GBMWolverine: Coach’s Corner — Michigan Football — Top 22 Offensive Players Evaluations 5-1
Posted at 6:00am — 1/24/2012
GBMWolverine: Coach’s Corner — Michigan Football — Top 22 Offensive Players Evaluations 5-1
The college football season never really ends for any dedicated aficionado that wishes every week was game week. We here also plead guilty and have prepared tidbits for consumption looking at the 2011 and offensive and defensive personnel.
First off is a look back and ahead for key offensive players of 2011, and below is a short description relating to those key players.
After seeing our ranking of players come to the message board and give your opinion and how you would rank the offensive players.
5. Junior Hemingway:
Junior fulfilled some long-awaited potential with a big senior season.
He recorded 34 catches and provided as much of a deep threat as his skills would allow. His strength and timing allowed for some big catches in traffic.
Junior will be missed more than most fans think/believe especially with Stonum leaving the program. Hemingway was the go to guy who made catches Michigan had to have, or fail.
Next season:
His future could hold a chance as a possession receiver at the next level. Like many receivers at the next level a lot will be determined by his draft pick not from what he did on the football field, but his combine type stats especially his forty yard dash.
4. Taylor Lewan:
This talented lineman played through tough injuries, starting with an off-season elbow injury in spring practices that limited his time learning the new offense, getting bigger and stronger in the off-season which limited him.
He did a great job of protecting Denard’s backside.
The injury this past year held back Taylor’s strength improvement opportunity. Taylor can still be an elite lineman and this upcoming year will be very paramount to his future success.
Next season:
Taylor needs to continue to get bigger and stronger, he probably played last year at below 300 pounds. As with all linemen, drive and zone blocking will both need to improve. His future is bright and could be the next All-American linemen for Michigan in the NFL.
3. Fitzgerald Toussaint:
Michigan’s offense took off after Fitz’s production improved in mid-year h aving a second true offensive option. This took a lot of pressure and workload off of Robinson. Fitz has gained strength and his overall running ability improved this past season. He still dances a little too much for many of our staff, but he broke some big runs that helped push Michigan over the top of what was expected to be an 8-4 or 7-5 year.
Next season:
Fitz needs to continue to work on his conditioning and overall quickness, refine his running technique and take up the role of team leader. Michigan is still searching for a line and back combo that can be counted on for tough short yardage.
2. David Molk:
If anyone still has any doubt regarding Molk’s importance to Michigan’s success, again watch the 1st series of the Sugar Bowl. The team will miss his leadership and work ethic, both on the field and in the weight room.
Molk is very deserving of his postseason honors.
Michigan’s foremost line task of the spring will be to find the best replacement.
Next season:
Wish him the best and we expect him to land on a NFL roster somewhere.
He is a player that will be scrutinized for his combine stats, H/W/arm length just like he was coming out of high school, but it is the intangible things that make Molk the player he is today. He has the drive and passion for football and the heart that can never be documented on any combine work-out sheet.
1. Denard Robinson
Without a doubt the most valuable player on the Michigan football team this past season.
Despite his inconsistencies in the passing game, Denard is still one of the most dangerous, explosive players in college football. He can be a touchdown maker or a turnover machine. Later in the season the touchdowns outnumbered the turnovers.
Though skilled, Denard has clear deficiencies, but his positive ledger outweighs the visible defects. He is coach-able and can improve in every facet of the game. During the Big Ten season Denard made better decisions on the read series that helped both he and Toussaint.
He will never look like Joe Montana or Drew Brees, but Denard has feet that few quarterbacks ever have and he uses them well.
Next season:
There is no mystery that Denard needs to continue to work on his footwork and overall passing skills. He has improved some on progressions and his elbow is up.
His footwork in the pocket stills needs to improve and the Sugar Bowl showed how he still throws off the back foot, putting some wobble on the ball and hurting accuracy. Work, work, and more work; neither player nor coach can give up or lower expectations.
Next up will be our defensive player evaluation rankings.
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Written by GBMWolverine Staff
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