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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Similar Posts:

• An Early Stab at the 2010 Depth Chart: Defense
• The Denard Conundrum
• Wolverines on the Web is All Manny, All the Time
• Wolverines on the Web Has a New AD
• Recruiting Update: Part I (Early Enrollees)

Have we seen the last of Donovan Warren in the Maize and Blue?

I was really starting to think Donovan Warren would come back after he said he would wait for his NFL evaluation before making a decision. Now? Not so much.

Warren, a third-year junior who led Michigan with 4 interceptions this year, has filed paperwork to ask the NFL’s underclass advisory committee for his draft status.

He said Thursday their input will play into his decision, but turning pro is “just something that I believe it’s just for me.”

“I’m definitely, I’d have to say heavily, I like the chances of me coming out,” Warren said at Michigan’s annual football bust.

Warren said he planned to make a decision “within 2 weeks or so,” likely before the advisory committee reports back on his draft status.

This obviously has huge repercussions for next year’s defense — Troy Woolfolk will likely stay at cornerback, with Justin Turner, J.T. Floyd, Cullen Christian, and a few others all in the mix to start opposite him. We’re going to have to see huge improvement across the board if the secondary is going to be anything but a disaster next season.

The good news just keeps on coming, as Rich Rodriguez announced at the annual football bust that running back Vincent Smith tore his ACL during the Ohio State game and will miss spring practice. He should be ready to go in the fall, but it’s never good to have a guy competing for a starting job out in the spring.

Similar Posts:

• Farewell, Donovan Warren
• Michigan’s Team of the Decade: Cornerbacks
• An Early Stab at the 2010 Depth Chart: Defense
• An Early Stab at the 2010 Depth Chart: Offense

(Slightly abbreviated Wolverines on the Web today … I’m struggling with a never-ending sinus infection and my internet connection keeps cutting out. Hooray, life.)

The video above comes courtesy of Maize and Blue Nation, who also has a second angle of the awesome pre-game flyover. Like Brad says at M&BN, there’s really nothing that compares to seeing a flyover live — it never fails to give me chills. Brad also has his reactions to the game posted, and his first statement just about sums up my feelings perfectly:

Rich Rodriguez did not throw 4 interceptions or fumble the ball in endzone. Tate Forcier did. Anyone who thinks Rodriguez should be fired is wrong. We had a gameplan to win this game. Rodriguez/Magee had a plan to move the ball against tOSU’s defense…and it worked. We just made too many mistakes.

Amen. Reactions are also up from MGoBrian, whose ennui is so strong I can barely muster the motivation to finish this sentence; Maize n Brew Dave, who, like me, was not particularly pleased with the amount of Ohio State fans in the stadium; and Burgeoning Wolverine Star, who thinks Vincent Smith solidified his spot as the 2010 starting tailback (I agree).

Greg over at MVictors has some pretty cool photos from before the game, including one of Paul Bunyan Jake Long and even CNN’s Dr. Sanjay Gupta. The WCBN blog compares Tate Forcier’s freshman year to Mark Sanchez’s rookie season with the Jets, and also has an interview with 2010 commit Ken Wilkins, who was visiting for the Ohio State game.

In non-football sports, Dylan exchanges questions with Creighton blog The White and Blue Review before Michigan faces off with them on Thanksgiving, and The Blog That Yost Built details the depressing fallout from the Czarnik departure and Jack Campbell’s decision to play in the OHL. Even the hockey fans are saying ‘at least we have basketball’.

Similar Posts:

• Michigan’s Team of the Decade: Offensive Tackle
• An Early Stab at the 2010 Depth Chart: Offense
• Wild Recruiting Weekend Recap
• The Denard Conundrum
• Michigan’s Team of the Decade: Offense

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Similar Posts:

• Michigan’s Team of the Decade: Tight Ends & Fullbacks
• An Early Stab at the 2010 Depth Chart: Offense
• The Denard Conundrum
• Wolverines on the Web is All Manny, All the Time
• Recruiting Update: Part I (Early Enrollees)

Win one for this guy, please. (No, not Tim Hiller, the other guy.)

