Is MSU For Real?

Over the past several weeks I have been bombarded with comments from Michigan State students, alumni, and fans telling me about the strength of their team and their ability to crush Michigan again this year.

However, after watching the first 6 weeks of the season, I have been far less confident in Michigan State's ability to finish at the top of the Big Ten again this year. So, is Michigan State for real or are they closer to what Michigan was last season? Hot early, but likely to end the season as an average or above-average Big Ten team.

Here's What We Know About Michigan State:

• Finished 11-2 Last Season (Lost @ Iowa and to Alabama in a bowl)
  
• 13 Returning Starters From 2010 (8th in the Big Ten)
• 4-1 in 2011 (Loss @ Notre Dame)
• Ranked #23 in the AP Poll and #19 in the Coaches Poll
• Ranked #1 in Total Defense (173.4 yds/g)
• Ranked #3 in Rush Defense (64 yds/g)
• Ranked #64 in Total Offense (398 yds/g)
• Ranked #95 in 3rd down conversions (35.21%)

Well, from that limited info, one might believe this should be one of the best teams in the league. They only lost 1 game, had more than half their starters return from an 11 win team, and have one of the best defenses in the nation.

However, this assumption would not be completely accurate. Undoubtedly, Michigan State's defense is solid, a team isn't placed into the top 5 without at least a decent defense, but you can't help but notice the weakness of some of the teams they've faced. For instance, here are the offensive stats for Michigan State's opponents:

Total Offense Stats:

Youngstown State - FCS (hard to compare stats, but had 254 yds against MSU)
Florida Atlantic - 119th (230 yds/g)
Notre Dame - 20th (467.5yds/g)
Central Michigan - 88th (350.5 yds/g)
Ohio State - 105th (315.3 yds/g)

So, what does this tell us? Excluding Youngstown State, which can't really be compared seeing as they are an FCS team, MSU has faced one top 50 offense this year. Michigan has already faced two at this point (Western Michigan and Notre Dame) and another two in the top 70 (San Diego State and Northwestern).

Since it is unlikely many people have found Michigan's schedule brutal this year, you cannot help but question those defensive stats. There is no doubt Michigan State's defense is solid, but I would be hesitant to put it in the elite stats. They do typically hold their opponents to much fewer yards than they average, which is the typical sign of a good defense, but when 60% of your opponents are MAC level or below, a Big Ten team should be able to hold the defense to below its average yards per game.

Although the defensive stats may be skewed for Michigan State, the offensive stats illustrate some of the early season troubles. Michigan State has essentially been unable to run the ball behind its young line, Kirk Cousins has made many mistakes, and they have frankly struggled moving the ball. Here's a comparison

MSU Offensive Stats - 2011 - 2010:

Total Offense +9.5 yds/g
Passing Offense +32.8 yds/g
Rushing Offense -23.7 yds/g
Scoring Offense -1.5 pts/g

So, what can we see from this? Michigan State is actually moving the ball more than last year, but only by 9.5 yds/g. Along with this, they are being forced to pass the ball more (likely due to their weak offensive line) and are scoring less even though they are moving the ball further. At first glance, this doesn't seem significant. The difference of gaining 9.5 yds/g more and scoring 1.5 pts/g fewer isn't all that important.

However, let's take a look back at the schedule. The stats from 2010 cover the ENTIRE season. This means they include Michigan State's games against 6 teams in the Top 51 defenses of 2010 (Alabama, Wisconsin, Iowa, Penn State, Illinois, and Notre Dame). As of now, Michigan State has faced 2 defenses in the Top 51 (Ohio State #22 and Notre Dame #51).

Obviously, if a team faces tougher defenses, their stats are going to go down. Along with this, even the 2 defenses they have faced this season are in the middle or rear of the top 51 (Alabama, Wisconsin, and Iowa were all in the top 25 in 2010). Essentially, what this means is that not only are Michigan State's defensive stats boosted, their offensive stats (roughly equivalent to last season) are boosted as well.

Now, I don't expect Michigan State to lose the remainder of its games and miss a bowl, but I do not expect them to even come close to 11-2 or winning the Big Ten. They may be able to sneak past Michigan and Nebraska for the Legends Division, but I don't see them having any chance against Wisconsin (assuming they win the Leaders).

So, is Michigan State For Real?

I say not quite. They are an above average Big Ten team, but not championship or BCS-caliber.

Also, an MSU joke:

Did you hear they're going to start calling Spartan Stadium, "The Shed"?
Yeah, because every Big House has a shed behind it...

Michigan Moves Up To #11 In AP Poll

With today's announcement of the new rankings, Michigan has risen up to #11 in the AP Poll and #10 in the USA Today Coaches' Poll after its defeat of Northwestern 42-24.

