The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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4 THE WOLVERINE AUGUST 2017 LOOKING TOWARDS FOOTBALL Dear The Wolverine: It is time for my annual anxiety and anticipation letter about the coming Michigan football season. The anxiety starts building right after the spring football game, scrimmage, practice or whatever it is called in any given year. I cannot help it. Who is going to emerge as the quarterback to once again lead our Wolverines to a conference title? Is the offensive line going to come to- gether to produce a running game to get that yard for a first down to keep the drive going? Is the secondary go- ing to weather the loss to graduation of lock-down cornerbacks and de- pendable safeties? Are the lineback- ers far enough along in their devel- opment to bolster what should be a solid defensive line? Who is going to step up to make that last-second field goal to keep the chance for a cham- pionship alive? And what about the receivers? Who will replace Darboh, Chesson and Butt? And I could go on, but those are some real anxiety generators! A look at the schedule only adds to the anxiety. The Florida game should offer some insight into many of the questions about this edition of the Wolverines. I see Michigan as a young team going on the road, as is Florida, against a quality opponent. It will be a growth experience for both teams. Everyone expects Michi- gan to handle Cincinnati, and that game will be followed by the pesky Air Force Falcons. I know nothing about Purdue, but they do represent a Big Ten opponent and feature a new coach. Michigan State is the season's mystery team, but are coached by a dour but proven coach with a team anxious to show that it is still among the best in the league, despite last season. Even with the win last year, Michigan owes them one more for the debacle of 2015 in The Big House. Indiana has shown that it cannot be taken for granted, and I assume that Michigan will be ready for a battle in Bloom- ington. Penn State proved that they were for real in 2016 (though not against Michigan), and Beaver Stadium can be a very tough venue. No team on the schedule should be overlooked, but the only thing that Michigan should worry about is overconfi- dence against Rutgers. It is my hope that Minnesota and Maryland will be tune-ups for the final two games August 2017 • Vol. 28, No. 12 ISSN 1048-9940 Editor John Borton The Wolverine.com Editor Chris Balas Football Recruiting Writer Brandon Brown Staff Writer Austin Fox Managing Editor Ryan Tice Contributing Editor Steve Downey Editorial Intern Leland Mitchinson Layout And Design Jeanette Blankenship Chris Miller Contributing Photographers Lon Horwedel Per Kjeldsen Cover Photo Lon Horwedel Publisher Stu Coman Business Manager Linda Autry Circulation Manager Gail Evans Marketing/Merchandise Manager Beverly Taylor Director Of Advertising Michelle Delee-Hamilton Customer Service Lauren Saunders The Wolverine is published monthly. A one-year (12 issues) subscription is $52.99. The Wolverine is printed at The Papers in Milford, Ind. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Wolverine, P.O. Box 2331, Durham, NC 27702. Periodical postage paid at Durham, NC 27702 and additional offices. For advertising or subscription information, call 1-800-421-7751 or write The Wolverine, P.O. Box 1304, Ann Arbor, MI 48106. The Wolverine is a publication of Coman Publishing Company, 905 W. Main St, Suite 24F, Durham, NC 27701. E-Mail Address: thewolverine@comanpub.com Subscription questions: gevans@comanpub.com Web Site: www.thewolverine.com Be Heard! Send your letters to: Wolverine Letters • P.O. Box 1304 Ann Arbor, MI 48106 Or e-mail: jborton@thewolverine.com Letters may be edited for clarity or length. FROM OUR READERS The Wolverines will look to build on a pair of 10-win campaigns when they open the 2017 sea- son against Florida Sept. 2 in Arlington, Texas. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL