San Diego State Preview

Time: 12:00
Location: Big House
TV: BTN
Weather: High of 66 and 70% chance of rain
Line: Michigan -10.5

Welcome to the Brady Bowl (Hoke not Tom).  Remember back in 2006 when Michigan was undefeated and they had a late scheduled game against Ball State. The game was November 5th right before Michigan headed on the road to face Indiana and the #1 vs #2 match up against Ohio State. Michigan struggled the entire game and won 34-26. That game went a long way in Brady Hoke getting his current gig.

Between Ball State (his Alma Mater) and Michigan (his dream job) he spent two years at SDSU. He turned that program around and won a bowl game with Aztecs last December. They have been able to continue that momentum under new head coach Rocky Long who was the DC under Coach Hoke with a 3-0 record. This is the best start SDSU has had in 30 years and will have plenty of "intangibles" to play for on Saturday when they met their former coaches team.

The Aztecs are similar to Michigan in the fact they roll up a lot of yards on offense and also give up a bunch of yards on defense. How many yards? 419 total yards to Washington State and 446 to Army.
On offense the two NFL worthy guys are QB Ryan Lindley and RB Ronnie Hillman. It will be both of their jobs to keep scoring up and Denard off the field.

Let's go to the Tale of the Tape:

Running Game: Push (Denard vs Ronnie)
Passing Game: Lindley
Defense Talent: Push
Defense Coaching: Mattison, Hoke and Borges (It was Al's offense he should know how to stop it)
Scouting Report Edge: Hoke and Borges
Intangibles:  SDSU (Our coach broke up with us via text)
Kick off Time: Michigan (it will be 9:00 AM on the West Coast)

This is the best game in the Big Ten this week and somehow ESPN/ABC looked past it.  SDSU likes to get out quickly and has scored at least 14 points in the first quarter the last 7 games.  Michigan has yet to score in quarter number 1 this year.   That could mean the Aztecs could get out to a quick lead and Michigan might be playing from behind again. 

If you haven't blocked out the Rich Rod years, you might remember the tenancy of his teams to get out and score early and then fade late.  The 2011 Wolverines seem just to be the opposite.

Sing Hail to the Victors if................

• SDSU sleep walks through the first half
• Michigan doesn't sleep walk through the first half
• Denard can find his wide receivers and tight ends
• 1 Michigan Running Back gets over 100 yards
• Hoke and Mattison come up with a secret formula to stop Hillman & Lindley
• TWolf is 100% healthy - No casts or limps

Think to yourself, Damn Hoke must be a good coach if they are doing this to us.........

• SDSU gets out to a two score lead in the first half
• They have formula to stop Denard
• Aztecs keep Michigan under 400 total yards
• The Michigan defense is dazed and confused
• Hillman over a 100 yards and Lindley over 300 passing

If I was a betting man, I would assume the SDSU kids want this game more then the Wolverines.   Brady Hoke was their coach and now he is on the Michigan sideline.   On the other hand, if there is anyone in the nation that could "read SDSU mail" it would be Coach Hoke and Big Al.   So I'm guessing that will even it self out during the game. 

This maybe the best offense the Michigan defense has seen but ND was pretty close.  I know San Diego State hasn't seen a Denard Robinson yet but he has struggled early in games by throwing picks and over throwing receivers.   Don't sleep on the Aztecs and it wasn't a joke when Coach Hoke wanted to buy out this contract.  He knows how good they are.  If you need something to reference when thinking about this game, think Notre Dame.    I see lots of points and not much defense.  If Michigan can continue to get turnovers on defense (while not giving them up on offense) that might be the difference.   Brady Old vs Brady New

Michigan 38 SDSU 28


GO BLUE!

Wolverine Wednesday: The Last 3 Plays

As you know, I have fun making fun of coach speak.  Press conferences are basically a waste of time for reporters to ask silly questions that we all know the answer to. 

Before the season:  How is Denard doing under center?  Big Al:  He is really making strides and a good athlete and QB.  He still has some learning to do but we will be ready for Western Michigan.

This week:  Do you think you have figured out the best way to use Denard?  "I think we know how to use him. We said we wanted him to carry the ball 15, 16, 17 times, but no promises. There may be games he carries it more, maybe less. But in terms of how we’re using him, I don’t have any reservations about that. That’s our issue now. We’ve only run like 80, 90 plays in two games. Our tailbacks would be getting more carries if we were getting more turns."

Basic stuff right?  What intrigues me, is the behind the curtain stuff, the information we don't get from practice.   One of those things came from Al's press conference yesterday regarding the last 3 plays:

Are last three plays the same three plays every game? “No, that changes every week, and it depends on how they defend you late in the game. That’s part of our film study is to see what kind of defense they have.”

So tie that into what Denard said after the game on ESPN; something to the effect that they had been working on the last 3 plays all summer.   Part of Big Al's offense game plan seems to be to script the final 3 plays each week and the 1st team offense practices those 3 plays over and over.  I found that interesting.

Other news was that Big Will and Hawthorne will get more playing time.  Hawthorne had a great Spring and Fall camps but turned his ankle before the Western game.  Greg Mattison said, Troy's ankle is fine (I don't believe it!).

In other Mash related news:  Fitz, Cam Gordon, Herron and Odoms all participated in practice on Tuesday.  None of the guys above played in the ND game and Gordon and Odoms haven't played yet this year.

Stonum who is red shirting this year has been running as the scout team WR. 

• David Brandon is letting the players keep the throw back jerseys they wore during the game.  He checked with compliance and got the OK.  Memo to Wolverines players, lets keep those off of eBay and Pawn Stars.

• It seems Michigan has added Akron to it's 2013 schedule.  Exciting stuff!

• Every time I write this recruit's name it makes me hungry:  Taco Charlton a 2013 DE recruit from Ohio got a Michigan offer last night.

• The Michigan line is -30 right now on Saturday.

Michigan Monday: The Mysterious Case of Kellen Jones

Kellen Jones was the 12th ranked LB in the country to Scouts and a 4 star recruit in the 2011 class out of Houston, Texas.   Obliviously LB was a "position of need" for the Wolverines in this class.  Kellen knew it and seemed to be true blue from the moment Michigan started recruiting him.   He was all in for the Rich Rod coaching staff and after Brady Hoke and Greg Mattison took over he was re-sold on the program.  Here is an interview by Ann Arbor.com after Mattison was hired this past winter and if he was sticking with Michigan:

“Yes sir, it makes me feel very good that the defense will get back to the way it used to be,” Jones said. “Back to being a top defense in the country.”

