Friday, September 30, 2011
Preview: Michigan vs. Minnesota
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| Good looking Minnesota girls are tough to find. |
Rush Offense vs. Minnesota Rush Defense
Last week the Gophers allowed the much heralded D.J. McNorton to run for 92 yards and 1 touchdown on 13 carries. McNorton plays for the North Dakota State
Advantage: Michigan
Pass Offense vs. Minnesota Pass Defense
Cripple fight! This is going to be like Stephen Hawking vs.
Advantage: Stephen Hawking
Rush Defense vs. Minnesota Rush Offense
This all depends on whether quarterback MarQueis Gray - who's questionable for Saturday - plays or not. Historically, Michigan has trouble with running quarterbacks (who doesn't?), and Gray is averaging almost 88 yards a game. Gray was a wide receiver last year and probably should still be a wide receiver, because he's 6'4", 240 lbs. and throws like a punter. Starting running back Duane Bennett is scary in the same way that every running back has been scary over the last few years; he's not very good but Michigan has the ability to turn him into a quality back for a week.
Advantage: Minnesota
Pass Defense vs. Minnesota Pass Offense
Gray is barely completing 50% of his passes, and that's true no matter what caliber of defense he's facing. He targets wideout Da'Jon McKnight most often, and McKnight is actually a decent player. He's 6'3" and 211 lbs. and while he doesn't have great speed, he has decent hands and provides a big target. McKnight caught 9 passes for 146 yards against New Mexico State a few weeks ago. Other than McKnight there aren't many big threats to catch the ball. Meanwhile, Michigan has been picking up the pass rush over the past couple weeks, and the Gophers are allowing 2.5 sacks a game. Backup quarterback Max Shortell has red hair and, as we all learned from the NFL Draft this past year, no good quarterback has ever been a redhead.
Advantage: Michigan
Player notes
- Michigan recruited Minnesota LB Keanon Cooper out of Dallas (TX) Skyline a few years ago
- Michigan also recruited Minnesota LB Brendan Beal, who chose the Florida Gators before transferring to Minnesota
- Minnesota WR J.D. Pride was Seantrel Henderson's best friend and the guy Minnesota offered in the hopes of Henderson becoming a Gopher. Henderson went to
USCMiami, anyway. And as if this wasn't apparent enough in the first place, Pride has been deemed unworthy at quarterback and is now buried on the bench at wideout. - Former Michigan OG Tim McAvoy has two younger brothers - twins Kyle and Luke - who are freshmen on the offensive line for the Gophers.
Predictions
- Denard runs for 120 yards before getting knocked out of the game
- If Gray plays, Michigan gets a pick six. If Shortell plays, Michigan gets four sacks.
- Michigan breaks two 40+ yard runs
- Devin Gardner scores a touchdown
- Michigan 38, Minnesota 14
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Attractive Michigan Girl of the Week: Lonely Girl in a Sea of Engineers
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I guess they watched Big Daddy and got the wrong impression - those magical sunglasses don't make you invisible. That was a trick Sonny pulled on Frankenstein. And you fell for it.
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Ex-Wolverine Updates
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| Toney Clemons catches a touchdown pass over Ohio State cornerbackTravis Howard (image via the Durango Herald) |
Former Michigan wide receiver Toney Clemons had 4 receptions for 31 yards and 1 touchdown in Colorado's 37-17 loss to Ohio State on Saturday.
Former Michigan commit Dallas Crawford has not played for the Miami Hurricanes this year and looks like he's headed for a redshirt, but he's still on the roster. There were some rumors that he was not on the team.
Former Michigan commit Matt Goudis, a kicker, also has not played for Miami but still remains on the roster.
Former Michigan commit Pearlie Graves, a defensive tackle, has decided to transfer from Texas Tech. His destination is unknown.
Former Michigan commit Marquis Maze had 5 receptions for 40 yards in Alabama's 38-14 victory over Arkansas.
Former Michigan running back Sam McGuffie, now at Rice, had 9 carries for 24 yards in a 56-31 loss to Baylor. He also had 2 receptions for 2 yards.
Former Michigan commit Bryce McNeal has decided to leave Clemson. He'll try to graduate in the spring after only three years of college and then transfer to another school. He has only 1 reception for 8 yards on the season, which came against Wofford.
Former Michigan commit John Wienke is third on the depth chart at quarterback for the Iowa Hawkeyes. He's a redshirt junior this season, but I have to believe that he won't get a fifth year of eligibility.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Potential Attrition
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| Sheridyn Fisher . . . just because. |
As Michigan's 2012 recruiting class comes closer and closer to filling up, more and more people - including me - seem interested in just how big the class will be. The maximum number of players any Big Ten team can sign in February is 28. Head coach Brady Hoke stated previously that he expected the class to grow to 26.
Right now the Wolverines have 22 or 23 commits, depending on whether Kentucky safety Jeremy Clark counts for this class or the next one. Aside from the fourth year juniors who haven't seen much playing time this season (Michael Cox, Terrence Robinson, Elliott Mealer, etc.), there are a couple other underclassmen that could very well depart in the offseason.
It would be somewhat irresponsible for me to post specific names here, but I've received a couple questions in my inbox about who they might be and why. If you take a long, hard look at Michigan's roster and think about the youngsters who are glued to the bench, you can probably take an educated guess.
Don't be surprised if Michigan signs 27 or 28 players in February.
Michigan will play UMass again in 2012
Michigan released its football schedule for 2012 and UMass will be coming back for more. That's right, the Minutemen will look to finish off the comeback from their 42-37 loss to the Wolverines last year. Of course, UMass will be a part of the Mid-American Conference by 2012, so it's not quite as big of a step up as it was when they play in the FCS, but they probably won't have very good FBS talent by then. This ought to be an easy victory to lick the wounds from a likely season opening loss to Alabama. For look back at last season's game, here are a couple links to . . .
Michigan 42, UMass 37
Michigan vs. UMass Awards
. . . and some highlights:
Michigan's 2012 schedule now looks like this:
vs. Alabama (at Cowboys Stadium)
vs. Air Force
vs. Massachusetts
at Notre Dame
at Purdue
vs. Illinois
vs. Michigan State
at Nebraska
at Minnesota
vs. Northwestern
vs. Iowa
at Ohio State
Michigan 42, UMass 37
Michigan vs. UMass Awards
. . . and some highlights:
Michigan's 2012 schedule now looks like this:
vs. Alabama (at Cowboys Stadium)
vs. Air Force
vs. Massachusetts
at Notre Dame
at Purdue
vs. Illinois
vs. Michigan State
at Nebraska
at Minnesota
vs. Northwestern
vs. Iowa
at Ohio State
Wolverines in the NFL: A Team-by-Team Breakdown
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| Alyssa Milano |
So after taking a closer look at last week's Wolverines in the NFL update, I noticed that I saved/published the working version of the post - not the final version. Or, I just didn't rearrange a couple names that I meant to. Either way, this lead to a couple misreports beyond those which were noted in the comments. My apologies.
