Schedule sets up well - great home scedule. Only tough games on the road will be Wisconsin and possibly Michigan State, who almost always plays Michigan tough in East Lansing but may not have enough to compete this year. Wisconsin will be tough one to take. Illinois is a wild card right now.
Home games: Notre Dame, Oregon, Penn State and Ohio State. The first three in consecutive weeks in Septemper. Penn State should be "up" this year. Expecting Notre Dame to take a real hit due to graduation and those back-to-back terrible recruiting classes (2004 and 2005). Looks like Demetrius Jones could be ND's starting QB(?). Michigan SHOULD beat Notre Dame (barring an injury to Henne preseason) in Ann Arbor, but I've seen too many dogs win in this series. Not real familiar with Oregon yet - they traditionally suck on the road. Can Michigan beat Penn State for a 9th straight time? Ohio State is Ohio State (although I'm a Michigan fan I admire their play on the field) and but has a lot to replace this coming season. I'm sure by season's end Ohio State will be ready to rumble in AA.
Michigan: worried about the defense. Big holes at linebacker and cornerback. Crable should be solid and possibly a standout at strong-side. MLB is a big question mark. A converted safety with a lot of promise will likely start at WLB - Jonas Mouton. Little depth at LB.
Trent likely at one corner with who-knows at the other. No standouts at corner - hopefully they can be solid. Donovan Warren may even start by mid-season.
Expecting improved safety play this year. Stevie Brown could be very good at FS. Brown is an athlete at safefy, something Michgan's been lacking. Jamar Adams back at SS - hopefully solid this year. Charles Stewart transition to safety was a smart move and he looked good in the spring 'game' - much better suited for safety than corner.
The defensive line has no worries despite losing Alan Branch early. Brandon Graham should have a very good year. Terrance Taylor is All Big Ten material at NT. Tim Jamison needs one full season without significant injuries, please. Can't wait to see James McKinney play this year (DT). Keep an eye out for Marques Slocum if he's eligible and ready to go.
Offense has the potential to be very good: Long at LT, Kraus at LG, Boren at C, Alex Mitchell (likely) RG and either Ortmann or Schilling at RT. Long and Kraus on the left side should give Michigan fans reason to smile. Boren is a future All Big Ten/All American. He would have started as a true freshmen to start the season if it weren't for an ankle injury early. Schilling has great potential as well - his progress has been delayed due to mono during his freshman season (he may have played and possibly started at RT) and then a shoulder injury - hasn't been able to gain the necessary strength. Some good depth on the OL. Mitchell/RG a concern. Mitchell was embarrassing in the Rose Bowl.
WR: Super Mario is back. Greg Mathews is solid, solid, solid. Adrian Arrington may be back(?) - issues with him. Not much depth, but some very talented WR coming in (Toney Clemons, JR Hemmingway). Of course no Antonio Bass (sad).
TE: a concern now that Butler is kicked off the team. Very little depth. Have converted a FB to TE. Butler had a ton of potential. Mike Massey to start but he's been injured often.
QB: Henne with Mallett, the true frosh, backing him up.
TB: Hart backed up by Brandon Minor and Carlos Brown. Kevin Grady out with ACL (during spring practice). Really like Hart and Minor.
Very interested to see what English can do with this defense. Linebacking crew a concern due to poor recruiting - no top flight corner and big concern with starting corners when the HC is talking about a true frosh coming in and starting. Here's hoping Llyod, DeBORED (ugh) amd company become aggressive on offense - not likely, unless it's clear we'll have to outscore opponents. Talk before 2006 was that 2007 could be a great year due to the friendly schedule (who Michigan's rivals are losing), but some huge concerns on defense. I'm pretty pessimistic when it comes to Michigan football. Most likely losses vs. Penn State (their due and should be improved this year), on the road at Wisconsin and, of course, the toughest game will be Ohio State (home this year). Not really worried about MSU this year, even at East Lansing.
Sorry for the ramblings, but college football is my passion.
Home games: Notre Dame, Oregon, Penn State and Ohio State. The first three in consecutive weeks in Septemper. Penn State should be "up" this year. Expecting Notre Dame to take a real hit due to graduation and those back-to-back terrible recruiting classes (2004 and 2005). Looks like Demetrius Jones could be ND's starting QB(?). Michigan SHOULD beat Notre Dame (barring an injury to Henne preseason) in Ann Arbor, but I've seen too many dogs win in this series. Not real familiar with Oregon yet - they traditionally suck on the road. Can Michigan beat Penn State for a 9th straight time? Ohio State is Ohio State (although I'm a Michigan fan I admire their play on the field) and but has a lot to replace this coming season. I'm sure by season's end Ohio State will be ready to rumble in AA.
Michigan: worried about the defense. Big holes at linebacker and cornerback. Crable should be solid and possibly a standout at strong-side. MLB is a big question mark. A converted safety with a lot of promise will likely start at WLB - Jonas Mouton. Little depth at LB.
Trent likely at one corner with who-knows at the other. No standouts at corner - hopefully they can be solid. Donovan Warren may even start by mid-season.
Expecting improved safety play this year. Stevie Brown could be very good at FS. Brown is an athlete at safefy, something Michgan's been lacking. Jamar Adams back at SS - hopefully solid this year. Charles Stewart transition to safety was a smart move and he looked good in the spring 'game' - much better suited for safety than corner.
The defensive line has no worries despite losing Alan Branch early. Brandon Graham should have a very good year. Terrance Taylor is All Big Ten material at NT. Tim Jamison needs one full season without significant injuries, please. Can't wait to see James McKinney play this year (DT). Keep an eye out for Marques Slocum if he's eligible and ready to go.
Offense has the potential to be very good: Long at LT, Kraus at LG, Boren at C, Alex Mitchell (likely) RG and either Ortmann or Schilling at RT. Long and Kraus on the left side should give Michigan fans reason to smile. Boren is a future All Big Ten/All American. He would have started as a true freshmen to start the season if it weren't for an ankle injury early. Schilling has great potential as well - his progress has been delayed due to mono during his freshman season (he may have played and possibly started at RT) and then a shoulder injury - hasn't been able to gain the necessary strength. Some good depth on the OL. Mitchell/RG a concern. Mitchell was embarrassing in the Rose Bowl.
WR: Super Mario is back. Greg Mathews is solid, solid, solid. Adrian Arrington may be back(?) - issues with him. Not much depth, but some very talented WR coming in (Toney Clemons, JR Hemmingway). Of course no Antonio Bass (sad).
TE: a concern now that Butler is kicked off the team. Very little depth. Have converted a FB to TE. Butler had a ton of potential. Mike Massey to start but he's been injured often.
QB: Henne with Mallett, the true frosh, backing him up.
TB: Hart backed up by Brandon Minor and Carlos Brown. Kevin Grady out with ACL (during spring practice). Really like Hart and Minor.
Very interested to see what English can do with this defense. Linebacking crew a concern due to poor recruiting - no top flight corner and big concern with starting corners when the HC is talking about a true frosh coming in and starting. Here's hoping Llyod, DeBORED (ugh) amd company become aggressive on offense - not likely, unless it's clear we'll have to outscore opponents. Talk before 2006 was that 2007 could be a great year due to the friendly schedule (who Michigan's rivals are losing), but some huge concerns on defense. I'm pretty pessimistic when it comes to Michigan football. Most likely losses vs. Penn State (their due and should be improved this year), on the road at Wisconsin and, of course, the toughest game will be Ohio State (home this year). Not really worried about MSU this year, even at East Lansing.
Sorry for the ramblings, but college football is my passion.
