The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/678402
INSIDE MICHIGAN ATHLETICS De'Veon Smith Leads The Way By John Borton The last look Michigan fans had of now-senior running back De' Veon Smith, he was running over Gators like an airboat in the Everglades. He rushed for 109 yards in Michigan's 41-7 domination of Florida, a team that supposedly featured an elite defense. When healthy, Smith proves him- self to be a potent combination of power, determination and orneri- ness. Head coach Jim Har baugh loves his "contact courage," which translates into Smith not fearing the inevitable collisions to come, choosing to be the hammer rather than the nail. R u n n i n g b a c k s c o a c h Ty r o n e Wheatley already declared Smith as Michigan's top back, essentially issuing a challenge to his other rushers to match or exceed Smith's all-around performance, including blocking prowess. I t says here, though, that when the season rolls around, Smith will be rolling over, around and through t h e d e fe n s e s o f H awa i i , Ce nt ra l Florida and Colorado in anticipa- tion of a truly big Big Ten season. He's going to lead the charge and quite possibly top the 1,000-yard mark in his final season in a winged helmet. Don't Sleep On Ty Isaac By Brandon Brown There's no question that senior running back De' Veon Smith is at the top of the depth char t right now. Jim Harbaugh was pretty ada- mant about that during spring ball. That being said, I still think redshirt junior Ty Isaac brings more to the table than Smith. I s a a c h a s s p e n t s o m e t i m e i n the doghouse while at U-M and it looked like he may never find his stride at Michigan. But after a spring in which he appears to have bought in, his talents were on dis- play during the spring game April 1. Isaac carried the ball 10 times for a total of 78 yards, with a long of 30, and showed the burst and long speed that Smith simply does not have. It 's clear that the coaching staff trusts Smith to take care of the ball, protect the quar terback and grind out the tough yards, but Isaac should be able to do all of those things and more with a boost in raw talent and athleticism. A t 6 - 3 , 2 2 8 p o u n d s , I s a a c i s slimmed down and poised for a breakout year in 2016. Smith will start out as the No. 1 back, but Isaac will have his time to shine and pro- vide something that Smith simply can not — big-play ability. POINT ❙ COUNTERPOINT WHO WILL EMERGE AS MICHIGAN'S TOP RUNNING BACK THIS SEASON?