The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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INSIDE MICHIGAN ATHLETICS "It's a real fine line," Hoke said. "The objective is to win. You've got to do what helps Michigan to win, when you look at it at the end of the day." 10 Years Ago, 2006: Michigan prepared for a strong 2006 football season, after a disap- pointing 7-5 finish the year before. A host of se- niors, including standout defensive end LaMarr Woodley, vowed to make their final year a very different one in a winged helmet. Woodley actually looked into leaving for the NFL following the 2005 season. He knew, though, he wanted a different ending to his Michigan career. "I wanted to come back and finish school, have another chance to turn around that 7-5 season," Woodley said. "I couldn't leave my last year, knowing I was 7-5 and I had a chance to turn it around and I didn't. "I couldn't have that on my mind." Woodley insisted he was becoming more of a vocal leader in his final season with the Wolverines. He looked forward to what the 2006 defense could do under new coordinator Ron English. "I think we'll look pretty good," Woodley said. "He's calling the shots, but it's up to the guys, the players on the team, to really step it up and make this team look good. He coaches to his best, but it's up to the players to get the job done." 25 Years Ago, 1991: Michigan approached the college football season look- ing to win its fourth consecutive Big Ten championship. Most — including the prognosticators at the preseason conference meetings in Chicago — figured the Wolverines would get it done. The Big Ten coaches unanimously anointed Michigan as the preseason league favorite, a year after the Wolverines went 6-2 in the conference and finished in a four-way tie at the top. Michigan shared that title with Illinois, Iowa and Michigan State, but second-year U-M head coach Gary Moeller's colleagues put the onus squarely on the Wolverines in '91. Moeller wasn't sure he liked that fact, despite having a strong passing connec- tion with Elvis Grbac and Desmond Howard, not to mention an offensive line so good it shared MVP honors in a blowout Gator Bowl win over Mississippi. Oh, and freshman tailback Tyrone Wheatley figured to add to the mix, along with a strong defense. "We can be made soft, so you hate to be picked so high," Moeller said. — John Borton Defensive end LaMarr Woodley returned for his senior campaign in 2006 determined to help the Wolverines improve upon their 7-5 showing the year prior. PHOTO BY PER KJELDSEN