The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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MICHIGAN FOOTBALL catches for 982 yards and 11 touch- downs in his career. Gardner became an honorable mention All-Big Ten performer last season, completing 208 of 345 passes for 2,960 yards with 21 touchdowns. He also rushed 165 times for 483 yards and 11 scores. His 503 passing yards and 584 yards of total offense against Indiana set new single-game U-M records. Clark earned second-team All-Big Ten recognition last season, starting all 13 of Michigan's games as a ju- nior. He managed 43 tackles and 12 tackles for loss, with the latter rank- ing 11th in the Big Ten. He was also 16th in the conference with 4.5 sacks, along with supplying a pair of fum- ble recoveries. Ryan fought his way back to play last season following a knee injury in spring back, involving a torn anterior cruciate ligament. The team captain wound up posting 30 tackles, includ- ing 4.5 for loss, over Michigan's last eight games. A year earlier, he earned second- team All-Big Ten honors, with 88 tackles including 16 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks. He also tied Michi- gan's single-season record by forc- ing four fumbles in 2012. Ryan has posted 155 career tackles, 31.5 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, five forced fum- bles, three fumble recoveries and four passes broken up. Countess started all 13 games a year ago after missing the 2012 sea- son with an ACL tear. He was a first- team All-Big Ten performer in 2013 after leading the conference with six interceptions. He added 46 tackles, including two for loss. Semifinalists for the Maxwell and Bednarik awards will be announced Nov. 3, with three finalists for each named Nov. 24. The winners will be revealed on the Home Deport Col- lege Football Awards Show on ESPN next Dec. 11. The Thorpe Award win- ner will also be announced by ESPN. The Lombardi Award will name 12 semifinalists on Nov. 6, cut that group to four finalists on Nov. 20 and present the award during a ceremony in Houston on Dec. 10. The Nagurski Award will unveil five finalists Nov. 20 with the win- ner announced in a private ceremony Dec. 8. The Butkus Award will an- nounce semifinalists on Oct. 27, final- ists on Nov. 24 and the winner on or before Dec. 9. ❑ Senior end Frank Clark was named to the preseason watch lists for the Chuck Bednarik Award and Bronko Nagurski Trophy, both of which go to the nation's top defender. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL