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.

Review of 2007 Recruiting: Defensive Ends

Michigan recruited Devon Still back in the day (here pictured with his cancer-stricken daughter, Leah;
image via Christian Post)

THE ROSTER
Tim Jamison, Sr.
Brandon Graham, So.
Greg Banks, RS Fr.
Adam Patterson, RS Fr.
Will Heininger, Fr.

THE RECRUITS
Ryan Van Bergen
High school: Whitehall (MI) Whitehall
Ratings: Rivals 4-star, #18 SDE
College: Michigan
Other notable offers: Michigan State, Northwestern, Purdue
Scoop: Van Bergen redshirted as a true freshman. As a redshirt freshman in 2008, he started one game, made 13 tackles, and broke up 1 pass. He moved inside to start twelve games at defensive tackle in 2009, making 40 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, 5 sacks, 4 pass breakups, and 1 fumble recovery. Then as a redshirt junior in 2010, he moved back to defensive end and made 37 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, 4 sacks, and 1 pass knockdown. He achieved all-conference Honorable Mention status in 2011 with 45 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, 4 pass breakups, 3 fumble recoveries, and 1 forced fumble. He signed with the Carolina Panthers as an undrafted free agent but never played a game in the NFL.

THE TARGETS
Kourtnei Brown
High school: Charlotte (NC) Victory Christian
Ratings: Rivals 4-star, #12 WDE
College: Clemson
Other notable offers: Alabama, Tennessee, Virginia Tech
Scoop: Brown played in eleven games as a freshman and made 12 total tackles, including 1 sack. As a sophomore in 2008, he made 16 tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss. Brown redshirted in 2009. Then in 2010, he made 17 tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss as a redshirt junior. Finally, he finished his career with 22 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 1 interception returned 20 yards for a touchdown, 1 fumble recovery returned 26 yards for a touchdown, and 3 pass breakups. He went undrafted in the 2012 NFL Draft but found his way into the league with the San Francisco 49ers, Washington Redskins, Buffalo Bills, Detroit Lions, and St. Louis Rams.

Jared Glover
High school: Bixby (OK) Bixby
Ratings: Rivals 3-star, #29 WDE
College: Oklahoma State
Other notable offers: Nebraska, Texas A&M
Scoop: Glover redshirted in 2007. As a redshirt freshman in 2008, he was a backup linebacker and played in six games, making 5 total tackles. He left OSU prior to the 2009 season due to injury.

Everson Griffen
High school: Avondale (AZ) Agua Fria
Ratings: Rivals 5-star, #1 SDE, #6 overall
College: USC
Other notable offers: Florida, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Oregon
Scoop: As a freshman in 2007, Griffen started two games and finished with 21 tackes, 5.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery, and 2 pass deflections on the season; for his efforts he was a First Team Freshman All-America. In 2008 he made 18 tackles, 6 tackles for loss, and 4.5 sacks as a backup. He earned the starter's job in 2009 and responded with 45 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, 8 sacks, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery, and 1 pass deflection, for which he was named Second Team All-Pac 10. He left school after his junior year and entered the 2010 NFL Draft, where he was picked in the 4th round (#100 overall) by the Minnesota Vikings. Since becoming a pro, he has had a few run-ins with the law. However, he has totaled 85 tackles, 17.5 sacks, 1 interception (returned 29 yards for a touchdown), and 3 forced fumbles as a backup for the Vikings and was re-signed this past off-season.

Devon Still
High school: Wilmington (DE) Howard
Ratings: Rivals 4-star, #10 SDE
College: Penn State
Other notable offers: Miami, Ohio State
Scoop: Still redshirted as a freshman in State College. Between a torn ACL and a broken ankle, he missed almost all of the 2007 and 2008 seasons. As a redshirt sophomore backup  in 2009, he made 19 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, and 2 sacks. When I attended a coaching clinic at Penn State in the spring of 2009, Still was physically the most impressive guy I saw in practice. He started twelve games at defensive tackle in 2010, making 39 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 4 sacks, and 1 pass breakup. He came into his own as a 6'5", 310 lb. senior in 2011, when he made 55 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, 1 forced fumble, and 1 pass breakup; he was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and a consensus All-American. The Cincinnati Bengals picked him in the 2nd round (#53 overall) of the 2012 NFL Draft. In two-plus professional seasons, he has made 28 tackles, .5 sacks, and 1 forced fumble. The Bengals recently made news by signing him so that his daughter's cancer treatments would be covered by their medical insurance.

John Stokes
High school: Memphis (TN) University School
Ratings: Rivals 4-star, #13 WDE
College: Vanderbilt
Other notable offers: Alabama, Ole Miss, Stanford
Scoop: As a freshman in 2007, Stokes earned the long-snapper duties and made 7 tackles as a backup outside linebacker. He became the starting outside 'backer in 2008 and finished with 31 tackles and 4 tackles for loss. He platooned at OLB in 2009 and made 44 tackles and 2 tackles for loss. As a senior in 2010, he won the job outright and made 78 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, .5 sacks, 1 forced fumble, and 3 pass breakups. He was not drafted in the 2011 NFL Draft but spent some time with the Tennessee Titans as a long snapper before getting cut before the season began. As far as I can gather, he has not played in a regular season game and his football career appears to be finished.

