The greatest from 2001-2011
In order that I may waste more time on my Michigan fandom, I put together an "all past decade" list of sorts. (2001-2011) I wasn't quite as big a fan back in the early 2000s but I did a little research and this seems about right. I think the reserve players are just there because I like them so much and felt bad not having them on the list.
This would be a heck of a squad to field all at one time. Any glaring omissions?
| OFFENSE | DEFENSE | SPECIAL TEAMS | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| QB | Chad Henne | OLB | Victor Hobson | P | Zoltan Mesko |
| HB | Mike Hart | ILB | Larry Foote | K | Garret Rivas |
| FB | BJ Askew | ILB | Carl Diggs | ||
| WR | Braylon Edwards | CB | Marlin Jackson | ||
| WR | Marquise Walker | CB | Leon Hall | ||
| WR | Mario Manningham | SS | Ernest Shazor | ||
| TE | Tim Massaquoi | FS | Brendent Englemon | ||
| LT | Jake Long | DE | LaMarr Woodley | ||
| LG | Adam Kraus | DT | Gabe Watson | ||
| C | David Molk | NT | Mike Martin | ||
| RG | Dave Petruziello | DT | Alan Branch | ||
| RT | Tony Pape | DE | Brandon Graham | ||
| Reserve | Denard Robinson | Reserve | Jordan Kovacs |
January 24th, 2012 at 11:22 AM ^
David Terrell had a bomb-ass career at Michigan.
January 24th, 2012 at 11:41 AM ^
"Bomb-ass" - I'm assuming you mean good. I loved watching him play - actually, I think I'll take my lunch now and watch the wolverinehistorian highlights of Terrell's career to remind myself how sweet he was.
January 24th, 2012 at 3:02 PM ^
Terrell was bombastic.
January 24th, 2012 at 11:28 AM ^
Without a doubt.
I don't care what records Hart has.
January 24th, 2012 at 11:33 AM ^
I was never much impressed by Perry. He wasn't particularly shifty and didn't have great speed and didn't have great power. He was a decent back, but he was kind of just a guy. Don't get me wrong - I wasn't that impressed with Hart's physical traits, either. But if I had to pick one, I'd take Hart.
January 24th, 2012 at 11:55 AM ^
Perry didn't jump out as you watched him and didn't have a legendary kind of career, but his last season was great. That 51 carry performance was legendary. He had good vision and hands and was decent everywhere else. I just think over the course of their careers, Hart was the better runningback, no offense to CP.
January 24th, 2012 at 9:10 PM ^
You know that Perry won the Doak Walker Award as a senior, right? He was a lot more than "just a guy" that year.
January 24th, 2012 at 11:34 AM ^
Joppru over Massaquoi. Baas over Petruziello. Harris over Diggs. Kovacs over Englemon.
The rest are spot on. Our fervor for the current team notwithstanding, those calling for Lewan over Pape don't know how good Pape really was.
January 24th, 2012 at 11:52 AM ^
I agree. Lewan is alright whereas Pape was a beast.
January 24th, 2012 at 11:48 AM ^
I definitely wouldn't take Perry over Hart. Hart was the better runningback. I can honestly see Navarre over Henne before Perry over Hart.
I like Adams over Englemon and ditto Harris being in. But, I would give honorable mention to Lawrence Reid who was great before his neck injury, unlike Antonio Bass who was on the cusp of doing some special things. Molk gets the nod over Baas, but I think I'd put Baas at guard if I had to pick the best 5 OL. I also like Shazor in there, but also could see Crable fitting in somewhere, maybe as a reserve.
For special teams, put in Steve Breaston.
January 24th, 2012 at 12:40 PM ^
Baas and Goodwin have to be your guards. Joppru at TE most likely. I'd take Breaston or (has he been mention yet?) Avant over Walker. And I'm not sure I wouldn't rather have Cato June at safety.
January 24th, 2012 at 12:54 PM ^
Forgetting Harris is unforgivable. I knew I'd have one of those in there. I hope he can forgive me.
January 24th, 2012 at 1:23 PM ^
...in his own special way that he forgives all who transgress against him.
January 24th, 2012 at 1:30 PM ^
Jamar Adams' omission is also egregious. Best safety at Michigan between Marcus Ray and Jordan Kovacs
January 24th, 2012 at 2:51 PM ^
Jamar Adams wasn't even better than Shazor. Adams was an above-average safety, though. The '03 Michigan had two first team AA players in the secondary, which doesn't happen often, with Jackson and Shazor.
January 24th, 2012 at 4:54 PM ^
Agree to disagree. I liked Shazor a lot but he (as was mentioned elsewhere in this thread) was an overgrown WLB (too tall) and was succeptible to get burnt to a crisp on deep balls because he lacked speed. He made up for it with brutal hits and creating turnovers...but Adams was the better Safety.
January 24th, 2012 at 11:02 PM ^
Yea, he got beat, but he made huge plays. So, I'm willing to overlook some of his weaknesses that we all know about. Adams was a solid player. Englemon was a very intelligent and solid player, but Shazor made more significant plays and was better at MIchigan.
January 24th, 2012 at 1:41 PM ^
I would put Bennie Joppru in at tight end over Massaquoi. I loved Joppru. I don't ever remember him dropping a pass.
January 24th, 2012 at 9:09 PM ^
Definitely. Joppru had a huge senior year. Massaquoi never quite put it all together.
January 24th, 2012 at 1:43 PM ^
David Harris over Diggs.
January 24th, 2012 at 8:57 PM ^
its Brandent Englemon...