De’Veon Smith Will be Michigan Football’s 2016 Offensive MVP
By David Cuff
As Michigan football enters the 2016 football season their defense is getting most of the hype. De’Veon Smith and the offense, however, are being overlooked. Eight starters are returning, including Smith. While he was good last year, this year he will be Michigan’s offensive MVP.
In 2015, the Michigan football offense made huge improvements during the season and it was evident on the field. Over their last 5 games they averaged 35.8 points per game, including three games where they scored over 40 points. The unquestioned leader of that offense in 2015 was quarterback Jake Rudock.
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Michigan will need to rely on the run game to get things going this year, however. Especially with Rudock gone, and the quarterback position still up for grabs. The immediate beneficiary of that will be starting running back De’Veon Smith.
The most talented players on Michigan’s offense are at the receiver position. Starting wide outs Amara Darboh and Jehu Chesson are both All American type talents and tight end Jake Butt is arguably the best at his position in college football.
Any of them are capable of being the offensive MVP in a given week, but with only so many footballs to spread around, their overall value is capped. Things could change with an injury (knock on wood), but I can’t see any of the three standing out enough this year to be considered the MVP on offense.
The quarterback battle is up in the air, but the two finalists seem to be John O’Korn and Wilton Speight. Both are talented passers and capable of breaking out, under the tutelage of head coach Jim Harbaugh. But, the uncertainty of who will be the starter makes it tough to peg either of them as the offense’s MVP.
That leads us to De’Veon Smith. The clear cut starter at running back has shown flashes of dominance when healthy.
Last season Michigan went 6-0 in games where Smith rushed for over 50 yards, and 3-3 in games where he failed to reach that mark. It’s no coincidence that in the Wolverine’s three losses, he combined for just 46 carries, 116 yards, and a big goose egg on the scoreboard.
This season will be the year Smith puts it all together. He is already one of the toughest running backs in the country and has an insane ability to both run over defenders and carry them on his back. His vision has not always been the best, but he has shown improvement and it was evident in the Citrus Bowl victory over Florida to close out last season. Ty Isaac and Drake Johnson will push him for carries, but Smith is still poised for a breakout year.
It’s not always pretty with De’Veon Smith but it sure is effective. One of the toughest backs to bring down in college football will become one of the best overall backs in college football in 2016. Call me crazy, but I’m predicting a 210-carry, 1,100-yard and 10-touchdown season for Smith.
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That type of year will have everyone calling him by a new name: M-V-P.