BTN Tour at Michigan - Open Thread
Big Ten Network Football Tour is at Michigan practice this afternoon. The show will air tomorrow at 10pm, and they will be live tweeting observations from practice. September 1st can't come soon enough.
EDIT:
Collection of BTN crew livetweets & observations from Michigan practice:
http://btn.com/2012/08/23/btn-experts-michigan-football-practice-tweets/
Tom Dienhart's thoughts from Michigan practice:
http://btn.com/2012/08/23/dienhart-my-thoughts-from-michigan-practice/
Some stats from BTNStatsGuy @BTNStatsGuy:
Brady Hoke: Among 4 #B1G coaches with 11+ wins in first season. He's among 4 first-year coaches to win #BCS bowl.
#Michigan's scoring defense improved by 17.8 points per game last season.
#Michigan's 895 wins is the most in college football history. #Wolverines need 5 more to become first to 900.
#Michigan has won its last 12 non-conference games. That's the #Wolverines' longest win streak since a 15-game run spanned 1970-74.
#Michigan won 6 #B1G games last season. That matches the #Wolverines total from the previous 3 seasons combined.
#Michigan went 8-0 at home last season. Best record in #MichiganStadium history.
#Michigan has not won a #B1G title since 2004. That's the #Wolverines' longest drought since 13-year span from 1951-63.
#Michigan looks to end four-game skid against #MichiganState. It's tied for #Wolverines' longest all-time skid in the series.
August 23rd, 2012 at 4:52 PM ^
I was already halfway to midnight!
August 23rd, 2012 at 4:50 PM ^
Elliott Mealer running with first team at LG.
Kalis and Braden both working with the 2's on OL for the #Wolverines
Jeremy Jackson, Drew Dileo and Jeremy Gallon running at first team WR. Devin Gardner also with ones at times.
August 23rd, 2012 at 4:54 PM ^
Al Borges told me Jeremy Gallon has had best camp of WRs. #Wolverines #B1G
August 23rd, 2012 at 5:05 PM ^
All this talk of freshmen taking a lot of snaps today may indicate nothing more than Hoke showing the BTN what he WANTS them to see. On the flip side, we had some holes, but overall our team was pretty damn good last year, and most of those players return. So if the freshmen really are playing, I don't call that a bad thing.
August 23rd, 2012 at 5:38 PM ^
August 23rd, 2012 at 5:50 PM ^
Are you drunk? That was tough to read.
August 23rd, 2012 at 6:10 PM ^
Marrying a conference wife is usually a bad idea. Look for an independent wife.
August 23rd, 2012 at 6:58 PM ^
Mormon wife, Army wife, Navy wife, or Irish wife?
August 23rd, 2012 at 7:20 PM ^
So you'll either have military kids or an army of kids?
August 23rd, 2012 at 9:33 PM ^
Collection of BTN crew's livetweets & observations:
http://btn.com/2012/08/23/btn-experts-michigan-football-practice-tweets/
Tom Dienhart's observations from Michigan practice:
http://btn.com/2012/08/23/dienhart-my-thoughts-from-michigan-practice/
Some observations from today:
#Wolverines are heading back to being dominant.Don't assume it will be a totally linear progression, though.
My sense is #Wolverines are in 3-way dogfight atop the Legends.Fewer playmakers than MSU,Neb - but the best playmaker among those 3 is DRob.
@michigan_fball Looked good didn't see any play makers or explosive plays
@mkdet248 They looked like MSU and Nebraska - could be a heck of a battle for the Legends
@Coll_Ave Could not separate Michigan St. Michigan, Nebraska
August 23rd, 2012 at 11:59 PM ^
First, I have to disagree with Dave Revsine's opinion that we have less playmakers than both MSU and Nebraska. I can see how he has an argument for MSU with Bell, Lippet, Fowler, and Arnett but no way with NEB. Burkhead is a solid back but overrated IMO. Martinez is less of threat (so far in his career) than Denard is throwing the ball, and that is saying something.
Another question I have is in regards to Coach Montgomery telling Tom Dienhart that Roh, Black, Campbell, and Q. Wash would his starting line if the season started today. I'm guessing the rush ends must be considered LB's by Mattison.
It's kind of scary that 12 true freshman most likely will see time this season. That has to be a record at Michigan.
August 24th, 2012 at 12:58 AM ^
Totally off the top of my head, but true frosh who saw time last year:
Rawls
Beyer
Clark
Morgan
Hollowell
Countess
Taylor
That is from a lesser class - and mostly because a handful of guys in that class (Posada, Barnett, Rock, LB guy who went to Oklahoma) either didn't make it through camp or left shortly after the season. That's 7, and this year they say it could be as many as 12. From a class as higher touted as ours was, that's not that crazy. I also bet that number ends up being more like 9 or 10, not much different than last year.
My guesses would be:
Chesson
Darboh
Kalis
One other OL
Pipkins
Ojemudia
Bolden
Ross
Wilson
I bet we don't go much more than that.
August 24th, 2012 at 10:44 AM ^
Add Norfleet in there at KR and I think that's a pretty good list.