Chris Strong
High school: Batesville (MS) South Panola
Ratings: Rivals 4-star, #3 SDE, #53 overall
College: Ole Miss
Other notable offers: Florida, Miami, Ohio State, USC
Scoop: Strong signed with Ole Miss in 2007 but had issues with his weight as he bounced back and forth between defensive end and middle linebacker. He started three games that year and made 19 tackles, but he quit football prior to the 2008 season and was not heard from again in the football world.

Martez Wilson
High school: Chicago (IL) Simeon
Ratings: Rivals 5-star, #2 WDE, #26 overall
College: Illinois
Other notable offers: Florida, Miami, Notre Dame, Ohio State, USC
Scoop: Wilson was a backup outside linebacker in 2007 and made 29 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, and 1 pass breakup on the way to being named a Freshman All-America. He became a starter in 2008 and ended the year with 73 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, 1 forced fumble, 2 fumble recoveries, and 3 pass breakups. He suffered a herniated disc early in 2009 and was given a medical hardship waiver after making 9 tackles in limited time. He returned with a vengeance in 2010 and started at middle linebacker, where he made 112 tackles (4th in the Big Ten), 11.5 tackles for loss, 4 sacks, 1 interception, 3 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery, 4 pass breakups, and 1 blocked kick. He was named First Team All-Big Ten and entered the NFL Draft after the year, foregoing his final year of eligibility. Wilson was picked in the 3rd round (#72 overall) by the New Orleans Saints in the 2011 NFL Draft and has played for the Saints, Oakland Raiders, and Dallas Cowboys since then, totaling 33 tackles, 5 sacks, 1 forced fumble, and 2 pass breakups over the last three seasons. He was cut by the Cowboys in August and has not signed on with another team.

CONCLUSIONS
Defensive end always seems like a questionable position to recruit, because so many players end up outgrowing the position or never filling out their frames. You can see in this class that a few guys remained as outside linebackers, while Still turned into a huge defensive tackle.

Biggest miss: Devon Still. The lean Rich Rodriguez years may have been improved a little bit with someone like Still in the middle, pairing with a guy like Mike Martin. Imagine that duo in the center of those defensive lines. Michigan fans may not have had to deal with watching Adam Patterson play nose tackle.

Biggest bust: Chris Strong. Strong didn't really have a position, and he was out of football after just a short college career. That's underwhelming for the #53 player nationally.

Best in class: Von Miller. Miller attended Texas A&M, where he played 4-3 outside linebacker, 4-3 weakside end, and 3-4 outside linebacker. His ability to rush the passer never waned, though. He had 17 sacks as a junior in 2009 and another 10 sacks in 2010. He was a 1st round pick (#2 overall) by the Denver Broncos in 2011, for whom he has 191 tackles, 41 sacks, 1 interception, and 11 forced fumbles in two-plus seasons. He's a two-time Pro Bowler and has 6 sacks so far this season.

Ryan Van Bergen, Carolina Panther

Congratulations to defensive lineman Ryan Van Bergen, who announced immediately following the NFL Draft that he is expecting to sign with the Carolina Panthers.

Ann Arbor.com with RVB's reaction.

More Pro Day Results from Ann Arbor.com

Ryan Van Bergen ran a 4.9 forty just two weeks after he "started running full strength;" he posted 31 reps on the bench. "I think I upped my status," he said.

Kevin Koger put up 21 repetitions but didn't run the forty due to a "tweaked hamstring." He still participated in a few drills and caught passes from Cincinnati Bengal Bruce Gradkowski.

Steve Watson ran a 4.6 second forty, which "shocked" even him. "Things are looking up," he said, presumably talking about his chances of making an NFL roster.

Mark Huyge put on 16 pounds of reportedly good weight and now tips the scales at 311 lbs.

Martin, Hemingway and Molk didn't participate in very many drills because of their impressive Combine performances and, in Molk's case, because of a nagging injury.

Update: According to Devin Gardner's Twitter, Kelvin Grady ran a 4.41 forty, registered a 38 inch vertical and a "4 nothin" shuttle.

Ryan Van Bergen's Pro Day Results

Ryan Van Bergen participated in Michigan's pro day today.  According to his Facebook status, his results:

Height: 6'5"
Weight: 291 lbs.
Vertical: 30"
Broad jump: 9'4"
Reps on 225 lb. bench press: 31 reps
40 yard dash: 4.90 seconds
3-cone drill: 7.5 seconds
20 yard shuttle: 4.40 seconds

We will post more results as they become available.

Wolverine Nation: Exit Interview with Ryan Van Bergen

Kelly Karloff

Once again it's behind a paywall, but these Wolverine Nation  exit interviews are pretty excellent.  This one is from Ryan Van Bergen, whose stellar play in the second half of the season I'll miss greatly.  Hopefully Craig Roh can adequately fill his shoes.

Wolverines in the NFL: Pre-Combine Reports

Mike Martin is large.

The NFL Combine begins tomorrow and continues through the 28th. Michigan is represented by Molk, Martin, and Hemingway as they attempt to impress scouts and coaches for the upcoming NFL Draft, which will take place April 26-28. But before we start hearing about Wonderlic scores, forty times, interview impressions, and bench press reps, here's a look at where Michigan's participants currently project:

Junior Hemingway: Expected to be a late round pick or an undrafted free agent, Hemingway is the 36th rated wide receiver according to ESPN, the 39th to Todd McShay and the 46th to CBS. Hemingway, of course, isn't very explosive, fast or agile, but his big body and jump ball skills have caught the eye of NFL scouts. Hopefully Junior is able to stick around the NFL for a few years and earn some money since his family home was recently burglarized and many of his personal items were stolen while he was in Atlanta training for the combine (watch news coverage here).

