# 34: WR Bryan Anderson, Central Michigan

The Verdict: At 6-foot-5, 213-pounds, Anderson represents one of the most consistent receivers in the entire country, with the senior having already compiled a resume that includes  226 career receptions and 21 career receiving touchdowns (both school records.) A two-time First Team All-MAC selection and a Freshman All American in 2006, Anderson is one of the most multi-faceted receivers in the college game today, with the uncanny ability to transition his game to fit the the needs of any situation on the field. He’s an obvious red zone threat who can be physical against defensive backs when called upon, but he’s also remarkably fluid for his size and shows tremendous precision in his routes despite being such a long strider. Anderson is a player who can both stretch the field and work the interior of zone coverages, making him an almost certain mismatch against whichever defensive personnel are assigned to cover him. A two-time academic All-Conference selection with a 3.31 GPA in biomedical sciences, Anderson’s high football IQ and obvious physical talents make him one of the sleeper non-BCS prospects to watch going into next year’s NFL draft.

Past Players: [#50: Navy LB Ross Pospisil] [#49: Fresno State RB Ryan Mathews] [#48: Wyoming DT John Fletcher] [#47: BSU WR Briggs Orsbon] [#46: EMU QB Andy Schmitt] [#45: Marshall TE Cody Slate] [#44: LA Tech WR/KR Philip Livas] [#43: CSU Gaurd Shelly Smith] [#42: Wyoming FS Chris Prosinski] [#41: SMU receiver Emmanual Sanders] [#40: UTEP QB Trevor Vittatoe] [#39: CMU DE/DT Frank Zombo] [#38: Nevada RB Vai Tuau] [#37: Marshall DE Albert McClellan] [#36: Boise State DE Ryan Winterswyk] [#35: ULM LB Cardia Jackson]

Before you read this, make sure you check out the big announcement about future ITB podcasts. That’s right kids…ESPN’s Bruce Feldman is coming back for more!

#43: LG Shelly Smith, Colorado State

The Verdict: Colorado State is one of those teams which had an aggressive inside running attack last year, and despite the fact that it was the team’s first year in Steve Fairchild’s west coast system the Ram offensive line paved the way for a respectable 4.2 yard per carry average. Not only that, but leading rusher Gartrell Johnson ran for 1476 yards on 5.3 yards a carry, thanks in large part (literally) to 6-foot-4 guard Shelly Smith. Smith earned Second Team All-Conference honors a season ago, and since coming to Fort Collins has matured into one of the best interior linemen in the conference. Particularly athletic for his size, Smith shows outstanding ability to pull from his position, while also showing a knack for pancaking smaller (but quicker) defenders in open space. Along with center Tim Walter and right guard Andrian Martinez, Smith gives Colorado State arguably the best interior line combination of any Non-BCS team going into 2009.

Past Players: [#50: Navy LB Ross Pospisil] [#49: Fresno State RB Ryan Mathews] [#48: Wyoming DT John Fletcher] [#47: BSU WR Briggs Orsbon] [#46: EMU QB Andy Schmitt] [#45: Marshall TE Cody Slate] [#44: LA Tech WR/KR Philip Livas]

The countdown rolls on with our first tight end sighting, and first player to be featured from C-USA.

#45: TE Cody Slate, Marshall

The Verdict: With four straight losing seasons, Marshall University hasn’t exactly been drawing national media attention as of late (well, that is unless you factor in a Matthew McConaughey appearance) but in Cody Slate the Thundering Heard have one of the most consistent and reliable tight ends in the country. Slate is one of those players who has put up solid numbers for seemingly forever (three straight seasons with 500+ receiving yards) but never quite makes it on the ’short list’ of the country’s most talked about tight ends. What separates Slate from other tight ends in the non-BCS conferences is his ability to separate in the downfield passing game. While he’s a solid possession receiver, Slate has above average speed for his 6-foot-4, 220-pound frame, and even toted an impressive 15.9 yard per catch average during his freshmen season. A particularly effective red zone target, Slate should not only top 200 career catches in 2009, but he should put himself in a position to hear his name called on draft day.

Past Players: [#50: Navy LB Ross Pospisil] [#49: Fresno State RB Ryan Mathews] [#48: Wyoming DT John Fletcher] [#47: BSU WR Briggs Orsbon] [#46: EMU QB Andy Schmitt]

There has been a lot of talk lately about how with the BCS, college programs are looking to go the easier route with their out of conference scheduling. Some teams claim that their conference schedule is hard enough and they just want to have a few cupcakes on their schedule, while other claim they need the 7 or 8 home games a year to fund the rest of their sports. I did a quick glance and found a few schools that should be proud of their scheduling.

In the Pac 10, a move was made a few years ago, once the 12th game was added, to play 9 conference games. Therefore, that leaves only 3 games on the out of conference slate to fill in. Both USC and Oregon filled them up with some quality opponents.

The Trojans have their yearly tilt at the end of the year against Notre Dame, who many thing will be top 10 material this year. Including the Domers, the Trojans also travel to Columbus to play Ohio State. Their final OOC game is San Jose State, which is not a tough game for them, but after playing two (potential) top 10 teams, I can let this one slide.

Oregon opens up the season traveling to the blue turf at Boise State and has other out of conference games with Utah and Purdue. I have to give the Ducks credit because those are three quality schools. Purdue will be a bit down this year but the games at Boise State and against Utah are better than the majority of the teams that can schedule 4 OOC games.

If you listened to the Phil Steele interview we had on Monday, you’ll remember how he mentioned that BYU controls their own destiny when it comes to making the BCS Championship game. You heard it right, not just a BCS Bowl, but the BCS Championship game. They open the season versus Oklahoma, and have Florida State later in the year. Those are two quality programs to go along with an increasingly tougher Mountain West and you have a difficult schedule for the Cougars.

Sticking in the Non-BCS conference, the Bulldogs of Fresno State once again loaded up their out of conference scheduling. If you remember last year they played both Rutgers and Wisconsin in back to back weeks. This year they play Wisconsin, Cincinnati (defending Big East champions), and Illinois all on the road. I won’t get on them too much for scheduling UC Davis because of what they have to face in the other 3 games.

Remember last year when there was a big deal made about Georgia finally leaving the south to play an out of conference game against Arizona State? Well hold on to your hats, the Dawgs are going west again to play the Oklahoma State Cowboys. It should be interesting to see how the Dawgs can handle the Cowboys’ high scoring offense. Besides the Cowboys, Georgia has a return game against Arizona State at home and travels to play Georgia Tech in their yearly rivalry match. With those three games, I give them a free pass (much like with Fresno State) in playing Tennessee Tech.

Finally we come to the Hokies of Virginia Tech who are no strangers to scheduling tough out of conference opponents. A few years ago they opened up with USC in our Nation’s Capital, this year they have a neutral site game against Alabama. I am really looking forward to this game. Alabama will have some holes to fill but Nick Saban has had some great recruiting classes, and Virginia Tech is clamoring to be the favorite in the ACC. A win here by the Hokies would do wonders for the ACC’s image. The Hokies also have a home game against Nebraska, who many think is the favorite in the Big 12 North, and take a trip to play East Carolina who surprised them last year. I’m sure that loss to the Pirates last year will not be forgotten when that game comes around.

As college football fans we’d love to see more games and schedules like the ones I mentioned above. For the most part, a lot of these schedules are made 6 or 7 years in advance, and that’s plenty of time for teams that were once good to go south and stink. But having said that, you never know what games or teams will come up to bite you. Who thought last year that East Carolina would beat both West Virginia and Virginia Tech? Just because it doesn’t look good on paper, does not mean it won’t be a quality game.

Brian and I need to recharge this weekend before the big show with Phil Steele on Monday, but before we leave you with sweet dreams of PS numbers and Plus/Minus ratings we submit to you the latest installment of our countdown of the 50 best non-BCS conference players in the country. Enjoy!

#48: DT John Fletcher, Wyoming

The Verdict: Wyoming fans did not have a lot to hang their hats on last season. Yet lost behind a 4-8 record, an inept offense, and a truly egregious -22 turnover margin was the play of defensive tackle John Fletcher, who garnered second team All-Mountain West honors for the second consecutive season. While he saw a dropoff in his sack production from 2007 to 2008, he comes into his senior campaign with 17 total sacks and 23.5 career tackles for a loss. A versatile defensive lineman at 6-foot-6, 272 pounds, Fletcher has served as the cornerstone for Wyoming’s Top 40 ranked defenses each of the past two seasons, and uses his unique blend of size and strength to plug up gaps in the Pokes’ 3-4 defensive front. While he may not put up the gaudy statistics of TCU’s Jerry Hughes or BYU’s Jan Jorgenson, Fletcher’s inside presence gives Wyoming a chance to be competitive in the Mountain West going into 2009 and earns him the 48^th spot in our countdown.

