Matt asks:

Though no BCS title game, if the Heisman comes down to a 2-man race (which it appears with Bradford and McCoy), do you think voters will vote the “I feel bad for Colt since his team got screwed” card?

I can’t really think of an instance where that sort of of logic has come into play. On the contrary, it seems like the Heisman winner typically comes from one of the teams playing for the national title. Of course, the BCS mess is as big as ever this year, and I also can’t think of a time where a team that got screwed to the degree that Texas is (in the eyes of some), all the while having a viable Heisman contender.

At this point, it appears that Sam Bradford’s performance in the Big 12 Championship Game will determine whether it is McCoy or Bradford who ends up with the stiff-arm trophy. Considering the quality of the defense the Sooners face (Missouri is 91st in total defense and 80th in pass efficiency D), I imagine Bradford will get the trophy.

An Anonymous commenter:

If Will Campbell does not enroll early at Michigan, can we take that as a non-commit?

He said he would enroll early and isn’t looking like he is going to… so we can assume he is not committing correct?

This question was actually answered pretty well by WLA-er chitownblue in the same comments thread:

Anon – it would likely mean that he hasn’t made his decision soon enough to enroll early. Nothing more. He never said “I’m going to enroll early, specifically at Michigan, and late if I go somewhere else”. The two (going to Michigan/enrolling early) are two unlinked decisions.

Campbell has stated his intention to enroll early at whichever school he picks. If there is no wind of his enrollment at Michigan by the time we would expect to know about this (and it would probably have to be fairly soon, as students are already registering for Winter semester classes), it shouldn’t be a big deal. The important question is whether it comes out that he is enrolling early at another school. If not, it just means that he won’t enroll early anywhere.

RJ says:

Looking at the video of Breaston in the NFL makes me think that we didn’t use his talents well enough at U of M. On offense Breaston, was never utilized the way that the Cardinals use him now. It seemed like most of the passes he caught were short.

The old staff tried to use Breaston as a deep threat, but they never managed to get him to catch the ball over his shoulder on the go route. He was used over the middle in his time at Michigan as well. Essentially (especially in 2006, where he was one of the most underappreciated members of the team), he played a slot role (with some combination of Edwards-Avant-Manningham-Arrington outside). He would be a great fit in the slot in the new offense as well, despite not being sub-6-foot. I shudder with excitement when I think how awesome it would have been to have him at QB in the current offense.

Griffin Fraley asks in the comments:

On your recruiting board for 2010, where did you come up with the projected star ratings for the players? I’m looking at this link: http://www.fvsports.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=372&ltemid=94

Just curious if you have any other top 2010 lists i can look at.

I started with that list, then added a bunch of other prospects from other sources, assuming most of them were going to end up in the 3-star range. As I’ve heard more about particular prospects, I’ve either promoted or downgraded their rankings. I have also used the Scout.com 2010 instate rankings and Florida 2010 rankings from SoFlaFootball and the Varsity Sports Media Magazine.

For the most part other than that, they’re wild-ass guesses from me.

Bob asks:

Does Michigan have an offer on the table for [Cameron] Gordon? On either side of the ball?

It’s been reported on the premium site that Gordon got offered sometime last week. Sam Webb confirmed it to the non-paying world on today’s WTKA recruiting roundup. This information will be included in the next recruiting update. Since Gordon has been insistent that he wants to play WR, I imagine they said he’d have a chance to contribute there, and switch positions if it didn’t work out.

Posted under Football

As had been rumored for well over a week, sophomore safety Artis Chambers has decided that he will leave the Michigan football program. Chambers will seek a transfer to another school, he told the Free Press.

Chambers was a three-star recruit out of Fort Wayne Snider high school in Indiana. Growing up, Artis had dreamed of playing for Michigan, but as he became a recruited prospect, didn’t think that would come to fruition. Eventually, Lloyd Carr offered him a scholarship, and Chambers was Michigan’s second verbal commitment in the class of 2007. Along with Vince Helmuth and Ryan Mallett, Chambers enrolled at Michigan in January of 2007, and went through spring practices with the team.