David Molk: Molk and Martin share the same goal: break the combine's bench press record. While Molk remains ambitious in the weight room, he won't be running or participating in agility drills at the combine due to his foot injury. "It kind of kills me, because that was what I was always really good at," Molk said. "I could kill all of those drills." Agility drills or not, Molk's athleticism/mobility is not lost on NFL scouts, who have him pegged as a good fit with a zone blocking team. Still, at 6'2'' 286 lbs., Molk's ability to compete against the behemoth defensive tackles of the NFL remains a point of concern for scouts, and most projections have Molk as a later round draft selection. Molk is currently the fifth ranked center to ESPN and the sixth to CBS. He also will likely face questions about his health during interviews after suffering four injuries to his right leg since 2009. Watch Molk rehab that leg and train with Mike Barwis in this video.

Mike Martin: After drawing rave reviews while in Mobile, Alabama practicing for the Senior Bowl, Martin is considered an early round selection by some and a mid-round selection by others. Scouts cite strength, intelligence, toughness, technique and quickness among his strengths while noting size and reach as weaknesses. Thanks to his video editing abilities, Martin gives us a three minute peek into his daily grind via his Twitter:

Kevin Koger - who was outspoken about his combine snub - and Steve Watson are scheduled to participate in the "regional NFL combine" on March 3. Meanwhile, RVB will focus on rehabbing his injured foot while preparing for Michigan's Pro Day on March 15.

2011 Season Grades: Defense

I'm sure this comes as no surprise, but Jordan Kovacs will be Michigan's top returning defender, according to my grades
(image via Maize and Blue Nation)

Over the last three games of Michigan's season, I took the time to grade the defense.  For individual games, you can look at the grades for Nebraska, Ohio State, and Virginia Tech.  The following shows each player's cumulative grade:

GRADES
MMartin: +36
RVanBergen: +24
JKovacs: +21
JRyan: +16
KDemens: +12
FClark: +11
WHeininger: +5
CAvery: +4
CRoh: +3
BBeyer: +1
JBlack: +1
WCampbell: +1
DMorgan: +1
JFurman: 0
DHollowell: 0
JVanSlyke: 0
QWashington: 0
MJones: -1
RTaylor: -1
NBrink: -2
BHawthorne: -2
TGordon: -2
BCountess: -3
TWoolfolk: -3
JFloyd: -16

I don't think it's any coincidence that defensive linemen seem to rocket to the top of the grading scale, while defensive backs linger toward the bottom.  By the nature of the sport of football (and the angles that television uses), defensive linemen and linebackers are more involved in the game.  And when the ball is in the air, roughly 60% of the time it's going to result in a completion and an angry defensive back.

Obviously, this three-game sample is not indicative of the entire season.  For example, J.T. Floyd's best game was probably against Illinois, which isn't a game I graded.  On the flip side, Frank Clark ended up with a +11 largely because he was outstanding in the Virginia Tech game.

Sugar Bowl: Michigan vs. Virginia Tech Grades - Defense

This interception was Frank Clark's best play of the day, but not his only good one.

Just like post-Nebraska and post-Ohio State, I reviewed the film of the Sugar Bowl and graded out the defense for good/bad reads, filling/missing assignments, and physical superiority/inferiority.  Each time a player had a significant impact on a play, he was given a grade ranging from +3 to -3.

GRADES
FClark: +10 . . . Too quick for offensive line to handle; made a great interception
JRyan: +10 . . . Pursuit and hustle were stellar; took great angles
MMartin: +9 . . . Seemed to get tired in second half, but too fast off the snap most of the time
RVanBergen: +9 . . . No spectacular plays but just disruptive enough to force Wilson to hesitate
JKovacs: +7 . . . Good tackler but also wades through trash well
CRoh: +3 . . . Got reach blocked a couple times, but mostly filled his assignments
BBeyer: +1 . . . Limited playing time
KDemens: +1 . . . Missed several tackles, but made a nice PBU and filled his gap
QWashington: +1 . . . Limited playing time
JBlack: 0 . . . Looks too slow for weakside end
CAvery: -1 . . . Had trouble fighting off blocks early, but supported run well after first quarter
WCampbell: -2 . . . Got reach blocked too easily; too passive mostly, but had a couple "wow" moments
TGordon: -2 . . . Had a rough first half but got better as the game went along
BCountess: -3 . . . Picked on especially in zone coverage, but fared better in man
DMorgan: -4 . . . Not bad for a freshman linebacker but looked like a freshman linebacker
JFloyd: -5 . . . Okay in pass coverage, poor against the run

CONCLUSIONS
The usual suspects were stellar for the most part, but sitting atop the list is a bit of a surprise: freshman defensive end Frank Clark.  Aside from the highlight-reel interception, Clark consistently beat Virginia Tech's left tackle with slants and speed rushes.  Of course, part of the credit for Clark's +10 goes to Greg Mattison, who used Clark to stunt more often than he did with Roh.  Hooray for using players' strengths!

