My All M Team.
So I have been thinking on this topic for awhile. And I'm sure it's been done here many a times, but I thought I'd just throw out my all M team.
Not all of these players are great NFL players and not all of them would fit on-the-field in the positions as such, but I just thought I would throw out a list of my favorite M players that I have seen play in my lifetime. I'm sure many people will flame some of my picks, but they are mine. Feel free to post your own.
OFFENSE:
QB: Chad Henne, Drew Henson
RB: Tim Biakabatuka, Tyrone Wheatley
WR: Braylon Edwards, The New Math Mario Manningham, Mercury Hayes (if only for the name alone)
TE: Jerame Tuman
OL: Jake Long, Steve Hutchinson, John Jansen, David Bass, Couldn't name a single M center not on the roster.
DEFENSE:
DL: Lamaar Woodley, Brandon Graham, Alan Branch, Terrance Taylor
LB: Larry Foote, David Harris, Jarrett Irons (haha), Sam Sword (Super nice guy)
CB: Ty Law, Charles Woodson, Marlin Jackson, Leon Hall
S: Ernest Shazor, couldn't name a decent Safety besides ES, but I could be over looking.
SPECIAL TEAMS:
P: The one and only Space Emperor of Space Zoltan Mesko
K: Hayden Epstein (I just have fond memories for whatever reason)
KR/PR: Black Jesus Steve Breaston/Charles Woodson could play here too.
December 15th, 2008 at 2:24 PM ^
Baas was a center when he was at M.
December 15th, 2008 at 2:28 PM ^
Rod Payne was an All-American center in 1996 I believe.
And I really don't think Ernest Shazor was any good. Freakishly athletic, yes, in a Taylor Mays kind of way, but absolutely awful on deep coverages. Here's my opinion on Michigan safeties: we had an All-American safety, once, and he played WR. His name was Jason Avant. (I vaguely recall Ron English echoing this sentiment once)
December 15th, 2008 at 2:32 PM ^
The defense I have of Shazor is that he would light people up. So i guess in that regard he was more of a 4th LB than a Safety. I just had fun watching him. Its all relative with Michigan Safeties.
December 15th, 2008 at 4:46 PM ^
Tommie Hendricks was an outstanding hitter at safety.
December 15th, 2008 at 5:01 PM ^
Coach English wanted Carl Tabb to move over. CT was a money performer on special teams. He had more tackles than some starters for his ability to race down the field on kickoffs and punt coverage.
December 15th, 2008 at 2:31 PM ^
Rod Payne!
December 15th, 2008 at 2:35 PM ^
yea, completely screwed the pooch on that one.
Wikipedia has this amazing tidbit that gives him the nod: "Payne was an ambidexterous [sic] center.[5] Payne once broke his right wrist during the Michigan-Michigan State Paul Bunyan Trophy game and proceeded to snap the ball for the rest of his game with his left hand.[6]"
December 15th, 2008 at 2:33 PM ^
Marcus Ray>>>>>>>>>>>>Ernest Shazor.
December 15th, 2008 at 4:54 PM ^
>>>
there.
December 15th, 2008 at 2:35 PM ^
As far as pure achievement thus far is concerned, I think Glenn Steele is probably better than BG.
December 15th, 2008 at 2:43 PM ^
Yeah, I echo the Marcus Ray comment....he should be on your list ahead of Shazor. ES was a little boom or bust, compared to the steady playmaking of Ray.
Now, are you older than 20? If so, your safeties should be Vada Murray and Tripp Welbourne. Best safety duo I have seen play for UM in my 30+ years of watching.
As far as center, Payne is a great choice.....but again, if you're older than 20, you've got to put Steve Everit or John Vitale (R.I.P.) in the team photo.
December 15th, 2008 at 2:56 PM ^
I was going to say Mark Messner but it he might be before the time of these young whipper-snappers. Same goes for Vada and Tripp.
December 15th, 2008 at 2:56 PM ^
I'll be 23 in a few weeks.