To redeem myself, I reworked the post, included NFL coaches who either played or coached at Michigan, and substituted the picture of Chad Henne with a picture of Alyssa Milano. NFL rosters are frequently changing and information sometimes varies between websites, so please feel free to leave updates, but this list should be accurate as of today (9/27/11).
AFC East (7)
Buffalo Bills: shame
Miami Dolphins: Chad Henne, QB; Jake Long, OL; Bill Sheridan, Inside Linebackers Coach
New England Patriots: Tom Brady, QB; Ryan Mallett, QB; Zoltan Mesko, P
New York Jets: David Harris, LB
AFC North (8)
Baltimore Ravens: Cam Cameron, Offensive Coordinator; Andy Moeller, Offensive Line Coach
Cincinnati Bengals: Leon Hall, CB; Morgan Trent, CB
Cleveland Browns: shame
Pittsburgh Steelers: Larry Foote, LB; Ryan Mundy, S; LaMarr Woodley, OLB; Harold Goodwin, Offensive Assistant Coach
AFC South (2)
Houston Texans: Tim Jamison, DE
Indianapolis Colts: Stevie Brown, S
Jacksonville Jaguars: shame
Tennessee Titans: shame
AFC West (4)
Denver Broncos: Brandon Minor, RB (on the Injured Reserve)
Kansas City Chiefs: Steve Breaston, WR
Oakland Raiders: shame
San Diego Chargers: Jonas Mouton, LB (placed on the Injured Reserve); Steve Schilling, OL
------------------------------
NFC East (6)
Dallas Cowboys: shame
New York Giants: Mario Manningham, WR; David Baas, OL; Jim Herrmann, Linbackers Coach; Jerald Ingram, Running Backs Coach
Philadelphia Eagles: Brandon Graham, DE (on Physically Unable to Perform list); Jason Avant, WR
Washington Redskins: shame
NFC North (5)
Chicago Bears: Mike DeBord, Tight Ends Coach
Detroit Lions: Jeff Backus, OL
Green Bay Packers: Charles Woodson, DB; Mike Trgovac, Defensive Line Coach
Minnesota Vikings: Steve Hutchinson, OL
NFC South (2)
Atlanta Falcons: shame
Carolina Panthers: shame
New Orleans Saints: Adrian Arrington, WR; Terry Malone, Tight Ends Coach
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: shame
NFC West (6)
Arizona Cardinals: Jay Feely, K
St. Louis Rams: James Hall, DE
San Francisco 49ers: Braylon Edwards, WR; Jonathan Goodwin, OL; Jim Harbaugh, Head Coach
Seattle Seahawks: Alan Branch, DT
Free Agents: Obi Ezeh, LB (camped with Washington); Greg Banks, DE (camped with Detroit); James Rogers, DB (camped with Denver); Donovan Warren (formerly with Detroit); Todd Collins, QB (formely with Chicago); Martell Webb, TE (camped with Philadelphia); Greg Mathews, WR (formerly with St. Louis); Marlin Jackson, CB (formerly with Philadelphia), Jamar Adams, S (formerly with Philadelphia); Gabe Watson, DT (formerly with New York Giants); Matt Gutierrez, QB (formerly with Washington); Prescott Burgess, LB (formerly with Baltimore); Carson Butler, TE (formerly with New England); Pierre Woods, LB (formerly with Buffalo)
The AFC is your conference leader, the AFC North your division leader, the Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Giants your team leaders.
Recruit Tracker (updated)
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| Cass Tech linebacker/fullback Royce Jenkins-Stone had a big night on Friday |
OL Blake Bars and Montgomery Bell Academy (2-4) beat Pearl-Cohn by a score of 32-13.
LB Joe Bolden and Colerain (4-1) beat Middleton by a score of 21-13. Bolden helped cause a fumble that was returned for a touchdown, which you can see below. (Bolden is #7 in white.) He also had 8 tackles.
OL Ben Braden and his team the Rockford Rams (4-1) beat Muskegon by a score of 29-26. Braden was excellent in pass protection, according to Allen Trieu, who attended the game.
DE Pharaoh Brown and the Brush Arcs (1-4) lost to Twinsburg - the alma mater of Zoltan Mesko - by a score of 48-27 last night. Brown had 2 receptions for 112 yards, including an 85-yard touchdown reception. On defense he had 11 tackles and 1 sack.
S Jeremy Clark of North Hopkins (5-1) beat Owensboro by a score of 49-6.
TE Devin Funchess of Farmington Hills Harrison (5-0) beat Southfield Lathrup by a score of 43-0.
S Allen Gant and the Southview Cougars (4-1) won by a score of 45-27. Gant had 6 tackles, 1 pass breakup, and 1 reception for a 19-yard touchdown.
DL Matt Godin and Detroit Catholic Central unleashed their defensive furry in the second half to grab a 14-10 victory over 2013 QB commit Shane Morris and Warren De La Salle. Matt told me that he recorded 7 tackles and had 4 QB hurries.
FB Sione Houma's Highland Rams (4-2) lost by a score of 27-3 to Bountiful.
LB Royce Jenkins-Stone and Detroit Cass Tech (4-1) beat Cincinnati commit Dennis Norfleet and Detroit King on Friday night by a score of 20-18. Jenkins-Stone had 75 yards rushing, including 2 touchdowns on runs of 39 and 4 yards. He also helped hold Norfleet to 24 yards rushing on 17 carries, although Norfleet had a 40-yard interception return for a touchdown. Jenkins-Stone finished with 8 tackles and 2 tackles for loss.
OL Kyle Kalis and the Lakewood-St. Edward's Eagles play today.
OL Erik Magnuson and his team the La Costa Canyon Mavericks (2-2) beat Redlands by a score of 21-13.
2013 QB Shane Morris and Warren De La Salle were defeated by Matt Godin and Detroit Catholic Central by a score of 14-10 on Saturday night after holding a 10-0 lead halfway through the second. Morris was effective but unspectacular, going 14-25 for 120 yards and one pick.
DL Mario Ojemudia and Farmington Hills Harrison (5-0) beat Southfield Lathrup by a score of 43-0. He had 6 tackles and 2 sacks on the day.
DT Ondre Pipkins and his Park Hill Trojans (3-2) lost to Jefferson City by a score of 42-0 on Friday. He had 5 tackles in the game.
CB Terry Richardson helped Detroit Cass Tech (4-1) to beat Detroit King by a score of 20-18.
LB Kaleb Ringer and his Northmont High School squad (2-3) won by a score of 40-33. Ringer had 10 total tackles and 1 tackle for loss.
LB James Ross and Orchard Lake St. Mary's (4-1) beat Columbus DeSales - alma mater of Patrick Omameh and Chris Rock - by a score of 42-21.
CB Anthony Standifer and his Crete-Monee team (5-0) beat Kankakee by a score of 35-7. Standifer had 3 tackles and 1 forced fumble. LaQuon Treadwell, Standifer's teammate and a 2013 wide receiver prospect, had two touchdown receptions of 58 and 53 yards.
