The All-Hoke Team: Defense, Special Teams

Jake Ryan (image via MGoBlog)

I posted the offense yesterday (LINK), so here are the defenders and specialists. Since Michigan ran a 4-3 Under for three of Hoke's four years, I'm going with that look for my all-star team.

SDE: Ryan Van Bergen (2011)
45 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, 1 forced fumble, 3 fumble recoveries, 4 pass breakups
Van Bergen was a stalwart defensive end for Michigan as a senior, earning All-Big Ten Honorable Mention but helping the entire defense by getting consistent penetration and having a great game in the win against Ohio State.

NT: Ryan Glasgow (2014)
24 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery
Glasgow made huge strides from his redshirt freshman to redshirt sophomore season, which propelled him past Quinton Washington for this spot. Glasgow was mostly able to hold his ground against double teams.

DT: Mike Martin (2011)
64 tackles, 6 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks
Martin was named Second Team All-Big Ten for his performance in 2011, and he was consistently in the opponent's backfield. Opposing centers couldn't handle him one-on-one as a nose tackle, which allowed some young and/or mediocre linebackers behind him to make plays.

WDE: Frank Clark (2014)
42 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, 1 fumble recovery, 2 pass breakups
I hesitated to put Clark on here because he was kicked off the team for an (alleged) domestic violence transgression. But just looking at the on-field results, Clark was a force. He achieved the above numbers in just ten games before being booted, and they would have been higher if Michigan's coverage in the secondary hadn't been so poor in the early part of the season.

Hit the jump for linebackers, defensive backs, and specialists.

Drew Dileo, #9

Drew Dileo

Here's my first ever post on Drew Dileo, a scouting report form March 2009.

HIGH SCHOOL
A product of Greenwell Springs (LA) Parkview Baptist, a small private school, Dileo was a Rivals 3-star and the #73 athlete in the 2010 class. Also an accomplished baseball player, he did a little bit of everything - running, receiving, returning, playing cornerback, and throwing the ball on occasion. As a junior in 2008, he had 760 rushing yards and 9 touchdowns, 315 receiving yard and 4 touchdowns, and averaged 42.2 yards per kickoff return. He committed to Michigan at the end of April 2009 over offers from Stanford and Tulane.

COLLEGE
If you're like me, you wondered a little bit why Drew Dileo set foot on the field as a true freshman in 2010. He was not big and he was not fast (his reported 4.5 forty time was clearly a fib), but redshirt years don't do much good for guys who aren't going to grow or get much faster. Dileo was a holder, played some slot receiver, and returned some punts and kicks; it was his most productive year as a kick returner, when he averaged 21.6 yards/return. As a sophomore in 2011, he became the full-time holder and converted three fake field goals (against Michigan State, Nebraska, and Virginia Tech), the most spectacular of which was a prayer of a completion to long snapper Jareth Glanda in the Sugar Bowl against the Hokies. His receiving ticked up (9 catches, 121 yards, 2 touchdowns) a little bit, too. In his junior season of 2012, Dileo had his most productive season in terms of yardage when he caught 20 passes for 331 yards and 2 touchdowns, turning in big catches against Minnesota and Michigan State. For whatever reason, he became more of an afterthought as a senior (16 catches, 174 yards, 2 touchdowns) and had an uncharacteristic drop to seal a loss to Nebraska, but still managed to have some key receptions, such as touchdowns against Notre Dame and Ohio State.

CAREER STATISTICS
46 catches, 629 receiving yards, 13.7 yards/catch, and 6 touchdowns
3 carries for 14 yards
1/1 passing for 11 yards
11 punt returns for 79 yards, 7.2 yards/return
17 kickoff returns for 336 yards, 19.8 yards/return

SUMMARY
Dileo is one of those guys whom you wish could be re-signed as a free agent. He's a utility man that just about any team could use in some capacity, but he's not capable of being a spotlight guy. Without him Michigan has to face an immediate future without a sure-handed slot guy, without a sure-handed returner, and likely without a fake field goal threat from the holder position.

I WILL REMEMBER HIM FOR . . .
. . . the fake field goal pass to Jareth Glanda in the 2012 Sugar Bowl against Virginia Tech. That seems to sum up his career quite nicely, because it was Dileo finding a way to get the job done.

PROJECTION
Dileo won't be invited to the NFL Combine, and he won't be drafted. I have a hard time believing he'll even be signed as an undrafted free agent. His football career is likely over, and I imagine he'll move on to the professional world.

Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl Preview: Special Teams

Kansas State returner Tramaine Thompson is dangerous with the ball in his hands.

MICHIGAN
Starters: The Wolverines are in pretty bad shape when it comes to special teams, but it could be worse. Fifth year senior placekicker Brendan Gibbons has been ruled out of the bowl game with a groin injury, and senior punter Will Hagerup has been suspended for the entire season, so all the kicking duties will be up to junior Matt Wile (6'2", 216 lbs.). Wile is pretty experienced for being a backup punter and kicker, but when it comes to kicking field goals, he hasn't been in many pressure situations. Wile is 1/3 on field goals this year, 5/5 on extra points, and averages 40.6 yards/punt. He's been the kickoff guy all year and gets a 49.3% touchback rate. Sophomore Dennis Norfleet (5'7", 169 lbs.) has 36 kickoff returns for 850 yards and a 23.6-yard average. Fifth year senior Jeremy Gallon (5'8", 184 lbs.) and senior Drew Dileo (5'10", 180 lbs.) have combined for 12 punt returns and 76 yards, so they're not much of a threat.
Backups: Redshirt freshman Kenny Allen (6'3", 226 lbs.) will be the backup kicker and punter, and he has 1 punt this year for 51 yards. Dileo has averaged 19.2 yards on 5 returns, and redshirt freshman Jehu Chesson (6'3", 196 lbs.) has averaged 18 yards on 2 returns.

