NFL Draft results: Michigan

Denard Robinson dropped to the fifth round

Here's a look at the NFL Draft-related movement for Michigan players over the last 24 hours.  A couple Wolverines were drafted, and several more have been signed as free agents.

• Offensive guard Ricky Barnum signed as an undrafted free agent with the Washington Redskins
• Defensive tackle William Campbell was chosen in the 6th round (#178 overall) by the New York Jets, who plan to play him at offensive guard
• Linebacker Kenny Demens signed as an undrafted free agent with the Arizona Cardinals
• Linebacker Brandin Hawthorne signed as an undrafted free agent with the St. Louis rams
• Safety Jordan Kovacs signed as an undrafted free agent with the Miami Dolphins
• Offensive center/guard Elliott Mealer signed as an undrafted free agent with the New Orleans Saints
• Offensive guard Patrick Omameh signed as an undrafted free agent with the San Francisco 49ers
• Quarterback Denard Robinson was chosen in the 5th round (#135 overall) by the Jacksonville Jaguars, who plan to play him at running back, slot receiver, and kick returner
• Defensive end Craig Roh signed as an undrafted free agent with the Carolina Panthers
• Wide receiver Roy Roundtree signed as an undrafted free agent with the Cincinnati Bengals

Still unsigned are cornerback J.T. Floyd, tight end Brandon Moore, and running back Vincent Smith.

2013 NFL Draft Preview: Michigan

Denard Robinson

Right here is the one . . . the only . . . exhibition of my non-expert opinion on where Michigan's players will end up in (or out) of the NFL Draft.

Denard Robinson, QB/WR/RB
Robinson has some questions about what position(s) he'll be able to play in the NFL.  It's pretty clear that he won't be a full-time quarterback (although certain packages or plays wouldn't be out of the question), but he might lack the hands and route running skills to be a wide receiver or the bulk to be a running back.  My guess is that he will carve out a career somewhat like that of the Cleveland Browns' Josh Cribbs, a guy who isn't a star but contributes as a receiver, runner, and kickoff returner.
Best guess: 2nd round, #59 overall to New England Patriots

William Campbell, DT
Campbell measured in at 6'5", 311 lbs., ran a 5.15 forty, and did 35 reps on the bench press at Michigan's pro day.  He was not very productive at Michigan and struggled to win a starting role, but he is very large and shows impressive power when he decides to stay low and play hard.  There's a chance that Robinson will be the only player drafted out of Michigan, but if there are others, the best bet appears to be Campbell for the next highest draft slot.  He would fit best as a 3-technique in a 4-3 defense, in my opinion.
Best guess: 6th round, #188 overall to Chicago Bears

Jordan Kovacs, S
The 5'11", 205 lb. Kovacs was highly productive as a tackler at Michigan, although his pass coverage leaves something to be desired.  He ran a 4.63 at Michigan's pro day and showed impressive leaping ability with a 35" vertical, but that athleticism doesn't really show itself on the field.  Kovacs played strong safety at Michigan, and that's likely where he would fit best in the NFL - as an in-the-box safety who doesn't have to worry too much about deep coverage.  He could also be productive on special teams coverage.
Best guess: 7th round, #247 overall to Baltimore Ravens

Craig Roh, DE
Roh measured at 6'4", 271 lbs. at Michigan's pro day and ran the forty in 4.91; somewhat disappointingly, he only put up 20 reps of 225 lbs. on the bench press.  He changes direction fairly well for a strongside end, but he lacks pass rush moves beyond the occasional bull rush.  Added weight seems to have slowed him down throughout his career, so he may not be able to bulk up into a 3-4 defensive end; his best bet might be to try to make it as a slightly undersized strongside end in a 4-3.
Best guess: Undrafted

Patrick Omameh, OG
Omameh is a 6'4", 303 lb. prospect who was a four-year starter at Michigan, but he only put up 22 reps at Michigan's pro day.  He's not particularly adept at pulling, but he has pretty good lateral movement and can stay low.  If he can increase his strength and add a little bit of weight, I think Omameh can latch on as a backup somewhere, perhaps in a zone running scheme like Houston's.
Best guess: Undrafted

Kenny Demens, LB
Demens stands 6'1" and 245 lbs. with a 4.82 forty and 26 reps on the bench press; he also had a 33.5" vertical and a 4.54 shuttle time.  He's not particularly quick at diagnosing plays, but he is a thumping hitter with surprisingly good coverage skills.  Demens didn't make enough plays at Michigan to really stand out, but he could earn a shot as a middle linebacker in a 4-3; his body and athleticism also make him seem like perhaps an inside linebacker in a 3-4, but his lack of quick diagnoses make that a questionable proposition because he would have to shed linemen.
Best guess: Undrafted

Roy Roundtree, WR
Roundtree is a 6'1", 178 lb. receiver prospect who ran a 4.58 forty at Michigan's pro day, where he also put up just 10 reps on the bench.  That forty time isn't very impressive, but he was deceptively quick at Michigan, breaking off several 70+ yard receptions throughout his career.  He has struggled to add weight at any point in his college career, and NFL defensive backs will probably be able to push him around pretty easily.  He could perhaps help out as a slot receiver for someone, but he's not fast enough or physical enough to work on the outside, in my opinion.
Best guess: Undrafted

J.T. Floyd, CB
Floyd is a 5'10", 190 lb. defensive back who put up less than stellar numbers at Michigan's pro day - a 4.79 forty and 5 reps on the bench press.  It's no secret that I have never been impressed with Floyd as a football player, so I won't beat around the bush: I don't think he has a shot at getting drafted, and his best chance would be to hook on with a team that runs a Tampa Cover Two where he can sit in the flat on a lot of plays.
Best guess: Undrafted

