Former Michigan Athlete of the Week: Chad Henne

Chad Henne

Chad Henne started the season opener for the Jaguars over this year's first round pick, Blake Bortles. Henne went 24/43 for 266 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions. The Jags jumped out to a 17-0 lead, but they gave up 34 unanswered points in a 34-17 loss. In that same game, Denard Robinson had 3 carries for 8 yards and 1 catch for 3 yards. On the other sideline, Brandon Graham had 4 tackles and 2 tackles for loss.

Honorable mention: Charles Woodson of the Oakland Raiders had 9 tackles, 1 interception, and 1 pass breakup in a 19-14 loss to the New York Jets. Arizona Cardinal linebacker Larry Foote had 8 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, and 2 pass breakups in an 18-17 win over the San Diego Chargers on Monday night. New York Giants free safety Stevie Brown had 9 tackles in a 35-14 loss to the Detroit Lions. Tom Brady was 29/56 for 249 yards and 1 touchdown in a 33-20 Patriots loss to the Miami Dolphins.

Former Michigan Athlete of the Week: Brandon Graham

Is that you, Magnus?

Pickings were slim this week, so I went with Brandon Graham despite his team's 28-13 loss to the New Orleans Saints.  Graham had an impressive play early in the third quarter on Monday Night Football when he came hard off the edge, stripped Drew Brees and recovered the fumble.  The ensuing drive lead to an Eagles touchdown and temporarily gave them a sliver of hope.  Graham finished the game with two tackles.  He now has 14 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 1 fumble forced and one fumble recovery on the year.

Honorable Mention:  LaMarr Woodley puts the look of terror into the eyes of opposing quarterbacks.  Don't believe me?  I present to you Exhibit A:

Exhibit A

Woodley sacked Eli Manning late in the forth quarter on third down.  The sack forced a Manning fumble, and although it was recovered by the Giants, the play lead to a punt and helped Woodley's Steelers pull out a close win.  (No, there is no Exhibit B.)

Miscellaneous:

• Stevie Brown disappointed his team, family and Michigan alumni by playing in a game this year in which he failed to pick off a pass and return it half the length of the football field.  But he did make eight tackles, including one for a loss.
• Steve Breaston broke out of his funk and caught a couple balls for seventeen yards.
• Leon Hall had five tackles and continues to be a starting CB for the Bengals despite a lingering leg injury. 

Former Michigan Athlete of the Week: Stevie Brown

Brown celebrates his first career interception

Believe it or not, Stevie Brown is in his third NFL season and making a few plays.  Brown recorded his first career interception in the fourth quarter of his team's 37-6 drubbing of the Carolina Panthers last week and returned it 44 yards.  He is listed as a second string safety on the New York Giant's depth chart and is apparently getting somewhat comfortable with his new team after spending last year playing for the Indianapolis Colts and his rookie season for the Oakland Raiders.  Brown has five tackles, one pass deflection and one interception through three games this year.  His Giants are 2-1.

Honorable mention:  Tom Brady moved past Joe Montana into 12th place on the NFL's all-time passing list during his team's 31-30 loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday Night Football.  Brady threw for 335 yards and one touchdown in the game, but that didn't stop the Patriots from dropping below .500 for the first time since the opening game of the 2003 season.

Miscellaneous:

• Brandon Graham still isn't lighting the world on fire, but he is showing some signs of life.  Last week he recorded four tackles and half a sack in an Eagles loss.
• David Harris is continuing with his tackling machine like ways this season and tallied nine in the New York Jets overtime victory in Miami on Sunday.
• Mario Manningham has 12 receptions for 113 yards through three games; he is the 49ers third leading receiver behind Michael Crabtree and Vernon Davis.

Former Michigan Athlete of the Week: Charles Woodson

Straight chillin'

In a pregame interview, Chicago Bears QB Jay Cutler sarcastically wished Packers defensive backs "good luck" covering his wide receivers in their match-up during last week's Thursday Night Football.  Cutler ought to know better than to challenge one of the greatest defensive backs of all time.

"We understand that Jay is excited about his new weapons," Woodson said. "But it's the same old Jay.  We don't need luck.  We just need to be in position.  Jay will throw us the ball."

Woodson and his mentees must have been in position quite a bit Thursday night, picking off Cutler four times in their 23-10 victory.  Woodson ended the game with one interception (the 55th of his career), five tackles, a pass breakup, and most likely nothing but a smooth look toward Jay Cutler that said, "I KNEW U WERE PATHETIC BEFORE THE GAME EVEN STARTED DUDE."

Honorable Mention:  In only the second game of the regular season, Mike Martin started at nose tackle for the Titans and apparently showed well, recording his first NFL sack and registering four total tackles.  Martin started due to an injury up front and is still listed as second string on the official roster, but that shouldn't prevent him from continuing to see plenty of playing time.  

Miscellaneous:  

• Tom Brady is not the Former Michigan Athlete of the Week.  The Patriots were stunned by the Cardinals, 20-18, and Brady finished with a QB rating below 80.
• Larry Foote recorded seven tackles and Ryan Mundy recorded five in the Steelers 27-10 win over the New York Jets.
• Brandon Graham continues to NOT light the world on fire.  Two solo tackles are the only non-zero items on his 2012 boxscore besides "games played."  
• After coming off an early season-ending injury, Mouton started the 2012 season inactive for the Chargers.  He is listed as second string on their depth chart.
• Braylon Edwards had five receptions for Seattle the first week but none last week.
• Stevie Brown continues to collect an NFL paycheck.  Now in his third season, Brown is a backup safety for the New York Giants and has recorded five tackles this year. 

Michigan Combine participation and Draft position since 1999

Marquise Walker

With the NFL Combine behind us and the Draft not too far away, now seems like a good time to take a look at the recent history of Wolverines in the NFL. Here's a list of players who have participated in the combine since 1999, with draft position included in parentheses. It's worth remembering that the vast majority of players who are invited to the Combine end up with NFL teams, even if they are not selected in the Draft.

