A couple weeks before last season, I threw out five positive predictions for the Wolverines. If you’re wondering how last season measured up to expectations, check out the post — none of the five came true (although Tate Forcier came close to completing the 60% of his passes I expected him to, finishing with a 58.7% completion percentage) and Michigan finished 5-7. This year, I’m throwing caution to the wind and trying my hand at this “optimism” thing one more time; here are five hopeful predictions for the 2010 season:

1. Denard Robinson averages 250 yards of total offense – There’s no question Denard Robinson is a special athlete, and if his passing has really progressed as advertised, he could put up some big numbers this season. 250 yards of total offense per game isn’t an outlandish number for a dual-threat quarterback — in 2009, that number would be good for 33rd in the country, and many of the players near the top of the list aren’t household names, but quarterbacks who can eat up yards on the ground. As a sophomore, Pat White averaged 261.3 yards per game, and while I don’t expect Robinson to match White’s production, I think he’ll come close, and close enough to make the Michigan offense very dangerous.
2. Mark Moundros totals 70 tackles – That’s right, redshirt senior fullback-turned-linebacker walk-on Mark Moundros, who is currently in a battle with redshirt senior Obi Ezeh to start at middle linebacker, will have at least 70 tackles, the exact figure Ezeh turned in last year. All indications point to Moundros as the probable starter come Saturday, and he had displayed solid tackling ability and a nose for the football since moving from fullback in the spring. It appears that Greg Robinson’s defense will have the middle linebackers attacking the line downhill, which should play to Moundros’s strengths. I don’t expect him to be a world-beater, or even an all-conference caliber player, but anything better than “decidedly below-average” will be a step in the right direction after 2009.
3. Carvin Johnson earns Freshman All-America honors – This doesn’t sound quite as outlandish as it appears in print, as Jordan Kovacs was a College Football News second-team Freshman All-American last year, but it still means Johnson will be a solid contributor to this year’s defense. The Louisiana native appears tailor-made for the spur position, which is essentially Stevie Brown’s linebacker/safety hybrid spot, as he is a very good tackler who drew rave reviews in his senior season after flying under the radar as a recruit. Johnson won’t be asked to do too much in coverage, but when he does, he shouldn’t be overmatched — he practiced some at cornerback this fall and recorded seven interceptions en route to being named first-team all-state in Louisiana’s largest division last year. Like any true freshman thrust into a starting role, there will be some bumps in the road, but I expect Johnson will be a pleasant surprise for the Wolverines in 2010.
4. A Michigan receiver breaks 50 receptions – In Rich Rodriguez’s first two seasons at Michigan, the production from the wideouts has been disappointing — Roy Roundtree led the team with 32 catches last season after Martavious Odoms paced the team with 49 in 2008. With Roundtree, Odoms, and Darryl Stonum all poised for big seasons, and Michigan’s quarterback situation looking like the best it has been since Chad Henne graduated, I expect at least one receiver to crack 50 receptions in a breakout season. The safe bet is for Roundtree to eclipse that mark while working from the slot, but don’t count out Odoms, a great possession receiver who is now working on the outside — he could see a lot of screens and quick passes that could pad his stats significantly.
5. Rich Rodriguez keeps his job – I’m not even necessarily predicting a bowl appearance, not with the defense in the shape it’s in, but I do think this team will show enough progression to allow Dave Brandon to keep Rich Rodriguez around for 2011. Rodriguez has seemingly caught every tough break imaginable in his two-plus years in Ann Arbor, and while this team still has a ways to go before they win like the Michigan of old, they’re certainly moving in the right direction. The offense should begin to resemble Rodriguez’s outstanding West Virginia units, and there is plenty of young talent across the board. I think this team will look just good enough for Brandon to give Rodriguez a chance to lead what should be an experienced and talented 2011 team, which only seems right, as Rodriguez has finally built the foundation for what should be a Big Ten contender.

Let’s all hope that these predictions hold up much better than last year’s, and I’ll have the flip side to this coin — my five “less hopeful” predictions — coming up soon.