Ricky Barnum, OG
Barnum is a 6'2", 297 lb. interior lineman who earned good reviews for his ability to get out and run, but he ran just a 5.53 forty at Michigan's pro day; he did, however, put up a respectable 25 reps on the bench press.  He may have been best suited for the zone running offense that Rich Rodriguez employed, but most of his playing time was earned in 2011 and 2012, when he was expected to be a powerful, drive-blocking guard.  He struggled to get much movement and does not appear likely to get drafted, but perhaps a zone running team will give him a shot.
Best guess: Undrafted

Brandin Hawthorne, LB
Hawthorne is a 6'0", 220 lb. prospect who benched 225 lbs. an impressive 27 times at Michigan's pro day.  He was an occasional starter at Michigan, but fell behind freshmen at weakside linebacker in each of his last two seasons.  The chances of him making it in the NFL are slim, but if he does, it will probably be as a weakside linebacker in a 4-3 and/or a special teamer.
Best guess: Undrafted

Vincent Smith, RB
Smith is a 5'6", 172 lb. player who ran a 4.85 at Michigan's pro day in March, although he did a little better with a 4.31 shuttle time; he also had a 30" vertical and did 14 reps on the bench.  He earned a starting job as a feature back in 2010, but that role dissipated when Brady Hoke was hired; since the beginning of 2011, he was mostly a pass protector and third down back.  Without the speed to make big plays in the NFL as a third down back or returner, Smith might get just a cursory glance by a few NFL teams.
Best guess: Undrafted

Elliott Mealer, OG
Mealer, at 6'4" and 321 lbs., ran just as fast (5.54 seconds) as Barnum, despite being two inches taller and 24 lbs. heavier.  Mealer also put up 29 repetitions on the bench, which is a good number.  He played center in 2012, but he seemed to struggle getting off the ball; however, I do have to say that his snaps themselves were excellent.  He also had some mental gaffes, but that was perhaps in part due to playing mostly tackle and guard early in his career before becoming the full-time center.  If Mealer is able to latch on in the NFL, I think it will be as a right guard for a team that likes to run the ball.
Best guess: Undrafted

OTHERS EXPECTED TO GO UNDRAFTED:
Mike Kwiatkowski, TE
Brandon Moore, TE

Roy Roundtree, #21

Roy Roundtree

HIGH SCHOOL
Roundtree attended Trotwood (OH) Trotwood-Madison and graduated high school with running back Michael Shaw and tight end Brandon Moore, both of whom would also select Michigan.  As a junior in high school, he had 48 catches for 851 yards and 7 touchdowns.  Roundtree was a 4-star to Rivals, the #44 wide receiver, and the #17 player in the state of Ohio.  To Scout he was a 3-star and the #89 wide receiver.  He had been committed to Purdue, but flipped to Michigan on National Signing Day of 2008, angering then Purdue coach Joe Tiller.

COLLEGE
Roundtree redshirted as a freshman in 2008.  He played sparingly in the first eight games of 2009, but he exploded onto the scene during the final four games, each of which he started.  He finished the season with 32 receptions for 434 yards and 3 touchdowns, of which 30 catches, 390 yards, and all 3 touchdowns came  during those four starts.  His biggest catch of the year was the game-tying touchdown reception from Tate Forcier against Michigan State (a game Michigan would eventually lose).  He also had a 76-yard catch-and-run against Illinois on which he was tackled at the 1-yard line (and Michigan failed to score), so he received some flak for getting chased down from behind.  He was named All-Big Ten Second Team in 2010 when he caught 72 passes for 935 yards and 7 touchdowns, including a Michigan record 246 yards against Illinois on 9 catches with 2 touchdowns.  However, he was about to suffer a serious drop-off in production with the arrival of Brady Hoke, who moved Roundtree from slot to outside receiver, which limited him to 19 catches for 355 yards and 2 touchdowns in 2011.  The highlight of his redshirt junior season was the game-winning touchdown catch against Notre Dame.  As a fifth year senior in 2012, Roundtree snagged 31 passes for 580 yards and 3 touchdowns, earning All-Big Ten Honorable Mention.

CAREER STATISTICS
154 receptions, 2,304 yards, 15 touchdowns; 1 kickoff return for 19 yards; 2 tackles

SUMMARY
Prior to the 2011 season, I was in support of giving Roundtree the #1 jersey, not just for his performance in 2010 but because of his leadership, his blocking, and his knack for big plays.  Despite being scrawny at 6'0" and under 180 lbs. for most of his career, Roundtree was willing to battle in the air for jump balls and throw his body around to set up running backs and his fellow receivers.  Even when his production dropped from 72 receptions to 19, he said all the right things.  He came up in big moments, with big catches against MSU in 2009, Notre Dame in 2011, Northwestern in 2012, and numerous others.  And this is a guy who had five  70+ yard receptions.  To give some perspective, Braylon Edwards never even had one.  And nobody else in Michigan history has had more than one.  That's not to say that Roundtree was better than Edwards, David Terrell, Mario Manningham, etc., but this guy was a legitimate big play wide receiver.

PROJECTION
It's going to be tough for Roundtree to make an impact at the next level.  He was not invited to the NFL Combine, likely due to a lack of great production over the past couple seasons.  He has a very slight build, he has had problems with drops in the past, and he's not an absolute blazer.  Although I do not expect him to get drafted in April, I would expect him to be signed as a free agent, and I could see him latching onto a team as a practice squad player.  I could see him being one of those types of players who pops up late in the NFL seasons after one guy gets suspended for drinking and driving and another guy tears an ACL.