He also got a chance to meet Ray Lewis through Charlie Ward who is a coach in Houston: 
“It was great to meet (Lewis). I was going nuts,” Jones said. “It was an honor to meet him. It was all thanks to Mr. Ward.”

“I got a chance to talk with him and he was telling me how he studies and how to get ahead. So if I get confused by something coach Mattison is teaching us, maybe I can get a hold of Mr. Lewis and he can help me,” Jones said with a laugh.

I also remember recounting a message board post about a Michigan fan that ran into Kellen at DTW after his official visit.  Kellen was very committed to Michigan and couldn't wait to get to Ann Arbor.  The message board fan said he was very well spoken and a very nice young man. 

The hype was very strong for Kellen to come in a play right away, even as a true freshman.  The Sporting News Preview of Michigan had Kellen on the two deep.  

So when the official roster was released before the first day of practice about a week ago fans were shocked that Kellen wasn't on the roster after signing with Michigan in February.

Coach Hoke confirmed he was not enrolled at Michigan but didn't give any details as why.   We have seen these situations in the past.  Kids might fall a few credits short or not get a qualifying score on the SAT/ACT tests.   Kids have to pass the NCAA Clearing House before they can enroll at school they signed with.  Every year there are kids with many programs that might fall short of that clearance. 

So wer grades the issue?  That seems to be most viable option.

Then comes the next shocking news regarding Kellen.  He enrolled at Oklahoma last week.   Yes, the #1 team in the nation now has the linebacker that Michigan signed.  TomVH from Mgoblog reached out to Kellen's father who confirmed the enrollment and he believed Kellen would be able to play right away if needed (though the plan was to red shirt).   

ESPN and other services have confirmed that Kellen enrolled at Oklahoma.   Which leaves Michigan fans wondering what happened here?  How can a guy not get into Michigan but can get into #1 Oklahoma?

I wish, I had answers but I don't.  I'm in the same boat you are.  Here are a couple of pure speculations on my part:

• He was getting a little home sick and wanted to be closer to home?


• He did have a history of concussions and maybe there was a medical reason he had to sit out? (if that was the case he most likely would have enrolled at Michigan and redshirted).


• Something happened between the time he signed with Michigan and when we was expected to enrolled that made U of M pull his scholarship.


• Grades - He wasn't cleared by the Clearing House.

Any of the above could have happened and right now we have more questions and speculations then answers.  Which leaves the question, if any of the above happened (besides the home sick), would Bob Stoops take him?

Here is a hit from a local OK TV station: Jones is currently with the Oklahoma football team, but is unable to practice until cleared by the NCAA. He is currently regarded as a walk-on, but could earn a scholarship in the future.

Which leads me to believe this has to do with grades then anything else.  Normally, a kid wouldn't give up a scholarship at Michigan to Walk On to Oklahoma and pay his own way.  

If your into conspiracy theories, put on your tin foil hat and think about this one for a minute.  Rich Rod and Bob Stoops are good friends.  Rich spent some time at Oklahoma's Spring Practice last Spring and was doing a special in Norman for his new role with CBS Sports Network this month as well.  Did Rich call Bob regarding Kellen if he had trouble getting past Michigan's admission office?  He might have.  He did it for Denard's high school teammate, CB Adrian Whitty that had issues with U of M's admission office as well.   Rich called his coaching buddy Butch Jones at the University of Cincinnati and Adrian signed with the Bearcats.

Another question Michigan fans might have is: How could Kellen play his freshman year at Oklahoma without having to sit out a year for normal transfer rules?  Kellen never enrolled at Michigan and if the coaches let him out of his LOI he could enroll and play at any college that accepts him without sitting out a year. 

Michigan Monday: Wolverines Have Another Silent Commit

The word on the street is Michigan has another silent commit on the defensive side of the ball for the 2012 class.   Your first thought might be: why would a player commit silently to the Wolverines and not make it public?  Here are my thoughts:

• Players want to tell family and coaches first before it hits the Internet
• Some players want to visit other schools so they can travel to different states (this would be considered a soft commit)
• Players want to announce on the radio or during a press conference which would need to be scheduled
• Some players want to announce on special date like a birthday
• The most important point is that Michigan's 2012 class is filling up fast and if you want to reserve your spot, you better let the coaches know quickly. 

I know many of you are wondering who it might be and I don't know.  My best guess would be a DT from Missouri or a CB/Safety from NY. 

Michigan Players and Prospects due well at the Columbus Nike Camp this weekend

• From CBS Sports:  Another underclassman who caught just about everyone's eye was Warren (Mich.) quarterback Shane Morris. While it probably had something to do with the way he was spinning the ball during the competition, he made sure everybody knew who he was by wearing a bright yellow Michigan shirt and cap. The recent commit to the school has good size and has an accurate arm. He plans on doing a bit of recruiting for the maize-and-blue at Saturday's Nike Camp.
  
  
  The country's top-ranked quarterback and number two overall player Gunner Kiel showed up and did not disappoint. He had to leave as soon as the camp was over but he was impressive from the first snap to the last. He's got a cannon for an arm and throws a really tight spiral. Kiel was the best looking quarterback at any of the Elite 11 stops and was extremely accurate in all phases.
• Adolphus Washington gives us his top 5 at the camp and will visit A2 this weekend with his teammate Dwayne Stanford:  “I actually have a top five: Ohio State, Alabama, Kentucky, Michigan and Miami in Florida,” Washington said. “I'm not really crossing anybody out but that's my top five that I like right now.”
  
  
  “Me and Dwayne (Stanford) are going to Michigan next week,” Washington said. “We're looking forward to looking at their roster, seeing how the social environment is, graduation rates, how do African-American students do at their school and things like that.”
  
  
  “I'm looking into academics first,” he said. “Do they have the major I'm trying to get my degree in? What's the social life there and see how the team works together and stuff like that.”

• More Good News for Wolverine Fans:  While plenty of parents were wearing Ohio State gear on the sidelines of the camp, there wasn't any being worn on the field. Ironically it was archival Michigan's maize and blue that littered the field. Quarterback Shane Morris, linebacker James Ross and cornerback Terry Richardson were among the top performers and represented their future school well on enemy territory. Richardson was the most recent to commit to going to Ann Arbor for college and discussed his verbal pledge last week.
  
  “I committed to Michigan because I felt comfortable with them,” he said. “I did like Alabama and all the other schools but I felt the best at Michigan and that's why I picked them. I have a lot of friends going there and we'll make it happen up there.”
  
