Among the many things that have often bothered me about the Michigan football program is the lack of serious Heisman buzz for any player (save, perhaps, for Mike Hart in 2006). So, as a Guy with Website, I fully intend to change that for the 2009 season. But far be it from me to determine which Michigan Wolverine deserves to have a full-fledged Heisman campaign this upcoming season. Why don’t I have readers vote in an enormous bracket, instead?

Who’s Eligible?

Originally, I had intended for this to be a ridiculously large bracket, with everyone on the roster eligible. Well, that didn’t get off the ground quite as I had intended, and to simplify things, most players with a reasonable expectation of playing time and stats will be a candidate in the bracket contest. There will be one contest each day, with voting open for 7 days (so the results will roll in over time). As the roster gets pared down to 4 or 8 candidates, they’ll be spaced out a little more to give each battle a chance to get the votes it deserves.

What’s the ‘Prize?’

The “winner” will have a Varsity Blue section created in his honor, to tout his candidacy for the Heisman trophy, a la the now-defunct Hart4Heisman.com, or official athletic department sites like CurtisPainter12.com (try to stifle your laughter). Depending on the level of effort I’m willing to put in, perhaps some of the runners-up will have pages as well, at least touting them for position-specific awards like the Ray Guy trophy or Rotary Lombardi Award.

Show Me the Bracket!

Ah, patience young one. I’ll reveal the bracket early next week (how does Tuesday sound?) and battles will get started the next day.

Posted under Football, Personnel

Black Shoe Diaries, which is in all likelihood the most popular Penn State blog on the internet, recently took umbrage with an article published by Rivals affiiliate Blue & White Illustrated regarding lacrosse recruiting. The offending portion was the mention that Birmingham Brother Rice maintained a #1 national ranking in high school lacrosse this year. BSD is right in pointing out that this is an erroneous statement, and takes the opportunity to ruminate on high school lacrosse, the viability of varsity D-1 programs in the midwest, and the possibility of a varsity program at Michigan in the future. HOWEVA, BSD is making some assumptions (and drawing conclusions, etc.) that simply don’t hold true.

Brother Rice

The BWI article spoke thusly: “All-Americans Nick Dolik (attack) and Danny Henneghan (midfield) will bring championship experience after leading Brother Rice to the No. 1 national ranking this year.” Black Shoe Diaries pointed out the error in this statement by pointing out that Rice finished #21 in a year-end power poll. They go on to say that they dominate Michigan competition, but wouldn’t stand a chance out East. So the Warriors didn’t finish this year #1 in the nation. BWI regrets the error, since the #1 ranking for Rice was not this year, but last year. And the year before. And the year before that. Yes, until this year, Rice was 3-years running considered the best lacrosse team in the nation. BSD: “Geekness aside: only historians in the great state of Alabama would ever consider Brother Rice a national champion.” Except for those three years that they were, apparently. Even in a down year, the Warriors still managed to crack the top-30 among the 3,037 schools in America playing lacrosse. These are not scrubs.

Also, KevinHD, you may have heard of Warrior Lacrosse (for those who aren’t familiar, it’s the largest (only?) reputable manufacturer of lacrosse gear). Huh, what a coincidene, it shares a name with the mascot of Brother Rice. Coincidence this is not. Warrior Lacrosse was founded by a Brother Rice alumnus, and is based in Warren, Michigan. Brother Rice is indeed a lacrosse school, despite being some 500 miles from the Atlantic Ocean.

Varsity Lacrosse in the Midwest

Black Shoe Diaries says that there’s no way Rice possible could put out enough prospects to fill a full team, noting that the OSU Buckeyes have only 1 player from the Great Lakes State, and only 5 from the Buckeye State. This is qualified with “There are probably some Michigan natives out east, I don’t feel like looking through any more rosters…” This is in relation to a later point I’ll be covering, but I digress. Perhaps you should have spent the time to look through some of those rosters, because they’re littered with players from Michigan in general, and Brother Rice in particular. The least you could have done was look at THE TEAM WHO WON THE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME, for god’s sake. The National Champions from Syracuse have three players from Michigan on their roster.

Let me give you a little background for those who don’t know: Division 1 lacrosse teams are allowed by the NCAA to give out 12.6 scholarships. These are generally divided up in partials, unlike football and basketball. Brother Rice’s team in 2009 has 13 players committed or signed to play with Division 1 schools (sadly, the source for this is an article in the Oakland Press that I read in an actual newspaper, and can’t find in a quick search of the internets). So, Brother Rice has more Division-1 players than a Division-1 team. Way to do the homework before running your mouth, Kev.

Wolverine and Brother Rice Alumnus Riley Kearns

Michigan Lacrosse

The Michigan lacrosse team is ridiculously successful at the club level, but is nowhere near the quality of a top-notch D-1 varsity team. Kevin says the midwest ain’t big enough for the 4 of us (the existing three varsity teams in the midwest are OSU, PSU, and Notre Dame – we’ll not mention the potshot he takes at Detroit Mercy in its first year of lacrosse, which took leftovers not from Maryland and New York, but from Michigan State, the second best CLUB TEAM in Michigan). Michigan will have to resort to hoping their terrible players from Michigan will be able to compete with real life lacrosse players from out East, because the Wolverines will never be able to recruit the East coast against other D-1 programs. Never mind the fact that, even without being able to give them scholarships, the club team has players from Virginia, Colorado (along with Michigan and California, probably the most lacrosse-enlightened state outside of the East coast), New York, Florida, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Missouri, Maryland, Washington DC, and Connecticut. No, why worry about “facts?”

The truth of the matter is, if the Wolverines were to make the jump to varsity at some point in the near future, they’d be well-positioned. No, immediate success wouldn’t come, but there are certainly some factors working to their advantage. Aside from the aforementioned recruiting hotbed in Oakland County (Birmingham Seaholm and Detroit Country day also produce a number of D-1 players, and Orchard Lake Saint Mary’s is a program on the rise), the team would have the most financially-stable athletic department in the nation backing it, the world’s foremost lacrosse manufacturer just a stone’s throw away, and by the time the leap was made, one of the best lacrosse-specific facilities in the nation will likely be completed (boy, do I ever wish that link went to the blueprint, because it’s awesome).

So basically, don’t talk if you have no clue what you’re talking about and have no interest in researching the actual acts. kthxbai.

For the record, I’m no Brother Rice homer, and the opposite is more likely to be true. That said, you can’t downplay the team’s quality, unless of course you ignore reality.

Posted under Other Sports

Iowa Offense

QBs

The Hawkeyes entered 2008 with a QB controversy of sorts between Jake Christensen and Ricky Stanzi. There shall be no such controversy this year: Stanzi is the Manzi (oh god, did I really just type that?). The bigger question is who will back up the redshirt junior. Marvin McNutt is now a wide receiver, and Christensen has transferred out of Iowa City. Redshirt Freshman John Wienke, once a Michigan commitment, is the best bet.

Analysis

The Iowa QB situation improved a ton last year with Stanzi at the helm. He should continue improving, and be among the better signal-callers in the conference this year. Behind him, there might be trouble, as there is virtually no experience with Christensen gone.

RBs

Shonn Greene was, for my money, the best running back in the country last year. Stepping up to replace him will be sophomore Jewel Hampton, who looked pretty good as Greene’s backup last year. Walkon Paki O’Meara and Jayme Murphy will also get some action.

Analysis

Jewel Hampton is not going to be Shonn Greene. End of story. I’m not going to sit here and go all “losing Shonn Greene doesn’t hurt, because Jewel Hampton is AT LEAST as good” Rittenberg-style. Hampton will fill in for the Hawkeyes, and will probably provide more speed to the RB position, but likely less power and vision. That’s to be expected from a young player, and by the end of the year, he should develop into a good option. I will bet each and every one of you infinity dollars that he will not outdo Greene’s Doak Walker-winning year. I am not stupid, you see.

Receivers

Darrell Johnson-Koulianos has been in the doghouse a bit this summer, allowing other players like former QB Marvin McNutt to get some serious reps at wide receiver. DJK will still likely be the go-to guy as a redshirt junior, and senior Trey Stross will be the Inexplicably Great White Iowa Receiver in the absence of Andy Brodell. Still, it’s the tight end that looks to drive this passing game, and if redshirt senior Tony Moeaki can stay injury-free (albeit for the first time in his Hawkeye career), he’s a really good option.

Analysis

For all his whiteness, Andy Brodell was a really awesome wide receiver, and losing him will certainly be a hit. However, if DJK can stay in the coaches’ good graces, and Stross can step up to a starting role, the wide receivers should be decent enough. If McNutt can be a good third option on the edges, that’s probably gravy for a Hawkeye passing attack that has a number of smaller contributors, and a darn good TE in Moeaki. If Tony can stay healthy, he’ll be able to stretch the middle of the field, opening things up on the outside, and even in the running game.

Offensive Line

Lineup

Center Rob Bruggeman and right guard Seth Olsen depart, but the other three starters return for the Hawkeyes. True junior Bryan Bulaga will man the left tackle spot, redshirt junior Julian Vandervelde will play left guard, and 5th-year Kyle Calloway played right tackle last year. The two spots up for grabs are likely to go to 5th-years Dan Doering at right guard and Rafael Eubanks at center. The backups for Iowa will include Reilly Reiff, Markus Zusevics, and Kyle Haganman.

