to their 6:30 team meeting. A few of the coaches wandered in to eat during the meal but most received their meals in take out boxes delivered by the team managers.

Next Michigan Football update should come from media day tomorrow morning which will be followed by an autograph session with the team. The autograph/meet-the-team event is free and open to the public. Those interested should park in the lot by Crisler and then make their way to the practice field alongside of Schembechler Hall/Oosterbaan Field House.

A Peek Inside the Big House

The media was taken on a tour of the Big House today and here are some pictures. The stadium doesn't look all that different from the inside (if you can get past the huge exposed steel structures towering over the sidelines).

IMG locks up Michigan media for $86M; Changes for Football TV show

IMG College has announced that it has officially secured a University of Michigan package of media rights for 12 years and an estimated 86 million dollars . A new deal was rumored to be in the works for some time, with details of a possible deal becoming steadier throughout last week. It is the first time Michigan has packaged its media rights like this and also represents the continuing trend of big market schools like Texas, Florida, and Nebraska hiring large agencies/businesses to handle marketing strategies or negotiate broadcast deals.

The deal includes giving IMG control over some corporate sponsorships, and it also leaves the company in charge of the coaches' radio and TV shows. With regards to Michigan, the most prominent of these shows is the former "Michigan Replay," which used to be filmed at Crisler Arena on Saturday night following the afternoon games. However, after being on the air for 30 years, Michigan Replay will no longer air on CBS Sunday mornings in favor of a new preview show that will be recorded on Thursday and shown on FSN the same night (with late night re-airs rumored to be shown on ABC-Ch.7 in Ann Arbor). The show, like Michigan Replay, will still be hosted by Jim Brandstatter.

(Note: Michigan Replay was usually aired around 11 AM Sunday mornings, so I'm not sure how much this will affect all our student fans out there... if at all)

The changes to the TV show were reportedly done by Head Coach Rich Rodriguez. Coach Rod did not like the idea of filming the show on Saturday night after games, saying that those evenings are to be dedicated to his family and/or new recruits. The idea of doing the show without first reviewing the game by himself didn't sit well with the new head coach and the show was scrapped.

Michigan Football Odds & Ends

While Michigan may be ranked #24 in the USATODAY Coaches Poll, Sports Illustrated has a slightly different opinion as they have Michigan ranked #55. Seven teams on Michigan's schedule are ranked higher than the Wolverines.

In other news, Morgan Trent is fast. Very fast. To the tune of a 4.13 forty fast.

There's a press conference scheduled for today at 5:15 at the conclusion of the Wolverines' third practice of the summer. Hopefully we'll have the details and maybe some audio from that up this evening

UPDATE: Rich Rod was really uninformative, so I'm going to skip that audio. Brandon Graham was very interesting so his audio will be up here shortly. When asked about the incoming freshman who stood out, he brought up Sam McGuffie so I had to ask, has Sam jumped over anyone yet?

Apparently a few weeks ago McGuffie did a full front flip over Obi Ezeh after being egged on by the team to recreate his youtube stunt.

One somewhat interesting tidbit from Rodriguez was that Bryan Wright has moved from kicker to punter and is seemingly giving Zoltan Mesko some competition for that starting job although Rodriguez also said that Zoltan has been outstanding punting the ball. All positions are considered a competition, but Rich Rod called the kick-off specialist position "wide open."

UPDATE UPDATE: here's the Brandon Graham audio

Beijing Olympics Start Friday: Let the Games Begin

Here's a quick preview of the upcoming Summer Olympics in communist China. The picture to the right is Beijing National Stadium, also known as the "Bird's Nest" for its unique skeletal structure. The main storyline surrounds American and University of Michigan swimmer Michael Phelps, who can become the most decorated olympian in history. Phelps looks to break the mark of 7 individual gold medals in a single Olympics set by Mark Spitz in the terrorist-marred 1972 Moscow games. Also in the pool, Dara Torres, a 41 year-old American swimmer, competes in the 50m Freestyle and anchors the 4x100m Freestyle Relay. Torres remarkably competed in the 1984 Los Angles Olympics, 24 years ago. In gymnastics, Shawn Johnson and Nastia Luikin lead a strong American women's team that will go head-to-head against the Chinese. Meanwhile, the men's 100m final is the most anticipated race in track & field. Tyson Gay (USA), Asafa Powell (Jamaica), and Usain Bolt (Jamaica) headline the race to become the man's fastest man. Also, Bernard Lagat, who recently recieved American citizenship is a gold medal favorite in both the 1500m and 5000m.

In men's basketball, the so-called "Redeem Team" looks to bounce back from a disappointing bronze medal finish at the Athens Olympics in 2004. The US finds itself in a very difficult group featuring Greece and Spain. The first game for the "Redeem Team" is Sunday morning at 10am against host-nation China and Yao Ming LIVE on NBC. In addition, these will be the last olympics for both baseball and softball. The IOC recently announced that both sports would be dropped from the 2012 Olympics in London. The US is heavily favored to win gold in softball.

