The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/152358
W By Michael Spath hen the 2009 class landed on campus, it carried with it tremendous ex‑ pectations. This was, after all, Rich Rodriguez's first full recruit‑ ing class and his first opportunity to cultivate the roster in his ideal form. class review: 2009 Thus, Michigan fans were treated to the excitement quarterback Tate Forcier played with in 2009 and that quarterback Denard Robinson show‑ cased from 2010‑12. Defensively, line‑ backer/end Craig Roh also starred in his rookie year while a total of nine freshmen played immediately. This class found itself smack dab in the middle of a program transition, playing two years for Rodriguez and two (or three for eight members this season) for Brady Hoke. Along the way, plenty of them found a way to stand out, and this season the few that remain will demand the spot‑ light that had previously belonged to Robinson. The Top Four Contributors Thus Far 1. Denard Robinson — One of the most charismatic and loved Wolver‑ ines of all time, Robinson was the perfect read-option quarterback for Rodriguez in 2010, setting a U-M sin‑ gle-season record with 4,272 yards of total offense, and he proved more than a one-trick pony when he made the transition to a pro-style/spread hybrid offense under Hoke. Robin‑ son walks away with many school offensive records, highlights galore, big wins and the thanks of a fan base that saw him lead the charge out of the bleakness that was 2008‑10. 2. Taylor Lewan — It remains to be seen if Lewan will match left tackle predecessor Jake Long as a two-time All-American and a top-five pick in the NFL Draft, but he certainly pos‑ sesses the potential to accomplish both feats after returning for his se‑ nior season. The 6-8, 308-pounder has matured considerably entering his fourth season as a starter, evolv‑ ing from a hot-tempered, inconsis‑ tent but occasionally dominant left tackle, into an even-keeled, consis‑ tent force. 3. Jeremy Gallon — They should call him the little big man because all the 5-8, 187-pound fifth-year senior does is make critical plays. No one on the Wolverines had more 20-yard receptions in 2012 (13), or more 30yard offensive plays (nine) except Robinson (12). To call Gallon a slot receiver is unfair because he played that position only in 2010. Over the past two years, lining up at outside receiver, he has made 80 catches for 1,282 yards and seven touchdowns. Outside of Robinson, no one in the 2009 class has been more responsible for moving the chains. 4. Brendan Gibbons — Wipe out his 2010 season, when Gibbons was stripped of any confidence by his coaches, resulting in a 1-of-5 success rate, and the fifth-year senior kicker has a résumé — 29 of 35 (82.9 per‑ cent) — that would rank him first in the Michigan record books. His career 75.0 percent conversion rate does rank him sixth, and few U‑M