Fun Question: Who would you bring back?

Submitted by Big Mike on
If you could bring back one Michigan football player to fill a need on the team this year who would it be and why? Base this of Needs, Scheme, or just the want to watch your favorite player one last season.

SECcashnassadvantage

June 13th, 2014 at 1:13 PM ^

Charles controlled all phases of the game. He controlled the defense and terrorized defensive coaches when he came out. Need a kick returned, no problem.

Blue in Denver

June 13th, 2014 at 1:22 PM ^

I'm recalling a writeup on going to the 4-3 over that mentioned that it can be awesome if you have a dynamic 3 tech.  I'll take Mike Messner and sit back and watch the mayhem.

Perkis-Size Me

June 13th, 2014 at 1:23 PM ^

Woodson. Not even close. He dominates in every phase of the game, and he completely changes your defense. He also brings the attitude and swagger that Michigan has been lacking essentially since he left.

Twoforty

June 13th, 2014 at 6:29 PM ^

Uhhhh... the guys that went on to play in the NFL were majority Carr recruits from the 97 team. 

Carr was also Woodson's lead recruiter.

Moeller was a good coach, but talk about under achieving teams... Were we ever more than slightly above average under Moeller? 

Don

June 13th, 2014 at 6:43 PM ^

LOL... you're so completely full of shit it's laughable.

Two of the most frequently mentioned players here on the '97 team—Woodson and Hutchinson—played their entire careers under Lloyd Carr. Same goes for Ian Gold, Tai Streets, Rob Renes, Anthony Thomas, Steve Frazier, Chris Ziemann, Aaron Shea, James Hall, Daydrion Taylor, Clarence Williams, Josh Williams, Jeff Backus, David Brandt, Tommy Hendricks, Dhani Jones, Dewayne Patmon, and William Peterson.

This is in addition to guys like Marcus Ray and Jon Jansen who red-shirted as freshman and did not play in 1994, seeing their first game action under Carr.

 

Wolfman

June 13th, 2014 at 5:14 PM ^

and placed your favorite player last, I will have to go with Jake Long or Dan Dierdorf.  Jake obviously is amont our most famous OLmen because he went No. 1 in the draft coupled, of course, with a tremendous career in which he was named All Everything in regard to offensive line play.  However, in tradition when Bo was listing some of his favorite players, he went out of his way to mention Dierdorf as being one of the best leaders he ever had on the offensive line. I don't know if Jake was as vocal as Dan in the huddle, but when it came to crunch time and the team needed to pick up a few yards, Dan would just say in a not so clean version, "Just run the damn ball behind me."  And, of course we always seemed to pick up the needed yardage. So I am kind of torn between naming perhaps the best OLman we've had-hard to name one because we've had so many-against one who was probably equally great and a proven leader. This OL is so in need of a leader that can motivate the other 5.   As to favorite, it would be Woodson or Denard w/o a doubt. Now those were two players that epitmotized excitement.

bluelaw2013

June 13th, 2014 at 10:21 PM ^

Where's the old-school love? Perpetual All-American, 8+yds/carry, faster in the 40 than the olympic gold medalist of the era. The linebacker position was invented by Minnesota.... to stop Heston. Here's Yost (the original Fred Jackson?) on why he thought Willie Heston was the GOAT: "1. He was the fastest starting back that ever lived. Heston could beat Archie Hahn every time at fifty yards, and Hahn was good for 9 4-5, then world's champion. 2. Heston was the quickest back for a shift or a thrust or a sidestep I ever saw. He was like lightning. 3. Heston was the most powerful runner of them all. Weighing 185 pounds, he was compactly built and struck with such terrific force that few could stand up before him. ... 5. He was never hurt. 6. He was equally great at ripping open a line or shooting through a broken field. 7. He made 106 touchdowns in four years. This would be equal to 636 points today. ... He gained over 500 yards from scrimmage in any number of single contests." Also, lol: "A strong arm helped Willie, Sr., to move 'em. After cracking through that line the old arm would go out. You can still pick out men who used to play football against Michigan in '02 and '03, they say, because their faces seem just a little out of kilter. The straight arm in the old days sometimes wasn't so straight."

Roc Blue in the Lou

June 14th, 2014 at 12:38 AM ^

Would be Woodson, Edwards or Hutch, but honestly for this team it would be Brian Griese at QB because he would stay within himself and not make turnovers, while allowing a great defense and running game to control the game.  This team leans too heavily on the QB after watching (no, literally watching) Denard blow defenses up and DG take over games...we need to be a running first and defense best team to win the BiG 10 and Griese would help that happen.  Just sayin'.

Perkis-Size Me

June 14th, 2014 at 12:51 AM ^

Either Woodson (bona fide playmaker/swag master that'd bring the attitude to our team we've been missing for years), or someone like Jake Long or Steve Hutchinson to whip the O-Line into shape. We badly need someone on the O-Line with experience and solid leadership that can turn our boys into men.

No disrespect to our current O-Line, but a spade is a spade.

Princetonwolverine

June 14th, 2014 at 8:59 AM ^

Fielding Yost.  ....amassed a record of 165-29-10. Won 6 National Championships and 10 big Ten championships.

From 1901-1905 we outscored our opponents 2,821-42

rob f

June 15th, 2014 at 1:53 PM ^

but I've never seen a Michigan D Lineman play with the ferocity of Mark Messner.  He was constantly blowing up plays by being in the backfield faster than opposing QB's could hand off or turn and throw. One man on the DL can make more of a difference than one man on the OL, so I'll go with Messner over any single O Lineman, despite that being the position of greatest need.

Others not mentioned above I'd like to see back, mostly so they could resume great careers interupted by injury, would include DB Tripp Welborne and RB Tony Boles.  Those two were game-changers a quarter-century ago, both suffered career-ending injuries that nowadays could be repaired. 

Still others I'd love to see back (whose Michigan careers were killed by injuries) would include Antonio Bass, Justin Fargas, and Matt Gutierrez.  Bass because he was a fantastic athlete who potentially could have played several different positions at a high level.  Fargas had one of the worst broken legs I've ever seen happen, yet he eventually came back after transfering to UCLA and played well there and in the NFL.  Gutierrez was a victim more of bad timing than so much a bad injury; he was our starting QB going into '04 until a relatively minor shoulder injury benched him in favor of Chad Henne.  Never ever got a chance to regain his starting job as Henne took advantage of his golden opportunity, but I was hugely excited before that season to see Gutierrez play.  Went on to play as a backup QB for several seasons in the NFL after transferring out of Michigan to play 2 seasons for Idaho State. 

One more (and i can't remember specifically why his Michigan career was so short) who I'd love to see back---David Bowens.  Tremendously quick outside rusher who was also strong enough to be a force against the run.  once he reached the NFL, I think he played mostly at ILB, and was very dominant there, too.

ca_prophet

June 16th, 2014 at 3:09 PM ^

For best all around player, Harmon, Oosterbaan or Woodson. For best OL, Dierdorf, Hutchinson or Everett are probably best, with Molk a bit behind for C. For personal favorite, Anthony Carter or Tyrone Wheatley.