Brandon Minor looks to be Michigan’s top running back in 2009. Though he’s had a number of injuries in his career, Brandon hopes to be fully healthy for his senior year, and lead Michigan to a big turnaround. Hopefully, Brandon will be doing a lot of this:

Ryan Van Bergen was the winner of the only upset in the first round of the competition, defeating 4-seed Brendan Gibbons. He’ll start on the defensive line, and looks to anchor the run defense as a strongside defensive end. Last year, backing up Tim Jamison, Van Bergen collected 13 total tackles and 1 pass breakup.

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For the second round each poll will only be open for 3 days, so make sure you vote early in order to be counted. For the updated bracket, click here.

Posted under Football, Personnel

With all of the first-round battles completed in The Great Heisman Campaign, we now know what the second round will look like. The battles will get started on Monday, with Brandon Minor facing off against Ryan Van Bergen. Each contest will have a shorter voting period this round, so be sure to vote early. Here’s the updated bracket:

The first round was almost all chalk (the lone upset was 5-seed Ryan Van Bergen over 4-seed Brendan Gibbons), though perhaps there will be a couple more upsets this time around.

Posted under Football, Personnel

Since many people probably missed all the action in the Great Heisman Campaign over the holiday weekend, let’s reset everything, and bring it up to date.If you haven’t yet, vote in the polls below that are still open. There will be no new battles until the entire first round is completed.

Open Polls:
Martin v. Koger.
Mathews v. Molk.
Ezeh v. Campbell.
Brown v. Hawthorne.
Robinson v. Gallon.

Completed 1st Round Polls:
Minor defeats Sheridan, 952-53.
Van Bergen defeats Gibbons, 516-201.
Warren defeats Stokes, 646-113.
Schilling v. Emilien, 487-248.
Mesko defeats Ortmann, 634-85.
Cissoko defeats Toussaint, 460-270.
Forcier defeats Patterson, 773-35.
Stonum defeats Roundtree, 363-272.
Graham defeats Banks, 473-9.
Robinson defeats Woolfolk, 323-253.
Odoms defeats Shaw., appx. 430-280.

Posted under Football, Personnel

Denard Robinson is just an incoming freshman, but that doesn’t mean that he won’t contribute in 2009. He’s an electric quarterback prospect who can run the ball very well, and can throw it as well. He has blistering speed and good moves, and will probably have a package of run plays installed just to take advantage of his running ability. Though Tate Forcier may be the presumed starter, there’s a chance Robinson will be the more exciting QB this year.

Jeremy Gallon is the Swiss Army Recruit. At his high school in Apopka, Florida, he was a single-wing QB, a running back, a wide receiver, a kick and punt returner, and even a defensive back. He can really do it all. At Michigan, he’ll likely provide some kick and punt return power, along with playing in the rotation at slot receiver or even running back. Of course, there is the small issue that he’s having trouble qualifying for Michigan. If he can get to campus for fall camp, Gallon should be an important weapon this fall.

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The poll will remain open for 7 days, closing at 5PM next Saturday. Have your heart set on a particular candidate? Try to sway others in the comments. The full bracket is visible here.

Other Open Polls:
Odoms v. Shaw.
Martin v. Koger.
Mathews v. Molk.
Ezeh v. Campbell.
Brown v. Hawthorne.

Completed 1st Round Poll:
Minor defeats Sheridan, 952-53.
Van Bergen defeats Gibbons, 516-201.
Warren defeats Stokes, 646-113.
Schilling v. Emilien, 487-248.
Mesko defeats Ortmann, 634-85.
Cissoko defeats Toussaint, 460-270.
Forcier defeats Patterson, ___-___.
Stonum defeats Roundtree, ___-___.
Graham defeats Banks, ___-___.
Robinson defeats Woolfolk, appx. ___-___.

Posted under Football, Personnel

Happy America Everybody.

SummerBall ranks top 25 Summer teams.  While this seems like a dubious task that amounts to nothing, it’s interesting none the less.  You can see their list HERE.  Michigan players show up on the following teams:  #10 Wareham Gateman (LaMarre), #12 Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox (Burgoon), #25 Lima Locos (Toth, Wood, Brosnahan).

