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.
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.
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.
Denard Robinson v. Jeremy Gallon
3 Denard Robinson (74%, 570 Votes)
6 Jeremy Gallon (26%, 201 Votes)
Total Voters: 771
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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.
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.
Carlos Brown v. Brandin Hawthorne
2 Carlos Brown (88%, 416 Votes)
7 Brandin Hawthorne (12%, 57 Votes)
Total Voters: 473
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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.
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.
Obi Ezeh v. William Campbell
4 Obi Ezeh (75%, 422 Votes)
5 William Campbell (25%, 137 Votes)
Total Voters: 559
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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.
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.
Greg Mathews v. David Molk
1 Greg Mathews (79%, 450 Votes)
8 David Molk (21%, 122 Votes)
Total Voters: 572
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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.
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.
Mike Martin v. Kevin Koger
3 Mike Martin (58%, 402 Votes)
6 Kevin Koger (42%, 289 Votes)
Total Voters: 691
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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.
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.
Martavious Odoms v. Michael Shaw
2 Martavious Odoms (62%, 458 Votes)
7 Michael Shaw (38%, 284 Votes)
Total Voters: 742
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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.
Terrence Robinson is a redshirt freshman from Klein Oak, Texas. After expecting to contribute last fall, having injuries keep him off the field the entire time was not an easy task for this competitor. He was a quarterback in high school, though at Michigan he will play the slot. With Michigan having more than one slot receiver available (and a young quarterback), Robinson will probably be seeing his fair share of passes come his way.
Troy Woolfolk is a junior defensive back who has played mostly corner in his Michigan career, but is expected to contribute at safety this year. He is the son of Michigan legend Butch Woolfolk, and Michigan fans certainly recognize the speed that probably entails. Woolfolk is entering his first year as a major contributor, after playing mostly special teams in his first two years.
Terrence Robinson v. Troy Woolfolk
4 Terrence Robinson (56%, 323 Votes)
5 Troy Woolfolk (44%, 253 Votes)
Total Voters: 576
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The poll will remain open for 7 days, closing at 5PM next Sunday. Have your heart set on a particular candidate? Try to sway others in the comments. The full bracket is visible here.
Brandon Graham is widely considered the most physically-talented player on the 2009 Wolverines. He is also probably the best player, and a big season could propel him into the first few rounds of the NFL draft. Graham was 8th on the team in tackles last year, but 1st in both tackles for loss and sacks (in which he also led the Big Ten). Graham has been a thorn in opposing quarterbacks’ collective side since he burst onto the scene as a freshman in 2006.
Greg Banks has bounced around on the defensive line, playing both end and tackle during his time in Ann Arbor. The redshirt junior from Denver will probably play strongside end and some tackle this season. In his playing time last year, Banks tallied a half tackle for loss to go along with his 5 total tackles.
Brandon Graham v. Greg Banks
1 Brandon Graham (98%, 473 Votes)
8 Greg Banks (2%, 9 Votes)
Total Voters: 482
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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.
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.
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