2013 Raycom College Football All-Star Classic

Roy Roundtree will be playing in the Raycom College Football All-Star Classic

The first annual (does that make any sense?) Raycom College Football All-Star Classic will take place this afternoon, and several players will be participating who might be of interest to Michigan fans, including wide receiver Roy Roundtree.

STARS ROSTER
Jaron Brown - WR - Clemson*
Mike Golic, Jr. - OL - Notre Dame
Omar Hunter - DT - Florida*
Alex Means - LB - Air Force
Russell Shepard - WR - LSU*
Kenny Tate - LB - Maryland*
Robby Toma - WR - Notre Dame
Shaq Wilson - LB - South Carolina

STRIPES ROSTER
Greg Castillo - S - Iowa
Quinton Dial - DT - Alabama
Justin Green - CB - Illinois
Kelly Johnson - TE - Alabama
Robert Marve - QB - Purdue
JaMarkus McFarland - DT - Oklahoma*
Roy Roundtree - WR - Michigan*
Jeremy Shelley - K - Alabama
Damion Square - DE - Alabama
Carson Tinker - LS - Alabama
Matt Tobin - OG - Iowa
James Vandenberg - QB - Iowa

*Recruited by Michigan

Receivers Preview: Michigan vs. South Carolina

South Carolina wide receiver Bruce Ellington (image via Independent Mail)

MICHIGAN
Starters: Fifth year senior Roy Roundtree (6'0", 180 lbs.) has really stepped up his game since Devin Gardner stepped in at quarterback, and now has 28 receptions for 553 yards (19.8 yards/reception) and 3 touchdowns; 15 of those receptions, 378 of those yards, and 2 of those touchdowns have come from Gardner in just four games together.  Redshirt junior Jeremy Gallon (5'8", 187 lbs.) has also increased his production, with 22 of his 40 receptions and 366 of his 684 yards coming from Gardner.  Fifth year senior Mike Kwiatkowski (6'5", 262 lbs.) has become the starter at tight end, but he's more blocker than receiver; he has just 4 catches for 37 yards on the year.
Backups: Junior Drew Dileo (5'10", 180 lbs.) is the most dangerous of the backup wide receivers with 17 receptions for 309 yards (18.2 yards/reception) and 1 touchdown; he's sure-handed and reliable, but he's not very fast.  The same descriptors could be used for junior Jeremy Jackson (6'3", 204 lbs.), who has just 4 receptions for 31 yards on the year but plays quite a bit.  Redshirt junior walk-on Joe Reynolds (6'1", 196 lbs.) has usurped some playing time from the aforementioned players and notched 3 receptions for 22 yards against Iowa; he's also a reliable blocker, although he has incurred a couple penalties.  Freshman tight end Devin Funchess (6'5", 229 lbs.) was a revelation toward the beginning of the year, but he seems to have been forgotten a little bit down the stretch; he has not caught more than one pass in a game since the September 22 contest against Notre Dame.  His last two receptions have gone for touchdowns, though, and altogether he has 14 receptions for 230 yards (16 yards/reception) and 5 touchdowns on the year.

SOUTH CAROLINA
Starters: After the humongous Alshon Jeffery left for the NFL last season, the Gamecocks have turned to a trio of diminutive wideouts.  Sophomore Bruce Ellington (5'9", 197 lbs.) leads the team with 38 receptions for 564 yards (14.8 yards/reception) and has notched 6 touchdowns.  Junior Ace Sanders (5'8", 175 lbs.) is just behind him with 36 receptions, but he leads the team with 7 touchdown receptions; however, he has just 439 yards and isn't as much of a big play threat.  Redshirt sophomore Nick Jones (5'7", 184 lbs.) is also a starter, but he has just 9 receptions for 119 yards (13.2 yards/reception) and 0 touchdowns on the year.  Senior tight end Justice Cunningham (6'4", 264 lbs.) has 22 catches for 287 yards (13.0 yards/reception) and 0 touchdowns on the year.  The receivers are small and slippery, but this isn't the same kind of passing offense that Steve Spurrier had when he was coaching the Florida Gators.
Backups: Sophomore Damiere Byrd (5'9", 168 lbs.) has made some big plays with 12 catches for 303 yards (25.4 yards/reception) and 2 touchdowns.  Freshman Shaq Roland (6'1", 173 lbs.) has 5 catches for 80 yards (16 yards/reception) and 1 touchdown, but he could see his role increase now that key backup D.L. Moore has been suspended for the bowl game.  Freshman tight end Rory Anderson (6'5", 218 lbs.) is still very thin, but he has been a big-play receiver with 13 catches for 264 yards (20.2 yards/reception) and 5 touchdowns, the South Carolina version of Funchess.

THE TAKEAWAY
Extrapolated over an entire twelve-game season with Gardner at quarterback, Roundtree would have 45 receptions for 1,066 yards and 6 touchdowns, and Gallon would have 66 receptions for 1,098 yards and 3 touchdowns.  That would give Michigan the Big Ten's top two receivers (Penn State's Allen Robinson leads the conference with 1,018 yards).  Meanwhile, the Gamecocks receivers are solid and could give Michigan fits now that starting cornerback J.T. Floyd will miss the game.  South Carolina's starters might have a better game, but the better receiving corps is Michigan's.
Advantage: Michigan

Preview: Michigan at Ohio State

Rush Offense vs. Ohio State Rush Defense
Michigan is the #36 rushing offense in the country with 195 yards/game, but the rushing offense is perhaps in a dire situation.  Starting running back Fitzgerald Toussaint (514 yards, 5 touchdowns) will miss the rest of the season with a lower leg injury, which leaves the running back duties to Thomas Rawls (240 yards, 4 touchdowns, Vincent Smith (27 carries, 76 yards, 2 touchdowns), and Justice Hayes (16 carries, 83 yards, 1 touchdown).  The numbers don't look too bad, but most of Rawls's yards have come in garbage time and he has struggled against decent teams.  The wild card is Denard Robinson, who started at running back last week and - mostly from the quarterback position - has rushed for 1,044 yards and 6 touchdowns, good enough for the 15th-most yards in the nation despite missing 2.5 games due to injury.  He's clearly the best running option, but he may not be able to run Michigan's full complement of plays.  The Buckeyes have the #17 rush defense and have given up just 117 yards/game.  Defensive tackles Johnathan Hankins and Garrett Goebel don't get a ton of penetration, but they are space eaters who have combined for 8 tackles for loss.  Defensive end John Simon and linebacker Ryan Shazier have each made 14.5 tackles for loss, and Shazier has improved significantly since last year, when he played as a freshman.  The Buckeyes should be able to handle Michigan's interior offensive line, so the Wolverines will have to attack the edges and through the air.
Advantage: Ohio State

Pass Offense vs. Ohio State Pass Defense
Michigan has been improving incrementally in the passing game and now sits at #95 with 201 yards/game; quarterback Devin Gardner has been the impetus for that rise, and he threw for 314 yards and 3 touchdowns against Iowa last week.  Wide receivers Jeremy Gallon (34 catches, 617 yards, 2 touchdowns) and Roy Roundtree (25 catches, 461 yards, 2 touchdowns) have stepped up their games recently, and tight end Devin Funchess has been a productive red zone target.  The Buckeyes are #84 in pass defense (250 yards/game), but #28 in pass efficiency defense.  Simon has made 9 sacks and Shazier has made 4.  Meanwhile, cornerback Travis Howard has 4 interceptions on the season, although 3 of them came in the Buckeyes' first two games.  Michigan will have to pay extra attention to Simon and roll Gardner out to get him on the edge, but Gardner should be able to find some success with crossing routes and play action.
Advantage: Michigan

Rush Defense vs. Ohio State Rush Offense
The Wolverines give up 151 yards/game, good enough for 51st in the country.  However, that stat has been dropping since a couple rough outings early in the year.  The middle of Michigan's defense has been stout, but starting defensive tackles Quinton Washington and William Campbell have combined for just 3 tackles for loss.  They don't get consistent penetration, but they do hold their ground pretty well, which allows the inside linebackers to flow to the ball and make tackles.  Teams can gain yards running the ball, but usually in small increments.  Meanwhile, the Buckeyes have the #9 rushing offense and gain 245 yards/game, with quarterback Braxton Miller running for 110 yards/game and running back Carlos Hyde pretty close behind with 91 yards/game.  They like to run the option with Miller, who is very adept at pulling the ball out of Hyde's belly and making things happen on the edge.  Michigan should keep Hyde pretty well in check early, until/unless Miller starts to gash them.  Miller is also very adept at tucking the ball and scrambling, which hurt Michigan last year; that will continue to be an issue, because the Wolverines don't really have the athletes at defensive end to keep Miller hemmed in.
Advantage: Ohio State

Pass Defense vs. Ohio State Pass Offense
Michigan is #1 in overall pass defense (152 yards/game), but #30 in pass efficiency defense.  Free safety Thomas Gordon and cornerback Raymon Taylor each have 2 interceptions to tie for the team lead, but nobody in the secondary is known as a true ball hawk or a shutdown player in coverage.  The linebackers are pretty solid in coverage, but Michigan lacks a strong pass rush.  Defensive end Craig Roh has 4 sacks, outside linebacker Jake Ryan has 3.5, and safety Jordan Kovacs is next with 2.  The Buckeyes are the #100 passing offense with 180 yards/game and they're #57 in passing efficiency, but they still have dangerous players on the outside.  The Buckeyes abused Michigan's back seven in last season's matchup, although that was a different offensive system and they had DeVier Posey.  Wideout Corey Brown (52 catches, 574 yards, 2 touchdowns) is more of a possession guy, but Devin Smith (28 catches, 555 yards, 6 touchdowns) has some explosive abilities and might be just as good as Posey was.  Poor quarterback play has prevented Michigan from getting beaten too badly on the outside, but I've been dreading the moment when it would hurt Michigan; there's a very good chance that the Wolverines' shortcomings on the outside will be exposed on Saturday.  I don't think Taylor and his counter J.T. Floyd will be able to stick with Smith for the entire game, and Michigan's safeties are just so-so in coverage.  The Buckeyes will run the ball a lot, so they probably won't sit back there and throw 50 times to win, but they'll get some big plays through the air.
Advantage: Ohio State

Roster Notes

• Michigan recruited OG Darryl Baldwin, RB Warren Ball, DT Michael Bennett, S Devan Bogard, CB Corey Brown, WR Corey Brown, S Christian Bryant, OT Taylor Decker, OT Kyle Dodson, RB Bri'onte Dunn, DT Garrett Goebel, LB Curtis Grant, CB Doran Grant, DT Joel Hale, RB Jordan Hall, OT Marcus Hall, DT Johnathan Hankins, TE Jeff Heuerman, QB Cardale Jones, QB Braxton Miller, DE Steve Miller, OG Joey O'Connor, LB David Perkins, DE Se'Von Pittman, CB Armani Reeves, DT Tommy Schutt, LB Ryan Shazier, WR Devin Smith, RB Rod Smith, DE Noah Spence, TE Jake Stoneburner, S Ron Tanner, TE Nick Vannett, and DT Adolphus Washington
• Players from Michigan include Grosse Pointe (MI) Grosse Pointe Farms OT Reid Fragel and Detroit (MI) Southeastern DT Johnathan Hankins

Predictions

• Denard Robinson starts at running back but gets a couple chances to throw
• Devin Gardner gets flustered by the pass rush and forced into a couple bad throws
• Ohio State makes some big plays over top of the defense
• Michigan holds down Carlos Hyde well, but Miller wins the game with his feet
• Ohio State 24, Michigan 17

A Look Back . . . 

