Junior Michael Shaw will be part of a heated competition to start at tailback.

With the recruiting class of 2010 signed, Michigan football fans can officially turn their attention to spring practice, and ultimately how the team will look come fall. With some assistance from MGoBlog’s depth chart by class and the resources available at The Wolverine (including Michael Spath’s very early look at the 2011 depth chart and Matt Pargoff’s in-depth look at this year’s recruiting class), I’ve done my best to project how the depth chart will look like this fall. Today, I’ll break down my outlook on the offense, and tomorrow I’ll do the same for the defense.

I’ve tried to include every notable scholarship player, including all the true freshmen. Because of this, and the uncertainty of many player’s positions heading into spring practice, I recommend taking the positions listed below with a grain of salt, especially along the offensive line and defensive secondary — at this point, it’s far too early to know who will be playing where. Instead, I wanted to do this to get a feel for the talent and depth of the team, and also be able to use this as a reference for player eligibility. For player eligibility, I’m using what MGoBlog has listed, and for player heights and weights I’m referring to last year’s official roster or Rivals’ recruiting data — I’ll do my best to note if a player has made reported weight gains or losses where applicable. Without further ado, let’s check out the depth chart:

Quarterback: No surprises here — Tate Forcier should head into the fall as the team’s starting quarterback, and I expect Rich Rodriguez and his staff will do their best to keep true freshman Devin Gardner on track to redshirt. Denard Robinson will remain the backup quarterback, and true freshman Conelius Jones will only see the field if the quarterback apocalypse occurs (nothing against Jones, but I don’t think anyone wants to see our second-choice true freshman athlete get forced into action).

Running Backs: The most interesting position battle on offense will be for the starting tailback spot, but with sophomore Vincent Smith sidelined for spring practice with a torn ACL, Michigan fans will have to wait for the fall to see how that one turns out. Smith appeared to be the probable 2010 starter until tearing that ACL against Ohio State, but by no means was he a shoe-in for the spot — junior speedster Michael Shaw, 2009 scout team standout (and former Rivals four-star) Fitzgerald Toussaint and athletic redshirt sophomore Michael Cox will all compete for snaps with the first team in the spring. Freshman Austin White is a solid pass-catching threat who could see situational time in the fall as well.

[UPDATE: Thanks to JC for bringing to my attention that Kelvin Grady is moving over to running back for the spring. That change is now reflected in the depth chart, as well as Teric Jones moving back to offense. For now, I've put Jones in the slot, but he may also see snaps at running back as well.]

At fullback, Mark Moundros returns, although he saw his playing time diminish as Michigan further implemented Rich Rodriguez’s offense last season. A player to watch will be true freshman Stephen Hopkins, a 6-0, 235-pound bulldozer who could see time at both tailback and fullback — the coaching staff has expressed interest in using him like West Virginia used Owen “Runaway Beer Truck” Schmitt, who lined up both as a traditional fullback and as the only back in single-back sets. Hopkins could be called upon in short-yardage and goal-line situations.

Wide Receiver: This would be one of those instances where you can basically ignore my guesses at position — I didn’t make much differentiation between X and Y, so treat all these players as simply outside receivers if you want to make things more simple. Darryl Stonum and Junior Hemingway both started at times (read: when healthy) last season, and should reprise their roles in 2010. Sophomore Je’Ron Stokes saw intermittent playing time as a true freshman, and should have a much larger role with the departures of Greg Mathews and LaTerryal Savoy. Of the incoming crop of freshmen receivers, I think Ricardo Miller has the best chance of seeing early playing time — both Robinson and Williamson could use a redshirt year to develop physically, while Jeremy Jackson could have a difficult time earning a role over more athletic receivers on the roster. If Cameron Gordon stays on the offensive side of the ball, he could be a guy to watch next season — he has great physical tools for a receiver.

Slot Receiver: Michigan has an abundance of talent at the slot, including arguably the two best receivers on the roster in Roy Roundtree and Martavious Odoms. Both players will see the field plenty in 2010, and I expect to see Michigan go to more four-receiver sets in order to get their best players on the field as much as possible. Kelvin Grady should show improvement after spending last season struggling with the offense, but he will be pushed for time by promising redshirt freshman Jeremy Gallon, a player who many thought would contribute immediately after stepping on campus. That didn’t happen, but the talent is still there — the only question is whether there is enough playing time at the slot to go around. Terrence Robinson appears to be the odd man out at slot receiver at this point — unless he shows better hands and a great deal more comfort with the knee injury he suffered as a freshman, he’ll have a hard time cracking the lineup. Drew Dileo could contribute on special teams, but expect him to redshirt unless he wins a job as a returner.

