Michigan released its official depth chart today for the UConn game, and there are a few surprises on the two-deep for Saturday. The entire depth chart can be found at the Football Depth Chart page. Let’s start by breaking down the offense:

No surprise at quarterback, as Rich Rodriguez has said we won’t know who the starter is until kickoff; for the second straight season, we get three players all tied at the top. Devin Gardner, in Rodriguez’s words, will “probably not” redshirt this season — it looks like he has done enough in the coaches’ eyes to see the field this season and help the team. I still expect Denard Robinson to be the starter on Saturday, but we’ll probably see all three quarterbacks at some point.

Vincent Smith and Michael Shaw head up what should be a rotation of at least 3-4 running backs. Note that Teric Jones, who was recruited at running back but played in the secondary for the past year, is back at his natural position.

This is where things get a little interesting. Your starting wideouts are Darryl Stonum/Junior Hemingway and Martavious Odoms on the outside and Roy Roundtree/Kelvin Grady in the slot. This is probably a product of the depth and talent at slot receiver, especially with Grady having a breakout fall camp, and Rich Rodriguez’s subsequent attempt to get the best players on the field. The only true freshman on the depth chart, interestingly, is Jeremy Jackson — I suspect this is because he has by far the best hands out of the group, and he should be a reliable possession receiver if the team needs to use him.

The depth chart at tight ends looks exactly the same as it did last year. It will be very interesting to see how much this position factors into the offense with all the talent at receiver.

It appears that the veterans have held off the talented youngsters at tackle, as redshirt junior Mark Huyge and senior Perry Dorrestein get the nod at tackle over redshirt freshmen Taylor Lewan and Michael Schofield, at least for now. They will be joined by what should be a very good interior line in left guard Stephen Schilling, center David Molk, and right guard Patrick Omameh. The depth across the board is very strong, and this should be by far the best offensive line Rich Rodriguez has had at Michigan.

I’ll have a breakdown of the defense either later today or tomorrow afternoon, and my game previews for the season will begin on Wednesday as we rapidly approach game day in Ann Arbor.

Similar Posts:

• Five Non-Quarterbacks to Watch Tomorrow
• An Early Stab at the 2010 Depth Chart: Offense
• Early Guess at the Football Depth Chart: Now Updated for Spring
• Position Threat Levels: Low
• A (Very) Early Look at the 2010 Offense

The position previews continue today with a look at one of the team’s best position groups, the interior line:

Returning Contributors: David Molk (RS Jr.), Stephen Schilling (RS Sr.), Patrick Omameh (RS So.), Ricky Barnum (RS So.), Rocko Khoury (RS So.), Elliott Mealer (RS So.), John Ferrara (RS Sr.)
Ready to Contribute: Quinton Washington (RS Fr.)
Incoming Freshmen: Christian Pace
Key Departures: David Moosman

The Projected Starters: Michigan fans will be happy to see center David Molk healthy and back in the starting lineup after missing most of the 2009 season with foot and knee injuries. Molk has arguably been the team’s best offensive lineman when healthy the past two seasons, and he is the perfect fit at center in Rich Rodriguez’s offense — a strong, agile lineman who excels in zone blocking and getting to the second level.

Left guard Stephen Schilling is a former five-star prospect who earned All-Big Ten honorable mention last year from both the coaches and the media. With 36 career starts, Schilling is the most experienced lineman on the team, and he is a very strong player who is at his best in the run game. Schilling should once again vie for postseason honors in his final year as a Wolverine.

Redshirt sophomore Patrick Omameh has surprised many by going from a two-star defensive end prospect to starting the final three games of 2009 at right guard, where he projects to start full-time this season. Omameh has been very impressive in spring and fall practices, and like Molk he is a very agile athlete for his size (6-4, 299 pounds). Many, including myself, expect big things out of Omameh in his first full year as a starter, and when combined with Molk and Schilling he rounds out what should be a stellar interior line for the Wolverines.

The Competition: Although the starting lineup appears set, Michigan has several solid backups in the interior line should the team need to replace one of the above players. A trio of redshirt sophomores — Ricky Barnum, Elliott Mealer, and Rocko Khoury — should be the primary backups. Barnum is a former four-star and an extremely versatile player who can line up at any position along the line — he saw snaps at both center and guard during Saturday’s scrimmage, and will likely be the top backup at guard this season. At 6-5, 313 pounds, Mealer is a huge guard and a solid athlete who saw action in 11 games last season. Khoury has worked at center since arriving in Ann Arbor, and with Moosman gone he will be pressed into action should Molk go down to injury again this year. He is reportedly much-improved at the quarterback-center exchange after struggling with it in practice last year.