Similar Posts:

• Position Preview: Slot Receivers
• 2010 Official Depth Chart Breakdown: Offense
• Five Less Hopeful Predictions for 2010
• An Early Stab at the 2010 Depth Chart: Offense
• Position Threat Levels: Low

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 Michigan’s strongest position groups, the slot receivers:

Returning Contributors: Roy Roundtree (RS So.), Martavious Odoms (Jr.), Kelvin Grady (RS Jr.), Terrence Robinson (RS So.), Jeremy Gallon (RS Fr.)
Incoming Freshmen: Drew Dileo
Key Departures: None

Returning Player Stat:

The Projected Starters: Redshirt sophomore Roy Roundtree was the team’s leading receiver in 2009 despite starting just four games, and he should improve on last year’s 32-catch season as the team’s top target in 2010. Roundtree has the versatility to play both in the slot and outside, and his great hands and precise route-running has made him a favorite target of both Tate Forcier and Denard Robinson (if this year’s spring game is any indication). As we painfully learned in the Illinois game, Roundtree doesn’t possess tremendous top-end speed, but otherwise he is a very well-rounded receiver who should be in the discussion for post-season honors this fall.

While Michigan may not officially start two slot receivers, expect to see the offense in four-wide sets more often than not, which means junior Martavious Odoms is a de facto starter as well. Odoms led the team in receiving in 2008 and is the team’s active career leader in receptions and receiving yards, but his production dropped last year as injuries and the emergence of Roundtree cut into his playing time. Odoms possesses elite speed, beating out even Denard Robinson in the 40-yard dash at Michigan’s “Night of Champions” in March, and he is another sure-handed target with a knack for finding open space. Odoms is also a very good downfield blocker and is a huge asset in the running game. Expect his production to come back toward his freshman-year numbers (49 catches, 443 yards) if he can remain healthy.

The Competition: Michigan is now loaded with young talent at the slot receiver position, and we should see several players get the chance to see the field in the fall. Redshirt sophomore Terrence Robinson has been turning heads at practice, and he finally appears recovered from the knee injury that forced him to redshirt in 2008. At his best, Robinson is extremely shifty with the ball in his hands and could be a dangerous weapon in the short passing game. An option quarterback in high school, Robinson can also be a threat in the backfield, where the coaches may utilize him this year at the tailback position. Robinson is a candidate for a breakout season now that he’s healthy and ready to play.

Redshirt junior Kelvin Grady is another player we could see both in the slot and at running back, the position Grady played as a high school star at East Grand Rapids. He saw his role diminish as the season wore on in 2009, but many of Grady’s issues stemmed from a two-year layoff from football while he played point guard for the basketball team. If he can show a better command of the offense, as well as improved hands, he should be another player who sees extensive time as a backup.

Jeremy Gallon arrived on campus last year with a great deal of recruiting hype, and after a redshirt year he is poised to also see the field in 2010. Like Robinson, Gallon was a run-first quarterback in high school, finishing his career with 4,281 rushing yards and 53 touchdowns, and he provides the same type of open-field threat. Gallon has more than enough athleticism to make an immediate impact this season — the difficulty will be in creating a chance to play at a position that is suddenly stacked with experienced players. If he does see the field, expect to see a very exciting young player who should turn into a big-time playmaker down the road.

Others: True freshman Drew Dileo was Michigan’s sole slot receiver recruit in the 2010 class, but he is very unlikely to see the field in that role this season with all the talent in front of him on the depth chart. Where Dileo could have an early impact, however, is as a punt returner, a position where Michigan has lacked a solid (and sure-handed) threat in the Rodriguez era.

Outlook: Michigan has a ton of talent in the slot, and enough players fighting to see the field to force the coaching staff to explore getting them on the field at other positions — Roundtree and Odoms have seen time at outside receiver, while Robinson and Grady could get snaps in the backfield. This should be one of the team’s best position groups in 2010, and whoever starts at quarterback for Michigan will have a lot of options when the Wolverines go to four- and five-receiver sets. Expect Roundtree and Odoms to reprise their roles as the team’s most reliable receivers, with at least one backup having a breakout year as the team finally is able to show off some depth.

