Week 11 Predictions and Notes

Entering Week 11 of the college football season, Michigan fans have been wondering one thing all week long. Who will start for the Wolverines on Saturday against Northwestern. I suppose the answer is your guess is as good as mine. I'm not sure if Denard will be fully healthy for the game. The ulnar nerve in his throwing elbow is probably not fully healed. I think it's safe to say Denard will start, but I don't know if it's just as safe to say he'll play the whole game. Devin Gardner did very well last week in his first career start against Minnesota, but I think the bottom line is that right now, this is Robinson's team. Regardless of the quarterback, Michigan (6-3, 4-1) could take a giant step forward in the tight Legends Division race by getting past Northwestern (7-2, 3-2).

Preview And Prediction: Michigan State

Beat State.

That's the simple slogan making it's way around social media as we near closer to the storied rivalry against Michigan State. And there isn't too much story behind it. The Spartans are at a four game winning streak against the Wolverines, and an upset Saturday in the Big House would give them a school record five straight.

That can't happen, can it?

Well, I guess it just depends on who decided to follow these simple keys to the game.

Michigan

The Wolverines are off to a great start in the Big Ten and, as coach Hoke put it, all of the team's goals are still in tact. Denard Robinson is doing what he wants at will. The defense has been shut down. It's all clicking at the right time.

2012 Positional Breakdown: Linebacker

As far as defense is concerned, the Linebacker position was arguably the least hit at the end of the 2011 season. The only two players lost to graduation were backups Brandon Herron and J.B. Fitzgerald. All starters return, and there is a lot of depth to back them up the already great talent going out there.

What really makes these players special is the scheme they play within. Defensive coordinator Greg Mattison loves mixing up the look he gives an opposing offense and does a tremendous job of disguising the pressure from Linebackers. It's one of the biggest reasons the Wolverines were able to make that huge jump in defense from 2010 to 2011. They did an incredible job of keeping the offense on its toes and mixing things up.

Recapping 2012 Commit Joe Bolden

One of the bigger needs as far as the defensive side of the ball heading into recruiting 2012 was the Linebacker Position.  Well, one of the more hyped commits at the position in 2012 was Under Armour All-American Joe Bolden out of Cincinnati, Ohio.  Hoke has done a magnificent job getting top talent from the state of Ohio and Joe definitely fits the billing.  He measures at around 6'3" and 230 pounds.  Joe is one of the top linebackers in the country and was definitely a huge grab for Michigan.  Mattison and Hoke have found some younger contributors at the linebacker position, but having a player like Bolden waiting in the wings to take over should be a major advantage in the future.

If you didn't watch the Under Armour game, you missed one of the better performances in the game by Joe.  He was flying all over the field and making tackles.  He showed that he has great sideline to sideline speed and is a phenomenal tackler.  Joe is a good pass rusher, can play out in coverage, and can stop the run.  His 230 pounds is good size, but look for him to put on a bit of weight because he does struggle a bit in shedding blocks.  Playing in the Big 10 conference he is going to go up against big monster offensive linemen so whether it's using his speed to beat blockers or actually shedding them off once they make contact, it's something that he will need to improve on.  Joe has had the privilege of enrolling early and it has helped him big time.  Coach Hoke has praised Joe on a couple of occasions already and in terms of the freshmen, he is already standing out.  I think that he will continue to improve now that fall camp is upon us and they are practicing in full pads.  He's got some outstanding talent and should be very key as time moves on.

Pre-season All-Big Ten Teams Breakdown

Photo Credit: PhilSteele

Phil Steele has released his 2012 preseason All-Big Ten teams, and a lot of familiar names have made their way onto the list.

OFFENSE

QB- Denard Robinson (1st Team):

Topping the 1st team list at quarterback is no surprise: Denard Robinson. Denard "Shoelace" Robinson is one of the most exciting exciting players to watch in all of college football, and, while nothing is set in stone this early, Denard seems to be the favorite to get the first team selection among just about everybody.

The largest obstacle standing in front of Robinson is decision making. The Michigan staff says 1/3 of his 15 interceptions from a year ago were due to poor decisions, and Denard has acknowledged that flaw to his game. If we see a Denard Robinson that can keep attacking on the ground, as well as cut the turnovers in half, there is no way around crowning him with 1st team honors.

