The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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MAIZE N' VIEW MICHAEL SPATH Five Predictions For 2012 Here are five predictions for the 2012 football season. U-M will have a chance to beat T Alabama: When Michigan athletics director David Brandon originally announced in October 2010 that the Wolverines would open the 2012 season in Dallas against Alabama, many assumed the Maize and Blue wouldn't be ready to contend with the college football superpower, espe- cially after U-M fired Rich Rodriguez and began anew last January under Brady Hoke. However, sitting a little more than seven months away from the Sept. 1 kickoff, it doesn't seem preposter- ous that Michigan could compete with the Crimson Tide. It's not even impossible to conceive of a scenario in which the Wolverines win, though a U-M team forced to replace three- fourths of its defensive line meeting a run-centric offense as talented as Alabama's represents a significant challenge. Michigan's offense, which returns seven starters, including quarter- back Denard Robinson and tailback Fitzgerald Toussaint, must take a step forward this offseason, and should, and their experience will give the Maize and Blue a chance, with the outcome still very much up for grabs in the fourth quarter. Fitzgerald Toussaint, and not Denard Robinson, will lead the Wolverines in rushing: During eight Big Ten conference contests, Tous- saint outgained Robinson on the ground 818-611, earning more carries (139-137) than the signal-caller, while averaging 5.9 yards per rush. Tous- saint recorded five 100-yard efforts during league play compared to just two for Robinson, while solidifying himself as U-M's lead back. Though the Youngstown, Ohio, native will not be given the starting job next season simply because of the way he ran the ball in 2011, he holds a tremendous advantage over his com- petitors because he proved capable this year, and will give confidence to coordinator Al Borges. 90 THE WOLVERINE FEBRUARY 2012 he 2011 football campaign is barely in the books, and yet it is never too early to look ahead. rotates with teammates at the other tackle post. Jake Ryan will prove to be the Wolverines' defensive MVP: U-M has lacked a bona-fide pass rusher and playmaker off the edge during each of the past two seasons, with Van Bergen leading the Maize and Blue in sacks in both 2010 (three) and 2011 (5.5). Ryan enjoyed a ter- rific finish to his redshirt freshman campaign, though, engineering four tackles for loss, including a sack, in the win over Virginia Tech. With a year to add weight to his After finishing second in rushing on the Wolverines in 2011, with 1,041 yards, could Fitzgerald Toussaint be poised to lead U-M in the category in 2012? PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL The job is Toussaint's to lose, and with greater opportunity, the rising redshirt junior could rush for more than 1,500 yards, with Robinson's overall total falling below 1,000 for the first time in his starting career. Nathan Brink will start more games than Will Campbell: The biggest question heading into 2012 centers on the defensive line, where U-M loses starters Mike Martin, Ryan Van Bergen and Will Heininger. The Wolverines have the experience to compensate for the loss of Van Ber- gen at end, but inside, at tackle, a pair of relative novices will be tasked with taking over for Martin and Heininger. The spotlight will shine most prominently on senior Will Camp- bell, the entire Michigan fan base expecting the former five-star to be a tremendous playmaker, utilizing his massive potential and size (6-5, 322 pounds) to become a dominant de- fender in the middle. Campbell just may accomplish such a result, but Brink will end up starting more games because of his ability to play technically sound football snap after snap. The 6-5, 263-pound redshirt junior continually impressed his coaches this season with his practice habits and attention to detail. With another 20-30 pounds this offseason, he would have the mass to play inside and will anchor one of two spots while Campbell 6-3, 230-pound frame, and with the experience he gained this season, Ryan will consistently disrupt the of- fensive backfield next year, racking up 10 sacks and 20 tackles for loss while he and sophomore Frank Clark become one of the most feared pass- rushing tandems in the Big Ten next season. Michigan will meet Illinois in the Big Ten Championship Game: Regardless of what occurs in the non- conference, Michigan will have at least six Big Ten wins when it heads to Columbus for the regular-season finale, a championship game berth likely on the line. U-M will avenge its four-game losing streak to Michigan State with a victory over the Spartans, and will best Purdue, Northwestern, Iowa, Illinois and Minnesota, with a trip at Nebraska a toss-up. Few will have noticed it at the time, but the Illini matchup Oct. 13 will actually be a preview of the Big Ten title game. Under new coach Tim Beckman and the leadership of quar- terback Nathan Scheelhaase, Illinois will improve immensely after go- ing 7-6 this year. A suffocating front seven defense will lead the Illini to a 6-2 conference record, which will tie Ohio State. But because the Buckeyes are ineligible for the postseason, Il- linois will move on, by default, earn- ing a spot opposite Michigan, which will finish 7-1 in league play. ❑ Associate Editor Michael Spath has been with The Wolverine since 2002. Contact him at mspath@comcast.net and follow him on Twitter @Spath_ Wolverine.