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

Similar Posts:

• Position Preview: Outside Receivers
• 2010 Official Depth Chart Breakdown: Offense
• Five Players With the Most to Lose in Spring Practice
• Position Threat Levels: Low
• A (Very) Early Look at the 2010 Offense

While I’m sure we’re all still reeling from last night’s injury news, the show must go on. So far this week I’ve previewed the quarterbacks and the running backs, and now it’s time to take a look at Michigan’s outside receivers:

Returning Contributors: Junior Hemingway (RS Jr.), Je’Ron Stokes (So.), Darryl Stonum (Jr.)
Incoming Freshmen: Jeremy Jackson, Ricardo Miller, Jerald Robinson, D.J. Williamson
Key Losses: Greg Mathews (graduation), LaTerryal Savoy (graduation)

Returning Player Stats:

The Projected Starters: Despite losing the dependable Greg Mathews to graduation, Michigan returns two outside receivers with starting experience in Junior Hemingway and Darryl Stonum. At 6-1, 225 pounds, Hemingway is a big target, and in each of the last two season openers he has shown the ability to be a solid deep threat, especially while tallying five catches for 103 yards and two scores against Western Michigan in 2009. He has struggled with injuries and consistency, however, and will need to step up his level of play this year in the absence of the sure-handed Mathews.

Stonum came into Michigan in 2008 as a blue-chip recruit, but so far the Texas native has fallen short of expectations in amassing just 27 career receptions for 275 yards and two touchdowns in 23 career games (13 starts). Early reports out of fall camp have been very positive, however, and if Stonum can put it all together he could be a breakout star in 2010. He has already shown game-breaking speed as a kick returner, and has reportedly improved his hands, route running, and ball skills since last season. If the practice reports are true, Stonum should be Michigan’s top outside threat and a player who could really stretch the field vertically.

The Competition: The Wolverines are very young at outside receiver — sophomore Je’Ron Stokes, who had two catches against Delaware State last fall, is the only backup to ever see meaningful playing time. Stokes, like Stonum, was a high four-star prospect according to Rivals.com, Though he didn’t get much of a chance to show off any skills beyond run blocking last season, Stokes is said to possess both great hands and outstanding overall athleticism, as well as the versatility to play both outside or in the slot — if he can live up to the recruiting hype, like Stonum, this could be a breakout year for Stokes.

Behind Stokes, Michigan has brought in four freshmen receivers, three of whom — Jeremy Jackson, Ricardo Miller, and Jerald Robinson — enrolled early in the spring. Robinson appears the closest to seeing the field immediately; he was a four-star to Scout and a three-star to Rivals, and has drawn praise for his hands, jump-ball skills, and ability to make a catch in traffic, though he may lack ideal top-end speed. At 6-4, 212 pounds, Miller has a college-ready body, and the only thing standing between him and significant playing time may be his inconsistency catching the football — he’s another player who can go up and get the ball, but he has to prove he can reliably catch the short to intermediate passes. Jackson, on the other hand, probably possesses the best pair of hands in the group, but his lack of speed and quickness could be an issue at this level — if he can find a way to get open, he will be a solid possession receiver, but there’s work to be done before he reaches that point. The fourth freshman, D.J. Williamson, is a high school track star (he won the Ohio Division I state title in both the 100- and 200-yard dash as a senior) who will likely redshirt. He has a lot of potential, but will have to refine his skills as a receiver before he sees the field.

It is worth noting that Michigan will likely utilize some of their slot receivers on the outside this year, as MGoBlog’s Tim Sullivan’s notes from offensive coordinator Calvin Magee’s press conference indicates:

Some slot receivers could see action on the outside. [Roy] Roundtree, [Kelvin] Grady, Terrance Robinson, and [Martavious] Odoms, could all play inside and outside. Nobody is separating at outside WR yet because they’re all so close. There will be 5-6 guys who can play both receiver positions.

Roy Roundtree especially has been discussed as a guy who could play either inside or outside, and with the bevy of young talent in the slot for Michigan he could see a lot of action on the outside this fall.

Outlook: Outside receiver is a huge wild card for the Michigan offense this fall. The talent is there to have a productive receiving corps, but the poor production from the last two seasons means the players really need to step it up on the field. For Stonum, especially, it’s now-or-never time if he wants to prove the recruiting hype was well-deserved — he could be the key to an explosive Wolverine offense if he becomes a reliable deep threat. A lot of the talent here is at least a year or two away from contributing, so the veteran receivers will have to consistently produce if Michigan wants their outside receivers to be a strength in 2010.

Similar Posts:

• Position Preview: Slot Receivers
• An Early Stab at the 2010 Depth Chart: Offense
• Recruiting Update: Part I (Early Enrollees)
• Five Players With the Most to Lose in Spring Practice
• Position Threat Levels: High

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. So far, I’ve examined the class of 2006 and the class of 2007. Today, I move on to this year’s juniors and redshirt sophomores from the class of 2008:

Class of 2008 (Sorted by Rivals.com Ranking):

Who’s Left?

16 of the 25 prospects from the 2008 class still remain in Ann Arbor, and while many of the blue-chip players from the class are gone, there are several solid contributors remaining: Darryl Stonum, Michael Shaw, Kevin Koger, Mike Martin, Roy Roundtree, Martavious Odoms, J.T. Floyd, and Patrick Omameh have all seen starts for the Wolverines, and players like J.B. Fitzgerald, Ricky Barnum, Elliott Mealer, Kenny Demens, and Mike Cox are either pushing for playing time or in line to compete for a starting spot down the road.

Martin, Odoms, and Roundtree have all shown all-conference potential so far in their careers, and Omameh could soon join them on that list after locking down a starting guard spot as a redshirt freshman last season. Given the sheer depth of talent in this class, however, it’s hard not to be somewhat disappointed in the production they have given so far. A lot of the reason for that has to do with…

Who’s Gone?

While the class of 2008, at least percentage-wise, hasn’t seen the sheer attrition of the previous class (2007 has just 11 of the 20 recruits remaining), the losses here have been both high-profile and critical to the performance of the team. Marcus Witherspoon and Taylor Hill, two four-star linebacker recruits, never qualified and moved on to other schools before their freshman year, leaving Michigan very thin at a critical position, something from which they’re still feeling the effects. Sam McGuffie and Boubacar Cissoko were both extremely talented players who, for different reasons, were not able to play out their careers at Michigan despite earning starting roles early in their careers. Dann O’Neill, Kurt Wermers, and Justin Feagin were all potential contributors who transferred (O’Neill and Wermers) or were booted for major legal issues (Feagin). And does anybody else think that Brandon Smith would have been perfect for one of the box safety positions in the 3-3-5? Unfortunately, we won’t find out, as he transferred as well.

The Upshot:

This is the third consecutive class that didn’t come close to living up to its lofty ranking, at least so far. Obviously, with 2-3 years of eligibility remaining, there is still a lot of time for this class to change that perception, especially with talents like Martin, Roundtree, Odoms, and Omameh (just to name a few) still on the roster. Regardless of future potential, however, this class has still played a large role in the disappointment of the last couple seasons — it’s tough to blame a group of true freshmen for 2008′s 3-9 season, but a class this deep should have had more guys ready to make major contributions as sophomores last season, when the team was very short on upperclassmen. The next couple seasons will be what truly cements the legacy of this class, but they will have to make great strides as a team to be thought of as anything but a disappointment, especially if they get lumped in with the previous two classes.

Similar Posts:

• The Foundation: A Look at the 2006 Recruiting Class
• The Foundation: A Look at the 2007 Recruiting Class
• Early Guess at the Football Depth Chart: Now Updated for Spring
• A (Very) Early Look at the 2010 Offense
• The 2008 Recruiting Class, Now 17 Strong

I haven’t had the chance to re-watch the entire spring game yet, so my thoughts here are somewhat incomplete, but here is what I took away from Saturday’s scrimmage, as well as more opinions from around the Michigan blogosphere:

