The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1202829
12 THE WOLVERINE FEBRUARY 2020 INSIDE MICHIGAN ATHLETICS 60 th Overall was where former Michigan center CESAR RUIZ, who declared for the NFL Draft following his junior campaign, was projected to come off the board in the Jan. 14 mock draft done by Dane Brugler of The Athletic. With the 28th pick of the second round, Ruiz was projected to join the franchise coached by John Harbaugh, U-M head coach Jim Har- baugh's brother. Ruiz is the highest-ranked Wolver- ine on Brugler's top 100 big board (up- dated Jan. 7), at No. 53, just ahead of for- mer teammate and U-M edge defender Josh Uche (No. 60). One other Wolverine made the countdown —wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones, at No. 78. 3 Is where U-M baseball checked in on NCAA. com's pre- season top 25 ranking, which was re- vealed Jan. 8. "The last Big Ten team to get to back-to- back College World Series was these very same Wolver- ines, who did it in 1983 and 1984," the website noted. "There is no doubt the departures of Col- lege World Series hero Tommy Henry, reliable front-end starter Karl Kauffmann, the Big Ten player of the year Jordan Brewer and Ann Arbor folk hero Jimmy Kerr are going to leave some holes in the roster. But you have to trust the national coach of the year ERIK BAKICH to put a contender on the field. "While on paper, the incoming recruits aren't ranked highly, we learned a lot about Bakich's philoso- phy, to build a team that represents America. So maybe where they lack in talent, they will excel in filling the holes with specifically what Michi- gan needs. [Junior] Jeff Criswell proved he's a big-game pitcher this June, and the lineup still has plenty of postseason experience with [junior outfielder] Jesse Franklin, [junior infielder] Jack Blomgren and a healthy [junior outfielder] Jordan Nwogu as just a few who are back after an Omaha run." BY THE NUMBERS 2 Straight years the Wolverines have had a pair of former soccer players selected in the MLS SuperDraft — forward Jack Hallahan was tabbed 50th overall in the second round by Los Angeles Football Club and goalie Andrew Verdi came off the board at No. 65 in the third round to the D.C. United this year, following the selections of defender Marcello Borges (No. 28 over- all, second round) and midfielder Robbie Mertz (No. 76, fourth) by the Colorado Rapids in 2019. Prior to that, U-M had produced a pair of draftees just once since the advent of the event in 2000. The Wolverines have now had at least one draft pick in four straight years, after having just two from 2012-16. 4 Former Wolverines were included on ESPN's list of the 150 greatest college football players from the sport's first 150 years — No. 41 defensive back Charles Woodson (1995-97), No. 65 running back Tom Harmon (1938-40), No. 129 wideout Desmond Howard (1989-91) and No. 136 wide receiver Anthony Carter (1979-82). 18 Is where the Wolverines fin- ished in the 2019 Associated Press poll. Michigan went 2-4 against other squads that were listed in the final top 25 — beating No. 12 Notre Dame and No. 15 Iowa at home; and losing to No. 3 Ohio State at home, No. 8 Alabama on a neutral field, and No. 9 Penn State and No. 11 Wisconsin on the road. It marks the Wolverines' fourth ap- pearance in the final AP listing under Jim Harbaugh, joining No. 12 in 2015, No. 10 in 2016 and No. 14 in 2018. Prior to Harbaugh, U-M has not finished in the top 20 of the final AP poll since Lloyd Carr's final two seasons in 2006 (No. 8) and 2007 (No. 18). Sorry it took me 24 hours to get this out — @MaizeRageUM along with @umichbball crowd YOU WERE THE PLAYERS OF THE GAME LAST NIGHT!!! So appreciate each of you for stay- ing with us as we fought and scratched out that WIN." — Michigan basketball assistant coach Phil Martelli on Twitter following the Wolverines' thrilling 84-78 double-overtime victory over Purdue Jan. 9 PHOTO COURTESY MICHIGAN ATHLETICS PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL