Former Michigan Athlete of the Week: Larry Foote

Larry Foote (#17)

Larry Foote - who seemed on the verge of retirement - is now starting at inside linebacker for the Arizona Cardinals, and he's doing a pretty good job there. In their 25-14 win over the New York Giants, he had 8 tackles, 1 interception, and 1 pass breakup. That's his second straight game with 8 tackles and a pass breakup, and he added the pick this week. That's a great start to the 2014 season. In that same game, teammate Kenny Demens made 2 tackles on special teams and forced a fumble.

Honorable mention: Carolina Panther wide receiver Jason Avant caught 5 passes for 54 yards and a touchdown in a 24-7 win over the Detroit Lions. Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Leon Hall made 6 tackles, 1 interception, and 2 pass breakups in a 24-10 victory over the Atlanta Falcons. Oakland Raiders defensive back Charles Woodson made 8 tackles, but they lost to the Houston Texans, 30-14.

Former Michigan Athlete of the Week: Jason Avant

Jason Avant (#8) with Steve Breaston, Matt Gutierrez, and Braylon Edwards (left to right)

Avant had 5 catches for 87 yards and 1 touchdown while his Philadelphia Eagles lost to the Kansas City Chiefs, 26-16.

Honorable mention: Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Leon Hall had 4 tackles, 1 interception, and 3 pass breakups in a 34-30 victory over the Green Bay Packers. New York Jets linebacker David Harris had 7 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 1 sack, and 1 quarterback hurry in a 27-20 victory over Buffalo. Jacksonville Jaguars running back Denard Robinson had 1 carry for -2 yards and 2 kickoff returns for 54 yards in a 45-17 loss to the Seattle Seahawks.

Former Michigan Athlete of the Week: Ryan Mundy

Ryan Mundy

New York Giants free safety Ryan Mundy had 6 tackles, 1 pass breakup, and 1 interception that he returned 91 yards for a near touchdown. Unfortunately, the Giants lost by a score of 36-31 to the Dallas Cowboys. Mundy had 86 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 3 interceptions, and 1 pass breakup at Michigan from from 2003-2006 before transferring to West Virginia for his senior year in 2007.

Honorable mention: Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker LaMarr Woodley had 4 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 1 sack, and 1 quarterback hurry in a 16-9 loss to the Tennessee Titans; teammate Zoltan Mesko, previously released by the New England Patriots, averaged 44.1 yards on 7 punts in the loss. Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Leon Hall had 7 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, and 2 pass breakups in a 24-21 loss to the Chicago Bears. And in case you were wondering, Jacksonville Jaguars running back Denard Robinson had 2 carries for 1 yard in a 28-2 loss to Kansas City (which featured Junior Hemingway on a 3-yard touchdown reception).

Former Michigan Athlete of the Week: Leon Hall

Leon Hall scored the first touchdown of this year's playoffs on a twenty-one yard pick six during the second quarter of his Bengals' 19-13 loss to the Texans. He also posted four tackles and a pass deflection in the game. The interception was Hall's third in the last four contests and the second that has been taken back for a touchdown.

Leon appears to be fully recovered from tearing his Achilles tendon late last season and is the winner the Ed Block Courage Award for his work and persistence during the rehabilitation process.  The award is voted on by teammates and given to those who "exemplify commitments to the principals of sportsmanship and courage."

Honorable mention:

• Alan Branch recorded five tackles and a sack as his Seattle Seahawks beat the Washington Redskins, 24-14, and advance to play the Atlanta Falcons in next week's playoff game.
• Charles Woodson was voted a playoff captain, despite missing much of the regular season with a shoulder injury.  He made six tackles in his Packers' 24-10 victory over the Vikings; they move on to play Jonathan Goodwin's 49ers in the next round.     

Former Michigan Athlete of the Week: Leon Hall

Leon Hall scores a touchdown on an interception

Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Leon Hall picked off his second pass of the year when he stepped in front of a pass from Ben Roethlisberger and returned it 17 yards for a touchdown.  Hall also broke up 1 pass.  The Bengals beat the Steelers, 13-10.

Honorable Mention

• The New England Patriots' Tom Brady completed 24/41 passes for 267 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions in a 23-16 win over Chad Henne's Jacksonville Jaguars.  Henne finished 29/51 for 348 yards, 1 touchdown, and 3 interceptions.
• Philadelphia Eagle Brandon Graham made 6 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, and 1 pass breakup in a 27-20 loss to the Washington Redskins.
• New York Jet linebacker David Harris made 10 tackles and 1 pass breakup in a 27-17 loss to the San Diego Chargers.
• San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Mario Manningham tore his ACL and MCL when he caught his first pass on Sunday, so he'll miss the rest of the season.
• Tennessee Titans defensive tackle Mike Martin made 3 tackles, 1 sack, and 1 tackle for loss, but the Green Bay Packers won in a blowout, 55-7.

Former Michigan Athlete of the Week: Brandon Graham

Is that you, Magnus?

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

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

Exhibit A

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

Miscellaneous:

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

Wolverines in the NFL: 2011 Regular Season Statistics

David Harris racked up 85 tackles and made 4 picks in 2011

Offense

Quarterbacks

Tom Brady:  5235 yards, 65.6 completion percentage, 39 touchdowns, 12 interceptions, 105.6 QB rating

Chad Henne:  868 yards, 57.1 completion percentage, 4 touchdowns, 4 interceptions, 79.0 QB rating

Ryan Mallett:  Did not accrue any statistics in 2011

Running Backs

There aren't any former Michigan running backs who play in the NFL.  (Don't be in a rush, Fitz.)

Wide Receivers

Steve Breaston:  61 receptions for 785 yards, 2 touchdowns, 1 carry for 25 yards

Jason Avant:  52 receptions for 679 yards, 1 touchdown, 2 fumbles lost

Mario Manningham:  39 receptions for 523 yards, 4 touchdowns

Braylon Edwards:  15 receptions for 181 yards

Adrian Arrington:  2 receptions for 31 yards, 4 games played

Offensive Linemen

N/A (Jake Long, Stephen Schilling, David Baas, Jeff Backus, Steve Hutchinson, Jonathan Goodwin)

Defense

Cornerbacks

Charles Woodson (also played safety):  74 tackles, 7 interceptions, 1 touchdown, 17 pass deflections

Leon Hall:  32 tackles, 1 fumble recovered, 2 interceptions, 7 pass deflections

Morgan Trent:  16 tackles, 1 fumble recovered, 2 interceptions, 4 pass deflections


Safeties

Ryan Mundy:  37 tackles, 1 interception, 1 pass deflection

Stevie Brown:  5 tackles


Linebackers

David Harris:  85 tackles, 65 solo, 5 sacks, 4 interceptions

Larry Foote:  47 tackles, 1.5 sacks

LaMarr Woodley:  39 tackles, 9 sacks, 1 interception

Prescott Burgess:  3 tackles, 3 games played

Jonas Mouton:  Did not accrue any statistics (Injured Reserve)


Defensive Linemen

James Hall:  50 tackles, 6 sacks

Alan Branch:  34 tackles, 3 sacks

Tim Jamison:  19 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 fumble forced, 1 fumble recovered

Brandon Graham:  4 tackles, 3 games played

Special Teams

Zoltan Mesko:  46.5 average, 41.5 net (third in NFL), 65 long, 24.1% inside the 20

Jay Feely:  19 field goals made out of 24 attempted (79.4%), 33 for 33 on extra points 

Former Michigan Athlete of the Week: Leon Hall

Former Michigan Wolverine and first-round draft pick, Leon Hall, starts at cornerback for the Cincinnati Bengals. Shockingly, they have the NFL's number 2 ranked defense, giving up only 278 YPG. That's second only to the Pittsburgh Steelers and just in front of the Baltimore Ravens. On Sunday, Hall recorded 5 tackles, two pass deflections and a nice-looking interception in a 27-17 victory over the Indianapolis Colts. Hall's interception came with only 2:36 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, taking away any hopes of a Colts comeback. The interception was the first of the season for the Bengals' defense and the 19th of Hall's relatively young career. Fellow ex-Wolverine CB, Morgan Trent, also saw playing time as a member of the Bengals' dominating defense of doom on Sunday, but he did not register on the stat sheet. Cincinnati holds a 4-2 record heading into their bye week.

Honorable Mention: The Houston Texans lost to the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday by a score of 29-14, but Texans defensive lineman Tim Jamison lit up the stat sheet on a single play when he "strip-sacked" Joe Flacco and then recovered the fumble. Watch video of the play here. He had two tackles, two TFLs, two sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery on the day.

2003 Offer Board

94 total offers

QUARTERBACK (6)
Clayton Richard - Lafayette, IN (Michigan)
Sam Keller - San Ramon, CA (Arizona State)
Marcus Stone - Harrisburg, PA (North Carolina State)
Brady Quinn - Dublin, OH (Notre Dame)
John David Booty - Shreveport, LA (USC)
Kevin McCabe - Wexford, PA (Virginia)

RUNNING BACK (12)
Anton Campbell - O'Fallon, MO (Michigan)
Jerome Jackson - Saginaw, MI (Michigan)
Ervin Battle-Baldwin - Richmond, VA
Carl Stewart - Maryville, TN (Auburn)
Lennox Whitworth - Milton, MA (Boston College)
Terry Arnold - Tallahassee, FL (Cincinnati)
Kregg Lumpkin - Stone Mountain, GA (Georgia)
Michael Bush - Louisville, KY (Louisville)
Barrington Edwards - Bowie, MD (LSU)
Lynell Hamilton - Stockton, CA (San Diego State)
Erik Hardeman - Pflugerville, TX (Texas)
LenDale White - Littleton, CO (USC)

WIDE RECEIVER (13)
Antowan Bell - Baltimore, MD
Genoa Dill - Compton, CA
Dorien Bryant - Swedesboro, NJ (Boston College)
John Logan - Lexington, KY (Kentucky)
Greg Bracey - Milwaukee, WI (Missouri)
Jesse Holley - Roselle, NJ (North Carolina)
Chris Hawkins - Henderson, NC (North Carolina State)
Tristen Ross - Shreveport, LA (Oklahoma)
Jayson Swain - Huntsville, AL (Tennessee)
Brandon Allen - Atlanta, GA (Troy)
Steve Smith - Woodland Hills, CA (USC)
Shannon Lane - Virginia Beach, VA (Virginia)
Charles Smith - San Diego, CA (Washington)

TIGHT END (7)
Will Paul - St. Louis, MO (Michigan)
Vernon Davis - Washington, DC (Maryland)
Greg Olsen - Wayne Hills, NJ (Miami)
Marcel Frost - Lyndhurst, OH (Ohio State)
Louis Irizarry - Youngstown, OH (Ohio State)
Chris Barrett - Tustin, CA (USC)
Danny Kaye - New Berlin, WI (Wisconsin)

OFFENSIVE TACKLE (4)
Adam Kraus - New Orleans, LA (Michigan)
Jake Long - Lapeer, MI (Michigan)
Mike Jones - Oak Lawn, IL (Iowa)
Ryan Harris - St. Paul, MN (Notre Dame)

OFFENSIVE GUARD (3)
Pat Sharrow - Monroe, MI (Michigan)
Jeff Zuttah - Princeton, NJ (Michigan)
Martin O'Donnell - Downers Grove, IL (Illinois)

CENTER (1)
John Sullivan - Greenwich, CT (Notre Dame)

DEFENSIVE END (9)
LaMarr Woodley - Saginaw, MI (Michigan)
Joe Cohen - Palm Bay, FL (Florida)
Tim Washington - Sugar Land, TX (LSU)
Victor Abiamiri - Baltimore, MD (Notre Dame)
Doug Van Dyke - Marshall, MI (Purdue)
Claude McBride - Camden, NJ (Tennessee)
Lawrence Jackson - Inglewood, CA (USC)
Allen Billyk - New Castle, PA (Virginia)
Jermaine Dias - Hackensack, NJ (Virginia)

