The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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12 ■ THE WOLVERINE 2022 FOOTBALL PREVIEW MICHIGAN FOOTBALL By The NUMBERS $371,000 Is U-M junior running back BLAKE CORUM'S On3 NIL Valuation. That is the highest on the team and ranks 72nd among college football players. The On3 NIL Valuation consists of data points that focus on three primary categories: 1) social media following and engagement, 2) athlete data, achievements, performance and media sentiment and 3) endorsement deals, opportunities and collectives. 29th Best quarterback situation in the country for U-M this fall, according to ESPN.com. The Wolverines were slotted in 'Tier 7,' along with Kansas State, Michigan State and Maryland. "What to make of the Michigan QB situation? [Senior CADE] MCNAMARA led the Wolverines to the College Football Playoff last season and be - came the first Michigan QB to beat Ohio State since Denard Robinson, a decade earlier," David M. Hale wrote. "That he struggled against Georgia's defense in the Orange Bowl simply puts McNamara in a long line of QBs who met their match against the Bulldogs. Yet, it's impossible to look at [sophomore J.J.] McCarthy's talent and not have visions of an even brighter future with a more dynamic QB — one who might ultimately be good enough to test even the toughest of defenses. Still, Michigan went the better part of a decade trying to find just one decent option at QB, so perhaps Wolverines fans shouldn't be so quick to assume they have two capable starters now." 9 Is where Michigan's Jim Harbaugh ranked on CBS Sports' list of the top 25 Power Five head coaches in college football. That was a rise of 14 spots from his No. 23 standing ahead of the 2021 season. "Harbaugh spent his first few years at Michigan ranked in the top 10, and detractors constantly told us he was overrated because he hadn't accomplished anything in Ann Arbor, including a winless record against Ohio State," the site wrote. "Last season, he beat Ohio State, won the Big Ten and reached the College Football Playoff. That isn't likely to stop people from saying he doesn't deserve to be ranked this high because of what happened against Georgia, but Harbaugh's always been a polarizing figure. He's also one of the best coaches in the country, and while some may downplay his accom- plishments, most would kill for the suc- cess he's had with the Wolverines." 4 Michigan players landed on ESPN analyst Mel Kiper Jr.'s 2023 NFL Draft position rankings released May 31. Graduate Jake Moody was tabbed the No. 3 kicker, gradu- ate Olusegun Oluwatimi was slotted as the No. 4 center, senior Erick All was eighth among tight ends and graduate Ryan Hayes came in eighth at offensive tackle. We'll see what happens this year. We'll see if it was an aberration or part of a new trend. But it does look like, feel like, things have evened out for the first time in eons. We'll find out, of course, in the years to come. But it was not a monkey they were deal- ing with on their backs — it was a gorilla. It involves four coaches — Lloyd Carr, Rich Rodriguez, Brady Hoke and Jim Harbaugh. It wasn't just one coach or one era — it was the whole thing. Not just to win, but to beat them so emphati- cally, that was almost the more surprising part, I think. And the results were confirmed with a [42-3] drubbing [of Iowa] in Indianapolis. That vibe, I have not seen in too long for me to remember, if I ever have, possibly." — New York Times bestselling author John U. Bacon on U-M beating Ohio State in 2021, the attitude surrounding the program and carrying the momentum forward PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL