Hard to believe that it is nearly time for Spring Football to get rolling when it seems like just a few short weeks ago that the bowl season wrapped up. 2011 is a year of change for the Big Ten with it being the conference’s first season as a 12-team league separated into two divisions. The division winners will be playing in the Big Ten’s first ever conference championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium.
2011 will see the debut of the Leaders and Legends divisions. As a refresher, the divisions break down as follows:
Leaders Division:
Illinois
Indiana
Ohio State
Penn State
Purdue
Wisconsin
Legends Division:
Iowa
Michigan
Michigan State
Minnesota
Nebraska
Northwestern
Spring ball is the first opportunity for coaching staff’s to take a look at how their squad will look in 2011. Every team in the league has burning questions on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball that fans and coaches alike will be looking at spring ball as an opportunity to get some answers. I will be looking at each team in the Legends Division and providing a brief overview for each squad as well as addressing analyzing their three most glaring questions on both the offensive and defensive side of the ball. I will kick things off tonight with the questions facing the Michigan offense.
Pre-Spring Questions: Michigan Wolverines
Team Overview: Michigan is one of two teams, along with Minnesota, in the Legends Division that will be welcoming a new coaching staff into town for the 2011 season. The Wolverines paired an explosive offense with a worst in school history defense in 2010 on their way to a 7-6 record. Expectations are high for new coach Brady Hoke in Ann Arbor for his first season at the helm of the Michigan football program. For the first time since Lloyd Carr’s swansong in Ann Arbor, it is finally fair to say that Michigan will be fielding a veteran team this fall. Michigan will return 20 starters this fall incluing numerous multi-year starters on both sides of the ball. With so many veterans returning, Brady Hoke will have the potential to make a big splash in his 2011 debut in the maize and blue.
Offense:
1. How will Denard Robinson adapt to the Al Borges offense?
Denard Robinson was the most explosive player in the conference last year on his way to putting together one of the best statistical seasons ever put up on the Division 1 level and winning the player of the year award for the Big Ten conference. His ability to run the ball opened up the passing offense in 2010, but he will no longer be at the helm of the Rich Rodriguez spread option offense that was so quarterback run heavy. Coach Borges has repeatedly stated that he will do what he has to do to get Denard the ball in space and he consistently has mentioned Michael Vick’s 2010 role with the Philadelphia Eagles as a reference to the role we could see Denard play in 2011. No matter what, I think we can all agree that Borges’ system will not allow Denard to be subject to the same beatings he was subject to in 2010.
I am hoping that the spring game will allow us to get a glimpse of how they plan to utilize Robinson. I don’t mind seeing Robinson under center so long as there are plenty of bootleg/rollout pass/run options in the playbook. I am very curious to see how Robinson will adapt to playing under center and having his passing windows cut down on three-step drop pass plays. Borges’ ability to fully utilize Robinson’s immense talents may ultimately be the biggest key to Michigan’s success or failure in Brady Hoke’s first season.
2. How will the offensive line adapt to the new blocking scheme?
The offensive line will have a big adjustment to make as they will be departing from the zone blocking scheme that was used under Rich Rodriguez to more of a drive-style blocking system. The lineman will be responsible for driving men off the ball rather than just laterally moving defensive lineman out of running lanes. I think we will see many more trap and counter rushing plays as part of the new-look offensive system.
I think Taylor Lewan will be a star in this new system where he will be able to focus in on the defensive end on basicallye very down. Patrick Omaemah has the potential to be a devastating pulling guard on trap plays with his size and his ability to reach linebackers on the second level. Michael Schofield will push Mark Huyge for time at right tackle and it will be interesting to see if Ricky Barnum can step into the void left by the now graduated Stephen Schilling. Ironically, my biggest concerns might be with 3-year starting center David Molk. Molk was a perfect fit for the zone-blocking scheme with his size and ability to perfectly execute reach blocks on 3-technique defensive tackels. I worry about whether or not Molk will have the bulk and strength necessary to drive a defensive tackle off the ball and that is something I will be watching intently during the Spring Game.
3. Who will step up and be the man at tailback?
Brady Hoke’s system might all but eliminate two-year starter Vincent Smith from being anything other than a third-down screen catching back due to his diminutive nature. With the new offensive system I think that Mike Shaw might be a candidate to end his career on a very high note. After watching San Diego State’s Ronnie Hillman put up huge numbers in the Aztecs offense I was pressed to wonder whether or not Shaw wouldn’t be able to do similar things considering the strong parallels between his size and speed and the physical attributes of Hillman.
Michigan will have plenty of other options outside of Shaw including a solid short-yardage back in Stephen Hopkins. I think two other backs that have the right size and speed combo to fit in the system might be Fitz Touissant and Thomas Rawls. Rawls will be a true freshman but he definitely brings a unique blend of talent that is very similar to what we saw at Michigan in advance of the Rich Rodriguez days. Mike Cox could also work himself back into the mix under a new coaching staff. I do not think Justice Hayes will push for time as a true freshman. It will be interesting to see if anyone can grasp the system early and pull away from the pack a bit over the course of the Spring.
Tomorrow I will take a look at the three biggest questions that face the Michigan defense that was downright miserable in 2010.
Feel free to leave your comments on any other questions you think the Michigan offense is facing going into Spring practice.
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