Tag: Michigan Wolverines football

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Players to watch for the Michigan Wolverines football team

Embed from Getty Images College football 2019-20 is officially here, with the Michigan Wolverines having kicked off fall camp on Friday, August 2. While it is too early in fall camp to get a feel for who is standing out. There are some Wolverines who’s names have not been brought up. It is those players I think are ready to take the next step.

Freshman defensive tackle Chris Hinton. When it comes to incoming freshman hype, it starts with Hinton. Hinton has the size and ability to be a solid player on the inside of the defensive line. This was a trouble spot on last seasons defense. Mazi Smith has stolen most of the hype out of the freshmen, Hinton is a name to remember as he can make a big impact.

Sophomore linebacker Jordan Anthony, he can play middle linebacker. Red shirted last season Anthony is looking to earn more playing time. In is his third year in the system, and he should get more playing time, even if it is in a backup role.

Five star linebacker Cam McGrone might be the least hyped five star the Michigan football team has had. It did not help that McGrone was dealing early with an injury last year. His sideline to sideline ability, coupled with his willingness to hit, will remind the Michigan fan base of Devin Bush Jr.  Now healthy, Michigan coaches will look to find ways to get his speed and athleticism on the field.

With last seasons defensive departures that is where I wanted to focus. This is a unit that has some playmakers with big abilities. The 2019-20 Michigan Wolverines defense should not drop off a lot. There will be an initial dip when the season begins. As players learn their rolls and rotations.

That should be both cleared up and cleaned up by the time the Big Ten play starts.

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Michigan Wolverines football 2019 season preview

Embed from Getty Images After four years of the same old, same old, change has come to the Michigan Wolverines football program. Head coach Jim Harbaugh is going to facilitate and not call offensive plays. Josh Gattis is now the offensive play caller. Michigan is heavy favorites to win the Big Ten.

Offensively Josh Gattis has introduce spread concepts this past spring and, in his words, completely remove the huddle from the equation. This style of offense really suits returning quarterback Shea Patterson, who finished last season with 2,600 yards and 22 touchdowns through the air.

Michigan has young running backs and will rotate Christian Turner, Tru Wilson and highly touted freshman Zach Charbonnet. The talent is there, the experience is not.

The Wolverines offensive line will be a position of strength. The wide receivers are a very talented group. Donovan Peoples-Jones, Nico Collins, Ronnie Bell and Tarik Black all return.

The Michigan defense was hit hard by the offseason.  Rashan Gary and Chase Winovich and linebacker Devin Bush Jr. all left for the NFL. With that said, the cupboard is far from bare. Carlo Kemp, Michael Dwumfour and Aidan Hutchinson all return to the defensive line and bring plenty of potential and playing time. Talented freshman Donovan Jeter and Luiji Vilain will also rotate in. Giving Michigan a very athletic defensive line.

Returning linebacker Josh Ross will man middle linebacker. The linebacking corps as a whole are solid and have playmakers that is a real strength of the defense as a whole. The secondary is the only question mark for the Michigan football team.

Still the few questions Michigan has are much smaller than the nearly total rebuild Jim Harbaugh faced in 2017. Michigan has significantly fewer questions than the rest of the Big Ten schools making them preseason favorites.

This is the season Jim Harbaugh needs to deliver. Changes have been made to the coaching staff. Players at skilled positions have returned. This is the year Michigan should and needs to return to the top of the Big Ten. The question is will they take the next step?

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Is this the season Jim Harbaugh leads the Michigan Wolverines to the Big Ten title?

Embed from Getty Images Picking a preseason champion in July is either daring or dumb, I freely admit that. Most seasons in July team to beat was Ohio State. Under Jim Harbaugh Michigan was never the logical pick to win the Big Ten title. Until this season. I believe this is the season Michigan gets over-the-hump and beats Ohio State.

The college football landscape changes often. Making a prediction on what a college football team has  done over the past five to 10 years is not wise. What a team has right now is all that matters.

Heading into the 2019-20 college football season,  Michigan has fewer question marks in key areas than the rest of the Big Ten teams. The Wolverines have a senior quarterback, Shea Patterson, who helped them go 10-3 a year ago they also have a trio of the best wide receivers in the country. Two of the wide outs have NFL written all over them, Donovan Peoples-Jones and Nico Collins.

A painful fact from last season, Michigan was one of the slowest moving non option teams nationally and it showed in the Wolverines three losses. The defense was cripples by and offense that did all it could to play possession football.

Enter new offensive coordinator Josh Gattis who will be the lone offensive play caller. Jim Harbaugh will not step in. Now in Ann Arbor is a no huddle, spread based offense. Yet it will be set up by the run.

Michigan’s defense will not be as good as it was last season or the year before. Michigan does have eight players who have starting experience.  Serious question abound on the secondary and middle linebacker.

The schedule isn’t easy, but Michigan gets both conference rivalry games at home. Army and Notre Dame will be serious challenging non-conference teams but the results do not count in the Big Ten standings.

So here in July, Harbaugh’s football team has what it needs to win the Big Ten this year. They look like they are in a good position to win the elusive Big Ten title. But, a word of caution, looks can be deceiving.

 

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Bold predictions for the 2019 Michigan Wolverines football team

Embed from Getty Images The 2019-20 college football season kicks off in less than 100 days. With that in mind let’s take a look at some bold predictions for the Michigan Wolverines up coming season. Perhaps a prediction or two will hit. Perhaps just one, or none.

Based on production at the end of last season and what he carried over into spring camp. I firmly believe Nico Collins will lead all Michigan wide receivers in total yards. That will be no small feat given Wolverine leader Donavan Peoples-Jones will be back this season. The 6′ 4″ Collins is offensive coordinator Josh Gattis’ kind of player. Big, strong and fast. He is a game-changer. This is the type of player Gattis wants to get in space.

On the defensive side of the ball, I really like Khaleke Hudson. Michigan is looking to replace Davin Bush and Hudson has all the tools to do it. Hudson will enter the season with 22.5 tackles for a loss. He looks worthy to step into Bush’s spot at middle linebacker. Khaleke Hudson, is a big, fast player and a sure tackler.

I believe, Jim Harbaugh will enter the 2019 season with kickers splitting time. Quinn Nordin and his strong but somewhat inaccurate leg and Jake Moody will come out of camp dead even. Michigan could see this battle continue into the first part of the Big Ten season until someone claims the job. Still not the ideal way to start a season. It is perhaps the only real question Michigan has.

Michigan will make the College Football Playoffs. Ohio State, Michigan State and Penn State all have serious issues and questions. Michigan returns with many starters from last season and a chip of their shoulders. Should they not fold, this team is talented and deep. They will be a tough matchup week in and week out.

In short, Michigan has a golden opportunity to reclaim their spot atop the Big Ten. This looks to be the season they pass Ohio State who is struggling to get top defensive recruits.

 

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Michigan Wolverines freshman receiver Mike Sainristilike had a good spring practice

Embed from Getty Images Michigan Wolverines offensive coordinator Josh Gattis said that Mike Sainristil has shown promise. He has  impressed in his route running.  Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh said on his podcast that Sainristil, a 5-foot-10, 179-pounder from Massachusetts, was “on his way to cementing a spot in the starting lineup” and “doing a fantastic job at all the receiver positions.”

Jim Harbaugh did something unusual he announced that Sainristil was the starting “H” receiver as a freshman. The young wide receiver has a very good  level of quickness, change of direction and speed that has been really eye opening for the Michigan coaching staff. He fits the new Wolverines offense and what they are attempting to do.

One other standout point has been Mike Sainristil is a very good downfield blocker for his size. A 3-star prospect and the No. 596  overall recruit has shown better than his projection. He is a tough player who gets his pads low on blocks.

In Josh Gattis’s offense the “H” receiver is another term for slot receiver. He is very good in yards after catch (YAC.) At first glance Sainristil looks to play with a chip on his shoulder. He was the second lowest rated slot receiver coming out of high school.

It looks like it has provided Mike with plenty of drive. To show the other schools who passed on him, they made a mistake. To the sheer joy of Michigan who’s recruiters saw something others schools did not.

Yet, another glimpse into the new improved Wolverines.

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Michigan spring football, all eyes will be on Josh Gattis

Embed from Getty Images After yet another disappointing end to the season, change came to Ann Arbor. Jim Harbaugh said he did not think any changes would be made. He then changed his mind and brought in Alabama and former Penn State coordinator Josh Gattis to run his offense.

By now you know the drum Josh Gattis has been beating “speed in space.” Gone is Tim Drevno and Pep Hamilton. Harbaugh purged his offensive staff. He also insists Gattis will have full control of the offense. That allows Harbaugh to manage the game.

The Michigan Wolverines football team is set to open spring practice this coming Sunday. The new offense is the focal point. Part mystery, while also being the single most fascinating group puts the unit under fan and media microscope.

The biggest issue for Michigan the past two years has been offensive consistency. At times the Wolverines looked dynamic at times often in the same game, they fell apart. So new coaches were brought in. In part for a new voice, in part a new direction.

Michigan has the pieces and parts to be a solid offensive driven team. Ed Warinner has brought the Wolverines running game into the modern college football landscape.

Josh Gattis said that it is his job to get players to “be explosive, while working around a well coaches running game.” A breath of fresh air for the Michigan faithful to hear.

For the first time at Michigan under any head coach. The Wolverines will bring and lineup in multiple formations. Keeping defense honest and on their heels.

Josh Gattis has yet to speak at great length to the media. He has appeared on Harbaughs weekly pod-cast. Jim Harbaugh wants his new coordinator completely focused of improving an offense that is sure to improve under the coach that Nick Saban was upset to lose.

With spring football starting in days. All eyes will be on the new offense. While it goes without saying Michigan will not show off all of their new formations, they will give a look into what is to come. Sort of to wet the appetite.