2014 Michigan Pro Day Results

Safety Thomas Gordon had perhaps the most impressive Pro Day

DB Courtney Avery: 36.5" vertical

DT Jibreel Black: 29 reps on 225 lb. bench

WR Jeremy Gallon: 39.5" vertical, 10'10" broad jump

LB Cameron Gordon: 4.65 forty, 36" vertical

S Thomas Gordon: 4.49 forty, 40.5" vertical, 10'5.5" broad jump, 4.10 twenty-yard shuttle

OT Taylor Lewan: Only participated in offensive line drills

WR Joe Reynolds: 37.5" vertical, 10'5" broad jump

OT Michael Schofield: 9' broad jump

RB Fitzgerald Toussaint: 4.49 forty, 24 reps on 225 lb. bench, 6.59 three-cone drill, 4.10 twenty-yard shuttle

DT Quinton Washington: 26 reps on 225 lb. bench

Courtney Avery, #11

Courtney Avery (#5)

HIGH SCHOOLI can't sum it up much better than I did back in March 2010: "The first [cornerback] to commit was Courtney Avery from Lexington, OH. Avery played quarterback - and played it well - as a high schooler, and if he were any taller than 5'10", he might have been worthy of some scholarship offers as a signal caller. Avery had been committed to Jim Harbaugh's Stanford Cardinal prior to pledging for Michigan, but impressed enough at Michigan's summer camp to garner an offer. Shortly afterward, he became a Wolverine. Avery has some shortcomings as a defensive back. He is an aggressive tackler, but he's small-ish and might lack ideal speed for man coverage. I think he'd be better off as a corner in a largely zone scheme, but he's the type of kid who could be a solid backup and perhaps contribute as a gunner on the punt team."

COLLEGE
Despite being tiny and inexperienced, Avery earned quite a bit of playing time in that awful 2010 season when Michigan gave up nine million yards and ten million points. Due to some injuries and attrition, Avery ended up starting five games and making 36 tackles, .5 tackles for loss, 4 pass breakups, and 1 forced fumble. The arrival of defensive coordinator Greg Mattison in 2011 moved Avery to slot corner, where he enjoyed the best season of his career. He had 26 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, .5 sacks, 2 interceptions, 4 pass breakups, 1 forced fumble, and 2 fumble recoveries; 1 one of those fumble recoveries was returned for an 83-yard touchdown against Purdue, and 1 of those interceptions sealed the 40-34 victory over Ohio State to end the regular season. As a junior in 2012, he had 19 tackles, 2 tackles, .5 sacks, 1 forced fumble, and 1 fumble recovery in four starts. With a very inexperienced free safety position, Avery practiced and played at both corner and safety leading into the 2013 season, but he was largely ineffective at both positions; he wrapped up his career with a season that included 30 tackles and half a sack.

CAREER STATISTICS
19 starts, 111 tackles, 5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, 2 interceptions for 1 yard, 8 pass breakups, 3 forced fumbles, 3 fumble recoveries for 89 yards and 1 touchdown

AWARDS
Academic All-Big Ten in 2012
Team Captain in 2013

SUMMARY
I typically like high school quarterbacks even when they're changing positions, as was the case with Avery. However, I was always skeptical of Avery because he lacked great athleticism for the cornerback position, and he wasn't big or aggressive enough to be a good fit at safety. When he had to play early in his career due to some injuries and questionable personnel choices, Avery really struggled. He took a leap forward when the new coaching staff in 2011 put him in the slot, where his iffy physical skills could be covered up a little bit. On top of going 11-2 and winning the Sugar Bowl, Avery had probably the two biggest highlights of his career - a game-clinching interception to win the Ohio State game and an 83-yard fumble return for a touchdown against Purdue. For whatever reasons, his career tailed off from there. His 2012 was just so-so, and his senior year got off to a rocky start because of a knee injury suffered in August; he ended up playing some corner and some safety throughout the season, but it was his least impressive season since his freshman year. On the plus side, the people within the program respected him enough to name him a senior captain for 2013.

I WILL REMEMBER HIM FOR . . . 
. . . his interception against Ohio State in 2011. It was the first Ohio State game I had attended in awhile, and it ended a prolonged losing streak to the Buckeyes. Avery jumped a route, which popped the ball up in the air before he dove to corral it before it hit the ground. It was fourth down, anyway, so an incompletion would have ended the game, but it made it extra sweet that the game ended on a pick.

PROJECTION
Listed at 5'11" and 175 lbs., Avery isn't the smallest guy out there, but he doesn't have the quickness, speed, or acceleration that teams are looking for in a cornerbac

Review of 2013 Season Predictions

Jeremy Gallon set several records this season.

Here's a link to my 2013 Season Predictions, which were posted at the end of August. This might be more fun for me than for you, but it's interesting to me to see how things played out this year.

LEADING RUSHER
Prediction: Fitzgerald Toussaint, 900 yards
Actual: Fitzgerald Toussaint, 658 yards
Thoughts: The offensive line was worse than anyone expected it to be, and Toussaint struggled to average 3.5 yards/carry. The next highest total was Devin Gardner's 483 yards.

LEADING RECEIVER
Prediction: Jeremy Gallon, 1100 yards
Actual: Jeremy Gallon, 1373 yards
Thoughts: Gallon had an outstanding season and goes down in the record books with the top yardage output by any receiver in Michigan history, surpassing Braylon Edwards's 1,330 yards in 2004. I expected him to have a very good season due to the Gardner-Gallon chemistry, but this was more explosive than anyone probably envisioned.