2012 (3): DT Mike Martin (TBD), WR Junior Hemingway (TBD), David Molk (TBD)

2011 (2): LB Jonas Mouton (2nd), Stephen Schilling (6th)

2010 (5): OLB Brandon Graham (1st), P Zoltan Mesko (5th), S Stevie Brown (7th)*, CB Donovan Warren (undrafted), RB Brandon Minor (undrafted)

2009 (4): DT Terrance Taylor (4th), CB Morgan Trent (6th), LS Sean Griffin (undrafted), DE Tim Jamison (undrafted)

2008 (7): OT Jake Long (1st), QB Chad Henne (2nd), LB Shawn Crable (3rd), WR Mario Manningham (3rd), RB Mike Hart (6th), WR Adrian Arrington (7th), SS Jamar Adams (undrafted)

2007 (6): CB Leon Hall (1st), DT Alan Branch (2nd), LB LaMarr Woodley (2nd), LB David Harris (2nd ), WR Steve Breaston (5th), LB Prescott Burgess (6th)

2006 (5): DT Gabe Watson (4th), WR Jason Avant (4th), TE Tim Massaquai (7th), OL Adam Stenavich (undrafted), LB Pierre Woods (undrafted)

2005 (7): WR Braylon Edwards (1st), CB Marlin Jackson (1st), OG David Bass (2nd), CB Markus Curry (undrafted), FB Kevin Dudley (undrafted), P Adam Finley (undrafted), S Earnest Shazor (undrafted)

2004 (5): RB Chris Perry (1st), CB Jeremy LeSueur (3rd), QB John Navarre (7th), OT Tony Pape (7th), OL David Pearson (undrafted)

2003 (7): LB Victor Hobson (2nd), TE Bennie Joppru (2nd), FB B.J. Askew (3rd), QB Drew Henson (6th), SS Cato June (6th), FS Charles Drake (7th), WR Ronald Bellamy (undrafted)

2002 (4): WR Marquise Walker (3rd), LB Larry Foote (4th), OG Jonathan Goodwin (5th), K Hayden Epstein (7th)

2001 (6): OT Jeff Backus (1st), OL Steve Hutchinson (1st), WR David Terrell (1st), RB Anthony Thomas (2nd), OT Maurice Williams (2nd), CB James Whitley (undrafted)

2000 (7): LB Ian Gold (2nd), FB Aaron Shea (4th), DT Josh Williams (4th), LB Dhani Jones (6th), QB Tom Brady (6th), DE James Hall (undrafted), WR Marcus Knight (undrafted)

1999 (8): OT Jon Jansen (2nd), TE Jerame Tuman (5th), WR Tai Streets (6th), CB Andre Weathers (7th), RB Clarence Williams (undrafted), QB Scott Dreisbach (undrafted), SS Marcus Ray (undrafted), LB Sam Sword (undrafted)

*Not invited to the Combine

Average number of Michigan players participating in the Combine: 5.4

Average number of Michigan players selected in the Draft: 4.1

Average Draft position: 3.8th round

Review of 2006 Recruiting: The Defensive Backs

Taylor Mays (#2) could have been a Michigan Wolverine

THE ROSTER

Jamar Adams, S (Jr.)
Willis Barringer, S (5th)
Anton Campbell, S (Sr.)
Brandent Englemon, S (Sr.)
Leon Hall, CB (Sr.)
Brandon Harrison, S (So.)
Darnell Hood, CB (5th)
Ryan Mundy, S (Sr.)
Chris Richards, CB (So.)
Charles Stewart, CB (Jr.)
Morgan Trent, CB (Jr.)


THE RECRUITS


Steve Brown
High school: East High School in Columbus, IN
Ratings: Rivals 4-star, #7 safety; Scout 4-star, #10 CB
Other notable offers: Illinois, Nebraska, Notre Dame
College: Michigan
Scoop: Brown contributed immediately at safety and special teams, picking up 14 total tackles as a true freshman in 2006.  In 2007 he started one game (Appalachian State) before being relegated to backup duty.  He made 28 tackles, 1 interception, 1 forced fumble, 2 fumble recoveries, and 2 pass breakups on the year.  Brown started all twelve games at free safety in 2008, posting 64 tackles, 1 sack, 1.5 tackles for loss, 2 interceptions, 1 fumble recovery, and 5 pass breakups.  Despite those decent numbers, he was considered a liability and switched positions in 2009 to become more of an outside linebacker.  He was named team captain and led the team in tackles with 80; he also had 1 sack, 8 tackles for loss, 1 interception, 1 forced fumble, and 4 pass breakups.  Brown was drafted in the 7th round (#251) by the Oakland Raiders in the 2010 NFL Draft.  He played in fifteen games and made 25 tackles as a rookie.  Cut before the 2011 season, he moved on to the Indianapolis Colts, where he has made 5 tackles so far this season.

Asher Allen
High school: Tucker High School in Tucker, GA
Ratings: Rivals 4-star, #9 CB; Scout 4-star, #22 CB
Other notable offers: Auburn, Georgia Tech, Notre Dame
College: Georgia
Scoop: Allen played in all 13 games as a true freshman in 2006, making 24 tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss.  As an eleven-game starter in 2007, Allen had 64 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 5 pass breakups, and 1 fumble recovery.  He held onto the starting job in 2008 and ended the year with 53 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, 1 sack, and 7 pass breakups.  After his junior year, Allen entered the 2009 NFL Draft and was picked in the 3rd round (#86 overall) by the Minnesota Vikings.  As a part-time starter through 27 games of his career, Allen has 95 tackles, 9 pass breakups, 4 interceptions, and 1 forced fumble.

Franchot "Boogie" Allen
High school: New Berlin Academy in New Berlin, NY
Ratings: Rivals 3-star safety; Scout 2-star safety
Other notable offers: Illinois, Iowa, Michigan State
College: West Virginia
Scoop: Allen had a less than stellar career in Morgantown.  He managed 2 tackles as a true freshman in 2006 and had 14 tackles and 1 interception in his sophomore season.  As a junior in 2008, Allen had a career-high 49 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, and 1 sack.  But in his senior season of 2009, he fell off to 22 tackles and 3 tackles for loss.  He went undrafted in the 2010 NFL Draft and his career appears to be finished.

Jai Eugene
High school: Destrehan High School in Destrehan, LA
Ratings: Rivals 4-star, #12 CB; Scout 5-star, #1 CB
Other notable offers: Florida, Miami, Oklahoma, Tennessee, USC
College: LSU
Scoop: Eugene redshirted as a freshman in 2006.  In 2007 he was a backup cornerback and made 8 tackles and 1 pass breakup.  He started nine games in 2008, making 35 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, and 1 pass breakup.  Eugene started just two games in 2009 and finished the season with 26 tackles, 1 interception, and 1 pass breakup.  As a fifth year senior in 2010, he made 24 tackles and 1/2 a tackle for loss.  Eugene finished his college career with 93 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, 5 pass breakups, and 1 interception.  He went undrafted in the 2011 NFL Draft and was not signed as an undrafted free agent.

