The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1542067
PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL NUMBERS AND QUOTES BY CLAYTON SAYFIE 2.9% Chance to finish the regular season an undefeated 31-0 for Michigan basketball, according to KenPom, after its 89-61 win over Villanova Dec. 9. Is this just going to be what it is for the rest of the year? Are they just going to beat everybody by 50 points? Is this just the inevitability of a boulder rolling down a hill, that they're just going to go and beat everybody and win the national cham- pionship? Because that's kind of what it feels like right now." — Field of 68 analyst Rob Dauster on Michigan basketball For a place with a lot of smart peo- ple — the University of Michigan has a lot of smart, well-educated peo- ple — there have been some terrible decisions made that have accumulated. And the brand, the block 'M,' can only carry you so far. Right now, the university has an interim president. Maybe that's the first move, is figuring out who the president of the university is. Then figure out who the athletics director is, then figure out who the football coach is. I have no idea how to run a football team, coach a football team. Never claimed to. I have no idea how to run an athletics department. Never claimed to. No idea how to run a university. I think I know what lack of leadership might look like, and it might look like what's going on at Michigan right now. They need to get that in order. The self-inflicted wounds have to stop." — U-M radio play-by-play commentator Doug Karsch on 97.1 The Ticket 85.1 85.1 Overall Pro Football Focus rating for sophomore running back JORDAN MARSHALL this season, the highest among Michigan's offensive players. The 5-foot-11, 216-pounder rushed 150 times for 932 yards and 10 touchdowns in the regular season. Known for his rough-and-tumble running style, Marshall racked up 3.93 yards after contact per carry, ranking third in the Big Ten among those with a minimum of 100 attempts, behind only USC's King Miller (4.18) and Ohio State's Bo Jackson (4.17). 5 Different conferences conquered by Michigan basketball early in the season, with the Wolverines win- ning games against each of the high-major leagues, beating Wake Forest (ACC), Texas Christian (Big 12), Auburn (SEC), Rutgers (Big Ten) and Villanova (Big East). 3 Straight wins by 30 or more points for MICHIGAN BASKETBALL over teams that made the NCAA Tournament the previous season, the first team to accomplish that feat in the last 50 years, according to OptaSTATS. During a three-day span at the Players Era Tournament in Las Vegas Nov. 24-26, Michigan defeated San Diego State (94-54), Auburn (102-72) and Gonzaga (101-61) to win the championship. ❱ INSIDE MICHIGAN ATHLETICS