LEADING TACKLER
Prediction: James Ross III, 90 tackles
Actual: Raymon Taylor, 86 tackles
Thoughts: It's bad news when a cornerback leads the team in tackles, especially when that tackle total is so high. Opposing quarterbacks completed a lot of passes in front Taylor. Ross missed the second half of the Iowa game and the entire Ohio State game, so I'm pretty confident that he would have led the team in tackles if he had remained healthy.

LEADING SACKER
Prediction: Frank Clark, 8 sacks
Actual: Frank Clark and Cameron Gordon, 5 sacks (tie)
Thoughts: Clark started off slowly before turning on the jets a little bit in the middle of the season, but his season was somewhat of a disappointment considering all the offseason hype. Gordon started off quickly but lost some playing time once Jake Ryan returned midseason.

ALL-BIG TEN FIRST TEAM
Prediction: Taylor Lewan and Jeremy Gallon
Actual: Taylor Lewan was chosen by the Coaches and the Media. Devin Funchess and Blake Countess were chosen by the Media only.
Thoughts: Lewan was an obvious choice, and Gallon was robbed after conference finishes of #2 in receptions, #2 in yards, and #3 in touchdowns. Funchess earned his accolades as a tight end despite playing mostly at wide receiver, and Countess might be the Comeback Player of the Year in the conference after tearing his ACL in 2012. Nobody else on the team really had an argument to earn First Team honors.

LEADING SCORER (NON-QB, NON-KICKER)
Prediction: Fitzgerald Toussaint, 12 touchdowns
Actual: Fitzgerald Toussaint, 13 touchdowns
Thoughts: Toussaint ended up scoring 78 points on 13 rushing touchdowns, while I thought he would score 10 rushing and 2 receiving touchdowns, leaving him with 72 points. Gallon was next with 54 total points.

BREAKOUT OFFENSIVE PLAYER
Prediction: Jehu Chesson
Actual: Jake Butt
Thoughts: Chesson had an okay year with several devastating blocks, some nice plays on special teams coverage, and 15 catches for 221 yards and 1 touchdown. But I think Butt deserves this award as he improved as a blocker and became a reliable receiving target with 20 catches for 235 yards and 2 touchdowns.

BREAKOUT DEFENSIVE PLAYER
Prediction: James Ross
Actual: I don't even know who to pick here. Perhaps the answer here is Blake Countess, but I don't believe I even thought of him as being in the running since he was a starter as a true freshman in 2011. You could probably make an argument for Ross, Cam Gordon, or Frank Clark, who are the three guys I mentioned considering back in August.
Thoughts: Ross nearly led the team in tackles and might have surpassed 100 if he had been healthy. Gordon and Clark tied for the team lead in sacks. I don't really see any other legitimate options here, although we saw glimpses of what Chris Wormley, Willie Henry, Ben Gedeon, and Jarrod Wilson can do.

MOST DISAPPOINTING OFFENSIVE PLAYER
Prediction: Jack Miller
Actual: Jack Miller?
Thoughts: Again, I'm not sure whom to pick here. Miller started the first several games at center before being benched, never to see the field again. There was lots of disappointment to go around due to the underachieving offense (Devin Gardner, Fitzgerald Toussaint, Taylor Lewan, Kyle Kalis, even Devin Funchess). I guess Miller wins because he was really the only starter to get permanently benched, but I'm open to arguments.

MOST DISAPPOINTING DEFENSIVE PLAYER
Prediction: Jarrod Wilson
Actual: Courtney Avery
Thoughts: This is another tough choice, but Wilson made some nice plays early in the season. Avery proved to be kind of a lost cause at cornerback and safety, where he didn't really make one significant play all season except half of a sack against Michigan State. Otherwise, he was invisible except when guys were running past him. He went from a good nickel corner in 2011 to an okay one in 2012 to a liability at two different positions in 2013.

FINAL RECORD
Central Michigan: Win
Notre Dame: Win
Akron: Win
UConn: Win
Minnesota: Win
Penn State: Win Loss
Indiana: Win
Michigan State: Win Loss
Nebraska: Loss
Northwestern: Win
Iowa: Win Loss
Ohio State: Loss
-----------------------------
Prediction: 10-2
Actual: 7-5 (7-6 after bowl game) 

Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl Preview: Defensive Backs

Safety Ty Zimmerman is a potential game-changer at safety if he's healthy.

MICHIGAN
Starters: The headliner of this group is redshirt sophomore Blake Countess (5'10", 182 lbs.), who's tied for #5 in the country with 6 picks and is #3 in return yards with 169, including a touchdown. He also has 42 tackles and 4 pass breakups to his name. Countess starts on the outside but will slide into the slot when Michigan goes to its nickel packages. The other starter at corner is junior Raymon Taylor (5'10", 183 lbs.), who's tied for the team lead with 81 tackles and has 4 picks and 9 pass breakups of his own. Taylor racks up a lot of tackles because teams attack him instead of Countess, but he's a solid tackler when receivers catch the ball near him. The other sure starter in the defensive backfield is fifth year senior strong safety Thomas Gordon (5'11", 213 lbs.), a guy who lacks speed and isn't a headhunter but who usually seems to be in the right spot; he has 49 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 3 interceptions, and 2 pass breakups this year despite missing two games. The likely starter at free safety is sophomore Jarrod Wilson (6'2", 200 lbs.), a potentially violent hitter who sometimes gets caught out of position; he has 45 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 2 interceptions, and 2 pass breakups.
Backups: Wilson has lost some playing time to senior Courtney Avery (5'11", 175 lbs.), who has bounced back and forth between corner, slot corner, and safety throughout his career; he has 30 tackles and .5 sacks on the year but looks to have lost a step after an injury over the summer and has been inconsistent. Redshirt junior Josh Furman (6'2", 202 lbs.) is a linebacker in a safety's body, and he has just 11 tackles and 1 pass breakup on the year, despite earning two starts and a variety of backup duty. He can be taken advantage of through the air. At cornerback, when Countess slides into the slot, he's replaced by one of two freshmen: Channing Stribling (6'2", 171 lbs., 15 tackles) or Jourdan Lewis (5'10", 170 lbs., 17 tackles, 2 pass breakups). Whoever has the best week of practice is the one who earns the role that game, so we'll just have to wait and see who gets the nod.