It’s Ohio State week, when the records are thrown out the window and two storied rivals battle for pride and a year’s worth of supremacy. In that vein, I’m not going to look back at last week’s keys. Let’s get right to the good stuff:

1. Get on the board early — Michigan can’t afford to start this game in a hole. Playing from behind changes the way this offense runs (or doesn’t run) and could give Ohio State the momentum they need to blow the game wide open. I think Rich Rodriguez had the right idea last week when he elected to receive the opening kickoff. If Michigan can score first and establish that they’re in the game, it takes some of the pressure off of the defense and allows the offense to play how they want to. Also, an early score should get both the team and the fans into the game, which certainly can’t hurt.
2. Contain Terrelle Pryor — Duh, but it bears mentioning. Pryor is Ohio State’s biggest weapon on offense, and I’m most worried about him when he is able to start making plays with his feet. The defensive ends have got to maintain lane discipline, and the linebackers (and boy, does this part worry me) have to make sure to keep Pryor inside of them. If Michigan can force Pryor to become a pocket passer, much like USC did earlier this season, than I like the Wolverines’ odds of getting a few key stops.
3. Get Carlos Brown and Vincent Smith the ball in space — Brown showed an ability to take a screen pass all the way against Indiana, and Smith really impressed me last week against Wisconsin. With Brandon Minor doubtful for the game, those two will play a huge role in the offense. We know Brown isn’t much of a runner inside the tackles, and I don’t think Michigan is ready to rely on Smith as an every-down back, but both are capable of making big plays when they can get outside. I’d like to see a few screen or misdirections that take advantage of their skills.
4. Knock Justin Boren around — Self-explanatory.
5. Leave it all out there — A victory, obviously, would be incredible, but I’d love to see this game competitive for 60 minutes. The seniors — especially Brandon Graham — deserve it. Nothing is more depressing than a Senior Day blowout to your biggest rival. I’m sure the team will come out fired up, but they need to maintain that level of intensity for the whole game. Don’t leave any doubt that the team is 100% behind this coaching staff.

This is a unique opportunity for Michigan — nobody expects them to win, a loss only serves to end a disappointing season, but a victory means far, far more than just a 6-6 record and a bowl bid. I think the coaches and players all understand this, and we’ll see a team that’s motivated and hungry on Saturday. Will it be enough? Probably not against a team as good as the Buckeyes. Will it be closer than people believe? I think so. Ohio State 34, Michigan 27.

Similar Posts:

• Michigan’s Team of the Decade: Defensive Ends
• Weekend Recap: Graham & Hoops Dominate, Hockey Splits
• An Early Stab at the 2010 Depth Chart: Offense
• Wolverines on the Web Lays Bricks
• Wolverines on the Web Goes Old School

Denard Robinson's season passer efficiency rating jumped over 76 points after the Delaware State game.

I’m a numbers guy, plain and simple. I devour stuff like Smart Football, Football Outsiders, 82games.com, and FanGraphs. The Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract is my go-to bathroom reading material. I’m waiting for a fantasy baseball league where VORP and WARP take precedence over RBI and ERA.

However, numbers can be deceiving. Take a look at just how much the Delaware State game affected Michigan’s national statistical rankings:

I mean, wow. Michigan gained at least seven spots in each major national statistical category. The Wolverines’ average yards of total offense jumped by over 50, while their average total yards allowed dropped by nearly 25. They even managed (by proxy?) to move up one spot in the net punting ranks despite not punting once against the Hornets. Space Emperor, indeed.

The statistical boon of facing a 1-3 FCS did not stop with the team totals. Individuals, as well, felt the joy of insane statistical outliers:

• Denard Robinson’s season (and, therefore, career) passer efficiency rating skyrocketed from a paltry 55.39 (for context, the 100th best qualifying passer in the country, Clemson’s Kyle Parker, has a rating of 106.55) to a very acceptable 131.83 (which would qualify for 54th in the country, just above Northwestern’s Mike Kafka). David Cone’s season rating went from 0.00 to 150.72.
• Vincent Smith more than quintupled his career rushing yards, going from 35 to 201. Mike Cox merely multiplied his total around 3.6 times, from 31 to 113. Both players’ career touchdown totals, of course, increased by an infinite amount.
• Ricky Reyes, JeRon Stokes, Brandon Moore, Terrence Robinson, and Cox all recorded their first career reception on Saturday. The 29-yard pass from Cone to Reyes comprises 26.9% of the duo’s combined career yardage at Michigan.
• A guy named Scott Schrimscher kicked an extra point for Michigan, the first point of his career, and also the first ever point in the NCAA by a man with the last name ‘Schrimscher’.

