Week 12: Top Performers And Under Performers

There were plenty of great stories to be marveled on Saturday against Iowa, and here to shine the light on the top of that list. As always, a dimmer light will be put on those who didn't really live up to expectations.

Start with the positives, always.

Top Performers

1. Devin Gardner - QB

Devin Gardner has been putting together some magical shows for Wolverine fans over the past couple of weeks, and it has everyone very excited for the future. But it's not because of the potential that is there. He's displaying it already. We can see it.

Last week against Iowa, Gardner put up 314 yards through the air and only had 5 incompletions. It keeps getting more and more impressive from the relatively inexperienced Junior QB.

As he's shown the past couple of weeks, he has great football instincts, and everything is so fluent. He doesn't get rushed and has the unteachable skill of being able to extend plays. It was all on display against the Hawkeyes.

2. Jeremy Gallon - WR

As it's been all year, there really isn't one, consistent WR stepping up, but one guy is always able to put up a good performance, and that's the key. This week, it was Jeremy Gallon. We've seen it from him before this season, but he was especially electric on Saturday against Iowa.

Gallon had 133 yards on 5 catches last week, easily being the most reliable target. And we talk about that every week; how it's so important that someone steps up in that talented crew of WRs. It will be interesting to see who comes through for Gardner next week.

Under Performers

1. Thomas Rawls - RB

Thomas Rawls has been letting down lately, and it's reason to be concerned because of the season-ending injury to Fitz Toussaint. This team needs a running game that is not Denard Robinson; at least a threat. Rawls has shown that he can be that guy, but not so much lately.

22 yards on 8 carries just won't cut it against most teams. Fortunately for him, the Iowa defense couldn't figure out how to contain the arm of Gardner and legs of Robinson at the same. But what if Ohio State can crack the code. Rawls would be needed more than ever in that case.

2. Devin Funchess - TE

Let me clear this up. I'm not saying I was disappointed with the play of Devin Funchess on Saturday. But I think he is capable of being a bigger threat in the pass game, especially now that Gardner is slinging the ball around. We're just waiting to see it again.

It's no secret that Funchess makes his money in the redzone with that big body and tremendous hands, so I'll be looking for him on Saturday in that situation to be a huge factor.

Recapping Iowa

The Seniors made their final dash under the Michigan banner on Saturday and ended their careers with a bang. And by bang, I mean a win against Iowa on a beautiful Saturday afternoon in Ann Arbor.

The buzz all week was surrounding the thought of Denard Robinson possibly not being able to play on Senior Day, but those scary thoughts were put to rest early in the game. Robinson made his first career start on Saturday and displayed the play-making ability we've had the joy of witnessing over the past three years.

Iowa never really seemed to have an answer for the combination of Devin Gardner and Denard Robinson being in at the same time. We saw something similar last season, but Gardner wasn't near the threat he is now, so it seldom worked. But this time around, teams have to give him respect. A lot of the time, it looked like the Hawkeyes could only pick their poison.

Week 7: Top Performers And Under Performers

Our Wolverines were back at it once again on Saturday, and for the second straight week, I've had to spend a good amount of time thinking of possible under performers against Illinois. Of course, there were plenty of candidates for the top performers.

So before I hold you up any longer, I bring you Saturday's top performers.

1) Thomas Rawls - RB

Let the Thomas Rawls hype begin, if you weren't already on the train. Rawls has shown little sparks of greatness throughout the season, and he used 9 carries against Illinois to finally put it all together. Totalling 90 yards, Rawls was the second leading rusher on Saturday (next to Robinson) and made his case to get a shot to start against Michigan State.

Watching Thomas Rawls on Saturday was something truly special. He is a back who has the speed to break away in the open field but can also use his power to pick up the rough yards. That is exactly what this Michigan offense needs, and they might have found it.

Week 1: Biggest Performers And Underperformers

While Michigan did not walk away with a Week One win, there were still some notable performances from both sides of the ball. Some were good; others bad.  It will be interesting to watch how these players rebound against Air Force and going forward.




Top Performers


1. Jeremy Gallon - WR

Jeremy Gallon was very impressive throughout the course of the game on Saturday, leading both teams in receiving yards with 107. Gallon looked very comfortable within the offense, which is a great sign this early in the season, and Robinson definitely needs a go-to receiver.

