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Showing posts from March, 2019

Basketball Recruiting Projections

A position by position analysis for the upcoming recruiting cycle. Point-Guard On roster for 2019-2020 season: Zavier Simpson (Sr) David DeJulius (So) The Scoop: The point looks to be set for the foreseeable future. Simpson is entrenched as the starter and barring anything crazy he will be back occupying that space next season. Brooks and DeJulius are slowly progressing in their respective developments and will look to compete for the starting position in another year while expanding their roles in the upcoming year. The team isn't signing any prospects here in the current cycle but could look to add a couple in the 2020 class. Shooting-Guard On roster for 2019-2020 season: Eli Brooks (Jr) Adrien Nunez (So) Cole Bajema (Fr) The Outlook: If Poole decides he is ready to test the NBA waters after this season it could be a complete disaster here next year. Sure, there will be enough bodies to fill in from other positions, but it will definitely water down

Drafting a Squad, Spring 2019

Going into spring I have put together two separate squads of players from Michigan's roster using a draft-style format. The two teams are 'Team Maize' and 'Team Blue' of course, and by virtue of a coin flip, Blue goes first. The picks rotated in each round, so the teams got to make consecutive picks except for the first and last overall. There were 33 rounds - I kinda ran out of real talent at that point so it felt like I would just be throwing darts at the rest of the roster in order to make picks. It is interesting how the two different squads shaped up. I will talk more about that below. First, let's take a look at how this fake draft turned out. For all intents and purposes, I should tell you that I did all the selecting myself. I don't think it matters, but I like to be transparent. I felt like I was always trying to make the best possible pick for each team in any given round. I would love to here some arguments about how my selections fell into pl

Back in the Mix: Wolverines are in the Sweet 16!

Well, things are going well for the Michigan Wolverines in the NCAA tournament at the moment. Buckets are falling and they are holding the line on the defensive end of the floor. A simple formula that usually results in wins. They are not dominating the tournament stat sheet in any particular area, but they've dominated Montana and Florida on the scoreboard. There really isn't any more you need to know. But if you do, there are three other distinctive categories that do stick out to me. They help illustrate exactly how this team is playing right now. As mentioned before, buckets are indeed falling for the Wolverines. The team is averaging 45% from the field. They are not living and dying by the 3-pointer like many Beilein teams have in the past. Instead, they are finding all types of ways to score, including but not limited to alley-oop dunks, sky-hooks, layups, tip-ins, and mid-range jumpers, all at multiple times throughout any given game. They are also hitting their free t

Best Fits for Michigan's NFL Prospects

Devin Bush Jr. 5'11"/234lbs - Displayed elite level speed, athleticism, and instincts in two years as the starting middle linebacker at Michigan. He can do just about anything and should be a starter very early in his NFL career. I see him more as a weakside 'backer in a traditional 4-3 or either inside spot in a 3-4.  I would not be surprised to see him become an All-Pro some day. His combine results probably cemented him as a Top 20-type player. The Broncos, Bengals, Dolphins, and Steelers are all possibilities in the middle of the first round. South Florida, his home state, seems like a good fit. Overall, I believe he will be one of the best pros of the bunch. My Pick: Miami Dolphins First Round, Pick 13 - His speed and athleticism will make the defense a lot more versatile. Once he learns the scheme he will develop into a leader. Rashan Gary 6'5"/277lbs - It is no secret that Gary's career didn't quite measure up to the hype he got as a recruit