• Last year's game recap
• Grades for Michigan's defense last year
• Last year's game awards

Video: Hoke, Robinson, Kovacs, Demens, Gardner, Roundtree press conference

Video: Hoke, Gardner, Roundtree - Northwestern Postgame

Michigan vs. Northwestern Awards

Devin Gardner was highly effective throughout Saturday's victory (image via Bleacher Report)

Let's see more of this guy on offense . . . no one. Most of the starters are playing fairly well, and the ones who aren't don't have much behind them.

Let's see less of this guy on offense . . . Jerald Robinson.  I know former players keep picking him to break out each year, but he has done very little in his opportunities.  Maybe he's just one of those guys who's an all-star in practice but can't get it done in games.  That happens sometimes.

Let's see more of this guy on defense . . . Kenny Demens.  Yeah, I know he's a starter.  He was pulled out of the game for long stretches of the game, though, and Joe Bolden was inserted.  Bolden isn't ready to play in these Big Ten games.  I like him and I think he'll be good, but he's just not there yet.  Demens played almost every snap last year and seemed to do fine, so in these tight games, I'd like to see the senior playing as much as possible.

Let's see less of this guy on defense . . . Kain Colter.  Yeesh, that guy scared me.

Play of the game . . . Devin Gardner to Roy Roundtree.  That pass at the end of regulation, which was tipped by the defender and caught by Roundtree as he fell to the ground, set up the game-tying field goal by Brendan Gibbons.  It wasn't the game-winning touchdown by Gardner or the game-sealing tackle by Kenny Demens, but those plays don't happen without that highlight-reel catch by Roundtree.

MVP of the game . . . Devin Gardner.  I almost picked Roundtree, but Gardner accounted for four touchdowns (two rushing, two passing) and made a ton of huge plays in that game.  He scrambled for first downs, chucked the ball at Fitzgerald Toussaint to prevent a safety, threw the pass to Roundtree, and scored the winning touchdown.  He finished the game 16/29 for 286 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 1 interception; he also rushed 9 times for 47 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Michigan 38, Northwestern 31

Kenny Demens makes the game-clinching tackle (image via AnnArbor.com)

Kenny Demens goes boom.  In Friday's game preview, I predicted that Demens would have a big game.  It seemed like the coaches were trying to give him a breather by playing Joe Bolden a little bit, but I'm really not sold on Bolden being ready for Big Ten play right now; he'll be good but he's not yet.  Back to my point, Demens stepped up in a big way late in the game by making the final two tackles, including a thumping hit on Northwestern superback Tyris Jones to end the game.  Games against a team like Northwestern set up well for someone like Demens, who can take on Northwestern-caliber linemen and still make plays on interior runs.  He did get burned for a touchdown in pass coverage, but he was covering a wide receiver, which was hardly a fair contest.  Demens ended the game with 9 tackles and 2 tackles for loss.

Devin Gardner for Heisman? Okay, not really the Heisman, but Gardner has played really well in Denard Robinson's stead.  Brady Hoke insists that the offense doesn't really change when Gardner takes over for Robinson, but nobody who watches these games can actually believe that.  I felt bad for Kain Colter when he got hurt late in the game, but I didn't feel bad for Northwestern, because Michigan was already down their starting quarterback.  For Gardner to be so inexperienced and still have the ability to come out and beat the #24 team in the country speaks well for him.  And, oh by the way, some guys really stepped up and made plays for Gardner.  The junior QB finished the game 16/29 for 286 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 1 interception, along with 9 rushes for 47 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Roy Roundtree is stepping up. I don't know why, but Roundtree has stepped up his game now that Gardner is playing quarterback.  Robinson and Roundtree are close friends, so I'm sure it's not related to a lack of personal chemistry.  It just seems like Roundtree has realized that he needs to step up to help out his inexperienced quarterback.  I wish it had happened earlier, but I'll take it now.  He had 5 receptions for 139 yards, and his final reception in regulation was a juggling catch he made while the Northwestern defensive back interfered with him. (No interference was called, but it should have been.)

Michigan won the game in the trenches.  Brady Hoke's philosophy seems to be that he wants to wear teams down, and Michigan will do so more consistently when the offensive line improves.  Right now Michigan's interior offensive linemen are just average, but by the fourth quarter, they had sufficiently worn down the Wildcats' interior.  Toussaint started to get some running room . . . which is why I was frustrated with Michigan's play call on the penultimate regulation drive, after Dennis Norfleet had returned a kickoff to Michigan's 47-yard line.  Al Borges had overused the play action pass up to that point, because Michigan hadn't been running the ball.  So when Borges called a post-wheel (for Gallon and Funchess, respectively), Northwestern hadn't learned to respect the run yet.  He put the game on Gardner's shoulders, and while Gardner has been playing well, he hadn't been in a situation this year when Michigan needed  a crunch-time drive from him.  Michigan could have moved the ball by running on the interior with about four minutes left and down by three points.  What happened the next time Michigan had a chance to run it, in overtime?  Fitzgerald Toussaint ran for 5 yards, then 3 yards, and then Gardner ran a bootleg for the game-winning touchdown.

Stop kicking to Venric Mark!  Mark is one of the most explosive players in the Big Ten, but Michigan's kickers and punters couldn't seem to help themselves from kicking to him.  He burned Michigan for a 96-yard kickoff return late in the game, but one of the Wildcats held Brandin Hawthorne and got flagged for it.