Tight End: It will be interesting to see how much the tight end position gets utilized in 2010 — starter Kevin Koger’s role diminished as the season wore on last year, and Rich Rodriguez hasn’t taken a recruit at the position since he took over at Michigan. Still, Koger finished fifth on the team in receptions last year, and early in the season appeared to be Tate Forcier’s go-to guy in the red zone, so I’d be surprised if the tight end position was phased out completely. That’s good news for Koger, but Martell Webb and Brandon Moore may have a tough time seeing the field in the fall, as I’m guessing Rodriguez would prefer playing one of his talented slot receivers instead of a backup tight end. This position group could be one of the keys to Michigan’s offense in 2010 or completely gone from the depth chart by 2011.

Offensive Line: Please, please don’t take these position groupings too seriously — there are several players on the line who could start at multiple positions, especially Patrick Omameh and Mark Huyge, who both could start at either tackle or guard. The wild cards along the line are Ricky Barnum and Quinton Washington, who could easily challenge for a starting guard spot over Huyge/Omameh. I expect Omameh, who showed a lot of promise at guard last season, to start somewhere along the line, but more experienced linemen like Huyge and Perry Dorrestein could be bumped from the lineup in favor of younger (but more highly-touted) linemen.  I don’t think the coaching staff would be very comfortable with a line full of freshmen, sophomores and Molk, but they’ve been steadfast in their assertions that the best players will see the field regardless of age. Other than Molk at center and Schilling at left guard, I wouldn’t be surprised to see any combination of players along the line in 2010.

Kicker: Redshirt freshman Brendan Gibbons has the inside track for the placekicker position, but he was supposed to win the position last fall before giving way to walk-on Jason Olesnavage. Olesnavage has graduated, but don’t rule out the possibility of walk-on Scott Schrimscher winning the job. Redshirt senior Bryan Wright has lost multiple battles for the placekicker position, and likely will be relegated to kickoff duties again in the fall.

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WR Ricardo Miller is one of six early enrollees for Michigan.

It’s been a while since I posted any updates on football recruiting, and with the Feb. 3 national signing day less than a month away, I figured I’d catch up on everything before the class completely rounds out and renders my opinion entirely irrelevant. In part one, I’ll be looking at the six players who have enrolled early. Tomorrow, I’ll examine the other commitments to the Wolverines, and over the weekend I’ll be breaking down the recruits who could round out the 2010 class.

Six players were able to enroll early at Michigan. Unfortunately, for those hoping to see a three-way quarterback showdown in the spring, Inkster QB Devin Gardner was not one of the six. The athletes that were able to arrive on campus for the winter term, however, have the potential to be immediate contributors to a team in need of just that.

Jeremy Jackson, Ann Arbor Huron (Rivals 3*, #92 WR): Jackson, of course, is the son of Michigan running backs coach Fred Jackson. Don’t let that convince that he is just a legacy recruit, however — his combination of size (6-3, 194) and hands give him the potential to be very valuable as a receiver. I was able to scout one of Jackson’s games this past season, and my impressions of him pretty much fall in line with those of the scouting services. He has great hands, and adjusts very well to the ball, allowing him to catch most everything thrown in his direction. However, Jackson takes a while to hit his top speed, and he lacks the high-end speed that one would desire in a Division I wide receiver. He could have trouble getting separation from defensive backs at the college level. Despite his lack of speed, I could still see Jackson having an impact at receiver (or potentially tight end, although he’s coming in at wideout) — his reliability separates him from most prospects at this level. I don’t think he’ll ever become a superstar, but Jackson fits the Jason Avant mold of a solid possession receiver.

Stephen Hopkins, Flower Mound, Texas (Rivals 3* RB): Hopkins immediately leaves an impression because of his size for a running back — at 6-0, 235 pounds, he looks like a linebacker in the backfield. This should give him a leg up on the other incoming running backs for playing time. With mighty mite Vincent Smith and the speedster Michael Shaw in line to share carries for Michigan in the fall, there’s an opening for a bigger back who can grind out carries in short-yardage situations. Hopkins was able to do just that in high school, rushing for over 1300 yards and 19 touchdowns on 211 carries in his senior season after a 1600+ yard, 22 touchdown season as a junior. Hopkins should get a crack at playing time as a true freshman, and could develop into a great complement to the speedier tailbacks that Rich Rodriguez has been known to recruit.

Ricardo Miller, Ann Arbor Pioneer (Rivals 3*, #67 WR): Miller, who moved to Ann Arbor from Florida for his senior season after committing to the Wolverines, has been rated as high as four stars from Rivals (and now is example 1A for message board conspiracy theorists who think there’s a southern bias in recruiting rankings) and boasts offers from Florida and Tennessee, among others. He’s another big wide receiver, standing at 6-2, 208 pounds, and while he also lacks elite speed, he boasts a tremendous pair of hands and great jump-ball instincts. Miller has always been somewhat of a personal favorite, as he transferred to my alma mater and has been instrumental in helping convince uncommitted recruits to come to Michigan. I see Miller as having Junior Hemingway (on a good, non-injured day) abilities, a guy with great size who can be a reliable deep threat without sprinter speed. He’ll get ample opportunity to contribute right away with the graduation of Greg Mathews and Laterryal Savoy.