• I didn’t believe it before, but I will say it now, when it has lost all its profundity: Yes, we have a real quarterback competition on our hands. Denard Robinson is light-years ahead of where he was last season, and finally looks comfortable throwing the ball. He still isn’t the pure passer that Tate Forcier can be, but Denard’s ridiculous athleticism makes up for a lot of his deficiencies, and when he throws the ball like he did on Saturday he is very tough to stop. One play in particular swung my opinion of Denard: his second touchdown pass to Roy Roundtree, when he took advantage of having time in the pocket and, instead of taking off, stayed calm and found a seam between a couple defenders before hitting Roundtree with a laser. That’s simply a play Robinson didn’t have in his arsenal last season. I don’t want to put too much stock in one scrimmage, especially when Robinson was most running with the first-team against the second-string defense, and Forcier vice-versa, but when combined with the positive accounts from spring practice, it now looks like Robinson is the guy to beat (in a very close race, still) at quarterback.
• In other quarterback news, we can all stop clamoring for Devin Gardner to see the field. Not only did Robinson look like a real quarterback out there, giving Michigan two very solid options at QB, but Gardner looked like a true freshman out there. That’s not a knock against (hey!) a true freshman, but I’ve just about had my fill of guys stepping on campus and starting immediately — the pick Gardner threw when backed up against his goal line screamed “I need a redshirt,” and Michigan is now in a position to give him one.
• Michigan is pretty banged up at receiver right now, but for the most part I liked what I saw from the guys who should see the field in the fall. Roundtree was obviously the big standout, but Martavious Odoms looked good (besides one bad drop), and Jeremy Gallon appears to be a guy who could break a big play any time he touches the ball. I also like Gallon’s toughness — he was taking on tackles against much bigger defenders and falling forward.
• The running back battle was tight going into the spring, and I don’t think we got a lot of answers after Saturday. Mike Cox, to me, was the back who showed the greatest potential, but he still mental breakdowns on the field that could keep him from being a reliable option — there was one play where Forcier was screaming at Cox and had to physically move him to the right position on the field, which isn’t a great sign for a redshirt sophomore at the end of spring practice. Michael Shaw and Fitzgerald Toussaint both had their moments, but nobody really stood out to me. In fact, the only role that we do know among the running backs is that of the short-yardage back: Stephen Hopkins is the guy there. Other than that, the position is wide open.
• I’ll have more clarity on the offensive line and defense when I take a look at the game again, but there were a couple guys who stood out, for good or for bad. Ryan Van Bergen was getting very nice pressure on the defensive line, and Will Campbell looks like he could be a force of nature at nose tackle. The linebackers looked solid, which is a big step up from “disaster” — Ezeh and Mouton are both fighting hard to prove they belong out there. With Troy Woolfolk out, James Rogers played across from J.T. Floyd at corner for the ones — not a good sign for Justin Turner, who looked big and slow playing with the twos and could be ticketed for a switch to safety in the near future.

That’s all I’ve got for now — I’ll have more on the game after I get a chance to watch the tape again. Meanwhile, the rest of the Michigan blogosphere appears to have published their thoughts before I did, so here are some links if you haven’t had your fill of spring game coverage:

MGoBlog has you covered for RichRod’s post-game presser, both in normal form and in completely-bizarre Google caption form, which is totally useless for learning anything about Michigan football but may answer some questions you have about Iraq. Brian has also posted his initial thoughts, and Denard earns a lot of praise for his performance:

That said, holy crap. Robinson looks like a quarterback now. A running quarterback with rudimentary passing abilities, but a quarterback. There were zone reads and screens and rollout passes and a number of zippy seams that hit players between the numbers. When the offense broke down, Robinson made the concept of “pursuit angles” humorous. Putting him on the edge, as suggested by the coaches’ clinic tea leaves, puts the defense in a bind. His throws were all on a line but they were accurate aside from a couple mediocre bubble screens. There were multiple times where I was thinking “just run why don’t youuuu runnnnn” and he zipped a pass in for a first down or touchdown.

How close to Forcier’s passing does Robinson have to get if he’s going to start? If Forcier can’t set up in the pocket and throw on rhythm, how far apart are they now? It’ll be an interesting summer for both guys. Right now it looks like edge Denard.

Greg at MVictors checks in with his usual array of photos (alumni game, pre-game, and Denard), which includes this amazing picture that sums up Robinson’s day pretty well:

I have no idea how Greg managed to capture out sophomore quarterback defying physics and causing the earth to move while he ran in place, but I’m damn impressed.

