The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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in 2008. He started all 13 games in 2010, leading the Wolverines with three picks while tallying 40 tackles and three passes broken up. 3. LB Roy Manning, 2004: A reserve linebacker, Manning did not start a sin- gle game from 2001-03 while making 33 tackles. In 2004, he started 10 games at outside linebacker, notching career highs in tackles (39), tackles for loss (five), passes broken up (three) and forced fumbles (three). 4. LB John Thompson, 2008: Thompson had a monster game in a backup role against Iowa in 2005, recording three tackles for loss among eight stops. However, he recorded just 47 more tackles during his first three years. In 2008, he started nine games, registering 53 tackles. He also had the game-winning interception return in a 27-25 win over Wisconsin. 5. FB Sione Houma, 2015: Used primarily on special teams, Houma had 14 tackles from 2012-14 but just two offensive touches. This season, he has ap- peared in all 10 games, with two starts, and rushed 27 times for 131 yards (4.9 yards per attempt), and snared seven receptions for 73 yards. His three rushing touchdowns are tied for third on the team. 6. DT Will Heininger, 2011: A walk-on out of Ann Arbor, Heininger started to see the field in 2009, recording 10 tackles, but he missed 10 contests of 2010 with an injury. After returning to health, he started 12 games on Michigan's Sugar Bowl-winning team in 2011, tallying four tackles for loss among 23 stops. 7. OL Elliott Mealer/Ricky Barnum, 2012: Both four-stars in the 2008 recruit- ing class, Mealer and Barnum combined to appear on offense in 19 career con- tests with three starts (all belonging to Barnum) during their first three seasons. In 2012, Barnum started all 13 games at left guard and Mealer started every contest at center, leading Michigan to an 8-5 record and the Outback Bowl. 8. WR LaTerryal Savoy, 2009: The 6-3, 214-pounder out of Mamou, La., had just six catches for 54 yards in his first three seasons, including a TD grab against Purdue in 2008. In his senior year, he had career highs in catches (12) and yards (158), including two grabs on Michigan's game-winning TD drive to beat Notre Dame 38-34. 9. LB Brandin Hawthorne, 2011: The undersized 6-0, 220-pound linebacker was supposed to usher in a new era of athletic linebackers during the Rich Rodri- guez era, but Hawthorne barely saw the field during the coach's final two seasons (2009-10). In 2011, under Brady Hoke, Hawthorne started five games and had 43 tackles, including three for loss. 10. TE A.J. Williams, 2015: Williams started 10 games in his sophomore and junior seasons, but had only five receptions in 35 career appearances offen- sively from 2012-14. This season, he has started just once, but has played in all 10 games and set career highs in receptions (10) and yards (120), leading U-M with four grabs for 48 yards against Northwestern. — Michael Spath