Unfortunately, we had some technical difficulties, so we don’t have any audio on our interviews. All the players said basically the same thing, so we’ll try to get a loose paraphrase up at least. If anyone can read lips and wants to do a transcript, let us know.

We’re kind of tired and ready for a standard Saturday night in Ann Arbor, so look forward to the full review tomorrow or monday complete with pictures and moving pictures!

Just to whet your appetite, here’s a picture of the wide receivers with Verne Troyer:

Posted under Blog News, Spring Coverage

T-minus one day until spring practice. Finally, the public gets a chance to review what the 2007 Wolverines will look like.

However, keep in mind that the impressions you get aren’t always going to be accurate. A year ago, Carlos Brown and LaTerryal Savoy looked like they were going to be world-beaters. At the end of 2006, Brown had 16 carries for 41 yards, Savoy had a statistically-anomalous 0 catches for 7 yards (he recovered a fumble).

Here are some things I’ll be looking for at spring practice (some of them suggested by commenters, and I encourage you to continue making suggestions):

Things to ask players/coaches:

• Upperclassmen’s opinions of Ryan Mallett
• How the defense will react after losing 6 starters
• Ask everyone around if they think Beilein will recruit the PSL

Things to observe, take pictures, gather footage of:

• Young guys coming in (Mallett, Panter, Helmuth, Chambers)
• Recruits attending the final spring practice
• Effectiveness of the D-Line
• Presence of Grady, Carlos Brown, Arrington

If there is anything else specific that you want to hear, speak now or forever hold your peace.

Posted under Mail Bag, Recruiting, Spring Coverage

Paul and I will be attending the final spring practice this Saturday, armed with cameras (video and still) and our comprehensive note-taking abilities. There is a high likelihood that we are able to interview a player or two, especially among those who won’t be participating in full (Nobody important: Hart, Long).

If you have anything that you want us to take a closer look at, something you want video or pictures of, or any questions you want us to ask, post them in the comments and we’ll do our best to accommodate you.

Posted under Mail Bag, Spring Coverage

There is some great news for all those attending the Final Spring Practice this Saturday at the Big House. In the press release on mgoblue.com there is this beautiful paragraph:

The two-hour practice will focus on individual position, full team drills and feature an offense against defense scrimmage.

As much as I like seeing some 7-on-7 passing drills and the lineman duking it out on the M, seeing actual plays and game-like football is something I’ll desperately need in order to tide me over until NCAA 2008 comes out. That usually gets me to August.

If you can make out for the Spring Practice (with some psuedo-game action!) I recommend it, if only to sit in a seat that most of us will never be able to afford during the regular season.

Posted under Spring Coverage

For, now, I’ll just post a couple of my notes from the spring practice. Videos will come later if I ever get around to cutting them up.

1. I never ever ever want to see Johnny Sears Jr. as the deep man on the punt return team. He is really fast, but he managed to fumble two punts and a kickoff in just about as many tries.
2. Brandon Harrison looks really good. He was really laying the wood to some guys. If he hits his teammates this hard, I can only wait to see how hard he’ll hit opponents. I hope this will be something that everyone on the defense starts to do.
3. LaTerryal Savoy also looks really good. He will probably be our tallest receiver, and he uses his body well. He made a great catch and lunge for the endzone on a pass from Jason Forcier during the scrimmage. It was a touchdown, but the ref didn’t call it one. The assistant coaches came over and gave him a (good-natured) hard time about it.
4. Carlos Brown actually might be as fast as they say. He played a little quarterback as well, running the option with Mister Simpson. Don’t buy the hype that he scored a legitimate long touchdown run – a couple linebackers let him get through so that fans would have something to cheer about.
5. Zoli Mesko might be my hero. The second biggest crowd reaction of the day came from a punt that he boomed for 60+ yards in the air (no wind). Kid has a huge leg, and I expect him to win 3-4 Heismen.
6. Alijah Bradley has got to be one of the hardest workers on the team. He laid out once for a beautiful reception that had the crowd going crazy. I anticipate he’ll be a little more involved in the offense this year.
7. Adrian Arrington looked pretty good. He’ll probably play the role of poessession receiver this year, though with a little more speed and a lot more height than Avant. I predict he’ll start opposite Manningham.
8. Carson Butler didn’t look so great. He dropped a couple easy passes, so he’ll have to develop those hands a little bit. He also almost took me out once as he got pushed out of bounds.
9. Garret Rivas did nothing to allay the fears of fans. He missed a chip-shot field goal, which I expect he’ll do a lot of this year, unless the offense is actually able to put the ball into the endzone.
10. The starters didn’t get a whole lot of reps, but Breaston did manage to drop a deep-ish ball from Henne. Awesome! He needs to be used as a receiver that is found in space, then creates something himself.
11. Mark Bihl’s right pant leg was covered in blood. I have no idea why.
12. Brandon Graham (who will arrive in the fall) is nowhere near 270 pounds, fear not.

Posted under Spring Coverage