good advice for journalists trying to gently introduce readers to better basketball stats
Jason Kates Leaves Team
Attrition the second: Rich Rodriguez announced that backup DT Jason Kates has decided to leave the team($, info in header). Kates hadn't seen a single snap this year AFAIK and that was an ominous sign for a redshirt sophomore; he's probably looking for playing time and that Not Throwing Up Every Weekday major mentioned earlier.
Oh, and Steve Schilling might miss the Ohio State game. Not that it's likely to matter.
Back to Kates: he wasn't likely to contribute if he couldn't see the field at all this year. However, defensive tackle is now looking mighty thin: Mike Martin set a high bar for himself this year and will no doubt start; the only other 2009 DT on the roster at the moment is Renaldo Sagesse, who saw spot duty at various points during the season. He had limited impact. If Will Campbell recommits as expected he'll get at least as much playing time as Martin did this year and may leap directly into the starting lineup.
I think it's just a reflection of not going to a bowl game. Not having a sunny location to look forward to probably means that players are making their decisions known earlier in the season.
the timing of these kids is reprehensible. Sack up and wait 4 more fucking days for Christ sake!
Go Blue
You hear that Big Will? You can play right away! Come to Michigan!
Apparently someone forgot to tell Kates to stop eating a pizza every night after Gittleson left. Good luck to him though, may he find what he's looking for wherever he goes. Even if it's just more pizza.
Negative distractions during practice week matter. A sense of eroding solidarity matters.
We'll agree to disagree and I'm not going to flame anymore on this issue. That was as harsh as I'm going to get.
Go Blue
What's with the RR presser notes saying McGuffie being w/ the team by Saturday and will get carries? Is he still gone? Should I just shut down the internet?
isnt this abnormal for all this number of players leaving/rumored to be leaving with a game still left to play? especially THE game?
i was thinking the same exact thing. it's not uncommon for a player or 2 max to be dismissed from the team but not the week before the end of the season. it seems like we're already looking towards the off-season and not as much on tOSU. this has been a terrible week for mich athletics with everything that has gone on.
i only respect other superfans
has been talking about Campbell past couple days and really thinks he projects better as an O-lineman.
Not sure if that is something on the radar, but clearly there is playing time to be had at DT.
Expect that DeQuita and Pearlie will both be on board with this depth chart facing them.
our package is our package, and it’s pretty big. - Greg Mattison, Bowl Practice Presser Tr. 12-13-11.
If Will Campbell is really that good of an O-Lineman, than bringing him to O and bringing in both DeQuinta and Pearlie would be pretty awesome. I get a little too excited about dominant linemen, but that's where the game's won and lost.
Right now, our DL backups are looking really young. Quite possible that Big Will, DeQuinta and Pearlie all see time next year at DT, with Roh & LaLota (ready or not) seeing time as backups at DE.
Yikes.
Chicago, IL
I'm not sure. Martin starts at DT, obviously, and Sagesse will be in the rotation, as he's seen meaningful PT this year as well. Them you have 2 (hopefully 3) true freshmen you can sprinkle in. It's young, but not terrifying.
At DE, RVB has gotten plenty of time, and I think Graham will be back. Adam Patterson is around, but I'm increasingly skeptical as to his likihood to contribute. Butler has played some this year, as had Greg Banks for two years. So we have 4 DE's (if Graham comes back) with meaningful experience.
Graham comes back. Otherwise, it's a really young and inexperienced D line.
I'm gonna take two weeks off, and then quit.
DL is one of the position groups where there has been a very heavy rotation going on all season. Martin, RVB, Sagesse, and Butler have all seen meaningful snaps, including important third downs. while there is a lot of youth that will be starting next year on the DL, there is more experience than we would typically see with that youth.
Go Blue!! Viva La Revolucion!!
www.wolverineliberationarmy.com


all these guys decided that right before The Game they are leaving. If anything its providing a small distraction from the people on the team who actually play on Saturdays.
"When your team is losing, stick by them, keep believing." -Bo Schembechler