From the Cape.  The Cape Cod League has been plagued by rain this season, postponing a total of 33 games so far.  Pitching is still dominating the league with the few games played so far.  Ryan LaMarre is batting .167, good for 6th best of the Wareham regular starters.  Their top batter is only batting .265 while the team average is around .191.   LaMarre has moved from the lead off hitter to around the 6 hole.

Burgoon on the other hand is still dominating.  He’s only pitched 9.1 innings this season, but he’s struck out 17.  He does have an 0-1 record, but hey, he still hasn’t given up an earned run.  His 5 saves still leads the league.

Lima Locos.  Toth has been half of the offense.  And that’s not necessarily a good thing.  The Locos are only batting around .215 as a team, near the bottom of the Great Lakes League.  Pitching has been fairly solid.  Wood and Brosnahan have both done well as relief pitchers the last 2 weeks, each having a couple of shut out appearances.

Alexandria Beetles.  Things haven’t been so good for Michigan in Alexandria. Vangheluwe continues to struggle. His ERA has come down from 9.31 to 7.71 over the last 2 weeks. I guess that’s good news. Matt Miller has struggle a bit too, but he has taken over the teams closer role with 3 saves. His .288 OBA and 4.50 ERA aren’t particularly flattering. Tyler Mills made his debut with the team since the last update.  So far he’s 2 for 9 with a pair of doubles and 4 RBI in limited action.

Valley League.  Brandon Sinnery is having some bad luck with the Winchester Royals.  In 3 starts, he’s 0-1 with a 2.00 ERA.  He’s struck out 18 in 18 innings of work, but just can’t get the run support.  Matt Gerbe has cut his ERA down from 36.00 to only 9.69 thanks to a move back to the bullpen full time.  His OBA is still .368 and 9.69 still isn’t good by any stretch of the imagination.

Meanwhile, at Fort Royal, the impostor posing as Jeff DeCarlo continues to pitch beautifully.  His ERA is just 2.00 in 6 relief appearances stretching 13.1 innings.  I can’t remember DeCarlo ever having a stretch in Ann Arbor where his ERA was less than 6.00.  Also with Forth Royal is Kevin Krantz.  Krantz is splitting time at third but may be winning more time.  He’s batting .292, good for 5th on the team.  His defense has also been

Leesburg Lightning.  Good things continue with the Leesburg crew on the mound.  Alan Oaks is 1-0 in 4 starts with a 3.98 ERA.  His 11 walks to 15 strikeouts ratio is something to work on.  Dufek has 4 saves in 7 appearances stretching 6.1 innings.  In that time he’s struck out 11 and not given up a run.  Eric Katzman finished up his summer classes and got a late start to the Florida Collegiate League season.  So far he’s made 1 start and 1 relief appearance.  The start went pretty poorly, but it might have been part of brushing the rust from his arm.  He’s gave up 2 runs on 5 walks in 3.2 innings pitched in the start.  Sounds like a normal “Evil Katzman” start.  Once he gets back into the groove, he should do better.  Chris Berset hasn’t seen much playing time so far.  He’s made it into 4 games but has yet to get a hit.

Travis Smith in Texas.  Travis leads the Brazos Bombers in starts this season, but they haven’t been overpowering.  He’s 0-3 in 6 appearances (6 starts) including today’s game.  Via bvbombers.com:

The Bombers were able to keep McKinney off the board the rest of the game with great pitching and defense, but were unable to muster any run support for Smith, who dropped to 0-3 with the loss.

Smith gave up one run in the top of the first. The Bombers lost 0-1. Tough luck there.

Prospect League.  Garrett Stephens is currently hitting .244 for the Richmond RiverRats, good for third on the team.  His 14 RBIs are 6th in the League.  John Lorenz doesn’t qualify for stats in the league, but he has been getting more starts at third lately.  His average is up to .250.  This week he went 3/12 with 3 Rs and an RBI.

