Michigan Football 2012: Breaking Down Spring Practice

The Michigan Wolverines are currently flying high after having one of the more successful seasons in recent memory. Finishing the season 11-2 and winning a BCS bowl game in Brady Hoke's first season was absolutely huge.

Now the question is, what does he have up his sleeve for an encore?

Michigan returns a total of 14 starters, including eight on the improved defensive side of the ball. They also have a Heisman candidate as a quarterback in Denard Robinson. But of course there are questions surrounding this team, and the Wolverines will have a chance to answer a few of them in the spring, which kicks off on March 28.

Here is the spring breakdown for your Michigan Wolverines.

Schedule

Michigan kicks off spring practice on March 28 and the spring game will take place on April 21.

Offensive Depth Chart

Quarterback: Denard Robinson, Devin Gardner

Fullback: Stephen Hopkins, Sione Houma

Running Back: Fitzgerald Toussaint, Vincent Smith

Wide Receiver: Roy Roundtree, Jeremy Jackson

Wide Receiver: Jeremy Gallon, Drew Dileo

Tight End: Brandon Moore, Ricardo Miller

Offensive Tackle: Erik Gunderson, Kyle Kalis

Offensive Guard: Patrick Omameh, Elliott Mealer

Center: Ricky Barnum, Jack Miller

Offensive Guard: Michael Schofield, Chris Bryant

Offensive Tackle: Taylor Lewan, Erik Magnuson

Defensive and Special Teams Depth Chart

Defensive End: Nate Brink, Chris Eddins

Nose Tackle: Will Campbell, Richard Ash

Defensive Tackle: Quinton Washington, Kenny Wilkins

Defensive End: Craig Roh, Jibreel Black

Strong Side Linebacker: Jake Ryan, Cameron Gordon

Middle Linebacker: Kenny Demens, Royce Jenkins-Stone

Weakside Linebacker: Desmond Morgan, Brandin Hawthorne

Cornerback: J.T. Floyd, Courtney Avery

Cornerback: Blake Countess, Ramon Taylor

Strong Safety: Jordan Kovacs, Marvin Robinson

Free Safety: Thomas Gordon, Josh Furman

Kicker: Branden Gibbons

Punter: Matt Wile

Best Position Battle

Michigan returns eight starters on the defensive side of the ball that was much improved last season. That doesn't mean that everybody's job is safe though. I'll be watching the free safety position as there appears to be a three way battle in the secondary.

Junior Thomas Gordon should be penciled in the starter, as he really impressed last year racking up 67 tackles and intercepting a pass. But I would not count out Marvin Robinson who is a big body at 6'2", and a very physical player who will drop the hammer on you. If he can stay out of trouble with the law, he could see a lot more playing time.

Sophomore Josh Furman is also worth a look at the free safety position. Like Robinson, he's big at 6'2", but has fantastic speed and is a playmaker with the ball in the air. He was a running back in high school, so if he intercepts a pass, look out.

Talent is all over the place on this roster and this position will be extremely fun to watch.

Big Man on Campus

Was there any doubt who it would be?

Denard Robinson makes this offense go and is arguably the most gifted player on this roster. When you have over 2,800 rushing yards combined and 68 total touchdowns in the last two seasons you're doing something right. Robinson is a Heisman caliber player and is a huge reason for the Wolverines' offensive success.

When you watch a Michigan game, the first person you look for is Robinson. That alone shows that he is the biggest man on campus.

Biggest Shoes to Fill

Molk was a four-year center at Michigan and was considered one of the top centers in all of college football. Having a center you can rely on is extremely important, and as of right now, there is no candidate that the Wolverines can trust.

Rocko Khoury is likely the favorite, but he had problems in the Sugar Bowl snapping the ball correctly. Ricky Barnum played the guard position last year, but he is more than capable of filling the hole at center if Khoury can't get things straightened out.

This is a position to keep an eye on going into the spring and is the biggest shoe to fill on the roster.

Other Key Questions

Michigan will have to figure out issues on the defensive line. With Mike Martin and Ryan Van Bergen no longer on the roster, the Wolverines once again have big shoes to fill. Talented players such as Quinton Washington and Will Campbell will be the favorites to help fill the void, but they have to contribute right away.

Another question that needs to be answered is the wide receiver position with three key receivers leaving including Junior Hemingway. Michigan isn't much of a passing team, but weapons at the receiver position is a must to keep defenses honest. It also doesn't help that tight end Kevin Koger has graduated as well.

It's also going to be interesting to see if Denard Robinson can limit his turnovers. He's thrown 26 combined interceptions in the last two seasons. He's a great athlete, but sometimes can get way too careless with the football. If he can limit his mistakes, Michigan will be much better off, and he may finally receive that invite to New York.