Diaries

No Wrestling taking place this weekend as everyone prepares for Big Ten's next weekend. Seeding for will be announced at the beginning of the week and I'll have a tournament preview after that. I have been working on possible seeding results, but might as well just wait on the official word and see how the brackets will look after that.

The NCAA did recently announce the NCAA tournament qualifier allocations for each conference. These guarantee the X number of top placers at each weight make it into NCAA's. Every conference gets at least 1, going to the champion. The Big Ten has received 64 spots this year. The second leading conference is Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association with 45. Big 12 3rdwith 33. Pac-10 26. ACC 21.

Each Weight contains 33 spots. After the automatic qualifiers are decided, The remaining at-large spots will be given out. Automatic bids are anywhere from 27-29 spots depending on weight. Leaving about 4-6 at-large bids left after conference meets.

Here is how the Big Ten allocations look and where Michigan's wrestler rank there:

• 125 – 5 spots. One of the Big Ten's lowest numbers for qualifiers with 2-3 serious contenders. UM's Boyle comes in around 5thhere. Can't have any setbacks in the tournament.

• 133- 8 spots. Loaded weight for the B10. About 4 serious contenders. UM's Stevens ranks about 7thwith a strong possibility of placing higher.

• 141 – 6 spots. Top heavy weight for the B10. Top 4 guys in the conference rank in the top 4 in the nation. Number 5 ranks 7thnationally. After that is a big drop off. UM's Russell ranks #1 and has beat all the top contenders already.

• 149 – 8 spots. One of the more open weights with a clear, but, not overly impressive favorite. Will be a competitive weight. Michigan's Grajales ranks anywhere from 4th-8th. Probably a good thing there is a lot of spots here as he can be very inconsistent.

• 157 – 6 spots. 2 serious contenders and a grab bag after that. UM's Zeerip is going to come in around the cutoff here. A good tournament and he can crack the top 4.

• 165 – 5 spots. Probably the weakest weight for the B10. I originally had UM's Yates ranked about 5th. However, Wisconsin's Andrew Howe is rumored to make it back from injury in time for this meet. If he is close to being healthy enough, he's the clear favorite as the returning national champ, making a lot tougher task for Yates to get in. I think if he misses out here, he'd be looking good for an at-large given the questions surrounding Howe leaving 6 at-large spots here.

• 174 – 8 spots. Pretty competitive weight here. A clear favorite, then things get closer. UM's Zeerip shouldn't have a problem making the 8. A good tournament should get him into the top 4.

• 184 – 6 spots. Top contenders will make this a competitive weight, but, after that it gets a little weaker. The low spots here is bad news for UM's Collins. I don't have in the top 8 here.

• 197 – 6 spots. 6 B10 wrestlers ranked in the top 11 here with UM's Biondo being the 6th. So he can't afford any setbacks. After the top 6 though, things drop off quite a bit.

• Hwt – 6 spots. Always a weird weight. The favorite is prone to get upset. UM's Apland can beat anyone here, but probably ranks around 6th. Unless he tanks, he should manage a spot.

Michigan has a good chance at getting 9 of their 10 weights into NCAA's. That's good for them as their strength is in numbers to have a good showing at the national level. As far as Big Ten's, I'll have more in the preview, but, they will be fighting for that 4th spot at best. Should be a good tournament between PSU and Iowa with Minnesota just on the outside of them. Wisconsin could make a good run with the return of Howe, giving them a legit shot at 4 B10 Champions.(133,165,184,197). Michigan is hurt by only having 1 real shot at a B10 title. Those placement points are vital.

Before I start, I just want to thank whoever created the "groping for optimism" tag before I could.  After last night's miserable ending, I felt like looking for a reason to be positive. 

Anyway, a few days ago I put up a side-by-side comparison of Michigan and Virginia Tech.  The Hokies are a team that most bracketologists not only have in the tournament, but many have above the "last four in", and the case can certainly be made that Michigan's resume is stronger.

Today, I thought I'd look at a bubble team that the BTN compared Michigan with last night: the Butler Bulldogs.  Butler is 19-9, with a 12-5 record in a fairly competitive Horizon League.  Michigan, however, is now 16-12 in D1 play, and 7-9 in the B1G.  Here, again, are each team's wins and losses, with common opponents in bold.  I did the losses a little  differently this time; since Michigan has three more losses, I listed those first and then did the  remaining 9 side-by-side.  Also, these RPI numbers are from before last night's games.  Wisconsin's RPI is probably a little higher, Florida States is a little lower, but it's not a big deal.

Wins:

Butler                                   Michigan

RPI     Team                           RPI     Team

37        @Cleveland St.            36        @ Michigan St.