The country of China is a story in its own right at the Games of the XXIX Summer Olympiad. The most populous nation has been criticized in the months leading up to the Games. Concerns have arisen over the heavy Beijing air pollution, press and internet restrictions, and human rights issues. Meanwhile, in athletic competition, China has a chance to surpass the United States in the medal count. The Chinese could sweep every gold medal in diving, table tennis, and shooting. In addition, China is very strong in gymnastics and badminton. While Yao Ming may be the most well-known Chinese athlete in America, track and field athlete Liu Xiang is even more prominent in China. Xiang won gold in the 110m hurdles in Athens and is the favorite to repeat in Beijing.

NBC has comprehensive coverage of the Beijing Olympics, with 3600 combined television and internet hours available. On NBCOlympics.com, 2200 hours will be streamed LIVE. 25 Olympic sports will be featured in their entirety, including basketball, soccer, baseball, softball, tennis, and badminton. NBC will be on the air from 10am-1pm, 8pm-12am, and 12:35-2am daily, give-or-take a hour or so depending on the day. NBC worked with the IOC to move some of the key Olympic events to the morning, allowing them to air LIVE in primetime on NBC. Some of the LIVE primetime coverage includes all swimming finals, 4 key nights of gymnastics, men's and women's beach volleyball, and the men's and women's marathon. Meanwhile, the USA network will feature men's and women's basketball, along with other team sports, from 2am-12pm daily. MSNBC will have 12 hours of coverage per day, from 5am-5pm. CNBC will be the home to boxing in Beijing, with LIVE bouts at midnight and taped coverage from 5-8pm. Don't forget about OXYGEN, which will have 20 combined hours from 6-8pm focusing on gymnastics, tennis, and equestrian. It should be a fun next couple weeks and it all begins with the Opening Ceremonies Friday night at 7:30pm on NBC.

USA Today Coaches Poll Released

#1 Georgia (22)

#2 USC (14)

#3 Ohio State (14)

#4 Oklahoma (3)

#5 Florida (5)

#6 LSU (3)

#7 Missouri

#8 West Virginia

#9 Clemson

#10 Texas

#11 Auburn

#12 Wisconsin

#13 Kansas

#14 Texas Tech

#15 Virginia Tech

#16 Arizona State

#17 BYU

#18 Tennessee

#19 Illinois

#20 Oregon

#21 South Florida

#22 Penn State

#23 Wake Forest

#24 Michigan

#25 Fresno State

_____________

#28 Utah

While you can certainly debate the preseason coaches poll, considering most coaches have their SID's fill out the polls for them, here are my thoughts on what to take away from this first poll.

-The Big 10, SEC, and Big 12 each had 5 teams ranked in the top 25. The Big 10 will have a hard time finishing the year with more than 3 teams in the Top 25.

-How is Michigan ranked? New coach, new offense, new QB, no Mike Hart, no Jake Long, tough schedule... I don't see it. 

-#1 Georgia is a bit over-rated. Add to that a brutal schedule: @Arizona State, @South Carolina, Florida, LSU, etc. and its hard to imagine the Dawgs finishing in the Top 10.

-How big is that USC-Ohio State game? The winner can probably afford one loss and still make the BCS Championship Game.

-Teams ranked too high in the polls: #1 Georgia, #6 LSU, #9 Clemson, #13 Kansas, #24 Michigan

-Teams ranked too low in the polls: #3 Ohio State, #5 Florida, #16 Arizona State, #17 BYU, #22 Penn State

***FUTURE PROGRAMMING NOTE: I have put in the request for media passes to all home and away Michigan football games. The lone response thus far has been from Notre Dame. All Michigan football games next year (assuming we receive passes, which I expect) can be heard live on the WCBN Sports Stream.

Tiller admits to owning a Wizard Hat of his own

I stumbled across this article on Boilerstation.com by Tom Kubat which discusses how Tiller and Rodriguez don't actually have a feud over Michigan's recruitment of Roy Roundtree. In the article Tiller said he was just saying that to support his stance on getting an earlier signing period for recruits.

Tiller also says: "Dustin Keller was committed to Toledo but we got him, right at the end of recruiting, we've gotten (other) players on the very last day. It's not a program, or a coach. It's the system."

He tried to say the comments about a Wizard hat and snake oil were not directed at Rodriguez. Yeah right. At least he finally admits he dons the Wizard hat every once in a while.

On another note, sorry we haven't been posting lately. It's been a busy summer going out of town and working so as September starts to roll around we'll be updating the blog alot more.

In the mean time I'm working on a big football preview, first for Michigan's team, and then a shorter preview about the Big Ten and Michigan's opponents. I'm about halfway done with the Michigan one and will start posting it unit-by-unit sometime in the next week or two. I'm going to see if the practices will actually be open to the media or not before I do.

