2008 Michigan Football Preview |
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2008 Michigan football preview2007 record: 9-4 (6-2 Big Ten)
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While the offense may not have any seniors starting, the defensive has eight returning starters including six seniors. Much pressure is on the defense to hold the team together and keep them in games. The defensive line returns all four starters and should be one of the better units in the Big Ten. Seniors Terrance Taylor and Will Johnson will start at the tackles. Taylor is a monster in the middle of the line who can stuff the run and keep blockers off the linebackers. The Wolverines will get nice pressure from the defensive ends. Senior Tim Jamison finished 2007 with 5.5 sacks, and junior Brandon Graham led the team with 8.5 sacks last season.
Sophomore Obi Ezeh will roam the middle of the field at linebacker. Ezeh started last year and made 68 tackles. He will be relied upon to make plays, and should be free to run with a solid defensive line in front of him. Austin Panter and Marrel Evans will start on the outside. Panter, a senior, finally will see an expanded role as a defensive starter. Evans has speed to disrupt teams from getting around the outside.
The defensive backfield has nice talent returning. Senior Morgan Trent is a veteran starter and is able to shut down receivers with ability to cover. Sophomore Donovan Warren started as a freshman and will sure up the other side of the field. Senior Brandon Harrison will settle in at SS after making 42 tackles and an interception in a role at CB last year. Junior Stevie Brown will step in as the FS. Brown recorded 28 tackles and an interception in 2007, and was impressive during spring practices.
Senior K.C. Lopata won the kicking duties last season and was consistent. He only had 12 field goal attempts, but hit on 11 kicks. Zoltan Mesko returns for his third year as the punter. Mesko average 41.1 per punt last year.
The return game is not solidified, but Rodriguez has plenty of capable athletes to select from to find a playmaker. Greg Mathews averaged 8.0 yards on 28 punt returns last season. Carlos Brown and Brandon Minor were used for kickoff returns in 2007. It is not out of the question that Rodriguez will find a new returner with Brown and Minor in the mix at running back. The talent on the roster provides Rodriguez with multiple options.
Don't miss the Michigan Wolverines football 10-year program review from College Sports Fans! They provide a complete review of the Michigan football program from the past 10 years as well as the Michigan basketball program. |
The Wolverines seem to have a free pass this year because of the turnover that occurred when Rodriguez came to Ann Arbor. Don’t expect the Maize and Blue to fall off the map this year. There may be struggles on the offense early in the season, but it just too hard to imagine that Michigan will flop.
The Wolverines should win at least eight games this year, and there will be surprises along the way. They may lose a game they are expected to win, but they could easily win games that many have already chalked up as a win. It wasn’t that long ago that a new coach at Ohio State beat the Wolverines in his first taste of the rivalry, and Rodriguez will have eleven games to build his team prior to the November 22 battle in Columbus. All eyes will be on the Wolverines in the home opener against Utah. This is a nice test for the Wolverines right out of the gate.
> For more Michigan football coverage check out the Michigan offensive and defensive battles for 2008 here at Big Ten Fans!
Michigan Wolverines 2008 Football Schedule
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