The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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JANUARY 2018 THE WOLVERINE 43 MICHIGAN FOOTBALL verines, but Michigan didn't wilt. It grabbed its first lead when it went up 22-21 with just two seconds left in the third quarter. South Carolina took the lead back on its following possession, though, before U-M regained it yet again when it went up 28-27 with 3:27 left in the contest. However, the Gamecocks were victorious, 33-28, when quarterback Dylan Thompson threw the game- winning 32-yard score with just 11 sec- onds left. — Austin Fox Three Best Players 1. Fifth-year senior defensive tackle Maurice Hurst Hurst was a force on Michigan's defensive line all season, and his efforts were rewarded with numer- ous postseason awards. He was named a first-team All-American and All-Big Ten performer by the Associated Press. Perhaps his greatest honor came from Pro Football Focus, though, which not only tabbed him as the best defensive player in the coun- try but also as the best player in the entire sport. His 13.5 tackles for loss and five sacks were obviously impressive, but the statistics don't do justice to how truly dominant he really was. 2. Redshirt junior defensive end Chase Winovich Winovich broke out in a big way in 2017, leading the Big Ten in tackles for loss (17) and tying for the lead in sacks (eight). In fact, the case could be made that Winovich had the best numbers of any defensive lineman in the conference, including Ohio State sophomore defensive end Nick Bosa (seven sacks and 14.5 tackles for loss), the recipient of the league's Defensive Lineman of the Year award. Winovich took home some hardware of his own, though, earning first-team All-Big Ten honors from the media and second-team recognition from the coaches. 3. Sophomore cornerback Lavert Hill Heading into the year, Hill was tasked with the unenviable challenge of replacing departed All-American cornerback Jour- dan Lewis in the Michigan secondary. It's safe to say he lived up to the challenge. The sophomore anchored a U-M secondary that only allowed 142.7 passing yards per game, the best mark in the entire country. Hill recorded seven passes broken up and two interceptions on the year, one of which he returned for a touchdown against Cincinnati Sept. 9. His efforts earned him second-team All-Big Ten honors from the coaches and Associated Press. Key Play At the 7:01 mark of the second quarter against Rutgers Oct. 28, fifth-year senior quarterback John O'Korn was benched in favor of redshirt freshman Brandon Peters. The offense, which had been stagnant much of the season up until that point, finally woke up. From Oct. 28 on, it averaged 26.6 points per game, compared to only 19.5 it had posted in the four confer- ence games before that. Peters' insertion as the team's quarterback not only ignited the offense, but also gave fans a po- tential look into the future. Many believe he could possibly lead the team once again next year, and he got a bit of a head start on that goal during the second half of 2017. Best Highlight This one comes all the way back in the season-opening 33-17 win against Florida Sept. 2. With just 1:40 left in the game and Michi- gan leading 26-17, Gator fifth-year senior quarterback Malik Zaire dropped back to pass in his end zone, but was blindsided by red- shirt junior defensive end Chase Winovich. The ball was jarred loose and recovered for a touchdown by fellow redshirt junior linebacker Noah Furbush, putting an excla- mation point on what was thought to be a huge victory for U-M at the time. The play was actually a perfect portrayal of an aggressive Michigan defense that racked up 39 sacks on the year, the eighth-most in the country. Surprise Performer Junior running back Karan Higdon gets the call here. After rushing for 425 yards and six touchdowns last year, Higdon was expected to play a significant role in the U-M backfield this season, but he exceeded expectations. Sophomore Chris Evans was anticipated to be the primary ball carrier, but Higdon claimed that role for his own, averaging 6.3 yards per carry while rushing for a team-high 929 yards and 11 touchdowns. The junior was well on his way to a 1,000-yard season before injuring himself in the first half of the Maryland game Nov. 11, which slowed his production down the stretch. Bold Prediction For 2018 Michigan will head into its showdown at Michigan State on Oct. 20, 2018, with an unblemished 7-0 record. The Wolverines have several challenging games before that, including the season opener at Notre Dame, a Sept. 29 road contest at Northwestern and an Oct. 13 visit from Wisconsin. If U-M can get out of the MSU contest with an 8-0 mark, a Nov. 3 visit from Penn State will likely be the only obstacle prevent- ing the Maize and Blue from heading into Columbus, Ohio, in the regular-season finale undefeated. — Austin Fox Regular-Season Superlatives Redshirt junior end Chase Winovich tied for first in the Big Ten in sacks (0.67 per game) and stood alone atop the league statistical standings in tackles for loss (1.42 per game). PHOTO BY PER KJELDSEN