I come from the typical "we love michigan but we didn't go there and don't know much about their history" family.
But this is my final semester there. I am working on knowledging up.
December 15th, 2008 at 3:25 PM ^
And, you quantified it with saying players that you've seen.
We older folks are here to help out with UM history.
And, for the record, guys like Garvie Craw and Harlan Hucklebee never make my all time UM lists because, well, I am too damn young to have seen them play!!!
December 15th, 2008 at 3:00 PM ^
what about harmon, oosterbaan, and the 38th president? and how can AC and desmond be left off??
December 15th, 2008 at 3:02 PM ^
People that I saw....
I recall very little of Desmond. AC...nothing of him. see other comments as to why.
December 15th, 2008 at 3:06 PM ^
sorry, i'm having trouble reading as of late....been hanging out with too many spartans..
December 15th, 2008 at 3:00 PM ^
Payne was not as good as Steve Everitt. He's the long-haired freak that still comes to a lot of games. Everitt roke his jaw against ND in 1991 and missed maybe one game. He was the best center of my recollection.
The LB corp you put up is less than ideal. i would take Gold or Dhani over Foote.
Steele and messner need to be on the DL. The WRs: AC and Braylon are 1 and 1a with Desmond #3.
I'll have to think about QB for a bit.
One the whole, not too bad for someone who is likely pretty young.
December 15th, 2008 at 3:23 PM ^
One of my all time favorites.....spot on with the broken jaw anecdote.....i think he was the last player taken in the draft, yet he still had a career as a multi-year starter in the NFL for the Clowns.....dude maxed out every ounce of not just his talent, but his love of the game.
He was an honorary captain during the NW game this year.....you may recall the game because of the shitty weather....yet, he was on the field being honored wearing no coat, no heavy sweater or sweatshirt, but rather just a standard long sleeve T-Shirt......does not look like he's changed a bit!!
December 15th, 2008 at 3:13 PM ^
Also - Michigan's career sack leader is not here - James Hall.
December 15th, 2008 at 3:31 PM ^
Carson Butler >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Jerame Tuman
December 15th, 2008 at 4:58 PM ^
I agree 100%.
December 15th, 2008 at 3:37 PM ^
I challenge all of you to create an All M Team comprised of Michigan players (current and former) that have an "M" in their name.
December 15th, 2008 at 4:03 PM ^
Last name or first name?
Mike Martin
Mike Hart
Mario Manningham
uhhh too much thinking involved in this and I don't even know if Mike Martin qualifies yet.
December 15th, 2008 at 4:06 PM ^
Any M will do. Larry Foote does not qualify, unless his middle name is Michael.
December 15th, 2008 at 4:16 PM ^
so if there name is like Lemonjello that counts due to the "m"?
December 15th, 2008 at 4:18 PM ^
An all M team requires M's, wherever they may fall.
December 15th, 2008 at 4:31 PM ^
Tom Harmon/Jamie Morris/Anthony Thomas/Tim Biakabutuka/Mike Hart - HB/RB
Jim Harbaugh/Tom Brady - QB
Desmond Howard/Marquis Walker/Amani Toomer/Mario Manningham/Mercury Hayes - WR
Ron Kramer/Jumbo Elliot/Germany Shulz/Mark Donahue/Reggie McKenzie - OL
Jerame Tuman - TE
Not saying these are the best players with an "M" in their name, but it's a start. Credit to Chrisgo for Manningham and Hart.
[EDIT: except for Germany Shultz, who I believe was a center, I have no idea how the other OL line up]
December 16th, 2008 at 9:39 AM ^
I figured you meant only guys with Capital Ms in their names.
