The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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THE WOLVERINE 2017 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ■ 131 BY RYAN TICE First-year head coach Tom Allen inherits a rebuild job nearing its completion from former boss Kevin Wilson, who parted ways with Indiana Dec. 1 due to "philosophical dif- ferences" with athletics director Fred Glass. Wilson had led the Hoosiers to back-to-back bowl games for the first time since 1990-91, and his former defensive coordinator should reap the benefits. In his first year at Bloom- ington, Allen took a unit that was 120th in total defense (509.5 yards allowed per game) and 116th in scoring (37.6 points given up per contest) in 2015 to No. 45 (380.1) and No. 57 (27.2), respectively. It was the biggest improvement nationally on a yards-per-game basis, and IU also set a school record with six defensive All-Big Ten honorees. All-America candidate and fifth-year se- nior linebacker Tegray Scales leads the nine returning starters. Despite earning just sec- ond-team All-Big Ten honors from the media, he was a SI.com second-team All-American after leading the country with 23.5 tackles for loss. He also led the conference and finished 10th nationally with 126 tackles, including seven sacks (ninth in the Big Ten). He added a pick-six and a forced fumble, and eclipsed double-digit tackles in 10 of his 13 contests to rank third nationally. He did so in six straight games for last year's longest streak in the na- tion and the Big Ten's best since 2012. Fellow 2016 All-Big Ten second-teamer Rashard Fant returns at cornerback after lead- ing the league in passes broken up (17, tied for second nationally) and passes defended (20, third in the country) for the second straight year. The 5-10, 175-pound fifth-year senior will also contend for national honors. Sophomore linebacker/safety hybrid Mar- celino Ball is a key part of the 4-2-5 alignment and junior safety Jonathan Crawford rounds out the top returners after both earned all-con- ference honorable mention recognition a year ago, but more is needed from the pass rush. The offense was never a problem under Wilson — the passing game finished sec- ond in the Big Ten and 28th nationally with 273.8 yards per game — but several key parts must be replaced. The biggest question marks come at run- ning back — Devine Redding's 1,122 rush- ing yards will be missed — and along the of- fensive line. Although three starters return to the latter, it will be a tall order for the team to continue its incredible recent running back tradition — the Hoosiers have boasted four different 1,000-yard rushing seasons since 2013, and Tevin Coleman gained 958 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2013 before he ran for 2,000-plus the next year. Senior quarterback Richard Lagow threw for 3,362 yards and 19 touchdowns (but also tossed 17 interceptions) in his first year out of junior college and must replace two of his three receivers that eclipsed 50 receptions last year. Luckily, junior Nick Westbrook (54 catches for 995 yards and six touchdowns) is the most productive returning receiver in the league. Westbrook checks in at 6-3, 210 pounds and twin tower Simmie Cobbs (6-4, 220) is back for his redshirt junior season after being suspended for game one then suffering a season-ending ankle injury in his debut last year. In 2015, Cobbs hauled in 60 passes for 1,035 yards and four touchdowns. Veteran Mike DeBord, a U-M assistant from 1993-99 and 2004-07 (serving as the offensive coordinator for five of those sea- sons), helms the offense that finished third in the Big Ten and 56th nationally in yards per game (426.0) but just eighth and 88th, respectively, in points per game (25.8). IU went 4-3 in games decided by less than a touchdown, but Lagow's interceptions proved costly in those losses (he had eight in the three close losses), and DeBord could even decide to go with redshirt freshman Peyton Ramsey, the more mobile option. The defense should continue to improve under Allen. If the offense can keep pace de- spite the roster turnover, the Hoosiers could reach a third straight bowl game for the sec- ond time in program history. Notes Former junior college transfer Camion Patrick played most of last year at wide receiver after returning from an ACL injury the previous spring. He brings intriguing size at 6-2, 228 pounds to the running back position … He caught six passes for 154 yards and a touchdown while rushing four times for 10 yards and another touchdown (the score came against U-M) last year … Athlon ranked IU's wide receivers/ tight ends 17th nationally, while the linebackers checked in at No. 19 and defensive backs at No. 22. ❑ Hoosiers Will Rely On Defense To Help Extend Their Bowl Streak 2017 SCHEDULE Date Opponent 2016 Result Aug. 31 Ohio State L, 38-17 Sept. 9 at Virginia — Sept. 16 Florida International W, 34-13 Sept. 23 Georgia Southern — Sept. 30 at Penn State L, 45-31 Oct. 14 Michigan L, 20-10 Oct. 21 at Michigan State W, 24-21 (OT) Oct. 28 at Maryland W, 42-36 Nov. 4 Wisconsin — Nov. 11 at Illinois — Nov. 18 Rutgers W, 33-27 Nov. 25 at Purdue W, 26-24 PLAYERS TO WATCH O f fe n s e : N i c k We s t b r o o k , 5th‑Sr., WR — Broke out last year to average 18.4 yards per catch and score six touchdowns on 54 recep- tions; he also rushed for an addi- tional TD … His average (third in the Big Ten), touchdown catches (seventh) and receiving yardage (second) all led the team … His seven catches of 40-plus yards led the league, while he tied for first in 70-yarders (two, tied for eighth nationally). Defense: Rashard Fant, 5th‑Sr., CB — Has posted 43 passes de - fended over the last two years … Still only earned second-team all- conference laurels last year after tying for second nationally with 17 passes broken up … Shared the team lead with three interceptions — which he returned for 68 yards, including a 34-yard touchdown. Last season, fifth-year senior Tegray Scales racked up 126 stops, a nation-best 23.5 tack- les for loss and seven sacks to become In- diana's first All-American linebacker since 1987. PHOTO COURTESY INDIANA INDIANA HOOSIERS • OCT. 14 • GAME 6 QUICK FACTS All‑Time Series: U-M leads 56-9 First Meeting: U-M 12, IU 0 (Nov. 3, 1900, at Ann Arbor) Last Meeting: U-M 20, IU 10 (Nov. 19, 2016, at Ann Arbor) Head Coach: Tom Allen, 0-1 at Indiana (was interim head coach in bowl game) and overall (first full year) 2016 In Review: 6-7 overall, 4-5 Big Ten (4th East) Final 2016 Ranking: Unranked Returning Starters: 18 (7 offense, 9 defense, 2 spe - cialists) Last Bowl Appearance: 2016 (Foster Farms, vs. Utah, L 26-24) Big Ten Championships (last): 2 (1967) RETURNING LEADERS Passing: Richard Lagow (3,362 yards, 19 TD, 17 INT) Rushing: Tyler Natee (237 yards, 2 TD) Receiving: Nick Westbrook (995 yards, 6 TD) Tackles: Tegray Scales (126) Sacks: Tegray Scales (7.0) Interceptions: Jonathan Crawford and Rashard Fant (3)