The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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2012 SEASON PREVIEW T BY ANDY REID he 2011 season could not have been more ex- citing. From the night game festivities against Notre Dame to an 11-2 finish capped by a Sugar Bowl victory, the Wolverines stormed back into the national spotlight. Michigan head coach Brady Hoke's sec- ond year at the helm will have just as many twists, turns and, hopefully, wins. The Wolverines open the sea- son with Alabama, play at Notre Dame at night and, of course, rekindle annual rivalries with Michigan State and Ohio State. These are the players, games and question marks that will have the biggest impact on the 2012 season. 1. Senior quarterback Denard Robinson: He is a special player, unlike any other in Michigan football history. Robinson has his faults — he was the only quarterback in the nation to throw 12 or more interceptions (15) with fewer than 260 passing attempts (258) last year — but Wol- verine Nation loves him just the same. Mixing his dynamic athletic ability with another year under offensive coordinator Al Borges, Robinson hopes to put his most complete season together in 2012. If he stays healthy, Robinson will smash the all-time Michigan record for total offense. After posting 4,272 yards in 2010 and 3,349 in 2011, he needs just 1,141 to surpass current record- holder Chad Henne (9,300 from 2004-07). And if he does that while leading the Wolverines to another terrific season, Robinson could very well end up in New York City as a Heisman Trophy finalist at the end of the year. A Quick Look At The Players, Games And Teams To Watch This Fall TOP FIVE PLAYERS 2. Redshirt junior running back Fitzgerald Toussaint: Through the first half of the 2011 season, the Wolverines did not know who their go-to running back was. In the first six games he played in (he missed the Notre Dame game with an injury), Toussaint mustered just 46.5 yards per game on an average of 8.6 carries per contest. Then something clicked. In the Maize and Blue's last five regular-season games, he ran for 678 yards, including 192 against Illinois, on 6.1 yards per carry. He figures to be a big part of the Michigan of- fensive attack for the next two seasons, and will be a game-breaker in 2012. 3. Redshirt junior left tackle Taylor Lewan: He certainly looks the part — he has the size, speed, strength and tenacity of a classic left tackle. And when his career is all wrapped up, Lewan will likely be a four-year starter and no doubt atop many All-American teams and NFL Draft boards. But this is a big year for the big man. Now in his fourth year on campus, Lewan has worked hard to drop the goofy vibe (among other things, he tattooed a mustache on the in- side of his index finger so he could hold it above his upper lip). He has focused on becoming a better leader and teammate, taking on a more serious attitude. 4. Fifth-year senior strong safety Jordan Kovacs: At a place like Michigan, with its rich history of excellence and dominance, a player like Kovacs does not come around that often. He's not an athletic specimen. If you saw him on campus, you would be hard-pressed to distin- guish him from the general student population. During his time with the team, there have been more talented safeties on the roster, play- ers with the physical tools that Kovacs simply doesn't possess. But he has never relinquished his starting job, and he has transformed into one of the Wolverines' most reliable defensive players. With a healthy senior season, quarterback Denard Robinson should easily surpass Chad Henne as Michigan's all-time career leader for total offense. PHOTO BY ERIC BRONSON/BRONSONPHOTO.COM 76 s THE WOLVERINE 2012 FOOTBALL PREVIEW 5. Redshirt sophomore outside linebacker Jake Ryan: As a first-year starter in 2011, Ryan tallied just 37 tackles, but got the attention of the coaching staff with his aggressive mindset and relentless motor. He was raw but obviously talented. Now, with three years of eligibility ahead of him — and more time under his belt with Michigan defensive coordinator Greg Mat- tison — Ryan looks more polished, disciplined and dangerous.