Analysis

The line returns mostly intact, though Olsen was good enough to be drafted in the fourth round of the NFL draft, and Bruggeman got some looks of his own, and signed a deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Still, the Hawkeyes who return aren’t without some acclaim themselves. Doering was an Army All-American whose career has been sidetracked by injuries over the years, and Rafael Eubanks will also probably make it into the NFL draft with a good senior year. The incentive for those two to prove their worth to the NFL (on top of their inherent talent, of course), along with the remaining members of the line returning from last year’s campaign, means that the Hawkeye OL will probably be about as good as last year’s, and there’s a chance it could be even better.

Offensive Analysis

Losing Shonn Greene will hurt, but a stabilized QB situation, another strong offensive line, and some weapons in the passing game will all help the Hawkeye offense improve next year. Andy Brodell, despite his injuries over the years, was an explosive weapon, so Iowa will need to either spread the wealth or find a playmaker to take his spot. If Tony Moeaki and the offensive line can stay healthy, however, the Hawkeye offense could be a well-oiled machine in 2009.

Iowa Defense

Defensive Line

Mitch King and Matt Kroul leave the middle of the Hawkeye defense, and replacing the tackles will be a tall task. I wouldn’t be surprised if junior Christian Ballard continued adding weight (he was already listed at 285 on the spring roster) and moved inside permanently, giving Broderick Binns, a redshirt sophomore a full-time role on the edge. That still leaves one defensive tackle spot, which will likely go to [hilarious adverb goes here]-named Karl Klug, though he’s a bit undersized. The most certain role on the defensive line is for Adrian Clayborn, who flashed some star power last year as a redshirt sophomore at DE.

Analysis

Sure, there are bodies available to fill the holes left by Kroul and King, but will they be as good as the two departed players? Neither was drafted, but they were excellent college DTs. Without them at the heart of the defense, the outside rushers will probably have a bit of an issue. Still, the defensive line might have some real penetrating power with a couple undersized quicksters both inside and out. Will they be easily manhandled by bigger, stronger offensive lines though?

Linebackers

Redshirt senior Pat Angerer and redshirt junior Jeremiha Hunter will be the key pieces of the Iowa linebackers corps. True senior AJ Edds completes the returning trifecta. Most of the backups, including Jacody Coleman and Jeff Tarpinian return, giving Iowa not only marquee starters, but also depth.

Analysis

The linebackers were pretty good last year, and unless the new defensive linemen can’t manage to keep them from getting blocked, there’s no real reason that they shouldn’t be even better in 2009. The entire 2-deep returns, and they should all be a year more seasoned.

Defensive Backs

Redshirt junior Amari Spievey is expected to have a breakout, star-making year at one of the corner positions. Redshirt junior (and former walkon, in case it wasn’t already apparent he was white) Brett Greenwood returns at strong safety. Redshirt sophomore Tyler Sash, similarly melanin-deficient, will probably be the other starting safety. David Cato, a true sophomore, will probably start at the vacated corner position. Shaun Prater, who got some DB reps in 2008, has moved to wideout.

Analysis

For all the ragging on Greenwood last offseason, he actually turned in an honorable-mention in the All-B10 media awards. The other pieces return mostly intact, except for Bradley Fletcher, a third-round pick in the NFL. If Cato can step up and replace Fletcher at least with some degree of adequacy, the Iowa defensive backfield should be pretty strong. Still, a step back might be in order, as the Hawkeyes lost the man who looks to be the best NFL prospect. Only Spievey, among the returners, looks to be a good candidate to make it to The League.

Defensive Analysis

Stopping the run and pressure on the quarterback are two of the biggest keys to a defense, and Iowa lost two big pieces of that puzzle in Mitch King and Matt Kroul. However, nearly everyone else of note returns, so there should be steady improvement in the Hawkeyes’ already-good (#12 in the nation) defense. They should be able to get it done. Against Michigan, the inside running of Brandon Minor, and trying to spread the field to keep experienced linebackers either on the sideline or out in space, will be the Wolverines’ best bet to score.

Special Teams

All of Iowa’s specialists return. They ran with 2 kickers last year, and that will probably continue into next season.

Analysis

Ryan Donahue is a mediocre punter, but he might get a little better next year, unless he is worn out from punting more often than last year in a sans-Greene offense. Daniel Murray was primarily the long-distance kicker in 2008, though he didn’t seem to be nearly as consistent as Mossbrucker. I don’t see why the Iowa coaches wouldn’t continue going with the platoon system as long as it’s working.

