The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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Top Five Question Marks efficient. There were just nine defenses that faced fewer than 350 pass 1. How does the interior offensive line progress? Last year's offensive line was underwhelming, to say the least. Without attempts last season (Michigan's opponents attempted just 330 passes). Denard Robinson's explosive skills, the Wolverines' running game would Furthermore, 60.0 percent of those passes were caught (198 of 330), have been woefully ineffective. Robinson gained 52.9 percent of Michigan's which ranks 63rd nationally. Even the 2008 defense (57.8 percent) posted rushing yards in 2012 (1,266 of 2,389 yards). But even if the offensive line a better percentage than that. struggled to open holes for the running backs, having to replace three of Michigan allowed 6.7 yards per passing attempt (37th nationally) and five starters — both guards and the center — is a tall task. intercepted just seven passes (100th nationally). Its pass efficiency defense Without center Elliott Mealer and guards Ricky Barnum and Patrick was a middling 127.8 (50th nationally). Omameh, the Wolverines are going to get much younger along the line: This season, the Wolverines will have many of the same pieces: fifth-year redshirt sophomore Jack Miller will most likely take over at center, and senior safety Thomas Gordon, junior cornerback Raymon Taylor and fifthredshirt freshmen Kyle Kalis and Ben Braden are projected to be the startyear senior cornerback Courtney Avery. Promising redshirt sophomore ing guards. cornerback Blake Countess is back in the Fortunately, the line will be grounded fold after suffering a torn ACL in the seawith some experience on the edges. Left son opener versus Alabama. tackle Taylor Lewan's decision to return On the flip side, Jordan Kovacs, a fourfor his fifth-year senior season gives the year starter at strong safety, must be reline a huge boost. Fifth-year senior right placed. tackle Michael Schofield also has a wealth 4. Will the Wolverines diversify the of experience, with 23 career starts (13 at passing game? right tackle and 10 at left guard). There's no question that Michigan's In the youngsters' lone public perforpassing offense received a huge boost mance, the 2013 spring game, there were when quarterback Devin Gardner, now some bright spots and some hiccups. But a redshirt junior, took over for the last one thing is clear: they have tremendous five games of the 2012 season. In those upside. If they can reach their potential five games, Gardner completed 75 of in 2013, the Michigan offense could be 126 passes for 1,219 yards with 11 touchvery dangerous. downs and five interceptions. 2. How will the defense replace Jake But Gardner relied heavily on two reRyan? ceivers for the bulk of his production: The U-M defense was dealt a huge blow fifth-year senior Jeremy Gallon and nowduring the spring, when redshirt junior graduated Roy Roundtree. The two comoutside linebacker Jake Ryan suffered a bined to catch 65.3 percent of Gardner's torn ACL. completions (49 catches) and were on Ryan was poised to be one of the Big the other end of 75.1 percent of GardTen's best defensive players in 2013, and ner's passing yards (916 yards). now Michigan is searching to make up for Just one other player caught more than the myriad things he did all over the field. four passes from Gardner. Senior Drew Perhaps the most pressing need in the Dileo tallied 10 catches for 115 yards absence of Ryan is a consistent pressure Redshirt junior linebacker Jake Ryan's injury created two big with Gardner at the helm. The Wolverines' in the offensive backfield. Last season, questions — who will replace him while he is out, and how tight ends combined for just five catches Ryan ranked 27th nationally with 16 tack- quickly can he return to the lineup to help the Wolverines? for 54 yards, and running backs tallied a photo by lon horwedel les for loss, and he added 4.5 sacks (both total of seven catches for 100 yards. team highs). In 2013, Roundtree won't be an option, plus opponents have seen how Even with Ryan's production, the defense did not put up big numbers dangerous the Gardner-to-Gallon combination can be and will likely target behind the line of scrimmage. The Wolverines amassed just 79 tackles for the diminutive pass catcher. loss, 43rd nationally and 45 behind national leader Stanford's 124. Their 22 Dileo and sophomore receivers Amara Darboh and Jehu Chesson will total sacks ranked 77th nationally. have to provide Gardner with more options. And sophomore tight end Subtracting Ryan's and the graduating seniors' totals from the equation, Devin Funchess' progression will be equally important. Michigan is returning just 42.5 tackles for loss and 10.5 sacks from last 5. Who will emerge at running back? season. In 2011, running back Fitzgerald Toussaint burst onto the scene, rushing Someone will need to step up. The most promising possibility is junior for 1,041 yards and nine touchdowns on 187 carries (5.6 yards per attempt), rush end Frank Clark, who was second on the team in tackles for loss (nine) including a career-high 192 yards in a 31-14 win over Illinois. Before that and fourth in sacks (two). season, he had carried the ball just eight times for 87 yards. From a linebacker standpoint, senior Cam Gordon, who was originally Last year, Toussaint was supposed to prove himself as Michigan's most beaten out by Ryan for the strongside outside linebacker spot before the reliable running back option. But that didn't happen. Toussaint broke his 2011 season, must come up big. He and the combination of junior Desankle against Iowa, but before his injury his production left much to be mond Morgan and sophomores Joe Bolden and James Ross will have to desired. cover the three linebacker spots in Ryan's absence. He missed the season-opening game against Alabama because of a sus3. Can the secondary be more efficient? pension and didn't reach 100 yards in a single game all year. For a large chunk of the 2012 season, the Wolverines were the No. 1 team Toussaint has been working hard this offseason to rehab his ankle, and he in the country in terms of passing yards allowed per game. No team in the is ahead of schedule. But will he be the Wolverines' No. 1 option? regular season managed to cross the 200-yard barrier against the Michigan Junior Thomas Rawls, redshirt sophomore Justice Hayes and sophomore secondary. Dennis Norfleet are trying to earn more snaps. And incoming freshman After surrendering 341 passing yards and four touchdowns to South CarDerrick Green, a five-star prospect that was ranked as the No. 1 running olina in a 33-28 loss in the Outback Bowl, the Wolverines finished the year back and the No. 8 overall player nationally by Rivals.com, is hoping to fifth nationally in passing yards per game (169.5 yards allowed per game). garner playing time as a rookie. But if you look closer, the Wolverine secondary actually wasn't all that 68 ■ The Wolverine 2013 Football Preview