Michigan has not been this high since pre-season 2007 and has steadily advanced in the rankings since Week 1. Although some of this has been due to some questionable opponents (Minnesota and Eastern Michigan) and losses from ranked teams (Texas, Florida State), this is still a significant event for the Michigan team to be ranked this high.

Michigan State (Michigan's next opponent) moved back into the rankings coming in at #23 in the AP Poll and #19 in the Coaches' Poll. Though MSU had a bye week last week, they still appear to be at least a rank-able team and should be a tough match-up for Michigan next week in East Lansing. Odds for the game have not yet been released, but it is sure to be a tight spread with both teams ranked and MSU playing at home.

Other notes from the poll:

This is the first time no Florida school has appeared in the rankings since 1982.

Ohio State still remains un ranked and received 0 votes this week

Notre Dame has not returned to the rankings, but has been increasing its vote totals (#28 in AP)

First Everything Michigan and More Chat Session October 13 @ 8:30PM ET

To all of you who have frequently read the blog, Twitter followers, or 'liked' us on Facebook, here's the big chance to get involved!

Starting next Thursday, October 13th @ 8:30pm - 9:30pm ET, Everything Michigan and More will be having our first Twitter "chat" session.

Now, you may ask, what's a Twitter "chat" session?

A Twitter "chat" session is essentially where we, the writers on Everything Michigan and More, will be answering questions, giving predictions, or simply holding Michigan related conversations.

You may also ask, how do I communicate on Twitter with the writers and what will we be talking about?

The simplest way to communicate with the writers during this "chat" session will simply be to send a tweet to the official Everything Michigan and More twitter or use our special hashtag:

Tweet This To Be In Our Chat Session:

@EverythingMich
#everythingmichigan

This will allow us be able to see your tweets and respond asap!

Now, you may be wondering what's special about the chat session. Well, aside from the chance to simply have a Michigan-related conversation on a Tuesday night (which can be a lot more uncommon than you think), all our writers will be available to respond to any questions, thoughts, or interesting topics. Topics include the Michigan game v. Northwestern, the upcoming battle with Sparty, and football recruiting. Plus, we will be having several guest appearances:

Guests Appearances:

Marcus Ray
Former Michigan Free Safety (1994-1998) -
Member of the 1997 National Championship Team
All-Big Ten Player
Played on the Oakland Raiders
@Marcus_Ray29







@MZoneBlog - Founder of the MZone - Michigan Football Blog

@MGoFish - Editor of MGoFish - Michigan Football and Detroit Spots Blog
(More Announcements in Coming Week)

So, make sure you send a tweet on Tuesday night @ 8:30pm ET to get involved in the action! Also, you can follow our official Twitter: here to get the best Michigan info on the web!

Michigan Vaults Up To #12 In The AP Poll

Earlier today, much to the shock of football fans, Michigan was reported to have jumped all the way to #11 in the coaches' poll and #12 in the AP poll. Michigan was ranked #19 last week in the USA Today poll, but after a huge 58-0 blowout victory in the Little Brown Jug game and losses by teams above Michigan in the rankings, they jumped 8 spots.

Last week I ran an article analyzing why Michigan was #19, but had a great shot to move up in the rankings (article: here). Obviously, this was proven correct when several teams sitting above Michigan in the polls including USF, Baylor, and Texas A & M lost.

Although I personally think Michigan is probably a bit overrated based on a schedule consisting of 2 MAC teams and Minnesota (1-4, 0-0), I see no reason to complain about the rankings love. For example, if Michigan were to theoretically lose 1 of the next 2 games, they would probably still remain in the rankings, which didn't happen last season when Michigan fell to Michigan State (Michigan did appear as #25 in the coaches poll, but this was after a bye week and only lasted 1 week).

Michigan has not been ranked this high in over 4 years since the season opener in 2007. Quite astonishing for Michigan's tradition, but also surprising considering the team's recent past (4-0 in 2009 and 5-0 in 2010) of late-season collapses. Regardless, it's a very exciting time to root for Michigan and Go Blue!

Michigan Adds UMass To Its 2012 Football Schedule

After waiting a significant amount of time to solidify its 2012 schedule, Michigan has announced that it officially added UMass as the final game of the season (September 15, 2012).