Overall Analysis

For some reason, I had been down on Iowa coming into the offseason. Mostly Shonn Greene, probably. However, I’m now basically convinced that they will at least contend for the Big Ten title. Nearly everybody comes back on defense except two tackles and a corner, and considering the trajectory of some other players (i.e. from walkon to HM All-Conference in two years), they should be able to improve at every position group, save DL. The offense will be a little weaker without Shonn Greene and Andy Brodell, but an experienced offensive line should be able to move the ball and protect the passer. As long as Iowa stays healthy, I wouldn’t be surprised if they win the Big Ten. Of course, road games at PSU, MSU, and OSU should be a hindrance, but this is a strong ans experienced team.

Posted under Football

2010 Michigan Wolverines Recruiting Board.

Moved PA DE/LB Ken Wilkins to committed. Commitment post. Local paper article. I didn’t really want to, but I’ll have to fisk:

The word on Wilkins? Well, a good source at Trinity who knows the football program well said Wilkins is talented, but isn’t as athletic as  Andrew Sweat, a Trinity linebacker two seasons ago who is now at Ohio State. “He doesn’t have the agility that Sweat had,” the source said.

Wow, a defensive end doesn’t have the same agility as a linebacker. You deserve a medal for figuring that one out, guy.

More Nike Camp recap from Josh Helmholdt in the Free Press. Relevant players include MI QB commit Devin Gardner:

the 6-5, 210-pound Gardner is dual-threat quarterback and many of his best attributes are not showcased in a non-contact camp setting. Still, Gardner showed that he has spent a good portion of the offseason working on his passing. His footwork is vastly improved and even though he still has an atypical throwing motion, he was able to make all the throws and did so with adequate arm strength and accuracy.

Livonia Stevenson’s Austin White took home the MVP honors at the running back position with considerable ease. The 6-1, 185-pound White was nearly unstoppable in the one-on-one portion of the camp, using his speed to outrun would-be defenders. White’s footwork and agility in the drills portion of the camp also solidified his MVP honors.

Although they did not take home MVP honors, Southeastern defensive linemen Johnathon Hankins and William Gholston both had good performances, too. The 6-3, 320-pound Hankins has put a lot of work into his conditioning this offseason and it showed in his performance Saturday. The 6-7, 240-pound Gholston is the state of Michigan’s top ranked prospect and his combination of size, speed and athleticism is hard to find anywhere in the country.

Other standout performers for the state of Michigan included Saginaw class of 2011 wide receiver DeAnthony Arnett, Inkster running backs/safeties Daniel and Nathan Lindsey, Ypsilanti Willow Run defensive tackle Garret Davis, Warren Fitzgerald linebacker Austin Gray, Cass Tech athlete Daniel Easterly, Lansing Sexton quarterback Taurean Jackson and Hartland 2011 wide receiver Matt Poches.

Removed OK AB/WR DeMarco Cobbs. He’s down to a top 8, which Michigan is nowhere near. He also plans to go down to a top five soon, so there’s little room to sneak onto his top list.

Shortly after a visit to Michigan for the Big House BBQ, and slightly opening the door on his recruitment, OH TE Alex Smith (seen at left) has fully decommitted from Cincinnati. Michigan will probably among the favorites to land his signature, as he’s been on campus multiple times. If they’re able to land Smith, it would certainly help with his teammate, LB Jordan Hicks. Hicks is one of the top linebacker prospects in the nation, and plans to graduate early. He has a top 6 list that he plans to reveal in short order. Ohio State and Texas are locks to be on the list, and Cincinnati will probably make it as well. Your guess is as good as mine for the last three.

MD OL Arie Kouandjio has landed a coveted Ohio State offer, and considering how selective they can be with offensive line recruits (though the results may not be there over the past two years), it certainly means he’s kind of a big deal. He plans to narrow his scholarship offers to a top five by the time his senior season rolls around.

Speaking of OL prospects (and one Michigan has a much better shot with), FL OL Torrian Wilson has modified his top 5, removing Tennessee in favor of… FIU? Lol Kiffin and whatnot. Alabama, Stanford, and Miami of Florida are the others in his favorites list, along with the Wolverines.

OH DE Darryl Baldwin is likely staying close to home when he ultimately selects a school. Though that immediately makes one think he’s likely to be a Buckeye, that’s certainly not set in stone. The original quote from his coach was “Everybody across the country was interested in him, but he’s a Midwest guy and he’s leaning towards staying close to home.” That sounds a bit more positive for coaches across the midwest, no?

Video fluff on FL LB Christian Jones. He still sounds like he’s going to Florida State, so I wouldn’t give him tooooo much thought.

