Lewan Named Sporting News First Team All-American
University of Michigan football fifth-year senior left tackle Taylor Lewan (Cave Creek, Ariz./Chaparral HS) was named today (Friday, Dec. 13) as an All-America first team choice by the Sporting News. Lewan becomes the first two-time All-America selection at Michigan since Jake Long in 2006-07.
For the second consecutive season, Lewan was selected to the All-Big Ten first team by the league's coaches and media and was named the Big Ten Rimington-Pace Offensive Lineman of the Year. A 2013 Rotary Lombardi semifinalist, Lewan also this week was selected as an All-America second team choice by the Walter Camp Football Foundation...
http://www.mgoblue.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/121313aaa.html
December 13th, 2013 at 11:00 AM ^
Very well deserved
December 13th, 2013 at 11:01 AM ^
Good job,Taylor!!
December 13th, 2013 at 2:50 PM ^
And he's racking them up as well.
December 13th, 2013 at 11:02 AM ^
Congratulations to Taylor Lewan on some well-deserved honors here and adding to the stories that some of those who have worn #77 have brought to Michigan. Of note, the #77 jersey has now been worn by five All-American selections in Michigan history - Jon Jansen, Jake Long, Paul Seymour and Arhtur Walker are the others.
December 13th, 2013 at 11:24 AM ^
one has to look before 1990. Wasn't Pape an All-American too?
December 13th, 2013 at 11:34 AM ^
He was All-Big Ten, but I don't think he was an All-American.
December 13th, 2013 at 12:22 PM ^
For the first time ever, I think you're wrong. How many O-linemen in the country were asked to do as much as Lewan this season?
I think you know more about technique than I do, but I do know a little as I too coach a little bit.
December 13th, 2013 at 12:25 PM ^
Magnus was answering my question, not commenting on Lewan. I don't coach, but I too read a little bit.
December 13th, 2013 at 12:40 PM ^
I was talking about Pape.
December 13th, 2013 at 1:30 PM ^
I am very sorry! I just skimmed the posts and only read a few! Sorry!
In the spirit of the renewed abilities to neg/upvote, feel free to hammer me!
December 13th, 2013 at 1:38 PM ^
defense of donkey-mauling OLinemen wearing Winged Helmets.
December 13th, 2013 at 1:44 PM ^
I forgive ya.
But my Tommy gun don't!
December 13th, 2013 at 11:09 AM ^
Finally! Snubbed by USA Today and Walter Camp.
With Sporting News (TSN) down, Lewan just needs two more organizations to select him for him to be a consensus All-American. The teams yet to be released that could get him the consensus honor are the AFCA, AP and the FWAA.
The last consensus All-American was Dave Molk. Taylor Lewan is the first player to be named an All-American in back-to-back seasons since Jake Long in 2006-2007 when he was a unanimous AA in both years.
December 13th, 2013 at 11:16 AM ^
I thought Lewan was consensus last year?
December 13th, 2013 at 11:34 AM ^
No, he was only selected by two major teams (AP & WCFF). You need three for consensus designation.
December 13th, 2013 at 11:09 AM ^
And thanks for coming back . . . ooooooooooo! Can you imagine the o-line this year without him?
December 13th, 2013 at 11:10 AM ^
Taylor, thanks for coming back.
It seems fairly likely at this point that he sacrificed a pretty decent amount of money by deciding to come back this year, and that is more and more rarely seen in the college sports world these days. Respect.
December 13th, 2013 at 11:19 AM ^
That everyone needs to remember: no one really watches the OL. It's about perception.
In ways that helps Lewan, because he's been said to be a really good OT that will be selected high in the draft. In ways that hurts Lewan because Michigan's OL was bad and that doesn't make sense as far as perception to outsiders (HAHA BUT MICHIGAN'S OL WAS TERRIBLE!).
I take every All-American OL thing with a huge chunk of salt (unless, of course, a Michigan player gets first team, then I just nod my head stoically and confidently and stare off into space pondering whom amongst us will be next).
December 13th, 2013 at 11:24 AM ^
December 13th, 2013 at 11:31 AM ^
Rivals tried to paint Long the same way, but frankly Long was just so damn good that they couldn't gain the traction with that.
That said, Lewan does need to watch his hands. It's not that he's necessarily dirty (dirty is a relative thing, the face mask twist was stupid, agree, but dirty things happen all over the place when you have zoomed in cameras and stuff) but it's just something that he lets get too high too often. They'll call hands to the face more often in the NFL, and he's got to work in his pass set to keep that hand in the shoulder pads.
December 13th, 2013 at 11:36 AM ^
Eh. In fairness the Michigan State game was kinda bad.