Past Players:

#49: Fresno St. RB Ryan Mathews

#50: Navy LB Ross Pospisil

Ok, so it may be shameless self promotion on my part, but the early consensus is that it does. Some interesting thoughts in my latest at GoMids.com.

With the United States finding itself in arguably the greatest economic recession since the Great Depression, the value of a football scholarship has become much more than a luxury for hundreds of American families; it has become a necessity. Yet for a university like the Naval Academy, does the country’s economic downturn hold previously unforeseen recruiting benefits?
According to some it does, as both the prospect of a free college education and post graduate job security have attracted more high school football recruits to consider taking their skills to the likes of Army, Navy, and Air Force. Count Navy head coach Ken Niumatalolo amongst those who say they have seen an upturn in interest for the three programs since the economy went south last year, as the second year headman recently testified to his belief that the poor economy had “opened up doors” for his own team in recruiting bigger, faster, and stronger athletes.

“I think the economy has helped us,” said Niumatalolo during a recent interview. “Before [the economy went south] there were people who would not even talk to us. There were some parents who would say ‘my son is not going to a military school’ but now they are like ‘hey this might not be a bad option.’ I think that has opened up other doors that in prior years were closed.”

While recruiting experts aren’t certain of the exact level of increased interest on the part of recruits in attending service academies, they do admit that Niumatalolo’s assessment stands to reason given the country’s current economic circumstances. Not only does the incentive of a free education make sense in winning parents over to the idea of sending their sons to a service academy, but the recruiting “sells” commonly associated with schools like Army and Navy take on increased significance given the prevailing job market for college graduates. This dynamic, say experts, gives schools like Army and Navy a “leg up” in recruiting forward thinking young men to the gridiron, as more recruits realize that a degree from similar academic institutions may not automatically assure them of immediate post graduate employment.

 I think it is a dynamic to keep an eye on over the next few years. Don’t get me wrong - I’m not saying a return to the days of Army and Navy notching up national titles is immanent - but may could see a rise in win totals for all three schools in the near future.

Somewhere between taking shots at Lane Kiffin and babbling excessively about Rich Ellerson during last week’s podcast, Brian and I forgot to mention the absurd amount of coaching changes that took place this offseason in the Mid American Conference. Never one to shy away from giving my opinion on all things related to the non-BCS conferences, here are some thoughts on the new MAC coaches for 2009.

Ball State

Out: Brady Hoke (Hired by San Diego State)

In: Stan Parrish (Former Ball State OC)

I think this is both a good long-term and short-term hire. Parrish is actually one of the best recruiters in the conference, and has a proven track record of attracting mid and low tier Big 10 prospects to come and play for the Cardinals (see: Nate Davis, Briggs Orsbon.) I think he was one of the most underrated coordinators in the entire FBS over the past several season, and should keep Ball State rolling offensively. The real challenge will be on the defensive side of the ball. Ball State should be fine considering the depth returning this year (seven returning starters), but with Hoke leaving you have to wonder if they will struggle down the road.

Bowling Green

Out: Gregg Brandon (Fired)

In: Dave Clausen (Former Tennessee OC)

Clausen was one of the very best head coaches in all of the FCS when he coached at Richmond (2004-2007) and brings with him experience as both a headman and a coordinator to the Falcon program. I know he did not have much success at Tennessee last year but to tell you the truth it is hard to go into an SEC school and transform an offense in one season, especially considering how ill-equipped the Vols were in terms of personnel. Bowling Green was a decent 6-6 last year and although I questioned the decision to fire Gregg Brandon, I think the move to Clausen is ultimately in the program’s best interest and should pay dividends immediately. 

Eastern Michigan

Out: Jeff Genyk (Fired)

In: Ron English (Former Louisville DC)

I actually thought Jeff Genyk was a decent coach and an underrated recruiter, but there is no disputing that his teams underperformed in Ypsilanti and after five years it was time for a change. English is a good short-term hire because he can help shore up the defense immediately, while he inherits a veteran and already strong EMU offense led by senior QB Andy Schmitt. I like English’s recruiting ties to Big 10 country, but ultimately I question whether or not he can sustain success at Eastern Michigan. Like Genyk coming into EMU a few years back, English has never been a HC before and despite success as a high profile coordinator will have to deal with the unique challenges of selling a very tough program to sell. Not exactly the most charismatic guy in the world, this hire may end up going south after one or two good seasons. 

Miami (OH)

Out: Shane Montgomery (Fired)

In: Mike Haywood (Former ND Offensive Assistant)

I don’t like this hire in the long-term or the short-term. Miami University is a program that is used to winning in the MAC but has very little going for them going into 2009. The offense was almost nonexistsant last year, while the defense loses its best players to graduation. Haywood is a smash mouth football coach with a great personality, but can he make this program competitive in a MAC conference which seems to be heading the way of the Big XII in terms of a formula for offensive success? He has had very limited coaching experience in the past and although he brings “name” recognition, you have to wonder if being associated with Charlie Weis really means as much as it used to for a high school recruit. I think this was a “wrong person, wrong time” hire for the program and a “wrong school, wrong situation” for Haywood.

Toledo

Out: Tom Amstutz (Resigned)

In: Tim Beckman (Former Oklahoma St. Defesnive Coordinator)

Amstutz may have been the butt of a number of fat and gambling jokes during his career at Toledo, but people forget that he was one of the best coaches ANYWHERE in the country between 2001-2005, winning two conference titles and four division titles during that time. That being said Tim Beckman is a good hire in the sense that he has experience scheming against spread offenses coming over from Oklahoma State, a skill that should serve him well against the MAC’s increasingly offensive and spread oriented style of play. Beckman also has great recruiting ties to Ohio thanks to his days as a position coach at Ohio State, and should be in a position to attract his fair share of talent to a Toledo program which has heard nothing but bad news as of late. While Amstutz was one of the MAC’s best coaches, I like this hire and think it was a great move by the school.

Thoughts?

It’s a bright and sunny Saturday here in central Maryland. By all accounts I should be outside cutting the grass or grilling up some thick cut of red meat while blaring a Kenny Chesney song in the background. But I’m not doing any of those things.

In fact, I’m currently in a dimly lit room of my basement staring back and forth between my computer screen and a much too difficult to read, will-surely-destroy-my-eyesite-by-the-time-I’m-30 magazine page informing me about the correlation between yards per point and offensive success.

It can only mean one thing.

That’s right college football fans. Call it Christmas in May, because today Phil Steele Magazine arrived in good old West Friendship, Maryland. Needless to say, this makes Adam a very happy young man.

Brian and I will of course have much more in lead-up to our interview with Phil Steele next week (to be posted here at the ITB website and on Itunes on Monday, June 8^th), but for now I thought I’d drop some initial first impressions. Your ridiculously obsessive and personal questions are of course welcomed to these otherwise random notes. Enjoy!

• Texas and Florida in the National Title. I know: Phil really went out on a limb here, didn’t he?
• Notre Dame is Phil’s pick to make it to the Gator Bowl, to face off against Clemson (!?!)
• Bradford, Tebow, and McCoy are Phil’s top three quarterbacks. CMU’s Dan LeFevour, Ole Miss’ Jevan Snead, Nevada’s Colin Kaepernick, and (here’s the shocker) Arkansas’ Ryan Mallet round out the top seven.
• For the first time in which I can ever remember, Phil has included FCS players in his player rankings.
• Phil’s Conference Rankings based on last year (in descending order): SEC, Big 12, Pac-10, MWC, ACC, Big 10, Big East, CUSA, IND, WAC, MAC, Sun Belt.
• Phil says Illinois will be the most improved team in the country this year.
• Surprise Team Top Five: 1) Penn State 2) Rutgers 3) Cal 4) Notre Dame 5) Illinois.
• Preseason Top 10 you ask? Here we go: 1) Florida 2) Texas 3) USC 4) Oklahoma 5) Penn State 6) Mississippi 7) Notre Dame 8 ) Alabama 9) Cal 10) Ohio State.
• Phil likes BYU to win the MWC, UTEP and Southern Miss in CUSA, Boise in the WAC (seven of his nine power rankings call for Boise to go undefeated), CMU and Ohio in the MAC, and Troy in the Sun Belt.
• Florida has Phil’s highest +/- rating at 140.00. NMSU has his lowest at 90.80.
• Phil has revised his experienced charts. Army and Navy and Air Force are no longer at the top on a yearly basis. This year’s most experienced team is Minnesota. Missouri is his least experienced team.
• From the Turnover=Turnaround charts. Oklahoma, Florida, Buffalo, Wake, and Ohio State “going down?”. Washington St, Wyoming, Washington, North Texas, and Army “going up?”
• Same two girls as always modeling bikinis. How old are those ads?
• Lettermen Returning Indicator: Toldeo, UAB, and Stanford have an 89% chance of improved record. Navy, Missouri, and South Carolina have 82% chance of weaker or the same record.
• Phil picks Georgia Tech to outrush Navy in 2009. Dammit.
• Phil likes Tebow for the Heisman.