Jamar Hornsby
High school: Sandalwood High School in Jacksonville, FL
Ratings: Rivals 4-star, #13 ATH; Scout 5-star, #3 safety
Other notable offers: Georgia, Georgia Tech, Ohio State, South Carolina, USC
College: Florida
Scoop: Hornsby redshirted as a true freshman in 2006.  As a redshirt freshman in 2007, he played in 8 games, mostly on special teams, and notched 5 tackles and a blocked punt; the 5 games he missed were due to a suspension for selling his complementary tickets to Florida games.  Prior to the 2008 season, Hornsby got in trouble for using the credit card of his teammate's girlfriend.  That sounds bad enough, but what's worse is that both his teammate and that girlfriend died the previous day in a motorcycle accident.  He played the 2008 season at East Mississippi Junior College and earned All-America status for the National Junior College Athletic Association, then signed with Mississippi as part of the 2009 recruiting class.  However, further legal trouble caused him to be released from his scholarship to Mississippi, and he served 90 days in jail earlier this year.

Reshad Jones
High school: Booker T. Washington High School in Atlanta, GA
Ratings: Rivals 5-star, #1 safety; Scout 4-star, #13 safety
Other notable offers: Auburn, Florida, LSU, Miami, Oklahoma
College: Auburn, Florida, LSU, Miami, Oklahoma,
Scoop: Jones redshirted as a true freshman in 2006.  When he began earning playing time in 2007, he started only two games but played in all thirteen.  He finished as the team's third leading tackler with 57 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 2 interceptions, and 3 pass breakups.  Jones increased that production to rank second on the team in tackles with 76, as well as notching 2.5 tackles for loss, 5 interceptions, 3 pass breakups, and 1 fumble recovery.  He once again was the second best tackler in the team as a redshirt junior in 2009, making 73 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, 7 pass breakups, and 1 forced fumble.  Jones was selected in the 5th round (#163 overall) by the Miami Dolphins in the 2010 NFL Draft.  As a rookie for the Dolphins in 2010, Jones made 21 tackles, 1 interception, 1 sack, 1 fumble recovery, and 1 pass breakup.  He is currently their starting free safety.

Taylor Mays
High school: O'Dea High School in Seattle, WA
Ratings: Rivals 5-star, #2 ATH; Scout 5-star, #2 safety
Other notable offers: Miami, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, UCLA, Washington
College: USC
Scoop: Mays took over the starting free safety job once the starter got injured in the opener, and Mays started the final twelve games of his 2006 freshman season.  He finished that year with 62 tackles, 3 interceptions, and 3 pass breakups; for that production he was rewarded with Second Team All-American status.  He started all thirteen games as a sophomore in 2007, finishing with 65 tackles, 1 interception, 6 pass breakups, 1 forced fumble, and 1 fumble recovery; he was named a First Team All-American.  Opposing teams avoided him even more in 2008, when Mays had 52 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, and 9 pass breakups; he was once again named a First Team All-American.  Mays became even more of a force as a senior in 2009, tallying a whopping 96 tackles to go along with 1 interception, 7 pass breakups, and 1 fumble recovery; he was rewarded with a Second Team All-American team placement.  Mays was taken in the 2nd round (#49 overall) of the 2010 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers.  As a rookie he made 38 total tackles, 2 pass breakups, and 1 forced fumble.  Mays was traded to the Cincinnati Bengals in August 2011 and has 1 total tackle so far this season.

Antwine Perez
High school: Wilson High School in Camden, NJ
Ratings: Rivals 4-star, #2 safety; Scout 5-star, #5 safety
Other notable offers: Oklahoma
College: USC Maryland
Scoop: Perez attend USC as a freshman and played in seven games, finishing with 3 tackles.  He transferred to Maryland after the season and sat out the 2007 campaign due to NCAA transfer rules.  In 2008 he started two games at safety and finished with 24 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and 1 sack.  He was once again a key backup in 2009, when he made 45 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 1 forced fumble, and 2 pass breakups.  Perez became a full-time starter in 2010 and ended the season with 74 tackles, 7 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 2 forced fumbles, 3 fumble recoveries, 8 pass breakups, and 3 interceptions.  He went undrafted in the 2011 NFL Draft.

Myron Rolle
High school: The Hun School in Princeton, NJ
Ratings: Rivals 5-star, #1 ATH; Scout 5-star, #1 safety
Other notable offers: Florida, Georgia, Miami, Oklahoma, Penn State, Texas
College: Florida State
Scoop: Rolle started ten games as a true freshman in Tallahassee and earned Freshman All-American and ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year honors; he finished the 2006 season with 77 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 5 pass breakups, and 1 interception.  In 2007 he had 67 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, 1 forced fumble, and 3 pass breakups.  As a junior he ended the season with 62 tackles, 1/2 a tackle for loss, and 5 pass breakups.  Rolle earned a Rhodes scholarship and spent the 2009 season studying abroad.  He returned to the United States afterward and was selected in the 6th round (#207 overall) by the Tennessee Titans in the 2010 NFL Draft.  He did not play in a game during the 2010 season and was cut by the Titans prior to the beginning of 2011.

Ken Tinney
High school: Milford Academy in New Berlin, NY
Ratings: Rivals 4-star CB; Scout 3-star, #44 CB
Other notable offers: Florida, Maryland, Syracuse
College: Michigan State
Scoop: Tinney ran into problems almost as soon as he arrived on campus at Michigan State in 2006.  By the time the season rolled around, he had been kicked off the team for undisclosed reasons.  As far as I know, he never surfaced elsewhere and his football career ended.

Darrin Walls
High school: Woodland Hills High School in Pittsburgh, PA
Ratings: Rivals 4-star, #3 CB; Scout 4-star, #7 CB
Other notable offers: Florida, Penn State, West Virginia
College: Notre Dame
Scoop: Walls played in eight games as a true freshman in 2006, picking up 4 total tackles and returning 5 kickoffs for 84 yards.  He earned the starting cornerback job in 2007 and finished with 32 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, 1 interception, 9 pass breakups, and 2 forced fumbles.  Walls missed the 2008 season due to personal reasons but returned to the team in 2009, when he was a part-time starter and ended the season with 27 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 1 interception, and 6 pass breakups.  He was a starter once again as a redshirt senior in 2010, having a career-best season with 41 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 3 interceptions, 4 pass breakups, and 1 fumble recovery.  Walls went undrafted in the 2011 NFL Draft but signed with the Atlanta Falcons as an undrafted free agent, where he has yet to record any statistics.

CONCLUSIONS

Biggest miss: Taylor Mays.  Michigan was in Mays's final four (along with Cal, Washington, and USC) and received a visit a couple weeks before he made his decision.  Mays turned into a four-year starter and All-American at free safety during a time when the Wolverines really could have used a solid free safety.  He hasn't had a great pro career so far, but none of Michigan's offerees have made much of an impact on the NFL yet.

Biggest bust: Jamar Hornsby.  Hornsby barely played at all in college before doings lots of stupid, illegal stuff.  He was a 5-star safety to Scout and matched his star rating with 5 career tackles.

Best in class: Vontae Davis, I guess.  Davis went to Illinois and was the 1st round pick (#25 overall) by the Miami Dolphins.  In 2+ seasons for the Dolphins, he has 125 tackles, 5 interceptions, 2 forced fumbles, and 23 passes defensed.  In three years at Illinois, he had 211 tackles, 7 interceptions, and 3 forced fumbles. 

2006 Offer Board

QUARTERBACK (9)
David Cone - Statesboro, GA (Michigan)
Mitch Mustain - Sprindale, AR (Arkansas)
Neil Caudle - Hoover, AL (Auburn)
Tim Tebow - Ponte Vedra Beach, FL (Florida)
Matthew Stafford - Dallas, TX (Georgia)
Pat Devlin - Exton, PA (Penn State)
Dexter Davidson - Coconut Creek, FL (Pittsburgh)
Nick Stephens - Flower Mound, TX (Tennessee)
Taylor Potts - Abilene, TX (Texas Tech)

RUNNING BACK (6)
Carlos Brown - Franklin, GA (Michigan)
Brandon Minor - Richmond, VA (Michigan)
Cameron Smith - Snellville, GA
Knowshon Moreno - Middletown, NJ (Georgia)
Aaron Gant - Orchard Lake, MI (Ohio State)
Chris Wells - Akron, OH (Ohio State)

WIDE RECEIVER (9)
Greg Mathews - Orlando, FL (Michigan)
Damian Williams - Springdale, AR (Arkansas)
Chris Slaughter - Fort Valley, GA (Auburn)
Percy Harvin - Virginia Beach, VA (Florida)
Tony Wilson - Daytona Beach, FL (Georgia)
Derrell Johnson - Youngstown, OH (Iowa)
Robby Parris - Cleveland, OH (Notre Dame)
Chris Bell - Norfolk, VA (Penn State)
David Ausberry - Lemoore, CA (USC)

TIGHT END (6)
Dedrick Epps - Richmond, VA (Miami)
Will Yeatman - San Diego, CA (Notre Dame)
Jake Ballard - Springboro, OH (Ohio State)
Andrew Quarless - Uniondale, NY (Penn State)
Nate Byham - Polk, PA (Pittsburgh)
Dorin Dickerson - Imperial, PA (Pittsburgh)

OFFENSIVE TACKLE (9)
Perry Dorrestein - Plainfield, IL (Michigan)
Stephen Schilling - Bellevue, WA (Michigan)
Alex Stadler - Bealeton, VA (Alabama)
Jim Barrie - Tampa, FL (Florida)
Marcus Gilbert - Fort Lauderdale, FL (Florida)
Daron Rose - Tampa, FL (Florida State)
Bartley Webb - Springdale, AR (Notre Dame)
Connor Smith - Cincinnati, OH (Ohio State)
Sam Young - Fort Lauderdale, FL (USC)

OFFENSIVE GUARD (3)
Justin Boren - Pickerington, OH (Michigan)
Justin Anderson - Ocilla, GA (Georgia)
Joe Thomas - Parma, OH (Pittsburgh)

CENTER (0)

DEFENSIVE END (8)
Greg Banks - Denver, CO (Michigan)
Brandon Graham - Detroit, MI (Michigan)
Adam Patterson - Columbia, SC (Michigan)
Quintin Woods - Flint, MI (Michigan)
John Paul - Immokalee, FL
Micah Johnson - Fort Campbell, KY (Kentucky)
McKenzie Matthews - Syracuse, NY (Pittsburgh)
Jason Adjepong - Carteret, NJ (Virginia Tech)

DEFENSIVE TACKLE (8)
John Ferrara - Staten Island, NY (Michigan)
Jason Kates - Harrisburg, PA (Michigan)
Marques Slocum - New Berlin, NY (Michigan)
Corey Peters - Louisville, KY (Kentucky)
Dexter Larimore - Merrillville, IN (Ohio State)
Jason Pinkston - Pittsburgh, PA (Pittsburgh)
Butch Lewis - Aurora, CO (USC)
Neil A'asa - Big Rapids, MI (Utah)

LINEBACKER (9)
Obi Ezeh - Grand Rapids, MI (Michigan)
Cobrani Mixon - Cincinnati, OH (Michigan)
Jonas Mouton - Venice, CA (Michigan)
Quintin Patilla - Flint, MI (Michigan)
Akeem Hebron - Gaithersburg, MD (Georgia)
Toryan Smith - Rome, GA (Notre Dame)
Thaddeus Gibson - Euclid, OH (Ohio State)
Michael Morgan - Dallas, TX (USC)
Joshua Tatum - Oakland, CA (USC)

CORNERBACK (3)
Jai Eugene - Destrehan, LA (LSU)
Ken Tinney - New Berlin, NY (Michigan State)
Darrin Walls - Pittsburgh, PA (Notre Dame)

SAFETY (8)
Steve Brown - Columbus, IN (Michigan)
Jamar Hornsby - Jacksonville, FL (Florida)
Myron Rolle - Princeton, NJ (Florida State)
Asher Allen - Tucker, GA (Georgia)
Reshad Jones - Atlanta, GA (Georgia)
Taylor Mays - Seattle, WA (USC)
Antwine Perez - Camden, NJ (USC)
Franchot Allen - New Berlin, NY (West Virginia)

KICKER (1)
Bryan Wright - Salem, OH (Michigan)

The All-Rodriguez Team: Defense and Special Teams

Brandon Graham probably just killed a man

This is the second installment of the All-Rodriguez Team (offense here), the brightest and best of the players coached by Rich Rodriguez and his bumbling henchmen defensive colleagues.

And I'm choosing players for a 4-3, not that moronic 3-3-5* they tried to shoehorn in there.

DE: Brandon Graham (2009)
64 tackles, 26 tackles for loss, 10.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery
Graham was the single most dominant defensive player during Rodriguez's tenure.  He put up ridiculous numbers for a bad defense, even though he was double-teamed frequently.  And the best thing about Graham was the way his motor improved throughout his career.  He ate his way into playing defensive tackle as a freshman, but by his senior year in 2009, he never stopped going 100%.  That year turned him into a first round pick by the Philadelphia Eagles.

DT: Mike Martin (2009)
51 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 1 forced fumble
Martin seemed like a better player at the beginning of 2010 than in his sophomore year, but a couple sprained ankles slowed him down as a junior.  Even as a crippled junior, though, he would have deserved to be on this team.  Undersized for a nose tackle at 299 lbs., he still defeated double-teams on the regular.

DT: Ryan Van Bergen (2009)
38 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, 5 sacks, 1 fumble recovery, 1 touchdown
Van Bergen's production in 2010 was virtually the same as 2009, but technically, all thirteen games he started in 2010 were at the defensive end position.  I need a tackle, and he's my man.  He's another high-motor guy who played well at DT despite having the body of a strongside end.  I was tempted to choose Terrance Taylor here based on overall talent, but Taylor really didn't produce much in his only season under Rodriguez (2008: 35 tackles, 1.5 sacks).

DE: Tim Jamison (2008)
50 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles
Jamison didn't really stand out in 2008, but I think Michigan fans were shell-shocked by how bad the team was overall.  And while Jamison wasn't a huge difference maker, he would have fit in just as well on a good defense, too.

LB: Steve Brown (2009)
80 tackles, 8 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 3 pass breakups, 1 forced fumble
I don't know if Brown was miscast as a safety or if he was just coached poorly in his first three years, but he took a quantum leap as a senior when he was moved to the SAM linebacker position.  Brown never came off the field, playing linebacker on a first and second downs and then becoming the nickel back on third downs.  Brown's position change was perhaps the best personnel move of Rodriguez's tenure, and Brown parlayed it into being a late draft pick by the Oakland Raiders.

LB: Kenny Demens (2010)
82 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, 1 pass breakup
I will be the first to admit that I was not enamored with Demens during his first couple years, but he made me a believer in the second half of the season.  He only started seven games after backing up Obi Ezeh for the first half of the year, but he still ended up third on the team in tackles.  I still think Demens makes some poor decisions due to being overaggressive in attacking the line of scrimmage, but that's probably better than whatever Ezeh did from 2008-10.

LB: Jonas Mouton (2010)
117 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 2 pass breakups, 1 forced fumble, 2 fumble recoveries
Based on statistics alone, Mouton was borderline First Team All-Big Ten.  He averaged 9.8 tackles a game (which was .9 more than teammate Jordan Kovacs and 1.1 more than the next best Big Ten player, Indiana's Tyler Replogle) and led the conference in tackles, despite playing in only twelve of Michigan's thirteen contests.  But players on bad defenses don't get much respect, especially when they make some inexplicably bad plays (see the long TD run by Illinois's Jason Ford).  With a solid supporting cast, I think Mouton's play would have stood out more.

CB: Donovan Warren (2009)
66 tackles, 4 interceptions, 7 pass breakups, 1 touchdown
Warren thought his junior season would propel him to NFL stardom, but just like Ernest Shazor, he left early and didn't even get drafted.  Four interceptions isn't too shabby, and it helps that one (vs. Iowa) went for a touchdown and another (vs. Indiana) was a fantastic diving interception that preserved a victory for the Wolverines.

CB: Morgan Trent (2008)
41 tackles, 3 interceptions, 2.5 tackles for loss, 2 pass breakups
Michigan fans will hate me for this, but Trent beats out James Rogers.  This just shows how poor Michigan's defense was over the past three years, because everybody's whipping boy was the second-best cornerback.  The thing that bugged me about criticism of Trent was that he took a lot of heat on message boards for playing 10 yards off the line of scrimmage, but that was clearly a coaching decision.  I think Michigan fans realized this by 2010, and if Trent had played for Michigan a year or two later, he might not have drawn as much ire.  Trent wasn't the most agile corner, but he did have good speed and was a better tackler than many gave him credit for.  All that being said, I would actually like to put Troy Woolfolk here, but I need a free safety.

FS: Troy Woolfolk (2009)
46 tackles, 1 pass breakup
Woolfolk could fit on this team at cornerback or safety, but Michigan's horrible defense was horribler once Woolfolk moved to corner for the second half of the year.  The Wolverines gave up 23 points per game with him at safety, an average that ballooned to 37 points per game (not counting FCS soup can Delaware State) once he switched to cornerback.  His statistics aren't great, but stats don't tell the whole story.  He was a consistent presence, a solid tackler, and had the speed to prevent some big plays.

SS: Jordan Kovacs (2010)
116 tackles, 2 interceptions, 8.5 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 1 pass breakup, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery
For two years, I've been hoping that someone more athletic would take Kovacs's job.  But I've got to give credit where credit is due - Kovacs has been the best guy so far.  He rarely gets out of position, and I didn't see a more dependable open field tackler on the team.  His 116 tackles (second only to Jonas Mouton in the Big Ten) speak for themselves, but he fills up the stat sheet in other ways, too.  You can't help but love the guy.


P: Will Hagerup (2010)
33 punts, 1440 yards, 43.6 yards per punt, 11 punts inside the twenty
This was the most difficult choice of the entire All-Rodriguez team, a head-to-head matchup between Hagerup and Zoltan Mesko 2009.  Mesko averaged 44.5 yards per punt in 2009, but fully one-third of Hagerup's punts were downed inside the twenty yard line (only 28% of Mesko's were downed inside the twenty).  If you have a good offense (which this squad does), then you want a guy who can pin the opposing team deep.  It doesn't matter if you can boom a punt when your offense moves the ball down the field before having to give it up.  But if you do need a long punt, Hagerup has a 72-yarder to his credit.  Both players would be good choices, though.

K: Jason Olesnavage (2009)
11-for-15 on field goals (73.3%), 42-for-43 on extra points (97.7%)
Special teams weren't a strength under Rodriguez, but Olesnavage was pretty solid.  Along with being nearly perfect on extra points, he was 9-for-10 on field goals longer than 30 yards (only 2-for-5 from 29 yards in).

PR: Martavious Odoms (2008)
10 returns, 126 yards, 12.6 yards per return, 1 touchdown
Do I have to choose?  Seriously, this is painful.  Punt returns have been atrocious since 2008.  Odoms is really the only choice, even though he seemed to muff a punt every other game.  That's not an exaggeration, either.  I wish it was.  I can either choose Odoms (who did have an exciting 73-yard touchdown against Purdue), or a handful of guys who averaged somewhere around two or four yards a return (Donovan Warren, Greg Mathews, Jeremy Gallon).  I would like to choose Drew Dileo, who looks like the best returner for the near future, but he only had 2 returns for 13 yards in 2010.

KR: Darryl Stonum (2009)
39 returns, 1001 yards, 25.7 yards per return, 1 touchdown
Partially due to the defense giving up a ton of points, Stonum had the most kickoff return yards in any season in Michigan history.  He beat Steve Breaston (2004: 28 returns for 689 yards) by 312 yards.  His 94-yard touchdown return against Notre Dame was one of the most exciting plays of the year.


*For clarification purposes, the 3-3-5 itself is not a moronic concept.  It can work, just not when your personnel is more suited for a 4-man front and your defensive coordinator is clueless about how to run it.

2010 NFL Draft Preview

Brandon Graham attempting to kill Tim Hiller

Brandon Graham - DE/OLB
Graham is certain to be Michigan's highest drafted player, projected by most "experts" as a mid-1st to early-2nd round pick. At 6'1" and 268 lbs., he's likely too short to play defensive end in a 4-3 scheme. There are very few 4-3 teams who like to play undersized ends like Graham. He's more likely to be drafted to play outside linebacker by a team that runs a 3-4 scheme. Luckily for him, there has been a recent uptick in the number of teams who run base 3-4 fronts. He has excellent straight-line speed and benches 495 lbs., according to Michigan strength coach Mike Barwis. He suffered from a lack of conditioning and discipline early in his career at Michigan, but the last two years have seen Graham turn into a leader on and off the field. The effort level is there now in a way that it wasn't when he was a freshman and sophomore.
Projection and potential destinations: 1st round between picks 12-29 (Miami, Seattle, New England, Green Bay, Arizona, New York Jets)

Donovan Warren - CB/S
After Graham, nobody is guaranteed to get drafted. Warren hurt himself with a couple slow 40 times, although his game speed was better than the reported 4.68 he ran at the NFL Combine. He's run so slow, in fact, that some teams have suggested Warren might fit better as a safety in the NFL. Warren left Michigan after his junior season, but his production was less than one might expect from a "shutdown" Michigan corner. He's a solid tackler with average ball skills. He offers no additional skills as a return man and, for the most part, doesn't have the athleticism to be a big threat on interception returns. His upside is low, but he performed well enough on the field (although not necessarily in workouts) to warrant a late round pick. If he plays cornerback in the NFL, I think it has to be for a team that plays a good deal of Cover 2. Otherwise, he's a free safety in the making.
Projection and potential destinations: 6th round (Tampa Bay, Chicago, Indianapolis, Green Bay, New England, Minnesota)

Zoltan Mesko - P
Mesko is generally considered to be the second-best punter in the draft. He gets excellent hangtime, which prevents him from outkicking his coverage. I always wondered if the rugby-style punts that Rich Rodriguez employs would hurt Mesko's ability to be a straight dropback punter, and for whatever reason, his workouts for pro teams have reportedly been subpar. Those two things might not be related, but it's interesting to consider. He was voted captain of Michigan's team in 2009, so he's likely not a Mike Vanderjagt-like bonehead of a specialist. His lack of kickoff experience might hurt him in the eyes of some general managers. On the plus side, he did 16 reps on the bench press at 225 lbs.
Projection and potential destinations: 7th round (Green Bay, Pittsburgh, Miami, Denver)

Brandon Minor - RB
You will find no bigger fan of Brandon Minor than me. I love the way he runs the ball, his power, and the way he finishes runs. He also has underrated speed. Unfortunately, he rarely stayed healthy at Michigan, which hurt his production and surely NFL personnel people have flagged him for his injuries. Minor averaged over 5.0 yards per carry in his final two college seasons and he's an excellent pass blocker. I don't think NFL teams will spend a draft pick on a guy who spent so much time on the sideline, but if he somehow stays healthy, Minor is the type of guy who I could see having a 10-year NFL career. He reminds me of former Tennessee Volunteer and Detroit Lion Shawn Bryson, although Bryson had better speed.
Projection: Undrafted

Stevie Brown - SS
Brown came to Michigan as a cornerback/free safety tweener. By his senior year in 2009, he was an undersized strongside linebacker because he couldn't cover in open space. He's too indecisive to play free safety in the NFL and too small to play linebacker, but he could be a special teams contributor and backup strong safety on an NFL roster. His ball skills are somewhat lacking, but he ran a 4.55 at Michigan's pro day and he brings some kick coverage skills to the table. He is a solid tackler in limited space and he can be an effective blitzer, so I see him as an in-the-box safety type.
Projection and potential destinations: Undrafted (Green Bay, Pittsburgh, Carolina, Arizona, New York Jets, Baltimore)

Mark Ortmann - OT
Ortmann has excellent size at 6'6" and 295 lbs. He was a solid but unspectacular starter at left guard and left tackle in his final two years. He has long arms and decent mobility, and I always thought Ortmann would turn out to be an above average player. However, he's not the mauler that NFL general managers might be looking for. Even mediocre Michigan linemen have always been given a shot at the next level, so I expect Ortmann to get some looks. But ultimately he lacks the mobility and athleticism to play left tackle, and he lacks the strength and size to play right tackle. I could see him hanging around for a few years on practice squads or as a backup, but I don't see him being an NFL starter at any point.
Projection: Undrafted

Carlos Brown - RB
Brown was one of the most hyped members of Michigan's 2006 class due to his speed, but the production on the field never really matched the hype. While he has the speed to outrun even NFL players, Brown rarely makes it past the second level of defenders. In 20+ years of watching Michigan football, I can't remember a running back that seemingly went down with as little contact. Brown stops his feet on contact and almost never gains yardage on second effort. He does have good hands and could be a third down back, but to me, he's not a first- or second-string back. His ceiling seems to be as an end-of-the-bench, situational back who might be able to return an occasional kickoff.
Projection: Undrafted

David Moosman - OG
At 6'5" and 292 lbs., Moosman is a little small to be an offensive guard in the NFL. He needs to pack on some weight to have a chance. Moosman started 23 of his last 24 games at Michigan and split time between guard and center. Unfortunately, the team's struggles with him at center hint that a future snapping the ball might be out of the question. I think he's strictly a guard prospect. Moosman is decently athletic and was rarely beaten at the guard position. He's not someone who will wow you with his strength, but he has solid technique and he battles. To have a chance at sticking in the NFL, he needs to play for a zone running team like Indianapolis, Atlanta, or Washington.
Projection: Undrafted

Players are listed in order of their likelihood to be drafted, as determined by yours truly.

Ohio State 21, Michigan 10

Brandon Graham was the best player on the field.

Bullet point immediate reactions:

