The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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44 THE WOLVERINE APRIL 2018 but allowed 36 sacks last year. 2. Who's the quarterback, and how much different might the of- fense look? Assuming junior Ole Miss trans- fer Shea Patterson is eligible — and there's every reason to believe he will be, if the NCAA does its job (ner- vous laugh) — he's the guy. He's immensely talented, has big-game experience against some of the na- tion's best defenses having played in the SEC and adds a dimension U-M's other two quarterbacks don't in his ability to scramble. Some compare him to former Michigan signal-caller Tate Forcier that way because of his ability to keep plays alive and make things happen with his feet. Redshirt sophomore Brandon Peters had his ups and downs last season while throwing for 672 yards behind a suspect line, but he'll still get his shot. He has got plenty of physical ability. Redshirt freshman Dylan McCaffrey, meanwhile, has been raved about since his arrival. He's a true leader and will be an out- standing quarterback in time. Harbaugh, though, seems to be in- terested in more run-pass option of- fense in which the quarterback has a choice whether to hand off or throw after the snap. He became enamored with it while watching Philadelphia run it well in a Super Bowl win over New England, and one of his new hires who figures to be heavily in- volved in the offensive game plan- ning — wide receivers coach Jim McElwain — has experience with it. If Patterson is as good as adver- tised (and we believe he is) and is im- mediately eligible, all signs point to Three Biggest Strengths Michigan fielded the youngest team in the country last year in terms of experience, so this year's squad should take a huge step up in 2018. Many of those who got their feet wet last year will be the better for it, and there are several. But there are also some position groups that will be among the best in the Big Ten, if not the country. Here are the 2018 roster's projected biggest strengths: 1. Defensive line — The Wolverines lose tackle Maurice Hurst to the NFL, and there's no denying that's a huge loss. Hurst's first step was as good as we've seen in Ann Arbor in the last 30 years, probably since Mark Messner in 1987, and he'll be tough to replace. Fifth-year senior tackle Bryan Mone is still due a breakout season, though, and sophomore counterpart Aubrey Solomon played extremely well as a true freshman. The defensive ends, meanwhile, have a chance to be spe- cial. Junior Rashan Gary was outstanding in his role last year, probably underrated despite his All-Big Ten selection. Teams rarely ran at him, and he was often the guy assigned to do the dirty work and hold the edge. He usually did it well. There's good, young talent behind the starters, and this group should excel again. 2. Cornerbacks — Michigan is quietly becoming "Corner- back U." Jourdan Lewis had an outstanding rookie season with the Dallas Cowboys, and two others who graduated last year — Channing Stribling and Jeremy Clark — spent time on NFL rosters, too. Some expected a drop-off last year, but they didn't get much of one. Junior Lavert Hill played at an All-Big Ten level most of the year and resembled Lewis in both stature and coverage, as sticky a corner as there was in the Big Ten by the end of the year. As good as he was, junior David Long was right up there, too. His pass defense was even better (leading the country with a 17.0 passer rating when targeted, per Pro Football Focus), and he improved significantly against the run. Sophomore backups Benjamin St-Juste and Ambr y Thomas also have great potential, and they'll be asked to take the next step this spring and fall. 3. Quarterback — We're going out on a limb here and as- suming junior Shea Patterson will be immediately eligible. He's a difference maker, and when it comes to offense, a great quarterback can hide a lot of warts. Sometimes he's even the difference between a bad year and a great year … see Jimmy Garoppolo with the San Fran- cisco 49ers. He was the only difference on that team in 2017, bringing a winning attitude and a great arm, and he led the 49ers to five straight wins down the stretch after they'd won one of 11 games before his arrival. Patterson is the real deal, and the Wolverines still have highly acclaimed redshirt sophomore Brandon Peters and redshirt freshman Dylan McCaffrey to push him. If Patterson is cleared and is as good as expected, this might even be the team's biggest strength. — Chris Balas Sophomore defensive tackle Aubrey Solomon broke through to earn four starting assignments last year and bolsters a defensive line that enters the fall as the team's strongest position group. PHOTO BY PER KJELDSEN