The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/382426
MICHIGAN FOOTBALL 3. LB Joe Bolden — After high praise from the coaching staff all fall, the junior linebacker is living up to the hype. Leading the team with 22 tackles, Bolden is emerging as the next leader of the defense in his newly earned starting role. 4. QB Devin Gardner — After a nearly perfect game one, the fifth-year senior signal-caller had ups and downs in games two and three. Gardner has, however, still completed 68.2 percent of his passes and thrown five touchdowns en route to a 2-1 record. He will have to take better care of the ball moving forward, though, with four early interceptions. 5. CB Jourdan Lewis — The sophomore cornerback has emerged as the top cover corner on the roster and gave the Michigan defense its first turnover on the season, intercepting a pass against Miami (Ohio). Lewis also leads the team with two other passes broken up and boasts nine tackles (one for loss) on his stat sheet. 6. RB De'Veon Smith — Through three games Smith has been dubbed the backup running back and has been very productive in that role. The sophomore is averaging 7.9 yards per carry while totaling 193 yards and two touchdowns. He and Green have formed a nice one-two punch. 7. LB Jake Ryan — In his middle linebacker position, Ryan is still adjusting to his new spot on the field. The fifth-year senior linebacker has notched 20 tackles and hurried the quarterback three times, but his big plays of the past have yet to be witnessed in 2014. He's still the leader of the defense and should feel much more comfortable by the time Big Ten play begins. 8. DE Brennen Beyer — The senior end leads all defensive linemen with eight tackles and two sacks. Beyer has a relentless motor and has shown an ability to put pressure on the quarterback pretty routinely. 9. WR Dennis Norfleet — The Swiss Army knife of the Wolverines, Norfleet is impacting games as a receiver, a running back, a return man, and on punt cover- age. The junior slot receiver has caught six passes for 46 yards, ran the ball three times for 41 yards and made four tackles on special teams. Norfleet has displayed solid hands on punt returns as well. In limited opportunities, he ranks third on the team in all-purpose yards. 10. DT Willie Henry — Even though his stat sheet only shows seven tackles on the season, the redshirt sophomore has been the most disruptive player on the defensive line. Henry consistently gets a good push up front and makes the job of the linebackers behind him easier. 11. WR Amara Darboh — Emerging as the No. 2 target for Gardner, the red- shirt sophomore has hauled in nine receptions for 137 yards and scored his first touchdown as a Wolverine against Miami (Ohio). Darboh is averaging 15.2 yards per reception, which is the highest on the team for players with more than five catches. — Brandon Brown