KANSAS STATE
Starters: The Wildcats have two excellent returners. One is fifth year senior punt returner Tramaine Thompson (5'8", 167 lbs.), who has averaged 20.2 yards/return this year with a long of 79 yards; teams respect him so much that they've only given him a chance to return 9 punts. Junior Tyler Lockett (5'11", 175 lbs.) is the kick returner with a 25.5-yard average, and while he hasn't yet returned a kickoff for a touchdown in 2013, he had 2 scores in each of the past two seasons. Redshirt junior Mark Krause (5'11", 218 lbs.) averages 41.3 yards/punt and has landed 17 inside the 20-yard line. Redshirt sophomore Jack Cantele (6'0", 193 lbs.) is 11/13 on field goals and 40/41 on extra points, but he was injured prior to KSU's final regular season game and may not be back for the bowl game.
Backups: Thompson has returned 2 kickoffs this year, but one was for a 96-yard touchdown. Backup kicker Ian Patterson (5'11", 233 lbs.), a redshirt freshman, is 2/3 on field goals and 8/8 on extra points; he has also taken over kickoff duties, where he has a touchback rate almost twice as high as Cantele's.

THE TAKEAWAY
The Wolverines haven't been particularly strong on special teams under Brady Hoke, but they haven't been terrible, either. They did block a punt and return it for a touchdown against Central Michigan, and the game-tying end-of-regulation field goal against Northwestern was the #4 play in the Big Ten this year, according to BTN Live. Unfortunately, battle-tested Brendan Gibbons is out, and Wile has been erratic as a kicker and as a punter. Michigan's return games have been exciting but fruitless with Norfleet, Gallon, and Dileo. Meanwhile, Kansas State has a couple all-conference-caliber returners in Lockett and Thompson, and Cantele is a solid kicker if healthy. The Wolverines did allow a punt return touchdown to South Carolina's Ace Sanders in last year's bowl game, so they've been susceptible to special teams breakdowns at times. Wile might be able to negate Lockett's return abilities because he's pretty good at kicking touchbacks, and Michigan has some aggressive players on punt coverage, but overall, this is looking like an advantage for . . .

ADVANTAGE: Kansas State

Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl Preview: Receivers and Tight Ends

Tyler Lockett is the key to Kansas State's passing game.

MICHIGAN
Starters: The diminutive fifth year senior Jeremy Gallon (5'8", 184 lbs.) is the go-to guy, and he had an all-conference season with 80 catches, 1284 yards, and 9 touchdowns. He can be effective on just about any route - screens, hitches, square ins, fades, double moves, jump balls, etc. Aside from his lack of height (which he makes up for with his leaping ability and the timing of those leaps), he doesn't have truly blazing speed, so he sometimes pulls away before getting tracked down in a foot race. The other starting wide receiver is sophomore Devin Funchess (6'5", 235 lbs.), who made all-conference listed as a tight end but rarely plays it anymore; he has 47 catches for 727 yards and 6 scores. Funchess is Michigan's bubble screen guy, leaps over tacklers sometimes, runs an occasional end around, and can beat teams deep. The de facto starting tight end is freshman Jake Butt (6'6", 246 lbs.), who has come on late in the season to catch 17 balls for 203 yards and 2 touchdowns. Butt can do a little bit of everything between blocking, catching, and running.
Backups: Redshirt freshman Jehu Chesson (6'3", 196 lbs.) started a little bit early in the year before Funchess's blocking became too big of a problem at tight end, and while Chesson's playing time has dropped a little bit, he's actually improved his route running and ability to adjust to the ball in the air. He has 13 catches for 213 yards and 1 touchdown. Senior Drew Dileo (5'10", 180 lbs.) is the only other significant receiving threat, but he's a possession guy who usually works over the middle. Occasionally, senior Jeremy Jackson (6'3", 209 lbs.) or redshirt senior Joe Reynolds (6'1", 196 lbs.) will pop up for a catch, but they've totaled just 10 catches for 140 yards and 0 scores this year. Sophomore A.J. Williams (6'6", 265 lbs.) and redshirt junior Jordan Paskorz (6'3", 255 lbs.) are the "blocking" tight ends that struggle to block, and while they'll be on the field a fair amount, they have just 1 total catch.

KANSAS STATE
Starters: The clear leader of the receiving corps is junior Tyler Lockett (5'11", 175 lbs.), who has 71 catches for 1,146 yards and 8 touchdowns on the season. Lockett has made a lot of big catches for the Wildcats and can be a real threat to the secondary on deep routes. Fifth year senior Tramaine Thompson (5'8", 167 lbs.) is also a big-play guy from the slot with 28 catches for 495 yards (17.7 yards/catch) and 5 touchdowns. Junior Curry Sexton (5'11", 183 lbs.) is the other receiver in K-State's three-wide attack, and he's been more of a possession guy with 36 catches for 409 yards. Redshirt junior tight end Zach Trujillo is rarely targeted, but he has 5 catches for 111 yards and 1 touchdown.
Backups: Senior Torell Miller (6'3", 213 lbs.) is a former safety who was expected to start this year in place of Sexton, but he's been relegated to backup duty and 11 catches, 106 yards, and 1 touchdown. Redshirt sophomore Kyle Klein (6'4", 210 lbs.) is a former defensive end who has 5 catches for 59 yards on the season. Fifth year senior Andre McDonald (6'8", 278 lbs.) is a mammoth blocking tight end who has just 2 catches for 19 yards this season. It's a very thin group of receivers.