37        Cleveland St.              41        Harvard

48        vs. Florida St.              61        @  Penn St.

55        Valparaiso                   61        Penn St.

81        vs. Washington St.      64        @ Clemson

107      vs. Utah                      67     Oakland

112      Wright St.                    80        Northwestern

141      Stanford                     107      Utah

153      @  Detroit                   172      @ Iowa

153     Detroit                         172      Iowa

171     @Wisc. Green Bay        181      Indiana

171      Wisc. Green Bay          250      Bowling Green

183      Ball State                     255      Bryant

202      @ Siena                        263      Gardner-Webb

212      @ Loyola (Ill.)               280      N.C. Central

233      Miss. Valley St.            319      S.C. Upstate

273     Youngstown St.

290     @ Illinois-Chicago

290     Illinois-Chicago

Losses:

Butler                                 Michigan

RPI     Team                           RPI     Team

                                                1      Kansas

                                                4     @ Ohio St.

                                                4     Ohio St.

6          vs. Duke                       9      Purdue

23        @ Louisville                 19     @ Wisconsin

24        @ Xavier                      19     Wisconsin (guh)

55        @ Valparaiso                22     vs. Syracuse

108      @ Wisc.-Milwaukee      39      Minnesota

108      Wisc.-Milwaukee          41     @ Illinois

112      @ Wright St.                 51     vs. UTEP

133      Evansville                     76     @ Northwestern

273      @ Youngstown St.       178     @ Indiana

The quality of top wins is about the  same.  Butler's top five wins are roughly equivalent to Michigan's top five.  While the RPI numbers average one spot better for Butler, Michigan has three road wins in that group to Butler's one road win and two neutral-site wins.  Michigan's next three wins are  all significantly better than Butler's.  Where Butler cleans up in this comparison is in their wins against teams with an RPI over 150.  Their wins against terrible teams are against less terrible teams than the ones Michigan played.  Apparently bracketologists find this to be important.

As for the losses, there is truly no comparison.  Even comparing Butler's 9 losses to Michigan's worst 9 losses, Michigan wins the comparison by a wide margin.  Purdue and the two Wisconsin losses are  roughly the same as Butler's top three losses, but Butler's five losses outside the top 100 stand out like a sore hand.  Youngstown State?  Really?

The way I look at this is that Michigan has better wins against the top 150, and Butler has better wins against the bottom 150.  Michigan has lost to far better teams, a result of their much more difficult schedule.  Against all teams ranked outside the top 25, Butler is 19-6, while Michigan is 16-5.  Both have about the same winning percentage in that regard, but Michigan's losses were to much more difficult competition. 

Let's look at it a different way, the way that the bracketologists do:

RPI: Michigan is #58, Butler is #47.

SOS: Michigan is #25, Butler is #74.

Record against the top 100: Butler is 5-4, Michigan is 7-11.

When you look at it in this simplistic a form, you can understand why Butler frequently gets put into the field (also, last year's tournament) and Michigan doesn't sniff the bubble.  However, a closer look shows the comparison is far closer.  It also shows that wins in the  last two games might not be enough.  Unfortunately, what gets left out in this view is:

Against teams 100-200: Butler is 8-4, Michigan is 4-1.

Against teams with RPI>200: Butler is 6-1, Michigan is 5-0.

If Michigan, rather than playing Kansas, OSU twice, and Purdue, had lost to IUPUI (RPI #102) four times,  both teams would have 5 bad losses, but Michigan would now be 7-6 against the top 100, and the resumes would look the same, except Michigan's losses would be to better teams.  

If Michigan beats Minnesota on Saturday, I'll continue this series of comparisons with a look at Gonzaga.  If not, it will be time to focus fully on hockey.

Backs to the wall, stood row 42.

Up in back to support the Maize and Blue.

We'll stand, no one behind us to block.

We'll stand, the cheer of the fans is a rock,

on which the team can build, and so can rise anew.

Backs to the wall, battled the Maize and Blue.

Though they may fall, they fought to find their way through.

They'll stand, and fight those who stand in their way.

They'll stand, and with all their hearts they will play.

It's not always enough, but that doesn't stop row 42.

Hail to the Victors, leaders and best.

They can wear a loss proudly, like a win on their chests.

And we will support them, the wins and the rest,

sing the fans in row 42.

The team didn't win tonight, against Wisconsin. I was at the very top, section 8, row 42. But even from that far away, I could see clearly how hard they were trying, how much getting somewhere big this season means to the team, and hoiw they played their guts out. I saw them dive for so many loose balls. I saw Zack Novak stretching farther than I knew he could to pull down critical rebounds against a great reboudning team. I saw Darius Morris working as hard as he could to create shots in one of the best defenses out there.

