The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/201975
say about you, how you're handling the press, how you're handling the attention, can be simple if you keep it simple … "We try to do a great job of this. But basically, as we say, you're on Times Square every day, if you want to be. If you want to read about yourself, you could go read about yourself all day long. It's very important that they understand what's really important. It's not that clutter." play a bunch of multi-position players and just let it roll. Whether it's a really big lineup, really small, all long guys at one time — I do like that part. "We can multi-position those guys. If we continue to do what we've been doing, we can really multi-position like no one's seen. I think they embrace it instead of being pigeonholed maybe into 'this is what I do' to become more diverse." McGary can play a pivotal role in Head coach John Beilein "When Mitch is healthy, we are fairly versatile where we can play a bunch of multi-position players and just let it roll. Whether it's a really big lineup, really small, all long guys at one time — I do like that part." What's most important for McGary, right now, involves healing the lower back condition that sidelined him through several weeks of the fall. He needs to practice, get in game shape, and begin demonstrating the presence he showed in the tournament. There's some versatility possible as well. With Michigan potentially going six deep across the frontline — the 6-10 McGary, 6-6 Robinson sliding to a power forward at times, 6-8 fifth-year senior Jordan Morgan, 6-10 redshirt junior Jon Horford, 6-7 redshirt sophomore Max Bielfeldt and 6-9 freshman Mark Donnal — Beilein doesn't lack potential combinations. "With Mitch not being in there right now, we're not as versatile as we want to be, because we want to have people playing a lot of different positions," Beilein said. "When Mitch is healthy we are fairly versatile where we can the diversity, after jumping his scoring average of 7.5 for all games to a notable 14.3 in the NCAA Tournament. He also averaged 10.7 rebounds per game in the tourney, and could factor into a bigger lineup by playing some power forward. They key to any such HorfordMcGary or Morgan-McGary combo involves defense, Beilein noted. "Can he go in there and give us minutes?" Beilein pondered. "Well, he's got to be able to guard a guy on the other team who is going to be very much like Glenn Robinson. Whether it was Chris Watford [of Indiana] last year, or Adreian Payne. There are a lot of guys who are going to stretch you. Can you guard that? "He's missed those reps, and we've got to get him those reps so he can do either one. When he does those things, then he can play both positions."