THE TAKEAWAY
Michigan has two guys who can be consistent deep threats, and another who has the speed to do so. Gallon has been outstanding this year and was one of the top couple receivers in the conference, while Funchess is simply a matchup nightmare. The other guys aren't very scary, but Chesson, Dileo, and Butt can all be good secondary targets and move the chains. Meanwhile, Kansas State has a guy who can blow up in the form of Lockett, plus a somewhat dangerous slot guy in Thompson. In a couple closely contested shootouts against Big 12 opponents, Lockett has gone over 230 yards (237 against Texas, 278 against Oklahoma), and he's the guy that quarterbacks Jake Waters and Daniel Sams will look to if things get rough. If the Wildcats can move the ball consistently on the ground, they'll settle for trying to win the game without putting the ball in the air too much. Tight ends have hurt Michigan in a few games this year (Minnesota's Maxx Williams, Iowa's C.J. Fiedorowicz, Ohio State's Jeff Heuerman), but that shouldn't be a persistent problem in this game. It's a tall task to stop Lockett, but he's the key to their passing game.

ADVANTAGE: Michigan

Michigan vs. Ohio State Awards

Devin Funchess had 4 catches for 41 yards and 1 touchdown 

Let's see more of this guy on offense . . . Drew Dileo. I wish Dileo (5 catches, 60 yards, 1 touchdown) had another year left in him. I just think he's one of the more dependable peripheral wide receivers at Michigan. He has had a couple balls go through his hands this year, but this passing offense goes a whole lot better when he's in the game, as compared to . . . say . . . Jeremy Jackson.

Let's see less of this guy on offense . . . Power Al Borges. It's crazy how Michigan's offense started to get going a little bit once Borges realized that Michigan can't overpower teams with a bunch of baby-faced offensive linemen and a 195 lb. tailback. He went from a power team with a finesse running back to a finesse team with power running backs, and now things seem to be clicking a little bit.

Let's see more of this guy on defense . . . Ben Gedeon. Actually, I want James Ross to return to his WILL position as soon as possible, but Gedeon's someone I'm looking forward to watching develop over the next couple years. The coaching staff has done a good job of identifying talent at the inside linebacker positions, and Gedeon (6 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 1 sack) has looked solid for a true freshman who got thrown into the fire due to injuries.

Let's see less of this guy on defense . . . Josh Furman. Furman (3 tackles, 1 pass breakup) gets lost out there. He was beaten for a 53-yard touchdown early, was slow to react in the running game, and took some bad angles. Hopefully Jarrod Wilson can return from his injury in time for the bowl game.

Play of the game . . . Devin Funchess's bubble screen. In a play reminiscent of the Indiana game, Funchess took a bubble screen to the right, leaped over cornerback Doran Grant, and sprinted up the right sideline for 22 yards before getting pushed out of bounds. This isn't anything new, but for a 6'5", 235 lb. guy to make these kinds of plays is pretty amazing.

Player of the game . . . Devin Gardner. Gardner had his second-best game ever with a 32/45 effort that resulted in 451 yards and 4 touchdowns, along with 9 carries for 10 yards and 1 touchdown. A chunk of that came with a bum ankle. That's the most passing yards and touchdowns in the history of The Game. He looked beaten up for the past few games, but he looked rejuvenated in this one. Honorable mention goes to Jake Butt (5 catches, 85 yards, 1 touchdown) and Jeremy Gallon (9 catches, 175 yards, 1 touchdown).

Michigan vs. Michigan State Awards

Let's see more of this guy on offense . . . Drew Dileo. Dileo is/was recovering from an injury, which is why he didn't play much on Saturday, but I think he makes Michigan's offense very difficult to defend. With Jeremy Gallon and Devin Funchess on the outside, a healthy Dileo working the middle is a tough third option. Most teams have a quick and/or fast slot receiver to use, but Michigan's slot option at this point is the lumbering Jeremy Jackson. Hopefully Dileo can come back fully healthy for the remainder of the year.

Let's see less of this guy on offense . . . Jeremy Jackson. I really don't care who enters the game in his place, but Jackson needs to have his feet glued to the sideline. I sincerely have not seen a slower, less athletic wide receiver get significant playing time for Michigan in my entire life. He can't get separation and can't jump, and he's not a good enough blocker to justify putting him on the field. Whether it's Dennis Norfleet, Joe Reynolds, or Da'Mario Jones, somebody should be taking Jackson's snaps.

Let's see more of this guy on defense . . . Blake Countess at left cornerback. I keep seeing teams pick on Jourdan Lewis and Channing Stribling on the outside, and I can't help but think that maybe Countess would be best used on the outside. Stribling is a good sized, fairly physical kid, and Dymonte Thomas has been practicing at nickel corner; one of those two guys might be worth a look instead of putting Stribling/Lewis out there, both of whom have been beaten regularly.

Let's see less of this guy on defense . . . the freshman corners. For the reasons stated above. I think they'll both be good down the road, but they're not right now.