I need oxygen. Keep those questions coming!

Sports Illustrated’s Cory McCartney recently revealed his list of “players poised to become college football’s next household names.” Nice list Cory, but you weren’t exactly going out on a limb in selecting guys like Baylor’s Robert Griffin or Michigan’s Brandon Minor now, were you? Here’s a few more under-the-radar names (and some familiar faces too) to add to the ridiculously early preseason hype list.  

QB Ricky Dobbs, Navy- Ask any Navy fan and they’ll tell you there is just something special about the junior-to-be quarterback. While maybe not the most technically sounds Navy quarterback to command the option offense in recent years, Dobbs shined in the few opportunities he had to play in 2008, sparking Navy’s unthinkable comeback against Temple while powering the Mids past SMU and Northern Illinois. He’s a physical runner inside who isn’t afraid to take on linebackers, while his arm strength and accuracy in the passing game give Navy’s run heavy offense another dimension. If he can continue his progress in learning the option reads he should be in for a monster year in 2009.

RB Joe Martinek, Rutgers- It may be all too easy for some fans and media members to stereotype the 6-foot, 215-pound redshirt sophomore as your run-of-the-mill ‘fullback’, but New Jersey’s all-time leader in prep rushing yards was among the leaders that sparked the Scarlet Knight resurgence during the second half of last season. Not just a bruiser, Martinek averaged 5.3 yards per rush in limited duty last season, and recently ran for 124 yards on just 18 carries in a Rutgers spring scrimmage. He’s the most complete rusher on the Scarlet Knight roster and despite the likelihood of having the split carries with two other backs should earn the starting job come September.

WRs David Nelson/Riley Cooper, Florida- On a team known for a battering ram quarterback and the dangerous presence of a bunch of shifty “little guys” who allegedly run in the 4.2 range, it’s not hard to see why the 6′5” David Nelson and the 6′3” Riley Cooper are often overshadowed when one begins a conversation of the Gator offense. But don’t overlook either of these receivers, as both return for their senior seasons in 2009. Nelson and Cooper combined for just 30 catches a year ago, but the two seniors also sported eight touchdown grabs between them. With Tim Tebow looking to refine his passing game and Percy Harvin moving on to the NFL expect Urban Meyer’s offense to look more to their senior leaders on the outside next season.

RB Jewell Hampton, Iowa- Replacing Shonne Greene is not going to be easy, but the Hawkeyes do have a proven role-player from last year’s squad ready to step in full-time in sophomore running back Jewell Hampton. While undersized at only five-foot, nine inches tall, Hampton runs with deceptive lower body strength and a tremendous burst which make him difficult for defenders to tackle. He finished last year with seven rushing touchdowns in limited duty, and should be the go-to playmaker for the Iowa offense next year.

FS Harrison Smith, Notre Dame- Let’s just get this out of the way; Harrison ‘Hayseed’ Smith was good as a “hybrid” defender in Notre Dame’s defense last year, but this guy is way too athletic to just be a situational player. The fact that he recorded 57 tackles, 3.5 sacks, and seven passes defended was certainly impressive given the fact that he wasn’t playing his natural safety position, making this year’s move to free safety all the more conducive to his continued success. He should have no trouble reminding Irish fans of a bigger and more athletic version of former Domer standout Tom Zbikowski.

WR McKay Jacobson, BYU- Perhaps as if to follow in the footsteps of another impact receiver at BYU who took his two year mission trip for the LDS church following a fantastic freshmen campaign, Jacobson returns to Provo this season just as Austin Collie departs for the NFL. BYU already has an All-American tight end candidate in Dennis Pitta, a fact which should allow the 5′11” Jacobson (who is among the fastest players on BYU’s roster) to flourish as an immediate weapon for returning quarterback Max Hall. Jacobson averaged 19.5 yards a catch as a freshmen in 2006, and despite coming off of his mission trip should be poised to put up big numbers in 2009.

