The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/558143
earn a spot on the two-deep. THE TOP FOUR CONTRIBUTORS SO FAR 1. Mason Cole, OL: Here are the five true freshmen to start on the of- fensive line preceding Cole in 2014 — Bubba Paris in 1978, Tom Dixon in 1980, Dean Dingman in 1987, Jus- tin Boren in 2006 and Kyle Bosch in 2013. Combined, they started nine games. A year ago, Cole started all 12 at a left tackle position that is rou- tinely reserved for Michigan's best lineman. He wasn't that a year ago, but he might be this season. 2. Bryan Mone, DT: Though his accomplishment lives in the shadow of Cole's 12 starting assignments, Mone, with a lone start, became the first rookie defensive lineman to start a game for Michigan since LaMarr Woodley in 2006 and the first fresh- man defensive tackle since Damon Denson in 1993. His 1.5 tackles for loss were the also most by a first-year tackle since Mike Martin recorded 4.5 in 2008. 3. Freddy Canteen, WR: An early enrollee, Canteen ended the spring one of quarterback Devin Gardner's top targets and was expected to be a solid No. 3 and maybe even a No. 2 receiver for the Maize and Blue in 2014. He appeared in 10 games and made two starts, and caught passes in five contests, with five receptions for 22 yards and a touchdown, which came against OSU. 4. Jabrill Peppers, S: For unifor- mity, a fourth player is included, and Peppers is the only other player still in the class that saw playing time last season, participating in three games before a season-ending ankle injury. He started the opener against Appa- lachian State and contributed eight tackles in his brief stint for the Wol- verines. READY TO MAKE AN IMPACT THIS FALL Ian Bunting, TE: With Keith Heitzman's departure and senior A.J. Williams lacking as a bona fide re- ceiving threat, Michigan is desperate for a second tight end target to com- plement junior Jake Butt. Bunting has the hands, making the transition from high school receiver, and pos- sesses the athleticism to be a seam- route matchup nightmare. Lawrence Marshall, OLB: Third on the totem pole at BUCK/rush linebacker behind seniors Royce Jenkins-Stone and Mario Ojemudia in experience, Marshall has wowed coaches with his speed and big-play ability. With 15 pounds of muscle added over the summer, he is now up to 255 and could be someone the coaches utilize for 30-40 plays per game to create pressure on the op- posing quarterback. Maurice Ways, WR: If Jake Ru- dock wins the starting quarterback job, Michigan will not throw down field significantly — Rudock does not possess a big arm — but the Wolverines will have to go deep enough times to keep defenses hon- est. Enter Ways, who has the game- breaking speed to beat a corner off the line and a safety trying to close with the ball in the air. His hands are inconsistent, though.