Though this is probably not an exciting game for most fans, it completes what could be the most difficult schedule for Michigan in recent memory. Here's a glimpse at the 2012 schedule:

Sept 1 - Alabama (Dallas, TX)

Sept 8 - Air Force

Sept 15 - UMass

Sept 22 - @ Notre Dame

Oct 6 - @ Purdue

Oct 13 - Illinois

Oct 20 - Michigan State

Oct 27 - @ Nebraska

Nov 3 - @ Minnesota

Nov 10 - Northwestern

Nov 17 - Iowa

Nov 24 - @ Ohio State

Frankly, with away trips to Norte Dame, Nebraska, and Ohio State accompanied by a neutral site game against Alabama, one can't help but thinking that 2012 will be an uphill battle. Along with this, the home schedule presents challenges of its own. Air Force has risen to prominence and has been ranked for significant stretches over the last several years, UMass nearly beat Michigan in 2010 and has moved into the MAC, and teams like Michigan State, Illinois, and Iowa can always be challenging.

Although scheduling tough non-conference opponents in 2012 may not have been the best idea with Michigan's road schedule, most speculate it was simply a move to spur ticket sales. Before Air Force and UMass were added to the schedule (assuming 2 random MAC or FCS teams would have filled their slots), Michigan probably only had 1 truly exciting game on the home schedule (Michigan State) and 3 relatively interesting games depending on the circumstances (Iowa, Illinois, and Northwestern).

The move may have been revenue-based, but Michigan should be able to 'avenge' its near loss in 2012 to UMass and give fans the chance to enjoy one of the toughest non-conference schedules in the nation in 2012.

Denard Robinson B1G Ten Offensive Player Of The Week...Again

After piling up 293 total yards of offense last Saturday against the then undefeated San Diego State Azteks, Denard Robinson has been named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week for the second time this season. Denard earned his first Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week honors after the comeback victory against Notre Dame in the Under the Lights game earlier this month.

Although Denard shared the award this week with Penn State quarterback Matt McGloin, it is quite impressive to be awarded this honor twice in just four weeks of game play. Denard certainly has suffered much criticism (detailed post on Denard as a quarterback: here), but since he has the highest average yards per game (NCAA doesn't count the Western game) he is sure to win some awards.

I anticipate Denard will have a tougher time winning this award down the stretch this season with some tougher defenses on the schedule, but clearly last season's Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year has utilized his talents this season.

Michigan Doesn't Have A Quarterback

If you've been following Michigan's 2011 season or read any newspaper or fan articles, you would probably have realized there is a lot disdain regarding Denard Robinson's throwing abilities. In fact, at Michigan's last home game against San Diego State, I overheard several fans commenting on how Devin Gardner (Michigan's backup quarterback) should be thrust into the game because Michigan "doesn't have a quarterback, just a running back."

Now, I think most fans realize qb controversies and criticisms are nothing new (I actually posted a 3 part series on Denard Robinson as a qb: here), but the amount of negative criticism from both the media and Michigan "fans" (you have to question their "fan" status if they spend 4 quarters criticizing everything Michigan does) has reached a new all-time high against Denard after 4 "lackluster" games.

So, if we believe this criticism what should we think? Well, Denard has good rushing ability, but he can do NOTHING against good competition and has almost no passing ability. He also cannot last the length of a season because the rushing breaks him down physically. Now, I addressed most of these points in my Denard QB series (located here), but that was pre-season, I think that since roughly 1/3 of the season is over and the anti-Denard folks have taken over, it's appropriate to take a new analysis of his performance.

So, first let's take a quick look at his stats for 2011:

Denard Robinson

35 of 72 passes completed

48.6% completion percentage

624 passing yards

8.67 yards per attempt

6 passing tds

6 interceptions

71 rushing attempts

552 rushing yards

7.8 yards per rush

5 rushing tds

At first glance, the rushing statistics are phenomenal, but the passing seems to be a little underwhelming. Completing less than half his passes and turns it over as much as he scores through the air? Wow....that's not a good sign. However, as I noted last summer and will repeat now, going off simple stats like this is NOT the best method for determining success either on the ground or through the air. It doesn't adjust for opponent difficulty, receiver failure, or luck.

Now, it may sound like I'm making excuses, but let's take a quick look at his "horrible" completion percentage. If a quarterback completes less than half his throws he must be doing bad, right? Well....not always. Arguably, the biggest factor this season in Denard's completion percentage has been his low number of passing attempts.

Theoretically, this should have no impact on Denard's completion percentage, but as we all know, that doesn't always work in real life. The reason is because there are so many factors impacting just one completion. Offensive blocking, defensive pressure, catching by the receiver, defensive coverage, and finally the quarterback's reads and throw. For example, in the game against San Diego State, Denard made a perfect pass to Koger, but it bounced right off his hands and resulted in an incompletion. Should Denard be blamed for this? Well of course not, he didn't drop the pass, but if you simply look at the stats, you don't realize this statistical problem.

This is even more important this season for Denard beccause he has been attempting such a low number of passes. I'll just use the Notre Dame game, since they are probably Michigan's best non-conference opponent. Denard attempted 24 passes (his only game this season with at least 20 attempts). However, in Michigan State's game against Notre Dame, Kirk Cousins attempted 53 passes. Cousins and Denard are not the best quarterbacks to compare, especially in varying game situations, but Cousins still attempted more than DOUBLE the amount of passes as Denard.

However, an even better comparison is Denard 2010 and Denard 2011 against Notre Dame. In 2010, Denard had his best game of the season against Notre Dame and attempted 40 passes. This means that against the same team a year later, Denard attempted 16 fewer passes. As I said earlier, this shouldn't impact percentage, but there's no doubt that any potential mistake either from Denard or a receiver would be much more significant with fewer passing attempts. An incompletion against Notre Dame last season would have lowered his completion percentage by just 2.5%, but this season an incompletion would have lowered it 4.2%. Clearly, this makes any one mistake much more important statistically.

So Denard's completion percentage isn't a good indicator this season, but what about his touchdown to interception ratio? He has 6 tds and 6 ints, certainly this shows that he doesn't have passing ability. However, as I pointed out last summer, this is not a good stat to use when analyzing Denard. It may work for most quarterbacks, but most quarterbacks typically don't score on the ground. If you've watched Michigan, you know that many times they will opt to run Denard in the red-zone instead of going to the air just because it's more effective.

For instance, Kirk Cousins currently has a +3 ratio, meaning he scored 3 more touchdowns than interceptions. Denard would be at 0, but if you include his rushing touchdowns he ends up at a +5 ratio. Although this is not the best quarterback comparison, it does illustrate that just because Denard uses a different method to score doesn't mean it's ineffective.

So if completion percentage and td/int ratio aren't good indicators, how is Denard doing this season? Well, first, let's not forget the team is 4-0 right now. It's hard to justify switching anything, if everything has gone well to this point. Along with that, let's not forget that against Michigan's toughest non-conference opponent this season, Notre Dame, Denard won Player of the Week honors and led the team to a comeback victory, relying much on the passing game (ended with a 193.3 qb rating for the Notre Dame game).

I can't sit here and claim Denard has NFL talent passing abilities or is the next Tom Brady or Peyton Manning, but what I can say is that the anti-Denard folks have certainly been basing a lot of their claims and solutions (Devin Gardner has NEVER started a collegiate game) on questionable data.

Along with that, there seems to be this perception against rushing quarterbacks. For some reason if Denard had more passing yards than rushing it means he's a good quarterback. As far as I'm concerned, 293 total offensive yards is still 293 total offensive yards. Until it's proven that passing yards counts more than rushing, I don't see the difference.

Denard will need to improve this season, particularly passing, but let's not jump on the anti-Denard bandwagon. He's still the defending Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year who is averaging 294 total yards a game. Along with this, he has yet to leave a game because of injury (hopefully it stays this way...please!) after 4 games when he left for significant periods in almost all the first 4 games last year. I've always enjoyed watching Denard and have learned to never doubt his abilities. I say go get 'em Shoelace.

Full Summer Denard QB Series:

Part I: "Sure He Can Run, But When He Has to Throw He Can't Do Anything"

Part II: "He Can Play Well Until He Hits The Red Zone"

Part III: "You Looked Good For Five Games Against Nobody"

Vincent Smith Starting At Rb? Not Quite...

Over the past several days, I have witnessed the running back speculation from preseason reappear. However, instead of a battle between Michael Shaw and Fitz Toussaint, it has centered around #2, Vincent Smith.

In fact, in an article posted by the Michigan Daily, they claim that, "Smith emerges as lead back." Although Smith certainly impressed last Saturday with his 112 rushing yards and 13.1 average per attempt, nothing has ever confirmed him as the "lead back" for Michigan.

In fact, Brady Hoke himself simply stated that "Vince has earned [the] right" to be Michigan's lead back. NEVER did he state that Vincent Smith was starting. In fact, in the article by the Michigan Daily, they admitted that the depth chart still had Shaw or Toussaint listed as the starter.

To me, this is just overblown hype from the media attempting to get hits. A story stating that Vincent Smith is in the mix to be Michigan's lead back is much less exciting than a story claiming he is the starting running back. If speculation is correct, it is very likely that Fitz Toussaint will still walk out to start the game on Saturday.

The depth chart could still certainly change, but I think the media and fans are getting a little bit ahead of themselves at this point. Remember, the last game was against Eastern Michigan. Yes, the same Eastern Michigan that was ranked as one of the worst offenses and defenses in 2010. Putting up a lot of rushing yards on the Eastern Michigan defense isn't likely to change too many aspects of the team.