I could go on, but by now I think you get the point. Saturday’s game was fun for the sole reason that a lot of players saw the field who had never played significant time at Michigan before, and a few of the young guys got to put up crazy numbers. Somehow, those numbers count towards NCAA totals despite coming against a team that forfeited a conference game to play here, and Michigan is now a much better team, statistically speaking, than they were just one week ago.

The thing that bugs me about this whole thing is that many of the teams above Michigan in these categories have probably played similar creampuffs, making it really hard to figure out just who is the best, say, rushing team in the country. I do know this: Michigan is probably much closer to the 23rd best running team in the nation than the eighth.

What’s my point here? I’m not sure, exactly. However, I do know that I never want to see Michigan play a team like that again (and yes, I’m well aware that UMass is on the 2010 schedule). Hopefully Bill Martin and Co. can find a way to line the pockets of the athletic department without bringing in more sacrificial FCS lambs.

Similar Posts:

• An Early Stab at the 2010 Depth Chart: Offense
• The Coner Strikes Again!
• Wild Recruiting Weekend Recap
• The Denard Conundrum

Expect to see a lot of Vincent Smith against DSU.

My internet has decided to only work half the time, and at a snail’s pace when it does, so this is going to be a very quick “Five Things…”

1. Don’t get injured — If Tate plays more than a quarter, I’ll be a little concerned. Hopefully he’s smart enough to not scramble too much or take any big hits. I’m really hoping we can get the starters out by the second half and just put it in cruise control from there.
2. Lots of carries for Shaw and Smith — Brandon Minor and Carlos Brown may be the present, but they are also seniors. Michael Shaw and Vincent Smith have both shown flashes of tremendous talent at times (Shaw in actual games, Smith in spring practice, mostly). I’d love to see both of them get some work in with the starters and let Minor and Brown fully heal for Penn State.
3. Denard Robinson complete some downfield passes — Shoelace’s confidence can’t be riding very high after that pick against Iowa. If the coaches let him loose and allow him to sling the ball downfield, hopefully he’ll respond with a solid game. If he can’t show passing ability against Delaware State, you can pretty much write him off as a passing threat for the rest of this season.
4. No blown assignments by the defense — We shouldn’t have to worry about DSU moving the ball against the defense that much. However, much of the issues with the defense have not been schematic, but simply players missing assignments or getting out of position. This should be a game where the team can focus fully on fixing those kind of mistakes.
5. Don’t get injured — Seriously.

Prediction: 48-10 Michigan. If this game is much closer, I may start breaking things.

Similar Posts:

• An Early Stab at the 2010 Depth Chart: Offense
• Wild Recruiting Weekend Recap
• The Denard Conundrum

I love watching Denard run, but Michigan needs to establish him as a passing threat.

Once again, it’s time for “Five Things I Hope to See…” First, a look at back at last week’s keys:

1. Force the Irish to become one-dimensional — Well, not so much. Notre Dame had a ton of success through the air and on the ground, and Michigan never got a lot of pressure on Jimmy Clausen. This is certainly cause for concern (especially the Irish’s success picking on Boubacar Cissoko), but I also don’t think Michigan fill face another offense with as dangerous an aerial attack as Notre Dame.
2. Get pressure on Jimmy Clausen — Another miss, as Michigan didn’t record a sack on Jimmy Clausen, and the only time they recorded any pressure was when Greg Robinson brought heat. Somebody besides Brandon Graham needs to step up on the defensive line when Michigan only rushes four.
3. Another outside receiver steps up — Not just one, but two outside guys had very good games (Darryl Stonum and Greg Mathews), and even Laterryal Savoy had a few big catches (and the drop, but that was tipped). It look like outside receiver has gone from a big question mark to a major strong point on this team.
4. Michigan gets an 100-yard day out of a running back — Hello, Brandon Minor.
5. Utilize the bubble screen — As noted by Brian, Notre Dame brought up their corners into press coverage to stop the bubble screen, so Michigan almost completely stayed away from it. However, Rich Rodriguez actually did a great job of adjusting to this by having the tight end/H-back block the crashing DE on the zone read, and this was the cause for several of Minor’s big runs. It’s been great to watch Rodriguez stay one step ahead of opposing defenses with his schemes.

