The Wolverine

an early-season honeymoon. Head coach Brady Hoke did say during the bye week that Gardner was "fine." If Gardner is able to play after the bye, the receivers could rank by year's end as the conference's best. Tight End Grade: B+ Summary: Michigan tight ends coach Dan Ferrigno told The Wolver- ine in the spring he wasn't sure how big of a role the tight ends would play in 2012 because the position was short on experience and depth. Four weeks into the campaign, most would probably admit they're a bit surprised just how involved the tight ends have been. Freshman Devin Funchess and fifth-year senior Mike Kwiatkowski have combined for 10 catches, 173 yards and two scores (both by the rookie), while freshman A.J. Williams has seen significant snaps also. received a nice honor when he was given Ron Kramer's No. 87 number to wear the rest of the year, but he has missed the past three games with injury. He hopes to return for Big Ten play. receiver than tight end presently, and that will have to change as defenses begin to learn the first-year Wolver- ine's tendencies, but for now his abil- ity to stretch the field and create mis- matches is a matchup the Maize and Blue will continue to exploit. Kwiatkowski and Williams could play bigger roles because each has the capability to play along the line of scrimmage, block and disengage to run a route. These three have played well and they should only improve and be- come a greater part of the passing attack in the eight games to come. Going Forward: Funchess is more Offensive Line Grade: C- Summary: Michigan pulled off a switcheroo in the 2012 opener against Alabama, starting fifth-year senior Elliott Mealer at center and class- mate Ricky Barnum at left guard af- ter Barnum had been the leader to snap the football coming out of the spring and heading into fall camp. Mealer has played well at the center position, though, and while there has been some adjustment the same five 22 THE WOLVERINE OCTOBER 2012 Fifth-year senior Brandon Moore There are still some significant questions — fifth-year senior right guard Patrick Omameh and redshirt junior right tackle Michael Schofield have been the biggest liabilities on the underperforming unit, and red- shirt junior left tackle Taylor Lewan has not yet played to his potential — but the offensive line finally has a good effort to build on, and its abil- ity or inability to do so will bolster or sink the Maize and Blue's Big Ten- title aspirations in conference play. Defensive Line Left tackle Taylor Lewan and the offensive line will look to build on their performance in the second half of the Notre Dame game when they opened some running lanes. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL Despite surrendering three sacks to ND, and ranking 34th nationally allowing five overall, the line has looked sharp in pass protection, giv- ing its quarterback the time he needs to go through progressions. Going Forward: Was the second half in South Bend a positive sign of things to come or an aberration? The line has much to demonstrate over the next eight games, and will face quite a few strong defensive fronts — Purdue, Michigan State, Ne- braska and Ohio State — to showcase how far it has come since its open- ing-weeks struggles against lesser competition (in the form of AFA and UMass). That familiarity with each other, however, did not benefit the Wolver- ines' linemen in matchups with the Crimson Tide, Air Force and Massa- chusetts, seemingly being outplayed in each game by the front seven of their opponents. The line settled for a draw in the first half against Notre Dame, but then proved more effec- tive in the second half against the Fighting Irish, providing the first glimpses all season the unit may have what it takes to create running lanes. linemen have played together since the early days of preseason practice, giving the unit time to jell and build chemistry at a position that has to have it. Grade: C- Summary: Like its counterpart across the line of scrimmage, the defensive line has also underachieved this sea- son, but like the offensive line it had some good moments against Notre Dame and may have begun to turn a corner in its production. The Wolverines rank 88th nation- ally in rushing defense, yielding 182.0 yards per game, though much of that is a product of the offenses they've faced — an Alabama team with an NFL offensive line and an Air Force team that is averaging 375.0 yards rushing (second in the country) — while they sit 110th in sacks with just three this year. There is a lot not to like about the play up front. The unit has not con- trolled the line of scrimmage, has not disengaged from blocks to make plays and has not put consistent pres- sure on quarterbacks. But there have been little glimpses here and there to feel good about the direction, with sophomore Frank Clark showing ex- plosion off the edge, junior Jibreel Black making some plays from in- side, and both senior Will Campbell and redshirt junior Quinton Wash- ington progressing each week along the interior of the line. Going Forward: Even with two se- niors playing at a high level, Mike Martin and Ryan Van Bergen, and a third senior, Will Heininger, in the starting lineup, Michigan's defen- sive line took four weeks, and even into Big Ten play, before it solidi- fied itself in 2011. To have expected a far greener starting four to come together this season was, perhaps, asking more than what was fair. The question is whether this group, which helped hold Notre Dame to 94 yards rushing and 3.0 yards per carry, can capitalize on that effort or

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