The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/859588
SEPTEMBER 2017 THE WOLVERINE 13 INSIDE MICHIGAN ATHLETICS 1 Was where former U-M quarterback Tom Brady ranked in ESPN.com's GOAT [Greatest Of All Time] Index, where vari- ous Super Bowl-winning coaches and executives ranked the league's top signal-callers since 1978 (that year was used because that was the first year after the league changed blocking and coverage rules to open up the passing game). He ranked first or second on nine of 10 ballots and had a lowest rank of sixth. 2 U-M defensive linemen made ESPN.com's countdown of the top 50 players in college football. Fifth-year senior defensive tackle Maurice Hurst Jr. was called "a pillar of Michigan's defensive front" and checked in at No. 48, while sophomore defensive end Rashan Gary made the cut at No. 38, with the writer noting "sudden, speedy bursts are a strength for Gary." The two Wolverines "will team up … to form one of the country's best pass-rushing duos." 2 Brady seasons made Football Outsiders' best quarterback campaigns of the past 30 years — his 2010 results ranked fourth, while his showing in 2007 checked in second, trail- ing only Peyton Manning's 2004 season. "Brady led the NFL in everything in 2007," the website noted of his latter campaign. "Not only did he have the record-breaking 50 touchdown passes, but he was also No. 1 with 4,806 yards, 7.81 net yards per pass and a 68.9 percent completion rate." 3 Assistant coaches were included on ESPN.com's "absolutely perfect college basketball team" to serve under head man Rick Pitino, including John Beilein. Writer Myron Medcalf called the 11th-year Michigan mentor "the most underrated coach in the country. He knows the keys to developing raw talent, though. Just ask the six first-round picks he has pro- duced during his time at Michigan." 4 Of the Big Ten's best 10 five-star signees since 2013 wound up at Michigan, according to a recent Rivals.com ranking. No. 1 Rashan Gary (No. 1 overall recruit in his class), No. 2 Jabrill Peppers (No. 3), No. 3 Derrick Green (No. 8) and No. 7 Donovan Peoples-Jones (No. 12) made the cut. Ohio State also boasted four of the top 10, while Penn State and Mary- land each accounted for one. 39 Is where junior forward Moritz Wagner checked in on The- BigLead.com's countdown of the top 50 college basketball players for 2017-18. Writer Jason McIntyre commended him for his 26-point explosion against Louisville in the NCAA Tournament and noted Wagner "only played 23.9 minutes a night but averaged 12.1 [points per game] while shooting 39 percent on three-pointers." 44.5 Inches sophomore wing IBI WATSON leaped in his vertical jump test Aug. 4. According to strength and conditioning coach Jon Sanderson, who posted the result on Twitter, it is a new Michigan record and an improvement of 5.5 inches from when he first arrived on campus. Kentucky transfer Charles Matthews, who will be a redshirt junior in 2017- 18, and sophomore guard Xavier Simpson both checked in with 42-inch leaps, while senior guard Muhammad- A l i A b d u r - R a h k m a n c l o c k e d 3 . 0 s e co n d s on the 3/4-court sprint test, which is a record in Beilein's 10-plus years at the helm. By The NUMBERS PHOTO BY PER KJELDSEN