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Big 10 Preview: Michigan Wolverines
By Louis Papa | August 20, 2008
Dare we say a rebuilding year for the Maze and Blue? Some part of me compares what Michigan is doing to what Pittsburgh did a few years ago. For everyone involved, I truly hope that the Wolverine contingent isn’t begging for Lloyd Carr in a couple of years the same way Panther fans are now wondering why they ran Walt Harris out of town following a BCS berth. I don’t even want to pretend to think about what Cornhusker fans are feeling after the Solich ouster in favor of Bill Callaghan. Simply put, you do not mess with tradition in vibrant college football communities and here we are entering the spread-option attack in Ann Arbor. Just remember who mentioned this first.
From a fantasy draft standpoint, here is what you lost in terms of options from 2007. QB Chad Henne who was a 3rd round pick for the Dolphins. His backup, Big Tex Ryan Mallett transferred to Arkansas. All-everything RB Mike Hart is also gone. Don’t forget your top-2 WR’s in Mario Manningham and Adrian Arrington. Two OL (including #1 overall NFL draft pick, Jake Long) and the $4 million that you paid West Virginia for new head coach, Rich Rodriguez. I simply cannot wait to see how it unfolds.
Here are the names that will need to replace these guys. Michigan will have a few choices at RB. Carlos Brown (top right, Icon SMI) put up a stat line of 75-382-4 and likely gets the first look at this position.
What may dilute his value is the team having Brandon Minor still on roster and he could produce given his past 5.7 and 4.3 yard per carry averages in limited duty. Minor carried 90 times for 385 yards and a TD in 2007 so the numbers are not too different from Brown. Kevin Grady was caught drinking and driving and will be suspended for a number of games according to Coach Rodriguez.
At QB, red-shirt freshman Steven Threet (a Georgia Tech transfer) will shoehorn drop-back passing skills into the spread-option attack. With only 1 returning starter on the O-Line, this could get interesting. Can you say International Bowl in 2008?
At WR, things could be slim or fertile depending on the direction Rich Rod goes with the offense. As shown in a previous analysis by John Huss, Rodriguez will maximize any level of talent if he sees a opportunity. He has Greg Matthews to throw the ball too and he put up 39 catches, 366 yards and 3 TDs last season. While that sample size isn’t much to go with, it does show a glimmer of hope. The team also returns TE Carson Butler who tallied 20 receptions, 246 yards and 2 scores.
Michigan returns only 10 starters from last year, most of those on defense. So the defense will rely on DE Brandon Graham who had 8 ½ sacks last year and starting DB’s Morgan Trent and Donovan Warren who collectively combined for 6 picks last year. The kicking game was, and has been, atrocious for years. Does anyone remember Appalachian State?
Anything more than 8 wins would be considered excellent for this year’s edition of the Michigan Wolverines. OR maybe just 1 win and have it be at Columbus!! I say International Bowl or some random invite for the 5th ranked Big Ten team this year.
Topics: Big 10, College Football, Louis Papa, Preview |
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