The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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the-back pass from Spike Albrecht, who he watched in the championship game just two years ago. "This is genuine. He loves playing basketball, and I know he likes his teammates a lot. I know they love it when he's on the court." There are plenty of reasons why, Beilein pointed out. Doyle brings plenty of tools to produce moments of considerable enthusiasm. "His body, his lift, his long arms … the strides he made in quickness through working with [strength and conditioning coach] Jon Sanderson over the summer were big as well," Beilein assessed. "I'm seeing a guy who has a chance to be a really good player, who also loves to play." Doyle's focused effort has always accompanied recognition of what he really wants. When he made up his mind to go from swimmer to bas- ketball big man, things really began falling into place. "Even in middle school going into high school, I always had the mindset of yeah, I want to do everything I can for my team, but if I really want to help my team, I've really got to be able to contribute," Doyle noted. "Whether that's extra hours in the gym, or whatever. "Even in middle school, I would work my tail off with my dad and my trainer, countless hours of working to get ready for varsity basketball. That mindset didn't change in high school, going into college." Recognition now arrives in the form of knowing what he's up against, in terms of college competi- tion. Bumping up against the big men he's seen, and will see, as a freshman lends itself to a higher level of hon- ing. Former Wolverine and college bas- ketball analyst Tim McCormick ad- mits to not being overly impressed by Doyle at the NBPA Top 100 Camp, prior to his arrival at Michigan. "Ricky Doyle did not play very well," McCormick noted. "He seemed a little bit overwhelmed by the length. He was playing against all the top-10 centers around the coun- try. I don't think he'd seen that type of competition." Not playing AAU while in high school leads to not seeing a higher number of quality big men, but Doyle has them coming in waves now. This season, he insisted, is going to make a world of difference in his overall game. "I'm just going to be an all-around better player," he said. "Once I start knowing the game, I can start utiliz- ing my skills and seeing where I can be more efficient. I'm working on my jump shot, so maybe I can find areas where I can use my jump shot. "I can help out by setting better screens, just getting stronger. That's going to be a huge jump for next year." In the meantime, there's a season to play, and Doyle has become more and more a factor in it. He averaged 16.1 minutes per game through the first nine, sixth highest among the Wolverines. He also contributed 6.8 points and 3.0 rebounds per game, numbers that should grow with assistant coach Ba- cari Alexander continuing to alter-