Redshirt freshman SAM linebacker Jake Ryan was also outstanding, receiving only one negative mark (for being a little slow in getting to the flat in pass coverage).  Mike Martin was great in the first half, mediocre in the third quarter and the beginning of the fourth, and outstanding in the last few minutes of the game.  Ryan Van Bergen was solid throughout, but you could tell by the fourth quarter that his foot was bothering him.  Jordan Kovacs also made some nice plays throughout the game, although he did make some uncharacteristic misses in run support.

Going to the bottom of the list, redshirt junior J.T. Floyd wasn't picked on much in coverage, but he received most of his negatives in run support.  He just wasn't physical at all when coming up to support the run and at times he looked to be running away from contact.  On the opposite side of the field, freshman cornerback Blake Countess was targeted throughout the game.  And while he was more effective than Floyd in supporting the run, the more experienced and bigger Hokie receivers took advantage of him a little bit.

Freshman linebacker Desmond Morgan alternated a couple bad plays with one very good play.  Virginia Tech frequently motioned tight ends across the formation to change the strength, putting Morgan on the strong side and running at him.  He reads the backfield pretty quickly, but when a tight end or slot receiver would come crashing down on him, he would be a split second late in reacting to the block; at least one time, his slowness caused middle linebacker Kenny Demens to get caught up in the trash.

Meanwhile, defensive tackle William Campbell continued his inconsistency by literally knocking an offensive guard on his ass . . . and then playing pattycake on other plays (not so literally).  He is virtually unblockable when he fires off the ball, but if he stands straight up, he's very easy to block.  The problem with playing Campbell is that he oscillates between performing like Mike Martin and performing like Adam Patterson.  His ceiling is great, but his floor is terrible.

AnnArbor.com: Michigan seniors prepare with Mike Barwis

Kayden Kenzie

Mike Martin, David Molk, Ryan Van Bergen, Kevin Koger, Mark Huyge, and Steve Watson are training with former Michigan strength and conditioning coach Mike Barwis to prepare for the NFL Draft (article plus video).

AnnArbor.com: Ryan Van Bergen's Lisfranc injury

Jessa Lynn Hinton

It turns out defensive end Ryan Van Bergen had a reason to look hobbled during the Sugar Bowl against Virginia Tech - he had a sprained ligament in his foot.

Preview: Sugar Bowl - Michigan vs. Virginia Tech

Juliana Daniell is a former Virginia Tech swimmer
(image via Busted Coverage)

Rush Offense vs. Virginia Tech Rush Defense
Michigan has the #12 rushing offense in the country at just over 235 yards per game.  Quarterback Denard Robinson averages 96 yards a game and Fitzgerald Toussaint averages 91.  They also average 5.6 and 5.8 yards per carry, respectively.  So the Hokies are going to have their hands full, especially since that rushing combo has taken off over the last three games of the regular season and Toussaint has settled into a groove. Meanwhile, Virginia Tech is the #15 rushing defense in the country and gives up only 107 yards a game.  Something has to give, and it will probably be Virginia Tech's rushing defense.  Aside from Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech's solid rush defense numbers have come against mediocre or horrible rushing offenses.  The Yellow Jackets, whose option offense is #2 in the country at running the ball, racked up 243 yards on 5.0 yards an attempt.  Furthermore, Virginia Tech's defensive line and linebackers are small-ish, young-ish, and injured-ish.
Advantage: Michigan


Pass Offense vs. Virginia Tech Pass Defense
Due to a late-season surge by Denard Robinson, Michigan's passing efficiency has improved to #40 in the country, despite being #90 in yardage.  Michigan passes less often than it has since the late '80s, but the threat of Robinson and Toussaint on the ground opens up some potential for big plays down the field.  But Virginia Tech's defensive backfield is as talented as any that Michigan has faced this season, and Jayron Hosley is the best cover corner the Wolverines will see.  Furthermore, defensive coordinator Bud Foster will send an array of blitzes at Michigan, which has flummoxed Robinson at times throughout the year.  The Hokies average almost 3 sacks per game, while Michigan gives up just over 1.  This is probably the key matchup of the day.  If Robinson can have a day like he did against Ohio State (14/17, 3 touchdowns, 0 picks), then the outcome will probably be favorable for Michigan.  If he reverts to early-season form, then it could be a frustrating day.

Rush Defense vs. Virginia Tech Rush Offense
Virginia Tech has a dangerous and consistent running back in the form of All-ACC selection David Wilson, who has incredible balance and good speed.  Wilson and 6'6", 254 lb. quarterback Logan Thomas are both formidable runners, although the backup running backs are virtually non-entities.  The Hokies average almost 189 yards per game for the #29 rushing attack in the nation.  The offensive line averages 304 lbs. and is a very experienced unit, with a glaring weakness at left tackle and a so-so center.  Meanwhile, Michigan will likely be without starting defensive tackle Will Heininger, who is solid against the run but suffered a sprained ankle in bowl practices.  The front four will probably consist of ends Craig Roh and Ryan Bergen, nose tackle Mike Martin, and William Campbell starting in Heininger's spot.  This will be a test for Campbell, whose 5-star potential has thus far been unrealized.  Michigan's linebackers are thick and shouldn't struggle too much with Thomas's size, but Wilson's speed might make him difficult to track down in open space.  Martin and Van Bergen have been playing great in the last third of the season, so they should at least be able to hold their own against Wilson and Co.
Advantage: Push


