The 2008 season was one to forget for the Wolverine's defense.  The defense gave up 40-plus points in four games and for the season allowed an average of 29 points per game.  We'll take a look at the 2010 defense and compare the talent, depth and experience that will lineup this fall to the defense that took the field against Utah in 2008.  Due to the uncertainty in the type of defense Michigan will play, the number of young talent and the number of hybrid players, we'll compare the top 4 defensive linemen, top 4 linebackers and the top 4 defensive backs.

The defensive line in 2008 was talented and experienced.  The top four linemen were RS SR Tim Jamison, JR Brandon Graham, SR Terrence Taylor and SR Will Johnson.  True freshmen Mike Martin also saw time and even started a few games in 2008.  This was a great group.  Jamison was a great run stopper at the defensive end position while Brandon Graham had the ability to stop the run and rush the passer.  The two defensive tackles were stout against the run but were inconsistent at times.  Taylor had a tough time adjusting to the new strength and conditioning program while the others had trouble with the new defensive scheme.  Between the five linemen, they had 21 sacks and 32 tackles for loss.  Despite their production, consistency was a huge issue for the defensive line. 
When the Wolverines lineup against UConn it is expected they'll use a three man front.  With the loss of possibly the best defensive linemen in Wolverine history, many young guys will have to step up and attempt to fill his shoes.  Ryan Van Bergen, a redshirt junior, is most likely to do this.  Van Bergen played well at times in 2009 registering 6.5 tackles for loss and 5 sacks.  Van Bergen has the size to stop the run and the athleticism to rush the passer.  At the other end it is unknown what may happen.  Some think Obi Ezeh is our best option while others wonder if Mike Martin slides outside or Craig Roh plays on the line if he gains the necessary weight.  The most common, and what makes most sense, is sliding Mike Martin out to the defensive tackle position and letting Will Campbell play the middle. Mike Martin is as strong as they get. He has the strength to throw offensive linemen around and is great against the run. He is also a solid pass rusher but his strength is his runs stopping. Will Campbell has the size to be a dominate defensive tackle. Campbell got off to a slow start as he had to adjust to the strength and conditioning program and also the speed of the college game. Campbell has a few technique issues but after another spring it is safe to bet he'll fix these issues. Campbell did show his ability against Ohio State as he got nice penetration on a few plays and even made a few tackles for loss. Craig Roh, at the quick position, is considered a defensive linemen in this analysis. He'll be able to add another 5-8 sacks from this position as he has great pass rushing ability. Roh is a bit small, however it is expected he'll put on some nice weight during the off-season. Other players to keep an eye on are Will Heininger, Jibreel Black and Anthony LaLota. Don't forget, LaLota has had limited experience. When he is able to put it all together he has the ability to be a good one.

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With the 2010 recruiting class wrapped up, Rich Rodriguez now has two full classes of his own recruits. Some are wondering how the talent and depth has improved since his first game against Utah in 2008. Here we will take a look at the talent, depth and experience on the offensive side of the ball. We will start with looking at the quarterbacks, wide receivers, running backs and then the offensive line. All rankings referenced below are based on rankings provided by Scout.com.

Leading the team into the season opener against Utah in 2008 was walk-on Nick Sheridan. Sheridan played a few snaps in 2007 against Minnesota during some junk time. Sheridan is a great kid and worked extremely hard to earn his start, however he lacked the talent and experience to run the read option offense. Behind Sheridan was redshirt freshmen Steven Threet. Threet was a four star ranked quarterback coming out of Adrian High School. After choosing to play at Georgia Tech he decided to transfer to Michigan to run the pro style offense. When Rodriguez was hired, Threet was put in a tough position due to his skills not fitting into a read option offense. Threet has a great arm but lacked experience (0 collegiate plays), mobility and accuracy. Two star recruit Justin Feagin was the third string quarterback but did not have the trust of the coaches to throw the ball in game. He played a few minutes against Minnesota and showed what a QB with legs could do in this offense. When the Wolverines took the field, the quarterback position had zero combined starts, a few snaps in a collegiate game and very limited ability.

