The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/130469
michigan football "They were playing from behind a lot, and they had to throw the ball a ton. He was constantly pressured, and it affected him as a young player." The weapons that surround Whitmer include a pair of sizeable, speedy outside wide receivers that grew into playmakers late last season in 6-1 redshirt juniors Geremy Davis and Shakim Phillips. Davis finished with 44 catches for 613 yards (13.7 yards per reception) and a touchdown last year. Phillips, a Boston College transfer, added 399 yards and a score on 32 reception (12.5 yards per catches). "They have talented wide receivers," King said. "The top two guys are back in Geremy Davis and Shakim Phillips. Phillips is a really big, strong and athletic kid. Both Phillips and Davis really progressed in the second half of the year, and should continue to improve." Defensively, UConn yielded only 19.8 points per game in 2012, but has lost a plethora of talent and needs its youth to make strides if it is to replicate the success from a year ago. Redshirt junior middle linebacker Yawin Smallwood is a prime candidate to lead the growing defense. The two-year starter led the team with 120 tackles last season, including 15 tackles for loss and four sacks, and is steadily adjusting into his role as a leader in both the locker room and the huddle. "It is really tough to pinpoint any defensive strengths because there are so many inexperienced players at every position," King said. "The best player on defense is middle linebacker Yawin Smallwood. He led the team in tackles as a sophomore. He is an extremely athletic guy that has started every game for them the past two seasons, and is definitely going to be the leader for that defense." — Andy Reid The Wolverine iPad app The digital editions of The Wolverine and The Wolverine Now include all the great content you find in your print edition, plus special features such as video and audio content. • Immediate delivery — no waiting for postal delivery • Searchable archive of back issues • Print subscribers get complete access through the FREE iPad app