stephen hopkins

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nR4ck2lCCLU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AP73yw9FZGg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYoH_7YQCqo

In Part I (MPP: http://mgoblog.com/diaries/moving-picture-pages-two-way-hopkins-i, PP:http://mgoblog.com/content/picture-pages-two-way-hopkins-i ), Stephen Hopkins shows his value as a blocker.  Here, he builds on the 35-yard Toussaint run that was enabled in large part by his two-for-one block.  The BTN announcers referred to this as a 'pop pass,' but I think 'Iso Oh Noes' has a much better ring to it.

Setup: Michigan has the ball back quickly after the previous drive (which contained the Toussaint long run).  They line up in the same formation as that play, and Minnesota counters with their same formation, with two safeties up and the corners waaaay off.

Wha'hoppon: The play starts out looking like the Toussaint run. Most likely with their ears still burning from the chewing-out they got after that, one LB and one S fail to notice that Michigan's line is pass blocking rather than run blocking, and both move to fill the hole that Hopkins is heading into.  Much to their chagrin, Hopkins heads straight out of the hole and has two steps on them before they can change direction.  Denard's pass is on target, and the result is a 28-yard gain.

Full YouTube page is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cw05WqUONNk

I left a fair amount of Brian's analysis out of this MPP because it didn't translate particularly well to video.  If you haven't read Brian's original PP, go do it now.  If you have, go do it again.

Setup: Michigan has it first-and-ten on their own 38 on their first drive of the game.  They come out in a 'power' shotgun (a 12-gauge, if you will) with two backs and a TE, and will run an iso to the right utilizing combo blocks on the NT and a lead blocker (Hopkins).

Wha'hoppon: Schofield and Molk plant the NT like he's a burlap-wrapped sapling.  Omameh and Huyge single-block their men halfway to the bench, Denard freezes the backside DE with his ever-present run threat, and Hopkins roars into the hole.  He gets his helmet across the LB and blasts him out of the hole, collecting a safety who really sucks at geometry in the process.  This turns out to be key to the play, since it both completely opens the hole and eliminates the man-advantage Minnesota had by walking an extra safety down into the box.  Toussaint flies through the hole untouched until he gets well into the secondary, and breaks an ankle-tackle on his way to a 35-yard gain.

Full YouTube link is at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5U0Wh_TNn5E

Ok guys this is a thread I have wanted to start after NSD (and before spring ball just to make some of us look stupid). Lets do a bold predictions thread for the upcoming season. Just to add some format, how about we do one bold prediction about the offense, one bold prediction about the defense, and one bold prediction about for the upcoming freshman class. I'll start with mine

1. Offense- Fitzgerald Toussaint and Stephen Hopkins will run for a combined 1500 yards.

2. Defense- The defense will be ranked somewhere between 50 and 60 in yards per game. 

3. Freshman class- Chris Barnett make the biggest impact outside of anyone on special teams next season (not the boldest prediction, I know).

A2.com's Mike Rothstein just published this story with the results of an informal poll conducted with Michigan football players.  Topics covered include:

• Most exciting player in the Big Ten this year (John Clay)
• Most overrated player in the Big Ten this year (TP)
• Hardest hitter on the Wolverines defense (Jonas Mouton)
• College football team you rooted for before joining the Wolverines (Michigan)
• Most embarrassing football memory (Various)

Best answer to the last question:

"When I was in sixth grade, I was playing a game and my pants were way too big, so I had them taped on. I ran for a long touchdown, and as soon as I crossed the goal line, my pants fell to my ankles." - Stephen Hopkins.

Apparently, there's going to be a part 2 to this.

TheWolverine.com follows up on their Spring Revelations (Defense) article with a Spring Revelations (Offense) article chronicling their take on the standout offensive performers of spring practice. This article is not behind their paywall.

• Most Improved: Denard Robinson and Taylor Lewan
• Breakout Starter in 2010: Patrick Omameh
• Could Be Starting By Oct. 1: Fitzgerald Toussaint
• Freshmen Expected To Contribute In 2010: Stephen Hopkins and Jerald Robinson
• MVPs: Tate Forcier or Denard Robinson

Click on the link for the full analysis, but here are some thoughts:

• QB analysis: Denard's performance in the spring made all the headlines, but Tate didn't regress, so the starting QB battle is not settled. The authors sure hedged their bets by predicting that either Tate or DRob would be the season's offensive MVP.
• No one is sold on the RBs. Who will emerge from the group of Michael Shaw, Mike Cox, Vincent Smith, Fitzgerald Toussaint, and Stephen Hopkins as the featured back or will this season devolve into RB by committee? Since no clear cut leader has emerged, it's easy to fall back on the latter as the answer. 
• RS Fr Taylor Lewan and RS So Patrick Omameh are expected to pace the OL this year. The team's ultimate level of success may be riding on their young shoulders.
• Speaking of young shoulders, all of the players featured in this article are RS Sophomores, Sophomores, RS Freshmen and Freshmen.  That alone should give us all pause about Michigan's chances in 2010.
• Position battles are so wide open for QB, RB, WR, Slot and TE that a platoon approach doesn't seem out of the question for every skill position. Is this an indication of tremendous depth or of insufficient talent? How important is it that a leader emerge at these positions during summer camp?