Although I think Vincent Smith has a lot of talent, and may end up as the #2 running back (he already is the featured 3rd down back), I can't see him passing Toussaint anytime soon. I expect Toussaint to have a reasonable game on Saturday and remain as the starter for the foreseeable future.

Let's hope that even if Smith is chosen as the starter, which has not been done at this point, the running backs pick it up over the next several weeks.

Michigan Outranks Ohio State For First Time In Over 4 Years

Reports of the new college football rankings are surfacing and according to reports from the Detroit Free Press, the new AP pool has placed Michigan at #22 in the nation. Michigan State and Ohio State will be unranked.

This is an incredible development because Michigan has not been ranked higher than Ohio State since the pre-season poll from 2007. Along with this, Ohio State has at least by ranked since November 2004. This means that for over 6 full seasons the Buckeyes have at least been considered in the top 25 teams in the nation.

Though Michigan may be a tad overrated, fans can't help but get excited over this breaking news. I think it's very likely that Michigan State will reappear in the rankings, especially if they are able to beat Ohio State in Columbus, but as of now, Michigan is the highest ranked of the 3 schools at #22.

Along with this, the Coach's poll has Michigan at #21, but still leaves Ohio State unranked. With the Buckeye's horrible performance against Miami (Fl) last night, it's no surprise they dropped, but Michigan's massive upsurge was surprising.

Michigan State Releases Nike Pro Combat Jerseys For Michigan Game

Well, many of us thought there was a strong, negative reaction to Michigan's throwback jerseys for the Under the Lights game against Notre Dame, but the reaction to Michigan State's jerseys for the October 15th game against Michigan seems to have topped it.

The design is supposed to combine bronze in order to represent the Spartans from Ancient Greece. Though this certainly is a unique idea, these types of concepts do not always transition

well into a game jersey. For instance, at the beginning of the season, Maryland attempted to create a jersey that took elements of its state flag, but received much criticism for the "poor" design.

ESPN's Big Ten blog has even responded, stating that the new jerseys "get too far away from the traditional Michigan State look." Certainly this is true as one of Michigan State's primary school colors, white, is almost completely omitted from the uniform and replaced with bronze.

These jerseys will likely do nothing to change the elements of the Michigan v. MSU

game, but Michigan fans can certianly be thankful for the throwback jerseys in the Notre Dame game. Many fans criticized the design and wished to remain with the traditional jerseys, but Michigan State's jerseys completely abandon the school's traditional look and replace it with elements largely reminiscent of Oregon's jersey, except without the good aspects...

Welcome Back Students

As I pack up every last piece of clothing, my furniture, and make sure every utility for my apartment will be turned on, friends and family often ask about my feelings for the upcoming school year. While many assume I would be dissappointed to return to Ann Arbor and the classwork, I find myself excited for the opportunity to return to the experience of a lifetime.

Not only does Ann Arbor and the University offer incredible academics, but they also offer a vibrant city life, a beautiful campus, and incredible athletic teams and facilities. Though I come from a rural country town, Ann Arbor has become like a second home to me. It houses many of the things I'm passionate about including my education, my favorite team, and more importantly, many of my close friends.

For those of you who haven't been around Ann Arbor during late August and early September, move-in and Welcome Week is one of the most exciting times of the year for students. This is not only the first time many students walk around campus, but also the first time many students get to see their friends after roughly 4 months of separation. Often, these reuniting students spend much "quality time" together to start the school year which often includes the night scene of campus and enjoying the opening football game of the season.

The first home game of the season is always distinct, but much more for students since it is the only game of the season students and the campus can enjoy without the stress of classes and homework. With classes beginning on September 6th, (though many professors seem to ignore this date!) students often become absorbed in the academic life and long for the stress-free time period at the beginning of the year.

This is perhaps the biggest reason that returning to school is so exciting for many students. A "stress-free" reunion with friends, campus, and our football team creates a perfect atmosphere for fun and personal enjoyment. So although my life is sure to become much more stressful in the coming weeks, for now I'm looking forward to my move-in like most of the students, with a sense of foreboding and excitement. We know what stress and challenges are to come in the months ahead, but can't help but be excited for the fun and enjoyment of welcome week and the game against Western on September 3rd.

For those of you also returning to school, good luck and Go Blue!

Everything Michigan's Season Predictions

Not everybody can predict the future,
especially us at Everything Michigan and More. However, knowing that is not going
to stop us from trying...haha

In honor of the tens of thousands of preseason predictions, I have compiled a list of predictions from the Everything Michigan and More staff.