I just added him Monday, but don’t expect GA LB Tyrone Cornileus to stay on the board long. He has a top 3-ish substance without Michigan in it, and he plans to make a commitment within a month.

MI S/LB Daniel Easterly will camp at Michigan in hopes to land an offer from the Wolverines. He hails from the developing Michigan pipeline of Cass Tech.

Removed LA S Ronnie Vinson, who committed to LSU. He spoke early about really liking Michigan, partially due to a connection to Adam Kraus. However, he hadn’t mentioned the Wolverines in a while, and was probably no longer a realistic option.

Added OH twins DT Terry Talbott and CB Terrence Talbott. Michigan has offered both of the brothers (info in header).

This may be weird coming from me, but how about some hoops-related recruiting news? 2009 commit Darius Morris will report to Ann Arbor on June 22 for enrollment in summer classes (info in header).

This update is getting FULL. The rest of the info will be saved for a Monday update.

Posted under Basketball, Football, Recruiting

The annual WTKA takeover for Mott is going on now, with some events continuing through Friday. The radio-thon is one of the many ways that the football team and athletic department as a whole support C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital. The full release from UM Health System:

The University of Michigan football team, coaches, players and former players will take over the airwaves in Ann Arbor to raise funds for the U-M C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital and Women’s Hospital.

Ann Arbor Radio’s four stations – Sports Talk 1050 WTKA (1050 AM), W4 Country (102.9 FM), 107one (107.1 FM), and WLBY Ann Arbor’s Business Talk Radio (1290 AM) – will host a 12-hour radio-a-thon event to raise awareness for the C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital and Women’s Hospital building project and fund-raising campaign. The radio-a-thon runs 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday, June 11.

The event will continue live across the state on “The Huge Show” hosted by Bill Simonson, 3 – 6 p.m. Friday, June 12. “The Huge Show” – which is headquartered in Grand Rapids – will broadcast from Schembechler Hall in Ann Arbor, and heard statewide on Sports Talk 1050 WTKA (1050 AM) and the “Huge” radio network: 97.5 FM-Muskegon, 100.9 FM-Midland, 730 AM-Lansing, 1280 AM-Mt Pleasant, 1330 AM-Flint, 107.3 FM – Grand Rapids, 1380 AM-Greenville, 1440 AM-Dowagiac, 1450 AM – Holland, 1660 AM-Kalamazoo.

In addition, a BBQ with the Boys event with the football team at Schembechler Hall to continue to raise money for the radio-a-thon will be held from 3 – 6 p.m. Friday, June 12. Tickets are $250 for four people, which will include tours of the hall, games on the practice field, autographs and pictures with the team.

Contact mott-development@med.umich.edu to purchase tickets.

In 2008, the radio-a-thon helped raise more than $100,000 for the children’s and women’s hospitals.

In addition to the Wolverine football program, C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital and Women’s Hospital patients, families and medical experts will be featured during the radio-a-thon.

Listeners that day can pledge to make a contribution to C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital and Women’s Hospital by calling 800-559-2657, or going online to www.mottchildrenshospital.org, www.wtka.com, www.w4country.com, or www.annarbors107one.com.

Ann Arbor Radio’s broadcast area covers all of Washtenaw County, North to Flint, South to Ohio, East to Detroit and West to Jackson with more than 260,000 daily listeners.

Money raised from the radio-a-thon and BBQ will go towards the playground equipment for the new hospital.

To learn more about the children’s and women’s fund-raising campaign and building project, visit www.mottchildrenshospital.org.

Posted under Football

Chris Fetter was drafted by the San Diego Padres with the 264th pick, 3rd in the 9th round. This is a little further down than expected, but not too far.

In recruiting news, Daniel Fields of University of Detroit Jesuit was picked by the Tigers at #180, the middle of the 6th round. I wouldn’t be surprised if he went with the Tigers as the 6th round is pretty respectable, and it is the Tigers who drafted him, which may or may not influence the decision.

Dennis went in the 10th round to the Rays, so there is a good chance he could end up in Ann Arbor. It’ll be a wait and see situation. (Andrew@EC, I’ll get your comment approved by Tim or Paul soon enough.)

The last prospect we’re watching is Patrick Biondi. He’s still undrafted as of 2:05pm (late in round 13). That may bode well, too.

I’ll update if I hear anything else. There’s a chance Dufek or Katzman may go in the VERY late rounds, but I don’t think they’re any chance of defection.

Posted under Baseball, Recruiting

Hey, ESPN is talking about the same thing this week. I guess that’s as good a time as any to publish this post that’s been sitting in the drafts for a while.

