The Enigma that is Taylor Lewan
I was enthusiastic, nay, unbelievably relieved when Lewan decided to return to Michigan for his final season. Not only would we have an anchor on an offensive line in transition, but we also would be privy to off-the-field behavior that was more entertaining than anything else. Exhibit A: twosie.
But as the season's coffin is finally sealed shut, I look back on Lewan's season with a combination of resignation and confusion. I've not really had to resolve this dichotomy with a player before, but after witnessing a series of behaviors on the field that made my head shake, my internal jury's out on whether or not Lewan's decision to return to Michigan was beneficial, for both himself and the team.
Besides the after-the-whistle behavior that almost got him suspended (including last night's run-in with a cheerleader, which was just a 22 year old dude hitting on a cute girl), is it fair to pin some of the offensive line's woes on a lack of guidance from the unit's veteran? And at what point do we, as fans, find the balance between celebrating a collegiate player's talent and capabilities and his behavior outside of it?
I don't know if this is a question that coaches have to process often. But it makes me wonder whether we - and Hoke - gave Lewan too much of a free pass for poor sportsmanship simply because he was the only thing keeping Gardner from getting his kidneys lacerated this season.
December 29th, 2013 at 12:23 PM ^
If Lewan hadn't returned for this season, we would have had a losing record.
December 29th, 2013 at 2:41 PM ^
December 29th, 2013 at 2:52 PM ^
December 29th, 2013 at 6:43 PM ^
First I heard of this - did Lewan not reveal this to anyone? No one should be doing much of anything other than resting after a "serious" concussion.
December 29th, 2013 at 8:14 PM ^
Dont know if it was ever confirmed, but it was reported on the tv/radio that he may have had a concussion which is why he sat out the 2nd half against PSU.
December 30th, 2013 at 12:52 AM ^
December 29th, 2013 at 9:12 PM ^
December 30th, 2013 at 12:56 AM ^
December 29th, 2013 at 12:33 PM ^
December 29th, 2013 at 12:58 PM ^
December 29th, 2013 at 2:08 PM ^
I agree on Schofield. I don't see much difference between him and Mark Huyge, and nobody was touting Huyge as an NFL tackle. I do think Schofield will get drafted late, but he hasn't been particularly productive as a blocker.
December 29th, 2013 at 12:58 PM ^
December 29th, 2013 at 2:06 PM ^
I really think the biggest leap for players comes from their freshman to their sophomore year, or their first year of significant playing time to the second. I think it's reasonable to expect that Glasgow, Kalis, Magnuson, and maybe Bosch will be significantly better. It will be interesting to see who else steps in, since Braden never saw the field despite being hyped as a potential starter.
December 29th, 2013 at 3:05 PM ^
From what I've seen from these guys this year I will be pleasantly surprised if they are significantly better next year,
December 29th, 2013 at 11:53 PM ^
What? Players improve? You mean Taylor won't be as bad as he was in the KSU game for the rest of his entire career as everyone here seems to think?
December 29th, 2013 at 3:27 PM ^
I can hear all of the excuses now: need time to gell, youth, experience. With this staff, I can see the same nightmare we've lived on the inside, being revisited on the outside. And you are right, the interior issues will be improved, but not all magically disappear.
December 29th, 2013 at 12:31 PM ^
December 29th, 2013 at 1:55 PM ^
reshp1 - you still firmly in the "pro-funk/pro-borges/pro-hoke" camp today? If so, is there anything that could've happened yesterday that would've changed that?
December 29th, 2013 at 3:16 PM ^
December 29th, 2013 at 12:34 PM ^
If that was really true, there is no way he should've ever been a captain this year.
There are two kinds of captains. Talent captains and leader captains. Ideally, a captain has both qualities but if you have to choose, "talent" does not match up to "leader" from a captain standpoint.
December 29th, 2013 at 12:38 PM ^
have prior experience at being a captain?
December 29th, 2013 at 12:42 PM ^
December 29th, 2013 at 12:49 PM ^
December 29th, 2013 at 12:54 PM ^
My bigger point was Lewan = Great talent. I personally don't know if he was a correct pick for captain this year.
December 29th, 2013 at 12:50 PM ^
"I'd say the majority of Mich. football players were captains in high school."
I'd say you're pulling that out of your ass in an effort to prove your ridiculous point.
December 29th, 2013 at 4:18 PM ^
What?! Of all assumptions people make, I think assuming that a D1 scholarship athlete was a captain of their high school team is a fairly safe assumption.
December 29th, 2013 at 12:55 PM ^
I never cease to be amazed at the people who find a need to invent a new rule, law or trope to support their opinions.