Camp starts next Monday! Season in 33 days!

Go Blue!

College Football Future Odds

With the Michigan football season a little more than a month away, here are some odds for the upcoming season.
-8/30 Michigan (-7) vs. Utah: Suprised to see Michigan favored by a TD, it seems a bit high for Threet's opener.
-Over/Under Win Totals: Michigan (8), USC (10.5), Ohio State (10), Georgia (9), Utah (8.5), Michigan State (7), Syracuse (2.5)
-Odds to win the BCS National Championship Game: Michigan (40-1), USC (3-1), Ohio State (8-1), LSU (25-1), Penn State (50-1), Michigan State (75-1), Notre Dame (100-1), Utah (150-1)

Benzing Bounced from Michigan

The NCAA eligibility committee has ruled the incoming U of M Basketball recruit Robin Benzing (6'11, F/C) is ineligible to compete at the NCAA level. Coach Beilein issued a statement in conjunction with the University stating that they would try and help Benzing explore other routes for eligibility. Beilein expects Benzing to play professionally this fall in Europe if his status of eligibility doesn't change soon.

This really shouldn't come as much of a shock to Michigan fans. The chances of getting Benzing and have him contribute right away were small as he only put up 9 pts and 3 boards a game in Germany. The fact that he played "club" basketball initially raised a red flag with me, and then when Brandon Jennings said he was going over to play in Europe to play for a year and earn a living, I can't say I wasn't shocked to see the committee's results. The big downside is that now Michigan is left with only two legitimate centers (Cronin and Gibson), neither with extensive experience.

The Wolverines have an incoming class of only four recruits: 7-foot center Ben Cronin of Syracuse, N.Y., guard Stu Douglass of Carmel, Ind., guard Zack Novak of Chesterton, Ind., and guard Laval Lucas-Perry of Grand Blanc. (Lucas-Perry has been with the team since transferring from Arizona last winter)

Michigan Football and Hockey Each Lose a Player

It was announced today that Sophomore Forward, Max Pacioretty has signed a three-year deal with the Montreal Canadians. Patch won CCHA Freshman of the year last year with 15 goals and 24 assists. He was fifth among freshman nationally with 39 points. Pacioretty was expected to step up and help fill the scoring void left from departing Hobey Baker winner, Kevin Porter.

The football team will be without the services of Marques Slocum who will not return in the fall due to academic reasons. Slocum went to JUCO for a year and then spent a year here at U of M to make himself NCAA eligible but apparently that didn't last. This is not a huge surprise to me, considering Slocum has forgotten his U of M ID card at least two or three times in the West Quad Cafeteria over the last year. Slocum is also playing pick up basketball just about every day in the CCRB which now makes a lot more sense.

Update: Summer Ball and Michigan Hoops

A few weeks ago, I wrote about the future of the Michigan basketball program and how tough it was going to be recruiting top talent with up-and-coming mid major programs like Oakland and U of D Mercy bringing in top-tier recruiting classes. It looks as if I might have gotten it right. Free Press reporter Mark Snyder wrote a column yesterday about Oakland's incoming class and how they could be gearing up to challenge the big guns (like MSU) for state basketball supremacy.

Drew Maynard, one of the six incoming players, went as far as to say this was the start of a "dynasty" at OU. While that may be a little bit of a stretch, and though this class isn't likely to be the next Fab Five, Michigan Basketball might need to prepare for a changing of the guard as teams like Oakland and Detroit Mercy have taken full advantage of U of M's absence from the state basketball scene.

Summer Ball: As of yesterday evening, Forward Bernard Robinson Jr. leads all former Wolverines with 13 points and 13 boards in the NBA Summer League. Robinson Jr. has seen action in 2 games (44 minutes total) and has started one of them. Robert "Tractor" Traylor is second with 8 points in 13 minutes played with the Cavs, while Brent Petway and Courtney Sims have yet to see the court for the Grizzlies and Hornets, respectively.

Michigan's Home/Away Jersey for this Season

These have already been published on various blogs and by the Detroit News, Free Press, and Ann Arbor News, but just in case you've been living under a rock and your only source for Michigan Football news comes from Maize & Blog, here are Michigan's Jerseys for this upcoming year:

Home/Away

















I really don't like the road jerseys. The home ones look the same just swap an Adidas symbol for the Nike swoosh. The road jerseys scream West Virginia. If it ain't broke, don't fix it! Apparently these new jerseys are high-tech and will allow for more natural body movements...combine that and the Mike Barwis workouts and the Wolverines should really be flying this year

Billy Packer's Most Memorable Moments

ESPN is reporting via the Miami Herald that Billy Packer's string of 34 consecutive final fours will end this year. Clark Kellogg is set to replace Packer with the color duties and should be a definite upgrade on the March Madness telecasts.

We'll leave you with a few of our favorite Billy Packer memories below