The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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Carvin Johnson (Hampton) and safety Marvin Robinson (Ferris State) found refuge at a new school and would experience on-field success, but most of the class flunked out of school, was kicked out for rules vio- lations or just left on their own ac- cord, creating a void of veteran lead- ership and depth for the 2013 and 2014 teams. Then again, had most of the 2010 class athletes stuck around, they could have been a greater hindrance. The only thing that is certain is there has never been a U-M class like this. THE TOP THREE CONTRIBUTORS SO FAR 1. Devin Gardner — The fifth-year senior quarterback is slowly making his way up the lists in the Michigan record book, ranking ninth in career passing yards (4,440) and career passing touchdowns (34), and with another season like the one he just had — 2,960 yards passing and 20 touchdowns — he would rank in the top four in both categories among U-M signal-callers. 2. Jake Ryan — Despite a 2013 cam- paign in which he missed the first five games and never really returned to form after suffering an ACL tear in the spring of his redshirt junior year, the linebacker has a chance to rank among the school's top tackles for loss producers of all time. Sit- ting just outside the top 20 currently with 31.5, the 6-3, 236-pound Ryan is within striking distance of No. 5 Victor Hobson (47, from 1999-2002). 3. Will Hagerup — The punter sat out the 2013 season due to a violation of team rules but is back and is look- ing to replicate his 2012 year when he set a U-M single-season record with a 45.0-yard punt average. Hagerup didn't handle the pooch punting that fall, however, so perhaps his 43.6- yard average in 2010 is more realistic. READY TO MAKE AN IMPACT THIS FALL None: There are no other eligible players left. WHERE ARE THEY NOW? Richard Ash — After appearing in 14 career contests for the Wolver- ines, the former four-star recruit out of Pahokee, Fla., decided to trans- fer to Western Michigan. The 6-3, 314-pound defensive lineman grad- uated in the spring of 2014 and is Fifth-year senior linebacker Jake Ryan missed the first five games last season after suffering an ACL tear in the spring of 2013, but with a move to the middle linebacker spot he could be poised for his best cam- paign yet. PHOTO BY TIM NELSON