Northwestern doesn't throw well except against Michigan. Backup quarterback Trevor Siemian completed 6/7 passes for 87 yards and 2 touchdowns.  Kain Colter was slightly less successful at 8/14 for 96 yards and 1 touchdown.  Michigan struggled with the pace of Northwestern's offense, and the Wolverines were beaten on the edge several times (partly because of numerous obvious holding calls that weren't noticed by the referees).  Northwestern could run and pass on Michigan's defense, and there was no consistent answer until overtime.  That answer was, of course, Kenny Demens.

Jordan Kovacs is now #11.  I don't really care.  It's just a number.  Before the game Kovacs was honored by being given the #11 jersey that was previously worn by the three Wistert brothers - Francis, Albert, and Alvin.  I've seen the argument that this prevents Kovacs from becoming a legend jersey down the road, but come on, Kovacs isn't a legend.  He's a walk-on who turned into a pretty good player, but that doesn't make him a legend.  I also don't think Michigan should give Legend jerseys to true freshmen, who still have three years to taint the number with drunk driving arrests, stealing laptops, etc.

Michigan is 7-3.  The team and fans should consider themselves slightly lucky to come out of this weekend with a victory.  Being 7-3 at this juncture isn't too bad, considering that Michigan has been without its starting quarterback for the last 2.5 games.  Regardless of the opponents, they have scored 35 and 38 points with the backup QB.  The defense has picked up its game at critical junctures, and the offense is doing enough to make games winnable, at least when Russell Bellomy isn't in the game.  The Wolverines should  beat Iowa, and that would lead up to the ballyhooed game against Ohio State.

Michigan 35, Minnesota 13

Devin Gardner was solid in replacing injured starter Denard Robinson (image via Bleacher Report)

Thanks goodness for Devin Gardner.  I am fairly confident that Russell Bellomy could not have duplicated Gardner's performance from yesterday.  The junior wide receiver/quarterback finished 12/18 for 234 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 1 interception; he also ran 10 times for 21 yards and 1 touchdown.  Gardner obviously isn't the same type of electrifying runner that Denard Robinson is, but that passing performance was pretty much on par with anything Robinson has done this year.  Gardner had three passes of 45-plus yards and did a great job of keeping plays alive with his feet.  There are still things to improve (the one INT was a poor decision, he holds onto the ball too long sometimes, etc.), but he looked much more ready to play QB than Bellomy has at any point.  This should give Michigan fans hope.  And I know I beat this drum a lot, but how much more excited would you be if Gardner were a redshirt sophomore instead of a true junior?  That burned redshirt in 2010 really irks me . . .

Michigan's receivers stepped up when needed.  This was something we haven't seen in the past few weeks, but I don't remember a single drop in this game.  The receivers pulled in some nice receptions, including Jerald Robinson's sliding 22-yarder and a couple balls caught in traffic by Jeremy Gallon, Drew Dileo, and Roy Roundtree.  Gardner has a stronger arm than Bellomy, and I think the receivers are probably a little more comfortable catching Gardner's darts than Bellomy's soft tosses.

Here is where I grumble about cornerbacks.  Teams have been picking on J.T. Floyd for the past few weeks, and once again he was beaten several times.  Minnesota freshman quarterback Philip Nelson missed on several, but sometimes it didn't matter because Floyd bailed him out by getting called for pass interference two or three times.  Raymon Taylor didn't have a great game, either, and picked up a pass interference call himself.  I am looking forward to a time when Michigan can put two solid corners on the field at the same time.  Taylor has a chance to be one, but it's been a while since the Wolverines had two.

Don't say Michigan never gets the benefit of refs' poor calls.  Jeremy Gallon's 10-yard touchdown catch wasn't a catch; the ball was moving in his hands the entire time.  Roy Roundtree's 47-yard catch probably wasn't a catch; the ball was moving the entire time.  However, both of them were called completions on the field, and they were difficult to overturn.  In both cases, if they had been called incomplete on the field, I think they would have been upheld as being incomplete.

Jake Ryan wheee!  Ryan struggled a little bit early in the game, but he turned it on afterward.  He finished the game with 9 tackles and 3 tackles for loss.  The speed at which he plays for a guy who's 6'3", 242 lbs. is pretty ridiculous.  He now has 65 tackles and 12 tackles for loss, both numbers surpassing what he did in 2011 (37 tackles, 11 tackles for loss).

The future of the defensive line is bright.  I was very concerned about Michigan's defensive line coming into 2012 after Mike Martin and Ryan Van Bergen graduated, and those two have certainly been missed.  The drop-off at strongside end hasn't been very noticeable with Craig Roh playing fairly well, but Martin has certainly been missed at nose tackle.  However, Michigan has several guys starting or in the rotation who should return next season, so they should be able to maintain this level of play.  Weakside ends Brennen Beyer and Frank Clark, defensive tackles Quinton Washington and Ondre Pipkins, and strongside end Keith Heitzman all look solid, and that's not to mention the incoming freshmen or the redshirting freshmen (Chris Wormley, Tom Strobel, Matt Godin, Willie Henry).

Working on Saturdays is lame.  There's just not the same level of excitement when you know you could just fast forward the DVR and see the final score.  On the plus side, I could fast forward during timeouts and between plays so I didn't have to listen to the Big Ten Network's terrible announcers.  Sometimes Chris Martin talks just to hear himself, and he says very little of substance.  He does a good job of discussing defensive back play, but anytime the discussion wanders into the other 18 positions on the field, he's mute-worthy.

Video: Hoke, players' postgame press conferences

Video: Robinson, Kovacs, Roundtree, Hoke interviews

Video: Hoke, Roundtree, Floyd interviews

Video: Robinson, Roundtree interviews - Air Force week

2012 Season Predictions

This is always fun.  Take a look at my 2011 predictions.

Now for the things that will absolutely, 100% become true in the coming months:

Leading Rusher
Last year I picked the right guy (Denard Robinson) but fell short on the yardage.  Now that it looks like Fitzgerald Toussaint will miss some time due to legal issues, it's even more likely that Robinson leads the team in rushing for the third straight season.  Hopefully he can stay healthy and make this come true.
Prediction: Denard Robinson, 1200 yards

Leading Receiver
Starting flanker Roy Roundtree looks like he's being groomed to be this year's #1 target, now that he's been moved to the multiple receiver side and wearing the #21 jersey.  The coaches want him to be The Guy, and he's been successful before.  He doesn't have the same ability to catch balls in traffic as last year's leading receiver Junior Hemingway, but he does have some smoothness and shiftiness to him.
Prediction: Roy Roundtree, 750 yards

Leading Tackler
Starting middle linebacker Kenny Demens returns to the same role this season.  He doesn't have the same talent in front of him to keep him clean, but the mass of Quinton Washington and William Campbell, along with the steady play of Craig Roh, should help Demens maintain some level of consistency.
Prediction: Kenny Demens, 90 tackles

Leading Sacker
The pass rush is not this team's specialty.  Especially if weakside end Frank Clark can't play much because of legal issues, the athleticism just isn't there for the full-time players.  The best pass rusher on the unit is SAM linebacker Jake Ryan, but he might be overmatched if he has to play too much weakside end.  Ryan is better as a guy who moves around from the edge to an inside blitz, back to the edge, etc.
Prediction: Jake Ryan, 5.5 sacks

Leading Interceptor
I picked J.T. Floyd for this spot in 2010, but he got hurt halfway through the year.  Then I picked Jordan Kovacs last season, and he ended up with just 1 pick.  The best cover guy on the squad is Blake Countess, in my opinion, but Countess had 0 picks last year, though he had 1 in the spring game.  So I'm going to combine my last two choices.
Prediction: J.T. Floyd and Jordan Kovacs, 2 interceptions each

All-Big Ten First Team
Prediction: Taylor Lewan, Denard Robinson

Leading Scorer (non-QB, non-kicker)
Prediction: Fitzgerald Toussaint

Breakout Offensive Player
A lot of starters return again in 2012, and last year's choice (Jeremy Gallon) already kind of broke out.  Lots of exiting Michigan players have mentioned Jerald Robinson as a guy to watch, but I have yet to see it.  I'll go with Thomas Rawls, who at the very least should be able to run over some mediocre competition through the first half of the year (except Alabama) and pile up some decent numbers.
Prediction: Thomas Rawls

Breakout Defensive Player
This is a tough choice, because the back seven guys all return, the defensive line is expected to be mediocre, and perhaps my #1 choice during the offseason (Frank Clark) is in legal trouble and might miss too much time to be a smart choice here.  I guess I'll go with Thomas Gordon, who showed flashes of playmaking ability last year.  I expect him to be even better in pass coverage this year and help support the run quite a bit, so this should be a big year for him.
Prediction: Thomas Gordon

Most Disappointing Offensive Player
Lots of outgoing players have chosen Jerald Robinson as a breakout player, and we haven't even seen a glimpse of it in a spring game.  Before Roy Roundtree's 2010 breakout season, he had a good end to the 2009 campaign and an awesome spring game.  Before Jeremy Gallon's 2011 breakout season, he had some nice plays during his 2010 redshirt freshman season.  Robinson must do a lot in practice, but it never translates to anything more than that.  He won't disappoint me because I'm not expecting a ton, but I do think he'll disappoint some of those guys who think he'll be a stud.
Prediction: Jerald Robinson

Most Disappointing Defensive Player
The only way anyone in the back seven disappoints is if they regress.  It's already a rather solid group, perhaps without a superstar but pretty good nonetheless.  I think defensive tackle/end Jibreel Black is going to struggle.  He's too small to play 3-tech and too big/stiff to be a quality weakside end.  He might be okay against the run as a weakside end, but Michigan probably won't get much of a pass rush out of him.
Prediction: Jibreel Black

The Big Finish
Sept. 1 vs. Alabama: LOSS.  Michigan is probably going to struggle, especially running the ball.  Alabama has a very good offensive line and stops the run well.  That leaves the game in Denard Robinson's hands, and he can't pass Michigan to a win.

Sept. 8 vs. Air Force: WIN.  Air Force is going to struggle this season, and Michigan will be angry coming off the loss to Alabama.

Sept. 15 vs. Massachusetts: WIN.  UMass is in its first season in the FBS, and Michigan should handle them pretty well.  And it won't be a close final score like it was a couple years ago.

Sept. 22 at Notre Dame: WIN.  This is basically a toss-up because Notre Dame is going to be on the upswing this year, I think.  The Fighting Irish will be better, but Denard Robinson shouldn't be making the same mistakes he did in last year's game.

Oct. 6 at Purdue: WIN.  Purdue probably won't be very good this year.

Oct. 13 vs. Illinois: WIN.  Illinois doesn't have the offensive firepower to beat Michigan.  They always seem to have a couple good defensive players, but they're probably going to get overpowered on offense.

Oct. 20 vs. Michigan State: LOSS. Michigan State's defense scares me a little bit, and Michigan hasn't shown over the past few years that they can handle the pressure up the middle.

Oct. 27 at Nebraska: WIN.  This was a blowout in Ann Arbor last season, and Taylor Martinez and Rex Burkhead had a bit of a rough day.  Michigan's defensive line manhandled Nebraska's offensive line, so it won't be a blowout, just a fairly close victory.