When the Wolverines take the field this fall against Connecticut, it is likely that sophomore Tate Forcier will start at quarterback. Forcier started all 12 of Michigan’s games last year and played well despite a rough skid at the end of the year. Forcier is more accurate and mobile than any of the three quarterbacks that played in 2008. He has great field awareness and knows how to get out of trouble. Forcier’s main weaknesses are ball security and arm strength. It is unquestionable that he will improve his play during his sophomore season. Backing up Forcier will be Denard Robinson, who had more snaps his freshmen year then all three 2008 QB’s had combined. Robinson brings athleticism that no Michigan QB has ever had before. He has a very strong arm but his  mechanics are not the best forcing many of his passes to sail above his target. He must improve at reading the field but that is common for a true freshmen. We were spoiled by Tate having the coaching he did growing up. Having a spring practice under Robinson’s belt will create more of an opportunity for Robinson to see the field and run more read option plays. Behind Forcier and Robinson is five star recruit Devin Gardner. Gardner is the only QB who has the size to rival Threet’s. His combination of passing skills and mobility are right between that of Forcier and Robinson. With a combined 12 starts the elite talent of the 2010 crops of quarterbacks are clearly more talented and a better fit for the read option offense. The improvements this spring by Forcier, Robinson, and Gardner will dictate exactly how great this group can be. This trio may still be a year away from consistent quarterback play as many mistakes will likely be made. The quarterback position is looking very good for the near and long term future.

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Song (w/Demar Dorsey Highlights) on Sharp/Rosenberg’s reporting of the Rich Rodriguez Era:

Devin Gardner:  A great prospect who is the middle man between Tate and Denard in terms of both passing and running ability.  What separates him from the two is his 6’4” 215 pound frame.

Cullen Christian:  A tall lengthy defender who has extremely long arms and a great burst out of his back pedal.  Cullen is not afraid to get physical as he brings nice size to the secondary.

Josh Furman:  Very tall prospect at 6’3” who has a frame to hold up to 220 pounds.  Furman’s athletic ability and size makes him a great candidate to play the spinner position at U-M.

Austin White:  A running back with very nice size.  White has great vision and has the ability to cut on a dime.  He can run around you or run through you thanks to his combination of size and speed.

Jibreel Black:  Black is a motor player.  He never gives up on a play.  When he stays low Black as the ability to be unblockable and dominate the line of scrimmage.  Very quick out of his stance.

Marvin Robinson:  The most physical mature player in the 2010 class.  Robinson’s size and speed allows the coaches to try him at different positions.  Has the speed and ball skills to play safety but has the frame and bulk to play OLB early in his career.

Demar Dorsey:  A very tall 6’1” but a thin 180 pounds, Dorsey has the speed and ball skills to be a dominate safety.  He also displays very long arms and has the ability to break up or intercept passes at their highest point.  Also an explosive athlete with the ball in his hands.

Ricardo Miller:  A b ig physical wide receiver, Miller has great hands and runs nice routes.  The best blocking wide receiver in the group Miller.  His size and blocking ability may allow him to see playing time early in his career.

Jerald Robinson:  A very athletic wide receiver Robinson displays great hands and route running ability.  Can stretch the field with his speed.

Will Hagerup:  Displays a very big leg but will need to work on his placement of his punts.  Hagerup also has nice size just in case he is put in position to make a tackle.

Christian Pace:  Not a  very big offensive linemen but Pace has natural leverage in run blocking situations.  Very athletic offensive linemen Pace should have no problem getting on blocks in the second and even third levels.

Courtney Avery:  Very nice back pedal and has very smooth hips.  Avery is not the biggest player but he plays much bigger than his size.  Very smart prospect who has a great ability to anticipate routes.

Terry Talbott:  Displays nice size and athletic ability.  Talbott will have a chance to play early due to his quickness off the ball and overall speed. 