DE Tom Strobel and his Mentor team (5-0) beat Parma in a nailbiter, 49-0 victory. Strobel helped limit Parma to 65 total yards on the night. He finished with 5 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 forced fumble, and 2 quarterback hurries.
2013 S Dymonte Thomas and Marlington (4-1) beat Salem by a score of 42-7. Thomas had a relatively quiet night offensively with 9 carries for 46 yards. But on defense he had 16 tackles on the evening.
S Jarrod Wilson and his Akron squad Buchtel (3-2) beat Akron East by a score of 32-6 on Thursday night. He had 4 tackles on the night.
DL Christopher Wormley and the Toledo Whitmer Panthers (5-0) beat St. John's by a score of 35-7 on Friday night. Chantel Jennings was at the game and tweeted that Wormley had 5 tackles, including 2 sacks, on the night, giving him 27 tackles, 7 for a loss and 4 sacks on the season. She also notes that Wormley is listed as 6'7'', 270.
Stats will be updated as they're found. Please let us know if you have any additional information for the compilation. Thanks!
Former Michigan Athlete of the Week: Steve Breaston
Pickings were slim this week. Brady put up his standard 350+ yards through the air, but he also threw 4 interceptions - which matched his INT total for all of last season - in a loss to the Bills. Henne finished with a respectable 90.4 QB rating, but it was in a losing effort to the Cleveland Browns on a day when he led his offense to only 16 points. So Breaston gets the nod here with his 3 catches for 55 yards. I hear that yards per catch is one of the more flawed statistics, but an 18. 3YPC is as impressive as anything else that I saw on the stat sheet this week. And even though Breaston's team the Kansas City Chiefs lost by a score of 20-17 against the Chargers, his 14.5 point underdog team hung a lot tougher than most thought that would after getting shellacked by the Lions in week 2. Still, I hope Breaston's numbers are a bit more impressive the next time he wins this prestigious award.
Monday, September 26, 2011
Michigan vs. San Diego State Awards
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| Ryan Van Bergen had a solid day for Michigan with a tackle for loss and a forced fumble |
Let's see more of this guy on offense . . . Jeremy Gallon. Michigan needs to find a way to get Gallon the ball. He's good at running after the catch, and if Denard Robinson can't find success throwing the ball down the field, then the coaches ought to find a way to get Gallon the ball on short passes and let him gain yards on his own.
Let's see less of this guy on offense . . . Stephen Hopkins. Hopkins is a fumble machine (3 career fumbles in 43 rushing attempts) and he's not very good on top of that. The seat of his maize pants ought to be planted firmly on the bench unless it's garbage time. The first two backs (Fitzgerald Toussaint and Vincent Smith) are doing just fine, and if a third back needs to carry the ball, then it ought to be Michael Shaw or Michael Cox.
Let's see more of this guy on defense . . . Blake Countess. Countess played pretty well as Troy Woolfolk's injury replacement, notching 7 tackles and 1 pass breakup. Woolfolk needs to take a week off and rest his sprained ankle, which he has aggravated each week since he hurt it against Western Michigan. The coaches keep playing him sparingly, and he keeps limping off for large portions of each game. Woolfolk ought to get this week off and let Countess, J.T. Floyd, Courtney Avery, and Raymon Taylor handle the cornerback duties. I think Michigan can still beat Minnesota without Woolfolk.
Let's see less of this guy on defense . . . nobody. It's not that everyone on defense is playing great. It's just that the guys who are mediocre don't seem to have quality backups to spell them. Michigan needs the young defensive linemen on the roster to grow up soon.
Play of the game . . . Ryan Van Bergen forcing Ronnie Hillman to fumble. With about twelve minutes remaining in the third quarter and Michigan leading 21-0, San Diego State ran to the defense's right and Hillman broke a decent gain. Van Bergen, who was the left defensive end, took a perfect pursuit angle and punched the ball out after about an 18-yard gain. To top off the play, outside linebacker Jake Ryan hustled to follow the ball and jumped on the fumble 30 yards downfield.
MVP of the game . . . Denard Robinson. He once again had a horrible day throwing the ball (8-for-17, 93 yards, 2 interceptions), but that didn't stop him from running for 200 yards and 3 touchdowns on 21 carries. He's now averaging 138 yards rushing per game and 7.8 yards per carry.
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Michigan 28, San Diego State 7
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| Denard Robinson had 200 yards rushing in Saturday's 28-21 victory (image via LA Times) |
What is this "defense" thing everyone keeps talking about? Aside from the Notre Dame game, Michigan has allowed only 6.7 points per game. Admittedly, those other three opponents have been mediocre - two MAC teams and a decent squad from the MWC - but this is still a somewhat impressive turnaround from last year. The Wolverines held San Diego State's rushing attack to only 4.2 yards per carry and forced quarterback Ryan Lindley into completing fewer than 50% of his passes.
Weekly Denard Robinson blurb. I'm not sure how I feel about Denard Robinson's play right now. I love the kid for his heart and attitude - and considerable running skills - but something just isn't clicking. He finished the game 8-for-17 passing with 93 yards, 0 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions. Those numbers are horrible, and that's the third week in a row that his completion percentage has been lower than 50%. And while it would have been great for Kevin Koger to grab that pass that hit him right in the stomach, the bottom line is that Robinson is extremely inaccurate and making bad decisions. He threw one pass into double coverage that had no business being thrown, and the other he threw the other pick to a blanketed receiver. If Michigan keeps winning, then it doesn't really matter what his completion percentage is. But if his inaccuracy bites the Wolverines in the butt at any point - and it probably will - then you can bet that some members of the Michigan fan base and the media will start wondering if Devin Gardner should get a shot at quarterback and if Robinson should move to running back. On top of the scattershot arm, it seems to me that Robinson looks a bit slower this year than he did last season. Perhaps he's worn down or defenses are faster this year; I know he had a 53-yard touchdown run and 200 yards rushing overall, but something seems different.
Craig Roh reads Touch the Banner. Having been spurred on by my call for him to be relegated to a backup role a couple weeks ago, Roh has since responded with two solid games. This week he had 2 tackles; one was a short yardage stuff of running back Ronnie Hillman, and the other was a sack of Lindley on which Roh forced a fumble. It's slightly disappointing that Michigan could only manage one sack on 48 attempts, but it seemed like San Diego State started taking shorter drops and getting the ball out quicker as the game wore on.
Running back argh. First, I would like to say that I thought Vincent Smith (9 carries, 49 yards, 1 TD) had his best day running the ball at Michigan - except for the fumble. I know he's had better games statistically (118 yards vs. Eastern Michigan last week, 166 yards against Delaware State in 2009), but those were into gaping holes. Smith actually took short gains and turned them into long gains or a touchdown this week. Hooray for him. Fitzgerald Toussaint had a solid day, too (13 carries, 67 yards). But dammit, I'm going to start beating the Michael Cox drum again. Stephen Hopkins is my new whipping boy. Hopkins needs to sit his butt on the bench and not see the light of day unless he's a lead blocker or running down the field on special teams or something. Not only is he slow, but he fumbles. In six carries this season, he has fumbled twice; in 43 career carries, he has fumbled three times. If you're going to be a fumbler, you should at least offer a little bit of reward for the risk; he's averaging 3.9 yards a carry in his career. Fine, Toussaint and Smith are the top two backs, whatever. But if you're going to give a third guy a carry, for God's sake let it be Cox (8.9 yards a carry) or Michael Shaw (5.2).
Jake Ryan is a dreamboat. That dude is just a playmaker. He's always around the ball and always making things happen. Going back to the spring when he had a sack and an interception returned for a touchdown, Ryan has been a stud. In four games this season, he has 13 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 2 fumble recoveries, and forced the interception that Brandon Herron returned 94 yards for a touchdown against Western Michigan; he almost had a third fumble recovery on Saturday, but Thomas Gordon beat him to it by a fraction of a second. Ryan still does some fundamental things wrong, but this kid looks like a future star. Also, he has pretty hair that the ladies surely love.
Speaking of future stars. Blake Countess got a lot of run on Saturday, and he looked more than capable. San Diego State started picking on him, and Countess responded with 7 tackles and a pass breakup. The true freshman cornerback was in good position most of the time, and when he was beaten, it was on pinpoint throws by a fifth year senior quarterback. While I hope that starter Troy Woolfolk can return soon after aggravating his sprained ankle, it looks like Michigan has a capable backup if Woolfolk needs to sit out next week.
On SDSU's list of things to review this week: option responsibilities. Seriously, three dudes jump the pitch man, and nobody accounts for the quarterback?
Congratulations to Brady Hoke. I know it must be tough to coach against the kids he coached last year and the coaches he worked with last season, but it was classy all around - except for the words of former SDSU lineman Kyle Turley, who is a certified douche. San Diego State's head coach Rocky Long had nothing but good things to say about Hoke. I don't have any statistics to back this up, but I imagine it's pretty rare for a college head coach to take another head coaching job . . . and then play his old team the following year.
When I get old, I want to look like Greg Mattison. He's still all barrel chested and stuff. He must eat his spinach. That dude still looks like he could wrestle a bear. And my money's not on the bear.
Saturday, September 24, 2011
2013 Offer Board Update
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| Ty Isaac |
The 2013 Offer Board has been updated:
Added Illinois RB Ty Isaac.
Michigan OT Steven Elmer committed to Notre Dame.
Friday, September 23, 2011
Preview: Michigan vs. San Diego State
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| Aztec girls sure do know their football |
I didn't/don't/won't have time for a full preview this week, so here's the shortened version:
Predictions
- SDSU running back Ronnie Hillman rushes for 120 yards and 2 touchdowns
- SDSU quarterback Ryan Lindley misses his starting receivers and throws 3 picks
- Denard Robinson shows Kyle Turley why Michigan is a better job than San Diego State
- Junior Hemingway has a big day with 130 yards and 2 touchdowns
- Michigan 42, San Diego State 31
And here's a look back at the best player to come out of SDSU:
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Attractive Michigan Girl of the Week: Block M on the Face
If you or someone you know would like to be featured wearing Michigan gear or at a game, feel free to send a picture to touchthebanner@gmail.com.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Ex-Wolverine Encyclopedia Update
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| Vladimir Emilien intends to play for Toledo in 2012 |
Former Michigan safety Vladimir Emilien still remains at Toledo, contrary to what I reported previously. In an exchange with TTB Andrew, he said, "I'm still on the team. This is just my sit out year NCAA rule for transferring. But since I have to sit out this year, I am more focused on school rather than worrying about games every Saturday. But I still have to practice and workout with the team. Until I'm eligible my main focus is focusing on my grades and making this football program successful with my help."
Former kicker/punter commit Anthony Fera is having a solid season at Penn State. He's averaging 44.6 yards on eight punts and 64.4 yards on five kickoffs. Essentially, he's Will Hagerup. Except Fera's not suspended right now.
Former defensive tackle commit DeQuinta Jones has 7 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, and 2 quarterback hurries on the season for Arkansas.
Former wide receiver commit Marquis Maze has 15 catches for 186 yards and 1 touchdown on the season for Alabama.
Former quarterback commit Kevin Sousa is currently redshirting for Wake Forest.
Former Michigan running back Austin White is currently redshirting for Central Michigan. Because he began the fall semester in 2010 at Michigan, he must sit out for the 2011 season.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Wolverines in the NFL: A Team-by-Team Breakdown (Updated)
Here's a 2011 guide to former Michigan players in the NFL broken down by team, conference and division. Hopefully it can provide easy reference for lazy Sundays when looking for an excuse to watch more football.
AFC East (6)
Buffalo Bills: shame
Miami Dolphins: Chad Henne, QB; Jake Long, OL
New England Patriots: Tom Brady, QB; Ryan Mallett, QB; Zoltan Mesko, P
New York Jets: David Harris, LB
AFC North (5)
Baltimore Ravens: shame
Cincinnati Bengals: Leon Hall, CB; Morgan Trent, CB
Cleveland Browns: shame
Pittsburgh Steelsers: Larry Foote, LB; Ryan Mundy, S; LaMarr Woodley, OLB
AFC South (2)
Houston Texans: Tim Jamison, DE
Indianapolis Colts: Stevie Brown, S
Jacksonville Jaguars: shame
Tennessee Titans: shame
AFC West (4)
Denver Broncos: Brandon Minor, RB (on the Injured Reserve)
Kansas City Chiefs: Steve Breaston, WR
Oakland Raiders: shame
San Diego Chargers: Jonas Mouton, LB; Steve Schilling, OL
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NFC East (5)
Dallas Cowboys: shame
New York Giants: Mario Manningham, WR; David Baas, OL
Philadelphia Eagles: Brandon Graham, DE (on Physically Unable to Perform list); Jason Avant, WR
Washington Redskins: shame
NFC North (3)
Chicago Bears: shame
Detroit Lions: Jeff Backus, OL
Green Bay Packers: Charles Woodson, DB
Minnesota Vikings: Steve Hutchinson, OL
NFC South (2)
Atlanta Falcons: shame
Carolina Panthers: shame
New Orleans Saints: Adrian Arrington, WR
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: shame
NFC West (5)
Arizona Cardinals: Jay Feely, K
St. Louis Rams: James Hall, DE
San Francisco 49ers: Braylon Edwards, WR; Jonathan Goodwin, OL
Seattle Seahawks: Alan Branch, DT
Free Agents: Obi Ezeh, LB (Camped with Washington); Greg Banks, DE (camped with Detroit); James Rogers, DB (camped with Denver); Donovan Warren (formerly with Detroit); Todd Collins, QB (formely with Chicago); Martell Webb, TE (camped with Philadelphia); Greg Mathews, WR (formerly with St. Louis); Marlin Jackson, CB (formerly with Philadelphia), Jamar Adams, S (formerly with Philadelphia); Gabe Watson, DT (formerly with New York Giants); Matt Gutierrez, QB (formerly with Washington); Prescott Burgess, LB (formerly with Baltimore); Carson Butler, TE (formerly with New England); Pierre Woods, LB (formerly with Buffalo)
The AFC East is your conference leader, the New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers your team leaders.