KANSAS STATE
Starters: Fifth year senior safety Ty Zimmerman (6'1", 204 lbs.) is the leader of the group and has been a First Team All-Big 12 selection in both 2012 and 2013; he has 70 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 3 interceptions (2 returned for touchdowns), and 4 pass breakups this season. Unfortunately for the Wildcats, he missed the final two regular season games and is questionable for the bowl game. Sophomore fellow safety Dante Barnett (6'1", 186 lbs.) has 67 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 3 interceptions, and 3 pass breakups. The Wildcats spend a lot of time in a nickel package, so the fifth defensive back - a safety/linebacker hybrid - is redshirt junior Randall Evans (6'0", 190 lbs.), who has 59 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 2 interceptions, and 10 pass breakups. The cornerbacks are solid but did not earn any all-conference accolades. Fifth year senior Kip Daily (5'11", 180 lbs.) has 47 tackles, 2 interceptions, and 4 pass breakups on the year, while fifth year senior Dorrian Roberts (5'10", 168 lbs.) has 37 stops, 2.5 tackles for loss, 3 interceptions, and 8 pass breakups. Roberts is rather inexperienced after playing in junior college for two years, redshirting in 2011, and not seeing the field at all in 2012.
Backups: Redshirt junior Dylan Schellenberg (6'0", 189 lbs.) has been starting in Zimmerman's stead, and he has 19 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, and 1 interception on the year. Fifth year senior Carl Miles, Jr. (5'11", 190 lbs.) has 6 tackles and 1 pass breakup on the season, but he and the other backups are rarely used. Other than subbing Evans in and out for a linebacker, the Wildcats go with their starting unit almost the whole game.

THE TAKEAWAY
Michigan is #62 in the nation giving up 238 yards/game through the air, but much of that is due to teams throwing instead of running on a stout run defense; they're #32 in passer efficiency rating defense. Kansas State is #24 in the latter category and tied for #47 nationally at 222 yards allowed/game. Two of KSU's worst three games against the pass were in recent games against TCU and Oklahoma before righting the ship against a pathetic Kansas Jayhawks squad. They rank #20 in the country with 16 interceptions on the year. If Zimmerman is unable to go, the Wildcats are without any real playmakers in the defensive backfield, though. Michigan is #17 in interceptions with 17 this year, and the two starting corners are the strength of the backfield with 10 interceptions and 13 pass breakups between them. The safety play leaves a little bit to be desired between a lack of discipline (Wilson) and athleticism (Gordon). Despite having a better defensive unit against the pass, the better group of defensive backs play for . . .

ADVANTAGE: Michigan

Michigan vs. Iowa Awards

Brennen Beyer

Let's see more of this guy on offense . . . Dennis Norfleet. The kid is small but feisty and has big-play potential. Offensive coordinator Al Borges used him early in the year as a tip-off to the fact that Norfleet was about to get the ball. Once everyone figured that out, Borges just stopped using Norfleet altogether. So he's exciting enough to put him on the field to get him the ball . . . but he's not exciting enough to use as a decoy or even a situational player. But hey, Jeremy Jackson has averaged 11.4 yards/catch in four years and never scored a touchdown or had a play longer than 22 yards, so let's keep him out there.

Let's see less of this guy on offense . . . Jeremy Jackson. He has no purpose. Bizarro Fred Jackson says "He's like LaTerryal Savoy but slower."

Let's see more of this guy on defense . . . Jake Ryan. This is more just a way to say that I'm glad he's back. I still don't think he's 100%, but the guy is a playmaker and a heavy hitter. He had 5 tackles, 1 pass breakup, and a hit on quarterback Jake Rudock that turned into a 7-yard interception touchdown for defensive end Brennen Beyer.

Let's see less of this guy on defense . . . Courtney Avery. It's rare that players regress throughout their careers, but Avery would be one of those examples. He was overmatched as a freshman, played really well as a sophomore, took a step back as a junior, and now seems like a weak link in the secondary. The coaches moved him from nickel corner to safety in order to push guys like sophomore Jarrod Wilson, and while Wilson has been far from perfect, I think he's a clear step up from Avery. I liked the kid better when he was a slot corner and not one of the last lines of defense.

Play of the game . . . Brennen Beyer's interception return for a touchdown. On Iowa's first offensive play, Jake Ryan came on a blitz and hit Rudock as he was releasing the ball, resulting in a pick six for Beyer. It was the most exciting play of the day for the Wolverines, who couldn't create much of anything on offense. Honorable mention goes to Devin Gardner's scrambling 2-yard touchdown pass to A.J. Williams, where Gardner looked like he was going to take a gain of zero yards before stepping back and casually tossing the ball to Williams, who had been let go by defenders coming up to stop the run. It was Williams's first career catch and first career touchdown, and I wouldn't argue with somebody who said that was the play of the day.

MVP of the game . . . Raymon Taylor. Taylor had 8 solo tackles (9 total), 1 diving interception, and what was technically a fumble recovery on Iowa's first half-ending botched field goal snap. Taylor should have picked up the ball and run for what could have been a touchdown, but he still had nice coverage the entire game, tackled quickly, and was just a hair late to notch a couple pass breakups.

Video: Countdown to Kickoff 2013 - Day 15: Courtney Avery

Countdown to Kickoff 2013: Day 15 - Courtney Avery by mgovideo

2013 Season Countdown: #34 Courtney Avery

Courtney Avery

Name: Courtney Avery
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 174 lbs.
High school: Mansfield (OH) Lexington
Position: Cornerback
Class: Senior
Jersey number: #5
Last year: I ranked Avery #25 and said he would start at slot corner. He did start five games and had 19 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, .5 sacks, 1 forced fumble, and 1 fumble recovery.

Avery was the returning starter at slot corner last season, but he was forced into a tough spot immediately when starting field corner Blake Countess tore his ACL in the opener. Avery bumped outside and had some struggles. Afterward, the coaches inserted Raymon Taylor into the starting outside job and tried to keep Avery in the nickel package. It was a slightly down year for him after having been a pretty solid role player.

This spring Avery said he didn't take any reps at the nickel spot, and freshman Dymonte Thomas seems destined to take that position. Meanwhile, Avery looks like the primary backup at field corner behind Countess once again, although the additional practice time and reps should make him a more prepared backup there this season. The nickel and field corner positions are very different from each other. Michigan has had a rough time keeping corners healthy and on the field over the past several seasons (Countess, J.T. Floyd, Troy Woolfolk, Boubacar Cissoko, etc.), and the young guys generally aren't studs who should see the field right away. It will be good to have a veteran backup like Avery ready to step in if the need arises.

Prediction: Backup field corner

Spring Game Preview: Michigan vs. Michigan

Devin Gardner

Top five things to watch for when Michigan has the ball . . . 
1. That Devin Gardner's ACL stays intact. Michigan has already lost two players to ACL tears this spring (linebacker Jake Ryan and backup quarterback Russell Bellomy). An injury to Gardner would be catastrophic, since redshirt freshman walk-on Brian Cleary is the current backup and Shane Morris won't arrive until June.

2. The interior offensive line. Michigan's defensive line should be playing at a pretty high level because of the guys who return on that side, so will the three "starters" at left guard, center, and right guard get the job done?  Those three positions seem to be held by Ben Braden, Jack Miller, and Joe Burzynski currently, but there are a few players hot on their heels.

3. Who's next at wide receiver? We know Jeremy Gallon can be an explosive player, and we know what Michigan has in Drew Dileo and Jeremy Jackson.  Redshirt freshman Jehu Chesson has made some nice plays in practice, and sophomore Amara Darboh has done the same.  At least one of those two guys needs to step up by the fall if Michigan wants to have a high-powered offense.

4. Adequate Michigan running backs. The chance that we see a stellar performance from any of the currently available running backs looks slim.  With fifth year senior Fitzgerald Toussaint out with a broken leg, the job comes down to junior Thomas Rawls, redshirt sophomore Justice Hayes, sophomore Dennis Norfleet, and redshirt freshman Drake Johnson.  Rawls and Hayes have been unimpressive in their live game action so far - although Rawls did have a long touchdown in garbage time last year - and Norfleet was mostly limited to kickoff returns last season.  Drake Johnson has earned praise from the coaches at times, but he has looked so-so in a few spring practice clips.  It would be nice to see a developing, viable option this spring, but we might have to wait until Toussaint comes back or until Derrick Green arrives on campus.

5. What does the offense look like these days? Denard Robinson is gone, and we all loved him, but now Michigan should have an actual, bona fide quarterback.  The kind of quarterback that can sit in the pocket and throw the ball without tricking the defense into thinking it might be a run.  I don't expect Al Borges to give much away in a spring game, but we should get an inkling of the direction he wants to take the offense.  If the Pistol isn't installed by now, I would expect to see it in the fall; I also expect a little more threat of the downfield pass this year.

Top five things to watch for when Michigan is on defense . . .
1. How does Cam Gordon look filling in for the team's best defender? Cam Gordon had a pretty darn good season when he was a redshirt freshman playing free safety and linebacker, although the free safety thing was a bit of a stretch.  Since that 2010 season, he has mostly been an afterthought.  Jake Ryan was a terror of a pass rusher and made his fair share of plays against the run, too, and Michigan will have to manufacture a replacement for him.

2. Safety reps. Thomas Gordon is capable of playing both safety positions, and he's guaranteed to start at one of them.  Sophomore Jarrod Wilson can play free safety; senior Marvin Robinson can play strong.  Which player will get the most reps?

3. First world inside linebacker problems. Michigan probably has three starter-quality inside linebackers, along with some other guys who have potential.  As I have been predicting for a while, it appears junior Desmond Morgan will be your new middle linebacker (moving over from WILL) and sophomore James Ross will step in at weakside linebacker.  Meanwhile, sophomore Joe Bolden could conceivably be a starter at inside linebacker, although he might be a little large and stiff for WILL.