  Richardson injured his hamstring at a track meet the night before running the 200 meters but still managed to lock down opposing receivers. He was one of several players whispering in a few recruits' ears about how good it was to be a Michigan man.
  
  
  Morris took home quarterback MVP. Kansas City (Mo.) Ondre Pipkins was a terror during one-on-ones and was defensive line MVP.
  
  
  Others that impressed along the defensive line were Michigan commit Mario Ojemudia, who should be a very good outside linebacker at the next level, Se'Von Pittman, class of 2013 defensive end Jason Hatcher, tackle Sheldon Day, Pipkins, Alex Pace and Dayrl Goldsmith.
  
  The Michigan coaches are building a top 10 2012 class right now.

Michigan Thursday: Today is Going to be a Godin Day!

Lifelong Michigan fan Matt Godin today made his commitment public to the Wolverines 2012 recruiting class.  He had been a silent commit since the Michigan Spring Game. 

Matt is a 6'5 253 pound defensive line player and the position he will play at U of M is still a bit of a mystery.  He could play DE or DT.  My vote would be for DT but I will intrust Greg Mattison with that important decision. 

Matt plays for Michigan HS football power Detroit Catholic Central out of Novi and happens to be close friends with Flint's 2012 defensive lineman Danny O'Brien.  Matt is rated 3 stars by Scouts and 4 stars by 24/7 and had offers from Wisconsin, BC, MSU, Cincy, Duke, Vandy, Missouri and others. 

Why he chose Michigan: "Because they are in my blood. I used to cry over games and I'm never going to get a better opportunity to come in early and contribute."

Love it! 

I would expect Matt to redshirt year 1 while he works on his strength and technique.   The recruiting sites that have seen him play think he is very athletic for a big man and has a great frame. 

I really like this pick up for a number reasons that include; he is an instate kid, he loves Michigan and plays a position of need for the Wolverines.

The wish list for the rest of class includes: couple offensive lineman, a QB (less of a need with one in 2013), a highly rated RB, 1 WR, couple DT's, 1 DE (named Chris Wormley) and a some guys to play in the defensive backfield (CB and Safety).

Michigan Thursday: Today is a Godin Day (Repost)

Repost Due to problems with hosting site

Lifelong Michigan fan Matt Godin today made his commitment public to the Wolverines' 2012 recruiting class. He had been a silent commit since the Michigan spring game.


Matt is a 6'5", 253-pound defensive line player, and the position he will play at U of M is still a bit of a mystery. He could play DE or DT. My vote would be for DT, but I will entrust Greg Mattison with that important decision.

Matt plays for Michigan HS football power Detroit Catholic Central out of Novi and happens to be close friends with Flint's 2012 defensive lineman Danny O'Brien. Matt is rated a 3-star prospect by Scouts and 4-star by 24/7 and had offers from Wisconsin, BC, MSU, Cincy, Duke, Vandy, Missouri and others.

Why he chose Michigan: "Because they are in my blood. I used to cry over games and I'm never going to get a better opportunity to come in early and contribute."

Love it!

I would expect Matt to redshirt year one while he works on his strength and technique. The recruiting sites that have seen him play think he is very athletic for a big man and has a great frame.

I really like this pickup for a number of reasons, including that he is an in-state kid, he loves Michigan and he plays a position of need for the Wolverines.

The wish list for the rest of class includes a couple of offensive linemen, a QB (less of a need with one in 2013), a highly rated RB, one WR, a couple DTs, one DE (named Chris Wormley) and some guys to play in the defensive backfield (CB and safety).

Michigan Thursday: Predicts the 2012 Recruiting Class

This is the type of year when I like to predict how the Wolverines might finish with it's recruiting class.   After a slow start the Wolverines coaching staff has caught up quickly had has 8 commits in the fold right now.  Those recruits include:

LB:
Royce Jenkins-Stone
Kaleb Ringer
James "Biggs" Ross
Joe Bolden

TE:
Devin Funchess
AJ Williams

OL:
Ben Braden
Caleb Stacey

The needs continue to be on the defensive line (DT and DE), QB, Safety, CB, FB, and maybe 1 WR.

I would estimate class size at 20 players right now which leaves 12 open spots. 

Here is who I think could join the above 8 at Michigan next summer:


OL
Jordan Diamond from Chicago has been to Ann Arbor a number of times and is a teammate of incoming freshman Chris Bryant.

CB
Terry Richardson, part of the Michigan Big 3.  His friends have signed up to play at Michigan, what is holding Terry back? 

QB
Michigan seems to be in the running for some big prospects like Gunner Kiel but they do have back up plans as well.   If Michigan doesn't land a 4 or 5 star guy look for them to hold out and take a guy late in the recruiting cycle.

WR
Michigan has over 18 offers on the street for WR in the 2012 class and I really can't predict any of them becoming Blue at this point.  It's not a huge need for the Wolverines but I think they would like to take one for sure.   I believe instate 4 star WR Aaron Burbridge will end up in East Lansing. 

DT
Matt Godin
Sheldon Day
Ondre Pipkins

Each guy I think has a great chance to be blue.  Matt announces his decision a week from today and Sheldon has been to Ann Arbor twice.  Ondre is the subject of this weeks Sam Webb article from the Detroit News.  I think Flint's Danny O'Brien will end up at Tennessee.

DE 
Ohio has an unbelievable deep class at DE.  I'm surprised that DE hasn't taken off like LB has for the Wolverines.  Once they get the first commit look for a number of guys to jump on board quickly.   These are the guys I think Michigan has a great shot with:

Mario Ojemudia - who is rumored to be making a decision soon.

Chris Wormley - maybe a borderline 5 star guy and Ohio's best player.   He lives in Toledo and it's between Michigan and OSU.

Pharaoh Brown - 3 star guy from Ohio.

Safety
Wayne Morgan from NY seems to be best candidate at this point.  There are rumblings that Wayne might want to stay close to home at Rutgers, UConn or Syracuse.  So distance could be a factor for him.

Michigan only has offered 14 or so players at CB and Safety. Which is a sign they don't believe it's an urgent need. 

TE
Ron Thompson has seemed to be on the verge of committing to the Wolverines for weeks now.  While he waited, Michigan picked up 2.   I'm guessing if Ron wants to be Blue, he better do it quickly. 

I like what Michigan is doing with this class.  They are taking care of their backyard by recruiting Michigan and Ohio hard.  They are going after some highly rated guys at QB, WR, and RB knowing they can pick up guys late if they don't have any luck with the Big Time players.   For example they have only offered two fullbacks in this class, clearly they aren't worried about that position.

Michigan Monday: Wolverines Adds 1 More Big LB - Total Now 4!

Wow, I guess Greg Mattison and Brady Hoke wanted to recruit a few Linebackers this year.  This morning the Wolverines got another LB to add to the 3 they already had verballed from in the 2012 class. 

It all started a couple of weeks ago when Ohio 4 Star LB Kaleb Ringer committed to the Wolverines.  As soon as that happened the flood gates opened for the LB and the Wolverines.  Soon after the Spring Game, Instate  4 star LB Royce Jenkins-Stone gave his word to the Wolverines.   Then on Friday, Cincinnati 4 Star LB Joe Bolden jumped on board.   

So with 3 four star LB's, the Wolverines are done right? Nope. 

This morning, James "Biggs" Ross became the 4th LB commit to the Wolverines and 8th player to join the 2012 class.  James is part of the Michigan Big 3 recruits which includes Jenkins-Stone and Terry Richardson.  The Wolverines now have 2 of the 3 in the fold for the 2012 class.

James is a 4 star recruit to Scouts and 24/7.  He is ranked as the #2 MLB in the nation by both Scouts and 24/7.  He is on the top 150 watch list for ESPN and 250 watch list for Rivals.  His offer list as you might expect is a strong one; Penn State, Ohio State, MSU, Nebraska, USC, Notre Dame, Arizona State, Mizzu, and many others.

So Michigan is done now at LB recruiting, right?  Yes, they have to be.  I don't recall this strong if a LB class for the Wolverines, maybe ever.  I know the class with LaMarr Woodley was a pretty good and might be the only class in memory that comes close. 

The priority of the class now is DT, Safety, CB, 1 QB, and Offensive line.

Michigan Lands Another 4 Star LB

Michigan already has 2 LB's committed to the 2012 and they just received a verbal commitment for the third.  That commitment came from Cincinnati's Joe Bolden, who made a surprise visit to Ann Arbor today.
 
Joe is a 6'2 225 LB who had a total of 18 offers from the like of Arizona, Boston College, Cincinnati, Kentucky, North Carolina, Penn State, Stanford, Tennessee and West Virginia.  As a junior he had 90 tackles, 4 sacks and 2 interceptions.  This kid can play. 

With last years haul of LB's (some for Cincy as well), I would guess Michigan is done at this position for the 2012 class.  James "Biggs" Ross is part of the Michigan 3 and the Wolverines might find room for him if he wants to jump on board.   With a lot of depth at this position now with the last two classes, I'm guessing "Biggs" might look elsewhere.

Joe is the 7th verbal commitment for the 2012 class.




For more on Joe, check out Mgoblog.

Michigan Thursday: Recruiting Blitz

It's time for Michigan to gain some ground on the recruiting trail.  They now have a stable head coach, they have highly qualified assistants, The Big Ten Player of the Year in Denard, the opportunity for early playing time and OSU is in big trouble with NCAA penalties looming.   Now is the time to put together a top 10 2012 class.

Here we go..........................

• Reports were that Gunner Kiel a 5 star QB from Indiana (considered the top ranked QB in the nation) visited Ann Arbor yesterday.   Reports were he was in town with his mom. From ESPN- Gunner on Michigan:  "They have a new coaching staff and they are bringing a new offense on the table that's going to feature the passing game a lot. It's going to be a good system and they will be successful."

 

• Instate TE Ron Thompson is on commitment watch, looks like it might come in Mid May.

• Instate DT Matt Godin is in the same boat as Ron.

• Cincinnati 4 star LB Joe Bolden is also close to a commitment, some reports have it coming this weekend. Others have him waiting a few more weeks.

• Michigan coaches will be in the high school of 5 star (and OSU soft commit) RB Brionte Dunn today.

• TomVH weighs in with an interview with Missouri DT Ondre Pipkins who is planning to make a visit to Ann Arbor in June.

• Michigan continues to look for a true Safety in this class.  Seems like their #1 target is New York DB Wayne Morgan.

Michigan Monday: Likes the Recruiting Weekend Michigan Just Had

Michigan had it's Spring Game on Saturday and there were some highs and lows.  Those are expected during a Spring Scrimmage.  I think the 15 days of learning a new offense showed and 15 days of working on defensive fundamentals also showed.   What really impressed me was the ground the Michigan coaching staff is starting to make up with the 2012 recruiting class.

Michigan landed two 4 star LB's in Kaleb Ringer and Royce Jenkins-Stone.  Those were huge pick ups.  Michigan is expected to take 3 LB's in this class and the spot light now turns to Cincinnati's Joe Bolden and Detroit's James "Biggs" Ross to fill that last spot.  It seems Joe's timeline might make him the winner for the last spot but don't count out Biggs if he wants to be a Wolverine. 

Jordan Diamond the mega offensive line from Chicago was also in town with his QB.  He has been to Michigan a number of times and many consider the Wolverines to be his leader.  He plans on taking some more visits but the Michigan fans made a nice impression on him:   When we got there we came out on the field and there was a bunch of fans telling me Jordan we need you. To have them recognize an offensive lineman and ask me for autographs was pretty cool. I was getting stopped on the street and people were asking me if I was Jordan Diamond. I was signing autographs for little kids, and to have that happen at a big school was cool. Being with the players is always great too, they're exactly the same on and off the field. The character and attitude they have is always the same.   

Sheldon Day from Indy also made his second trip to Ann Arbor with his family.  If you haven't heard Sheldon is one of the top DT in the 2012 class (9th by Scouts) and this is his second trip to Ann Arbor.  His coaches even asked him to go to another Spring Game since he had been to A2 already and he told them: "No, I'm going up to Michigan this weekend".  

Michigan also made progress with visitors Mario Ojemudia a DE from Farmington and JJ Denman a huge offensive lineman from Pennsylvania.

5 Star QB from Kentucky Zeke Pike is planning to make his college decision on Wednesday.  His final group is Clemson, Michigan, Auburn, Arkansas, Tennessee, Purdue, North Carolina.   Zeke enjoyed his Michigan visit and has been talking about Michigan since his visit.  He has also been a number of other places since then as well.   The rumor mill is saying Auburn but who knows.  Update: TomVH talked to Zeke and says his final 3 are Auburn, Michigan and Purdue.   Michigan and Purdue are with in driving distance for his family.  Auburn is the National Champion, so we will find out in two days. 

There is also speculation that Michigan got a "silent" commitment from a player this weekend as well.  We don't have a name to share but we believe it's a defensive player.   For those that don't know, silent commits are guys who want to make sure their spot is reserved at University X but still wants to take some visits to other places.  We should know who this "masked" defender is in the next 2-3 weeks. 

Could be a fun week, stayed tuned!

Michigan's Spring Game Deep Thoughts

photo by John T. Greilick / The Detroit News

The format of the scrimmage was pretty much what I expected. The coverage and technical problems by the Big Ten Network was far worse then I expected.


The wind was whipping with the cold weather made the play pretty sloppy at times. Neither QB did very well and completions seemed to be far and few in between. The only bad snap was when the center didn't get the ball back on the right count.  I didn't see any injuries which is really good news and Michigan picked up a huge instate commitment from Royce Jenkins-Stone, so Saturday was a successful day.

 

The Michigan defense I thought played well. They gave up a couple of big plays but pretty much played tough most of the game. I enjoyed watching Big Will with the first team and causing problems for the offensive line.

 

Denard started the game with a big run but seemed to struggle after. Devin showed flashes but was pretty inconsistent as well.  Thier play might concern some fans but  I could care less about how they played.  These guys have all summer to work with the WR's on timing and of course Michigan didn't want to show any future opponents anything. I thought Devin's best throw was the touchdown to Stokes.  (loved the way Stokes seemed to pick the ball out of the air)

 

All the running backs played well. Mike Cox found the end zone on a long run (we saw that way too often from the Michigan D last year), Fitz Toussaint ran hard, Smith had a nice run on a short pass and Mike Shaw did well with one hand. I hope one or two of them will really stand out next Fall.

 

I really enjoyed watching the improvements on defense. I thought the D-line held it's own and the Michigan DB's seemed to play pretty well. I think Courtney Avery is going to be a player. I liked the blitz packages and the pressure the Michigan D was putting on both Devin and Denard. I hope they can continue that type of pressure when the season starts.  Michigan didn't have 4 starters on defense available with JT Floyd, Kenny Demens, RVB, and Woolfolk all out with injuries. 

 

Michigan's only hope in field goal kicking is incoming freshman Matt Wile. It seems the two current kickers on the roster are not any better and went 0-2 on Saturday.

 

So we learned a little but not too much.  I saw promise from our defense which seems to be the work of Greg Mattison.  Greg could be the most important hire of Brady Hoke's entire head coaching career.  I also liked how Coach Hoke gathered the entire team at the end and said a few words.   Is it me or does it feel like Brady and staff have been in charge at Michigan for a couple of years?  He just seems like a natural fit for the job. 

 

Now to the news you have been waiting for, who are my MVP's of the game:

 

Offense: Where was #21 or #12? They had a pretty quiet day. The offense had a couple good plays but the drives as a whole mostly fizzled out. So my MVP goes to a guy who has been waiting for his chance to play and busted a 60 yard+ run for a touchdown early in the scrimmage. Congratulations Mike Cox, I hope you can work some similar magic during the year.

 

Defense: I thought there were a number of players I could have picked. The defense seemed to be flying around the field and always near the ball. Carvin Johnson had two interceptions (one was called back) and Big Will was stuffing up the middle. Did anyone happen to see Big Will and Mike Martin drop in coverage a couple of times? Good stuff! My defensive MVP is very clear cut winner in Jake Ryan at LB. He had 1 1/2 sacks a couple QB pressures and a pick 6. It was a no brainer and maybe RR did find a diamond in the rough with Jake. I hope that was just a sneak peak of whats to come.

 

I would like to thank everyone for entering, we had hundreds of entries and I loved reading your kind words and picks. Some picks included Zack Novak and Ray Vinopal. Those made me laugh!

 

Many of you seem very high on Cam Gordon and Big Will. They will be an important part of the defense next year. A couple of you picked Carvin Johnson and he was a very good choice as well. Lots of Fitz, Hopkins and Cox.

 

Nobody hit the daily double of Mike Cox and Jake Ryan. So I had to pick the first entries with Mike and the two guys that picked Jake.

 

Thanks again for reading and I hope you enjoyed the contest.

 

*Winners of the Tressel T Shirts:

1. Evan B. (Cox & Avery)
2. Scott P (Cox & Big Will)
3. Cody D (Cox & Gordon)
4. Kai M (Cox & Black)
5. Drew Y (Fitz & Ryan)
6. J Wilson (Fitz & Ryan)

 

*If you are on this list email me your address and your shirt size again and I will send you the shirt. I will do my best on the sizes. I only have L-XXL (2 each).

Wolverine Weekend Update: Springs 2 LB Commits!

Today Michigan played it's Spring Game and I will get to that post Sunday morning.   So tune in then. 

The Big News from today is that Michigan has landed 2 four star linebackers in 2 days. 

The first one on Friday night was not a surprise with the commitment of Kaleb Ringer, cousin of former MSU Spartan Javon Ringer.   Kaleb will come to Ann Arbor as a 6'1 225 pound linebacker looking to make a difference on the Wolverine defense.  Kaleb is a 4 star prospect to Scouts but not yet rated by Rivals or ESPN.  

Kaleb's offer list includes Cincinnati, Syracuse, West Virgina, MAC Schools, Iowa and Illinois.  Not a bad offer list for early in the recruiting process but some people might point out that he didn't have offers from Ohio State or Michigan State.  OSU has a very limited scholarships this year and a bunch of other trouble to worry about and who knows why MSU didn't offer. 

The book on this kid is he plays sideline to sideline as a run stopper.  Maybe a guy that the Wolverines would take out on 3rd downs or traditional passing situations.  Which I could care less, We could use a guy around Ann Arbor that can stuff the run! 

Welcome to Ann Arbor Kaleb! 



LineBacker #2 is RJS!  Royce Jenkins-Stone.

RJS is part of the Instate 3, a group of  highly touted prospects with James Ross and Terry Richardson.  Royce decided today that Michigan was the place for him. (No decisions yet for Ross or Richardson)  RJS is still growing into his frame but right now is at 6'2 and 215 pounds.  His offer list is an impressive one:  Oklahoma, Florida, Alabama, Tenn, ASU, MSU, Miami, and so on.  This guy is a big time prospect and a future Wolverine! 

He comes from the Division 1 talent machine which is Cass Tech in Detroit coached by former Wolverine Thomas Wilcher.  RJS had 90 tackles, 3 sacks and 5 picks last year as a junior.  He also rushed for 10 touchdowns as a full back. 

