The Wolverine

2018 Michigan Football Preview

The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports

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3. Develop depth at running back Michigan hasn't had a great, well-rounded back (running, receiving, blocking) since Mike Hart. That was over a decade ago, and while there have been some good years and solid performances, this has not been the position of strength it should be at U-M. Senior Karan Higdon has become a very good rusher, but they need better from him in pass protec- tion. Junior Chris Evans has been inconsistent, both as a runner and a pass blocker, after showing great prom- ise early in his freshman year. Nobody has emerged behind these two to provide depth. It's important for this year and the future that a few players step up and prove they're worthy of being Michigan backs. 4. Become more explosive in the passing game The Wolverines managed only nine touchdown passes a year ago — its lowest total since 1975, when the wishbone offense was prevalent. Part of that was on the line, a good portion of it on the quarterbacks, but there were plenty of times in which the guys under center had nowhere to go with the ball because receiv- ers weren't getting separation. That was a point of emphasis in the spring, and there's a lot of talent at that position. Redshirt fresh- man Tarik Black and sophomore Donovan Peoples- Jones, in particular, have a chance to become U-M's next great receiver tandem, and junior quarterback Shea Patterson — should he win the job, as expected — has the ability to get them the ball. 5. Force more turnovers This was No. 5 last year, too, and defensive coordi- nator Don Brown admitted before last year's Outback Bowl that he was somewhat disappointed with U- M's success rate here. Man-to-man defense makes it tougher to secure interceptions — Michigan finished tied for 67th nationally with 10 — but the Wolverines tied for 72nd in fumbles recovered, too (seven). The 17 forced turnovers tied for 81st in the land, and can be improved. THE WOLVERINE 2018 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ■ 53 Defense DE Chase Winovich The flamboyant fifth-year senior bypassed a shot at the NFL to come back for one more shot at a championship, and he's a relentless worker. He's a good choice in that he's both a vocal leader and a lead-by-example guy. The dark horse — Senior safety Tyree Kinnel. It wouldn't surprise at all to see Kinnel pull the upset here. He's very well respected, represents the program extremely well and is also a tireless worker. Offense RB Karan Higdon Higdon has been one of the team's hardest workers since he arrived on campus, and though he's still got work to do on his pass blocking, he's willing to do what's necessary to improve. He's the obvious choice in the absence of many candidates. The dark horse — Senior slot receiver Grant Perry. Perry has had some off-field issues, but they've been resolved and he's always been well liked. This would be similar to tight end Bennie Joppru getting the nod in 2002. Michigan's 2018 Captains: Best Bets Michigan doesn't have many upperclassmen on either offense or defense again this year, so there aren't as many candidates for the captaincy. Here are The Wolverine's picks for U-M's leaders this season, a favorite and dark horse on each side of the ball:

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