4. Cornerback depth. Redshirt sophomore Blake Countess might not do much in the spring game, since he's recovering from an ACL injury.  His replacement last year, junior Raymon Taylor, continues to fight for his job, and senior Courtney Avery appears to have abandoned the nickel corner position to compete at field corner.  Two of the three will presumably start in the fall, but the starting combo we'll likely see in the spring game will probably be Taylor and Avery.  It will also be interesting to see if young guys Delonte Hollowell and Terry Richardson have developed.

5. Freshman early enrollees. Defensive end Taco Charlton (6'6", 265 lbs.), cornerback Ross Douglas (5'10", 176 lbs.), and safety Dymonte Thomas (6'2", 187 lbs.) enrolled in January, and each one has a chance to contribute somewhere in the fall.  Charlton apparently looks the part, but his technique was rough coming out of high school; Douglas came in bigger than expected; and Thomas has been practicing some at corner and some at the nickel position, both of which are departures from what he played in high school.

Video: Courtney Avery talks spring practice, freshmen

Michigan vs. South Carolina Awards

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Defensive Backs Preview: Michigan vs. South Carolina

Jordan Kovacs was the team's MVP this season

MICHIGAN
Starters: Michigan will be missing its two starting cornerbacks from the beginning of the year; sophomore Blake Countess tore his ACL in the opener, and fifth year senior J.T. Floyd has been suspended for the Outback Bowl for breaking team rules.  Sophomore Raymon Taylor (5'10", 182 lbs.), who replaced Countess for most of the year, will likely slide over to Floyd's boundary corner position.  Taylor had his share of ups and downs on the season, but did a fair job overall and ended the regular season with 42 tackles, 2 interceptions (1 returned for a TD), 1 fumble recovery, and 1 pass breakup.  Junior Courtney Avery (5'11", 173 lbs.), who normally starts at nickel corner, will probably step in at Taylor's regular field corner spot.  Avery struggled there in some limited time early in the season, but he'll have more reps this time around; playing a new position against Alabama is an extremely difficult task.  This year Avery has 16 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, .5 sacks, 1 fumble forced, and 1 fumble recovery.  Fifth year senior strong safety Jordan Kovacs (6'0", 202 lbs.) has actually seen his statistics decline a little bit this year, but he was named the team's MVP by his teammates; he has 65 tackles, 5 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 1 interception, 2 pass breakups, and 1 forced fumble.  Redshirt junior Thomas Gordon (5'11", 207 lbs.) is more of a strong safety masquerading, but he has shown a knack for creating turnovers in the past; he has 75 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 2 interceptions, 1 forced fumble, and 2 pass breakups.  This is not a great group individually, but along with Floyd, they had the #2 passing yardage defense in the country.
Backups: Freshman safety Jarrod Wilson (6'2", 194 lbs.) has played more extensively than any other backup, but he hasn't had a signature positive play.  The game is moving too fast for him, as it often does with young safeties.  He could play a little bit at the nickel corner and has made 7 tackles and 1 fumble recovery on the year.  Another candidate for slot corner is sophomore Delonte Hollowell (5'9", 176 lbs.), who has 4 tackles and 1 fumble recovery but is more of a special teams player.  The most interesting candidate for playing time is freshman Dennis Norfleet (5'7", 161 lbs.), who returns kicks and ran the ball occasionally; he has now moved to defense in an attempt to shore up the depleted cornerback position.  Junior safety Marvin Robinson (6'2", 200 lbs.) is a run stuffer who has played sparingly on defense and made 7 tackles and 1 fumble recovery.  Redshirt sophomore Josh Furman (6'2", 203 lbs.) plays a lot on special teams but is a liability on defense; he has 10 tackles.

SOUTH CAROLINA
Starters: Redshirt sophomore Victor Hampton (5'10", 197 lbs.) starts at one cornerback spot; he has made 34 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 1 interception, and is tied for the team lead with 6 pass breakups.  The other starter is senior Akeem Auguste (5'9", 188 lbs.), who was injured early in the season and returned to start the last couple games; he has 15 tackles, 1 interception, 1 pass breakup, and 1 fumble recovery on the year. Senior D.J. Swearinger (6'0", 210 lbs.) is the free safety and has 70 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, 2 interceptions, 2 fumble recoveries, 1 forced fumble, and 5 pass breakups.  Sophomore Brison Williams (6'0", 205 lbs.) starts at strong safety and has made 48 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 2 interceptions, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery, and 4 pass breakups this season.
Backups: Redshirt junior Jimmy Legree (6'0", 189 lbs.), the other starting corner when Auguste was hurt, did a solid job.  Legree is a converted free safety and has 43 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, and 2 interceptions.  Redshirt freshman Ahmad Christian (5'10", 189 lbs.) has 8 tackles and 2 pass breakups as the backup to Hampton.  Sophomore Kadetrix Marcus (6'1", 185 lbs.) backs up the strong safety position and has made 5 tackles.

THE TAKEAWAY
The Wolverines have the #2 pass defense and #35 pass efficiency defense in the country, but quarterback play in the Big Ten has been woeful and they'll be down a starting corner (or two, if you include Countess).  Meanwhile, the Gamecocks have the #16 pass defense and the #34 pass efficiency defense in a schedule that included Georgia's Aaron Murray, Tennessee's Tyler Bray, Arkansas's Tyler Wilson, and Clemson's Tajh Boyd, not to mention East Carolina and UAB teams that put up pretty decent numbers through the air.  The Wolverines have played a steady diet of teams that rank in the 70's or lower in passing offense, and Alabama's A.J. McCarron - whose team blew out Michigan - was the only decent passer on the docket.  I don't think South Carolina quarterback Connor Shaw will shred the secondary, but the edge in defensive back play goes to the Gamecocks.