Just a side-note, the stated records do NOT include potential bowl games. For instance, if someone predicts 8 wins, this could move up to 9 if Michigan won its bowl game.

Joshua Henschke @JoshuaHenschke

Josh is pretty new to our staff, but has done a great job so far and is a student at the University of Michigan's Flint campus. He sees Michigan stumbling at first with losses to Notre Dame, Michigan State, Iowa, and Nebraska, but "Brady Hoke will not allow his team to lose to Ohio." This leaves Michigan at 8-4 headed to a pretty good bowl game.

Brett Willard @brettwillard

The next Everything Michigan writers seems to be following Josh's trend of 8-4 finishes. Brett has Michigan at 8-4 with losses to Notre Dame, Michigan State, Nebraska, and Ohio State. This is hardly what most Michigan fans would want, but it could be viewed as an improvement in some ways.

Scott Gromnicki @scotlarock727

Scott also predicts 8-4, and thinks we will lose against Notre Dame, Michigan State, Nebraska, and "ohio", "Which I have no doubt would not sit well with the fan base". This would possibly be the worst way the team could finish 8-4, unless of course the Nebraska loss was substituted for Eastern or Western Michigan perhaps. He points out he could make a better determination after he watches the Michigan vs Notre Dame game. Regardless, the team should still be able to go to a nice bowl game and compete for a victory.

Jeff Matthews @1maizeandblufan

Jeff predicted another 8-4 year with wins against Notre Dame and Ohio State. A fourth straight loss against Michigan

State would sting, but ending the streak against Ohio State and winning Under the Lights would probably make up for that in any fan's mind. Plus, the chance to win a decent bowl game will thrill most of the fanbase.

Thomas Beindit @sitdown248

Well, I saved the best for last...haha I think Michigan ends the season at 9-3. Brady Hoke really revitalizes this Michigan team, but he benefits more from other team's problems than Michigan's improvement. Michigan loses against Notre Dame after coming down from a halftime deficit, but ends up winning in East Lansing and shocking the nation with a win over Ohio State. Michigan also most likely loses to Nebraska and Iowa or Northwestern, but probably Iowa.

To me, I think Michigan's offense with Denard Robinson and Michael Shaw will just have too much firepower to contain for almost everyone. Along with this, I expect a big pickup on defense with more mature players, better schemes, and better skills. Finally, the special teams improvement, particularly with Matt Wile, should help the team get over the edge against many opponents.

Regardless of the predictions, we're all excited for the real thing this fall! Be sure to follow us on Twitter and let us know your picks or tweet our official twitter:

Everything Michigan and More

Big Ten Network Previews Legends Division

For those of you interested in getting one last blast of preseason hype, tune in tonight @ 7pm on the Big Ten Network to see their preview of the Legends Division.

Though these predictions are not always the most accurate, if you've missed some of the speculation on Michigan or the remaining 5 teams, this is a great way to catch up. For instance, teams such as Purdue have suffered an injury to their quarterback that will have a huge impact on their 2011 Big Ten hopes.

With Wisconsin's season opener on Thursday starting the season for Big Ten teams, this is the last chance to get your predictions for the coming season. Everything Michigan and More will be posting some of our predictions during the broadcast so we can see how the predictions stack up against the Big Ten Network's analysts, specifically in regards to Michigan.

We Have A Starter....Maybe...

In the past few days, Brady Hoke and the Michigan staff have revealed almost all of the depth chart. Some of the positions had already been solidified weeks ago, but others remained a mystery, such as corner back (Troy Woolfolk already was confirmed as a starter), the defensive line, place-kicker and most notably, running back.

With Ann Arbor.com's newest depth chart, everyone thought that almost everything had been set. However, reports have surfaced today from both the Detroit Free Press and tweeter mspeedkills that Fitz Toussaint has been receiving the first snaps during practice. This comes as a surprise since just days ago Michael Shaw seemed to have the starting running back position locked up.

This seems to show that media predictions don't always show the real events of training camp and practice. Shaw may appear to be the most capable back, but Hoke and Borges have obviously not settled on one guy and Toussaint must be doing some impressive things for them to keep him in the running for the starting position.

The Detroit Free Press has also reported, much to the shock of the public, that J.T. Floyd may actually start at cornerback. Many from the media and other groups had made it seem as if Avery was a sure lock for the position, but obviously this has not been confirmed either.

The positions that do appear "locked up" at this point seem to be the defensive line and place-kicker. From the statements from the coaching staff and media reports, it appears that Roh, Black, Martin, and Van Bergen will be on the line. This is discouraging for Will Campbell, a former 5 star recruit who is a junior at Michigan.

Matt Wile appears to be locked in for punting and kickoff duties, but it looks like Brendan Gibbons will be attempting any place kicks. Though I am not excited for Gibbons to return as the starting kicker for Michigan, you can clearly see in our exclusive kicking practice video that Gibbons has become much better.

Brady Hoke Releases Depth Charts Details For 2011 Season

Though most teams with the majority of its starters returning would have little controversy on its depth chart, Michigan's 2011 roster remains distinct. Though positions such as quarterback and wide receiver may be solidified, many other positions have no clear leader and several competing athletes.

The Detroit Free Press reported that Brady Hoke released several details regarding the depth chart today. Here are some of the releases:

• Thomas Gordon will start at safety alongside Kovacs
• Woolfolk will start at corner-back, but the other corner-back position is still undetermined
• The WILL LB position is not determined. Mike Jones, Desmond Morgan, and Hawthorne will compete for this spot.
• Matt Wile will play for kickoffs and will punt (at least for the first 4 games as Will Hagerup was suspended, detailed in this post: 2011 Suspensions)
• No set field goal kicker at this point. (See exclusive kicking practice here: 2011 Michigan Kicking Practice)
• Jeremy Gallon and Drew Dileo will return punts
• Jeremy Gallon and Vincent Smith will return kickoffs

Though most of these announcements were expected, several of them are a little surprising, including Gordon starting at safety. Also, the failure to secure a starting placekicker remains a concern for the season opener against Western Michigan.

Let's hope this is settled in the coming week and that the controversy is not due to a lack of good candidates, but too many!

Tony Posada Leaves Michigan Football Team

Ann Arbor.com just reported that Tony Posada has just left the Michigan football team. Though details of his departure were not confirmed, his loss could hurt the program in the future. Rivals had him as a 3 star offensive lineman from Tampa, Florida, it is always dishearteningly to see a member of the team leave early.

He was a 2011 recruit and was not expected to play this coming year (he was to be a true-freshman). He had several significant offers from big football programs, and was expected to develop into a solid player.

There have been rumors that Posada showed up to camp unprepared. MGoBlog reported that he ended camp at an enormous 340 lbs and definitely appeared out of shape.

Sad to see another transfer, but better to lose him now than mid season or after years of coaching development. We can only wish him the best of luck in the future.

Rival's Preseason Rankings Favor Big Ten and Michigan

Though preseason rankings and predictions are often far off from the actual results, they still make for interesting reads and some great "water cooler" discussions.

In one of Rivals' most expansive preseason rankings list, the Top 100 Players Countdown, several Michigan players received some praise from the website:

Rivals' Preseason Top 100 Players:

Denard Robinson - #20

Mike Martin - #47

David Molk - #75

ESPN's Big Ten Blog has also picked several Michigan players in its Top 25 Big Ten Players. Though the full list is not out yet, Denard Robinson has not yet been listed, several have already been named.

ESPN's Top 25 Big Ten Players:

David Molk - #12

Mike Martin - #10

Another set of preseason rankings by Rivals placed Mike Martin as the #3 defensive tackle in the nation trailing only Billy Winn of Boise State and Jared Crick of Nebraska. This is a pretty significant ranking since there has been much preseason hype for players like Jerel Worthy (ranked #8) from Michigan State and John Simon of Ohio State (ranked #6).

Though Michigan would like to see more players on these lists in the coming years, it's awesome to see these types of rankings with such a young team. The Big Ten did well overall with 21 players ranked in the Top 100 overall players and 4 defensive tackles ranked in the top 15 in the nation.

Here are the full rankings:

Rivals' Top 100 Players

Rivals' Top 15 Defensive Tackles

Michigan Football Preview - Big Ten Network

Tomorrow night, the Big Ten Networks's preseason tour rolls through Ann Arbor and will be analyzing the Wolverines and their chances for the 2011 season. The broadcast will begin @ 8pm and runs a half hour.

The show includes former Big Ten coaches and interviews with Wolverine coaches and players. From a tweet by Gerry DiNardo, or @gerrydinardo, Denard Robinson should be interviewed about how he feels about the new offensive scheme, coaching transition, and the upcoming season.

Though some feel the broadcasters are "mellow" and "bland," there is sure to be some live practice footage and interviews with current players and the coaching staff, so I don't see much to complain about. It isn't often that national television devotes an entire broadcast to Michigan's 2011 season.

So remember to get home to watch the broadcast and hopefully view some interesting commentary, interviews, and practice footage. If nothing else, the broadcast provides a nice transition from summer to football season.

Let's hope they have positive comments!

Under the Lights, Let's Do This Right

This September, a special event dubbed "Under the Lights" will occur in Michigan Stadium filled with anticipation. Not only will this be the first night game in the Big House's 84 year history, but also offers an exciting match up against a ranked Notre Dame team. Both teams will sport throwback jerseys. Michigan's jerseys encompass many aspects from team uniforms of the past. Along with these historic events, the media has fully embraced the game's significant. College Gameday, ESPN's Saturday morning college football broadcast, has already been scheduled to arrive on campus to hype up students, fans, and the nation for a spectacular game.

Although this seems to be quite a filled day for fans, the team, and the media, there are more historical aspects for September 10th. The first night game in stadium history signals a step forward, but Dave Brandon and the athletic department have also taken a moment aside to honor the past. Desmond Howard, former Michigan Heisman trophy winner, was named a 2010 inductee to the College Football Hall of Fame along with 14 other individuals and is in the process of releasing a book titled "I Wore 21" which will be released the day before Under the Lights. Desmond will also be doing a book signing on Friday, September 9th at the M Den located on State Street.

Hype has built to such extremes that some have even resorted to video games to pass the time. In a recent post, I talked about a great simulation created on the NCAA 2012 Football game of the match up between Notre Dame and Michigan including accurate replica jerseys and the nighttime atmosphere. Here's the post:

Under the Lights Simulation

Along with the hype of video game users, ticket brokers have also shown the amount of interest in game tickets. The lowest tickets on StubHub are already up to $275 a piece and the season has yet to begin.

Student groups have also begun organizing special events to commemorate the occasion. The Michigan Student Assembly has created an "Under the Lights" Tailgate event on Facebook which includes all sorts of free giveaways for students all day.

So not only can fans enjoy special pre-game festivities from ESPN's College Gameday and the Michigan Student Assembly, the first night game at Michigan Stadium in 84 years, witness one of the Michigan's three Hesiman trophy winners honored during the game, and one of the most valuable tickets on the market, but fans can also sport new gear to the events. The M DEN has created an entire line of clothing to honor the event with phrases such as "It's Better Under the Lights.

Most Michigan fans can get hyped for almost any Michigan football game, but before we watch this special game "Under the Lights," I think we should take a moment to realize the historical significance of the events in Michigan football history. Things such as high ticket prices and student tailgates may seem quite common, but things such as College Gameday's appearance, the first night game and Desmond Howard's recognition are far more unique.

For those of you unfamiliar with College Gameday, it is a Saturday broadcast on ESPN that rotates across campuses for the football "game of the week." Though some would assume it hits Ann Arbor quite often, the show has only been to Ann Arbor once (excluding its planned September 10th appearance) since 2003.

The athletic department stated that College Gameday will be appearing at Ingalls Mall, which is located between Burton Tower and the Michigan League on Central Campus. This is a great location because it will have a scenic view of Michigan's "Diag" and have plenty of space for the numerous fans sure to show up for the event.

The night game aspect is also quite unique. For instance, Michigan may opt to add a night game every couple of years, or perhaps more often, but there will only be one "first" night game. On a similar note, there may be more honors for Desmond in the future (a jersey retirement has often been rumored), but this type of on-field recognition will likely only occur once, especially considering his recent induction to the College Football Hall of Fame.

So, as I said, enjoy the game thoroughly (hopefully a victory), but don't forget to appreciate the historical significance of this moment because for the majority of the day these things won't happen again. I've included a list of special events of aspects to the game against Notre Dame:

Under the Lights:

• Desmond Howard Book Signing (MDEN) - Friday, September 10th

• College Gameday (ESPN & Ingalls Mall) - 10am

• Parking Lots Open - 12pm
  

• MSA Tailgate - 12pm


• M DEN Gear Sale (throwback jerseys) - Preorder now


• Collector's Game Program - Preorder Now


• Desmond Howard Recognized - Game time

• Under the Lights (ESPN) - 8pm

Video Credit: AdamEvensVideos

Ondre Pipkins Commits To Michigan

Earlier today, The Wolverine and the Detroit Free Press reported that Ondre Pipkins committed to Michigan. This is a key commitment because Michigan will lose a lot of depth at DT over the next two seasons.

Pipkins comes from Kansas City, Missouri and stands at 6'3" and weighs 325 lbs. Rivals has rated him as a 4 star prospect and the 19th best DT in the 2012 class.

This will be the 22nd commitment to Michigan's 2012 recruiting class, which was already ranked as #4 in the nation. Along with this, Pipkin's commitment has risen Michigan's 2012 class to #1 according to Scout and Michigan's 2012 Dt class up to #17 in the nation according to Rivals. If these defensive recruits achieve anything near the hype, Michigan could have one of the elite defenses in the country in a few years, especially with Brady Hoke and Greg Mattison at the helm.

Photo Credit: Rivals