Others: Redshirt senior John Ferrara has been passed on the depth chart by the trio of sophomores, but he has six career starts at guard and would be a capable and experienced replacement if called upon. Redshirt freshman guard Quinton Washington is a former four-star recruit, but he’s likely a year away from sniffing the two-deep at one of the most stacked positions on the roster. True freshman Christian Pace is a promising center prospect very much in the Molk mold, but he is a lock to redshirt as he continues to add weight after enrolling early in the spring.

Outlook: The interior line boasts three players with all-conference potential, and should be one of the strongest position groups on the team in 2010. Having Molk healthy alongside Schilling and Omameh should be a huge boost to the offense and give the Wolverines one of the top lines in the Big Ten. On top of having a great starting trio, the team has a great deal of depth in the interior of the line — it’s hard to see this group being anything but a strength this fall.

Previous Position Previews: Quarterback, Running Back, Outside Receiver, Slot Receiver, Tight End, Offensive Tackle

For every position preview, click here or hit the “2010 Position Previews” tag at the bottom of the post.

Similar Posts:

• The Foundation: A Look at the 2008 Recruiting Class
• 2010 Official Depth Chart Breakdown: Offense
• An Early Stab at the 2010 Depth Chart: Offense
• Position Threat Levels: Low
• A (Very) Early Look at the 2010 Offense

Remember the Homeland Security Department’s biggest PR move, the terrorist threat level indicator? You know, this thing:

Well, I decided — in a desperate attempt to figure out what type of content to post during the slow summer months — to apply these threat levels (minus the whole, you know, terrorist thing) to Michigan’s position groups. In other words, which groups are the Wolverines comfortably stocked at, and which ones have you buying mass quantities of bottled water and canned foods to prepare for the football apocalypse? Over the next week, I’ll be placing each of the position groups into one of the above categories. Today, I start with the spots that Michigan fans have the least to worry about — the “Low” threat category:

Slot Receiver: Rich Rodriguez has made a very concerted effort over the last few recruiting classes to bring in small, speedy players who fit his system, and the slot receiver position is now stacked with a talented, and crowded, depth chart. Roy Roundtree emerged as Tate Forcier’s go-to guy over the second half of the 2009 season, and his performance in this year’s spring game showed that Forcier isn’t the only quarterback looking his way when a big play needs to happen. He should, once again, be the team’s leading receiver, and with a full season of playing time should easily surpass his numbers from last year. Martavious Odoms has been somewhat overshadowed by the emergence of Roundtree, but is still a very solid all-around receiver who could force Michigan to play a lot of four-receiver sets to ensure their best players are on the field. Jeremy Gallon and Terrence Robinson both impressed during spring drills and provide versatile (both played in the backfield in high school) and athletic options as backups — both could also see time returning kicks. Kelvin Grady has been the odd man out at the position this spring, but he’s still a talented athlete who could contribute if called upon, especially as he learns Rich Rodriguez’s system. Michigan has too many skilled athletes in the slot to not get good production out of the position this fall, and Roundtree and Odoms will likely be the top two receivers on the team — of all the positions on the field, this is the one I’m least worried about.

Interior O-Line: The Wolverines have a great combination of talent and experience on the interior of the line, and with a healthy (knock on wood) David Molk back at center, this group should be a strength for the offense. Molk is the key player here — he was Michigan’s best offensive lineman when healthy last year, and the offense struggled when he was out of the lineup (though part of those struggles can, and should, be attributed to a freshman quarterback entering a tough Big Ten slate of games). Stephen Schilling, a former five-star recruit, has the left guard position locked down, and although Schilling hasn’t lived up to his recruiting hype, he is still a very solid and reliable player who could have an all-conference type season in his final year as a Wolverine. At right guard, redshirt sophomore Patrick Omameh has emerged as one of the team’s most promising young lineman after earning a few starts at the end of last season. He is poised for a breakout year in his first season as a full-time starter, and getting those starts in 2009 should greatly ease any concerns over breaking in a new player on the offensive line. Michigan is relatively young once you get past Schilling and Molk on the depth chart, but there is certainly a lot of talent waiting in the wings –  redshirt sophomore Ricky Barnum and redshirt freshman Quinton Washington were both four-star players coming out of high school, and should be the primary backups at guard, while redshirt sophomore Rocko Khoury gained valuable experience this spring at center while Molk recovered from last season’s injuries. Redshirt sophomore Elliott Mealer and fifth-year senior John Ferrara provide even more depth at guard, a luxury Michigan has not had in the past couple seasons with thin offensive lines.