• Brandon Graham had a great game. He is perhaps the player from the senior class that I will miss most. He dominated his side of the line repeatedly, ending the game with a sack amongst 4 or 5 tackles for loss.
• I really thought Brandon Minor would play, but he was in street clothes. His inside running was missed in this game, as the running game was forced to play the third- and fourth-string running backs (Michael Shaw and Vincent Smith) with Carlos Brown also limited.
• Vincent Smith might be Michigan's running back of the future. He doesn't have the speed to be a game-breaker, but he gains yards consistently, runs tough for his size, and makes decisive cuts. I was wrong about him being unready to play this year.
• The defense played extremely well in this game. For the most part, Michigan didn't allow the big play. They did allow the 29-yard TD by Brandon Saine, but OSU picked on walk-on DE Will Heininger on that play.
• J.T. Floyd got picked on and was beaten a couple times. Fortunately, OSU quarterback Terrelle Pryor was horribly inaccurate on the two deep balls he threw. I still maintain that Floyd's future should be at safety, but I liked the move by the coaches to move Troy Woolfolk back to safety and re-insert Floyd at cornerback. It may not have helped Michigan significantly, but it certainly didn't hurt.
• Speaking of Pryor, I've been thinking this all season but had no reason to mention OSU sooner - why does a 6'5", 230 pound, speedy guy run like such a pansy? He runs through arm tackles, but anytime someone gets a chance to tackle him solidly, he wusses out. He either stops moving his feet and collapses into the fetal position, or he prances out of bounds. For example, when he scrambled early in the game and Steve Brown came up to pop him near the sideline, both players bounced off each other, Pryor gathered himself and had a chance to gain two more yards, and he . . . side-stepped out of bounds.
• Tate Forcier had a horrible game. Ohio State didn't do anything too confusing defensively. Forcier just made bad reads and bad throws. And that fumble on the opening offensive series was inexcuseable. Not only did Forcier retreat into his own end zone, but then he didn't tuck the ball away when he scrambled. He's been lucky all year that his lack of ball security didn't cost him more, but it showed up in the biggest game of the year.
• I liked the wrinkle where Denard Robinson started in the backfield, shifted to wide receiver, and ran a fly pattern. I did not like the facts that a) Forcier underthrew him and b) Denard was interfered with by the cornerback and it wasn't called. Denard was clearly being pushed while the ball was in the air, and it wasn't an instance where both players were jostling each other. That was a textbook interference call and the officials blew it.
• I did not like the modified pistol formation. Out of shotgun, Shaw lined up as the deep back with a fullback to either side of Forcier. It led the defense to the play each time, and Michigan didn't show a play to complement it.
• Roy Roundtree looks like he might be the next Michigan wide receiver to wear the #1 jersey.
• For the love of all that is good, can Michigan please install the sprint counter draw? It worked against Michigan for the thousandth time over the last several years, where the shotgun QB takes the snap and rolls toward the running back, who pretends to block and then takes the handoff going in the opposite direction. Ohio State, Michigan State, Oregon, and Purdue have all torched Michigan with that play, and those are just the times I can think of off the top of my head. I have never seen Michigan run that play, but it works every time against us.
• I will miss Brandon Minor, Brandon Graham, Greg Mathews, Mark Ortmann, David Moosman, and Steve Brown. All of these players are good to great college players, and it's disappointing that their careers coincided with such a huge reconstruction project for the program. They might have been here during a couple bad years, but they weren't the reasons for these two losing seasons.
• Go Blue!

Michigan 38, Notre Dame 34

Tate Forcier is better than you. At throwing. At running. At breaking Darius Fleming's legs. At keeping cool under pressure. At punting. He's better than you at everything except, perhaps, brushing his teeth.

I predicted a 31-27 victory for Notre Dame. I was wrong and I'm glad. But I was fully prepared for a defeat before the game, and I was even pretty prepared when Notre Dame went ahead 34-31 with a few minutes left in the game, at least compared to most Michigan fans. But then Charlie Weis got all cocky and was like, "I'm going to totally surprise everyone and throw the ball deep." Except Donovan Warren is smarter than Weis (which sucks for Notre Dame) and broke up the pass.

Forcier was 23/33 for 240 yards, two TDs, and an interception to go along with 70 rushing yards and another TD on the ground. He was the author of several of the game's most electrifying plays, including the scrambling, game-winning TD pass to Greg Mathews. But the most exciting play for Michigan was when Forcier, on a pass play against a Cover Zero defense, rolled right, planted his right foot in front of Notre Dame linebacker Darius Fleming, and watched Fleming fall down before sprinting 31 yards past the defense for a touchdown. Denard Robinson might be the "Lightning" bolt of the two quarterbacks, but ABC analyst Matt Millen deemed Forcier a "stud bolt," which . . . hey, despite its homoeroticism, I'll take it.

Can we please, please, PUH-LEEZE see more Brandon Minor on offense? I've been saying this since before the 2008 season - Minor is the best running back on the team. Not Carlos Brown. Not Sam McGuffie when he was still here. The coaches may have started Brown because Brown had been healthy and started last week, but I believe Minor only had three or four carries in the first half. And on those three or four carries, he had 26 yards. Forcier was keeping the ball too much on the read option and Rodriguez was calling too many pass plays. Minor needs the ball. He had 16 carries total for 106 yards (6.6 yards per carry) and one TD. Brown showed good hands on two catches, but Minor has the ability to outrun people and break tackles, something Brown struggles with. Minor also seems to have a better handle on when to cut upfield on those zone stretch plays.

Offensive game ball goes to . . . Forcier (2) for the second week in a row. Mathews had the game-winning TD, Darryl Stonum had a 94-yard kickoff return TD, Minor had 106 yards and a TD. But Forcier played well throughout the game and went 6-for-7 on the game-winning drive, not to mention his long run for a TD.

Defensive game ball goes to . . . Steve Brown (2), who seems to have found a home at the SAM linebacker spot. He finished the game with 6 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, and a forced fumble. And despite the fact that Notre Dame running back Armando Allen had 139 yards, Brown held up well at the point of attack and forced Allen to cut some outside runs up the field. Unfortunately, Michigan's inside linebackers - especially Obi Ezeh - had a poor tackling day.

Let's see less of this guy on offense . . . Carlos Brown (1). Brown has big-play potential and probably catches the ball better than Brandon Minor, but he's not as good of a runner. Brown had 4 carries for -3 yards. Put him in the slot or in two-back sets, but Minor should be in the backfield most of the time.

Let's see less of this guy on defense . . . Boubacar Cissoko (1). This one has many levels. First of all, Cissoko allowed two touchdowns on Saturday, both against Golden Tate. On the first, Tate ran a hitch near the goal-line and Cissoko just gave him too much of a cushion. On the second, Tate ran a hitch on the right sideline and Cissoko missed the tackle. Secondly, next week Michigan plays Eastern Michigan, so hopefully Cissoko can get some rest for his aching shoulder. Third, Cissoko had way too much TV time for a guy who was getting burned left and right. He crossed his arms in denial at one point, and after a Michael Floyd catch and tackle along the left sideline, Cissoko pushed Floyd back down to the ground as Floyd tried to get up. It was a classless play that deserved a 15-yard penalty.

As far as my predictions went for the game . . . they were so-so.

Clausen will throw for over 300 yards.
He threw for 339. Michigan couldn't muster a pass rush against Notre Dame's maximum protection schemes, and Michael Floyd is better than anyone we have at cornerback.

Golden Tate and Michael Floyd will each have a 40+ yard catch.
Neither did. Floyd had a 37-yarder and Tate's long was 27. Tate dropped at least one pass that would have gone for 40+ yards, so they were close.

