The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/100796
������ michigan football Hot 11: Top Michigan Players Through Eight Games Every Monday during the season, TheWolverine.com ranks the top Michigan performers from that weekend���s game in a feature we call the ���Hot 11.��� In our most recent issue, we gave you the top 11 vote-getters through four weeks of play and now we���ve updated the list to include the first four Big Ten contests. 1. QB Denard Robinson (72 points): Though he���s averaging fewer yards of total offense per game this season (281.0) compared to last year through eight games (349.5 yards), Robinson is still the engine that makes the offense go. And the most important stat is this: a 7-1 record. Last Rank: No. 1 T2. SS Jordan Kovacs (45 points): The redshirt junior sat out the Purdue game with an injury, and his absence was noticeable ��� U-M surrendered a 40-yard play (two actually) for the first time all year. Kovacs has been the anchor of Michigan���s defensive turnaround. Last Rank: No. 2 T2. WR Jeremy Gallon (45 points): With Roy Roundtree and Junior Hemingway back this year, few would have expected Gallon to be leading the Wolverines in receiving with 23 catches after eight games, including four receptions of 20 yards or more. Last Rank: No. 4 4. DT Mike Martin (36 points): The senior has been a beast during Big Ten play with 20 tackles and 2.5 sacks in four contests compared to just eight tackles and no sacks during the non-conference schedule. Last Rank: No. 7 5. TB Fitzgerald Toussaint (35 points): With 170 yards rushing against Purdue, Toussaint now ranks second among Wolverines with 503 yards on the season. He is also the first U-M running back since Brandon Minor (2009) to have a pair of 100-yard efforts in one season. Last Rank: No. 5 6. TB Vincent Smith (34 points): Smith has seen his role diminish some with the emergence of Toussaint. In four Big Ten games, Smith averaged 40 yards rushing/receiving per game compared to 62.3 in four non-conference contests. Last Rank: No. 2 7. WR Roy Roundtree (30 points): The redshirt junior is averaging 52.5 yards receiving per Big Ten game this season after averaging just 11.0 yards during four games in September. Last Rank: NR 8. WR Junior Hemingway (27 points): Hemingway had 124 yards receiving on five catches against Northwestern and averaged 3.8 receptions and 59.8 yards receiving in four Big Ten contests. Last Rank: No. 9 9. DE Craig Roh (24 points): Roh now ranks 13th in the Big Ten in tackles for loss, with seven, after accumulating four in four conference contests. He also has a team-high three sacks. Last Rank: No. 9 10. Thomas Gordon (18 points): While Kovacs has earned considerable praise this season, Gordon has flown under the radar, but he is equally responsible for the Wolverines��� success limiting big plays this year. Last Rank: No. 9 48��� the wolverine��� ������ November 2011 11. Blake Countess (17 points): Countess may be having the best rookie year at the cornerback position since Marlin Jackson in 2001. He leads the team in pass breakups with four and is sixth on the team with 27 tackles. Last Rank: NR Also Receiving Votes: OC David Molk, LB Brandin Hawthorne, DE Ryan Van Bergen, LB Kenny Demens, LB Jake Ryan, P Will Hagerup, TB Michael Shaw, OT Taylor Lewan, PK Brendan Gibbons, TE Kevin Koger, QB Devin Gardner, OL Michael Schofield, LB Desmond Morgan. Redshirt junior safety Jordan Kovacs did not play versus Purdue, but he still ranked third on the team in tackles, with 28 solo hits and 14 assists for 42 total stops, through Oct. 29. photo by per kjeldsen