December 29th, 2013 at 2:11 PM ^
I would venture a guess that he's probably right. Most of these guys were the best players on their teams, and usually the best player on the team is a captain. I've seen kids who were assholes be voted captains when they're the star of the team. The thing is, you look for different things from captains. They don't have to be valedictorians and volunteer at charities all the time. Sometimes you're looking for leadership from their play on the field.
December 29th, 2013 at 2:12 PM ^
Hold on. Did you play sports? How often was the best player on your team NOT a captain in high school? I'll hang up and listen (no I won't). No, there isn't "data" on this, but that's because I don't feel like going back through every player on our roster, culling their high school newspaper stories (I doubt Rivals reports on captaincy). . . I mean, come on. It's a pretty valid point, and one that is (fairly) obvious to anyone who's played football past the middle school level.
December 29th, 2013 at 4:39 PM ^
Also not sure why it's a ridiculous point that there is nothing Lewan has demonstrated at any point in his career--at least publicly with on-field or off-field conduct--that he was deserving of being a captain.
December 29th, 2013 at 7:36 PM ^
I'm with you, though; pretty much every single scholarship athlete I've been around was a captain in high school and even on club teams. The difference between a pretty good high school athlete and a D1 prospect (especially a Michigan level prospect) means they always have a leg up when it comes to leadership directly related to the sport, as Magnus mentioned above.
December 29th, 2013 at 12:51 PM ^
He was never a captain in HS because he transferred schools between junior and senior years, that's why...
December 29th, 2013 at 12:56 PM ^
This is something that none of us will ever know, but it is something that I thought about a lot this year. As much as people may not like to admit it, I still think the biggest problem on this year's team was the lack of leadership. The moment I felt this way was when Denard came to the MSU game. When things started to go south, Denard was going around trying to fire up the guys, who all seemed like they were just standing around.
Like I said, this comes with no direct interaction to the team, but I really wonder whether these guys had the leadership skills necessary to turn things around and keep things from turning south. Somebody has to turn it around next year.
December 29th, 2013 at 3:29 PM ^
December 29th, 2013 at 12:36 PM ^
I didn't see it, at least not yet. What happened?
I'd like to see 1000% less taunting and trashtalking from just about everybody on Michigan's football team. Throughout the season, Lewan was one of the least of my concerns in the realm of "ugly trashtalk that might draw a flag." The MSU game excepted. The MSU game is always excepted. You don't bring a rule book to a knife fight.
Anyway, he was the Conference OL of the year. For the second straight year. He's not a coach, and he's not the guy who created seven different line combinations in 2013. He's the one constant in all seven line combinations.
December 29th, 2013 at 12:42 PM ^
December 29th, 2013 at 12:46 PM ^
Ok, thanks for your imagination.
December 29th, 2013 at 12:51 PM ^
December 29th, 2013 at 1:04 PM ^
leaving smart-ass responses. What are you trying to do, impress us with your wit and mind-reading skills? Why try to create drama where none might have existed?
Taylor thought to himself "damn, I'm acting like a moron once again" and decided to retreat. It really wasn't that big of a deal but when you add up this minor incident to a series of others (on the field and off the field) the snowball enlarges.
December 29th, 2013 at 1:29 PM ^
December 29th, 2013 at 1:44 PM ^
it is 100% pure, unadulterated bullshit.
I am not going to offer a counter opinion because I don't know what transpired any more than you do - one work of fiction is not any better than another. Go watch the clip again, without any predetermination, and tell me you see taunting. Tell me you can read the lips of each player in the vicinity. You have no way of knowing what was said or to whom it was said.
You did not present a recap, you invented a story that includes an imagined dialog to support your viewpoint, and presented that as a recap.
December 29th, 2013 at 1:54 PM ^
December 30th, 2013 at 3:31 AM ^
you guys are cool
December 29th, 2013 at 2:12 PM ^
So...he almost did something but then didn't.
I don't know why that's a criticism.
December 29th, 2013 at 1:48 PM ^
Gardner will really be missing Lewan.
December 29th, 2013 at 2:47 PM ^
December 29th, 2013 at 4:15 PM ^
December 29th, 2013 at 7:04 PM ^
Do you realize that if he weren't on the team he would have to be replaced? That would probably mean moving Magnuson out to OT and finding a replacement at OG. Now do you see how we would miss him? We probably would have had another couple of starting OL lineups without Lewan.
December 29th, 2013 at 12:38 PM ^
The team would have been worse without him. I mean come on he's a great LT. There's no way Mags or anyone else could have had the success he had this season.
December 29th, 2013 at 12:39 PM ^