DEFENSIVE TACKLE (7)
Luis Hernandez - Metarie, LA (Indiana)
Carnell Stewart - River Ridge, LA (LSU)
Conrad Bolston - Washington, DC (Maryland)
Isaiah Thomas - Winston-Salem, NC (North Carolina State)
Trevor Laws - Apple Valley, MN (Notre Dame)
David Patterson - Warrensville Heights, OH (Ohio State)
Lawrence Dampeer - Decatur, IL (Oklahoma)

LINEBACKER (13)
Prescott Burgess - Warren, OH (Michigan)
Shawn Crable - Massillon, OH (Michigan)
Jim Presley - Highland, MI (Michigan)
Anthony Rogers - Saginaw, MI (Central Michigan)
Ernie Sims - Tallahassee, FL (Florida State)
Kirston Pittman - Reserve, LA (LSU)
Wesley Jefferson - Brandywine, MD (Maryland)
Fred Sparkman - Columbia, TN (North Carolina)
Joe Brockington - Palmyra, PA (Notre Dame)
Victor DeGrate, Jr. - DeSoto, TX (Oklahoma State)
H.B. Blades - Plantation, FL (Pittsburgh)
Marcus Lawrence - El Dorado, KS (South Carolina)
Mike Brown - Palm Beach Gardens, FL (Virginia Tech)

CORNERBACK (9)
Leon Hall - Vista, CA (Michigan)
Antonio Cromartie - Tallahassee, FL (Florida State)
Paul Oliver - Kennesaw, GA (Georgia)
William Cooper - Flint, MI (Michigan State)
Jeramie Johnson - Atlanta, GA (Mississippi State)
Isaiah Gardner - Salem, VA (Notre Dame)
Freddie Parish - Long Beach, CA (Notre Dame)
Dareus Hiley - Cleveland, OH (Ohio State)
Donte Whitner - Cleveland, OH (Ohio State)

SAFETY (9)
Brandent Englemon - Covington, KY (Michigan)
Quinton McCoy - Waterford, MI (Michigan)
Ryan Mundy - Pittsburgh, PA (Michigan)
Ryan Patterson - Tucson, AZ (Arizona)
Avery Roberson - Atlanta, GA (Georgia Tech)
Alan Ball - Detroit, MI (Illinois)
Ashton Youboty - Klein, TX (Ohio State)
Bernard Pollard - Fort Wayne, IN (Purdue)
Robbie Catterton - Virginia Beach, VA (Virginia)

KICKER (1)
Garrett Rivas - Tampa, FL (Michigan)

Former Michigan Athlete of the Week: Leon Hall

Cornerback Leon Hall now plays for the Cincinnati Bengals

Leon Hall, currently of the Bengals, had 5 tackles, 1 quarterback hurry, 1 interception, and 2 pass breakups in Sunday's 20-7 victory over the Carolina Panthers.  The Panthers were quarterbacked by former Notre Dame quarterback Jimmy Clausen.

Honorable mention: Miami Dolphins quarterback Chad Henne completed 26/44 passes for 363 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 1 interception in a Sunday night loss against the Jets.

Dishonorable mention: Braylon Edwards got arrested for DWI last week in New York.  His punishment from the team?  He had to sit in the corner and think about what he'd done for the first 15 minutes of Sunday night's game.  Then he was allowed to go out and catch 2 passes for 87 yards and 1 touchdown to help the Jets beat the Dolphins.  Rex Ryan said that Edwards suffered enough by "being embarrassed" and would endure no further punishment from the team.  In other news, Rex Ryan is a joke.  Furthermore, I have yet to hear Michigan fans attack Edwards with the same amount of hatred as they have shown for Morgan Trent.  Trent would have been much better off to drive around drunk and endanger a bunch of people's lives than to badmouth Rich Rodriguez.

Former Michigan Athlete of the Week: Tom Brady

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady had a record-setting day on Sunday. Brady threw for 380 yards on 29/34 passing (85.2%) and 6 total touchdowns in a 59-0 win over the Tennessee Titans on Sunday. Despite playing in the snow, Brady set a record by throwing 5 touchdowns in the second quarter.

Honorable mention: Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Leon Hall had 10 solo tackles, 2 assists, 1 pass breakup, and 1 forced fumble, but the Bengals lost to the Houston Texans, 28-17.