Play of the game . . . Devin Gardner's 58-yard pass to Jehu Chesson. There really aren't many options for play of the game, but this was a solid one, regardless. Gardner launched a deep ball down the left hash, and the youngster Chesson - who has had a hard time adjusting to balls in the air - leaped up to grab it in double coverage. Not only was it Michigan's longest play of the day, but it showed that Michigan might have another developing deep threat for other teams to respect. Michigan currently has three guys who can get vertical - Chesson, Gallon, and Funchess - and even with Gallon graduating after this year, there could be more guys to stretch the field with Da'Mario Jones, Drake Harris, Freddy Canteen, and/or Maurice Ways potentially earning time.

MVP of the game . . . Frank Clark. In what was essentially a blowout loss with very little scoring, it's tough to pick a real MVP. The most productive guy on offense was Jehu Chesson (3 catches, 82 yards), and usual stalwarts Devin Gardner (14/27 passing, 210 yards, 1 pick; 18 carries for -46 yards), Jeremy Gallon (5 catches, 67 yards), and Devin Funchess (6 catches, 65 yards) were mostly held in check. Clark, though, had a career-high 9 tackles, a career-high 2.5 tackles for loss, and 1 quarterback hurry. Michigan State had a very difficult time handling him up front.

Poll results: Who will be Michigan's leading receiver?

This is a poll I took over the summer, prior to the season. Then things got busy and I didn't have a chance to post the results.

Who do you think Michigan's leading receiver will be in 2013? All statistics are through seven games.

Jeremy Gallon: 79%
Gallon took a pretty commanding lead with his 369-yard performance against Indiana, but as of now, he has 45 catches for 831 yards and 7 touchdowns.

Amara Darboh: 10%
Darboh suffered a foot injury shortly before the season began, has not played, and is expected to miss the rest of the year.

Devin Funchess: 3%
Funchess has 23 catches for 492 yards and 4 touchdowns. He was pushing Gallon for the lead, but now he's 339 yards behind.

Drew Dileo: 1% (6 votes)
Dileo has 8 catches for 99 yards and 1 touchdown. I expect him to catch a few more passes down the stretch, but he's obviously out of the running.

Jehu Chesson: 1% (5 votes)
Chesson's 7 catches for 98 yards and 1 touchdown aren't particularly impressive, but the physical skills are there to be a leading receiver someday. He needs to work on his hands and on adjusting to balls in the air.

Jeremy Jackson: 1% (4 votes)
Jackson has notched 5 catches for 53 yards.

Da'Mario Jones: 1% (4 votes)
Jones has yet to see time on offense, although he has played on special teams.

Joe Reynolds: 1% (4 votes)
Reynolds has 3 catches for 56 yards after being passed up for playing time by Chesson.

Csont'e York: 1% (4 votes)
York has played sparingly this season and has yet to make a catch.

Other: 0% (2 votes)
I don't know who else might have received a vote. Maybe Dennis Norfleet's parents stopped by to vote.

Jaron Dukes: 0% (0 votes)
Yeah, nobody voted for him.

Video: Countdown to Kickoff 2013 - Day 23: Drew Dileo

Countdown to Kickoff 2013: Day 23 - Drew Dileo by mgovideo

2013 Season Countdown: #19 Drew Dileo

Drew Dileo

Name: Drew Dileo
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 180 lbs.
High school: Greenwell Springs (LA) Parkview Baptist
Position: Wide receiver
Class: Senior
Jersey number: #9
Last year: I ranked Dileo #36 and said he would make 12 receptions for 150 yards and 2 touchdowns, along with being the holder, a backup receiver, and a part-time returner. He had 20 receptions for 331 yards (16.6 yards/catch) and 2 touchdowns, 1 carry for 7 yards, 2 punt returns for 22 yards, and 4 kickoff returns for 67 yards.

This Dileo kid is one of those guys that's fun to have on the football team, not because he's great but just because he's a football player. Look at those statistics up above. Receiver, runner, holder, punt returner, kickoff returner . . . .  You get the sense that you're in parks and recreation football, and Dileo's just the best all-around athlete, so you give him the football all the time just because you know good things will happen. Except this isn't parks and rec. Those statistics aren't flashy, and yet 16.6 yards a catch ain't half bad.

This year Dileo will likely reprise his role as the holder and jack of all trades, and it would be nice to see him play some defensive back so I can label him the Shane Halter of Michigan football. There's a wide receiver spot left open by the graduated Roy Roundtree, but Dileo - Michigan's second leading returning receiver - probably won't take that vacated spot. He'll work from the slot and be a backup, but he could improve on those receiving totals with Devin Gardner throwing the ball for the entire year; both of his touchdown receptions last year came from Gardner. There will also probably be a trick play or two for Dileo as the holder, and the coaches will throw him a bone once in a while with a punt or kickoff return. He even has a chance to win the punt return duties if the coaches relieve Jeremy Gallon of those duties and want a sure-handed replacement. I think the battle will be determined by how well Dennis Norfleet - a faster and more electric returner - can make decisions and catch the ball.

Prediction: Starting holder; backup receiver and returner; 25 receptions, 375 yards, 4 touchdowns

Michigan vs. South Carolina Awards

Jeremy Gallon had 2 touchdown receptions, including this leaping grab
(image via MLive)

Since the season is over, this is going to be a look toward next year.  Seniors are excluded from being named for the "Let's see more/less" awards.

Let's see more of this guy on offense . . . Devin Funchess.  For whatever reason(s), Michigan seemed to target freshman tight end Devin Funchess less as the year went along.  Other than a middle screen early in the game, the plays and the quarterback didn't seem to be targeting Funchess.  At 6'5", likely to be 240-ish next year, and with some speed, the coaches need to concentrate on finding ways to get him the ball.  I believe this will happen naturally because wide receiver Roy Roundtree will have graduated and the offense won't center around Denard Robinson.