WR- Roy Roundtree (1st Team):

The second Wolverine to find himself on the 1st team ballot is WR Roy Roundtree. Everyone remembers Roundtree from a year ago for the famous TD grab with 2 seconds on the clock against Notre Dame, but he only had 19 receptions all year, after 72 receptions in 2010. However, the absence of Junior Hemingway will open up a huge opportunity for Roundtree to step up as a target of Denard Robinson.

OT- Taylor Lewan (1st Team):

The third and final 1st team selection for the Wolverines is OT Taylor Lewan, a 6-foot-8-inch, 294 lb junior. Lewan was one of the most physical presences up front in the Big Ten, but was somewhat downplayed because of the play of David Molk, last year's Rimington Award recipient.

Lewan played a very key part in the success of both running the football and protecting Denard Robinson in the backfield. Very few teams had any kind of success penetrating the Michigan O-line, which in turn led to the success of Fitz Toussaint in the running game and allowed Robinson to toss 20 TDs.

RB- Fitzgerald Toussaint (2nd Team):

Fitz Toussaint is a name worthy of a 1st team bid, but with other RBs like Montee Ball and Rex Burkhead, he finds himself as the only Wolverine selected onto the 2nd team. Last year, Toussaint established himself as the primary back in the beginning of Big Ten play, and that is exactly what Al Borgess wanted from his Wolverines backfield, someone to step up and carry the ball 20-25 times a game for the long haul. The staff is still working to develop Toussaint into a back that can take the pressure off of Denard's legs, which would ultimately make them both more affective.

OG- Patrick Omameh (3rd Team):

Patrick Omameh is another big body up front for the Michigan offense, and, much like Taylor Lewan, was somewhat looked over because of the play of David Molk. Still, Omameh made huge contributions to the Wolverines O-line. I could have seen his name anywhere from 2nd team to 4th team and really wouldn't have been too surprised, so 3rd team is certainly a good fit for big man.

WR- Jeremy Gallon (4th Team):

Jeremy Gallon is the only Wolverine to find himself on the 4th team, but, of all players selected preseason, I believe Gallon is the most likely to move up by the end of the season, possibly as far as the 2nd team. He made a huge jump from 2010 to 2011, going from just 4 to 31 receptions and was a consistent target for Denard Robinson all season. Gallon's biggest weapon is speed, so his numbers will highly depend on his ability to get out in the open field, however Al Borgess goes about doing that.

DEFENSE

LB- Kenny Demens (2nd Team):

No Wolverine made it as a 1st team selection on defense, but the first of three to be named to the 2nd team is Kenny Demens. Demens finds himself on the 2nd team strictly because of his ability to find the ball carrier and bring him down. He isn't a defender who is going to nose out the ball through the air or rack up 10 sacks per season. In a defense led by coordinator Greg Mattison, the number one emphasis was ganging up on the ball, and that's exactly what Kenny Demens was able to do. All in all, Demens accounted for 49 solo tackles and 45 solo tackles.

CB- J.T. Floyd (2nd Team):

J.T. Floyd is a very nice selection for 2nd team CB. Floyd is a much improved cover corner who has had his share of tests. The biggest stepping stone to his game came against Notre Dame, when the defensive scheme matched him up 1-on-1 with Michael Floyd (now with the Arizona Cardinals) for most of the game, and he held his own for the most part. This is J.T. Floyd's secondary, and I expect to see a very solid season from the senior.

S- Jordan Kovacs (2nd Team):

The final Wolverine to be selected to the 2nd team is Safety Jordan Kovacs. Kovacs had to walk on to the football team and now finds himself starting at Safety and doing a fine job at it, as well. Kovacs is passion-driven player who makes the right plays at the right times. I actually thought Kovacs would be a 4th team selection, but this just goes to show the amount of respect he has built up with other people.

DE- Craig Roh (3rd Team):

Senior Craig Roh is the only Wolverine selected onto the 3rd team, but I think Roh could have been a 2nd team selection. Craig Roh's staple was the ability to get into the backfield. He accounted for a sack in all but four games that he played in. A lot of his success from last year was due to the attention required by Mike Martin and Ryan Van Burgen, so it will be interesting to see if he can keep his success going with those two up front with him.