Advantage: South Carolina

Michigan vs. Air Force Awards

Devin Funchess caught 4 passes for 106 yards and this touchdown.

Let's see more of this guy on offense . . . Devin Funchess.  The freshman tight end burst onto the scene Saturday with a 4-catch, 106-yard, 1-touchdown performance.  His 30-yard touchdown reception showed him getting behind a safety and leaping to snatch the ball out of the air.  Brandon Moore can't do that, and I doubt A.J. Williams can.  Kevin Koger could do it occasionally, but Koger caught 4 passes just twice in his career and never had more than 60 yards in a single game.

Let's see less of this guy on offense . . . Denard Robinson.  Twenty carries is too many.  The team needs to get the running backs going.  Fitzgerald Toussaint had 8 carries for 7 yards in this game.  Thomas Rawls had 6 carries for 9 yards last week.  And those were your starting tailbacks.  Yep, 14 carries for 16 yards through two games.  Michigan needs to improve the play of the offensive line and let these tailbacks run a little bit.

Let's see more of this guy on defense . . . Courtney Avery.  I was not impressed with Raymon Taylor's performance at cornerback on Sunday, and I think Avery should remain the starter at field corner.  The coaches need to find another contributor for the slot corner spot, whether it's Taylor, Delonte Hollowell, or Thomas Gordon.  The injury to Blake Countess and the departure of Terrence Talbott have really hurt Michigan's secondary.

Let's see less of this guy on defense . . . Frank Clark.  Clark is still too undisciplined.  Yes, he made a couple nice plays, but he also made a couple bone-headed plays where he was culpable for losing contain.  He needs to be more consistent.  Hopefully Brennen Beyer's injury isn't too serious, because Beyer needs to get a bunch of snaps there.  Mario Ojemudia also looks decent as a bit player, although his size will become more of a detriment once the Big Ten season hits.

Play of the game . . . Denard Robinson's 58-yard touchdown run.  The first touchdown run was longer (79 yards), but the second was more fun to watch.  He slid to the left, waiting for Patrick Omameh to pull through the hole, then burst forward, cut to the right, cut upfield, jumped outside to the right sideline, and outraced the Air Force defense to the corner.

MVP of the game . . . Denard Robinson.  Jake Ryan had a great game, too, but Robinson had 218 rushing yards, 208 passing yards, and accounted for all 4 of Michigan's touchdowns.  He could have thrown the ball better, but he made just about every play possible in the running game.  He also seems to be developing a rapport with wide receiver Devin Gardner and tight end Funchess.

2012 Season Countdown: #25 Courtney Avery

Courtney Avery (#5)

Name: Courtney Avery
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 173 lbs.
High school: Mansfield (OH) Lexington
Position: Cornerback
Class: Junior
Jersey number: #5
Last year: I ranked Avery #22 and said he would start at cornerback with 40 tackles and 2 interceptions.  He started four games at slot corner and had 26 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 1/2 a sack, 2 interceptions, 2 forced fumbles, and 2 fumble recoveries (1 returned for a touchdown).

I thought Avery would be a full-time starting corner last season, but the coaches preferred to use him in the slot.  He started just four games, but he played very well in that role.  He filled up the stat sheet, as you can see above, and clinched the Ohio State win with a nice break on the ball for an interception.  As just a part-time starter, he was the co-leader in interceptions and tied a Michigan record with an 83-yard fumble return for a touchdown.  It was a very good all-around season.

Both starters at the outside cornerback positions return in 2012 (J.T. Floyd, Blake Countess), so it's unlikely that Avery will move out of the slot unless there's an injury or two.  However, I think Avery is a very capable athlete who could step in for one of those two guys and hold up pretty well.  The backups are young, inexperienced, and a little bit lacking in talent.  The one with the most potential is probably freshman Terry Richardson, who is only 154 lbs. and probably needs a redshirt.  If everyone stays healthy, Avery should continue to be an asset at the slot corner and make even more of an impact.  Once Floyd graduates after this season, we could see Avery slide outside.  Either way, Avery should have a very solid career under his belt after 2013 finishes.

Prediction: Starting slot corner; 30 tackles, 2 interceptions, 2 sacks

MGoBlue.com: Courtney Avery Bridges Past and Present

Kate Upton is wonderful

MGoBlue.com put up a story about Michigan cornerback Courtney Avery, who happens to be a distant relative of Michigan's first black player - going all the way back to the 1890s.

Defensive Backs Preview: Michigan vs. Virginia Tech

This is Jayron Hosley (#20).  I bet #41 is gonna catch him.

MICHIGAN
Starters: Redshirt junior J.T. Floyd (6'0", 185 lbs.) started 11 games at cornerback; he was named All-Big Ten Honorable Mention after recording 45 tackles, 8 pass breakups, 2 interceptions, and 1 forced fumble.  True freshman cornerback Blake Countess (5'10", 176 lbs.) started the final 5 games of the season; he has made 36 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 6 pass breakups, and 1 forced fumble.  Fifth year senior Troy Woolfolk (6'0", 191 lbs.) starts at free safety after beginning the year as the starting cornerback; he has notched 29 tackles and 2 pass breakups on the year.  Redshirt junior Jordan Kovacs (6'0", 197 lbs.) started 11 games at strong safety; he ended the regular season with 64 tackles, 8 tackles for loss, 4 sacks, 1 interception, 1 pass breakup, 1 fumble recovery, and 2 forced fumbles.
Backups: Redshirt sophomore Thomas Gordon (5'11", 208 lbs.) started 9 games and arguably should have held his starting job over Woolfolk at free safety; Gordon made 59 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, 1 interception, 2 pass breakups, 4 fumble recoveries, and 2 forced fumbles.  Sophomore cornerback Courtney Avery (5'11", 173 lbs.) started 2 games at nickel corner; on the season he has 24 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, 1/2 a sack, 2 interceptions, 3 pass breakups, 1 forced fumble, and 2 fumble recoveries (1 returned for an 83-yard touchdown).

VIRGINIA TECH
Starters: Junior cornerback Jayron Holsey (5'10", 171 lbs.) started 12 games at cornerback and was named Second Team All-ACC; he made 59 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 3 interceptions, and 8 pass breakups. The other starting corner will probably be Cris Hill (5'11", 180 lbs.), a fifth year senior who has 5 starts; Hill has 33 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 1 interception, and 6 pass breakups.  Free safety Antone Exum (6'0", 220 lbs.) was All-ACC Honorable Mention; he has made 85 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 1 interception, and 10 pass breakups.  Senior rover Eddie Whitley (6'1", 200 lbs.) was named Second Team All-ACC; he has 78 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, and 2 interceptions on the year.
Backups: Part-time cornerback Kyle Fuller was discussed in the linebackers preview, since he will likely start at weakside linebacker; he's essentially a nickel corner.  Redshirt freshman cornerback Detrick Bonner (6'0", 189 lbs.) is the only other significant contributor in the defensive backfield; he started two games at cornerback and has 26 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, and 1 interception on the year.

THE TAKEAWAY
Going purely by accolades, J.T. Floyd is Michigan's best defensive back, and even he could only manage honorable mention when it came to all-conference selections.  Meanwhile, Virginia Tech has two or three All-ACC Second Teamers in the backfield, depending on where you place Kyle Fuller.  Holsey himself has more career interceptions as a junior (12) than the entirety of the Michigan defensive backfield (10).

As for team rankings, it's somewhat equal.  Virginia Tech is #17 in pass efficiency defense and #39 in pass defense, while Michigan is #36 in pass efficiency defense and #17 in pass defense.  It helps the Hokies that their front seven (and nickel corners) get after the quarterback and are #11 nationally in sacks.

However, the individual numbers suggest that Virginia Tech has the better defensive backfield.  Their starters have the edge in interceptions (7 to 3) and tackles for loss (27 to 17), as well as all-conference selections.  Holsey is a better cover corner than anyone Michigan has at this point, and the rest of Michigan's secondary doesn't make up the difference.

Advantage: Virginia Tech

Poll Results: Breakout Defender?

Blake Countess is the overwhelming choice for breakout defender of the year.

A couple weeks ago, I suggested that Desmond Morgan and Courtney Avery were both in the running for being breakout defenders.  Some readers disagreed with me, so I created a poll that received over 300 votes.  Which defensive player had the biggest breakout season in 2011?  Here are the results:

Blake Countess: 64%
Jake Ryan: 28%
Desmond Morgan: 4%
Thomas Gordon: 1%
Courtney Avery: 0% (2 votes)
Other: 0% (1 vote)

Freshman cornerback Blake Countess is your clear winner.  Countess started five games and played in eleven contests as a true freshman.  Midway through the season, he seemed to have usurped the starting cornerback job from fifth year senior Troy Woolfolk, who suffered from nagging injuries all year.  Countess finished the regular season with 36 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 1 forced fumble, and 6 pass breakups (second on the team).  Furthermore, Countess showed the promise to be a potential all-conference corner for the next two or three seasons.

Redshirt freshman linebacker Jake Ryan received the next most votes.  Ryan is a 6'3", 230 lb. SAM 'backer who started ten games.  He made several timely big plays throughout the year, including forcing a fumble against San Diego State and causing an interception against Western Michigan that was returned 94 yards for a touchdown by Brandon Herron.  Ryan has 30 tackles, 7 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, and 1 fumble recovery on the year.

True freshman WILL 'backer Desmond Morgan finished third, despite starting more games than Countess.  He led the team in tackles twice and finished the regular season with 53 tackles (fifth most on the team), 2.5 tackles for loss, 1 sack, and 1 fumble recovery.  The 6'1", 220-pounder likely suffered damage in the area of public perception when he was juked and outrun multiple times by Ohio State quarterback Braxton Miller, but not many linebackers match up well with Miller in open space.

Redshirt sophomore free safety Thomas Gordon surprisingly finished fourth in the voting, despite having a largely forgettable 23-tackle performance in 2010.  Gordon started nine games at free safety and seemed to lose his job late in the season simply because the coaches didn't want to relegate Woolfolk to the bench.  Gordon finished the regular season with 59 tackles (third on the team), 1.5 tackles for loss, 1 interception, 2 pass breakups, 4 fumble recoveries, and 2 forced fumbles.  His interception was one of the highlights of the season when he expertly read a double pass against Eastern Michigan and made a one-handed pick.  Gordon also has a knack for being around the ball, which is apparent with his 4 fumble recoveries.