Coley Crank in Alaska.  Coley continues to do most of the catching for the Anchorage Bucs and is batting .203 so far on the season.  He does have 13 RBIs on the season, good for 3rd on the team.

Matt Broder’s team site is horrible.  I know he’s got 1 W and a 3.00 ERA as of today’s leader board.  Take it as you may.

Players still MIA:  Bryce Aspinwall, Mike Kittle, Nick Urban, Jake McLouth, Vinnie Sarafa, Vinny Losorelli (we have 2 Vinnie/Vinnys on the team? Are we in New Jersey?), and Adam Arbour.  I can’t find anything on them yet.

Posted under Baseball

Carlos Brown, when healthy, has been one of the fastest players on Michigan’s team. So what’s the problem? Dude can’t stay healthy. If Carlos is able to do that in 2009, however, Michigan fans will hope to see a more consistent version of the guy who ripped off an 85-yard touchdown run against Minnesot in 2007. Brown showed flashes of an ability to play the running back position consistently against Northwestern last year, and if he can stay healthy, he’ll be a dangerous, dangerous complement to Brandon Minor.

Brandin Hawthorne is a true frehsman from Pahokee, Florida, and one of 7 players who enrolled for the winter semester. Hawthorne is an undersized linebacker with great athletic ability. He’ll be used in a variety of ways for Michigan, including as a hybrid safety/linebacker, and as a designated blitzer. Hawthorne’s high school career comes with a championship pedigree, and he’ll hope to continue the trend in Ann Arbor.

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The poll will remain open for 7 days, closing at 5PM next Friday. Have your heart set on a particular candidate? Try to sway others in the comments. The full bracket is visible here.

Other Open Polls:
Robinson v. Woolfolk.
Odoms v. Shaw.
Martin v. Koger.
Mathews v. Molk.
Ezeh v. Campbell.

Completed 1st Round Poll:
Minor defeats Sheridan, 952-53.
Van Bergen defeats Gibbons, 516-201.
Warren defeats Stokes, 646-113.
Schilling v. Emilien, 487-248.
Mesko defeats Ortmann, 634-85.
Cissoko defeats Toussaint, 460-270.
Forcier defeats Patterson, ___-___.
Stonum defeats Roundtree, ___-___.
Graham defeats Banks, appx. ___-___.

Posted under Football, Personnel

Obi Ezeh will enter his redshirt junior year as a two-year returning starter at middle linebacker. He led Michigan in tackles last year, and looks to continue that trend in 2009. Ezeh is a big, big guy who sometimes looks more like a defensive end than a linebacker, but he still has the necessary agility to defend passes in space. The MLB position is key to many defenses, and Michigan’s is no different. If they want to stop opposing offenses, Ezeh will be a key player.

William Campbell will just be a true freshman this fall, but it seems like he’s been a Wolverine almost as long as Ezeh. The 5-star defensive tackle from Detroit’s Cass Tech high school committed to Michigan before his junior year, and though there was a bit of a bumpy ride along the way, he stayed with the Wolverines and enrolled in January. He’s raw, but physically talented, and should contribute along the defensive line as a true freshman.

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The poll will remain open for 7 days, closing at 5PM next Thursday. Have your heart set on a particular candidate? Try to sway others in the comments. The full bracket is visible here.

Other Open Polls:
Graham v. Banks.
Robinson v. Woolfolk.
Odoms v. Shaw.
Martin v. Koger.
Mathews v. Molk.

Completed 1st Round Poll:
Minor defeats Sheridan, 952-53.
Van Bergen defeats Gibbons, 516-201.
Warren defeats Stokes, 646-113.
Schilling v. Emilien, 487-248.
Mesko defeats Ortmann, 634-85.
Cissoko defeats Toussaint, 460-270.
Forcier defeats Patterson, 773-35.
Stonum defeats Roundtree. appx. 357-268.

Posted under Football, Personnel

Greg Mathews enters his senior year at Michigan having become one of the most consistent receivers on the team. In a poorly-quarterbacked season in 2008, he was one of only two players to catch multiple touchdown passes. Mathews has never been known as a burner, but he can leap to catch the ball, and has hands like glue. With better QB play in 2009, he should be able to have a strong senior season on his way to the NFL.