Pass Defense vs. Virginia Tech Pass Offense
Michigan's secondary is the weak link on the team.  If defensive coordinator Greg Mattison's pass rushers don't get to the quarterback, the corners and safeties can be beaten.  Luckily for Michigan, Virginia Tech's receivers aren't particularly dangerous.  They can get open and catch the ball somewhat consistently, but they probably won't be able to beat Michigan over the top without some good play action from Thomas/Wilson.  If Martin and Van Bergen can bottle up the running game without needing too much support from the secondary, Michigan ought to be able to keep receivers Jarrett Boykin and Danny Coale in check.  Thomas has a good deep ball and 59% accuracy, so he might be able to hurt Michigan if his offensive line gives him time.  I expect Mattison to blitz frequently.  I also expect to see more three-man lines with Heininger out, because the top two remaining defensive tackles - Martin and Campbell - can't play the entire game.  That means we might see some more creative blitz packages with four linebackers on the field or Frank Clark as a pass rushing specialist.

Predictions

• Virginia Tech sacks Robinson twice
• Cam Gordon sees his first significant playing time of the year
• Michigan rushes for 225 yards
• Logan Thomas looks ineffectual
• Michigan 35, Virginia Tech 24

Video: Rap Battle: Ryan Van Bergen vs. Will Campbell

This isn't nearly as bad as this rap battle failure (NSFW language).

It's still pretty bad, though.

Defensive Line Preview: Michigan vs. Virginia Tech

Defensive end James Gayle was Second Team All-ACC for the Hokies

MICHIGAN
Starters: Fifth year senior strongside end Ryan Van Bergen (6'6", 288 lbs.) is a three-year starter and All-Big Ten Honorable Mention this past season; he finished the year with 41 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, 5 sacks, 1 forced fumble, and 3 fumble recoveries.  Senior nose tackle Mike Martin (6'2", 304 lbs.) is also a three-year starter and has been Second Team All-Big Ten the past two seasons; he ended the regular season with 54 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, and 3 sacks.  Fifth year senior defensive tackle Will Heininger (6'6", 295 lbs.) is a former walk-on who started for the first time this season; he has 23 tackles and 1 sack.  Junior weakside end Craig Roh (6'5", 269 lbs.) is a three-year starter; he currently has 29 tackles, 8 tackles for loss, 4 sacks, and 1 forced fumble.
Backups: The key backups are junior defensive tackle William Campbell (6'5", 322 lbs.), sophomore defensive end Jibreel Black (6'2", 260 lbs.), and freshman defensive end Frank Clark (6'2", 228 lbs.).  Campbell mostly plays behind Martin and has 11 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and 2 sacks on the season; there is a good chance Campbell will start due to a lower leg injury to Heininger.  Black is Roh's platoon mate at weakside end and finished the regular season with 17 tackles and 1.5 sacks.  Clark also plays weakside end and plays situationally, but provides a speedy matchup and made 5 tackles on the season.  If Campbell does indeed start against Virginia Tech, that will increase playing time for redshirt sophomore defensive tackle Quinton Washington (6'4", 302 lbs.), who has made just 1 tackle this season.

VIRGINIA TECH
Starters: Redshirt junior Antoine Hopkins began the year as a starting defensive tackle but tore his ACL halfway through the season.  His sophomore brother Derrick (6'0", 301 lbs.) started every game at DT and finished with 50 tackles, 5 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, 1 forced fumble, and 1 fumble recovery.  Freshman defensive tackle Luther Maddy (6'1", 283 lbs.) picked up for the elder Hopkins, notching 17 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 1 sack, and 1 fumble recovery.  Redshirt sophomore defensive end James Gayle (6'4", 257 lbs.) was named Second Team All-ACC after making 34 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, and 7 sacks.  Redshirt sophomore J.R. Collins (6'2", 240 lbs.) made 50 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, 6 sacks, and 1 interception on the year and earned All-ACC Honorable Mention.
Backups: Redshirt freshman defensive end Zack McCray (6'4", 264 lbs.) made 14 tackles and 1 tackle for loss on the year.  Freshman defensive tackle Corey Marshall (6'1", 253 lbs.) has made 12 tackles and 2 sacks as a frequently used reserve.  Redshirt junior defensive tackle Isaiah Hamlette (6'5", 291 lbs.) has made 7 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, and 1 sack on the year.

THE TAKEAWAY
Michigan definitely has an advantage in the size department, where the average Wolverines starter is about 19 lbs. heavier than his Hokies counterpart.  Virginia Tech is small, quick, and relatively young, since all four starters are sophomores or freshmen; conversely, Michigan has three seniors, and the only junior starter has been starting since his true freshman season.  Although Campbell is a mammoth backup tackle, none of the backups has been exceptional for either squad.  Size is important here, since Michigan's small-ish offensive line matches up against Virginia Tech's small-ish defensive line, and the Wolverines' large-ish defensive line goes up against a large-ish Hokies offensive line.

The Hokies defensive line has helped them to rank #17 against the run (107.8 yards per game) and tie for #11 in sacks (2.92 per game), so despite the lack of size and experience, they are fairly effective.  Gayle and Collins make a formidable pass rushing duo from the edges.  Meanwhile, the Wolverines are #34 in rushing defense (129.1 yards per game) and #27 in sacks (2.33 per game).  The numbers suggest the Hokies are stronger up front defensively, and the potential loss of Heininger will be a blow to a thin defensive line.