LB Malcolm Smith, USC- The Trojans lose arguably one of the best linebacking corps in Pac-10 history with the departures of Brian Cushing, Ray Mauluaga, and Clay Matthews, but a new generation of USC linebackers looks primed to step up. A former running back, Smith should fill in nicely as the weakside ‘backer in USC’s defense, as the 6′2” junior possesses outstanding athleticism and lateral quickness which make him a playmaker against the run and the pass. He has been the most noticeable standout thus far for USC’s defense in spring ball, and should continue his success into the season. 

QB Andy Schmitt, Eastern Michigan- The Eagle signal caller has been one of the MAC’s best kept secrets for some time, but despite going into his senior season in 2009 has never garnered much attention outside of Ypsilanti. That all should change come September, as Schmitt returns fully healthy to lead new head coach Ron English’s EMU offense. Schmitt is an elite athlete for his size and one of the better dual-threat quarterbacks in the ranks of the non-BCS, and could be the difference between another losing season and a breakthrough campaign for the Eagles.

QB Bo Levi Mitchell, SMU- It’s not easy coming into an FBS school and starting at quarterback as a true freshmen, which is exactly what June Jones’ rookie signal caller found out last year in the Mustangs’ disastrous 1-11 campaign. Despite his struggles Mitchell still completed 56% of his passes for over 3000 yards a season ago, and with receivers Alderick Robinson and Emmanuel Sanders back in 2009 Mithcell should only get better. With a season of June Jones’ run-and-shoot system under their belts expect Mitchell and the Mustang offense to put up Hawaii like numbers in 2009.

WR Jeff Fuller, Texas A&M- The Big 12 South loses its most high profile target in Michael Crabtree to the NFL, but look for another physical and athletically gifted wideout to step out of the Lone Star state in A&M’s Fuller. He was a Honorable Mention All-Big 12 selection as a true freshmen a season ago, and set an Aggie receiving record with nine touchdowns on the year. At 6′4” he has the frame to be an elite red zone threat, while the continued progression of quarterback Jerrod Johnson under Mike Sherman’s guidance should lead Fuller to an even better sophomore season.

The 2008 season was one that many Wolverine fans want to forget. The start of the year was very promising, when Michigan defeated Florida in the Capital One Bowl, sending their head coach Lloyd Carr out as a winner. But after that moment, everything snowballed downhill.

Rich Rodriquez came into Ann Arbor, as well as the baggage from a turmoil filled divorce with his former school, and alma mater, West Virginia. Rodriquez began making enemies not only at other schools, but also his own as he completely changed the offense and defense.

All of that could be brushed aside with a few wins, but the Wolverines started the season with a home loss to Utah. Next week was a bit better with a win over Miami (OH), but that was 1 of 3 total wins that the Wolverine fans would see. Overall, Michigan went 3-9 and in the middle part of the season rode a 5 game losing streak. It was all capped off with another loss to their rival Ohio State, in embarrassing fashion, and Rodriquez’s comments that Michigan fans need to “Get a Life”.

Now enter into the 2009 season where hope is aplenty. Another recruiting class under the belt of Rodriquez, and two new quarterbacks come into Ann Arbor ready to revitalize this program. Both freshman, Tate Forcier and Denard Robinson, are ready to do battle for the starting quarterback job in 2009. With Steven Threet gone the way of a transfer andNick Sheridan out injured; it will be either Forcier or Robinson under center when the season starts in September.

Michigan had their spring game recently and one would have to think that Forcier has the upper hand; only because he has a spring practice under his belt and Robinson will not be enrolled till this summer. Word from the spring game shows a lot of optimism about the offense, but does that say much for a team that was anemic at best last season.

I can understand the excitement that Wolverine fans are having, but they have to be realistic. They did not exactly have the best offensive line nor defense last year. And if they expect to have a running quarterback, they better hope that Forcier and Robinson are durable enough to take the physical abuse that they will get in the Big Ten.

Saying that I expect the Wolverines to go bowling again this season. With the way the Big Ten is shaping up, no team is a clear cut favorite and a lot of the top teams have huge holes to fill, I think that a 6 or 7 win season is within reach for Michigan this season, but not a Big Ten title.