wow...what a way too start the season.......
Michigan:
They just lost everybody and their dog on the offensive side of the ball: Jake Long, Chad Henne, Mike Hart, Mario Manningham, and Adrian Arrington. They also lost their four top tacklers on defense from last year. They have a new coach; a coach that is bringing some baggage with him as well. Sixth in the Big 10? It may be a bit high.
On Defense, they lose Shawn Crable, who was their biggest playmaker on defense last year, along with the aforementioned top 4 tacklers. The defense is not lacking any talent, and do return 7 starters including lock-down corner and AA candidate Morgan Trent, and opposite of him the physical Donovan Warren.
The DL will be solid, and is likely the best in the Big 10. LB on the other hand is the major concern. There is plenty of talent, but it is largely unproven and pretty young as well. If the Wolverines are to make a run at the Big 10 title, it will be the defense leading the way because....
On offense, what else can you say? This is a rebuilding year. Only three starters return and they will be implementing a new offense to boot. There is some talent, and one should fully expect Michigan to patch together a solid offensive line, but QB, RB, and WR are huge question marks.
Greg Matthews will likely step into the role as the No. 1 receiver. The question is whether he is ready for double teams and the brunt of the workload at wideout. RB will likely come down to a revolving door of talent in Carlos Brown, Brandon Minor, Kevin Grady, and true freshman recruit Sam McGuffie.
QB, however, is a whole 'nother story. Steven Threet looks like the likely under center option, but that can’t get Michigan fans very excited. The options facing the Wolverines at QB are a redshirt freshman (Threet), a lightly recruited DB transfer in Justin Feagin, a Sophomore walk-on in Nick Sheridan, a converted RB in Carlos Brown, or a redshirt Sophomore in David Cone (and no he isn’t a former major league pitcher).
In all the Wolverines do not have a QB on their roster that has ever attempted, much less completed a pass in collegiate football. Yes, you read that correctly. ZERO pass attempts, ZERO completions for their entire returning QB depth chart. Now you are going to throw a new offense at them? An offense that none of them were recruited to perform in?
Believe me, I’ve seen this before, and the results won’t be good. Michigan will struggle mightily on the offensive side of the ball, and expect the possibility that Zoltan Mesko may at many times be their best option, and he is the punter.
Michigan has enough talent to at least be competitive, but games with Utah, @ Notre Dame, Wisconsin, Illinois, @ Penn State, Michigan State, @ Purdue, and @ Ohio State loom on their schedule. That is eight games that Michigan could lose and nobody would be real surprised about.
The Wolverines 40 year streak of consecutive winning seasons, and 33-year streak of consecutive bowl game appearances is in serious jeopardy in 2008. Somehow, some way, I see them clawing and scratching their way to at least a 6-6 or 7-5 regular season record. After all, they are still Michigan.