Nov. 3 at Minnesota: WIN. Minnesota is bad.

Nov. 10 vs. Northwestern: WIN.  Offensively, Northwestern will give Michigan some trouble like they always do.  But eventually Michigan will figure it out, and the Wildcats won't be able to hold up on defense.

Nov. 17 vs. Iowa: WIN. Iowa lost quite a bit last year, and I think this might be a year when Kirk Ferentz and his revamped coaching staff can't hold it all together.

Nov. 24 at Ohio State: LOSS.  The Buckeyes are going to be good at the whole defense thing, but I expect them to take a year before Urban Meyer's offense really takes shape.  However, the game is at the Horseshoe, so Michigan will be a little off their game.

Final record: 9-3

Video: Roy Roundtree interview on BTN

2012 Season Countdown: #13 Roy Roundtree

Roy Roundtree

Name: Roy Roundtree
Height: 6'0"
Weight: 180 lbs.
High school: Trotwood (OH) Trotwood-Madison
Position: Wide receiver
Class: Redshirt senior
Jersey number: #21
Last year: I ranked Roundtree #11 and said he would have 850 yards and 7 touchdowns.  He had 19 receptions for 355 yards (18.7 yards per reception) and 2 touchdowns.

Boy, was I wrong about Roundtree last season.  Coming off a stellar 2010 campaign, I thought he would start where he left off and continue his synchronous relationship with Denard Robinson.  Instead, Roundtree failed to catch a pass in three games and averaged just 1.9 receptions per game in the ones where he actually caught a ball.  He did make some nice plays, particularly against Notre Dame and Nebraska.  But the adjustment from slot receiver in Rich Rodriguez's offense to split end in Al Borges's offense really took its toll, to the point where 5'8" slot/split end Jeremy Gallon caught 31 balls, twelve more than last year's returning leading receiver.

Roundtree makes yet another position move in 2012, this time to flanker.  He replaces the departed Junior Hemingway, who had 34 catches and 699 yards.  Hemingway was targeted more often than Roundtree, and now Roundtree will likely become the primary passing target.  The flanker typically lines up on the same side of the field as a tight end or slot receiver, so there are more combination routes on that side of the field.  With no obvious passing target from the tight end corps now that Kevin Koger has graduated, Roundtree might be targeted more often than Hemingway was.  Unfortunately, Roundtree recently had arthroscopic surgery on his knee, which might get him off to a slow start this season.  Freshman receivers Amara Darboh and Jehu Chesson could alleviate the loss of Roundtree, as could the emergence of redshirt sophomore Jerald Robinson, whom departing seniors guessed would have a breakout season in 2012.  But Roundtree should be more polished this season and has more speed than Robinson, so hopefully he can come back from his minor knee surgery and make an impact early in the season.

Prediction: Starting wide receiver; 30 receptions, 500 yards, 4 touchdowns

Video: Countdown to Kickoff 2012 - Day 24: Roy Roundtree

Butkus, Lombardi, Biletnikoff Award Watch Lists

Some award watch lists were released on Monday and Tuesday.  Michigan's very own Kenny Demens and Taylor Lewan appear on the Rotary Lombard Award watch list, and Roy Roundtree was mentioned for the Biletnikoff Award.  Here's a look at the rest of the players of note for Michigan fans:

Butkus Award (Top college linebacker)
Johnny Adams - CB - Michigan State
Chris Borland - LB - Wisconsin
Jonathan Brown - LB - Illinois
Max Bullough - LB - Michigan State
Gerald Hodges - LB - Penn State
Nico Johnson - LB - Alabama
Michael Mauti - LB - Penn State
C.J. Mosley - LB - Alabama
Etienne Sabino - LB - Ohio State
Bruce Taylor - LB - Virginia Tech
Manti Te'o - LB - Notre Dame

Rotary Lombardi Award (Outstanding lineman who best exemplifies discipline of Vince Lombardi)
Denicos Allen - LB - Michigan State
Chris Borland - LB - Wisconsin
Jonathan Brown - LB - Illinois
Michael Buchanan - DE - Illinois
Max Bullough - LB - Michigan State
Braxston Cave - C - Notre Dame
Kenny Demens - LB - Michigan
Tyler Eifert - TE - Notre Dame
D.J. Fluker - OT - Alabama
Travis Frederick - C - Wisconsin
Jaymes Gayle - DE - Virginia Tech
William Gholston - DE - Michigan State
Johnathan Hankins - DT - Ohio State
Jordan Hill - DT - Penn State
Gerald Hodges - LB - Penn State
Nico Johnson - LB - Alabama
Barrett Jones - C - Alabama
Taylor Lewan - OT - Michigan
Spencer Long - OG - Nebraska
Zack Martin - OT - Notre Dame
Chris McDonald - OG - Michigan State
James Morris - LB - Iowa
C.J. Mosley - LB - Alabama
Marcus Rush - DE - Michigan State
Kawann Short - DT - Purdue
John Simon - DE - Ohio State
Akeem Spence - DT - Illinois
Baker Steinkuhler - DT - Nebraska
Jake Stoneburner - TE - Ohio State
Bruce Taylor - LB - Virginia Tech
Mike Taylor - LB - Wisconsin
Manti Te'o - LB - Notre Dame
Ricky Wagner - OT - Wisconsin
Chance Warmack - OG - Alabama
Jesse Williams - DT - Alabama

Biletnikoff Award (Most outstanding wide receiver)
Jared Abbrederis - Wisconsin
Corey Brown - Ohio State
Keenan Davis - Iowa
Marcus Davis - Virginia Tech
T.J. Jones - Notre Dame
Roy Roundtree - Michigan