Royce is the first 2012 verbal commit that makes Wolverine fans that follow this stuff to say: Wow!

Let's hope there are more of those coming.   Michigan is now in a strange position with two other LB's and probably only has 1 spot left.  Both are 4 star guys as well.  Joe Bolden from Cincinnati (who was up to Ann Arbor this week with his parents) and Detroit's James "Biggs" Ross.   Would Michigan say no to one of them?  Or would they take both?  I say bring both to Ann Arbor if they want to be Wolverines!

Michigan Tuesday: How I Hate Ohio State - Except When It Comes to Recruiting

Michigan and Ohio State Universities have a rivalry that only can be matched by Auburn vs Alabama in college football.  (That entire tree killing thing, went way too far.  Way too far).   Rich Rodriguez sort of got it but he really didn't.  Brady Hoke really gets it and won't use the word "State" when referring to that school in Columbus.  This is something the team has adopted as well.  During Spring Drills, "Beat Ohio" can be heard from inside the Glick Field House. 

People in Ohio can't stand Michigan and even though the Wolverines haven't put a team on the field in the last 3 years they can't imagine losing to the Wolverines and having to live with that feeling for an entire year.

So why has Michigan been so good recruiting the State of Ohio? 
The Wolverines last two Heisman Trophy winners, Desmond Howard and Charles Woodson are from Ohio.   I remember a statement from former Michigan DB Markus Ray who visited OSU and saw a sign that said, "Beat Michigan" and thought to himself:  "I want to go there".  Ray was born and raised in Columbus, Ohio.

So how does a state that hates the State of Michigan so much send so much talent to Ann Arbor?  Well it starts with Michigan coaches that were born in Ohio.  You might have heard of Bo Schemblecler who was born in Barberton and Brady Hoke who was born in Dayton, Ohio. 

People from Ohio trusted Bo and they seem to trust Brady Hoke as well.  Even Ted Ginn, Sr. who seems to hate the Wolverines sent a player to Brady last year.  Ted even sent his kids to play for Coach Hoke at Ball State as well.  Michigan signed 7 players from Ohio in the 2011 class and already has one commit in 3 star OL Caleb Stacey from Cincinnati. 

So what about this year?  Who are we looking at from Ohio?

It's well known is recruiting circles that the State of Ohio is loaded with talent for the 2012 class.  It's also known that OSU will have limited number of scholarships and there might be some backlash from Tattoo Gate. 

These Ohio players are looking good to commit to Michigan:

• 4 Star LB Kaleb Ringer - who is announcing on 4/15
• 4 Star LB Joe Bolden - visited A2 two weeks ago and will be back on 4/12 with his parents

Michigan has a great shot with these guys:

• 4 Star DE Chris Wormley from Toledo
• 4 Star OL Kyle Dodson from Cleveland

Has a Michigan Offer and seems interested in the Maize and Blue:

• 4 Star QB Maty Mauk from Kenton
• 5 Star RB Bri'Onte Dunn who has committed to OSU but seems to be interested in Michigan and is expected to make a visit to Ann Arbor at some point.
• 4 Star WR Dwayne Stanford from Cincinnati
• 3 Star TE Sam Grant, Lakewood
• 3 Star OL Kyle Kalis, Lakewood
• 5 star DE Adolphus Washington, Cincinnati
• 4 Star DE Ifeadi Odenigbo, Centerville
• 4 Star DE Tom Strobel, Concord
• 4 Star DE Se'Von Pittman, Canton
• 4 Star DE Greg McMullen, Akron
• 3 Star DE LaTroy Lewis, Akron
• 3 Star DE Pharaoh Brown, Lyndhurst
• 4 Star S Jarrod Wilson, Arkron

Can you believe the DE talent in Ohio this year?  It's crazy good.  Just with Michigan offers: 1 Five Star, 5 Four Stars and 2 Three Stars.

Recruiting will be a fun ride this year and like I mentioned yesterday Michigan could be set up for a huge year with a ton of talent. 

Michigan Monday: Recruiting Whispers

The Michigan coaching staff got a late start to the 2012 recruiting class.  When they started at Michigan they only had a couple of weeks to put together a 2011 class.  How in the world would they be able to make up ground on the 2012 class when other programs had a 12 month start?

Well, it looks like they are starting to close that gap.  Michigan has two offensive lineman committed already and is looking at some top prospects on both lines, a QB, linebackers, TE's, a FB and depth at the other positions.   As we know, Michigan and Ohio are loaded with talent this year.  Brady Hoke and Staff have already made a big impact on the high school coaches in Michigan and he grew up in Ohio, so he has connections in that State as well. 

Here are some top prospects to keep your eye on:

• Zeke Pike is a 5 star QB from Kentucky that will be able to pick any school he wants.  He was up to Michigan last week and reports are that the Wolverines are in the mix for this young man.  Zeke is friends with incoming freshman Chris Barnett and Zeke has said he will recruit other top guys to the school he picks.  He has been talking up Michigan lately.  Keep an eye on Zeke's and his recruitment.
• Local TE Ron Thompson is now a 4 Star prospect on Scouts.  He is expected to be a strong lean to Michigan. Could announce in the next week or two.
• Ohio MLB Kaleb Ringer who is making his announcement on 4/15 at 6:00 is also a 4 star on Scouts and is expected to put on a Navy Block M hat during his announcement.
• Other Scouts 4 star prospects that Michigan has a good shot at:  Toledo's Chris Wormley, James Ross, Royce Jenkins-Stone, Terry Richardson, Chicago's Jordan Diamond. 
• TomVH has information up on Austin Appleby, Antonio Morrison, and Kelby Latta.

Michigan has a good shot at all the prospects mentioned above.  Could Michigan have a top 10 or top 5 class this year?  Yes, they could.  Look for a couple of commits before the Spring Game and many recruits in attendance.  The Michigan coaches got a late start but I am starting to feel optimistic on a strong finish.

Michigan Thursday: Teaching vs Scheming

When you go to college you learn the knowledge and maybe a few skills to become a professional.  No matter what your profession is; Lawyer, Doctor, Architect, Business Professional, etc. ............

The same goes with football players and at times I see a coaches that come from the NFL that don't understand that.   My first example is Charlie Weiss, he talked about there wouldn't anyone out scheming him at ND.  That was clear and so was his inability to be a college head football coach.   In college you need to be able to see an all state running back that might be a step slow is a perfect linebacker prospect.  In college you have to teach technique and football skills over drawing up complex plays.  In the NFL, you have elite athletes and to win you need to out scheme your opponent. 

