The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1334389
14 THE WOLVERINE FEBRUARY 2021 INSIDE MICHIGAN ATHLETICS MICHIGAN'S TOP PERFORMERS Women's basketball junior guard/forward Leigha Brown: She was named the Big Ten Player of the Week Jan. 4 for the first time in her career after leading U-M to blowout wins over Wisconsin Dec. 31 and No. 15 Northwestern Jan. 3. She averaged 24.0 points and 4.5 assists in the contests, shooting 70.8 percent from the field during that span. Brown poured in 26 points in the 92-49 vic- tory over the Badgers, before following with 22 points in an 84-63 triumph over the Wildcats. Women's basketball junior forward Naz Hillmon: The Cleveland native was named the National Player of the Week by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association and ESPN after she tallied a pair of double-doubles in wins over Nebraska Jan. 7 and Illinois Jan. 10. She posted just the second 30-20 game in program history when she poured in 35 points and recorded 22 rebounds in U-M's 64-62 victory over the Cornhuskers, then logged 24 points and 13 rebounds three days later. She then became the first player in U-M history (male or female) to score 50 in a game when she posted her Big Ten-leading eighth double-double of 50 points and 16 rebounds in an 81-77 loss to Ohio State Jan. 21. Wr e s t l i n g f r e s h m a n D y l a n R a g u s i n : T h e 125-pounder started off his collegiate career in style, earning the Big Ten's first Wrestler of the Week honor after going 2-0 in road duals against Rutgers Jan. 8 and Maryland Jan. 10. He debuted with a 61-second pin of No. 20 Nicolas Aguilar (Rutgers) and followed up two days later with a 9-1 major decision over King Sandoval (Maryland). The Elk Grove Village, Ill., native continued his campaign with a 6-4 win over No. 14 Brock Hudkins of Indiana Jan. 17. The hot start has him 3-0 as of Jan. 25, third on U-M with 13 team dual points scored and ranked ninth nationally at his weight by InterMat. Football redshirt junior offensive lineman Andrew Stueber: He was recognized by the Walter Camp Foot- ball Foundation as the 2020 Connecticut Player of the Year Jan. 12. The award is given to the top college football player who lives in or played scholastically in the state of Connecticut. Stueber also took home honorable mention All-Big Ten honors after starting all six games this season, with two of his starts coming at right guard and four at right tackle. Accord- ing to Pro Football Focus, the redshirt junior did not commit a single penalty all year, while giving up just one sack and four pressures. — Austin Fox POINT ❙ COUNTERPOINT WHICH MICHIGAN FOOTBALL SIGNEE WILL MAKE THE BIGGEST IMPACT NEXT SEASON AS A FRESHMAN? Donovan Edwards Will Quickly Add A Dimension To The Backfield By Chris Balas All eyes are on J.J. McCarthy as the next hot young quarterback prospect, and rightfully so. He appears to have all the tools to be a difference-maker at the next level after an outstanding senior season at Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy. College football is a quarterback's game now — get a great one, and odds are your offense is going to follow suit. But as immediate contributors go, the money here is on running back Donovan Edwards. The West Bloomfield (Mich.) High four-star rusher is explo- sive and elusive. He appears to be the kind of back the Wolverines have been lacking for the last several years. That doesn't mean he'll start right away, but if he gets an opportunity similar to the one Blake Corum got last year as a freshman, expect him to make the most of it. Edwards has great vision and speed, and he can catch the ball. He comes from a winning program, coached by former Michigan wideout (and newly hired U-M assis- tant) Ron Bellamy, and he'll know the expectations from the minute he arrives. There will be a role for the 5-11, 190-pounder. They'll need him with junior Zach Charbonnet having moved on to the transfer portal. Junior Colson Will Immediately Aid U-M's Linebacking Unit By Austin Fox Michigan's linebacking group under- achieved significantly in 2020 (it was a big reason the Wolverines finished 79th nationally against the run), and lost arguably its best player to the NFL Draft when redshirt sophomore Cam- eron McGrone announced his departure in December. Two starters return in redshirt junior Josh Ross and redshirt sophomore Mi- chael Barrett, but neither wowed in 2020. They will have to impress in spring ball and fall camp if they hope to re-earn their starting jobs. The uncertainty at the position will open the door for a youngster like Junior Colson to step in and not only see early playing time in 2021, but to potentially even win a starting role. Inexperience is the name of the game at the spot behind Ross and Barrett, with only one other returning contribu- tor (redshirt junior Adam Shibley) having played more than 77 snaps in 2020. Rated as the No. 94 overall player nationally out of high school by Rivals, Colson was the sixth-best prospect the Wolverines signed in their 2021 recruiting class. He was listed at 6-2, 230, when he inked his letter of intent in December, and already has the physical makeup to contribute right off the bat. EDWARDS COLSON