Other blogs that have given their thoughts on the game: Maize n Brew, where Dave think Cox has positioned himself to split carries with Vincent Smith in the fall; Maize & Blue Nation, which has some nice video from the stands; The Fifth Quarter, where JC comes away impressed with the linebackers; and Burgeoning Wolverine Star, which has the most pessimistic take I’ve seen on the game. Touch the Banner has a full list of the recruiting visitors as well.

Similar Posts:

• Impressions From Saturday’s Scrimmage
• 2010 Official Depth Chart Breakdown: Offense
• The Denard Conundrum
• Impressions from the First Spring Practice
• Position Threat Levels: Elevated

Back in February, I took an early stab at projecting the offensive and defensive depth charts for the fall. Now that spring practice is underway and the new roster has been released, there’s a lot more information available about how Michigan will line up and who will be lining up where. So, I’ve taken another opportunity to make myself look really foolish in the fall, and updated my projected depth chart to reflect these changes. Here are a few notes on the changes:

OFFENSE

One player who has a lot of buzz surrounding him so far in spring is running back Mike Cox, whose running skills seem to be catching up to his outstanding athleticism and frame. For now, I’ve moved Cox up to second on the depth chart with Michael Shaw, behind the injured Vincent Smith. With all the talented players the Wolverines have at running back, I expect to see a fair amount of running back by committee come fall, and Cox should be one of the backs in the mix for carries.

At receiver, Roy Roundtree has been practicing at outside receiver, but I expect him to move back into the slot when Junior Hemingway returns healthy in the fall. Word from practice is that Roundtree and Martavious Odoms have become a dangerous combination when both see the field at the same time, so it would not be a surprise to see Michigan start two slot receivers next season. We’ll have to wait and see if that has any effect on the tight end position, but for now I’m keeping Roundtree as the top slot in my depth chart along with Odoms — down the road, I may split the slots into two positions.

On the line, it sounds like Mark Huyge, Perry Dorrestein, Taylor Lewan, and Michael Schofield are the players battling for the two tackle positions, so I’ve changed the depth chart to reflect that competition. Patrick Omameh, who some (including myself) originally thought would move out to tackle this season, has been playing (and impressing) at guard. I have him projected as the starter at right guard, with the experienced Huyge and Dorrestein at tackle — I wouldn’t be surprised if Lewan grabs one of the tackle spots, but he’s a redshirt freshman who is still filling out his massive frame, so for now I have him backing up Huyge.

DEFENSE

The big change here is the alignment — I recommend checking out this helpful post from Touch the Banner to get more familiar with the slight move to more of a 4-2-5 look:

From left to right along the line should be Ryan Van Bergen, Will Campbell, Mike Martin (injured for spring practice, so Greg Banks is playing there right now), and Craig Roh. The two interior linebackers are Obi Ezeh and Jonas Mouton, if they hold on to their positions. The weak side safety in the above graph is what Michigan is calling the “spur” position — right now, Mike Williams and Brandin Hawthorne appear to be the most likely players to start there, with Mike Jones, Thomas Gordon and probably Josh Furman (when he arrives in the fall) also competing at the position. The strong safety — Touch the Banner calls it the “boundary” safety, but I’ll use the more common term to save confusion — appears to be Jordan Kovacs’ position to lose, although Marvin Robinson could compete for time there when he enrolls in the fall. Vlad Emilien has received the first-team reps so far at free — deep — safety, although Cameron Gordon impressed when Emilien sat out with a minor injury this week. If Troy Woolfolk were to move back to safety, this would likely be his spot.

At cornerback, Woolfolk is obviously holding down one spot, and I’ll place him there in the depth chart until he moves (if he moves) to safety. J.T. Floyd has been getting the first-team reps at the other corner spot, and has impressed so far, although J.T. Turner will make a strong push for that starting role. Of course, the competition at corner will not be fully settled until the fall, when Demar Dorsey, Cullen Christian, Terrence Talbott, and Courtney Avery arrive on campus.

For the full, updated depth chart, hit the “Football Depth Chart” tab at the top of the screen, or simply click here.