Chambers gained some playing time on special teams in 2007, though his most memorable aspect was perhaps something that happened off the field. It was rumored that Michigan would be forced to forfeit the contest against Penn State after news broke that Chambers had possibly not fully completed his high school work before enrolling at Michigan. However, no further ramifications came to fruition.

When Rich Rodriguez became the head coach in Ann Arbor, Chambers was moved to linebacker, and was reportedly doing well in the spring prior to an injury. While he was returning to health, fellow safety Michael Williams was also moved to linebacker, where he improved enough to beat out Chambers when he returned, healthy. During the season, Chambers played primarily on special teams, with limited action at linebacker.

The Scholarship Count is updated accordingly.

Posted under Football

I heard this elsewhere, but will cite MGoBlog for bringing this information to the public.

Defensive Tackle Jason Kates has left Michigan, according to Rich Rodriguez at Wednesday’s press conference. Kates was a Lloyd Carr recruit who struggled with his weight the entire time he was at Michigan.

Under Mike Barwis, Kates had seemingly found his way, and was working towards being a viable player for Michigan. However, he is no longer with the Michigan Wolverines, and best of luck to him wherever he ends up.

Scholarship count updated accordingly.

Posted under Football

Sophomore Zion Babb, a Wide Receiver from Alhambra, California has decided to leave the Michigan football program. Babb was an athlete without a true position in his time with the Wolverines, bouncing between wide receiver, defensive secondary, and special teams.

While Babb is a gifted athlete, it became clear the he was not a natural football player, and after being unable to find a position in Rich Rodriguez’s first spring in Ann Arbor, he settled at Wide Receiver. Despite getting the ball thrown his way a few times this year, he has decided that his future will not be in Maize and Blue. He is not expected to be the last player to leave Michigan.

Best of luck in the future to Zion.

Scholarship count updated accordingly.

Posted under Football

Linebacker Taylor Hill, a freshman from Youngstown, Ohio, has apparently decided to leave the Michigan football program.

Hill was recruited as a linebacker, though he played primarily defensive end in high school. Because of this position change, it was expected that he would have to take a redshirt in 2008 to learn the new position. It is unknown whether difficulty with this learning process contributed to his decision to transfer, but it certainly couldn’t have helped him decide to stick it out.

Initial reports came from his Facebook, page, but have been independently confirmed by a second source today. It appears as though Hill would like to be closer to his home.

It is unclear where Hill will end end (nor is it 100% that he will leave at this point), but we wish him the best of luck wherever that may be.

I’l wait until there is real confirmation from the coaches or Sports Information Department before updating the Scholarship count.

UPDATE: From the Facebook page of Taylor Hill:

Posted under Personnel

After a summer of being the worst-kept secret in Michigan fandom, it’s official: Marques Slocum is gone.

Slocum, a defensive tackle from Philadelphia, PA, has left the Michigan football program. After a multi-year sojourn to become academically eligible, Slocum stuck with the school that he had originally pledged to “because they stuck with me.” However, Slocum’s early career was not without its lumps, as a widely-criticized Facebook posting gained cult status on the internet, and Slocum struggled to stay in shape.

While rumors swirled around Slocum throughout his career with Michigan, it was his incompatibility with Director of Strength and Conditioning Mike Barwis, along with his academic struggles, that finally caused Slocum to give up on his Michigan career. Slocum disagreed with Barwis’s demanding style, and has stopped attending team workouts and summer classes.

It is unclear where Slocum plans to go from here, but I wish him the best of luck.

Eligibility Chart updated accordingly.

Posted under Personnel

Jake Long, #1 overall, Miami
Already knew he was going here, so there is no surprise. Well-deserving of the top spot. A future all-pro.

