The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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CATCHING HEAT W Wide Receivers Could Determine The 2012 Offense's Ceiling BY CHRIS BALAS hen head coach Brady Hoke took over the Michigan program last year, he was short on offensive linemen and stocked with wide receivers. Entering the 2012 season, however, the Wolverines return only two wideouts with more than 10 career catches, leaving position coach Jeff Hecklinski plenty of work in developing the depth expected of a Michigan receiving corps. Hecklinski has been around Hoke long enough to know the drill — work with what you've got with no excuses. So he focuses on the positive, noting he has two veterans with 2,226 yards receiving between them and a number of other players returning who can help his corps in 2012. "At every position you're either over a couple scholarships or under a couple, so you're never going to have that true balance," he said. "We just need the ones that are here to play the way they are supposed to play." catching the ball away from his body." "Jeremy can see it and he can track it. He's got unbelievable hand-eye coordination. He's very natural WIDE RECEIVERS COACH JEFF HECKLINSKI ON JEREMY GALLON The bar is always moving, though, and always will be on his watch, Hecklinski added. His group made progress in the spring, but they'll need to continue their gains over the summer into fall two-a-days. "Each kid improved and is gaining more knowledge of the posi- tion and offense, and that's what the spring is for … not to say, 'Hey, we're ready to play a game,'" he said. "No way are we ready. That's why you have summer for strength, workouts and speed, and then why you have fall camp — to get your body and mind prepared to go through a full season." The difference between year one and year two, though, was striking. Instead of learning what his inherited group could or couldn't do, Hecklinski spent more time on the individual skills suited to each player's needs rather than trying to teach the same things to kids with different skill sets. The one-on-one time improved the lot, but it also led to a residual: Hecklinski raised that bar yet another notch. Redshirt junior Jeremy Gallon was Michigan's second-leading receiv- er in 2011, with 453 yards and three touchdowns on 31 catches (14.6 yards per reception). PHOTO BY PER KJELDSEN 112 s THE WOLVERINE 2012 FOOTBALL PREVIEW As is often the case, the expectations are highest for the seniors. Hecklinski doesn't hesitate in weighing down fifth-year senior Roy Roundtree with them — nor did Hoke, who assigned the inaugural Michigan Legend jersey No. 21 to the veteran following Roundtree's impressive spring. Roundtree doesn't have to be former Heisman Trophy-winner Des- mond Howard, for whom the legend jersey is designated, nor should anyone expect him to be. He will, however, be asked to provide the big plays Junior Hemingway (34 catches for 699 yards in 2011) made last year in wins over Notre Dame and Virginia Tech, with the latter effort of two touchdown grabs earning him Sugar Bowl MVP honors. Two For 2012 WR