Christian Pace, Avon Lake, Ohio (Rivals 3*, #7 center): Although Pace’s size — he’s just 6-3, 262 — limits both his potential position (he’s a center, and that’s that) and his recruiting rankings, he’s a perfect fit for Rich Rodriguez’s offense. Pace is a strong player for his size, but also boasts the athleticism to allow him to get to the second and third level on run plays, which should come in handy when he’s tasked with mastering the pulls and reach blocks that are so prevalent in the zone read. Pace almost certainly won’t be asked to play right away, as Michigan has a very good center in David Molk, but the spring practice time should allow him to learn technique and the playbook while apprenticing under Molk. It won’t be good for Michigan if Pace is forced into action early in his career, but he has the potential to develop into a very solid interior lineman.

Jerald Robinson, Canton South, Ohio (Rivals 3*, #47 WR): Robinson is a great athlete and another very solid deep threat — he amassed 756 yards and seven touchdowns on just 34 receptions as a junior — who could use to add a little weight to his 6-2, 175 pound frame. Robinson is known for his ability to go get the ball in traffic, and strikes me as a Roy Roundtree-like threat — not the biggest guy, and not the fastest guy, but a player who will make plays when called upon. We’ll have to see if Robinson can compete for early playing time with Miller and Jackson, who boast more college-ready bodies, but if he does see the field, you can expect to see a player who can make an impact both at outside receiver or in the slot.

Austin White, Livonia Stevenson (Rivals 3*, #10 all-purpose back): White is truly an all-purpose back, having lined up as a tailback, wingback, and wide receiver in high school and having an impact at all three positions. I was able to scout his game against South Lyon in the fall, and he didn’t fail to impress, rushing for 173 yards and three touchdowns on just eight carries. White is a lanky back, at 6-0, 186, and he is more of a speed back than a power guy. He runs a bit high for my liking (think Brandon Minor, without all the crushing broken tackles), but shows very nice speed and shiftiness, and he also has great hands out of the backfield. White could have an immediate impact as a tailback who can also split out and catch passes, especially with a solid knowledge of the offense after he gets spring ball under his belt. The Michigan backfield is certainly crowded, but White’s ability to do a little bit of everything should open up the opportunity for him to see the field early.

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Farewell, sweet prince.

So, what did I miss? Only three basketball games, a College Hockey Showcase sweep, the beginning of the fallout from Sparty No! Part II (Glenn Winston Edition), and Charlie Weis getting fired? Oh, OK. Let’s turn it over to the blogosphere why I continue recovering from tryptophan poisoning and too much rest.

First, a few thoughts on Michigan hoops after an ugly 1-2 weekend in Orlando. I was able to catch the first two games in their entirety, but was forced to follow along with the Alabama game online, so if something seems off about these observations, blame ESPNU.

• Manny Harris is tremendous, and could be blossoming into an All-American before our eyes, but the guy needs more help than what he’s getting right now. DeShawn Sims is a very good player, but I’d like to see him stay on the block more — we have enough perimeter shooters, and Sims isn’t exactly a three-point gunner anyway. Forcing him to play down low could help his consistency issues — it seems like every game there’s a significant stretch where he disappears.
• Yes, Michigan is going to need a third player to step up in every game. I do expect that to be a different guy depending on the night — LLP took the role against Creighton, and then Michigan dropped two games when there really wasn’t a consistent third option.
• The free throw shooting over the weekend was terrible, to put it bluntly. However, I don’t think that issue will continue to plague Michigan throughout the season. There’s simply too many good shooters on this team for them to be shooting that poorly from the line. I’m not going to fret about free throws unless Michigan continues to shoot poorly for the next couple games.
• Never thought I’d say this, but can we see more Zack Gibson? He’s really developed as an offensive player, providing a threat in the post, and also is a presence on the defensive end. I’d like to see him and Sims get some time together when the Wolverines have to face bigger squads that are exploiting the team inside.

More coverage on hoops: MGoTim has his breakdown of the final two games posted, appropriately titled “Work in Progress“, and also takes a look at the Big Ten’s chances in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. UMHoops, as always, has game wraps, and Dylan also gets former co-captain David Merritt to answer five questions about the team. He has a lot of great insight about the team, and I look forward to hearing his thoughts as the season wears on.

On the football side of things, Dr. Saturday looks at Brandon Graham’s Heisman chances in an alternate reality. Honestly, if the guy isn’t a first-team All-American, it’s a crime. The Rivalry, Esq. put out a lot of great content over the holiday, including a discussion of what to do with Denard Robinson, why getting two BCS bids would hurt the Big Ten, and a look at how expansion could help the conference’s image.

Also, Bo Schemblogger has the most tremendously succinct denial of transfer rumors (these about Austin White) that I’ve ever seen. Funny how actually talking to a guy can really clear stuff up.

In national news, Michigan won’t have Charlie Weis to beat up at Notre Dame any more, which would be really sad if he wasn’t such a grating blowhard. The WLA has some suggestions for his next job, while Boiled Sports takes Weis to task for ducking the media and leaving his players to answer questions about his possible firing. You stay classy, Charlie.

In hockey, Puck Daddy looks at the problems of the NCAA against the major junior leagues after Robbie Czarnik quit for the OHL and Jack Campbell decommitted for the same reason last week, and The Blog That Yost Built has your weekend recap after Michigan took out Minnesota and Wisconsin in the College Hockey Showcase.

Regular content will resume tomorrow now that I’m through the post-vacation hangover and all caught up with school. Hope everyone had a great holiday.

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Roy Roundtree looks like he will be an integral part of the 2010 offense.

There’s not much left to say about the 2009 season, so I’m going to go ahead and take a look at what the 2010 team will look like. First up is the offense, which should see little turnover from a very young unit. Just a note: I’ll be referring to players by what class they will be in for 2010 (for instance, I’ll be calling Tate Forcier a sophomore).

Quarterback: There will be a lot of speculation about the quarterback position, especially with the way Tate Forcier finished his freshman campaign. Forcier obviously has the inside track at the starting position in 2010, with a full season as the starter in Rich Rodriguez’s system under his belt. Denard Robinson has shown value as a situational quarterback, but hasn’t shown the passing ability to be a full-time solution at the position. The wild card will be the presence of incoming freshman Devin Gardner, Rivals.com’s #1 quarterback in the Class of 2010 and a threat to start from the moment he steps on campus. Unfortunately, Gardner will not be able to enroll early, and will have a tough time learning the offense quickly enough to unseat Forcier. In all likelihood, we’ll see the same quarterback rotation that we saw in 2009 — I doubt Rich Rodriguez wants to put his job on the line with another true freshman starting at the most important position on the field. Forcier should be an improved player when we see him next fall, and hopefully the rookie mistakes that marred the Ohio State game will be largely absent from his game a year from now.

Running Back: Michigan loses two talented (but oft-injured) tailbacks in Brandon Minor and Carlos Brown, but there is still a lot of talent returning at the position. Junior Michael Shaw and sophomore Vincent Smith should provide a solid one-two punch similar to how Michigan rotated Minor and Brown when they were healthy. They could be pushed for playing time by redshirt freshman Fitzgerald Toussaint (a highly-regarded four-star who put up very impressive numbers in high school) and redshirt sophomore Mike Cox, who at the very least will provide some depth at the position. Smith showed flashes of real promise in the second half of the season, and scored Michigan’s only touchdown against Ohio State on a nice 18-yard reception — he has showed an ability to run between the tackles despite his small stature, and could turn into a workhorse-type back. Shaw is more in the Carlos Brown mold (right down to the consistent nagging injuries), a guy with track-star speed who is a threat to take any run the distance. The Wolverines will also add Livonia Stevenson running back Austin White, a three-star tailback who is a very good receiver out of the backfield, and the large (6-0, 235 lbs.) Stephen Hopkins in the freshman class, although both will have an uphill climb for playing time. Despite losing two senior backs, Michigan looks to be in good shape at running back in 2010.

Outside Receiver: Michigan only loses two players, Greg Mathews and LaTerryal Savoy, from a unit that couldn’t consistently produce in 2009. Juniors Darryl Stonum and Junior Hemingway are your likely starters for 2010, and have the potential to provide Forcier with two solid deep threats if they continue to develop as players. Michigan will also return sophomore Je’Ron Stokes and redshirt freshman Cameron Gordon, a couple of four-star players from the Class of 2009, and will add some young talent in incoming freshmen Ricardo Miller, Jerald Robinson, D.J. Williamson, and Jeremy Jackson. Miller, an early commit who moved to Ann Arbor after playing his first three high school seasons at Dr. Phillips (FL), has the best chance to see the field early, although Jerald Robinson is the highest-rated player (Rivals.com four-star, #45 wide receiver) of the true freshmen and could also have an impact early on. The issue with the outside receivers isn’t talent — Stonum, Stokes, and Gordon were all four-star recruits, and Hemingway has been impressive when healthy — but consistency. Expect to see a lot of rotation at receiver until somebody steps up and establishes themselves as a consistent threat.

Slot Receivers: An injury to Martavious Odoms gave Roy Roundtree an opportunity to show his ability at slot receiver, and Roundtree may have edged out Odoms as the starter with his performance over the latter half of 2009. Both players should see ample playing time in 2010, and Roundtree’s emergence as Forcier’s go-to guy could mean Michigan shows more four-receiver sets next fall. Before his injury, Odoms had established himself as Michigan’s most consistent receiver under Rich Rodriguez, and also garnered praise for his downfield blocking and knowledge of the offense. Each player brings a different set of skills to the table, and Michigan will likely utilize both with regularity in 2010. There is a lot of depth at this position, with junior Kelvin Grady, sophomore Terrence Robinson, and redshirt freshman Jeremy Gallon all returning, to be joined by incoming freshmen Drew Dileo and Tony Drake. Grady, who saw his playing time decrease as Roundtree’s role expanded, could see more playing time as his transition from basketball to football continues. Many thought Gallon would contribute this season, but a late start because of academic clearinghouse issues forced him to redshirt — he’s a dark horse guy who could have a breakout season if he gets the opportunity. Overall, there’s a lot of talent in the slot, and Michigan should once again see the majority of their receiving production come from the position.

Tight Ends: Big things were expected from the tight end position, especially junior Kevin Koger, in 2009, but a strong start from Koger was followed by a disappointing string of drops as the position became more of a non-factor as the season wore on. However, there is still a lot of talent at tight end, with Koger joined by senior Martell Webb and redshirt sophomore Brandon Moore. The position will be one to watch in 2010 — Rich Rodriguez rarely utilized tight ends at West Virginia, but Koger has shown the potential to be a huge weapon in the spread. Along with Webb, who also struggled with drops this season, Koger may just be playing for the survival of the tight end position at Michigan next season. If he can catch the ball, Koger could be an All-Big Ten player next year, and a great safety valve for Forcier.

Offensive Line: The unit with the most turnover is the offensive line, which loses starters Mark Ortmann and David Moosman, as well as backup Tim McAvoy. However, Michigan returns five players who earned starts in 2009 in Steve Schilling, David Molk, Mark Huyge, Perry Dorrestein, and Patrick Omameh. Schilling (right guard) and Molk (center) will likely hold down their current positions, but the other three spots on the line are up for grabs, with a bevy of talented linemen all competing for playing time. Omameh performed well at right guard in the last few games of the season, and will likely earn a starting spot somewhere on the line. Huyge is another player that can play multiple positions, and should compete with Dorrestein and redshirt freshmen Taylor Lewan and Michael Schofield for a shot at one of the tackle positions. On the interior of the line, redshirt sophomores Ricky Barnum, Rocko Khoury, and Elliott Mealer, as well as redshirt freshman Quinton Washington, will provide depth and push for playing time. Regardless of who earns starting spots on the line, the experience and talent at every position should mean an improved unit for 2010.

2010 Outlook: The 2009 offense improved drastically from a disastrous unit in Rich Rodriguez’s first year at Michigan. With Tate Forcier having a full year at Michigan under his belt — and hopefully with a greater appreciation for holding on to the football — the Wolverines should once again have an improved offense in 2010. Forcier will be the key — the offensive line should be better with experience, and there is a lot of talent and depth at all the skill positions. If Michigan can get more efficiency from the quarterback position — and they should — we could be seeing one of the nation’s most potent offenses next season.

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This week is the second week of a new feature on The Wolverine and The Wolverine Blog: I will be traveling each week to a high school game featuring a 2010 Michigan commit, with highlights and interviews being posted here on the blog and over at The Wolverine. This past week, I went to Livonia Stevenson High School to see Austin White and the Spartans take on South Lyon. Video highlights of White’s performance are now posted at TheWolverine.com.

RB Austin White and Livonia Stevenson looked to improve on a 1-2 start in their intra-conference contest against 0-3 South Lyon, and the Michigan commit and his team came through with dominating performances en route to a 37-0 blowout victory. White, who lined up at tailback, wingback, and wide receiver, carried the ball eight times for 173 yards and three touchdowns, all in the first half, as Stevenson amassed 315 rushing yards in the game. White electrified the crowd with an 87-yard dash down the sideline for a score, and also hurdled a defender en route to his final touchdown of the game. For highlights from the game, a breakdown of White’s play, and a video interview with Austin, hit the jump:

Continue reading TWB High School Game of the Week: Livonia Stevenson vs. South Lyon

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Kelvin Grady is pushing for a significant role in the fall after joining the squad this summer.

Football:

• Former basketball player Kelvin Grady learning quickly at slot receiver — Michigan Daily — I’m clearly not the only one who thinks Grady looks good; Rich Rodriguez was quick to praise his new slot receiver before practice today. Don’t be surprised if Kelvin sees the field a lot this season, despite being only months removed from being exclusively a basketball player.
• Video from Thursday’s practice — The Wolverine — Exclusive video of the quarterbacks, receivers, defensive line, and more, shot at today’s practice.
• Observations: What does Grimace have to do with Michigan football practice? — AnnArbor.com — Despite the incredibly strange headline, Michael Rothstein has some interesting notes on today’s practice, including a breakdown of the field goal competition. Also, apparently our blocking heavy bag bears a strong resemblance to the big purple McDonalds … creature.
• Birk’s Eye View: Thursday practice notes… — AnnArbor.com — This headline thing is getting out of hand, since I cut off “…from University of Michigan football practice.” We know what you’re talking about. Seriously. Anyways, the focus is on Denard Robinson, and specifically his game-changing ability as a quarterback.
• Jarrett Irons: Our Dinner With Rich Rodriguez — Lost Lettermen — The former standout M linebacker chronicles a dinner with Rich Rodriguez and several former players in Chicago during Media Days. Have no fear: Irons has only praise for Rodriguez, his “drawl”, and his “affinity” and “respect” for Michigan. It’s great to see Rodriguez reaching out and making a good impression on former players.
• Interview: Mark Messner recalls battles with Mandarich — MVictors — Greg scores an interview with U-M’s all-time sack leader, touching on his most memorable game (battling against Spartan ‘roid-freak Tony Mandarich), Bo’s drug policy (staunch, and ahead of its time), and more. A great read.
• His playing days over, Jason Forcier will stay in Ann Arbor to mentor brother Tate Forcier — AnnArbor.com — Again, the headline says it all in an AnnArbor.com article. Having Jason around will certainly help Tate’s transition to college football, and should keep him on the right track on and off the field.
• All In For Michigan towels go on sale Sunday — Pick yours up at the MGoBlue Shop, M Den, or other retail outlets for $5 ($6.99 after Sunday). Some of the proceeds go towards the building of a new children’s and women’s hospital, and waving a towel promotes the downfall of the dastardly “key play.” So yeah, buy one.
• Graham, Molk, Schilling Named to Lombardi Award Watch List — MGoBlue — The Lombardi Award goes to the top lineman, offensive or defensive in the country, hence the guys from both sides of the ball. Also, nice.
• Boren saga only adds to Michigan-Ohio State rivalry — USA Today — Starting lineman switches sides in storied rivalry, bad-mouths coaching staff on way out, and this adds to the rivalry? O RLY? (Yes, that was sarcasm … I hope he’s healthy for the game so our d-line can put him on his ass thanks to actually caring about strength and conditioning).
• 74,000 Truck Drivers — Spawn of MZone — Delicious rivalry fodder, courtesy of the Spawn of MZone, relating to the above. Thank you.
• Freshman Craig Roh will be a factor at ‘quick’ end position… — AnnArbor.com — That’s it: I’m done typing “for Michigan football team” or anything else similar from AnnArbor.com articles. Good lord. Anyways, I really like Roh as a prospect and the ‘quick’ position seems like a great fit for him.
• Finally healthy, Brandon Minor could be headed for a breakout season — AnnArbor.com — Wow, Minor is one tough mother——: “Minor underwent two surgeries in the offseason and gutted through 11 games last fall a virtual one-armed man. The pain was so intense he couldn’t carry the ball in his right arm and couldn’t lift weights. “I could barely get 145 (pounds) up,” Minor said.”
• U-M defense tackles change with attention to details — Detroit News — I would fail on the U-M defense, as I initially thought this was an article about the DTs. Also, I’m 5-11 and 150 pounds soaking wet. As for the article, more quotes on Greg Robinson’s focus on tackling, among other things.
• Four-star has top five — Rivals.com — Four-star California athlete Anthony Barr has Michigan among his leaders, along with UCLA, USC, Cal, and Notre Dame. Barr is 6-4, 230, and could play anything from receiver to linebacker to defensive back, although most schools are recruiting him as a running back.
• Stevenson hopes to parlay postseason success — Observer & Eccentric Hometown — Local article previewing the Livonia Stevenson football squad, led by running back Austin White, a 2010 Michigan commit. It appears he’ll be playing on both sides of the ball come fall, and the hopes are that the team will build on the success of last season, when they went 10-3 and made the state semifinals.

Basketball:

• Harris, Sims Named Preseason Wooden Candidates — MGoBlue — Michigan gets some national award love, as Manny Harris and DeShawn Sims are among the 50 players named to the Wooden Award watch list.
• While Michigan’s basketball schedule looks good, there’s one stretch that should be a big concern — AnnArbor.com — Starting Jan. 14, Michigan plays: Indiana, UConn, @Wisconsin, @Purdue, Michigan State. Color me concerned. That stretch could vault Michigan into the top ten in the country or destroy a tournament season.
• Michigan Madness Slated for Oct. 16 at Crisler Arena — MGoBlue — FINALLY, Michigan has a Midnight Madness hoops event. Doors open at 8, and the festivities start at 9, with player intros, a skills competition, and scrimmages all on the docket.

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Devin Gardner earned the coveted fifth star in the new Scout 300.