What makes me excited about Michigan football is Greg Mattison gets it and I don't think Greg Robinson ever did.  Yes, Mattison came from the NFL Ravens but his experience in college football way out weighs Robinson's.   You can tell Mattison is a teacher in some of his comments yesterday when he met the press about Spring Practice:  

On learning the new schemes:  Even though installation is going slowly, "There is no disappointment whatsoever in me. I get excited and more enthused every day we meet." They get to mold the players into what they want to see, and the players are all excited to learn.

Talent and Technique: " There hasn't been any moping or negative attitudes, guys come in wanting to learn. When the coaches make corrections, the players demonstrate those by the next day. The entire D has tons of work to do on basic techniques. "But I would have said that about any time I've had, unless they're perfect with their technique, I'm not satisfied." First step, punch, etc. - all the basic techniques need work.

Big Will?  Campbell is coming off the football better at times, but not always. Quinton Washington "has been neck and neck with [Will Campbell]... When you see Quinton Washington and Will Campbell battling for a position, that says 'great, because now we can roll them.' Because I believe in that, and I always have." Will Heininger has stepped up, and can rotate with Jake Ryan. Jibreel Black looks as good as Craig Roh on some days.


LB's?  "The one guy probably that has improved the most and I have really become excited about him is Cam Gordon. I've really got high hopes for him." He's playing SAM backer, and has a chance to be good. "Has a tremendous attitude." He has safety athleticism, just need to get bigger. "Cam's a really long way away, but as a coach you see things in a young man you say 'this guy really could be one of those really good players some day.'" He's battling guys much bigger than him right now, and they want him to get as big as he can while still being able to run.

I know the proof will be on the field on Saturday's but it sounds like to me that Mattison is teaching the defense on how to be play their positions where Robinson used a stuffed Beaver to motive his players to be better. 

At the end of the day you want your football coaches to be good leaders and teachers.  This also maybe an area where RR could improve as well.  He was known as a the mastermind behind the spread but could he really teach 18-22 years old kids on how to be better football players?    His teams didn't get better during the season at Michigan, they got worse which makes me believe he was more of a scheme guy then a teacher.  To quote Charles Barkley, "I could be wrong but I doubt it!".

Michigan Monday: Junior Day Seemed to Be a Success!

Michigan's football program held a junior day this past Saturday and it seemed to make an impression on a number of talented 2012 prospects that Michigan is after.

Here is a list of visitors from TomVH.  There was expected to be close to 28 prospects visiting Ann Arbor.

Top Prospects:

If I had to guess, Michigan has really focused pretty hard on a few prospects.  Those prospect are the Detroit 3 (Jenkins-Stone, Ross, Richardson) and Toledo's Chris Wormley.  Chris is one of Ohio's top prospects and many believe it's down to a Michigan - OSU battle for this talented defensive end.    Since Chris lives close by he has made a few trips to Ann Arbor already and did this weekend as well.   My mom and dad were up there with me. We watched practice first, went to lunch, and then they took us on a tour of the locker room and everything. I noticed in practice that the coaches are real patient and there's not a lot of yelling. It definitely helped me get a better understanding of how they coach and how they work. This visit definitely helped Michigan.

Chris would like to make his decision before his season starts but wants to be 100% comfortable and doesn't want his recruitment to be a distraction during the season.   I like Michigan's chances here.

Common Themes from the Recruits 

For the first few practices in the Hoke era there seems to be a few common themes that all recruits talk about:

• It's a family environment and it looks like all the players have bought into Hoke's vision.
• There isn't much yelling at practice.
• The team really gives full effort during practice.
• The practices are smoother then expected with a new staff on board.
• The Big House is great!
• The coaches are down to earth and they watch a lot of film with the recruits.

Who is on commitment watch? 

Michigan finally broke the seal on the 2012 class last week with two offensive line recruits and hopefully that new "commitment streak" will continue before the spring game.   If I had to guess on how might be on commitment watch I would say:

• Instate TE Ron Thompson who might make his decision this week.
• Clayton, OH LB Kaleb Ringer (his announcement is on 4/15)
• Instate DT Matt Godin

Matt was in town this weekend and might take a few more visits before his decision.  Kaleb was also in town this weekend and things look pretty good for him to go Blue on the 15th.

New Offer

Michigan offered 2012 NY DB Wayne Morgan this weekend who was on campus for an unofficial visit.

Michigan Thursday: Spring Practice Thoughts

Happy St. Patrick's Day and start of March Madness.  If your in the Midwest, the weather is warm the grass is starting to grow and there is spring in the air.   Spring Practice starts on Saturday and so will a new era in Michigan football.  There should be plenty of media at the event and maybe 15 or so 2012 recruits. 

I will share with you some of my random thoughts for Spring Practice:

• Mike Shaw will be limited with a broken hand.  I have/had high hopes from Mike but he keeps getting injured which will be difficult to make an impact with the new coaches.
• Mike Cox is rumored to be one of the best athletes on the team.  It's time to show that to the new coaches.  My hope is he will be a pleasant surprise.
• LB Marell Evans is back at Michigan after transferring to Hampton.  I wonder what the plan is for Evans?  Is he a candidate to start?  
• Still concerned about defensive injuries:  Demens will be limited due to a shoulder surgery, Woolfolk and Floyd will probably not participate.  We need all 3 in the fall but would have loved them to be ready to play this spring.
• Big Will Campbell is in the same boat as Mike Cox.  Time to get coached up and be a difference maker big fella!
• I'm not really too concerned about Denard and the new offense.  I think he will pick it up quickly and have a plenty of time this summer to develop his QB passing skills.
• Defense, Defense, Defense.  I wouldn't mind if Coach Mattison spent all spring on fundamentals.  
• I don't care about countdown clocks.  If your not hyped up and ready to play Michigan State and Ohio State then your in the wrong program.
• Kevin Koger could have a huge year next year in this offense, he needs to step up and be a difference this Spring.  Catch the ball and be a leader!
• I'm not a big fan of helmet stickers, I think it ruins the best helmet in college football.
• Find someone to kick field goals!  Anyone!

My goals for Spring Practice:

1. Fix the defense as much as possible
2. Find a running back
3. Secure a starting DL rotation
4. Don't go crazy installing a new offense.   Install the new and keep some of the old.
5. Lots of snaps for Devin
6. Find a way for special teams to make a difference in the game
7. Make up for lost time in recruiting the 2012 class
8. Don't get hurt - no serious injuries.