December 13th, 2013 at 1:46 PM ^
December 13th, 2013 at 4:52 PM ^
Didn't actually notice it there, however. I only saw it on TV later. You can't tell me that it was an acceptable thing to do, though. Even Taylor admits it wasn't.
December 13th, 2013 at 8:34 PM ^
But as Denarad Robinson said (remarkably cheerfully) after the 2010 game in E. Lansing; "It's a dirty game." It's a very dirty game, with MSU.
I was there too. And like you, I didn't see the facemask twist. I did see the kerfuffle that drew the 15-yard Unsportsmanlike call on Lewan (his only penalty in the game, right?), and it was a really laughable soccer-like dive and some worthless chippiness on the part of Sparty.
People who watched the game on tv got a very different impression, from people who were there in person.
December 13th, 2013 at 11:38 AM ^
We met him at a UM hockey game about a month or so ago and my wife and I were amazed and what a personable and nice kid he is. She was upset when I told her we couldn't adopt him.
December 13th, 2013 at 11:27 AM ^
Now all he has to do is get drafted #1 overall, which would've been pretty likely last year but maybe not so much this year.
December 13th, 2013 at 11:36 AM ^
You can make the argument that the "77" is more worthy of legacy status than the "2" or the "1". Just between Long and Lewan you have serious equity.
December 13th, 2013 at 11:40 AM ^
Absolutely. Add in there Jon Jansen, Trezelle Jenkins, Tony Pape, and Mike Trgovac, I think it's clearly more deserving of a designation than #1 or #2.
December 13th, 2013 at 12:04 PM ^
Mike Trgovac is a great guy. My dad tutored him in college and always had great things to say about him as well as Larry Ricks.
December 13th, 2013 at 12:09 PM ^
Cool story bro.
December 13th, 2013 at 12:11 PM ^
Thank you bro ;)
December 13th, 2013 at 3:38 PM ^
For a while, because I was young, I thought his last name was Turbo Vac. Which is a pretty sweet name, especially around fumbles.
December 13th, 2013 at 11:37 AM ^
I would have hated to see where the line would have been with another hole on the outside. Your decision to come back is greatly appreciated.
December 13th, 2013 at 11:38 AM ^
and well deserved, congrats Taylor and good luck on Sundays!
December 13th, 2013 at 12:14 PM ^
December 13th, 2013 at 12:40 PM ^
Not really that I've heard, but Magnuson was #77 in high school, and I know Erik Swenson talked about wanting #77 when he gets here.
December 13th, 2013 at 12:53 PM ^
I hope Swenson is the real deal when he shows up...hopefully he's working with some coaches/trainers that are able to utilize his ability.
December 13th, 2013 at 1:13 PM ^
Recruits are aware of the "stars" that came before them. If you are a HS OL and follow UM in the slightest degree....that "77" jersey means something. We have been very lucky to have the blind side protection that we have had over the past 10 years...hell, and beyond (I'm the same age as Jansen so I very much remember his days). I don't think the 77 should be be worn next year....let's give it a year off to see how things settle out on the OL. If Braden doesn't have the elite feet to be a LT it looks like he will settle as our RT and Mags takes over as LT. I sure would like to see Mags add 25-30lbs this offseason.
December 13th, 2013 at 2:48 PM ^
but they have a lot to learn. Oh, Jake Long, mission accomplished. Hopefully Lewan can pass the legacy along to the next #77.
"Taylor's mindset was all about Taylor. How quickly could Taylor start? How quickly could Taylor be an All-American?" his father, Dave, said. "Coach Hoke was letting Taylor know, 'There have been great players that have worn No. 77, and there are going to many more great player that wear No. 77 again. Michigan football is big, the tradition is big, the legacy is important.' "
Jake Long, Jon Jansen -- former Michigan left tackles -- those guys had played for their teams.
The first time Lewan met Long, Long told him, "You better do something with that number." Lewan knew he hadn't.
He knew he had played selfishly. He described his own play as a mix between blazing guns and irresponsible intensity. Lewan had let his team down and promised Hoke he wouldn't let that happen again.
"I want this team to be successful," Lewan said. "I want all the offensive linemen who've ever worn No. 77, all the linemen that have ever played here to look at Michigan now and say, 'That left tackle is doing his job and I'm proud.' "
December 13th, 2013 at 2:10 PM ^
December 13th, 2013 at 5:34 PM ^
He had a couple of false starts and I believe one PF, got booed, and got yanked.
Matured and developed and persevered through a very tough season.
December 13th, 2013 at 8:45 PM ^
I'm glad to see that at least SOME voters can separate the poor play of the entire O-Line from that of Taylor's play. Happy for Taylor, and for Michigan.