The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/1184078
16 THE WOLVERINE DECEMBER 2019 INSIDE MICHIGAN ATHLETICS Freshman Franz Wagner Will Lead The Offense By Chris Balas Yes, this seems like a stretch given that Moe Wagner's younger brother has never played a minute of college ball, but he's faced as much top-level competition as anyone on the team, having played in Germany's best league, and he is going to be a staple in the starting lineup after returning from injury given how well he's capable of playing on both ends of the floor. Unlike his brother at the same age, Franz is already an outstanding de- fender able to change games on that end with his IQ. That means he'll be out there in crunch time. He can also shoot it from all levels, put it on the floor and finish at the rim. He might be Michigan's most well- rounded player in that area, and it's those guys — the ones able to score at all three levels — that usually lead the way in the scoring column. Freshman Ignas Brazdeikis was that guy last year (14.8 points per game), and it will be another rookie this year, fol- lowed closely by junior forward Isaiah Livers. Junior Isaiah Livers Will Pace The Wolverines By Austin Fox Someone will have to step up in a big way to replace the scoring production that forward Ignas Brazdeikis and guards Charles Matthews and Jordan Poole took with them (last season's three leading scorers), and there is no better candi- date than junior forward Isaiah Livers. Livers was the club's best three-point shooter last year at 42.6 percent, and compiled 11 double-figure scoring games. He came out of the chute on fire this fall when he led the team with 20 points in Michigan's exhibition win over Saginaw Valley State Nov. 1, be- fore following it up with 14 more in the season-opening triumph over Ap- palachian State Nov. 5. At 6-7, 230 pounds, the junior has the versatility to create mismatch problems for opposing defenses, with his abilities to connect from deep at a high rate and finish efficiently around the rim. None of U-M's other players have shown the capabilities of doing both as effectively as Livers, though 6-9 freshman guard Franz Wag- ner could give him a run for his money. POINT ❙ COUNTERPOINT WHO WILL LEAD MICHIGAN BASKETBALL IN SCORING THIS YEAR? WAGNER LIVERS THREE WOLVERINES ACCEPT SENIOR BOWL INVITATIONS Michigan senior safety Josh Metellus and senior linebacker Josh Uche accepted invitations to the 2020 Reese's Senior Bowl Nov. 7, while senior left guard Ben Bredeson said yes to his inquiry Nov. 8. The Wolverines' lone representative in last January's edition was run- ning back Karan Higdon, while offensive lineman Mason Cole and line- backer Mike McCray took part in the 2018 contest. The 2020 version will be played Jan. 25, 2020, in Mobile, Ala., and will be aired live at 2:30 p.m. (ET) on NFL Network. Each of the trio have been key cogs to the Maize and Blue's 7-2 start, with Bredeson and Metellus having started all nine games and Uche eight of the nine (he came off the bench in the Middle Tennessee State win). Bredeson became just the 14th player in school history to be named a two-time captain when he received the honor heading into the 2019 season. He has started 42 of the team's last 43 tilts, dating back to his freshman campaign of 2016 (he missed the team's Jan. 1, 2018, Outback Bowl loss to South Carolina with injury). Metellus has earned the starting nod in 34 of Michigan's last 35 games (he sat out the 2018 triumph at Rutgers with an ailment), and checks in fourth on the defense this year with 47 tackles after nine games. The Pembroke Pines, Fla., native has also added 3.5 tackles for loss and two interceptions, giving him five picks for his career. Uche's Michigan career took a bit longer to take off, with the 6-2, 250-pounder only logging three tackles during his first two years on campus. He exploded onto the scene as a junior in 2018, leading the club with seven sacks. The Miami, Fla., native has already surpassed that total in 2019 with a team-best 7.5 quarterback takedowns, and he has also chipped in 9.5 tackles for loss (second on the roster to junior defensive end Kwity Paye's 10). As of Nov. 12, Uche was tied for 14th nationally in sacks per game (0.83). — Austin Fox ZACH CHARBONNET IS MAKING HIS MARK IN THE U-M RECORD BOOK In the game against Maryland, running back Zach Charbonnet set the record for most rushing touch- downs in a season by a U-M freshman. He came into the game tied with Mike Hart (2004) and Tyrone Wheatley (1991) with nine touchdowns rushing, and his two touchdowns in the game put him on top in the record books. In addition, Charbonnet's 11 touchdowns are tied with Karan Higdon (2017) for the most in a single sea- son under Harbaugh. At his pace through the first nine games, Charbonnet is projected to rush for 807 yards and 16 touchdowns, which would tie him with Denard Robinson (2011) for fifth place in U-M history for rushing touchdowns in a season, regardless of class. Through nine games, Charbonnet has churned out 559 yards on the ground and will likely continue his climb in the U-M freshman rushing yardage ranks. Here's a look at the top U-M freshman rushers (by touchdowns) through the years: Rushing Rushing Player Year TDS Yards Zach Charbonnet* 2019 11 559 Mike Hart 2004 9 1,455 Tyrone Wheatley 1991 9 548 Denard Robinson 2009 5 351 Anthony Thomas 1997 5 529 Rick Leach 1975 5 552 * Through nine games — Clayton Sayfie