Michigan Football: A Week in Review

August is arriving and it will no doubt be the most exciting period of time for Michigan football in the past six months.  Big Ten Media Day, the start of summer camp, and NCAA Infractions Committee hearings, will all occur within a span of 30 days. 

How ironic it is then, now that all of these talks and all of this news coverage begins, this article marks the final one I will write as part of my internship for the Bleacher Report.  

My sincere thanks is extended to all of those who have taken the time out of their day to read my thoughts, comment on my writing, and extend their assistance.  It is appreciated more than you know.  

Here is your Michigan Football week in review.  Enjoy! 

Kellen Jones Commits: 

Kellen Jones out of St. Pius X High School in Houston, Texas, committed to the Wolverines this week.  

Out of all the different articles posted about Jones, one thing seems to be consistent: he has that "it" factor.  

For those who have yet to watch his high school highlight reel that has made him somewhat of a YouTube sensation reminiscent of Sam McGuffie, check it out as soon as you can.  Jones may not be the biggest or the strongest linebacker in the country, but when you watch his fundamentals and instinct on film, it's undeniable that he will be successful at the linebacker position during his college career. 

But even outside of that "it" factor, Jones also has the numbers to back up his abilities.  As the Free Press states, "The 6-1, 209-pound linebacker had the stats also—75 tackles, 22 for a loss, 17 hurries, six sacks, three recovered fumbles, four blocked punts, two blocked field goals, three forced fumbles, two TDs and an interception."

It's also highly unlikely that Jones will waver in his oral commitment to the Wolverines, as the Free Press also stated, it wasn't too hard to recruit him in the first place: "the whole family was already U-M fans."

Big Ten Media Day: 

The Big Ten Media Day is this upcoming Monday and Rich Rodriguez takes the podium at 11:45 am. 

With all of the talk that has been going on this entire summer, reporter anticipation for finally getting to ask Rodriguez about all the controversy surrounding the Wolverines' football program is at a complete boiling point.  Rodriguez will have to take the brunt of that anticipation and is likely to get drilled with questions regarding the program, his status as head coach, and the NCAA sanctions. 

So far in his career, the head coach hasn't been much for charisma when it comes to dealing with unexpected, tough questions.  It will be interesting to see how he reacts and what answers he offers.  

Pay especially close attention to his answers regarding NCAA Sanctions, as the committee hearings arrive in the two weeks following Monday's media day.  The coach's responses and composure will likely gauge what we can expect when he is faced with the same drilling and cross-examination that will happen from the NCAA Infractions Committee.  

Smart, intelligent, and sincere answers coupled with a calm exterior this Monday will bode well for the Wolverines and the expectations of whether or not further sanctions will be handed down in mid-August. 

The opposite, not so much. 

A Great Column From Drew Sharp (finally): 

This is somewhat off topic, but nonetheless needs to be covered.  In the wake of what is nothing less than a scandal for the SEC, where numerous players took improper benefits (allegedly) from agents and their "runners", there has been tons of talk in sports media about the idea of paying NCAA athletes, and a large majority of commentators are seemingly in favor of the proposal (See: Mitch Albom, Mike Lupica, John Saunders, and finally Jason Whitlock, who called Reggie Bush "Kunta Kinte"). 

In complete honesty, nothing makes me more furious than the idea of paying college athletes.  I've already written a few articles regarding Nick Saban's SEC Media Day soap box address to the public which cover my sentiments.  

However, Free Press author and notorious Michigan hater, Drew Sharp, also weighed in on the issue this week in his column.  In doing so, he brings up a number of valid assertions about the issue.  It is a good read for anyone interested in, following, or passionate about the issue. 

Breakin' It Down: 

The New York Times college sports blog is counting down what they believe to be the top 50 college football teams heading into the 2010 season.  

At No. 37, they named the Michigan Wolverines. 

In an incredibly extensive breakdown, author Paul Myerberg predicts that the Wolverines can obtain a record of 8-4 so long as they play consistent. 

How much weight should we place on Myerberg's prediction as opposed to everyone else's? Well, a decent amount.  

When reading Myerberg's preview you can tell he not only knows what he's talking about, but that the research he's put into determining every single team is incredibly extensive.  

On top of that, he was also only one game off in last year's prediction—a season, when looking back on it, that was largely unpredictable. 

That is your Michigan Football week in review.