Let's see less of this guy on offense . . . Justice Hayes.  Hayes does not appear to have a future role as a feature back.  He might be able to catch screen passes and do some things in the passing game a la Vincent Smith, but he's just average in all categories - size, strength, speed, elusiveness, etc.  I don't really think he fits in with what Michigan wants to do.

Let's see more of this guy on defense . . . James Ross.  It's tough for freshman linebackers to play big-time college football, and Michigan has two pretty good ones in Ross and Joe Bolden.  Ross had a nice blitz late in the game and has generally played well, although his pass drops could use some work.  Ideally, he would have been redshirting this season to hone those drops, but he looks to have a bright future.  My guess is that he'll take over the weakside linebacker position next season, allowing Desmond Morgan to play middle linebacker.

Let's see less of this guy on defense . . . Courtney Avery.  I had high hopes for Avery after the 2011 season, and he has been solid as a slot corner.  The problem is that he's a primary backup on the outside, too, and he really struggled against Alabama and South Carolina when he was asked to fill in for Blake Countess and J.T. Floyd, respectively.  I still want to see him on the field playing the slot, but Michigan has to get Countess healthy and develop a better option behind the starters on the outside.

Play of the game . . . Drew Dileo's fake field goal scramble.  Michigan's staff got creative by shifting from a field goal formation to an empty backfield with holder Dileo playing quarterback.  A high school baseball star, Dileo can throw the ball a little bit.  When he didn't see anyone open, he decided to scramble, made a guy miss in the open field, and gained 7 yards to convert the first down.  The kid has reliable hands, can return kicks, and is a versatile threat as a holder.  He won't ever be a star, but he's a fun guy to have on the football team.

MVP of the game . . . Jeremy Gallon.  Gallon did drop a slightly inaccurate pass, but he ended the game with 9 catches, 145 yards, and 2 touchdowns, along with an 11-yard return on the final kickoff.  Brady Hoke noted that he was playing hurt, and I thought I saw him a little bit gimpy with what appeared to be a hamstring issue.  Overall, he had a very good performance and should be the centerpiece of the receiving corps in 2013.

Receivers Preview: Michigan vs. South Carolina

South Carolina wide receiver Bruce Ellington (image via Independent Mail)

MICHIGAN
Starters: Fifth year senior Roy Roundtree (6'0", 180 lbs.) has really stepped up his game since Devin Gardner stepped in at quarterback, and now has 28 receptions for 553 yards (19.8 yards/reception) and 3 touchdowns; 15 of those receptions, 378 of those yards, and 2 of those touchdowns have come from Gardner in just four games together.  Redshirt junior Jeremy Gallon (5'8", 187 lbs.) has also increased his production, with 22 of his 40 receptions and 366 of his 684 yards coming from Gardner.  Fifth year senior Mike Kwiatkowski (6'5", 262 lbs.) has become the starter at tight end, but he's more blocker than receiver; he has just 4 catches for 37 yards on the year.
Backups: Junior Drew Dileo (5'10", 180 lbs.) is the most dangerous of the backup wide receivers with 17 receptions for 309 yards (18.2 yards/reception) and 1 touchdown; he's sure-handed and reliable, but he's not very fast.  The same descriptors could be used for junior Jeremy Jackson (6'3", 204 lbs.), who has just 4 receptions for 31 yards on the year but plays quite a bit.  Redshirt junior walk-on Joe Reynolds (6'1", 196 lbs.) has usurped some playing time from the aforementioned players and notched 3 receptions for 22 yards against Iowa; he's also a reliable blocker, although he has incurred a couple penalties.  Freshman tight end Devin Funchess (6'5", 229 lbs.) was a revelation toward the beginning of the year, but he seems to have been forgotten a little bit down the stretch; he has not caught more than one pass in a game since the September 22 contest against Notre Dame.  His last two receptions have gone for touchdowns, though, and altogether he has 14 receptions for 230 yards (16 yards/reception) and 5 touchdowns on the year.

SOUTH CAROLINA
Starters: After the humongous Alshon Jeffery left for the NFL last season, the Gamecocks have turned to a trio of diminutive wideouts.  Sophomore Bruce Ellington (5'9", 197 lbs.) leads the team with 38 receptions for 564 yards (14.8 yards/reception) and has notched 6 touchdowns.  Junior Ace Sanders (5'8", 175 lbs.) is just behind him with 36 receptions, but he leads the team with 7 touchdown receptions; however, he has just 439 yards and isn't as much of a big play threat.  Redshirt sophomore Nick Jones (5'7", 184 lbs.) is also a starter, but he has just 9 receptions for 119 yards (13.2 yards/reception) and 0 touchdowns on the year.  Senior tight end Justice Cunningham (6'4", 264 lbs.) has 22 catches for 287 yards (13.0 yards/reception) and 0 touchdowns on the year.  The receivers are small and slippery, but this isn't the same kind of passing offense that Steve Spurrier had when he was coaching the Florida Gators.
Backups: Sophomore Damiere Byrd (5'9", 168 lbs.) has made some big plays with 12 catches for 303 yards (25.4 yards/reception) and 2 touchdowns.  Freshman Shaq Roland (6'1", 173 lbs.) has 5 catches for 80 yards (16 yards/reception) and 1 touchdown, but he could see his role increase now that key backup D.L. Moore has been suspended for the bowl game.  Freshman tight end Rory Anderson (6'5", 218 lbs.) is still very thin, but he has been a big-play receiver with 13 catches for 264 yards (20.2 yards/reception) and 5 touchdowns, the South Carolina version of Funchess.