David Molk is a slightly undersixed offensive lineman, but that hasn’t stopped him from succeeding so far in his Michigan career. He was expected to contribute as a true freshman, but missed the entire year (and lost several pounds) due to a battle with mononucleosis. Last year, he claimed a starting job as a redshirt freshman, and went from a slight liabilty at the beginning of the season to a solid performer on Michigan’s improved offensive line by the time the end of the year rolled around. He’ll be one of the key pieces on Michigan’s offensive line if they want to have more success in 2009.

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The poll will remain open for 7 days, closing at 5PM next Wednesday. Have your heart set on a particular candidate? Try to sway others in the comments. The full bracket is visible here.

Other Open Polls:
Stonum v. Roundtree.
Graham v. Banks.
Robinson v. Woolfolk.
Odoms v. Shaw.
Martin v. Koger.

Completed 1st Round Poll:
Minor defeats Sheridan, 952-53.
Van Bergen defeats Gibbons, 516-201.
Warren defeats Stokes, 646-113.
Schilling v. Emilien, 487-248.
Mesko defeats Ortmann, 634-85.
Cissoko defeats Toussaint, 460-270.
Forcier defeats Patterson, appx. ___-___.

Posted under Football, Personnel

Mike Martin burst onto the scene as a true freshman, getting significant playing time in the defentive tackle rotation alongside Terrance Taylor and Will Johnson. Now, he’ll be the main man in the middle. If he can progress from what he accomplished last year, his increased playing time should give him the opportunity to make a lot of plays for the Michigan defense. The Wolverines will need him to perform if they want to have a competent defense.

When Rich Rodriguez came to Michigan, there was fear that he wouldn’t know how to use the tight end position, since he hadn’t in his years at West Virginia. Kevin Koger, however, managed to be too much of a weapon to keep off the field, and Koger caught a touchdown for the Wolverines against Wisconsin. The Michigan staff collaborated with Oklahoma’s in the offseason, and looks to use the tight end much more this year. With Koger the main man at the position, he could see a lot more action come his way in 2009.

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The poll will remain open for 7 days, closing at 5PM next Tuesday. Have your heart set on a particular candidate? Try to sway others in the comments. The full bracket is visible here.

Other Open Polls:
Forcier v. Patterson.
Stonum v. Roundtree.
Graham v. Banks.
Robinson v. Woolfolk.
Odoms v. Shaw.

Completed 1st Round Poll:
Minor defeats Sheridan, 952-53.
Van Bergen defeats Gibbons, 516-201.
Warren defeats Stokes, 646-113.
Schilling v. Emilien, 487-248.
Mesko defeats Ortmann, 634-85.
Cissoko defeats Toussaint, appx. 460-270.

Posted under Football, Personnel

Martavious Odoms burst onto the scene last year as a true freshman. He led Michigan in receiving yards, though he didn’t end up scoring a single touchdown through the air. His first touchdown as a Wolverine instead came on a punt return against Purdue. Odoms looks to be Michigan’s top option at the slot again this year, though he’ll have several more teammates at the position as well.

Michael Shaw struggled through 2008 with some lingering injuries, but still managed to make a mark in Michigan’s backfield. He finished third on the team in rushing yardage, and is a very quick player who can make a difference both from the backfield and the slot. If Shaw can remain healthy, he could break out behind Michigan’s improved offensive line in 2009.

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The poll will remain open for 7 days, closing at 5PM next Monday. Have your heart set on a particular candidate? Try to sway others in the comments. The full bracket is visible here.

Other Open Polls:
Cissoko v. Toussaint.
Forcier v. Patterson.
Stonum v. Roundtree.
Graham v. Banks.
Robinson v. Woolfolk.

Completed 1st Round Poll:
Minor defeats Sheridan, 952-53.
Van Bergen defeats Gibbons, 516-201.
Warren defeats Stokes, 646-113.
Schilling v. Emilien, 487-248.
Mesko defeats Ortmann, appx. 640-90 (numbers not final).

Posted under Football, Personnel