The internet age in sports has led to, among other things, lots of whining and hand-wringing by fans who otherwise wouldn’t have had an outlet to express their feelings. Among college football fans in particular, there are a couple topics that seem to really hit home: 1) The BCS, and 2) The downward trend in scheduling among high-major conference teams. So, since the offseason is time to cure all the world’s ills, what should be done to rectify item #2?

• The NCAA, via its rule changes over the years, is implicit in the consistent scheduling of 1-AA teams. In 1978, the NCAA’s Division 1 separated into 1-A and 1-AA subdivisions, in order to have 2 more level playing fields. The thought was that 1-AA schools were not able to compete on the same level as 1-A schools. So, why can teams from the two subdivision play each other? I have no idea. Take it away. Better yet, allow teams to play 1-AA schools, but don’t count wins against lower-division teams towards bowl eligibility or BCS standings. If Texas Tech can’t count its 2 games against FCS opponents last year towards the BCS standings, they don’t stand a chance against either Oklahoma or Texas in the computers. Better yet, they have an incentive to schedule teams with (slightly more of) a pulse. If Sun Belt teams can’t bolster their bowl hopes against 1-aa tomato cans, the chain reaction will follow that they won’t sign themselves up to be sacrificed to teams with BCS aspirations nearly as often, because they won’t be able to trade off a sure loss for a sure win.
• Michigan has sold out its entire stadium for what seems like forever, and will continue to do so forever into the future, barring more 2008-esque years (knock on wood). However, other BCS-conference schools do not sell out their stadiums for every game. Why don’t they schedule big-name opponents in order to draw more fans, and by extension, more money? The short answer is that they’re not getting all the money. Revenue sharing deals within conferences are a way to enhance NFL-like parity (ugh, don’t even get me started on that), and level the playing field somewhat within a conference. However, they also provide a disincentive to schedule good opponents. Indiana scheduled Murray State in 2008, which drew 30,123 fans in their stadium, which has a capacity of 49,255. So, why don’t they schedule, say, Oklahoma and fill those other 19k+ seats? Because they only get an eleventh of the money from those extra fans, and they’re willing to sacrifice most of that money for a potential win towards bowl eligbility. They’ll still get their 1/11th of Michigan’s money, and 1/11th of Penn State and Ohio State’s (those three all fell in the top 4 in attendance last year). The same goes for TV money. ESPN is undoubtedly willing to pay schools big money to play compelling games, but why bother when nobody else is doing it, and you get less than 10% of the money?
• Speaking of ESPN, they (along with other media outlets) could certainly hold a lot of power in this situation. On top of paying the big bucks for out-of-conference matchups on TV, they also have the ability to direct the conversations in college football. Does Florida make the 2006 championship game if they don’t have the CBS announcers spouting them as “teh greatest team of EVAR” each week after Michigan falls to Ohio State? ESPN perpetuates the mostly meaningless memes that the SEC and Big 12 are head-and-shoulders better than the rest of the conferences. This rhetoric actually affects those who vote in the AP and Harris polls, if only because they don’t have the time to watch every game, and simply believe what they hear talking heads say. If ESPN were to make it taboo to play a weak schedule, and talk down on teams that schedule 1-AA opponents, there could be actual penalties on the table for those who do choose lower-division opponents. Add in the fact that this would lead to more marquee out-of-conference games, and more money for ESPN and ABC’s primetime broadcasts, and you have a win-win situation for the media.
• I’m not the biggest advocate in the world for a playoff (though I do favor a limited one), but it certainly would remove excuses for teams to schedule cupcakes non-conference schedules. If one loss knocks you out of the national title discussion, coaches and athletic directors are going to do whatever it takes to ensure they finish their season without a loss (which didn’t help Auburn in 2004, of course). If that means scheduling The Citadel, Western Carolina, and the like, then so be it. Of course, if a single loss wasn’t a crippling blow to a national title run, that wouldn’t be necessary. If computers took into greater a team’s account strength of schedule, it would help as well. That could hurt teams that try to schedule tough and end up with Notre Dame 2007 on their schedule, but them’s the ropes: only 1 team can win a national title each year.

What else could be done by the various powers-that-be (NCAA, conferences, media, etc.) to help encourage good out-of-conference scheduling?

Posted under Football

Pennsylvania Linebacker/Defensive End Ken Wilkins, from Washington Trinity High School, has pledged his word to become a member of Michigan’s class of 2010. Wilkins stands 6-4 and 235 pounds, and is the Wolverines’ 13th verbal pledge in the class.

Recruiting Notes
Ohio State, Penn State, and Notre Dame may have seemed like the early favorites in the race for Wilkins’ services, as each team boasts one of his ex-teammates (Andrew Sweat, Mike Yancich, and now-Cleveland Brown Travis Thomas). However, he grew up liking Michigan, and by the time a Wolverine offer came through, Michigan and Pitt were in his top 2. Other schools, such as Penn State, Ohio State, UVa, and others were all in pursuit, but when Wilkins made it to campus for the Big House BBQ, he saw all that he needed to see in order to confirm what he had been feeling for quite some time: he belonged in Maize and Blue.

