Michigan Spring Game: Wolverines Will Be BCS-Bound Next Season

The Michigan Wolverines will parlay their surprising 2011 run to a BCS bowl game into a return trip to one of the nation's elite college postseason games. 

Last year, Michigan ran off an 11-2 record that culminated with a big 23-20 victory in the Sugar Bowl. They will prove that was no fluke next season. 

They showed exactly why this is the case in their spring game on Saturday. 

In 2011, the Wolverines enjoyed a dominant defense. They finished the season ranked sixth in points allowed per game. 

That defense looked as dominant as ever in this spring game. 

The Defense

The Blue Team beat the White, 17-0 in this game. The starting defense did not allow any of those points. They didn't allow much of anything. 

Starting QB Denard Robinson played just one series in this game, and the defense had him off the field in six plays. 

He was replaced by Devin Gardner, and Gardner was not ready to handle the Wolverines starting defensive unit. 

He was sacked on his first play, and that proved to be a wildly more successful outcome than the interception he threw on his second play. 

The starting defense was the dominant force in this scrimmage, and they are loaded and ready for next season.

Denard Robinson

It was impossible to get a read on Robinson from this scrimmage. He attempted just six passes, but that is exactly why Michigan fans should be excited about Robinson's 2012 season. 

The coaches are happy with Robinson progress, and felt their time would be better served to watch his backups in action.

Mark Snyder, of the Detroit Free Press, offered up this quote from Offensive coordinator Al Borges.

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You didn’t see much of Denard today but if you could have I think you’d appreciate this a little bit more. The two things that have gone away in Denard’s game are falling off throws, off your back foot, and indiscriminate decision-making. He had very few interceptions this spring. He had cut his interceptions from last spring to this spring four times.

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Robinson has all the tools. If he adds the polish his coaches are talking about, than he is going to be a Heisman contender. With this defense, Michigan doesn't need an elite QB to be great, but they might get one.