I was most impressed with Gallon's consistency, and he looked to be running very clean routes. Hopefully, this is an early sign that Gallon will become a big part of the Wolverines offense and can make an impact on the outside with his hands and speed.

2012 Positional Breakdown: Special Teams

Entering the 2011 season, there were some major questions revolving around Michigan's team and specifically, the special teams.  Following last year, many of those questions have been answered and some have even started viewing the special teams as an advantage for the team.  With Michigan's top three kickers/punters returning and both of its specialist returners coming back, there is a lot to be excited about in terms of special teams.  Granted, they don't win the game alone (in most cases), but Michigan fans know as well as anybody from their experiences in 2009 and 2010, that they can be extremely important for a team.

Brendan Gibbons (RS Junior)
The story of the Sugar Bowl and the redemption of Team 132 could almost be an autobiography for Brendan Gibbons.  During Michigan's 2010 campaign, Gibbons appeared in 5 games and started 4 of them.  Not bad for a redshirt freshman.  The problem is that he made just 1 of 5 field goals with his longest being from just 24 yards in the first game of the season.  His play that followed was erratic, unreliable, and scattered throughout the season and in the biggest games of the year.  Few thought he stood a chance in 2011.

However, the year that followed was simply astounding.  Not just because of the massive improvement, but because he did it after undergoing the down 2010 year.  Kickers recovering from those types of performances are mixed.  Kicking takes a lot of mental preparation and taking that big of a mental hit and recovering is quite an accomplishment.  Not only did he play in and start every game for Michigan's Sugar Bowl run, but he also posted career highs in several games including 7 made PAT's against Minnesota and a 43 yard field goal against Ohio State.  Despite this, his most impressive moment was when he made all 3 field goal attempts against Virginia Tech including a 37 yard overtime kick to seal the game.  Gibbons will be back and should be the most reliable kicker Michigan has had in quite awhile.

2012 Positional Breakdown: Wide Receiver

One of last year's biggest strengths for the Wolverines was at the wide receiver position, largely because of the depth and a stellar performer in Junior Hemmingway. Unfortunately, number 21 from last year is no longer at Michigan's disposal to consistently make big plays. It is now up to the lesser roles of last year to step up and make something happen out wide for the Wolverines.

Heavy weights will be rested upon the shoulders of players like Roy Roundtree, Jeremy Gallon, and Drew Dileo. Some of these guys have proven themselves in years past, but offensive coordinator Al Borges will be looking for someone to really step up and do as much as possible to replace the presence of Hemmingway for the Michigan offense.

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. 

Devin Gardner...The Wide Receiver?

Right now, speculation is running wild that Al Borges and Brady Hoke are moving long-time Michigan backup quarterback Devin Gardner to wide receiver.  I admit, when I first heard the news I was a bit surprised.  However, upon further analysis, this may actually be a great fit for Gardner and Michigan.  With current projections, depth, and recruits, there are going to be a few spots where Michigan's roster is relatively weak.  The coaching staff seems aware of this problem and Gardner may be the solution.  Much of this shortage is likely due to Darryl Stonum's departure from the team, but either way the coaching staff has to address it for this team to be relevant.

First things first, fans need to realize that this isn't a permanent move.  Nobody on the coaching staff has even hinted that Gardner will not be playing quarterback in the future.  Having said that, it doesn't mean that their minds won't change and that Gardner won't "settle" as a wide receiver on the team.  For all we know, Gardner may turn out to be one of the elite wide receivers on the team or in the conference. I'm not saying he's going to be that guy, or at least not yet, but there is a chance that this move could eventually become permanent.  My gut feeling is that he will "split" time at quarterback and wide receiver.

He's already familiar with the system and has been given several years to "mature" as a college quarterback.  There have been a lot of concerns that he hasn't progressed enough, but there's no doubt that a player should have progressed through two full seasons and three years of spring camp.  At this point, he may not quite be ready to take over for All-Big Ten quarterback Denard Robinson, but I see no reason to believe that he wouldn't at least be manageable in a game scenario.

Working off that assumption, this move not only becomes obvious, but will probably become one of the best coaching decisions Borges and Hoke made over the off-season.  Let's be frank.  Michigan is returning some wide receivers that have had success in the past, but they certainly aren't as proven as guys like Hemingway or Stonum.  Along with that, there aren't very many of them.  The only wide receivers Michigan will be returning next season that fans probably feel comfortable with are Roy Roundtree and Jeremy Gallon.  Both receivers have proven themselves, but they are the only ones on the team with at least 10 receptions last season.

So, where does that leave us?  We have a great athlete that should be pretty experienced at quarterback and a severe lack of depth at wide receiver.  There's a simple solution to this problem and Borges hit it right on the head.  Take Devin Gardner and put him on the field as a wide receiver.  Sure, sitting behind Denard might make him slightly better as a quarterback, but there's no guarantee on that.  Why risk the potential for massive gains for the chance at slightly better play a few years from now?  Gardner would certainly never see the field as a quarterback this season (barring injury), so it makes no sense not to use him in this way.

Now, there is one down-side to this move that should be noted.  If Gardner becomes injured, he will obviously not be able to rotate in as quarterback for Denard.  He didn't have to do it a ton last year, but he did have to do it at times.  This would mean that redshirt freshman Russell Bellomy would have to come in to take Denard's place if he goes out with an injury.  This is obviously a concern.  Bellomy has been credited with developing pretty well, but he's never seen the field during real game-time and is an unknown.

Yes, there is a potential for a down-side, but I think the chance that both Gardner and Denard suffer injuries at the same time is pretty unlikely.  Along with this, Gardner is going to be giving Michigan a great advantage offensively that could take this team to the next level.  He's familiar with the system and losing practice time at quarterback is probably not going to hurt him very much.  Plus, like I said, Gardner may even end up being so good at wide receiver that he decides to stay at that position.  And with Shane Morris arriving next fall, the thought of Gardner moving to wide receiver isn't that frightening.

Obviously, this is a win-win situation for fans because it gives this year's team more potential and may work out best for Michigan in the long-run as well.  Only time will tell how this move works out, but I have high hopes for Gardner and Michigan at wide receiver next season.

Wide Receiver Jehu Chesson Commits To Michigan

Today, Jehu Chesson from St. Louis, committed to the Wolverines to become #24 in the 2012 recruiting class.  This is a big pick-up for Michigan primarily because the team was in need of another wide receiver.  Brady Hoke has commented several times that the class would probably be around 26 commitments.  However, with several wide receivers graduating this season and many of the current players being upperclassmen, gaining at least two wide receiver commitments was crucial for long-term success.

Chesson is rated as a three star prospect by Rivals and Scout and is rated anywhere from #82 to #89 at his position across the country.  Basically, this means that he's a solid recruit, but not one that is going to "change" the entire team's dynamic the minute he walks on campus.  Scout says he's "tall and lanky," but needs to bulk up to become a true impact player.  If a recruit has a down-side, size may be the problem most coaches and fans would want because a recruit typically gains significant weight through training camp and their first season, effectively removing the "problem."

With the current depth at wide receiver, Chesson will have some time to develop under experienced players without being forced to contribute the day he walks on campus, which is always an advantage.  It's great to have a player who can make a difference and build game-experience quickly, but it can also be helpful if the player can avoid the limelight in their development, at least for a short-time.  Players like Roundtree, Gallon, and Stonum will be back next year, giving Chesson at least a full season where he could play off the bench or potentially red-shirt, although I doubt that will happen simply because there is some depth concerns at the position.

From all the information he seems to be a very tough and competitive player, which are some of the key aspects Brady Hoke is trying to build into this team.  It is pretty unlikely he'll get significant playing time next year without some injuries to other players, but I think there is a great possibility he will play a decent amount of time and make a few solid plays.  He is a great addition to this recruiting class and will help secure a position that was a big need for this class.  With two wide receivers commitments (the other being four star Amara Darboh), this class is nearing completion, bringing one of the best groups to campus next fall Ann Arbor has seen in a long time.  There are sure to be some huge expectations for this class and players like Chesson.

Photo Credit: Rivals