Stephen Hopkins:  Has the size to bulldoze through the line of scrimmage but when in the open field he displays unexpected speed.  A very tough runner Hopkins rarely goes down on first contact. 

Richard Ash:  Another very athletic defensive lineman. Ash has a knack for cutting into gaps and getting into the backfield in a hurry. 

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Most questions sent our way, we simply answer with an email and move on, but we decided to make this one into a blog post, enjoy:

What's the status of Campbell. He didn't play much last season and everyone thought he would make a major impact.
- Bill

Big Will Campbell struggled early on to adjust to the strength and conditioning.  While he was losing weight he also lost a lot of strength.  This happened in 2008 to most of our offensive line and will happen to most of the bigger guys that come in as true freshmen.  With that said, Campbell did make adjustments mid-season, thanks to enrolling early, as he began to gain his  strength back.  Despite gaining his strength Campbell always had a problem with getting out of his stance too high and not being aggressive enough.  This kept him off the field in most situations but Campbell proved to everyone that he is a very coachable athlete as he made a few good plays in the backfield against Ohio State.  Campbell's athleticism and size should make him a disruptive force at defensive tackle but he must be consistent with his technique to be an every down defensive linemen.  Expect Campbell to contribute to this team especially when we go to a four man front against some of the bigger teams in the league.  Another spring should continue to help him with his technique issues and I expect him to be in the best shape of his life this fall.

The recruitment of Lauderdale Lakes Boyd Anderson safety Demar Dorsey has taken a few turns since his visit to Ann Arbor two weeks ago.  Last weekend the four star prospect visited Florida State and rumors started swirling around about a possible commitment.  Since then it was confirmed that Dorsey did not commit and would be picking between USC, Florida, Florida State and Michigan.  Before his visit to Tallahassee Florida let Dorsey know that if he did indeed go on his last remaining visits Florida would pull his scholarship.  Many thought it was a bluff but recently it has been confirmed and reported that Dorsey no longer held a scholarship to attend the University of Florida after he got home from Tallahassee. 

With the Gators out of the picture and now down to a final three Coach Rodriguez will be in the house of Demar Dorsey at some point today.  Don't expect any big news until after his visit with the Trojans however Coach Rodriguez has proved over and over again that he is one of the best closers in the business.  Dorsey likes the Seminoles because it is an instate school while Michigan has immediate playing time, a family atmosphere with his cousin Denard Robinson and many fellow Floridians on the squad as well as 110,000 every Saturday!  Stay tuned as it is expected he'll announce sometime on signing day!

With signing day a week away Rodriguez and his staff is starting to focus on the 2011 class. Already with two commitments, Michigan won’t have many scholarships to hand out however as they are already on a handful of kids early in the process.

Offensively the staff has already offered a few quarterbacks. Elite QB’s Braxton Miller (Huber Heights, OH) and Christian LeMay (Matthews, NC) have offers in hand. At this point it seems the staff will only take an elite quarterback if they can however with Miller (pictured) being a Buckeye lean and LeMay expected to stay south it seems the staff may have to dig deeper if they choose to sign a QB. Hollywood, FL QB Jerrard Randall and fellow Floridian Imonni Carswell (Plantation, FL) are possibilities as of now.

The 2011 class will be heavy with backs and receivers. Orlando Dr. Phillips Demetrius Hart (pictured below) has had an offer for some time now and has publicly announced Michigan his leader. Teams like Florida State, Miami and Alabama are making a hard push however one has to like Big Blue’s chances. Other backs to keep an eye out for are Cocoa, FL RB Chevelle Buie and Grand Blanc, MI back Justice Hayes. With the WR class that will sign on February 3^rd Michigan will not have to target many outside guys. However with an elite player in your backyard you must make a push to land his services. DeAnthony Arnett (Saginaw, MI) is a top 100 player at 5’11” 160 and still growing. Arnett runs very precise routes and has a great understanding of the art of playing wide receiver. He holds a Michigan offer. In the slot Michigan has three players on their radar and they are Shaq Washington (Maple Heights, OH), Jermal Hosely (Highland Park, MI), and Damiere Bryd (Erial, NJ). None of the three have an offer yet however I expect all three to earn one. An U-M offer could end the recruitment of Jermal Hosely who is very high on Michigan.

