2013 recruiting

It's still offseason, so I'm still coming up with ways to turn my spreadsheets Michigan fan bar arguments into content. This one asks which class did the best job of loading up per position. We'll do the units too at the end.

Rules: Since 1990. Transfers count for the year they joined the team. Contributions at that position (but not at others) count. Underrated/Bust is a measure of what we got versus what people thought of the class when they signed. Janus is the Roman two-faced god, for the class with the highest highs and lowest lows.

More All-Michigan [Blank] Teams: 5-Stars, 3-Stars, 4-Stars O/D, Pros O/D, 1879-Before Bo, Extracurriculars, Position-Switchers, Highlights, Numbers O/D, State of Michigan, Names, Small Guys, Big Guys, Freshmen

Quarterback & Running Back

image

Only controversial to the haters. [Upchurch]

1st Team: Class of 2009

Give Rich Rodriguez this: his first full class was everything we thought Peanut Butter Jelly Time would be. Denard Robinson accrued over 10,000 yards at Michigan: 6,250 (8.4 YPA) passing and 4,495 (6.2 YPC) rushing. There were 49 touchdown passes that ended with #EATING motions, and 42 touchdown rushes that ended with a kneel. Classmate Tate Forcier flamed out in the end but not before the Year of Moxie and bailing Denard out of some holes in 2010; we'll always have 2009 Notre Dame.

And that was just the quarterbacks. Fitzgerald Toussaint has a good claim for best back at Michigan since Hart, even if we had to add "Poor Damn" to his later career. Vincent Smith was a part of some of the most memorable plays of his era (including those that aren't about Clowney), and has a spot on any team as the perfect third down back.

Those guys left little for tiny Technician Teric Jones, who moved to cornerback later in his career.

[After THE JUMP: Biggest Bust, Most Underrated, Biggest Janus, etc.]

pain

Argh on you, club_med. Yes, I am flattered that you were inspired by my annual FEI-based bowl game watchability article, and I think it's great that you added Sagarin to it. Except now I actually have to find something else to write next Tuesday. Perhaps I'll do senior haikus.

Cam Gordon
I still can't believe
They pegged you as a safety
Here is your meat: raw.

Sorry Brian. You can do the next USCHO/RPI/Standings poll update from Center Ice. And he can take over LSA's weekly stat wrap, and LSA can take Best & Worst after the bowl game from bronxblue, who can do Inside the Box Score instead of ST3, and we'll send him to cover the press conference, and that'll be how we replace Heiko.

Season of Infinite Pain, Reviewed. "The Year of Infinite Pain" (glossary) was a name Brian came up with for 2005, before he knew what 2008 or 2009 or 2010 or 2013 could be like. Now diary giant Ron Utah is using "The Season of Infinite Pain" to describe this one. Not saying things won't improve, but, you know, that's just a might set up against two rivals who are peaking in a tough division, and a national competitive environment in which a lot of teams wantonly break the rules and ours doesn't. So just in case we need some more names:

  • The Autumn of Infinite Pain
  • The Time of Infinite Pain
  • The Annum of Infinite Pain
  • The Age of Infinite Pain
  • The Span of Infinite Pain
  • The Fiscal Year of Infinite Pain

If we are actually living in the last, here's guessing I don't make it past the 2014 Notre Dame game. If Dantonio and Urban get to 10 wins apiece against us there are several synonyms for "infinite" (eternal, interminable, perpetual, everlasting, boundless, incalculable, supertemporal) that may be substituted in various combinations.

Anyway Ron's wrap starts with the defensive line, which he gave a C+, but I think he's too high on Clark's season, too hard on Washington's (he was injured), and there needs to be more analysis of the heavy (ha!) rotational guys like Henry, Beyer, Ojemudia, Wormley, Heitzman and Pipkins.

Not on the Pistons, that's where. AC1997 is tracking Michigan guys in the NBA, as well as the transfers and dudes playing abroad. I'd love for this to be a regular monthly update for each season in action (so have a hockey one, and a baseball one, and football from August (free agent movement) through the Superbowl.

Etc. A quick statistical preview of Stanford, whom Michigan must beat lest they end the nonconference season without a signature win.

[Jump for Best of the Board and zen.]

kids

Watch the birdie.

In my day freshmen appeared on the scene knocking down Bobby Hoying passes, shutting down Terry Glenn, and cleaving Eddie George. Then they'd switch to offense and fold Mike Vrabel in twain. What's the matter with kids today? The cast today:

  • Ann-Margret as Brian Cook
  • Dick Van Dyke as Seth Fisher
  • Bobby Rydell as Ace Anbender
  • Jesse Pearson as Brandon "Birdie" Brown
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Of the young linebackers, we've seen a lot of Bolden but not much from him. [Upchurch]

The Q:

It's an expectation (or a conceit) at Michigan that recruits follow a "track" of progression that should see them all-conference and worth drafting after four years in the program. Of the 2012 class and the few '13 guys who've seen action, who do you see as ahead of schedule, or worryingly behind?

Ace: I'm not even going to bother with the 2013 class because it's beyond too early to discuss their progression versus expectations; frankly, that's the case for the 2012 class as well, but they at least have a handful of guys who have broken through and seen extensive time.

Three players who are clearly ahead of schedule are Devin Funchess, James Ross, and Willie Henry. Funchess has gone from dangerous-but-terrible-at-blocking tight end to dangerous-and-oh-god-so-dangerous wide receiver, and he's got an NFL future even if his blocking never develops as much as we'd hope. Ross has had an up-and-down year but still has a stranglehold on the weakside LB starting job; he's a future all-conference player once he adds a little more weight to take on blocks—his instincts are already there. Henry's initial expectations weren't as high as the other two, nor has he played at their level consistently, but he's easily exceeded expectations for a late three-star pickup just by seeing the field and holding his own.

[Jump like a Funchess]