Similar Posts:

• Position Preview: Safety
• 2010 Official Depth Chart Breakdown: Offense
• An Early Stab at the 2010 Depth Chart: Defense
• An Early Stab at the 2010 Depth Chart: Offense
• Five Players With the Most to Gain in Spring Practice

With spring practice kicking off this week, I went over the players with the most to gain from a good spring performance yesterday. Today, I take a look at the flip side of that coin: the players who, for one reason or another, will be fighting to hold on their role with this team. Here are the players who are at risk of seeing a diminished role if they don’t come through with a big spring performance:

1. Obi Ezeh, RS Sr. LB: Ezeh is listed first for a reason — no other established starter has come under as much fire as Ezeh because of a lack of performance, and the criticism that has followed Ezeh for the past couple years hasn’t been entirely undeserved. Simply put, this team expected a lot more from Ezeh in 2009, when he was entering his third year starting in the middle, and his disappointing season has opened the door for somebody like J.B. Fitzgerald to ascend to a starting role. By all accounts, Ezeh is a great person and tremendous leader on and off the field, but he will have to bring his on-field performance up to a higher standard if he doesn’t want to be unseated by the fall.
2. Kelvin Grady, RS Jr. Slot: Ironically enough, it was a big-time spring performance that earned Grady a big role to start out the 2009 season, but issues with route-running, knowledge of the offense, and the emergence of Roy Roundtree combined to decrease Grady’s playing time by the end of the season. Now Grady is fighting for playing time with a host of talented youngsters — including Jeremy Gallon, Terrence Robinson, and incoming freshmen Drew Dileo and D.J. Williamson — while Roundtree and Martavious Odoms eat up the lion’s share of the playing time in the slot. If Grady doesn’t make big strides with his football IQ (which is very possible — we forget he was playing basketball a little over a year ago), he could be caught in a logjam and surpassed by younger players.
3. Kevin Koger, Jr. TE: Koger was another player who saw his role diminish as the 2009 season progressed, and now he may be fighting for not only his survival in the starting lineup, but the survival of the tight end position under Rich Rodriguez. Unlike the other players listed here, Koger isn’t facing a ton of competition from his own position group — Martell Webb and Brandon Moore are the only other tight ends on the roster, and neither has shown enough to make me think they’ll unseat Koger — but instead he has to convince the coaches that it’s worth keeping a tight end on the field instead of moving to more four- and five-receiver sets. For Koger, the issue is simple: catch the ball, and it will be hard to keep such a big (6-4, 251 lbs.), skilled talent off the field. If he can’t cure his issues with dropping the ball, however, we could see Roundtree and Odoms both lining up as starters in the fall.
4. Michael Shaw, Jr. RB: It doesn’t seem like that long ago that Shaw was the “next big thing” at running back, but now he finds himself entering his junior season surrounded by questions about his durability and without much of a track record to show that he’s a better option than the plethora of younger backs on the roster. Shaw has to show that he can stay healthy this spring, or the coaching staff may never be willing to trust him as a back who can handle more than 10-15 touches a game. With Vincent Smith slated to return healthy in the fall, Michael Cox and Fitzgerald Toussaint both looking to grab starter’s touches, and two true freshmen already enrolled (Austin White and Stephen Hopkins), Shaw will have to prove that he can be the explosive, home-run threat that everyone expected him to be when he came to Ann Arbor as a freshman. Otherwise, he could find himself fighting an uphill battle against a host of younger players.
5. Darryl Stonum, Jr. WR: Michigan has received very disappointing production from its outside receivers under Rich Rodriguez, and part of the blame could certainly fall on Stonum, who hasn’t lived up to his blue-chip billing in his first two seasons despite getting ample opportunity to show off his talent. Even though Stonum will get the first crack to retain his starting spot, he will have to fend off competition from sophomore Je’Ron Stokes and early enrollees Ricardo Miller, Jeremy Jackson, and Jerald Robinson in the spring and fall. It’s time for Stonum to start producing like a top-100 high school prospect, and if he can’t do that, Michigan has several players waiting in the wings to prove that they can.

That’s all for this week. Enjoy the (already incredible) opening weekend of the NCAA tournament.

Similar Posts:

• Five Players With the Most to Lose in Fall Practice
• An Early Stab at the 2010 Depth Chart: Offense
• Five Players With the Most to Gain in Spring Practice
• Position Threat Levels: Elevated
• A (Very) Early Look at the 2010 Offense

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