Updated on September 25, 2011
Former Michigan Athlete of the Week: Charles Woodson
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| Charles Woodson (left), Captain Ugly Stupidhead (right) |
Charles Woodson saved the game for the Packers in their 30-23 victory over the Panthers by snagging two picks and recovering a fumble. He also made five solo tackles and deflected two passes. The Packers gave up a whopping 432 passing yards to rookie Cam Newton--who also threw for over 400 yards last week in his NFL debut--but Woodson's 3 takeaways ensured that last year's Super Bowl champs weren't upset by last year's most losing team.
Honorable mention: Tom Brady threw for 423 yards and three touchdowns with zero picks as his high-octaine Patriot offense destroyed my fantasy defense, which made the difference in my week two fantasy defeat. That's okay, though. He went to Michigan.
Monday, September 19, 2011
Michigan vs. Eastern Michigan Awards
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| This became a familiar sight: Denard Robinson leaves someone in his dust. |
Let's see more of this guy on offense . . . Junior Hemingway. Due to Denard Robinson's
Let's see less of this guy on offense . . . Denard Robinson. He has 42 carries in the past two games. Yes, all 16 of those carries were necessary against Notre Dame, which came down to the wire. But the 26 carries against Eastern Michigan? Not so much. Not only did Robinson take a beating, but he could have been working on passing instead, and the coaches could have maybe developed chemistry and timing for the running backs and receivers. Instead, they honed the running skills of a guy who ran for 1,702 yards last season.
Let's see more of this guy on defense . . . William Campbell. For two weeks in a row now, Campbell has played well at defensive tackle coming off the bench. Will Heininger did a decent job against Eastern Michigan, but he doesn't seem to hold up against better talent. As long as Campbell is putting in the work during the week, I think it's about time he gets the nod and starts at defensive tackle.
Let's see less of this guy on defense . . . Jake Ryan. I know, I know, he's done pretty well. But I had to pick someone, and sometimes he makes mistakes. And if Ryan is this good, I'd really like to see what the starting SAM linebacker - Cam Gordon - can do if he's recovered from his back injury. That would also give the coaches an opportunity to move Ryan around and play him more at weakside end.
Play of the game . . . Thomas Gordon's one-handed interception. Not only was the catch itself a thing of beauty, but the failure of the double pass gives an indication that Michigan's players were wary of the diamond formation on the left sideline that led to such a play. Tyler Benz didn't have a prayer of completing that pass, and the best he could have hoped for while the ball was in the air was a stone-handed defensive back who would let the ball drop the ground. No such luck.
MVP of the Eastern Michigan game . . . Denard Robinson. He didn't have a particularly great game (7-for-18 passing, 95 yards, 2 touchdowns, 1 interception; 26 carries, 198 yards, 1 touchdown) and the horrible passing took some of the luster off of his nearly 200 yards rushing, but he still led the team to a 28-point victory and made some ridiculous moves in the open field. Vincent Smith had a nice game, too, but he ran through gaping holes and didn't score any touchdowns.
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Recruit Tracker
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| Devin Funchess had a big game for Farmington Hills Harrison |
OL Blake Bars and Montgomery Bell Academy (1-4) were defeated by Battle Ground Academy.
LB Joe Bolden and Colerain (3-1) rolled Mason 56-20.
OL Ben Braden and his team the Rockford Rams (3-1) won by a score of 41-16 against West Ottawa.
DE Pharaoh Brown and the Brush Arcs (1-3) earned their first win of the season by soundly defeating Valley Forge 42-12.
S Jeremy Clark of North Hopkins (4-1) continued his playmaking this season by catching a 35 yard TD pass as his team stomped Union County 48-0.
TE Devin Funchess of Farmington Hills Harrison (4-0) caught 4 passes for 83 yards as FHH extended their undefeated season with a comfortable 34-7 win over Oxford.
S Allen Gant and the Southview Cougars (3-1) were victorious in their contest against Napoleon, winning 28-13.
DL Matt Godin of Detroit Catholic Central (4-0) continues to impress as he recorded 2.5 sacks in DCC's 42-6 victory over Highland Park. Next week, Godin should temper his enthusiasm for knocking around opposing quarterbacks as his team squares off against Shane Morris and Warren De La Salle. Detroit Catholic Central came in atop the first 2011 Associated Press high school football poll.
FB Sione Houma's Highland Rams (4-1) beat Clearfield by a score of 29-0, although Houma sat out with an ankle injury he suffered last week.
LB Royce Jenkins-Stone and Detroit Cass Tech (3-1) defeated Cody (West Side!) by a score of 36-6.
OL Kyle Kalis and the Lakewood-St. Edward's Eagles (4-0) beat Cincinnati Elder by a score of 30-10.
OL Erik Magnuson and his team the La Costa Canyon Mavericks (1-2) lost to San Clemente by a score of 58-7. Ace reports that Magnuson played on the defensive side of the ball and recorded a sack.
2013 QB Shane Morris and Warren De La Salle took on Al Fracassa, Michigan's most winning HS coach, and Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice on Sunday. De La Salle pulled out a 21-20 victory, but Brother Rice held Morris in check; he went 6-16 for 61 yards with one TD and one INT.
DL Mario Ojemudia and Farmington Hills Harrison (4-0) won over Oxford.
DT Ondre Pipkins and his Park Hill Trojans (3-1) defeated the Truman Patriots 21-3. Pipkins recorded 15 tackles and a sack against the Patriots, yet Truman's center said after the game, "Me and my guard were able to shut (Pipkins) down."
CB Terry Richardson caught a 25 yard touchdown pass as Detroit Cass Tech took care of Cody 36-6
LB Kaleb Ringer and his Northmont High School squad (1-3) earned their first victory of the season, winning 62-5 over Sidney.
LB James Ross and Orchard Lake St. Mary's (3-1) registered their third shut out of the season Friday night by defeating Detroit Jesuit 34-0.
CB Anthony Standifer and his Crete-Monee team (4-0) defeated Glenbard South 64-19.
DE Tom Strobel and his Mentor team (4-0) routed Mayfield 52-14.
2013 S Dymonte Thomas and Marlington (3-1) were defeated for the first time this season, losing 35-28 to Louisville. Thomas turned on the jets during a 67 yard TD rush that you can watch below.
S Jarrod Wilson and his Akron squad Buchtel (1-3) recorded their first win of the season by shutting out Akron Garfield 26-0.
DL Christopher Wormley and the Toledo Whitmer Panthers (4-0) won over St. Francis De Sales by a score of 34-0.
Kalis talks about his pre and post game routines:
Watch more videos of St. Edward footballWatch more videos of St. Edward football
Dymonte Thomas' 67 yard TD:
Please let us know if you have any updates to stats or anything else interesting/informative.
Maize 'n' Brew: September 17, 2011 Recruiting Update
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| Jenna Renee |
The weekly recruiting update has been posted over at Maize 'n' Brew, with talk about Dymonte Thomas and how the 2012 class might fill out.
