The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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the Hokies. Floyd had been solid all season for U-M, coming off a seri- ous ankle injury that cost him the final month of the 2010 campaign. He finished sixth on the team with 48 tackles, led the Wolverines with eight passes broken up, and tied sopho- more Courtney Avery for the team lead in interceptions with two. 13. Jeremy Gallon, R-So., WR Preseason 2011: NR Gallon rose up from relative ano- nymity last year to become Michi- gan's second-leading receiver in 2011. He hauled in 31 passes, just three off the team lead, for 453 yards. Gal- lon made three touchdown grabs, including one in the comeback win over Notre Dame. He also locked down Michigan's punt return job, averaging 10.1 yards on 19 attempts. 14. Brendan Gibbons, R-So., PK Preseason 2011: NR Gibbons became the turnaround Redshirt junior linebacker Kenny Demens led the Wolverines with 94 total tackles in 2011, and posted five tackles for loss, including three sacks. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL tackles, including eight for loss and four sacks. 8. Junior Hemingway, 5th-Sr., WR Preseason 2011: No. 10 No Wolverine helped his NFL stock more in the Sugar Bowl than the game's Most Outstanding Per- former. Hemingway's two leaping touchdown catches saved Michigan's offense, on a night when the Wolver- ines couldn't run the football effec- tively behind a seriously banged-up line. Hemingway proved a go-to per- former all season, leading the team in catches (34) and receiving yards (699) while tying tight end Kevin Koger for the most touchdown grabs (four). 9. Kevin Koger, Sr., TE Preseason 2011: No. 12 The self-proclaimed "Hypeman" helped the Wolverines get fired up prior to football games, but his lead- ership as a captain went well beyond hype. Koger also factored in as an offensive weapon, catching 23 passes for 244 yards and four touchdowns. He hauled in a crucial TD pass in the win over Ohio State, and reacted like a co-Ufer Bequest winner is expected to — with unbridled enthusiasm. 26 THE WOLVERINE FEBRUARY 2012 10. Kenny Demens, R-Jr., LB Preseason 2011: No. 4 Demens earned the Roger Zatkoff Award as Michigan's top linebacker in 2011. The man in the middle for a young crew trying to adjust to a third defensive coordinator in four years, Demens finished first on the U-M roster with 94 tackles. He nailed opponents behind the line of scrim- mage on five occasions, including three sacks. Demens also broke up a pair of passes and forced a fumble for the Wolverines. 11. Jake Ryan, R-Fr., LB Preseason 2011: NR Ryan became a force for the Wol- verines in their season on the rise. Winning the job at outside linebacker in fall camp, the redshirt freshman began having an impact immedi- ately. He delivered 37 tackles for the Wolverines, including 11 for loss and three sacks. He'll be one of the build- ing blocks in Greg Mattison's defense for years to come. 12. J.T. Floyd, R-Jr., CB Preseason 2011: No. 15 Hoke named Floyd one of Michi- gan's standout performers in the Sugar Bowl for his efforts against tale of the 2011 season for the Wol- verines, going from unreliable in 2010 to blasting through the game- winning field goal in the 2012 Sugar Bowl. The third-year Wolverine had to earn his spot just to kick field goals this year, after he struggled to a 1-of-5 performance in 2011. Hoke infused Gibbons with the calm as- surance that he could do the job, and the results speak for themselves: 13 of 17 on field goals, including the one everyone (especially the brunettes) will remember. 15. Vincent Smith, Jr., TB Preseason 2011: NR Smith sometimes gets overlooked, and not just because of his diminu- tive stature. But he remains Michi- gan's best pass protector out of the tailback spot, taking on blitzers with a savvy and savage determination. Smith wound up rushing for 298 yards on 50 carries (6.0-yard average) with two touchdowns in 2011, along with catching 11 passes for 149 yards and two scores. 16. Mark Huyge, 5th-Sr., OT Preseason 2011: No. 18 Huyge stayed solid all season for the Wolverines at right tackle. He never missed a start, taking the field for all 13 Michigan games. The fifth- year senior formed part of a line that paved the way for two 1,000-yard