Those two position groups should help power Michigan’s offense to further improvement in 2010, and (barring an injury to Roundtree, Odoms, or Molk) will be two areas where Wolverine fans can expect solid performances week in and week out. Tomorrow, I’ll have the “guarded” positions as we move up the threat level ladder.

Similar Posts:

• Position Preview: Slot Receivers
• Position Preview: Interior Offensive Line
• 2010 Official Depth Chart Breakdown: Offense
• An Early Stab at the 2010 Depth Chart: Offense
• A (Very) Early Look at the 2010 Offense

Over the next couple weeks, I’ll be examining the foundation for the 2010 Michigan Wolverines: the five recruiting classes, from 2006 to 2010, that comprise the team. On Tuesday I took a look at the class of 2006. Today, I move on to this year’s fourth-year seniors and redshirt juniors from the class of 2007:

Class of 2007 (Sorted by Rivals.com Ranking):

Who’s Left?

Boy, did this class get decimated — just 11 of the 20 recruits will be around this fall, and of those, just a select few are expected to have a major impact. Of the players still on the team, Ryan Van Bergen and David Molk are probably the standouts from the class, with each player holding down a starting role and producing well (when healthy, in the case of Molk). Michael Williams reminded Michigan fans of Stevie Brown — pre-position switch — when he saw the field at safety last year, and is now falling behind redshirt freshmen and walk-ons at the spur position this spring. Those are your only four-stars remaining on the roster (except Molk, who was a three-star, but highly touted, center).

Of the three-stars, only Molk, Troy Woolfolk, and Mark Huyge have held down a starting role with any sort of consistency — Junior Hemingway would be included in that company if he could stay healthy through a whole season. Renaldo Sagesse and Brandon Herron have both been contributors as backups, and Sagesse should have a relatively large role in 2010, but otherwise the depth in this class has either languished on the bench or left the team.

Who’s Gone?

Our one-time Quarterback of the Future, for one — Ryan Mallett high-tailed it out of here when Michigan hired Rich Rodriguez, transferring to Arkansas and developing into a top NFL prospect. It’s tough to blame anyone for Mallett’s departure, however, as I certainly don’t see him being successful running the zone-read spread offense — his transfer was the unfortunate byproduct of a fundamental change in schemes.

The other blue-chipper, Donovan Warren, chose to enter the NFL draft a year early. After him, the class has a lengthy list of players who transferred due either to lack of playing time or issues with Rich Rodriguez or his schemes: Clemons, Helmuth, Babb, Chambers, Horn, and Evans all fall into this category. None of those players had any major impact on the field. Austin Panter, as a JUCO transfer, used up his eligibility in 2008, earning a brief cameo as a starter before quickly being shuttled to the bench.

The Upshot:

I called the previous class a disappointment, but this one is tough to top: ranked as the #13 class in the country by Rivals, the class of 2007 has produced just a handful of even serviceable players. Losing Mallett was a tough break, but Warren never developed into the player his rankings suggested he would become before he departed early, and now arguably the two most important players remaining from the class (Molk and Woolfolk) are former three-stars. To say this class, on the whole, was a bust would be an understatement — any sort of resurgence that could happen this year will be as much driven by the younger players as it will this class. At least 2006 produced Brandon Graham — the class of 2007 has nothing to hang its hat on except failure to meet expectations and departures. Anyone looking to diagnose the reason for Michigan’s struggles should look no further than the failure of the 2006 and 2007 classes to produce even remotely close to their lofty rankings, and I don’t think the change in coaches had that much to do with their failures.