Enjoy!
Michigan 31, Eastern Michigan 3
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| Thomas Gordon makes a one-handed interception |
A win is a win. It's tough to complain about a 28-point victory. I'll find a way, though.
Al Borges got Rich Rodriguez Syndrome. Hopefully it's not an incurable disease, but there's no reason for Denard Robinson to be running the ball 26 times (for 198 yards and 1 touchdown) against Eastern Michigan in a 28-point blowout. The guy who missed parts of ten games last season with various injuries - and who's reportedly suffering from a sore arm - needs a break once in awhile. When the Wolverines started their second-to-last drive with approximately ten minutes left in the fourth quarter, I thought backup Devin Gardner should have entered the game. It was 28-3. But Michigan was close to its own end zone, and I understand not wanting to put in a young, raw backup in that spot on the field. So what about when they crossed the 40? When they crossed the 50? Robinson was still running the ball up until the point that Brendan Gibbons kicked a short field goal. The
Denard Robinson has Steve Blass Disease. For a second week in a row, Robinson's inaccuracy was on display. He finished the game 7-for-18 (39%) for 95 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 1 interception after completing 46% of his passes against Notre Dame. That's a two-game total of 43% passing and 4 interceptions. This is not Al Borges's fault. It's not Brady Hoke's fault. There are wide open receivers that Robinson is flat-out missing. Kudos to Rich Rodriguez for figuring out that hitches, bubble screens, and inside slants are the only passes Robinson can complete with any regularity.
The Big Ten Network's announcers don't get paid, do they? I turned the volume down at various points, but those guys were clueless. Thomas Rawls had a carry in the second quarter (no, he didn't), we have a starting defensive lineman named "Will Henninner" (no, we don't), and Eastern Michigan "abandoned the run game" (they threw a total of 6 passes). Seeing Jon Jansen on the sideline was cool and all, but if the guys in the broadcast booth are going to be dumb, they could at least apologize to viewers by way of Melanie Collins or Ashley Russell (if they still work for the BTN).
Vincent Smith had a good game. I don't know if it's just luck or if the offensive linemen block a little harder when #2 gets the call, but Smith had lots of wide open running lanes. Despite getting only nine carries, the 5'6" running back had 118 yards. Those yards came on runs of 38, 27, 5, 14, 5, 6, 0, 11, and 12. Fitzgerald Toussaint had a solid day with 11 carries for 46 yards and 1 touchdown, but he and Michael Shaw keep running into traffic whereas Smith had gaping holes several times. I noticed in the spring that Smith seems to have his quickness back now that he's nearly two years removed from tearing his ACL, but it still concerns me that he can't break tackles.
Craig Roh, welcome back! In the first two games of the season, Roh did his best impression of Keyser Soze. Zero tackles, zero sacks, zero pass breakups, nothing. This week he broke out with 5 tackles and 1 sack. Last week Greg Mattison said that Roh played very well in the Notre Dame game, so it wasn't too much of a surprise when Roh started once again over Jibreel Black. Hopefully Roh continues to improve.
Bye bye, redshirts. Several true freshmen have played so far this year, including a couple guys who played for the first time this week - Thomas Rawls and Raymon Taylor. Other freshmen to see time this year include Desmond Morgan, Matt Wile, Blake Countess, Brennen Beyer, and Gregg Brown. No freshmen have really stood out, although Frank Clark had a nice play and Taylor . . . got a 15-yard penalty for a late hit. Otherwise, we haven't really seen any game changers from this freshman class, and I don't suspect we'll see any this year.
What happened to the jet sweeps? Eastern Michigan was having oodles of success with the jet sweep in the first half, and then they just stopped. I'm not sure if Michigan started scheming against it and taking it away, but it seemed to be in the best interest of EMU head coach Ron English to keep them coming.
This is Michigan's best safety combination since 2007. Jordan Kovacs (8 tackles) and Thomas Gordon (6 tackles, 1 interception, 1 fumble recovery) are playing better than any safety combo since Brandent Englemon and Jamar Adams. Kovacs seems to have gained some speed since we first saw him in 2009, and Gordon is a solid tackler with decent ball skills. Neither one will win many foot races, but so far they've helped to limit big plays. Hopefully that continues into the Big Ten season.
Brendan Gibbons kicked the ball through the uprights. That might have been the play of the day, if not for Thomas Gordon's one-handed pick on a double pass.
Saturday, September 17, 2011
2013 Offer Board Update
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| Cam Burrows |
The 2013 Offer Board has been updated:
Added Ohio CB Cam Burrows.
Added Texas OT Jake Raulerson.
Added Ohio DE Taco Charlton.
Ohio FS Dymonte Thomas committed to Michigan.
Added New Jersey QB Kevin Olsen.
Georgia FS Tray Matthews committed to Georgia.
Added North Carolina QB Riley Ferguson.
Added Georgia DT Jay Ellison.
Friday, September 16, 2011
Preview: Michigan vs. Eastern Michigan
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| There aren't any attractive women at EMU, so here's a random girl wearing green. Her name is Nicole Rivera. |
Rush Offense vs. EMU Rush Defense
Aside from Denard Robinson, who's the best running quarterback in history, Michigan has a few capable running backs in the forms of Michael Shaw, Vincent Smith, and Fitzgerald Toussaint. Toussaint is the nominal starter and missed last week's Notre Dame game with a shoulder injury, so he may have a chance to add to his gaudy statistics (11 carries, 80 yards, 2 touchdowns) again this week. Neither Shaw or Smith did particularly well running the ball against Notre Dame, but Carlos Brown housed a 90-yarder against the Screaming Eagles a couple years ago, so this game sets up well for a speedster like Shaw. Meanwhile, EMU has been allowing 1.6 yards a carry so far this season, but that has been to the likes of Alabama State and Howard. Expect that number to jump significantly.
Advantage: Michigan
Pass Offense vs. EMU Pass Defense
Robinson struggled throwing the ball against Notre Dame last week, completing less than 50% of his passes. But he still threw for 338 yards and 4 touchdowns, largely because receivers Junior Hemingway, Roy Roundtree, and Jeremy Gallon bailed him out on some jump balls. Robinson isn't an accurate downfield thrower and - come to think of it - he's not very accurate anywhere on the field, but he does have receivers who can stretch the field and who will come down with the ball if he tosses it up to them enough. The short passing game, however, should be effective against EMU because Michigan's short throws can turn into big plays against the inferior athletes in EMU's secondary. The Screaming Eagles have 10 sacks and 1 interception on the season, but Michigan's offensive line is pretty solid in pass protection.
Advantage: Michigan
Rush Defense vs. EMU Rush Offense
Two Eastern Michigan running backs are averaging over 7 yards a carry, not to mention quarterback Alex Gillett. The opponents surely have something to do with that, but Michigan is giving up 5.1 yards a carry, too. The Wolverines haven't been adept at stopping the run in a few years, and I'm not expecting that to change on Saturday. Defensive tackle William Campbell showed some signs of coming to life this past weekend, and hopefully that was due to his technique work and not a one-time thing brought on by the adrenaline of playing Notre Dame under the lights. If Campbell can get some penetration from his 3-technique spot, that would go a long way toward getting some stops in the run game. Eastern Michigan likely won't get big plays in the run game, but they should be able to move the ball, just like everyone else.