Advantage: Virginia Tech

Michigan vs. Ohio State Grades: Defense

Desmond Morgan struggled with Braxton Miller's speed but otherwise looks like a solid player for the Wolverines

I once again worked out some grades for Michigan's defense against OSU (see also: Nebraska).  Grades for each play ranged from +3 to -3 for good/bad reads, filling/missing assignments, and physical superiority/inferiority.

GRADES
MMartin: +10 . . . Not as dominant as in previous games, but doesn't get beaten - ever
RVanBergen: +8 . . . More big plays than Martin, but got out of rush lane a couple times
WHeininger: +6 . . . Physically overmatched, but slanting helped him be effective
KDemens: +5 . . . Solid tackler who doesn't give ground
JKovacs: +5 . . . Decent day but took a late hit penalty
CAvery: +3 . . . Consistently solid and then made a huge pick to seal the game
JBlack: +2 . . . Nice play near goal line to keep his feet and chase down Braxton Miller
TGordon: +2 . . . Beaten in pass coverage but made some nice tackles in open field
DMorgan: +2 . . . Usually in position but not fast enough to keep up with Miller.  Future MIKE?
WCampbell: +1 . . . Didn't play much but held his ground when he did
CRoh: +1 . . . Had some nice pass rushes but big mistake on Miller's TD run
JRyan: +1 . . . OSU ran away from him most of the game
BCountess: 0 . . . Got lucky on an overthrow, but mostly tight coverage
NBrink: -1 . . . Unfair to be matched up against Mike Adams but got blown off the ball
MJones: -1 . . . Just isn't very fast or aggressive
TWoolfolk: -5 . . . Seemed to make some bad reads
JFloyd: -10 . . . Beaten deep a couple times, missed tackle on Dan Herron's TD run

CONCLUSIONS
It sure seemed like defensive coordinator Greg Mattison was willing to take a lot of risks in this game, in hopes that Braxton Miller would make some freshman mistakes.  He did, but not a lot.  It looked like Mattison realized that his defensive line had been playing extremely well for the last several weeks and his game plan revolved around them dominating the game.  The starters combined for a +25 grade with Craig Roh being the weak link.

DeVier Posey is a great deal better than J.T. Floyd and Blake Countess.  There's no way around it.  Michigan doesn't have anyone who can handle him on the regular, so it might have been a good idea to try to force Miller to scramble and look to check down.  Miller probably played his best game of the season when it comes to throwing the ball, because they put almost the entire game on his shoulders.

OSU tried to take advantage of freshman weakside linebacker Desmond Morgan, but he held up pretty well.  Morgan was too slow in the open field to catch Miller a couple times, but it's no surprise that an inside linebacker is going to be at a disadvantage against a guy like him.  Otherwise, Morgan made some excellent plays inside and blew up fullback Zach Boren a couple times.  He might lack the athleticism to stay at WILL for his entire career at Michigan, but I wouldn't be surprised to see him slide over and replace Demens in 2013.

Michigan vs. Ohio State Awards

Eat my dreads.

I'm going to take a slightly different tactic this week than other weeks.  Heading into the bowl game, there's no real reason to suggest personnel changes other than just for the hell of it.  If a guy is a starter now, he'll probably be starting in the bowl game.  Michigan just beat Ohio State, I'm happy, and these are all positive awards today.

Offensive MVP . . . Denard Robinson.  He was 14/17 for 167 yards and 3 touchdowns with 0 interceptions. He ran the ball 26 times for 170 yards and 2 touchdowns.  The kid was patient in the pocket, stepped up in crunch time, and seemed more decisive in the running game than he has for most of the year.  This was an easy pick.

Defensive MVP . . . Ryan Van Bergen.  Van Bergen had 7 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 1 pass breakup, and 1/2 a sack.  He was consistently causing trouble for quarterback Braxton Miller and running back Dan Herron, and he notched the tackle that pinned OSU to the goal line and allowed for a safety on the following play.

Offensive play of the game . . . Denard's 41-yard touchdown run.  Not only did Denard make a good read in the running game, but he also looked quicker than he has in recent weeks and made Etienne Sabino look silly.  It was electrifying to see him have success against a defense that has smothered Michigan the past few seasons.  I think that play gave the players and the fans notice that the offense was going to be explosive the entire day.

Defensive play of the game #1 . . . Blake Countess's pass breakup.  On 3rd-and-27 from their own 3-yard line, Braxton Miller launched a missile to DeVier Posey, who was streaking down the middle of the field.  Countess was trailing Posey and turned on the jets just in time to get a finger on the ball, knocking the pass down.  Even though a holding penalty in the endzone would have negated the gain, Countess didn't know that when he was making the play.  That was a potential 97-yard touchdown pass that surely would have taken some of the wind out of Michigan's sails.

Defensive play of the game #2 . . . Courtney Avery's interception.  For a nickel corner to be tied for the team lead with 2 interceptions, that's a pretty good job for Avery.  He could probably be starting for this team at one of the outside corner positions, but he's aggressive and physical in the slot and that physicality paid off.  On a last-gasp pass for Ohio State, Avery knocked down wide receiver Devin Smith and then launched himself through the air to pick off the pass.  It was 4th-and-6 so the interception wasn't much different than a simple incompletion, but it was a great play nonethelesss.