Similar Posts:

• The Foundation: A Look at the 2006 Recruiting Class
• The Foundation: A Look at the 2008 Recruiting Class
• The Foundation: A Look at the 2009 Recruiting Class
• Position Threat Levels: Guarded
• A (Very) Early Look at the 2010 Defense

I had the privilege of attending Michigan’s first spring practice yesterday, along with Rich Rodriguez’s press conference. Before I get into my quick analysis of the presser and practice, I should make note of one thing: the media access to practice was limited to a 12-minute period when the team was split into position groups and doing drills. Between trying to get some decent photos and trying to decipher which drill I should be paying attention to (not to mention trying to figure out, with my complete lack of football-playing background, if players were actually doing the drills correctly), it was hard to glean much information of note from the actual practice. In fact, I really only took one thing away from the practice session itself, a point I’ll bring up later. I think I can speak for pretty much all the media in attendance when I say not to put a whole lot of stock into what you read about this spring practice — again, we saw 12 minutes of drills with the team split into position groups and spread across two football fields. Just making a note of that before I go into what I saw, and heard, yesterday.

With that out of the way, I’ll break down the one thing of note I saw and post some pictures, as well as give some highlights from the presser and new numbers/weights from the spankin’ new official spring roster.

THE THING OF NOTE

When I realized that I had no hope of seeing or understanding even 10% of what was happening in practice, I turned my focus to the quarterbacks and watched them go through a few drills. It didn’t take a Lombardian knowledge of football to see who will be the clear-cut starter for Michigan next season: Tate Forcier simply threw the best ball of any of the quarterbacks, and it wasn’t close. We all knew he would be the most accurate quarterback, but the zip he put on his throws also was very impressive — it’s safe to say his shoulder has healed up just fine.

Tell me something I don’t already know, you say. Well, for one, Devin Gardner’s mechanics have definitely improved since the end of his senior season at Inkster — he is releasing the ball at a much higher point than in any of his highlight videos from high school. Watching him throw, however, you can tell that he’s still really thinking about the mechanics of throwing, and his accuracy just isn’t at the level he’d need it to be to seriously challenge for playing time. Now, all of the drills we were able to see involved the quarterback throwing from the pocket, so we didn’t get to see Gardner show off his athleticism and ability to throw on the run, but after watching Gardner today I’d be very surprised if he got extended playing time unless Forcier goes down with an injury. It looks like he could really use a redshirt year to get his mechanics to the point where his throwing motion comes naturally to him, as well as to learn the offense.

As for Denard Robinson, he also had some struggles with accuracy, especially on deep passes. Rich Rodriguez was with the quarterbacks during the drills that we watched, and kept harping on the quarterbacks to “drop the ball in the bucket” — in other words, to put a lot of air under the ball so it “drops” into the receiver’s hands. Gardner and Robinson had their struggles with that concept, and both quarterbacks also missed a few intermediate throws that you’d hope they will hit once the spring game, and obviously the fall, comes around. The good news is that both quarterbacks, as well as Forcier, did well hitting tailbacks in stride when they practiced swing passes out of the backfield. That may seem trivial, but those passes are an important part of this offense, and hitting a running back in stride can be the difference between a big gain and a backwards lateral (think Notre Dame, 2008).

RICH ROD’S PRESSER

I’ll keep this rather brief, as Tim has already posted a very thorough rundown over at MGoBlog, but here are some of the highlights from Rodriguez’s pre-practice press conference:

• Vincent Smith and David Molk are both out for the spring with knee injuries, but Rodriguez said they were progressing well in rehab and expected them to do “limited activities” by the end of spring ball.
• Rodriguez said he expected to “do some different things with Denard,” since he thought a player with Robinson’s athletic and football abilities shouldn’t be spending too much time on the bench. He also clarified that Denard would likely be seeing those extra snaps at receiver, since the Wolverines already have a lot of bodies at running back.
• Nick Sheridan will not be playing this season — he is finishing up school and preparing for a career in coaching. It sounds like he’ll be a graduate assistant at some point, but Sheridan can’t be a GA right now since he’s finishing up his undergraduate degree. He was hanging around practice in street clothes, however. Bryan Wright will also not be using his final season of eligibility, citing back problems as the reason to end his playing career.
• There will be an emphasis on playing more people on defense this season, now that there is a healthy amount of competition at pretty much every position. Rodriguez said Greg Robinson will be working on keeping his schemes relatively simple so the plethora of freshmen competing for spots can contribute immediately.
• Both Troy Woolfolk and Justin Turner are practicing at cornerback, but Rodriguez did say there was a possibility of either player also seeing time at safety.