THE TAKEAWAY
Extrapolated over an entire twelve-game season with Gardner at quarterback, Roundtree would have 45 receptions for 1,066 yards and 6 touchdowns, and Gallon would have 66 receptions for 1,098 yards and 3 touchdowns.  That would give Michigan the Big Ten's top two receivers (Penn State's Allen Robinson leads the conference with 1,018 yards).  Meanwhile, the Gamecocks receivers are solid and could give Michigan fits now that starting cornerback J.T. Floyd will miss the game.  South Carolina's starters might have a better game, but the better receiving corps is Michigan's.
Advantage: Michigan

Michigan 35, Minnesota 13

Devin Gardner was solid in replacing injured starter Denard Robinson (image via Bleacher Report)

Thanks goodness for Devin Gardner.  I am fairly confident that Russell Bellomy could not have duplicated Gardner's performance from yesterday.  The junior wide receiver/quarterback finished 12/18 for 234 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 1 interception; he also ran 10 times for 21 yards and 1 touchdown.  Gardner obviously isn't the same type of electrifying runner that Denard Robinson is, but that passing performance was pretty much on par with anything Robinson has done this year.  Gardner had three passes of 45-plus yards and did a great job of keeping plays alive with his feet.  There are still things to improve (the one INT was a poor decision, he holds onto the ball too long sometimes, etc.), but he looked much more ready to play QB than Bellomy has at any point.  This should give Michigan fans hope.  And I know I beat this drum a lot, but how much more excited would you be if Gardner were a redshirt sophomore instead of a true junior?  That burned redshirt in 2010 really irks me . . .

Michigan's receivers stepped up when needed.  This was something we haven't seen in the past few weeks, but I don't remember a single drop in this game.  The receivers pulled in some nice receptions, including Jerald Robinson's sliding 22-yarder and a couple balls caught in traffic by Jeremy Gallon, Drew Dileo, and Roy Roundtree.  Gardner has a stronger arm than Bellomy, and I think the receivers are probably a little more comfortable catching Gardner's darts than Bellomy's soft tosses.

Here is where I grumble about cornerbacks.  Teams have been picking on J.T. Floyd for the past few weeks, and once again he was beaten several times.  Minnesota freshman quarterback Philip Nelson missed on several, but sometimes it didn't matter because Floyd bailed him out by getting called for pass interference two or three times.  Raymon Taylor didn't have a great game, either, and picked up a pass interference call himself.  I am looking forward to a time when Michigan can put two solid corners on the field at the same time.  Taylor has a chance to be one, but it's been a while since the Wolverines had two.

Don't say Michigan never gets the benefit of refs' poor calls.  Jeremy Gallon's 10-yard touchdown catch wasn't a catch; the ball was moving in his hands the entire time.  Roy Roundtree's 47-yard catch probably wasn't a catch; the ball was moving the entire time.  However, both of them were called completions on the field, and they were difficult to overturn.  In both cases, if they had been called incomplete on the field, I think they would have been upheld as being incomplete.

Jake Ryan wheee!  Ryan struggled a little bit early in the game, but he turned it on afterward.  He finished the game with 9 tackles and 3 tackles for loss.  The speed at which he plays for a guy who's 6'3", 242 lbs. is pretty ridiculous.  He now has 65 tackles and 12 tackles for loss, both numbers surpassing what he did in 2011 (37 tackles, 11 tackles for loss).

The future of the defensive line is bright.  I was very concerned about Michigan's defensive line coming into 2012 after Mike Martin and Ryan Van Bergen graduated, and those two have certainly been missed.  The drop-off at strongside end hasn't been very noticeable with Craig Roh playing fairly well, but Martin has certainly been missed at nose tackle.  However, Michigan has several guys starting or in the rotation who should return next season, so they should be able to maintain this level of play.  Weakside ends Brennen Beyer and Frank Clark, defensive tackles Quinton Washington and Ondre Pipkins, and strongside end Keith Heitzman all look solid, and that's not to mention the incoming freshmen or the redshirting freshmen (Chris Wormley, Tom Strobel, Matt Godin, Willie Henry).

Working on Saturdays is lame.  There's just not the same level of excitement when you know you could just fast forward the DVR and see the final score.  On the plus side, I could fast forward during timeouts and between plays so I didn't have to listen to the Big Ten Network's terrible announcers.  Sometimes Chris Martin talks just to hear himself, and he says very little of substance.  He does a good job of discussing defensive back play, but anytime the discussion wanders into the other 18 positions on the field, he's mute-worthy.

Michigan vs. Michigan State Awards

Drew Dileo

Let's see more of this guy on offense . . . Drew Dileo.  He's not a big-play threat in the sense that he'll run a long way after the catch or break open deep, but he's a very clutch receiver who just finds ways to get open.  And when the ball gets thrown to him, he catches it.  Knock on wood.

Let's see less of this guy on offense . . . Jeremy Jackson.  Denard Robinson targeted Jackson deep a couple times, and it was uneventful.  Jackson is a slow possession receiver.  If you want to run someone deep, send Gardner, Roundtree, or Gallon.  Heck, even Amara Darboh runs better than Jackson, though the former is just a freshman.  Jackson isn't even that great of a blocker, so I'm not sure why he's seeing so much time.