Against an opponent the quality of Notre Dame, 3/5 isn’t bad, especially when the success on offense managed to (barely) outweigh the shortcomings of the defense. Now, on to Eastern Michigan:

1. Establish Denard Robinson as a passing threat — We all know Shoelace can run, but thus far Michigan has almost exclusively utilized him as a rusher. Notre Dame knew Michigan wasn’t fully comfortable with him as a passer, and sold out on the run when Denard was in at QB. With an opponent the quality of EMU, Michigan now has the perfect opportunity to showcase Denard’s ability to pull up and throw the ball. I fully expect to see a lot of Shoelace on Saturday, and if he can show an ability to hit receivers while still remaining a home run threat on the ground, future opponents will have to respect the pass or risk giving up big plays through the air.
2. Establish dominance up front — To put it bluntly, if Eastern has a lot of success on the ground or Michigan can’t get any pressure on QB Andy Schmitt, this defense will be in a lot of trouble. Ryan Van Bergen has to show that he can hold the point of attack at DT, and if he can’t show that this game, Greg Robinson should strongly consider realigning the defensive front. This game is the perfect opportunity to experiment with different guys up front, and establish the front seven for the course of the season.
3. Obi Ezeh bounces back — While everybody was talking about Boubacar Cissoko’s subpar performance, Ezeh has a pretty miserable game himself, looking tentative and allowing himself to get taken out of plays as a result. If Ezeh doesn’t show he can recognize a play and attack with confidence, I’d like to see J.B. Fitzgerald get a chance at middle linebacker.
4. One of the young tailbacks shows starting potential — Vincent Smith and Michael Shaw should both see a lot of playing time, and one of those two will likely be the starting tailback at this time next year. Shaw showed a lot of potential last year, even while battling injuries, and Smith was the breakout star of spring practice. I would love to see one (or both) put up big numbers and show an understanding of the spread offense.
5. A cornerback besides Donovan Warren actually plays well — Boubacar Cissoko had a really rough game against Notre Dame, and J.T. Floyd got torched in limited action against Western Michigan. Highly touted freshman Justin Turner has not seen any game action after he made it on campus late due to academic issues. Ideally, Cissoko would bounce back and show he can play man coverage and either Turner or Floyd would show that Michigan has a viable option after Warren and Cissoko.

Hopefully, Michigan will be geared up and ready to go from the opening kickoff. Personally, I expect the team to come out fired up, and I don’t think the foot will be taken off the gas as the team tries out backups at practically every position: Michigan 52, EMU 16

Similar Posts:

• Report: Jay Hopson to Memphis
• Putting Michigan’s Recruiting Class in Context
• An Early Stab at the 2010 Depth Chart: Offense
• Wild Recruiting Weekend Recap
• The Denard Conundrum

According to Rich Rodriguez, Brandon Minor is "questionable" for Saturday's opener.

Well, this isn’t exactly good news:

Michigan senior running back Brandon Minor is still “limping around” and is questionable for U-M’s game with Western Michigan Saturday, head coach Rich Rodriguez said today. Minor is nursing an ankle injury suffered early in camp.

Senior Carlos Brown would likely start in Minor’s absence, though sophomore Michael Shaw is pushing him, Rodriguez reported. Vincent Smith and Kevin Grady will also likely get carries against the Broncos.

The good news: we’re so deep at tailback that this shouldn’t hurt us too much against Western.

The bad news: With Minor’s extensive injury history, having him banged up heading into the season is not what I wanted to hear. Minor was clearly the best running back on the team last year (and one of the best in the conference in the latter half of the season), and if he has to fight through another injury-plagued season it could cost Michigan a couple games.

The upshot: Let’s really hope this is not a serious injury, and can be solved by a week of rest. For all his talent, Carlos Brown has a tough time staying healthy as well, and after him Michigan is relying on Michael Shaw, another guy who hasn’t stayed healthy, then guys who have never played meaningful minutes in a college football game (and Kevin Grady, but he’s basically a fullback at this point). The fact that the injury was suffered early in camp really concerns me. Let’s hope those concerns are unfounded.

Similar Posts:

• An Early Stab at the 2010 Depth Chart: Offense

"All In For Michigan" is not just a catchphrase, but the driving force behind Rich Rodriguez's 2009 squad.