NEW SPRING ROSTER

MGoBlog also has a breakdown of the weight changes in the new spring roster, so I won’t go into too much detail here either, but I thought I’d mention these interesting points:

• When asked if any players stood out for their offseason condition, Rodriguez cited a trio of redshirt freshmen linemen: Quinton Washington, Taylor Lewan, and Michael Schofield. Washington dropped an impressive amount of weight, going from 325 down to 307, while Lewan (283, up from 268) and Schofield (281, also up from 268) each added some needed pounds. Washington slimming down should immediately put him in the running for a starting role, while Lewan and Schofield probably still need to add a couple pounds (certainly possible before the fall) before they’re in that same discussion.
• There were gains pretty much across the board on both sides of the ball. Junior Hemingway is now a very robust 227 pounds — I’m not sure whether that’s a good thing or not until we see him running full speed. Forcier gained six pounds, up to 194, which hopefully will protect him a little bit more from injury. On defense, Will Campbell is now up to 324 pounds, and he certainly passed the eye test — the guy is a physical specimen now and is worlds away from how he looked when he enrolled as a freshman. Craig Roh also added weight, and at 249 pounds he is now in the discussion at defensive end, a spot he was far too light for last season (Rodriguez specifically stated that Roh could see snaps at DE in the presser).
• Forcier still is wearing 5, even though I saw some rumors floating around that he would be switching to 4, his high school number. Instead, Cameron Gordon has taken that number, as he has switched officially over to safety. Teric Jones has also moved to safety, and Brandin Hawthorne is listed at the position as well — with Michigan slightly tweaking their defense, I’m pretty sure Stevie Brown’s position was reclassified from linebacker to safety, although I could be wrong there. If that is in fact true, it looks like that position battle will come down to Hawthorne, Mike Williams, and possibly Jordan Kovacs. Isaiah Bell is now up to 237 pounds and is listed at linebacker, as is Mike Jones, despite being only 207 right now.

FRESHMAN NUMBERS [end_columns]

PHOTOS

If you want to see more photos from today’s practice, I put up an album over on photobucket. They’re mostly of the quarterbacks, since that’s who I was watching for most of the time. If you want to see why Devin Gardner is such an intriguing prospect, check out the last photo: he just towers over everybody else.

That’s all I have for now. I’ll be updating the projected depth chart by the end of this weekend to reflect any changes in position or number. Enjoy your St. Patrick’s Day (in a safe but enjoyable fashion, I hope).

Similar Posts:

• The Foundation: A Look at the 2009 Recruiting Class
• 2010 Official Depth Chart Breakdown: Offense
• Spring Football: Five Players I’ll Be Watching
• Five Players With the Most to Gain in Spring Practice
• Early Guess at the Football Depth Chart: Now Updated for Spring

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.

Similar Posts:

• 2010 Official Depth Chart Breakdown: Offense
• An Early Stab at the 2010 Depth Chart: Defense
• Early Guess at the Football Depth Chart: Now Updated for Spring
• Position Threat Levels: Low
• A (Very) Early Look at 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.

Similar Posts:

• Position Preview: Tight End
• 2010 Official Depth Chart Breakdown: Offense
• An Early Stab at the 2010 Depth Chart: Offense
• Five Players With the Most to Lose in Spring Practice
• Position Threat Levels: Low

Boy, am I excited for this one. Here are a few thoughts on the game, based on my initial (and so far, only) viewing of the game from Spartan Stadium:

• I don’t know if anybody expected the loss of David Molk to have as much of an impact as it has thus far. His absence reaches far beyond the occasional bad snap — it’s pretty clear that Molk-Moosman-Huyge is a much more preferable combination in both run- and pass-blocking than Moosman-Huyge/Ferrara-Dorrestein. It was tough to tell from being at the game (and in the nosebleeds), but if I had to guess, the biggest factor in the running game disappearing was poor line play. Forcier was also sacked four times, and spent several other plays scrambling for his life. Just a bad performance from the line overall.
• The offense deserves much of the blame for this loss, but I don’t think you can let the defense entirely off the hook. MSU did everything they could to give this game back to Michigan, turning the ball over four times and committing some boneheaded penalties (State finished with eight penalties for 94 yards), but they moved the ball at will. The 17 play, 70 yard drive that led to the Spartans’ first score was pure torture to watch. I mean, look at this:
  

