Crazy 4 Maize and Blue

As most fans are aware, the 2019 Michigan Wolverines football team will be an experienced one despite the early NFL defections,  It might also be one of the most talented teams the program has had in the last 30 years. There are several highly-touted players returning on both sides of the ball and dozens of younger players who were highly-rated prospects looking to get some playing time of their own. I can't remember this much talent at some key positions in my lifetime. And though we know who will most-likely be starting at quarterback, offensive line, and wide receiver, the competition at most of the other positions should be fierce. Let's get to it... Roster Breakdown: 13 fulltime starters returning (8 offense/5 defense) 12 others returning with starting experience (4 offense/8 defense) All top four kicking specialists are also returning (2 kickers/2 punters) with loads of experience and postseason accolades to boot. Possibly one of the best two-deep grou...

First off, before I get ahead of myself, I want to say that I do not blame Jordan Poole, Ignas Brazdeikis, and Charles Mathews for wanting to earn a paycheck playing the game they love to play. They deserve the opportunity. I do, however, blame the NCAA for allowing this to happen. And by that I do not mean there should be rules against it. No, what I mean is that there really is very little incentive for these guys to stick around for another year at the college ranks except for the possibility that they may be able to raise their draft stock. I must admit, that does not sound very appealing when they know that at the very least they could be making a paycheck in Italy or Croatia without the added pressures and responsibilities that come with being a student-athlete, as well as the hunger pangs. Nobody ever misses those. That mission will soon be accomplished one way or another for the Michigan trio. My guess is that two out of the three get drafted and the third will get picked up ...

Defense: Josh Ross - Hey, the proof is in the pudding here. Ross was a solid defender whenever he played as a sophomore last season and finished the year fourth in tackles (61) while mostly playing behind Devin Gil and Devin Bush Jr. He also had 5 tackles that went for a loss, a sack, three QB hurries, and two pass broken up. Expect most of those numbers to increase in 2019 because when he was given the opportunity to start in the middle against Florida he responded with 11 tackles, including 1.5 for a loss. He was pretty much the team's best defender in the game but it went virtually unnoticed because of the overall outcome of that shitfest. I am willing to say that he will easily surprise many fans while exceeding most people's expectations this fall. He won't be Devin Bush Part II. He is not that kind of athlete. He might not run a 4.5 forty but he is fast enough. He has flashed ability in coverage. Again, I don't think he is slow by any means, but what he lacks th...

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 ...

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...

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...

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...