Advantage: Eastern Michigan
Pass Defense vs. EMU Pass Offense
Despite the 41-9 victory over Howard last weekend, quarterback Alex Gillett is still the only QB to attempt a pass for the Screaming Eagles. So far on the season, he's 19-for-40 with 176 yards with 3 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. I think Michigan's going to try to get some pressure on Gillett with the front four and try not to use linebacker and safety blitzes quite as often as they have for the past couple weeks, so we'll see if the defensive ends can finally create some havoc. Michigan has produced 2 sacks (both by safety Jordan Kovacs) and 3 interceptions thus far, and I would expect a few more sacks and one or two more interceptions by the end of Saturday. Gillett is a talented athlete, but he's not very accurate or strong armed and he lacks big play ability from his wideouts. Western Michigan and Notre Dame carved up Michigan's secondary to some extent over the past couple weeks, but this should be a less embarrassing day for the Wolverines.
Advantage: Michigan
Predictions
- Michigan's starting running back goes for 150 yards and 2 touchdowns
- Denard Robinson throws a silly pass that an Eastern Michigan defender drops
- Courtney Avery grabs his first career interception
- Michael Cox trucks all 11 defenders, Ron English, and the back judge on his way to a 200-yard touchdown run before disappearing into the ether and then joins the cast of Dancing with the Stars in 2025
- Michigan 49, Eastern Michigan 14
Thursday, September 15, 2011
A Note on Jon Reschke...
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| Jon Reschke |
Linebacker Jon Reschke, an in-state 2013 prospect from Birmingham (MI) Brother Rice, recently appeared on Scout.com's list of top 100 prospects for the class. Reschke has not yet been offered by Michigan, but an offer to an in-state kid with his level of talent is almost a foregone conclusion. He was in attendance for Michigan's victory against Notre Dame and thoroughly enjoyed the atmosphere.
As for where Reschke plans to go to college, that might be a bit more sobering to Michigan fans. His father attended Michigan State, but he seems most intrigued by the team that Michigan beat under the lights on Saturday - Notre Dame. Reschke likes their tradition and seems to be turned off by the amount of talent that the Wolverines are bringing in at linebacker for the class of 2012, which might prevent him from playing early. So far only Michigan State and Toledo have offered, but others are surely on their way in the coming months. Michigan would still have a shot with Reschke and likely remain high on his list, but Notre Dame seems to be his early leader.
Reschke would likely play SAM linebacker or weakside defensive end at the next level. He looks to be in the mold of a player like Jake Ryan, who Michigan fans are quickly growing to love. He's a likely 4-star prospect when all the rankings are done.
Thanks to the loyal reader who passed along this info, who will remain anonymous.
2013 Scout 100 Released
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| Shane Morris is an early 5-star recruit to Scout |
The Scout 100 has been released for 2013. Here are some of the notable prospects on the list, either because they've been offered by Michigan or they hail from the surrounding states that Michigan recruits most often:
5-stars:
Shane Morris - QB - Michigan (Michigan)
Jalin Marshall - QB - Ohio
Robert Foster - WR - Pennsylvania
Michael Hutchings - LB - California (offered)
4-stars:
Matthew Alviti - QB - Illinois
Kevin Olsen - QB - New Jersey (offered)
Ty Isaac - RB - Illinois
David Williams - RB - Pennsylvania
Adam Breneman - TE - Pennsylvania (offered)
Steven Elmer - OT - Michigan (offered)
Lovell Peterson - OT - Ohio
Ethan Pocic - OT - Illinois
Chris Fox - OG - Colorado (offered)
Justin Moody - DT - Pennsylvania
Billy Price - DT - Ohio
Elijah Daniel - DE - Indiana
Wyatt Shallman - DE - Michigan (offered)
Ben Gedeon - LB - Ohio (offered)
E.J. Levenberry - LB - Virginia (offered)
Jon Reschke - LB - Michigan
Jaylon Smith - LB - Indiana
Peter Kalambayi - LB - North Carolina (offered)
Tim Kimbrough - LB - Indiana
Cameron Burrows - CB - Ohio
Tray Mathews - S - Georgia (Georgia)
Dymonte Thomas - S - Ohio (Michigan)
Dymonte Thomas, Wolverine
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| Dymonte Thomas has horrible push-up form but plays football good. |
Dymonte Thomas, a running back and safety from Marlington High School in Alliance, OH, committed to Michigan last Saturday night. I had hoped to get this post written earlier, but it's just been a busy week. And he's only a junior, so what's the rush?
Thomas is a class of 2013 prospect who chose the Wolverines over offers from Illinois, Iowa, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, Tennessee, UCLA, and West Virginia. As of now, the coaches plan to play him at safety, although he could play several skill positions in college.
Thomas stands 5'11" and 167 lbs. according to the recruiting services, but other reports have him closer to 6'1" by now. He runs a 4.53 forty yard dash, benches 250 lbs., and squats 200 right now (which will hopefully improve significantly). He's a member of the Future 247 (247 Sports' top players for the upcoming class) and the ESPNU 150 to Watch.
Thomas was offered by the Wolverines several months ago, and Michigan immediately jumped to the forefront of his recruitment. Michigan was also recruiting Alden Hill, a fullback/running back from Marlington who has since chosen to attend Tennessee. Hill's Volunteer-ism didn't deter the coaches, who continued to pursue Thomas. Additionally, Thomas is the cousin of another Michigan target - Canton (OH) Glenoak's Bri'onte Dunn, a highly touted running back who is currently committed to Ohio State. There were reports a couple weeks ago that Dunn's commitment to OSU was stronger than ever, but rumors in the past week indicate that he could be wavering once again.
Aside from all the other ramifications, Thomas is a fine player in his own right. Playing varsity ball as a freshman for Marlington, he had 91 carries for 801 yards (8.8 yards per carry) plus 8 touchdowns, while also notching 56 tackles, 3 sacks, and 2 fumble recoveries. He doubled that production as a sophomore in 2010, when he had 186 carries for 1,641 yards and 17 touchdowns, plus 136 tackles, 6 sacks, 2 interceptions, and 1 fumble recovery.
There's isn't much film out there of Thomas's defensive prowess. Despite the excellent defensive statistics, they have been a bit overshadowed by his offensive exploits. Some people in and around Ohio consider Thomas to be the top running back and top safety prospect in the state. I'm longing for Thomas to play running back because it's been several years since Michigan had a dominant runner, but he prefers safety and that's where the coaches want him. Thomas was clearly a superior athlete even as a sophomore, and his speed and strength should only improve with time. If he truly is around 6'1" and can fill out to be 190-200 lbs., then the sky is the limit for someone with his athleticism and instincts. Michigan fans can look forward to a combination of 2012 safety Jarrod Wilson and 2013 safety Thomas pairing up for what could be Michigan's best safety duo since the mid-'90s.