S- Thomas Gordon (4th Team):

Thomas Gordon is probably my biggest surprise being selected for the Wolverines, but he has deserved this honor. Gordon's biggest up-side is closing speed. As the last line of defense of safety, Gordon accounted for a good number of tackles.

SPECIAL TEAMS

PR- Jeremy Gallon (3rd Team)

Jeremy Gallon is the only Wolverine listed under the special teams, but I think this is well deserved. Gallon is always a threat on the returning side, especially punt return, and, for the most part, he did a nice job of getting the Wolverines offense into good position. 

The Role Of Concussions In College Football

Photo Credit: US Magazine

I'm going to take this opportunity to touch on a subject that I think will only loom larger in upcoming years. The controversy surrounding concussions in football. Sure, this isn't a Michigan specific area, as concussions can happen in any sport, any person, high school level, college or pro, but I still want to address it.


I'm sure you're all aware of the latest tragedy involving Junior Seau. The former Patriots and Chargers All-Pro is suspected to have committed suicide last week when it was determined he died due to a self inflicted gunshot wound to the chest. Seau's family later gave permission to science to see if he suffered from repeated concussions, or possibly Chronic traumatic encephalopathy, which is sustained brain damage and can only be diagnosed after death.  Seau's death marks the 12th NFL player known to have committed suicide in the past 25 years. Dave Duerson of the Bears and Andre Waters of the Chiefs are other notable players. Alex Karra,s who suffers from dementia and is a former Detroit Lion, is just one of the more prominent names leading a lawsuit against the NFL. 


I know stories that involve concussions seem to grab the media's attention more often than not. Roger Goodell and the NFL will probably be investing new rules, possibly new equipment. What I wonder, is what Jim Delany, other conference presidents, and Mark Emmert (president of the NCAA) will do now. For example, Kenny Demens was recovering from a concussion and still played in the spring game. A couple years ago, Tate Forcier sustained a concussion in the game against Iowa. 


The law requires that a player who shows signs of a concussion be removed from a game or practice, and bars the player from competing again until being cleared by a licensed health care professional trained in concussion evaluation and management.  As of now, 31 states have such laws to try to curb further damage to younger players. Last year, Emmert and Goodell sent letters to other states, such as Florida, Ohio, and Wisconsin to urge the passing of such laws.


Now I will say this. The volume of concussions sustained is more prevalent on the high school level than perhaps any other. That only makes sense when you think of the number of high school players who don't go on to college playing sports. That number lessens even more when you consider the tiny fraction of those players that do go on to play in college, and that college is Michigan. I don't know what all is done when a scholarship is offered to a player. Do they look at that players medical histories and records? It's impossible to look at game tape of one player, from pee wees to high school to determine whether or not they might have sustained some form of concussion or brain damage.


The parental argument can also come into play. Say you're a parent of a high school running back, and your son complains of dizziness after a game. That parent might not be aware of how most concussions occur, so they might not think anything of it and let their son go on doing normal activities. Or, you can go to the other end of the spectrum and you are one of those parents who stay on top of every possibly detail, so that when your son does indeed get his head clocked around, and he complains of certain symptoms; how do you let him continue on when you're in constant fear something worse could happen to him?


When we watch football, we cheer when we see the bone crunching hits. As rabid, bloodthirsty fans who yearn for the punishing days that were played years ago, we look forward to the gladiator style wreckage that can be seen in a football stadium. That is one thing that will never change. I admit that I cheer for our defense to deliver such hits. I don't want to see anyone get hurt on purpose, or accident, but we still want big hits. I want a good, clean match-up between Michigan and the losing team (haha). Yet, as a parent and a fan, I remain constantly fearful for the health of the players on the field. If I had to choose between a concussion, brain damage, dementia, or or another medical hardship and a win over a rival team, I would choose the latter every time.  For most of these players, they will still be trying to become productive citizens after college and these injuries could destroy their entire lives.


The pundits who are basically forecasting the death of football in a few decades? They can say what they want, and use statistics to back up their opinions. I believe the laws and equipment will be in place to prevent that. Football is a multi-billion dollar sport that won't lose steam for a long time. With such a potent fan base that we have here at Michigan, our thoughts and prayers should be the Seau family and we need to make sure that we're advocating the safety measures that will make sure the players are safe and we can enjoy football for a long time.