Chad Henne, #57 overall, Miami
Dropped a little further than I thought he would, especially after Matt Ryan went #3 overall (because the Falcons want to continue to suck). Henne was behind Joe Flacco and Brian Brohm, and he will probably end up the better pro than Brohm (and Ryan, for that matter) with Flacco being a little more of a mystery because of his lack of exposure while still having some pretty good skills. Henne will challenge to be a starter in Miami, especially with a new coach.

Shawn Crable, #78 overall
Good spot for Crable to go, and hopefully his freaky stud freak-ness can carry him to great success in the NFL. The Patriots are a perennial contender, and with their linebacking corps aging, Crable could be a contributor within a couple years (along with fellow former Wolverine Pierre Woods).

Mario Manningham, #95 overall
There is no way in hell that Manningham was the 14th best wideout in the draft, but he definitely earned his positioning with his actions since his junior season ended. He will end up being a better pro than half the guys drafted ahead of him. And what the hell is with the Rams picking some guy nobody has ever heard of as the first WR off the board?

Mike Hart, #202 overall
Hart fell way furhter than he should have. He is a very similar player to Ray Rice, except better in every single way (aside from perhaps being injury-prone). ESPN agreed for most of the day, as the “experts” were dumbfounded that he was still on the board time and again. However, he was able to go to a team that will be able to ease him into the rotation, and he will probably contribute down the road (even if it’s just to impeccably pass-block for Peyton Manning).

Adrian Arrington, #237 overall
Arrington was dangerously close to being Mr. Irrelevant, and he has probably realized that he made a huge mistake in coming out early. He probably would have been better served with one more year in maize and blue, proving that he could be “the guy.” He was very underrated for all of the past two years, and his performance in the florida game is closer to what I expect to see from him.

Undrafted
Jamar Adams, SS: I’m surprised he didn’t end up going in the later rounds.
Chris Graham, LB: His size and ability to play in space held him back. He might make a team as a free agent (primarily for special teams).
Adam Kraus, OG: Hopefully the era of underachieving linemen will come to an end.

Posted under Personnel

With 4 of the greatest Wolverines on the offensive side of the ball leaving Michigan to ply their trade in the NFL, and a couple decent defensive prospects, this should be a fairly good draft for Michigan. The Draft can be seen on the sports network of your choosing starting tomorrow at

Jake Long, OT
Long has already signed with the Miami Dolphins and will be the #1 overall pick in the draft. This makes him the 2nd Wolverine taken #1 overall (Tom Harmon in ’41), and the highest Michigan player picked since Braylon Edwards in 2004. He will anchor the Dolphins’ line from one of the tackle positions. Some experts have said his limited athleticism may make him a better fit at right tackle. His 1 sack allowed and 1 penalty committed in 2007 would be inclined to disagree with that.

Chad Henne, QB
Henne leaves Ann Arbor as one of the most productive QBs in Michigan history. He has been listed as a potential pick anywhere from the mid-to-late first round to the mid-second round. Most analysts peg him as the second or third QB in the draft, behind the massively overrated Matt Ryan. Henne’s injuries during the senior campaign may be troubling to some teams, but both were of a freak nature, and he was able to stay injury-free in the previous three years. Latest scuttlebutt is that the Ravens like him at pick #20, though there are also rumors of teams drafting earlier than that who would like to trade to take him with a first-round pick. Either way, it is seeming likely that Henne will end up being taken in the first.

Mike Hart, RB
Hart, for being the alltime leading rusher at a school with plenty of famous running backs (Harmon, Morris, Biakabutuka), is not looked at as a particularly enticing NFL prospect. This is mostly due to his small size and lack of breakaway speed, in addition to some injury trouble during his sophomore and senior years. However, with very good strength, vision, and moves, he will likely end up a contributor on an NFL team, if never a feature back. Who knows? the last guy whose college production wasn’t expected to carry into the NFL because of size and speed – Emmitt Smith – ended up as a Hall of Famer. Still, Hart would be a risky pick early, and will probably end up with a late second to early fourth round selection. The team that picks him will not count on Hart to be their feature back, so he would be a less risky pick for them.

Mario Manningham, WR
Manningham had one of the greatest two-year-stretches for a Michigan wideout, despite injury problems his sophomore year and Ryan Mallett his junior year. Manningham opted to try for his money now, before he has to spend another year with a first-time college QB tossing him the rock. In terms of strict talent, Manningham is the best receiver in the draft, though his size is a little on the smallish end. However, the intangibles may hold him back, as he was suspended from Michigan for a game, was seen fighting with quarterbacks on the sidelines, at times looked like he wasn’t giving a full effort, and has admitted that he lied to NFL GMs in his interviews, stating that he never tested positive for banned substances (marijuana). Still, Manningham hasn’t had as troubled a college career as someone like Chris Henry or Randy Moss. He still grades out very well, and will probably be taken in the second round, with a potential slip into the first if a team is willing to take a chance on a fine physical specimen.

Adrian Arrington, WR
The second half of the alliteratively-named Michigan WR duo didn’t leave college because he thought he’d be a great NFL pick, but rather for a few other reasons: 1) His friend Mario was leaving as well, 2) He didn’t want to risk habing a bad QB throw him the ball in a potentially WR-unfriendly offense, and 3) He was a fourth-year junior, and presumably had already gained his degree. Arrington’s draft stock has plummeted since his declaration, mostly due to poor combines (which he accounts for with injury). Still, Arrington will be an insanely good value pick for a team in the later rounds (6th-7th, most likely, if he doesn’t slip to free agency). I stil believe that had he stuck around for one more year, he could have become a Braylon-like receiver for Michigan (if not quite as physically gifted). His size, hands, and ups are absolutely unquestioned, it’s just a speed matter that has teams worried.

Adam Kraus, OC
Kraus wasn’t even invited to the combine after being all-Big Ten. He is an indication of how far Michigan’s Strength program and offensive line coaching had fallen (though a physical specimen like Jake Long was still able to succeed). He will probably be given a shot in fee agency, and try to make a team’s camp roster.

Shawn Crable, LB/DE
Crable is a fine physical specimen without a true position. He doesn’t have the bottom-end build to play defensive end in a 4-3, and he lacks the ability to play in space consistently, which will preclude him from playing SLB in the NFL. However, in the 3-4, he could be an outside linebacker, a la Lamarr Woodley (who was at a further disadvantage of having played almost exclusively DE in his final years at Michigan). This means teams like the Dolphins, Steelers (who drafted Woodley) and Patriots would be candidates to select Shawn. He will probably be a mid round pick.

Jamar Adams, SS
One of the most underrated players in the time I have been watching Michigan. He was rarely a liability in coverage, and can come up to fill the run very very well. With excellent size in the defensive backfield, his speed may be questionable, though he could bulkl up a bit and become a WLB in the NFL. Jamar is a safe pick with a decently high floor and a limited ceiling as a safety. He will be a mid-to-late round pick.

Chris Graham, LB
Graham was a speedy guy who could lay a hit in college, but he was often lost in coverage. This factor and his less-than-optimal speed could collaborate to drop him very low in the draft. He will be a late-round pick or free agent signing. He is the sort of player who could be a special teams phenom while learning to play linebacker more consistently. I hope he catches on with somebody though, as he could sure as hell use the money.

Brandent Englemon, FS
A guy who played the FS role admirably while at Michigan, but probably doesn’t have what it takes to get to the next level. He may be a free agent signing with someone. It would certainly be nice to see him succeed.

Posted under Personnel

Justin Boren to OSU.

Also presented without comment:

Posted under Personnel

Michigan offensive tackle Jake Long has been signed to a five-year deal with the Miami Dolphins, guaranteeing that he will be selected first overall in Saturday’s NFL draft. Long is the first Wolverine selected #1 overall since Tom Harmon in 1941(!). Current speculation is that Long’s prowess on Guitar Hero was the deciding factor for the Dolphins.

For analysis of the remaining Wolverines’ draft outlooks, check back here on Friday.

Posted under Personnel