Sophomore cornerback Courtney Avery is down at the bottom, receiving only two of the votes.  Avery started only two games at cornerback, but he made several big plays.  One was an 83-yard fumble return for a touchdown against Minnesota.  He also made two impressive interceptions - the game-clinching one against Ohio State and another nice one against Purdue - to finish tied for first on the team in that category.  Avery's regular season stats include 24 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, 1/2 a sack, 2 interceptions, 2 fumble recoveries (1 for a touchdown), and 1 forced fumble.

There was one vote for "Other" but I'm not sure which player earned that vote.

In order, my ballot would be Desmond Morgan, Blake Countess, Thomas Gordon, Jake Ryan, and Courtney Avery.  Morgan earned the starting job over several contenders, including a senior (Herron), a junior (Brandin Hawthorne), and others.  There were some bumps along the way, but he acquitted himself well.  I already expected good things from Countess from when he was recruited, so his success wasn't really a "breakout" to me; I also expected good things from Morgan, but not quite so soon.  Gordon had more experience than either of those freshmen, but he watched from the sideline for most of 2010 and still turned into a big-play guy who filled up the stat sheet.  Ryan made some big plays, but also has some chinks in the armor.  He will be good soon, but 30 total tackles is a little underwhelming for a linebacker.  You could make a case that Avery deserves to be higher, and I might not argue; Michigan is in decent shape if he's the nickel corner.

Looking Back at My Predictions...

This girl approves of my pre-season predictions.

It's always interesting to me to look back at my predictions from the beginning of the season.  Some were alarmingly accurate, others not so much.

A few highlights:

Leading rusher: I picked Denard Robinson to have 900 yards, which was too few yards (he has 1,163 while Fitzgerald Toussaint has 1,011) but the right guy.

Leading receiver: I picked Junior Hemingway to have 1,000 yards.  Again, the right guy but a ways off on the yardage total (he has 636).

Leading tackler: I picked Kenny Demens to have 100.  He currently has 86 and has an outside shot to get to 100 in the bowl game.

Leading sacker: I picked Roh to have 7.  This probably won't happen unless he has a monster bowl game.  Roh has 4 but Ryan Van Bergen currently has 5.

Leading interceptor: I picked Kovacs to have 3.  He only has 1.  Courtney Avery and J.T. Floyd are currently tied for the lead with 2.

Breakout offensive player: I picked Jeremy Gallon.  And while Gallon did break out this season (30 catches, 450 yards, 4 touchdowns), I think it's fair to say that Fitzgerald Toussaint had a bigger breakout.

Breakout defensive player: I picked Courtney Avery, who is tied for the team lead in interceptions and returned a fumble for a touchdown.  So that's close.  But I also mentioned Desmond Morgan in the blurb, and he earned a starting job and ranks fifth in tackles.

Most disappointing offensive player: I picked Roy Roundtree, who had over 900 yards last season but only had 18 receptions for 345 yards and 2 touchdowns this year.  I can't think of anyone else who was disappointing on offense.

Most disappointing defensive player: I picked Troy Woolfolk.  Woolfolk got a lot of hype prior to the season (from me included) because of his solid play in 2009, but I had a feeling that he would be just a guy this year.  He's currently tied for 11th in tackles and didn't have a hand in any turnovers, so I think he probably counts as most disappointing.  But he was nursing injuries for most of the season, so we didn't see the best of him, unfortunately.

Michigan vs. Ohio State Awards

Eat my dreads.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Michigan vs. Nebraska Grades: Defense

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

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

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

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

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

Michigan vs. Nebraska Awards

Jeremy Gallon hauls in a touchdown pass
(image via Rivals)

Let's see more of this guy on offense . . . Jeremy Gallon/Martavious Odoms.  Gallon isn't exactly DeSean Jackson with the football in his hands, but he sure does have a way of gaining extra yards in the open field.  Whenever he catches the ball, I expect at least a couple people to miss tackles.  Odoms, on the other hand, just plays with a reckless energy that I'm going to miss next year.  He's finally getting some more time, and it's nice to see him playing more as he finishes out his career.  His 38-yard touchdown reception was a dagger.

Let's see less of this guy on offense . . . Michael Shaw.  Shaw has the speed to get outside, but Michigan has had a hard time sealing the edge this season.  Shaw is more of a straight-ahead runner, and I don't think he's being used properly right now, because he doesn't have great vision.  I was in support of playing him more early in the season, but as Al Borges seems to go away from the I-formation as the season wears on, Shaw's talents are a bit superfluous.

Let's see more of this guy on defense . . . nobody.  The defense is operating at a high level right now.  There's no need to mess with success.

Let's see less of this guy on defense . . . nobody.  See above.

Play of the game . . . Terrence Robinson's forced fumble on the opening kick of the second half, which was recovered by Courtney Avery.  Robinson has barely played on offense this season, but he has made his presence his known on special teams.  With Michigan clinging to a 17-10 lead coming out of halftime, this particular play must have made Nebraska thing that it just wasn't their day.  The offense scored a touchdown to make it 24-10 and the game was essentially over.

MVP of the game . . . Fitzgerald Toussaint.  Toussaint had 29 carries for 138 yards and 2 touchdowns.  On a day when the offensive line struggled to create holes in the running game, Toussaint made positive plays on snaps that looked to be doomed.  I often talk about explosive plays in the running game, and Toussaint now has at least one 20+ yard rush in 6 out of 13 career games, including his 31-yard touchdown against the Cornhuskers.  Toussaint now has 891 yards and 9 touchdowns on the season.