They didn't win, but I've never been more proud to stand up and cheer for a team, and I've never been more proud to sing the Victors. It was obvious they deserved it from all the way up.

As Brady Hoke and Co. look to reverse the offensive transition that took place under Rich Rodriguez, running back will be a main piece to getting Michigan where they want to be offensively. With six returning backs and two additions to the 2011 class, Hoke has depth to work with, but would like to add an elite runner of his choosing with the upcoming recruiting cycle.

There are six names that have surfaced so far with Michigan extending offers. Matt Jones (6'2", 200 lbs) from Seffner, Florida who recently commited to the Gators, current Ohio State commit Bri'onte Dunn (6'2", 215 lbs) from Canton, Ohio also received a Michigan offer. Ronald Darby (5'11", 172 lbs) out of Oxon Hill, Maryland is on this list, although he's probably being recruited as a defensive back. Darby has had the most contact with Michigan defensive backs coach Curt Mallory, and says he's definitely interested in Michigan. "They have a strong traditional program. The coaches seem cool, and the education is real strong," said Darby. "I want to commit late in the summer or in the beginning of the season, so I'm going to be looking for the school that fits me best; a place that feels like home."

One of the most sought after running backs in the country, Keith Marshall (5'11", 190 lbs) in North Carolina not only has an offer from the Wolverines, but has mutual interest as well. "Coach Montgomery offered me sometime last week; I'm definitely interested. They were one of the teams I liked growing up, and then I started liking Georgia and USC," said Marshall. With around twenty two offers in hand, Marshall will be able to choose from any program he sees fits best. "I plan on narrowing down my list this summer; I don't really have a top group yet," Marshall said. "I'm going to be looking at the overall direction of the football program, as well as the academics." Keith says his biggest strengths are his speed, acceleration, and vision, while he still has a few things to work on. "I'd prefer to play in a pro style offense, so I'm working on getting bigger and stronger so I can run between tackles at the next level," he said.

Marshall's speed has definitely caught the eye of college programs, he reports his fastest time is a 4.25 forty time, and maybe even more impressive he reports a similar GPA around 4.1 overall. Marshall ran for 1600 yards and 18 TD's this past season. 

To stick with the theme of both size and speed, Greg Garmon (6'1", 190 lbs) out of Erie, Pennsylvania was the most recent recipient of a Wolverine offer. Garmon says his game is similar to that of Reggie Bush with the combination of his size, speed, and playmaking abilities. Those are some big shoes to compare yourself to, but Garmon is confident in what he can do on the field. "I would like to run in a pro style offense, because I'm more of a down hill runner, but yeah I would compare myself somewhat to a Reggie Bush," Garmon said. 

Specifically with Michigan, Greg is from the midwest and has familiarity with the Wolverines program. "I'm very interested in Michigan. I hope I can visit there soon, I heard great things about it from a friend of mine that goes there," he said. When a prospect says they are very interested in a school this early on it can often be relative, but that doesn't seem to be the case with Garmon. "After everything is done [Michigan] will be one of the top schools I pick from," said Garmon. 

The final running back boasting a Michigan offer (thus far) is Norman, Oklahoma back Donovan Roberts (6'0", 195 lbs). Roberts highlight film is the epitome of a physical back. He breaks tackle after tackle, and doesn't seem to shy away from contact. "Every time I get the ball, a lot of backs will try to just get out of bounds if they're by the sideline, but I'm more of a physical back. I'm going to do everything I can to get that extra couple yards," said Roberts. 

Donovan has been in communication with the new coaching staff, but is still building the relationship to get more comfortable. "I want to learn a little more about the coaches, because I know they're new. I've always loved the way that Michigan plays," he said. "The coaches told me how they're going to be switching up the offense to more of a pro style, which is good. They told me how they want to fix Michigan, and what they're doing with the program." Talking to him you would think that he grew up in the state of Michigan, with how he speaks of the Wolverines. "Michigan has always been a high caliber team. I've always watched them and they've always been a top team. We're definitely going to work out something to see if I can come down there in the spring or the summer. I just have to figure it out with my parents," said Roberts. 

Although he's from Oklahoma, and Norman at that, Roberts says the hometown Sooners aren't a big draw for him. "I have interest in Oklahoma State, but not as much with Oklahoma. A lot of people think I would because of where I'm from. I'm just trying to look around, and see everyone that's interested," Roberts said. As far as a timetable or timeline for his decision, Donovan is just letting everything fall into place. "Some people try to wait it out, but I'm just going to go with the flow. If an opportunity comes by and I want to commit early, then I will. I'm probably just going to see how everything flows and take it from there," he said. 

While he's had no in person contact with the Michigan coaches yet, Donovan feels 100% comfortable and confident that these will be the coaches to turn the Michigan program around. "I've really enjoyed the fact that they've shown interest in me. Those coaches are there for a reason and they're trying to get the program better, I think they're going to do it," said Roberts. 

This list will definitely grow as Michigan continues to find new running back prospects that fit with what they're looking for. They have targeted some of the top backs in the country and judging by the early feelings from some of these prospects, the Michigan staff has put themselves in a position to contend for their services. 

DE Matt Godin just got back from an unofficial visit to Ann Arbor, and I caught up with him to get his reaction. There was no commitment on this trip. Matt will take a little more time with his decision just to make sure it's right.

TOM: How was the trip?

MATT: I loved it. It was probably a 9 out of 10.

TOM: So walk me through what happened, and who you met. What made it a 9?

MATT: I came in and saw Coach Singletary in Schembechler Hall. That was my first time there, so I was blown away by that. It was awesome. Coach Singletary took me in to see Coach Montgomery, and I sat with him for awhile. He told me everything basically, how they would use me, the scheme and where they want me.

TOM: How do they want to use you on the field?

MATT: They said probably in the 5 technique, possibly playing around 290. They said that would let me stop the run, but I could still get some pass rush in too. [Ed.: This would be the strongside DE spot.]

TOM: Did you get a chance to meet with Coach Hoke and Mattison, too?

MATT: Yeah, I talked to Coach Hoke for about 30 minutes in his office. We talked about everything, and you can tell he doesn't take any crap. He's ready to bring Michigan back. He was basically telling me how they need defensive linemen, and they think I can help bring Michigan back. I talked to Coach Mattison before that, and he threw on the Ravens film to go over. It was funny because I brought one of my friends and he joked before hand that Coach Mattison would probably put the Ravens film on.

TOM: It sounds like the trip was a success then?

MATT: I absolutely loved it, a lot of it was more of what the coaches were saying and how they want to bring Michigan back. Also, at some schools you don't really see the players that much, but I walked in there and all the players were in the locker room joking around. It was a good experience, especially for my dad to be there. He's a season ticket holder for 30 years, and for him to see his son get a scholarship from the university he loves is great. 

Offensive line is one of the harder positions to recruit because it takes longer to evaluate players who will change vastly in college. In addition, there are different styles of offense that require different types of linemen.

However, every year there are a few standouts in recruiting that everyone wants no matter the offense. This year Illinois offensive tackle Dan Voltz (6'5", 290 lbs) is one of those recruits. With around twenty offers already from some of the biggest programs, Voltz will be one of the more sought-after linemen in this class. I caught up with Dan to ask him about his recruitment, and how Michigan factors in. Here are his highlights, then the interview.

TOM: First, for anyone that has never seen you play, can you describe what kind of football player you are? Maybe what you bring to the table.

DAN: I bring 100% effort all the time. I am an extremely hard worker, and I will do anything to become a better football player. I think I play physical and I play offensive line the way it's supposed to be played. I also think I'm pretty athletic for a big guy.

TOM: With your recruitment, Michigan has offered you already, is that a school that you want to learn more about?

DAN: Yes, I'm really interested in Michigan. They offer a great combination of top notch academics, and a legendary football program. I will definitely be looking at them hard.

TOM: Someone like you who's being recruited by a ton of schools, how do you plan on letting everything play out? Do you have a timeline?

DAN: I am actually making a top five or top six list in the upcoming weeks. I'll let you know which schools are on there when I make it.

TOM: When you go to make that top list, how does a school get in the top group? What are you looking for?

DAN: The schools will have, like Michigan does, a good combination of football and academics. It has to be a school that I feel comfortable being at because I will be spending the next four to five years of my life there. Lastly, there has to be a stable coaching staff, that will play a part in it.

TOM: Once you develop the top list, what comes after that? How will you decide from there?

DAN: I will try to visit those schools as many times as I can before the start of my senior year, and hopefully choose one school to call home. If not, I will push my decision timetable back and possibly take a few official visits.

TOM: So the plan for right now is to commit before the season, but it could go into the season?

DAN: Yes, that's right.

TOM: A lot of times with southern kids they like to stay in the south. Since you're from the Midwest, are you more comfortable staying in the Midwest, or even playing in a Big Ten type offense?

DAN: I would love to stay close to home and play Big Ten football. If there is a school that I visit and like outside of the midwest or Big Ten, then I won't hesitate to seriously consider them.

TOM: Last question, to go back to Michigan specifically, what are you looking to find with Michigan? What are you looking to learn about them?

DAN: Right now I just want to see the campus for myself and talk to the coaches more; gain that comfort level with them.