  1-10-MIST20	(12:22) MIST was penalized 5 yards.
  1-15-MIST15	(11:30) Running back rushed for no gain.
  2-15-MIST15	(11:15) Kirk Cousins passed to Charlie Gantt for 18 yards.
  1-10-MIST33	(10:49) Larry Caper rushed for 5 yards.
  2-5-MIST38	(10:12) Larry Caper rushed for 6 yards.
  1-10-MIST44	(9:37) Keshawn Martin rushed for 18 yards. MIST was penalized 15 yards.
  1-25-MIST47	(9:13) Kirk Cousins passed to Blair White for 9 yards. MIST was penalized 15 yards.
  2-16-MIST41	(8:59) Kirk Cousins passed to Blair White for 17 yards.
  1-10-MI42	(7:46) Kirk Cousins passed to Blair White for 3 yards.
  2-7-MI39	(7:31) Running back rushed for 1 yard.
  3-6-MI38	(6:50) Kirk Cousins passed to Mark Dell for 9 yards.
  1-10-MI29	(6:30) Kirk Cousins passed incomplete to Charlie Gantt.
  2-10-MI29	(6:25) MIST was penalized 15 yards.
  2-25-MI44	(5:49) Kirk Cousins rushed for 19 yards.
  3-6-MI25	(5:19) Kirk Cousins passed to B.J. Cunningham for 15 yards.
  1-10-MI10	(4:51) Running back rushed for no gain.
  2-10-MI10	(4:02) Larry Caper rushed for 2 yards.
  3-0-MI8	(3:17) Kirk Cousins rushed for 7 yards.
  4-0-MI1	(2:25) Touchdown. Larry Caper rushed for 1 yard.
  (2:25) Brett Swenson made the extra point.
  MI 3   MIST 7,   Plays: 17   Yards: 70   Possession: 10:02.

  The Spartans were penalized 50 yards on that drive, and yet were still able to convert two third-downs and a fourth-and-goal to put seven on the board. Excuse me while I kick the nearest puppy.

• How on earth do we let Kirk Freakin’ Cousins rush for 75 yards, including a critical 41-yard scramble in the fourth quarter? I really don’t know who to pin that one on: it could be the scheme, the d-line not keeping contain, or the linebackers not doing their job, but one way or another, that cannot happen in the future. If Ricky Stanzi starts gashing the defense for 30 yards at a time this weekend, I might just set my TV on fire.
• Darryl Stonum continues to be both electrifying and frustrating. He was the only Wolverine other than Tate Forcier to put up a productive game on offense, hauling in five catches for 95 yards and the critical 60-yard TD to put Michigan within seven. However, he couldn’t find a seam on kickoff returns, and, more importantly, put the ball on the ground early in the fourth to kill a promising drive deep in Spartan territory. Overall, Stonum had a great performance, and he really seems to be improving with each game, but he can’t make those kind of mistakes.
• Has the team’s tackling completely regressed since the first couple weeks, or is it just me? Maybe it’s just the image of Larry Caper shedding tackles en route to the end zone in overtime, but this team needs to wrap up and haul guys down on the first try.
• There were a few bright spots, so I’ll try to end on a happy note: Besides the terrible decision on the rollout punt, Zoltan Mesko had a great game, averaging 43 yards a punt and booming a long of 56 yards. Jason Olesnavage hit both his field goal attempts, including a 42-yarder. Jordan Kovacs actually looked quite solid in run support when Michigan brought him off the edge; I couldn’t tell how he did against the pass, but he did bring something to the table. Donovan Warren continues to merit “don’t throw at me” status. Brandon Graham continues to toss aside double teams to make plays. Tate Forcier continues to not get nervous. I’ll end there, before I start making asinine comments.

This game was rough, but we have to remember preseason expectations. I expect Michigan to have a solid bounce-back effort against Iowa, and we’ll learn a lot about this team as they try to rebound from a bad loss. It should be a very interesting week of football.

Similar Posts:

• Position Preview: Interior Offensive Line
• 2010 Official Depth Chart Breakdown: Offense
• A (Very) Early Look at the 2010 Offense
• Observations on the Iowa Game
• Five Things I Hope to See: Illinois

It’s Thursday, which means another edition of “Five Things…”. First, a look back at last week’s game:

1. Establish Denard Robinson as a passing threat — 0-4, 2 interceptions. Bad. Two rushing touchdowns? Good. Still, Denard needs to show he can throw downfield with some accuracy if he is going to have consistent success running the ball.
2. Establish dominance up front — I should have clarified that this was pointed towards the defense. Well, the defense didn’t exactly dominate, and EMU had a fair amount of success running the ball in the first half. However, the defensive line (especially, of course, Brandon Graham) played fairly well against both the run and the pass. The linebackers, unfortunately, remain a point of major concern.
3. Obi Ezeh bounces back — Ezeh showed flashes against Eastern, making a few nice plays when he recognized a play early and attacked with confidence. However, there are still too many plays where he gets caught hesitating and gets taken out of the play. He took a step forward against EMU, but will have to take a few more to be the player we expect three-year starters to become.
4. One of the young tailbacks shows starting potential — Michael Shaw is a young Carlos Brown, if Carlos Brown managed to stay healthy. So yes, starting potential.
5. A cornerback besides Donovan Warren actually plays well — Eastern did not pass a whole lot, but Boubacar Cissoko looked much improved in the limited opportunities he was given to play the pass. That pass interference was just about the worst call I’ve ever seen made on a football field, and Cissoko had tremendous coverage on that play, so I was actually encouraged by a penalty. Yes, it has come to this.

At best, I can give Michigan a 2.5/5 for last week’s effort. Hopefully they’ll come out this week and show more improvement. Here are my keys to the Indiana game:

1. Contain Jammie Kirlew and Greg Middleton — The Hoosiers are by no means a good team, but they do boast two NFL-quality defensive ends in Kirlew and Middleton. Wolverine fans got a huge scare last week when Tate Forcier was slammed onto his back and stayed down on the field after the play; I’d rather not have to go through that again. The last thing Michigan needs is for Forcier to be uncomfortable in his own pocket. If Mark Ortmann and Mark Huyge (and Kevin Koger, to a lesser extent) can keep Forcier’s jersey (and bill of health) clean, Michigan should be able to pick apart the Hoosier defense.
2. Gel on the offensive line — With David Molk out and David Moosman returning (and moving over to center), Michigan will have to deal with a realigned offensive line for the second straight week. They responded well last week when dealing with Moosman’s absence, and hopefully will adapt just as well this week. Losing the center is tough, however, since he is the man tasked with making the calls up front, as well as shouldering the responsibility of making sure the ball gets safely to the quarterback. Moosman and Forcier will hopefully have built a solid rapport in practice this week, as Michigan has already dealt with a few fumbled snaps this season.
3. Re-establish a deep threat — Michigan eased Junior Hemingway back into the lineup last week, and he is now 100% according to Rich Rodriguez. It’d be nice to see Hemingway or Darryl Stonum stretch the field vertically a few times this game and keep Indiana from selling out against the run. If opponents are forced to respect Michigan’s ability to go deep, they’ll have a tough time stopping the run and not allowing a big play.
4. Shore up the run defense — Getting Jonas Mouton back into the lineup will help, but Michigan still has to prove that they can hold at the point of attack and stop the run consistently. The Hoosiers’ rushing attack is currently in the middle of the pack in the country (65th overall with 146.7 yards per game) despite playing a very easy schedule (Eastern Kentucky, Western Michigan, @Akron). The Wolverines should be able to limit Indiana on the ground, but will have to play better than what they’ve done so far this year.
5. Keep Brandon Minor healthy — Minor is again a game-time decision because of a high-ankle sprain. These are the kind of injuries that can linger throughout a whole season (or, in Minor’s case, seemingly an eternity). I don’t think the dropoff between Minor and Carlos Brown is enough to warrant risking Minor’s health if he is not close to 100%, while a fully-healthy Minor will provide a big-time weapon when the meat of the Big Ten season comes around. Minor was held out of practice yesterday, so I really doubt he’s close to 100% healthy. If Michigan can get away with sitting Minor and letting Brown carry the load Saturday, I think that would be the best course of action, especially with a trip to East Lansing just one week away.

It’s amazing how many question marks still surround this team (especially the defense) three weeks into the season. The D showed signs of improvement against EMU, and get a key cog back in Jonas Mouton. On offense, Michigan has established themselves as potentially one of the premier rushing teams in the country. I think that trend continues Saturday: Michigan 38, Indiana 20.

Similar Posts:

• Five Things I’d Like to See: Wisconsin
• Five Things I’d Like to See: Ohio State
• Five Things I Hope to See: Penn State
• Five Things I Hope to See: Illinois
• Five Things I Hope to See: Iowa

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.

Similar Posts:

• Wolverines on the Web Goes Old School
• Harris Reinstated; Grady Back With Hoops Squad
• Wolverines on the Web is Ready for Hoops
• Hate Week
• A (Very) Early Look at the 2010 Offense