The new Scout 300 was released today, with several Michigan commitments and targets included. Here’s who made the list (Note: Top 50 are all five-stars, the rest four-stars):

• Cretin Durham (MN) OT Seantrel Henderson maintained his spot atop the list, to the surprise of no one.
• Priviso West (IL) WR Kyle Prater comes in at No. 13. Prater is considered a long-shot at best for Michigan.
• Philadelphia DT Sharrif Floyd earns a fifth star and is ranked No. 38. Michigan is still very much in the mix for Floyd, and has a shot at receiving one of his official visits in the fall.
• Inkster (MI) QB Devin Gardner is the first Michigan commit on the list, just one spot behind Floyd at No. 39. Gardner’s performance at the Elite11 camp vaulted him up the list and earned him a fifth star. Hopefully Rivals will follow suit when they revise their rankings.
• Coming in at No. 61, just one spot below his Rivals100 ranking, is Pittsburgh CB Cullen Christian, long considered a near-lock for Michigan.
• Nathaniel Narbonne (CA) S Sean Parker makes the list at No. 65.
• Booker T. Washington (FL) RB Eduardo Clements comes in at No. 85, two spots above former Michigan RB target (and current Oklahoma commit) Brennan Clay.
• St. Francis (CA) S Dietrich Riley checks in at No. 98, rounding out the Michigan targets in the top 100.
• Lake Region (FL) S Marvin Robinson is the second U-M commit on the list, slotting in at No. 107.
• Glenville (OH) S Latwan Anderson is ranked No. 117, far off his No. 35 ranking in the Rivals100.
• Livonia (MI) Stevenson RB Austin White is a solid four-star to Scout, coming in at No. 124. White is currently a mid-three star to Rivals, but hopefully will make a leap up when the new rankings are released.
• Hollywood Hills (FL) CB Tony Grimes jumps in three spots later, at No. 127. Grimes is another corner who seems likely to drop for Michigan. At this point, we’ll take all the DBs we can.
• Hey, another corner! Palmdale (CA) CB Josh Shaw is No. 136, although Michigan hasn’t expressed as much interest in Shaw as they have in Christian or Grimes.
• Warren Mott (MI) DE C.J. Olaniyan comes in two spots later, at No. 138. Michigan is still in the running for the in-state DE, who still seems relatively open in his recruitment.
• Ann Arbor Pioneer WR Ricardo Miller (as a PiHi alum, I love typing that, even if the recruiting services still list him at his old HS) is the third Wolverine commit on the list, checking in at No. 155.
• Cass Tech CB Dior Mathis is the No. 166 prospect. Mathis has changed up his list quite often in recent weeks, with Oregon and MSU the latest to jump to the top of his list, although Michigan and Miami are still in the running.
• Millersville (MD) S Josh Furman check in at No. 183. Although listed by Scout as a safety, Michigan is recruiting Furman as a LB. He is taking an official visit for the Notre Dame game, and the Wolverines have a good shot at a commitment.
• Canton (OH) South WR Jerald Robinson is the fourth U-M commit on the list, coming in at No. 251.
• Sunbury (OH) OT Skyler Schofner is the final Wolverine target on the list, slipping into the Scout 300 at No. 297.

For those who care to compare this list to the list of targets from last month’s Rivals250 update, head over here.

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The above video was edited by me, and the highlights are taken from this video of highlights from Livonia Stevenson’s 2008 season and this one-play highlight video.

As expected, Livonia Stevenson tailback Austin White, a Rivals.com three-star and a Scout.com four-star, committed to Michigan this morning. White becomes the 16th commitment for the Wolverines in the Class of 2010, and the third running back, along with Stephen Hopkins and Tony Drake (who may become a slot receiver).

In my opinion, this is a big pickup for Michigan, and should not be looked upon as just another three-star rounding out the class. White has a lot of talent, is the highest rated of the three tailback commits so far, and allows Michigan to focus on landing an elite running back (hopefully Eduardo Clements, Brandon Gainer, or Brennan Clay, if he decommits from Oklahoma). His offer list suggests four-star talent: Michigan, LSU, Michigan State, Illinois, Iowa, Purdue, and Wisconsin all offered, and he received interest from Alabama and Notre Dame.

White has been expected to go blue for a while, and it sounds like he’s pretty solid in his decision:

“One morning a couple days ago I woke up and it just felt like Michigan was the right spot for me,” White said. “I sat on it for a couple hours and it was still on my mind, so I decided to make it official.”

He has some impressive numbers to back up his ratings and offers: According to the Free Press article linked above he rushed for over 1,700 yards with 30 touchdowns as a sophomore, and followed that with a stellar junior year, rushing for 1,610 yards and 28 touchdowns on 228 carries (7.1 ypc) while adding 21 receptions for 310 yards and four scores.

As always, check out TheWolverine.com for more on White, football recruiting, and all else Michigan sports.

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Despite the commitment of Rivals three-star Stephen Hopkins, Josh Helmholdt thinks Michigan still has a need at running back.