Brandon Graham will record at least two sacks.
Again, the maximum protection pass blocking schemes worked pretty well for Notre Dame. They didn't trust their offensive line against the likes of Graham and Mike Martin, which was probably smart. Nobody from Michigan recorded a sack.

Either Brandon Minor or Carlos Brown will go over 100 yards rushing.
Minor ended with 106.

Tate Forcier will throw his first collegiate interception.
Safety Kyle McCarthy picked off Forcier in the fourth quarter when Greg Mathews ran a bad route.

Here's the helpful box score from Mgoblue.com.

Picture via TheWolverine.com.

Michigan 31, Western Michigan 7

Wow. That's the one word that kept coming to mind as I watched the game yesterday. This is such an utterly different team than the 2008 incarnation that it's difficult to imagine Steve Threet and Nick Sheridan running this type of offense.

It's clear that Tate Forcier is the driving force behind this offense. Any argument to the contrary would be insanity. He didn't run the ball particularly well and needs to work on his reads on the zone read option. That being said, except for a couple hitches, Forcier threw the ball very well and directed the offense better than anyone else on the roster can. He looked like a veteran quarterback on the first TD pass when he scrambled and directed Junior Hemingway to head downfield. His second TD pass to Hemingway brought back memories of Henne-to-Manningham. And Forcier's play action fakes on Rich Rodriguez's version of the waggle pass were excellent, not to mention his ability to square his shoulders and fling the ball to Koger for a TD and then that one-handed snag seen above.

Denard Robinson was adequate. His 43-yard touchdown run was, quite simply, electric. But keep in mind that it came on a broken play where he mishandled the shotgun snap; he was supposed to run the ball left or perhaps pitch it to Martavious Odoms who was coming behind him for a potential end around. If you take away that 43-yard run, Robinson ran the ball 10 times for 31 yards. He completed two short passes; missed badly on another in which he and the receiver weren't on the same page; and threw a dangerous deep jump ball to Mathews that ended up incomplete. Robinson's body language and decision making indicated that the game was moving a little too fast for him. Things will slow down for him and he could be a star down the road, but that time isn't now.

The running game was a bit of a disappointment for me. Forcier made some poor reads, and Rodriguez seemed more interested in getting the ball on the perimeter than taking advantage of his stable of running backs and WMU's poor defensive line. Some of this may have been due to the fact that starting fullback Mark Moundros was injured on special teams early in the game; without their best lead blocker, perhaps Rodriguez and Magee preferred to keep the ball on the outside. Regardless, the offensive line was a strength and even though starting running back Carlos Brown finished with 5.4 yards per carry, I feel Michigan could be even better at running the ball in the coming weeks.

Defensively, I was impressed with Greg Robinson's schemes and Michigan's tackling. There were several plays on Saturday where I thought WMU's running backs would have broken tackles if they were facing the 2008 defense. But Michigan's defenders seemed to stick to ballcarriers like glue. Not only were they tackling better, but the defense was hurrying to the football. If the first guy didn't make the play, usually a second guy was there ready to clean up the mess.

In the second half, WMU quarterback Tim Hiller started getting rid of the ball quicker. He found a rhythm and started hitting underneath passes to his receivers. Greg Robinson might be served well by disguising coverages on the outside, changing the look from cover 2 man to a cover 2 zone. Suddenly, instead of driving the cornerback off with his initial burst, that cornerback is sitting underneath the quick hitch to the outside. A couple well orchestrated disguised coverages might be just enough to make Hiller think twice, which would give Brandon Graham, Mike Martin, and the rest of the defensive line enough time to get to the quarterback.

Offensive game ball goes to . . . Tate Forcier. He finished 13/20 for 179 yards, 3 TDs, and - most importantly - zero interceptions, fumbles, or sacks in his first game at Michigan.

Defensive game ball goes to . . . I was tempted to say Donovan Warren, but I'll say Steve Brown. He finished third on the team with six tackles, including five solo. His new position at SAM linebacker appeals to his strengths, which are speed and physicality. Warren made several tackles and played very physical, but he picked up two pass interference penalties and a personal foul.

Let's see less of this guy on offense . . . Denard Robinson. Until he can run the offense more smoothly and completely, he should be behind center less. I felt like the offense got bogged down when he was in the game. His passing was subpar and jittery, and it seemed like WMU's defense didn't respect his ability to do anything but run. (Honorable mention: Nick Sheridan and David Cone.)

Let's see less of this guy on defense . . . J.T. Floyd. Floyd was in there as a backup to Boubacar Cissoko once Cissoko aggravated his shoulder injury. But especially in next week's game against Notre Dame, with Jimmy Clausen throwing to Golden Tate and Michael Floyd, Michigan can't afford to put Floyd in there at cornerback. He got burned a couple times - including the 73-yard TD pass, on which Troy Woolfolk was also at fault - and he's probably just too slow to be playing corner. If Michigan had any depth at the CB position, Floyd would probably be a safety. Hopefully Cissoko gets healthy and freshman Justin Turner steps up his game in the coming week. Otherwise, I'm afraid we should expect a rain of deep balls from Clausen next week.

MGoBlue's official game information.

It's a free-for-all!

Spring practice started on Saturday, and reports from that practice indicate that all hell has broken loose on the defensive side of the ball. Players are moving all over the place in Greg Robinson's defense. Some of these moves are immediately good. Some are head-scratchers.

One big rumor is that Steve Brown is moving to linebacker. He's still listed as a safety on the roster, but he's bulked up to 215 pounds (he's been around 205 in previous years). He's supposedly working out at SAM linebacker. Although he's a bit undersized for a SAM, he's good in run support, a good blitzer, and would probably be better in pass coverage than most linebackers. Since he hasn't been a very good safety, I would put this move in the "good" category, if it's true.

In position drills, freshman early enrollee Brandin Hawthorne was working out with the safeties. The spring roster listed him at 195, but eyewitnesses have said he looks like he's well over 200 pounds now, perhaps in the 215 lb. range. From watching his high school film, I don't think he'd make a good safety. And considering that our linebacker depth isn't...well...deep, then this would seem curious. Of course, Mike Jones and Isaiah Bell might move from safety to linebacker, so the effect on the actual numbers might be negligible. Also...

Anthony Lalota was seen working with the linebackers. As pointed out a couple days ago, Lalota is apparently 6'4" and 235 lbs. instead of 6'6", 260, so his size doesn't necessarily preclude him from being a linebacker. But considering the Wolverines' serious lack of depth on the defensive line, my guess is that Lalota might be working out to play the "spinner" (Robinson's hybrid DE/OLB position) or they might want him to continue working on his agility in open space, since that's one of his weaknesses coming out of high school.

Also, Vince Helmuth is now a defensive tackle and there's photographic evidence to support Rodriguez's claim that he's a little heavy.