All-Big Ten Teams Announced

David Molk (#50) is the conference's best lineman

On Monday night the All-Big Ten teams were announced.

Michigan center David Molk was named the league's best offensive lineman, so congratulations to him.

Other notable Michigan honorees:

SELECTIONS BY COACHES
First team: David Molk, C
Second team: Taylor Lewan, OT; Mike Martin, DT
Honorable mention: Kenny Demens, LB; J.T. Floyd, CB; Kevin Koger, TE; Junior Hemingway, WR; Denard Robinson, QB; Fitzgerald Toussaint, RB; Ryan Van Bergen, DT
Sportsmanship Award: Jordan Kovacs, S

SELECTIONS BY MEDIA
First team: None
Second team: Denard Robinson, QB; David Molk, C; Mike Martin, DT
Honorable mention: Kenny Demens, LB; J.T. Floyd, CB; Kevin Koger, TE; Jordan Kovacs, S; Taylor Lewan, OT; Craig Roh, DE; Fitzgerald Toussaint, RB; Ryan Van Bergen, DT

I find it a little strange that a team with a 10-2 record could have zero first team selections by the media and then only three on the second team, especially when David Molk was named Offensive Lineman of the Year.

Michigan State defensive tackle Jerel Worthy was named first team by both parties, but his season stats (23 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks) are less impressive than those of Mike Martin (54 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 3 sacks) and Ryan Van Bergen (41 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, 5 sacks), not to mention several of the second team selections from other schools.  Worthy's inclusion on the first unit is kind of a joke.

And I understand Russell Wilson being chosen as the best quarterback in the league due to his great statistics, but Kirk Cousins was the second team quarterback, according to the coaches?  Cousins beat Denard Robinson in the turnover category (Cousins threw only 6 interceptions), but Cousins also only accounted for 21 total touchdowns (all passing) while Robinson had a total of 34 (18 passing, 16 rushing).  Cousins also accounted for only 2,670 yards, whereas Robinson had 3,219.  So Denard Robinson had 13 more touchdowns, 549 more yards, and produced the same overall record . . . and somehow Cousins is the better player?

Oh well.  There's always next year.  Congratulations to Michigan's outstanding football players!

Preview: Michigan vs. Ohio State

At least she's got her looks.

Rush Offense vs. Ohio State Rush Defense
The Buckeyes are #42 in the country in rushing defense, giving up just over 130 yards/game.  Michigan is #12 in the country in rushing offense, gaining just over 230 yards/game.  Leading tackler Andrew Sweat is questionable for Saturday with an injury, so that means he'll likely play . . . but his effectiveness might be hampered a little bit.  Running back Fitzgerald Toussaint is averaging almost 6.0 yards/carry in his last four games and has gone over 130 yards in three of those games.  Michigan's offensive line has not been stellar this season, but the team has been productive.
Advantage: Michigan

Pass Offense vs. Ohio State Pass Defense
The Wolverines are #91 in passing offense with just under 190 yards/game and quarterback Denard Robinson has thrown 14 interceptions on the season.  Meanwhile, Ohio State is #16 in passing defense, giving up almost 188 yards/game.  Defensive backs Orhrian Johnson and Bradley Roby each have three interceptions on the season.  Robinson has a tendency to throw balls into double coverage and has thrown at least one interception in nine out of the last ten games; nearly 6.4% of his passes fall into opponents' hands, the highest rate in the country.  His reads in the passing game have improved slightly in the last few weeks as offensive coordinator Al Borges has seemingly figured out what Robinson can and cannot do, but it will be an adventure.  Michigan's receivers had better be ready to play physically, because they will be challenged by an always aggressive defensive backfield.
Advantage: Ohio State

Rush Defense vs. Ohio State Rush Offense
Ohio State is #27 in overall rushing yardage, but that's largely because they have the 9th-most rushing attempts in the country; the Buckeyes run the ball 45 times a game.  Three players - quarterback Braxton Miller and running backs Carlos Hyde and Dan Herron - have more than 500 yards rushing on the season.  As a team they average only 4.47 yards/carry (compared to 5.31 for Michigan), but the return of Herron has boosted the running game a bit.  Meanwhile, Michigan has jumped from #95 in rushing defense (2010) to #40 this season.  Michigan defensive linemen Mike Martin and Ryan Van Bergen have been spectacular the past couple weeks and should continue wreaking havoc on Saturday.
Advantage: Michigan

Pass Defense vs. Ohio State Pass Offense
Ohio State quarterback Braxton Miller might be the worst passer in the Big Ten and has completed only 53 out of 109 passes.  The Buckeyes know he can't throw very well (yet) and they do their best to protect him through conservative playcalling.  He has thrown only three interceptions on the season, but he averages only just over 10 attempts/game.  Miller is a dangerous runner and will scramble for yards when Martin, Van Bergen, and others flush him from the pocket, but this game will be won or lost on the ground.  Tight end Jake Stoneburner has only 13 receptions on the season . . . but 7 of them have been for touchdowns.
Advantage: Michigan

Player notes

• Players with Michigan offers include OT Mike Adams, CB Dionte Allen, DT Darryl Baldwin (3 tackles, 1 sack), DT Adam Bellamy (19 tackles, 1 sack), RB Jaamal Berry (3 carries, 7 yards), DT Michael Bennett (15 tackles, 3 sacks), C Michael Brewster, WR Corey Brown (12 receptions, 129 yards), CB Corey Brown (3 tackles), CB Christian Bryant (59 tackles, 8 pass breakups), DE Melvin Fellows, DT Garrett Goebel (30 tackles, 1 sack), LB Curtis Grant (1 tackle), CB Doran Grant (5 tackles), S Chad Hagan (2 tackles), DT Joel Hale (3 tackles), RB Jordan Hall (451 yards from scrimmage, 4 touchdowns), OT Marcus Hall, DT Johnathan Hankins (61 tackles, 3 sacks), RB Dan Herron (559 yards, 2 touchdowns), TE Jeff Heuerman, LB Scott McVey, QB Braxton Miller (762 passing yards, 595 rushing yards, 15 touchdowns), DE Steve Miller (1 tackle), OT Andrew Norwell, LB Ryan Shazier, OT J.B. Shugarts, WR Devin Smith, RB Rod Smith (116 yards, 1 touchdown), TE Jake Stoneburner (13 catches, 157 yards, 7 touchdowns), LB Andrew Sweat (68 tackles), S Ron Tanner, TE Nick Vannett
• Starting fullback Zach Boren is supposedly the reason Justin Boren transferred from Michigan.  The story goes that Lloyd Carr promised to offer a scholarship to Zach, but when Carr retired, Rich Rodriguez didn't uphold Carr's promise . . . because Rodriguez doesn't give scholarships to fullbacks straight out of high school; Rodriguez prefers to get them through the walk-on program.  This upset Justin and his family and prompted to "family values" quote on his way out the door.

Predictions

• Michigan scraps the vast majority of pro-sets to run a spread offense
• Denard Robinson throws the ball 16 times or less in an effort to protect the ball
• Devin Gardner makes another appearance in a trick-play mode
• Mike Martin destroys OSU center Mike Brewster and solidifies David Molk as the All-Big Ten center
• Michigan 28, Ohio State 20

Michigan vs. Nebraska Grades: Defense

Yeah, you better pitch that ball.
(image via GreenwichTime)

I tried out something new this week.  It's still a work in progress, but I graded the defense.  The scoring formula is very similar to that of MGoBlog in that a player's score on each play can vary from a +3 all the way to a -3.  Only players who are directly involved in each play were scored, so for example, the backside corner on a sweep to the right is unlikely to be involved.  Points were added or subtracted due to good/bad reads, filling/missing assignments, and physical superiority/inferiority (i.e. getting juked is a negative, open-field tackle is a positive).

SCORES
MMartin: +17 . . . Had a monster day, beat offensive linemen off snap, crushed a RB trying to block
JKovacs: +9 . . . Also had a great day, made several plays in the open field
RVanBergen: +7 . . . Made a lot of nice plays, but lost gap responsibility a couple times
KDemens: +6 . . . Played downhill nicely, made some plays in coverage too
JRyan: +5 . . . Up and down day, played physically, punished a slot receiver trying to block him
DMorgan: +3 . . . Did good job flowing to the ball, missed a couple tackles in the hole
CAvery: +2 . . . Played well when called upon, did a good job of covering flat
WCampbell: +2 . . . Hustled to crush Martinez, notched a sack, got blown off ball by double-team
TWoolfolk: +2 . . . Largely a non-factor but had a nice pass breakup
FClark: +1 . . . Athletic but raw
BBeyer: 0 . . . Average, perhaps too stiff to remain at OLB permanently
BCountess: 0 . . . Lost contain on final Nebraska touchdown, but even Urban Meyer never saw play before
JFurman: 0 . . . One good play, one bad play
DHollowell: 0 . . . One good play, one bad play
MJones: 0 . . . Just not very athletic
JVanSlyke: 0 . . . Ho-hum
JBlack: -1 . . . Looks like a future 3-tech DT, poor change-of-direction skills
NBrink: -1 . . . Overmatched
JFloyd: -1 . . . One bad beat, a couple good plays in coverage
WHeininger: -1 . . . Somewhat overmatched, got too far upfield once
CRoh: -1 . . . Needs to do better job of disengaging from blockers in run game
RTaylor: -1 . . . Beat in coverage once
QWashington: -1 . . . Mostly invisible
BHawthorne: -2 . . . Doesn't know how to wrap up ballcarriers
TGordon: -2 . . . One bad beat, otherwise not involved much
TOTAL: +43

CONCLUSIONS
I don't think I can overstate how awesome Mike Martin was.  Even when he wasn't making tackles, he was pressuring Martinez or screwing up the blocking scheme.  Van Bergen was pretty dominant up front, too.  Michigan fans are pretty spoiled right now, because there are two seniors up front who are taking care of business.  Next year there's bound to be a dropoff at those two positions, so enjoy these last two games.

The freshmen weren't great but weren't horrible, either.  Desmond Morgan, Frank Clark, Brennen Beyer, Blake Countess, Delonte Hollowell, and Raymon Taylor combined for a +3 score on the day, mostly thanks to Morgan.  Brandin Hawthorne's unwillingness to wrap up when he tackles is maddening; he actually packs a punch despite being undersized, but it doesn't matter if the guy doesn't fall down.

Press Conference: Hoke, Van Bergen