The offensive line is a definite position of need for the 2011 season. However, early on not too many elites have Michigan on their radar. Michigan has offered Chandler, AZ OT Christian Westerman (pictured right) but it is thought that he will stay out west (unless Florida gets heavily involved). With that said,  Michigan is targeting many great players. Willie Beavers is a 6’5” 330 pound prospect out of Lathrup Villiage, MI. Brad Carrico (Dublin, OH) is another prospect who has a great 6’6” 260 pound frame. Carrico is extremely athletic and would be a perfect fit at tackle for the Wolverines. A sleeper to keep an eye out for is Lansing, MI Ramadan Ahmeti who also has the size and athleticism to excel in the spread offense. At the guard position Anthony Zettel (West Branch, MI) is one to watch out for. An offer from Michigan could lead to a commitment. Zettel is very athletic at 6’3” 260, a trait the Wolverine staff is looking for from their offensive linemen.

Defensively the 2011 recruiting class could be special. At defensive end the Wolverines are in good shape with Columbus, OH DE Chris Rock. Notre Dame will be a tough fight for him however it has been hinted that Rock (pictured left) and Carrico would like to attend school together. Rock has an offer as does Jadeveon Clowney (Rock Hill, SC) and Jalen Grimble (Las Vegas, NV). However Clowney and Grimble will be very tough to get. Canton, MI DE Brennan Beyer has great film and could earn an offer very soon. He is thin at 6’4” 215 but has plenty of room to fill out. Inside Tim Jernigan (Lake City, FL) is a top 10 prospect and holds a U-M offer. He has been known to be a Florida lean however he may want to take five visits. If so look for Michigan to get in the picture. Vincent Croce is another defensive tackle prospect who has a U-M offer. Croce is high on academics which could help the Wolverines’ chances.

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Greetings to my maize and blue brothers and sisters!  My name is Jonathan Jennings, a 23 year old born and raised in Sharon, PA.  I was contacted a week ago by Lance asking if I would be a guest writer on UMGoBlog.com and this was an opportunity I could not pass up.  I was always a Michigan fan despite living in Pennsylvania my entire life up to now.  My first ever memory of Michigan football was watching Desmond's catch vs. Notre Dame.  Playing football all my life it was a dream of mine to play football at Michigan, however I came to realization that I would not live that dream, rather my teammate Marlin Jackson would.  Watching Marlin play on Saturdays turned me from a fan to a die hard fan.  I finally attended my first U-M game in 2007 when Michigan played Minnesota in the Big House and both Brandon Minor and Carlos Brown had huge games.  Now I attend 2-3 games per season although I currently reside in Orlando, FL. 

What can I add to this blog?

When the Rich Rodriguez era started I was very excited!  Attending college at California University of Pennsylvania ( Earth Sciences) and only 45 miles from Morgantown I grew to like and enjoy his system.  I have studied the spread offense for 2 years now and have a great understanding of what the staff is trying to accomplish offensively.  Living in Orlando, I also have a great knowledge of Florida High School football and recruiting.  I have a few contacts that give me great and very reliable information on prospects from the sunshine state.  I also have a great knowledge of recruiting in the national scene (Florida, California, Pennsylvania) but just don't have the sources (yet) to make major contributions.

I am honored to have been given this opportunity and will do my best to spread news, opinions and offer answers to any questions that you may have!  I hope my writings will keep everyone up to date and allow you to be the smartest fan in the stands!

(Note: If you would like to check out some of Jon’s work, before coming to UMGoBlog.com, he ran his own site, Jennings6.blogspot.com.)