Coach: Gary Moeller
QB: Michael Taylor (Jim McPherson, Andy Mignery, Matt Gutierrez)
HB: Mike Hart, Jaime Morris, Brandon Minor (Sam McGuffie, John Maulbetsch)
FB: Mark Moundros
OL: Maurice Williams, Maynard Morrison, Reggie McKenzie, Ben Mast, Mark Bihl (Matt Lentz, Courtney Morgan, Alex Mitchell)
WR: Marquise Walker, Mario Mannigham, Mercury Hayes (Markus Knight, Greg Mathews)
TE: Jim Mandich, Tim Massaquoi (Andy Mignery – yes, that’s Double the Mignery.)
DL: Mark Messner, Mike Hammerstein, LaMarr Woodley (has a capital ‘M’ so it counts!), Mike Martin, umm..... Marques Walton? Pat Ma.....fuck it – I’m not starting Massey. MRob MRenes.
LB: Marty Huff, Mike Taylor, Roy Manning, Andy Moeller (Curt and Mike Mallory, Scott McClintock, Jonas Mouton)
CB: Marlin Jackson, Morgan Trent, Markus Curry, Grant Mason
S: Markus Ray, Ryan Mundy (hmm...maybe I should move Jackson down rather than start Mundy)
K: Mike Gilette
P: Zoltan Mesko (Mark Spencer)
LS: Ross Mann
December 15th, 2008 at 4:45 PM ^
Two other ones. Your choices for RB are good, as they are probably the two best RBs since the Jamie Morris. But Biakabatuka was really a one year wonder in 1995 (he got some nice yards filling in for an injured Wheatley, but his season was 1995). Wheatley was a freak. I am terribly biased, but he was in the same category for me as Bo Jackson, incredibly fast and had enough power to plow through guys in the secondary. I would put him #1.
And Hayden Epstein was not very good. The kid had a monster leg, but he was very inconsistent. There are a number of kickers I would put ahead of him. Mike Gillette (he was the athletic kicker before the Space Emporer -- see his fake punt for a TD against MSU in 1988 as I recall), Remy Hamilton, Rivas, Jay Feeley, and The Sheik were all substantially better than Epstein.
December 16th, 2008 at 2:18 AM ^
Remy Hamilton is totally the guy I was thinking of. I don't know why I put Epstein. For God's sake. I guess he came to mind first.
December 15th, 2008 at 5:11 PM ^
is amazing. Nice job on the All M's team!
December 15th, 2008 at 5:37 PM ^
Funny I was just thinking of posting this yesterday but the OP beat me too it.....Since we do not have a bowl game this year, this is what we talk about:
QB -- Rick Leach, Jim Harbaugh, Brian Griese
(apologies to Brady, but Griese won a NC. No way Henne gets in there with all of his many losses as a starting QB...honorable mention to Elvis Grbac... no way Henson gets on this team based on 8 games as a starter)
RB -- Ty Wheatley, Anthony Thomas, Jamie Morris
(Biakabatuka on the bench but ready to come in to the game)
WR -- Anthony Carter, Braylon Edwards, Desmond Howard
(on the bench: Tai Streets, Amani Toomer, David Terrell)
TE -- Doug Marsh (got to go back to the 70s for that one), Tony McGee, Jeremy Tuman
RT - Dan Dierdorf, Mike Kenn
LT - Jake Long, Greg Skrepenek, Bubba Paris
LG - Steve Hutchinson, Jon Jansen (moved over from tackle)
RG - Jon Runyan (moved from tackle), Stefan Humphries
C - Rod Payne, David Baas, Steve Everitt
Juggled the linemen a bit so they all fit in.
Kicker - Mike Gilette, Ali Haji Sheik
Offensive coordinator - Gary Moeller
Defense to come later
December 15th, 2008 at 5:37 PM ^
Mark Messner played DL, not OL
December 16th, 2008 at 9:38 AM ^
OOPS!
Thanks -- good catch
December 15th, 2008 at 6:33 PM ^
If we're talking all-time Michigan teams, you have to seriously consider Butch Woolfolk at starting RB:
December 16th, 2008 at 2:25 AM ^
maybe this is a dumb question but see other posts for my seeming lack of M football knowledge.
also: I was -5 when that game was played.
why doesn't AC have a name on his jersey?
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