The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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1. Wilton Speight vs. Maryland, 2016 Speight never had to throw the ball a lot while he was at Michigan, and he didn't need to in order to have a huge game against the Terrapins in 2016. The big QB went 19‑of‑24 passing for 362 yards with two touchdowns in the 59‑3 victory. He also carried the ball three times for 16 yards and another score. He set a Michigan record with 292 passing yards in the first half. 2. Jabrill Peppers vs. Rutgers, 2016 Peppers was primarily a defensive player, but in his home state of New Jer‑ sey in 2016 against Rutgers he blew up on offense. He totaled three carries for 74 yards, including a career‑long 63‑yard run, and two rushing touchdowns. He also had three tackles on defense. 3. Brandon Watson vs. Penn State, 2018 Watson only recorded one tackle against the Nittany Lions in 2018, but broke up three passes and intercepted one that he returned 62 yards for a touchdown. 4. Noah Furbush and Chase Winovich vs. Florida, 2017 Winovich recorded four tackles, includ‑ ing one for loss and one massive sack in the end zone with 1:37 remaining in the game. Furbush pounced on that fumble, scoring a game‑sealing touchdown. He also made two stops during the rest of the game. 5. Jabrill Peppers vs. UCF, 2016 The versatile Peppers had a lot of big moments throughout his career, but in 2016 against UCF he racked up 11 tackles, four stops for loss and half a sack. Top Five Individual Performances Of The 2014 Class Top Storylines "O-fer" On Receivers: Michigan signed three wide receivers, two of which that were expected to be very good from day one. Elkton (Md.) Eastern Chris- tian Academy four-star Freddy Canteen and Grand Rapids (Mich.) Christian four-star Drake Harris were both viewed as big gets on the recruiting trail. Canteen, the No. 47 wide receiver in the country per Rivals, was known for his quick feet and ability to turn short catches into long gains. Harris was originally a Michigan State basketball commitment, and when the Wolverines flipped him away from the Spartans their fans rejoiced. The 6-4, 180-pounder was viewed as one of the best pass catchers in the country after being as dominant as any high school receiver in America as a senior. He was considered the No. 14 wide receiver and No. 115 overall prospect in the country by Rivals. Throw in three-star local product Maurice Ways from Beverly Hills (Mich.) Country Day at 6-3, 192 pounds, and Michigan appeared to be bringing in an excellent group of pass catchers. However, none of the receivers ever made an im- pact in Ann Arbor, and all three finished their careers elsewhere. Canteen transferred to Notre Dame before transferring again to Tulane, while Harris finished his career at Western Michigan and Ways at California. The trio combined for just 23 receptions, 153 re- ceiving yards and one touchdown catch at U-M. Not One Workhorse: If you're going to miss on wide receivers, you could make up for it by signing a bell cow running back. However, Michigan didn't even land one ball carrier in 2014. Michigan's offer list included some of the who's who right now in the NFL — five-star Leonard Four- nette, five-star all-purpose back Joe Mixon and four-star all-purpose back Christian McCaffrey — but none of them gave the Wolverines much of a chance. Other targets that year were Charlotte (N.C.) Cath- olic five-star Elijah Hood, Missouri City (Texas) Fort Bend Austin three-star Vic Enwere and Sarasota (Fla.) Booker three-star Marlon Mack. Hood, Rivals' No. 4 running back and No. 30 overall prospect nationally that year, originally committed to Notre Dame before eventually signing with North Carolina. The 5-11, 221-pounder opted to leave early for the NFL and was drafted in the seventh round. He is still in the league as a reserve for the Carolina Panthers. Quarterback Wilton Speight had his best game for the Maize and Blue in a 59-3 romp over Mary- land in 2016. He connected on 19 of 24 throws for 362 yards with two touchdowns, plus added 16 yards and a score on the ground. PHOTO BY PER KJELDSEN 170 ■ THE WOLVERINE 2019 FOOTBALL PREVIEW