Football Team Leadership

Submitted by Raback Omaba on

I feel very strongly that our basketball team this year is better from a skill standpoint over last year's team, but nobody has stepped up into a leadership role. The team is seriously missing CJ Lee and D. Merrit.

It's the 2010 football season and a do or die win for RichRod - Who steps up into leadership or "glue" positions? Our football team can't afford to be a bunch of skilled players with no leadership. Somebody needs to step up up and put the finishing touches on a stellar squad.

Who's it gonna be?

My picks, a mix of young and old:

Mike Martin
Obi Ezeh
Ricardo Miller
Tate Forcier
Troy Woolfolk

Who's it gonna be?

david from wyoming

March 1st, 2010 at 10:35 PM ^

Obi Ezeh and Tate Forcier would be my picks, since I can't choose Kevin Porter and Chad Kolarik.

Blue in Seattle

March 2nd, 2010 at 12:07 AM ^

But I think the spirit is going to come from the receivers. Roundtree in particular. When he stole away that sure interception, in I think the Purdue game, he turned around the entire drive.

Tate is definitely the leader from a play calling standpoint, which is why the QB pretty much HAS to be a leader, but I think the offensive leader by energy and spirit, is going to be from the guys getting the ball and doing something with it.

When Henne was a freshman, Braylon was the lead, especially in the MSU game. Now I don't think Braylon ever had the maturity to make that a consistent thing, but I think the general youth of the team will mean a playmaker, and not the traditional signal callers on O and D, will become the leaders.

I don't really expect Obi to be starting by the end of the season. Outside of Woolfolk, the D-Line has the experience advantage, although as we know, it is a slim advantage.

hausoian

March 2nd, 2010 at 2:17 AM ^

I see Molk and Woolfolk being huge leaders.

The center position on the OL is always a prime spot for leadership, and especially with his effectiveness last year I think there should be a lot expected from him. With him I think we average about 10 more points per game honestly.

And then obviously Woolfolk since there will be a lot of inexperience and youth in the secondary. Does anyone else feel like this guy should be something like a redshirt sophomore instead of a true senior? Even though on any other Michigan team of the past 10 years he would have been a nickelback, in 2010 he'll be our "rock" of the secondary. Pretty sad but true.

hausoian

March 2nd, 2010 at 2:38 AM ^

I didn't mean for my post to come out so critically of Woolfolk. In my honest opinion, Woolfolk is a great role player on a defense without many "sure-thing" guys. Looking at last year, I would be more than happy to have a defense full of role players who simply got the job done. Woolfolk certainly did his job last year and I hope for the best from him, but Leon Hall or Donovan Warren he is not.

uminks

March 2nd, 2010 at 2:51 AM ^

I'm not sure who will step up on defense to be the defensive team leader. I like Woolfolk and Martin to be leaders on defense. It would be great if Obi has a break out season and leads the defense!

learmanj

March 2nd, 2010 at 7:28 AM ^

Craig Roh. From all the reports, he works harder than anyone and is extremely intelligent. He is young but on this team, a lot of key players are, so it's a wash.

Magnus

March 2nd, 2010 at 8:26 AM ^

I don't really foresee Forcier being a real "team leader" quite yet. He's still a young'n'. I think he has some good leadership qualities, but it's tough to have everyone follow you when you're only a true sophomore.

Speaking of experience, though, is it just me or does the senior class really lack impact players?

There are really only two CERTAIN starters (Woolfolk, Schilling). Then you have a few guys on the two-deep (Sagesse, Dorrestein, Banks, Ezeh, Mouton, Webb, Moundros). Then there are a bunch of guys who rarely play (Ferrara, Patterson, Rogers, Wright).

I do think that Ezeh, Mouton, Moundros, and Dorrestein will end up starting, but this is potentially a very weak outgoing class. The 2009 impact seniors were Brandon Graham, Carlos Brown, Steve Brown, Brandon Minor, Greg Mathews, David Moosman, and Mark Ortmann.

This will be three somewhat underwhelming senior classes in a row, unless we get a few pleasant surprises.

michiganfanforlife

March 2nd, 2010 at 9:21 AM ^

young leadership on the defense. I wanna see Jake Ryan, Demar Dorsey, and Justin Turner all make starting spots by the end of the year. I'm sick of seeing Obi take wrong steps, bad angles, and arm tackles. Just because you are a senior doesn't mean you are the best option for the team. Of course, projecting frosh and redshirt frosh to be really good in college is a tough thing to do. I would rather have playmakers out there that make mistakes, then firehydrants who make mistakes.

Paly33

March 2nd, 2010 at 11:04 AM ^

With this team being so young at almost every postion and the QB position being so important, Forcier has to take the reigns. You could tell this past year that he has natural leadership qualities, he was just to young to make a voice for himself yet.

Now with BG gone he should be one of those guys to step up and lead this team. I also like Molk and maybe even Mike Martin.
Martin brings great energy to that DL and he might surprise us this year.

We'll see though. I just want this season to start already!

Six Zero

March 2nd, 2010 at 11:48 AM ^

Tate wants nothing more than to be the leader. On the other hand, we NEED Mouton or Ezeh to be leaders in words and in actions.

It starts this month...

hausoian

March 2nd, 2010 at 11:52 AM ^

I completely forgot about RVB. His experience is going to be so valuable this year. I don't think he has enough speed to even compare to BG, but his motor is unbelievable and he'll be extremely valuable on this year's DL. Thankfully we have him until 2011.

Not to mention the presence of Sagesse and Banks on the DL. Those two seniors should get a lot more time this year and it will be so valuable for guys like Ash and Talbott who can now afford to RS.

chunkums

March 2nd, 2010 at 12:06 PM ^

It seems like a lot of people are mixing up skill and leadership. Being a good leader does not necessarily mean you have to be the best player, and vice versa. Also, age plays a big factor in this department. Think of when you played sports in high school, or college. A leader is someone the other players look up to and respect, not just somebody who plays hard.

WichitanWolverine

March 2nd, 2010 at 3:37 PM ^

the goddamn words right out of my mouth.

A leader is someone who tries to vocally and physically motivate his teammates. Someone who takes the time to teach younger guys certain parts of the game is also key in being a leader, too. I'm not sure that people can say our best players are necessarily going to do that.

But someone definitely has to step up.