Player Notes
Though recovering turnovers on defense is mostly a luck proposition, Wilkins sure knows what to do with the ball once it’s in his hands: he scored 2 defensive touchdowns last season. He was named first-team all-state at defensive end. One thing that may be holding back his rankings a bit is the fact that he’s something of a tweener: Scout lists Wilkins as a 3-star defensive end, and Rivals has him ranked as a 3-star outside linebacker. It seems as though he’ll play mostly linebacker in college, though at Michigan he’ll have the hybrid role available to him. The low rankings certainly aren’t due to lack of exposure: on top of his all-state selection as a junior, he’s been attending the Pittsburgh Scout combine since his freshman year.

Video

Posted under Football, Recruiting

The will be coming a little more quickly as I try to get them all done in short order. As always, let me know if there’s anything I’ve missed.

Michigan State Offense

QBs

The Spartans lose 2-year starter Brian Hoyer to graduation, so his backup, redshirt sophomore Kirk Cousins, will compete with fellow redshirt sophomore (and Oklahoma transfer) Keith Nichol. The loser of the QB battle will likely still see some playing time as there was no apparent separation in spring, and the Spartans also brought in Andrew Maxwell in the class of 2009.

Analysis

If I were Adam Rittenberg, I’d be saying things like “Hoyer wasn’t even that good last year, so losing him means nothing.” I am not Adam Rittenberg, and therefore have a functioning brain. This leads me to posit that, if the Spartans had a better option than Hoyer (Nichol excluded, since he wasn’t eligible in his transfer year), that better option would have, like, played. Since Nichol wasn’t head-and-shoulders better than Cousins in spring, maybe the Spartans just don’t have anyone good at QB? I’m not saying they’ll be bad, but a step back from Hoyer is likely in the cards.

RBs

Javon Ringer, one of last year’s Doak Walker finalists, is off to the NFL, with a slew of younger players left to fill the void. Redshirt sophomore Andre Anderson is a little guy, senior AJ Jimmerson is bigger, and redshirt sophomore Ashton Leggett is bigger still for the Spartans. Incoming freshmen Larry Caper and Edwin Baker are also expected to tote the rock some for MSU.

Analysis

Ringer got a ton of work last year, which led to several notable events: 1) He was vastly overrated by the season-ending awards (he was one of 3 players in the top 100 rushers with lower than 4.21 ypc, and the other two were Juice Williams and a player at the offensive trainwreck called Auburn) 2) He wore down over the course of the year 3) Nobody else on the MSU depth chart got any serious work. The next-closest Spartan only got 7% of the carries that Ringer had(!). The coaching staff will likely go slightly towards a platoon-style workload this year, unless someone proves worthy of getting all those carries. There are possible thunder-and-lightning combos in there, but I suspect steadiness might be the preferred trait following Ringer’s exit.

Receivers

The Spartans had a very young receiving corps last year, and they’ll be able to return everyone of note except Keshawn Martin. White Receiver Named White will be one of the starters in his senior year, with redshirt sophomore BJ Cunningham likely to be alongside him. Mark Dell was the breakout performer for State last year as a freshman, and he’ll probably get even more action in ’09.

Analysis

Michigan State will be very deep at receiver, which should help out one of their young QBs. Dell became a star during last year’s run for MSU, though he was overshadowed by the exceptional year Javon Ringer had rushing the ball. Michigan State may see less spreading of the ball with a younger quarterback, but Cousins and Nichol shouldn’t be short on options for throwing the ball.

Offensive Line

Lineup

Seniors right guard Roland Martin and right tackle Jesse Miller depart, both of whom were multi-year starters. Backup left guard Mike Bacon also departs, after joining the program as a walkon. Senior Rocco Cironi will start at left tackle, redshirt sophomore Joel Foreman will play left guard, senior Joel Nitchman will play center, and the other two positions are very much up for grabs. Senior Brendan Moss will probably fill the hole at tackle, and senior John Stipek will try to hold off junior J’Michael Deane at guard.

Analysis

A very odd thing I noticed about the Spartans’ offensive linemen is that fewer of them have redshirted than you’d expect at a BCS-level school. I’m not sure if that will be a factor of any sort, just an oddity. Losing two offensive linemen off a run-centric team isn’t great, but it isn’t crippling. Of course, considering that the top run threat and QB are gone as well, and it becomes a bit more troubling. Still, neither departed player got a serious sniff in the NFL draft, so the backups should be able to fill in, especially with their seniority.

Offensive Analysis

The Spartans are due for a down year offensively. It’s simply impossible to lose the two most important players, along with 2 of the best 3 offensive linemen, and not see a step back. There are plenty of players there, of course, they just need to prove they can get it done when they’re the focus in gametime. If the QB play is adequate, the Spartans should be able to get the ball to playmakers on the edges.

Michigan State Defense

Defensive Line

The Spartans lose two of their best defensive linemen in DE Brandon Long and DT Justin Kershaw. Redshirt senior Trevor Anderson, who followed Mark Dantonio to East Lansing from Cincinnati, will continue being a huge terror off the edge for opponents, and junior Oren Wilson will play a big role at defensive tackle for the third year in a row. The other two starting positions will likely be filled by Colin Neely, a slightly undersized junior at defensive end, and mondo junior Antonio Jeremiah at tackle.

Analysis

The Spartans lose a couple important pieces up front, but return perhaps the best player in Trevor Anderson. Still, he’ll have to hope that the opposition’s offensive lines have to focus on his new linemates Neely and Jeremiah as much as they did the departed ones, or he’ll be facing plenty of double teams, and won’t be able to get into the opponents’ backfields as much as he’s accustomed to.

Linebackers

Junior Greg Jones is a freakin’ stud, and he’ll return to roam the middle for MSU. Fellow junior Eric Gordon and senior Adam Decker complete the trifecta of returning linebackers for a very strong squad in 2009. Brandon Denson will be a key backup as a senior.

Analysis

The Spartans return all three starters from a group that was pretty good to start with. This should probably be the strongest unit on the team (maybe behind receivers?), though the depth isn’t great. If more young players, including incoming freshman Chris Norman, can get involved, it should be a very good year. Will Jones have a good enough year to go early to the NFL? It’s a possibility.

Defensive Backs

Safety Otis Wiley departs, but the Spartans have a fairly strong secondary coming back. Senior Dan Fortener will return at the other safety position, junior Chris L. Rucker returns at corner, and senior Jeremy Ware returns as the other starting corner. Marcus Hyde will step into Wiley’s role as a starting safety. Ross Weaver will be the first corner off the bench.

Analysis

Wiley was good enough to get some NFL looks, so losing him is definitely going to affect MSU, especially since he was a leader in the secondary. Other than that, MSU returns their most important players, so the secondary should be a strength. Of course, some of the players have been sketchy, so they had better hope for continued improvement in the offseason.

Defensive Analysis

Mark Dantonio is known as a defensively-focused coach, and he’ll have a lot to work with this season. The defensive line will be the biggest weakness, and if the Spartans can’t get to the QB, it will hurt them in the stronger areas of the defense. The linebacking corps should be excellent, so the Spartans will be able to stop teams from both running and passing.

Special Teams

The spartans return both kicking specialists. Brett Swenson will return for placekcking duties, and Aaron Bates will take care of punting.

Analysis

Both specialists for MSU were pretty good last year, so expect more of the same this year, if not a slight improvement. Bates might get a bit more work with the offensive production likely to decrease.

Overall Analysis

The Spartans will be very green (no pun intended) on offense this year, and very experienced on defense. Considering Mark Dantonio’s background, that probably means they’ll try to grind out wins this year. The problem, of course, is that they don’t have a Javon Ringer. If they don’t have someone step up, there could be trouble on offense. Trouble on offense could lead to trouble for defense, as the Wolverines learned last year. I don’t think the Spartan offense will be quite as bad as Michigan’s was last year, though (of course). Considering MSU was mostly outplayed for much of last year, even in some of their wins, and without Ringer to rely on, they’ll take a slight step back, unless the defense just dominates.

Posted under Football

Derek Dennis as taken by Phil Niekerk

Via The Grand Rapid Press, Michigan is close to signing Forest Hills shortstop Derek Dennis.  Dennis visited this last week, talked with Coach Maloney, Lloyd Carr, John Beilien, and Red Berenson to discuss the benefits of college.  The GRP makes it sound like if he’s not taken in the top 3 rounds, he will forgo signing and come to Michigan.  This may bode well, as if a team suspects he may not sign, he may get drafted even lower, increasing his odds of coming to Ann Arbor.

Shortstop isn’t a huge need as Toth still has two years of eligibility left, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Dennis started working into games as a freshman in the same fashion as Kevin Cislo.  The guy is currently the #6 SS out of high school (#9 overall SS) according to Baseball America.

Second related GRP article

Also, I’m a sucker for great photography of amatuer sports, so go check out more pictures like the on above at Phil’s Pics.

Posted under Baseball, Recruiting