Football:

• Premature Assessments: Michigan picks itself off the mat — Dr. Saturday — Matt Hinton previews the Michigan football season. His “non-binding forecast” puts the Wolverines at 7-5 with a .500 record in the Big Ten, something I’d happily accept. Also, you’ll probably recognize the YouTube video he embeds in his post…
• Defender at the Gate: Stevie Brown — Wolverine Liberation Army — WLA member cfaller96 declares this to be the year that Stevie Brown finally has a positive impact on the defense, thanks in no small part to Greg Robinson, his magnificent hair, and the spinner position. If you don’t love the WLA, I really don’t know what to tell you.
• Running back still a need for Michigan in the 2010 class — Detroit Free Press — The Wolverine’s Josh Helmholdt thinks Michigan needs to add at least one running back with the impeding departures of Minor, Brown, and Grady. With Austin White announcing on July 15, this may become a moot point in the very near future. Brennan Clay is still a longshot, even with his commitment to Oklahoma, and I would love to see him added to this class as well.
• Putting the ball into athletes’ hands — ESPN.com — Brian Bennett pens (keyboards?) a very interesting article on high school athletes’ use of social networking sites in their recruitment. One of the players highlighted is quarterback commit Devin Gardner, who maintains a Facebook page with updates and highlight videos and accepts fan friend requests. Very interesting read, although I find the whole business of “friending” potential players borderline creepy and a potential recruiting gray-area.
• 2009 Big Ten Preview: Minnesota — Varsity Blue — Tim looks at the Golden Gophers, one of only two Big Ten teams to fall to Michigan last year. Unfortunately, we don’t play them this year, but he still provides a good in-depth look at a team that potentially is on the rise in the conference.
• The Great Debate: The Iowa Hawkeyes — Maize n Brew — The Maize n Brew crew debates the merits of Iowa, who hosts Michigan for their homecoming game (a night game at that) this season. Personally, I think Iowa is overrated, but there are a lot of people who think traveling to Kinnick Stadium poses the toughest road test (or game, period) for Michigan this year.

Other Sports:

• Former Wolverine Zach Putnam sets his sights on the major leagues — Ann Arbor News — Putnam, who starred as a starting pitcher for Michigan (as well as my alma mater, Pioneer High School), is now moving up the minor league ranks as a reliever in the Cleveland Indians organization. He hopes to be on the big club by next September, and it would be great to see him achieve that goal.

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Nick Sheridan has been helping Tate Forcier at practice, but that doesn't mean he's giving up on being the starting QB this fall

Football:

• Interview: Quarterback Nick Sheridan — MVictors — Greg from MVictors sat down with Nick Sheridan at Schembechler Hall, and discusses topics ranging from Sheridan’s injury to his relationship with Tate Forcier to how he deals with criticism. It’s a very interesting read, and one can’t help but like Sheridan after reading the interview.
• Expected Spring Game Visitors ($) — The Wolverine — Josh Helmholdt has the list of 2010 recruits expected to be at the Spring Game on Saturday.
• A look at the state’s top 10 prospects for the class of 2010 — Detroit Free Press — Matt Dorsey from SpartanMag.com (Rivals’ MSU affiliate) gives his list of the top ten in-state prospects. Detroit Southeastern DE/LB William Gholston checks in at the top, with Michigan commit Devin Gardner at No. 3.
• An Interview With CJ Olaniyan — MGoBlog — Tom VB, MGoBlog’s resident recruiting guru, chats with Warren Mott DE CJ Olaniyan, who will be attending the Spring Game this weekend. Although he doesn’t name any leaders, he does give an extremely interesting quote: “My goal is to have [my commitment] done by the beginning of the season; the middle of the season at the latest. But, yea there’s a possibility one could come this weekend, I’m not sure yet.” Interpret that as you want. Olaniyan would be a huge in-state pickup for Michigan at a position of need.
• Prep Track Field Results — Hometownlife.com — Livonia Stevenson running back Austin White, a Michigan target for 2010, was part of the winning 400 and 800 relay teams at the Patriot Relays on April 4, running the anchor leg in both events. White is listed by Rivals as having a 4.44 40-yard dash, and I’m looking forward to seeing what he can run in some individual events.
• Lions sign U-M’s Lentz — Detroit News — Former Michigan offensive lineman Matt Lentz, who spent last season on Tampa Bay’s practice squad, has signed a deal with the Detroit Lions.
• Michigan Football Tidbits: Stock up stock down list — Go Blue Michigan Wolverine — ErocWolverine gives some in-depth analysis of Michigan’s spring practice performances based on what he has seen thus far. Solid analysis from a guy who clearly has a lot of access.
• Michigan freshman wide receiver Darryl Stonum sentenced to 12 months probation — Michigan Daily — Stonum gets a year of probation after pleading guilty to operating a vehicle while visually impaired, a charge stemming from a Sep. 28, 2008 incident on State Street.

Hockey:

• Michigan: The NHL’s Farm Team — The Blog That Yost Built — TBTYB links to an article listing the college hockey teams who provide the most players to the NHL, and Michigan is the leader in that category by a wide margin. Just more evidence that Red runs one of the preeminent teams in college hockey.

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