TTB Rating: 84 (rating system explanation)
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Ex-Wolverine Updates
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| Sam McGuffie gets tackled by a dude with no helmet. Shame, shame, shame. |
Former Michigan safety Vladimir Emilien is no longer on the Toledo Rockets roster.
Former Michigan running back Sam McGuffie had 9 carries for 48 yards (5.3 yards per carry) in Rice's victory over Purdue on Saturday. He also caught 2 passes for 38 yards and 1 touchdown.
Former Michigan commit Bryce McNeal, who plays for Clemson, caught 1 pass for 8 yards in Saturday's 35-27 victory over Wofford.
Former Michigan commit Christian Wilson, who plays for North Carolina, caught 1 pass for 7 yards in Saturday's 24-22 victory over Rutgers.
Further information on these players and more is available in the Ex-Wolverine Encyclopedia.
Former Michigan Athlete of the Week: Tom Brady
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| Tom Brady, before he had sexy hair. |
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady had a decent game on Monday night. He finished the victory against the Miami Dolphins with 517 yards on 32-for-48 (66.7%) passing. He tossed 4 touchdowns and 1 interception. One of those touchdown passes was a 99-yard pass to Wes Welker. The Patriots won by a score of 38-24.
Honorable mention: Brady's opponent in that game was Chad Henne, who had an excellent game as well. Henne completed 30 out of 49 (61.2%) passes for 416 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 1 interception. He also ran 7 times for 59 yards (8.4 yards per carry) and 1 touchdown.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Rivals: Scouting Report from Good Counsel vs. Gilman
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| Stefon Diggs |
Good Counsel is the alma mater of cornerback Blake Countess, plus the home of current Michigan targets WR Stefon Diggs, RB Wes Brown, OT Mike Madaras (committed to Maryland), and DE Ryan Watson.
Meanwhile, Gilman is the home of ATH Cyrus Jones and 2013 DT Henry Poggi.
Recruit Tracker (updated)
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| Tom Strobel (#36) had 3.5 sacks on Friday night (image via The Wolverine Blog) |
OL Blake Bars and Montgomery Bell (1-3) were defeated by Baylor by a score of 23-16.
LB Joe Bolden and Colerain (2-1) were defeated by St. Xavier in an out of conference contest 17-14, snapping Colerain's 61 game home winning streak.
OL Ben Braden's team the Rockford Rams (2-1) were victorious in their contest against Grand Haven, winning 42-30.
DE Pharaoh Brown's team the Brush Arcs (0-3) were defeated by Kenston 31-27 after holding a 14-0 lead. Brown recorded a 21-yard touchdown reception in the contest.
OL Ben Braden's team the Rockford Rams (2-1) were victorious in their contest against Grand Haven, winning 42-30.
DE Pharaoh Brown's team the Brush Arcs (0-3) were defeated by Kenston 31-27 after holding a 14-0 lead. Brown recorded a 21-yard touchdown reception in the contest.
S Jeremy Clark and North Hopkins (1-3) were defeated by Henderson County 33-21. Clark had 3 tackles and returned a punt for a touchdown.
TE Devin Funchess caught a 69 yard touchdown pass as Farmington Hills Harrison (3-0) rolled Rochester Hills Stoney Creek following a weather delay by the score of 37-0. He ended the game with 2 receptions for 78 yards.
S Allen Gant and the Southview Cougars (2-1) were defeated by the Start Spartans 28-22. Gant had 12 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, and 1 forced fumble.
DL Matt Godin and Detroit Catholic Central (3-0) defeated Inkster 48-0. Godin recorded 2 tackles and a sack. Ace attended the game and reported via Twitter that Godin was a disruptive force who allowed other lineman to get sacks and make plays. Godin also saw some time on the offensive side of the line.
FB Sione Houma had only 1 carry for 3 yards and a 70-yard kickoff return before exiting the game due to a sprained ankle. His team the Highland Rams (3-1) were defeated by Lone Peak 56-41.
LB Royce Jenkins-Stone and Detroit Cass Tech (2-1) defeated Detroit Southeastern 51-0. He had 10 tackles, 1 fumble recovery, and 1 forced fumble. He also carried the ball 15 times for 86 yards and 2 touchdowns.
OL Kyle Kalis and the Lakewood St. Edward's Eagles (3-0) beat Youngstown Cardinal Mooney by a score of 34-17.
OL Erik Magnuson's team the La Costa Canyon Mavericks (1-1) were defeated 28-14 by Poway.
OL Erik Magnuson's team the La Costa Canyon Mavericks (1-1) were defeated 28-14 by Poway.
QB Shane Morris threw for 117 yards and a score as his team Warren De La Salle (3-0) won 31-28 over Dearborn Fordson. Morris put his legs on display late in the game on a third down play by taking off and hurdling a defender for a first down, which allowed De La Salle to run off the remaining time on the clock.
DL Mario Ojemudia blocked a punt for a safety during Farmington Hills Harrison's (3-0) 37-0 victory over Rochester Hills Stoney Creek. He also had 5 tackles and 2 sacks.
DT Ondre Pipkins and his Park Hill Trojans won 13-7 over Park Hill South, improving to 3-0 on the season. For what it's worth (probably not much) this guy thinks Pipkins became tired late in the third quarter. Pipkins had 9 tackles and 3 tackles for loss.
CB Terry Richardson helped Detroit Cass (2-1) Tech make quick work of Detroit Southeastern 51-0. He caught 4 passes for 67 yards and made 1 tackle.
LB Kaleb Ringer and his Northmont High School squad (0-3) lost to Cincinnati Moeller by a score of 63-12. Michigan offeree Monty Madaris had 2 touchdown receptions in the blowout.
LB James Ross and Orchard Lake St. Mary's (2-1) defeated Highland Park 44-0.
DB Anthony Standifer and Crete-Monee team (2-1) won at Moline 37-13. Standifer had 15 tackles, 2 pass breakups, 1 forced fumble, and a punt block.
DE Tom Strobel of Mentor (3-0) racked up 3.5 sacks in 20 tackles in a 38-24 victory over St. Ignatius.
S Dymonte Thomas of Marlington (3-0) committed to the 2013 class in the midst of last night's euphoria. Certainly one of the best prospects in Ohio, Thomas helped Marlington to a 41-23 victory over Poland Seminary by scoring a rushing touchdown.
S Jarrod Wilson and his Akron squad Buchtel (0-3) were defeated by Solon by the odd score of 28-2.
Christopher Wormley's team the Toledo Whitmer Panthers (3-0) took care of Brantford Collegiate by the score of 63-0 after leading 56-0 at halftime. Wormley forced a fumble which was returned for a touchdown in the game and had 2 tackles and 1 sack.
Christopher Wormley's team the Toledo Whitmer Panthers (3-0) took care of Brantford Collegiate by the score of 63-0 after leading 56-0 at halftime. Wormley forced a fumble which was returned for a touchdown in the game and had 2 tackles and 1 sack.