Let's see more of this guy on defense . . . Raymon Taylor.  I'm not Taylor's biggest fan, but I'm starting to get concerned about the cornerback depth once again.  With starter Blake Countess out for the season and his replacement Taylor knocked out of the game on Sunday, Michigan was nearing the bottom of the barrel.  The only scholarship corners left are sophomore Delonte Hollowell and freshman Terry Richardson, both of whom are tiny and inexperienced.

Let's see less of this guy on defense . . . nobody.  The defense is playing very well.

Play of the game . . . in a tight game like this, there were lots of key plays.  One was Thomas Gordon raking the ball out of the tight end's hands on the goal line.  Another was Robinson's late throw to Dileo to set up the field goal.  But I have to give this one to Brendan Gibbons for hitting the 38-yard, game-winning field goal.

MVP of the game . . . Drew Dileo.  Yeah, somebody had to throw the passes, but Michigan's receivers were struggling to get open and struggling to hold onto the ball.  But Dileo didn't really have those issues.  He was also the holder on all four field goals.

Video: Hoke, players' postgame press conferences

Michigan 12, Michigan State 10

Drew Dileo (image via AnnArbor.com)

Well, that was terrifying.  That was way too much of a heart attack game for my liking.  I mean, I still liked the end result and everything, but that game was frustrating.  Neither team could do anything consistently on offense, and I'm not convinced that it's because both defenses are great.  Both defenses are very good, but the offenses are just so-so.

That being said, yay!  Good golly, I hate Mark Dantonio.  I hate William Gholston, too, but Dantonio is the biggest tool of a coach in the Big Ten, even more so than Bret Bielema.  It would have felt great to see Dantonio lose, even if Michigan wasn't the opponent.  It just makes the win that much sweeter that seniors Denard Robinson, Elliott Mealer, Patrick Omameh, Jordan Kovacs, Craig Roh, etc. succeed in their last chance to beat the Spartans.  Congratulations to those guys.

Thank you, Drew Dileo.  Wide receiver Drew Dileo played a great game.  He's never going to be the fastest player in the field, and he certainly isn't the biggest.  But he's the type of do-it-all player and possession receiver that finds all kinds of ways to win a football game.  He came up huge in the Sugar Bowl against Virginia Tech, and he had another standout performance on Saturday with 4 catches for 92 yards . . . and as the holder on all four of Michigan's scoring plays.

Brendan Gibbons and Matt Wile were great.  I was extremely impressed with the solid kicking from these two guys.  Gibbons was 3/3 kicking, including the 38-yard game-winner.  Wile was 1/1 in his first career chance to kick a field goal, and that one was a long attempt from 48 yards.  Obviously, each of the four kicks was huge.

Jeremy Jackson is slow.  At a couple points in the game, I couldn't help harking back to the days when wide receiver Jeremy Jackson was recruited.  I said then that he didn't have the athleticism to be an impact player at Michigan, and I still question why he's on the field so much.  Denard Robinson targeted him a couple times deep, and while the throws could have been more accurate, Jackson looked like he was running in quicksand.  If the play call is for someone to go deep, then Jackson should be replaced by someone with a little giddyup.

The defense was pretty darn good.  There wasn't much of a pass rush, and the coverage on the outside was mediocre.  But the Wolverines only allowed 68 yards to Le'Veon Bell (on 26 carries) and 86 total rushing yards to the offense (punter Mike Sadler ran 26 yards on a fake punt, which I won't pin on the defense).  Desmond Morgan (11 tackles) is playing very well, and Jake Ryan (10 tackles, 1 sack) was all over the place once again, and Bell's longest run was 8 yards.

Cornerbacks are a concern.  J.T. Floyd made a couple nice plays on short passes and supporting the run, which is an improvement for him; however, he was beaten deep a couple times by receivers who were unable to hook up with MSU quarterback Andrew Maxwell.  Meanwhile, Raymon Taylor left with an elbow injury, leaving the opposite side to slot corner Courtney Avery.  I'm hoping that Taylor can return soon, because the Wolverines are running out of healthy corners.  The only other guys left on the roster are backup slot corner Delonte Hollowell and tiny freshman Terry Richardson.

Michigan has 900 wins.  That's more wins than any other football program in the history of the whole wide universe.  By comparison, Michigan State has 643 all-time victories.  The Wolverines are now 68-32-5 against the Spartans.

Video: Hoke, Denard, Smith, Campbell, Gordon, Omameh, Dileo postgame

2012 Season Countdown: #36 Drew Dileo

Drew Dileo

Name: Drew Dileo
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 172 lbs.
High school: Greenwell Springs (LA) Parkview Baptist
Position: Wide receiver
Class: Junior
Jersey number: #9
Last year: I ranked Dileo #21 and said he would return kickoffs and punts, as well as catch 15 passes.  He was the starting holder, completed 1/1 passes for 11 yards, rushed 2 times for 7 yards, caught 9 passes for 121 yards and 2 touchdowns, and returned 1 punt for 0 yards.

I probably ranked Dileo a little too high last year, because I figured he would have done more in the return game.  He was the holder on the extra point/field goal unit and did haul in nine receptions, so he was a valuable player, but kind of in a jack-of-all-trades way.  He can do lots of things for a team, but he's not the fastest or most athletic guy around.

