Michigan Football: 9 Items on the Summer To-Do List
The transition from the Rodriguez regime to the Hoke regime leaves plenty to accomplish this summer.
Hoke must deal with new systems on offense and defense, NCAA probation and a fanbase hungry for victories, namely ones over Notre Dame, Michigan State, Nebraska and Ohio.
No one realistically expects a clean sweep over that group, but Michigan fans at least expect the Wolverines to be competitive, and that will be tough enough considering the defense left behind was among the worst in the country.
Let's take a look at a few of the summertime assignments. Some, of course, are more critical than others.
Make Sure Freshman Kicker Matt Wile Finds Ann Arbor
1 of 9Michigan's last successful field-goal attempt was made by Seth Broekhuisen on November 6, 2010. It was a 35-yarder in the second quarter against Illinois.
Michigan was able to connect on just four of 14 tries last season, the longest being 37 yards.
Help may be on the way, however, in freshman kicker Matt Wile.
Fortunately, Brady Hoke was recruiting him to be the future kicker at San Diego State.
When Hoke took the Michigan job, Wile thankfully followed.
Get Cornerbacks Healthy
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Troy Woolfolk and J.T. Floyd are projected to be the starting cornerbacks for the Wolverines this fall.
Woolfolk, a redshirt senior, was expected to have an All-Big 10 season a year ago, but foot and ankle injuries forced the lock-down corner to miss the entire season. To make matters worse, he also missed spring practice.
Getting him healthy over the summer is one of defensive coordinator Greg Mattison's top priorities.
The other is having J.T. Floyd ready to play. Floyd took over for Woolfolk last season but suffered a nasty ankle injury in practice prior to the Illinois game. He was forced to miss the final five games.
Floyd also missed spring practice, but is expected to be ready for the opener in September.
We'll be watching closely.
Marell Evans and Will Campbell Could Be Pleasant Surprises
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If nothing else, Marell Evans and Will Campbell will provide crucial depth to the much-maligned Michigan defense.
Evans, who played alongside Brandon Minor at Varina High in Virginia, never fit into Rich Rodriguez' system and eventually transferred in 2009 after two unsuccessful seasons.
Evans played at Hampton last year, but saw an opportunity to get a Michigan degree and play his final season in Ann Arbor.
At 6'3", 225 pounds, Evans can play either of the inside linebacker positions. He'll spell Kenny Demens at the "Sam" slot while also sharing time at the "Will."
Campbell, who arrived from Detroit Cass Tech as a decorated 5-star recruit, also had trouble finding a home. During the past two seasons, Campbell played on both sides of the ball, but never realized his potential.
This spring, Campbell asked to be returned to the defensive front, where he's currently listed as the starting defensive tackle in tandem with nose tackle Mike Martin. Expect Campbell to also play at the nose, when Martin moves to the edge.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
Rebuild the Michigan Family
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Whatever the cause, there's been a rift in the Michigan family for several years. Many of the past players were unhappy with Lloyd Carr's sendoff and the ensuing coaching search. Others felt Rich Rodriguez disrespected Michigan traditions.
The hiring of athletic director Dave Brandon, "Michigan Man" Brady Hoke as head coach and the recent induction of Carr to the College Football Hall of Fame have helped mend some of the wounds.
Hoke welcomed more than 200 past players to Ann Arbor when he took the job. That in itself was a very positive sign.
Make Denard Robinson a Complete Quarterback
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No one would deny that Denard Robinson made tremendous strides between his freshman and sophomore seasons. He progressed from being Tate Forcier's backup to earning All-American honors.
Robinson's challenges this season are two-fold. He'll be playing under center for the first time since high school, and he'll be running a more balanced pro-set offense.
His passing reads will be different, he'll be throwing more out of the pocket and he'll be completing screen passes and executing draw plays.
The toughest thing, however, will be silencing his critics. Despite completing 62.5 percent of his passes a season ago, Robinson's accuracy, touch and decision-making ability have been questioned.
So Shoelace will have the summer to work on his fundamentals.
Two things he needn't be concerned about are his feet or, most important, his heart.
An Atmosphere of Compliance
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The Wolverines are currently on NCAA probation for extended practice time and ill-advised coaching activities. This is the second and final summer where Michigan will have to cut practice times.
Needless to say, Michigan must be impeccable in its record keeping and, above all, "promote an atmosphere of compliance."
Michigan's probation period ends November 2013, and it couldn't be soon enough.
Wolverines want a clear conscience while they watch Buckeyes squirm.
No Need for Gimic Uniforms
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Every knows college football is very big business. Television contracts and uniform deals are huge.
But keeping Michigan's traditions safe are important, too.
While Nike and adidas have tweaked Michigan's road football uniforms, the home uniform has been untouched for decades.
There have been relatively few changes since Tom Harmon (98) won the Heisman Trophy in 1940.
Until now.
When Michigan hosts Notre Dame September 10, both teams plan on wearing "retro" or "throwback" uniforms.
Except the Michigan uniform being discussed has never been worn. Nobody seems to remember a Michigan football jersey with stripes.
So it looks like adidas has gone back to the drawing board to create something more authentic, if that's possible.
Perhaps if they really want a retro look, they could move the game over to Ferry Field, where Michigan played prior to the Big House being built in 1927.
Size Needed at the Cornerback Position
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Of all the cornerbacks on the current Michigan roster, none are over 6'0". The shortest are Greg Brown (5'10") and incoming freshman Delonte Hollowell (5'9").
With many wide receivers playing closer to 6'2", Wolverine defenders are at a disadvantage.
Hoke's staff does have it sights on better size with a pair of taller cornerbacks on the radar for the 2012 class.
Yuri Wright at 6'2" and Anthony Standifer at 6'1" are on Michigan's radar. They've already received a verbal from Detroit Cass Tech's Terry Richardson (5'9.5") and scout.com figures Michigan has a great shot at getting Armani Reeves (5'10") from Massachusetts.
A Michigan Welcome to the Cornhuskers
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There's a new kid on the block.
The Nebraska Cornhuskers join the Big 10 and will play in the Legends Division along with Michigan.
Some "Big Red" bloggers and commenters have already claimed superiority over the Wolverines. Many think they'll actually be two touchdown favorites when they face Michigan in November.
We'd like to give our new friends a warm welcome when they arrive at the Big House.
Come to think of it, I'm sure the student section has already cooked up something special,
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