Football:

• At U-M it’s “all in” from everybody — Detroit News — Interesting article with some great quotes from Rich Rodriguez, including what he expected last year (“I was like everybody else when I took the job — it’s Michigan, throw ‘em out there and you’ll win your share,”) and some pointed words on transfers: “What am I supposed to be concerned with — guys that are low on the depth chart and not performing the way they should, academically and athletically?” he said. “We’re supposed to panic about that? I’m confused. I got 126 players that are doing it and I’m supposed to worry about the handful that didn’t want to?” Amen.
• U-M commits face off in opener — Detroit Free Press — The main event of the Big Prep Day Showdown at Rynearson Stadium will feature two Michigan commits in Devin Gardner (Inkster) and Ricardo Miller (Pioneer). Their game begins Saturday at 8 pm … I’ll be there, and encourage football-starved Michigan fans to come out in force to support a couple future Wolverines.
• Offensive line holds key to Michigan’s turnaround — Grand Rapids Press — Howie Beardley goes a little far in trying to prove his point (I’m pretty sure it does matter whether Nick Sheridan or Tate Forcier is starting the Western game), but the bigger picture remains true: offensive success is directly tied to the success of the offensive line. With all the talk about three quarterbacks playing and whatnot, we forget that the maturation and improvement of the big uglies up front is as important as anything else for U-M this season.
• Wolverines plan to use depth at running back — Detroit News — Looks like we’re going to see a lot of backs get action this season. Fred Jackson, in referring to Brandon Minor, Carlos Brown, Michael Shaw, Kevin Grady, and Vincent Smith, said: “You’re going to see [all five backs playing] and you’re going to see it very effectively, because I think they all warrant (playing time) because they’re all good enough.”
• Troy Woolfolk is enjoying his change of position in Michigan’s secondary — AnnArbor.com — It appears that having the speed of Troy Woolfolk at the safety position is already paying dividents for the Wolverine defense: “Less so than last year is the play culminating in a 50-yard bomb, you know,” linebacker Obi Ezeh said. “That’s always a good thing when you don’t have to worry about that.” Let’s hope that’s not just talk; the big pass play is something Michigan needs to greatly cut down on this season.
• Behind The Music: How Michigan picks songs for its football practices — AnnArbor.com — Apparently, coaches and players can submit any (clean, curse-free) song to be added to a huge playlist, which explains why last week’s practice featured a jump from the Jackson 5 to “Cotton Eyed Joe” to Lil’ Wayne. Also, coaches make sure to sprinkle in songs such as “Jump Around”, the Wisconsin staple, as both a motivational tool and a way to practice dealing with distractions and crowd noise.
• Marcus Ray: Putting Family First — Lost Lettermen — The former Wolverine safety and 1997 national champion details his move from Michigan (in 2007 as a grad assistant) to CMU to Ohio Dominican University (in his hometown of Columbus) in pursuit of coaching opportunity while balancing family obligations. Also, Ray is working on a book about the ‘97 champs called “The Making of a National Champion: The Untold Ties That Bind”.
• Chris Howard: Moving Cross-Country for Film — Lost Lettermen — The starting tailback from that ‘97 team is also moving around the country for work: Howard, a Louisiana native, is now in Atlanta working as the COO of Theos Entertainment. Nice to see these former players staying connected with fans through Lost Lettermen.
• Five Things Maize n Brew Would Change About the Michigan Gameday Experience — Maize n Brew — I agree with all five points, although I highly doubt the school would agree to designating “non-standing” and “standing” sections, regardless of how practical it sounds. We definitely need to upgrade the scoreboards, which will become an obsolete eyesore when the renovations are finished in 2010.

Basketball:

• The Expectations Game — UMHoops — Dylan notes just how vastly different the expectations (from the fans, media, and the team) are for this year’s Michigan squad as opposed to the expectations going into last season. The job John Beilein has done of rebuilding this program in such a short period of time is nothing short of spectacular.
• Top non-conference games to watch in 2009-10 — Fox Sports — Michigan makes the list twice, coming in at No. 11 for the Jan. 17 home game against UConn, and at No. 13 for the road trip to Lawrence to face Kansas on Dec. 19.

Similar Posts:

• Basketball Q&A With UMHoops
• Wolverines on the Web Discusses Demar Dorsey
• An Early Stab at the 2010 Depth Chart: Offense
• Wolverines on the Web Goes Old School
• Dammit