This year's ranking at #36 is sort of a reflection of what he did last year, since it seems some of his skills would be somewhat easily replaceable.  One guy might not be able to hold, catch passes, and return an occasional punt, but there are a few guys who could probably do each of those jobs.  Dileo is a good complementary player, and with three seniors having departed, he could see more passes come his way.  It will be interesting to see how much time he gets in the return game now that incumbent punt returner Jeremy Gallon will presumably start at split end.  If the coaches don't want to risk Gallon getting dinged or tired, Dileo might get a chance to return punts once again.  He's a sure-handed good decision maker, so he seems like a safe choice, albeit unlikely to explode for many big returns.

Prediction: Holder, backup wide receiver, occasional returner; 12 receptions for 150 yards and 2 touchdowns

AnnArbor.com: Article on Drew Dileo

Louisiana girls might be attractive

AnnArbor.com posted an article on wide receiver Drew Dileo a couple days ago.  As the only native Louisianan on the team*, he gets special treatment from the Ann Arbor media before the Wolverines play in New Orleans.

*Running backs coach Fred Jackson is also from Louisiana, as was former Wolverines safety Carvin Johnson, who left the team earlier this season.

Wide Receiver Preview: Michigan vs. Virginia Tech

Jarrett Boykin (#81)

MICHIGAN
Starters: The leading receiver is fifth year senior Junior Hemingway, who has caught 32 passes for 636 yards (19.9 yards per catch) and 2 touchdowns.  Redshirt junior Roy Roundtree started all 12 games but finished fourth on the team in receptions, with just 18 for 342 yards (19.2 yards per catch) and 2 scores. 
Backups: Redshirt sophomore Jeremy Gallon popped out of nowhere to grab 30 passes for 450 yards (15.0 yards per catch) and 3 touchdowns; many of his receptions came on tunnel screens, although he made a few big catches downfield.  Sophomore Drew Dileo made 9 receptions for 121 yards (13.2 yards per catch) and 2 touchdowns; he's a dependable receiver but rarely targeted.  Senior Martavious Odoms' production dwindled once again to 7 receptions for 131 yards (18.7 yards per catch) and 3 touchdowns; he missed some time early in the year recovering from a broken wrist, but has still made some humongous catches for the Wolverines.  Fifth year senior Kelvin Grady and sophomore Jeremy Jackson have combined for 7 catches, 100 yards, and 0 touchdowns.

VIRGINIA TECH
Starters: Senior Jarrett Boykin caught 57 passes for 731 yards (12.8 yards per catch) and 5 touchdowns.  Boykin is 6'2", 218 lbs. and is Virginia Tech's career leader in receptions and receiving yards.  Fellow receiver and fifth year senior Danny Coale grabbed 52 receptions for 787 yards (15.2 yards per catch) and 3 scores.  Redshirt junior Marcus Davis started 7 games on the year and finished with 29 receptions for 499 yards (17.2 yards per catch) and 2 touchdowns.
Backups: Junior D.J. Coles was the third leading receiver despite starting only 2 games; he caught 34 passes for 449 yards (13.2 yards per catch) and 3 touchdowns.  Senior Dyrell Roberts, redshirt junior Corey Fuller, and redshirt freshman Willie Byrn combined for 6 receptions, 79 yards, and 0 touchdowns.

THE TAKEAWAY
Boykin and Coale offer a less explosive but more consistent pairing than do Hemingway and Roundtree.  Michigan's early struggles in the passing game meant that the receivers didn't get much of a chance to catch the ball, because it was either horribly thrown or Robinson was running the ball.  Hemingway, Roundtree, and even the 5'8" Jeremy Gallon were thrown plenty of jump balls and came down with their fair share, leading to the former two's averages of 19+ yards per catch.  All three have shown the ability to run after the catch, but they don't get many chances to do so.  Meanwhile, Virginia Tech quarterback Logan Thomas has been more consistent this season and has thrown the ball 389 times (compared to Denard Robinson's 237 attempts).  That's why Boykin and Coale have caught more passes (109 total) than Michigan's entire wide receiver group (103).
Advantage: Virginia Tech

2011 Countdown: #21 Drew Dileo

Drew Dileo (image via VarsityBlue.com)

Name: Drew Dileo
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 171 lbs.
High school: Parkview Baptist Christian School in Greenwell Springs, LA
Position: Wide receiver
Class: Sophomore
Jersey number: #26
Last year: I ranked Dileo #78 and said he would redshirt.  He played in 7 games, caught 1 pass for 3 yards, returned 2 punts for 13 yards (6.5 yards/return), and returned 8 kickoffs for 173 yards (21.6 yards/return).

Dileo was a bit of a surprise contributor last season.  With plenty of slot receiver/running back types vying to be returners, it seemed he was destined to redshirt.  Coming out of high school, he looked like a good returner, but there was a skill we didn't know he had: holding for extra points and field goals.  When backup safety and starting holder Jared Van Slyke broke his clavicle prior to the season, Dileo stepped in to hold for extra points and field goals.  At various times throughout the rest of the year, Dileo played holder, slot receiver, punt returner, and kickoff returner.

The new coaching staff reportedly likes what Dileo brings to the table as a wide receiver, and although he was held without a catch in the spring game, Dileo will likely see some time in the slot when Michigan goes three- and four-wide this fall.  He doesn't have great speed, but he's a kid who can do a little bit of everything and seems reliable; unlike just about every other returner during the Rich Rodriguez era, Dileo didn't fumble or muff a single kick.  He might not be the second coming of Desmond Howard, but if Dileo can consistently catch punts and kicks, hold onto the ball, and create some occasional first downs on offense, he has a good chance to exceed many Michigan fans' and recruiting analysts' expectations as a sophomore.

Prediction: Punt and kickoff returner; 15 receptions, 180 yards, 1 touchdown