Michigan Thursday: Michigan News and More Tressel Thoughts

Let's Catch Up on Some Michigan News:

• The Michigan coaches had lunch with the media yesterday and there were a lot of topics discussed.  A2.com and Mgoblog has extensive coverage.  The top things, I got out of those articles: Big Will should be Big and will play on the Defensive Line next year (I sure hope RR and Staff didn't screw him out of two good years),  That they really won't know what they have until they start spring practice, Mattison won't watch tape from last year - he wants to see what they have during practice, they will watch a lot of Ravens film, they want to stop the run first, Denard is interested in running less and throwing more and being a more complete QB.   More on the links.............

• Michigan has sold all the Suites and Luxury seating for the 2011 season at the Big House.

• The Michigan Basketball Team has an important game on Friday at 2:30.  If they beat Illinois, I think they are in for sure.  If they don't, they might be back on the bubble.   Go Blue!

Tressel is taking it hard in the media.  Writing the books on leadership and how to live your life isn't exactly helping him today.   In the past, his sweater vests seemed to be made of Teflon he didn't take heat for the mess at Youngstown State or the Clarett business.   I'm not sure if he is going to be able to escape this one with just a two game suspension and $250K.  The one thing the NCAA hates is when people lie to them, the NCAA could point back to Youngstown State and him hiding information.    

So know what?  The NCAA is investigating and I expect they won't accept Ohio State's penalty.   If I had to guess what the NCAA would consider a proper penalty:

• OSU knowingly played with 5 players that were ineligible last year.  I expect those victories might be vacated.

• I also wouldn't be surprised if Jim's suspension is increased.  I wouldn't expect (but they could) the NCAA to go "Dez Bryant" on him and suspend him for an entire season but I could see 6 or 7 games.

• The one thing that the NCAA is now focusing on is the person/coach.  If they find a history of Tressel lying or going against the NCAA rules he could be looking at a major penalty.   

I know Ohio State wants to keep Jim in place and just take a penalty and move on.  If this gets ugly and the program is hit with serious penalties and Jim is found guilty of covering up at ton of booster activity, he won't survive.  No coach ever does.    It makes you wonder about all the top recruiting classes that OSU pulls in every year. Are guys promised special benefits?  Is OSU the USC of the Midwest?

Michigan Monday: Wrong Answer - Right Answer

I will try to clear up some misconceptions that are floating around regarding people and programs related to the Wolverines:

Should MSU be upset that Darius Morris made a layup to go up by 7 points with 4 seconds left in the game?

Wrong A: Yes, MSU had given up and there was no reason for Michigan to make that layup.

Right A: Izzo and Crew don't go Sparty Football on us now.  You have the better Basketball Program and yes you have been dominating Michigan for years.  Don't whine when you get beat or smack talk before the game that you will take care of business in Ann Arbor and cry that the players were smack talking back after you lose.   Last 2 points, I didn't know being up by 5 points was a safe lead?  Didn't MSU beat Michigan by 50 a few years ago? Walk off the floor keep your head up and try to win the Big Ten tournament: what's good for the goose....................


Is Ryan Mallett more like Ryan Leaf or Ben Roethlisberger? 

Wrong A:  Ryan was a great college QB at Michigan and Arkansas and should be drafted in the top 10 of the NFL draft, he will be Big Ben on the field with no off the field issues. 


Right A: I think you can make a case for both players.  I think Ryan Mallett has a lot of talent and if he gets his head on straight he could be Big Ben on the field,  if he doesn't he could be Big Ben off of it as well.   I have heard a lot of rumors about Mallett that could be right or wrong and it seems the NFL has heard the same.  Ryan has the arm and the talent, I don't think he is in great shape and I would worry about him off the field.  If I was an NFL GM I would also be concerned about his decision process and throwing picks late to lose games.  His last throw in college was a pick by Ohio State to lose the Sugar Bowl.   If he drops out of the first round, I would take him in a minute, if I had a top 10 pick, I would take a pass.  Something else to consider:  Does Cam Newton = Akili Smith?

With 100+ offers on the street and no 2012 commitments concern you?

Wrong A: It's still early and Michigan has plenty of time to fill up the class.  Nothing to worry about at all.

Right A: I am slightly concerned that the 2012 class doesn't have anyone jumping at a Michigan offer yet.  I hope the start of spring practice this month will allow recruits to attend practice and the spring game and jump on board.   Ohio State already has 5 verbals for 2012.   It will take some time with new coaches and staff to build relationships but I would feel better if we had a couple of guys locked up. 

Will Denard be effective in Al Borges Offense?

Wrong A: No, he is a runner not a passer.  Expect a step back.

Right A:  I don't expect Denard to rush out to the Heisman lead next year but I do expect that he will be more of a complete QB.  Denard is working hard in the off season taking snaps under center and working on his throws.   Having a guy that can throw accurately and can run like the wind will be very difficult to game plan for.   I think Denard will do just fine. 

Did you hear that Desmond say before the Gator Bowl that Denard should be moved to WR?

Wrong A:  Yes, that is his more natural position which will be better for him at the next level. 

Right A:  No, someone this talented needs to touch the ball as much as possible.  Denard wants to be a QB and he should be until he heads to the NFL. 

How is Brady Hoke doing so far?

Wrong A:  Great, he is a perfect fit for Michigan and the Wolverines are back!

Right A:  Coach Hoke has done well since getting the job.  Keeping Denard and hiring Greg Mattison was two huge wins.  But the real results will come September - January.  So yes, so far so good but let's judge him on how the Wolverines play on the field.

Any concerns with Tate in South Beach?

Wrong A: No, he has moxy and will sit out a year get his grades in order and play well for two more years.

Right A:  Yes.  He didn't want to go to class in winter in Ann Arbor, how is that going to work at Miami?

I'm still concerned about Michigan's Defense, Can you take me off the ledge?

Wrong A: Your right, Michigan maybe improved but still pretty poor.  These guys are not going to get good over night 

Right A:  Let's not forget that Michigan lost it's second best player on Defense before the season started.  Having Troy Woolfolk a 5th year senior at CB or at Safety will have a positive effect.  Kenny Demens playing full time at LB, getting Big Will to clog up the middle of the defense line, moving JT Floyd to safety, a year experience with the freshman CB's and improved position coaching will make Michigan an average defense.    I expect them to be ranked in the middle of pack in Big 10 defenses. 

Take out your crystal ball and tell me two players that didn't play last year that will make a difference on defense?

Wrong A:  There isn't one

Right A: Richard Ash and Josh Furman