The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/49941
MICHIGAN FOOTBALL David Molk Heads U-M's All-Big Ten Performers ALL-BIG TEN TEAMS First Team WOLVERINES ON Fifth-year senior C David Molk (coaches) Second Team Senior DT Mike Martin (coaches/media) Fifth-year senior C David Molk (media) Junior QB Denard Robinson (media) Redshirt sophomore OT Taylor Lewan (coaches) Honorable Mention Redshirt junior LB Kenny Demens (coaches/media) Redshirt junior CB J.T. Floyd (coaches/media) Fifth-year senior WR Junior Hemingway (coaches) Senior TE Kevin Koger (coaches/media) Redshirt junior S Jordan Kovacs (media) Junior DE Craig Roh (media) Redshirt sophomore TB Fitzgerald Toussaint (coaches/media) Fifth-year senior DL Ryan Van Bergen (coaches/media) Rimington-Pace Offensive Lineman Of The Year Fifth-year senior C David Molk Big Ten Sportsmanship Award Recipient For Michigan Redshirt junior S Jordan Kovacs sophomore offensive tackle Taylor Lewan proved a coaches' choice for second-team notice. Redshirt junior safety Jordan Ko- Molk, right, was named the Rimington-Pace Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year and was Michigan's sole first-team All-Big Ten selection on either side of the football. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL F ifth-year senior David Molk led the way on many Michigan touchdown drives this season. On Nov. 28, he led the Wolverines and the Big Ten in another area, selected as the conference's Rimington-Pace Offensive Lineman of the Year. "There are a lot of things that go into playing center, and a lot of dy- namic abilities you need to have," Molk said. "I think my perception of what it takes to play center and how you should go about it is different than the norm. "Obviously, I'm not 6-5, I'm not 315 pounds. I go about the game in a much different way. Speed is everything. Strength is everything. Proper technique. Great hands, great feet, great hip movement, hip explo- sion. There are a lot of things that really go into the dynamics of all the blocks because you have an even 44 THE WOLVERINE DECEMBER 2011 stance, you have a ball between your legs, there are different types of snaps and techniques. The angles are different. "In judging myself, I think I did well, but at the same time, it's never good enough, and that's the way I've looked at my whole career." In the first-ever issue of that award, Molk gladly collected, be- coming part of Big Ten history. He also found himself Michigan's sole first-team All-Big Ten selection on either side of the football. Molk earned first-team honors on the coaches' ballot, and second-team accolades from the media. His coun- terpart on the front lines, senior de- fensive tackle Mike Martin, earned second-team honors in both polls. Junior quarterback Denard Rob- inson garnered second-team hon- ors from the media, while redshirt vacs was named the recipient of the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award for the Wolverines, as well as an honor- able mention All-Big Ten performer in the eyes of the media. Joining Kovacs with honorable mention All-Big Ten mention were redshirt junior linebacker Kenny De- mens, redshirt junior cornerback J.T. Floyd, senior tight end Kevin Koger, redshirt sophomore tailback Fitzger- ald Toussaint and fifth-year senior defensive tackle Ryan Van Bergen, all of whom were selected by both the coaches and the media. The coaches also made fifth-year senior wide receiver Junior Heming- way an honorable mention All-Big Ten player, with the media select- ing junior defensive end Craig Roh, along with Kovacs. Robinson came on strong at the finish of the season, earning Co-Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week honors for his efforts against both Nebraska and Ohio State.