Michigan Football: Handing out midseason awards for Wolverines

It’s officially the midpoint of the 2019 Michigan football season and that provides a perfect time to breakdown hand out some midseason awards.

Michigan football has reached the halfway point at 5-1 and has experienced a whirlwind of lows and highs.

The Wolverines have been praised and thoroughly criticized for everything they’ve shown thus far. With a dangerous road on the docket finally, here, let’s take a peek back at how the first six contests have molded team 140 with the first half player awards.

Biggest Disappointment Of The Season: Speed In Space

This is an easy decision because of the vile display of the offense as a whole. To have a trio of compliments like Tarik Black, Nico Collins and Donovan Peoples-Jones and use them sparingly at best, is like owning a car and never using it. Gattis has not found a steady way to feed these threats and some of the blame falls on Ed Warriner’s lineman as well. Altogether, Gattis needs to find something that works or else he’ll be searching for a new job in 2020.

Breakout Star In The Making: Cam McGrone LB

McGrone reminds many of Devin Bush already. He caught his break with an injury to Josh Ross and hasn’t gone backwards since. He’s a lightning bolt who hits with a fury of thunder. He tends to roam around the ball and makes his presence felt when the play involves him. Coach Harbaugh even said it himself “if McGrone keeps playing like this, he’s going to be a star.” Honorable mention youngsters include Vincent Gray and Hassan Haskins.

Offensive MVP: Shea Patterson QB

This is definitely a tough choice to make because of how inconsistent he’s performed in every outing thus far. Patterson is only averaging 208 yards per game with three interceptions and had four fumbles in the first two victories. His rating is hovering around 137, with a completion percentage of 57%. The senior leader is without question going to be the key down the stretch on whether or not Michigan football will be a contender or pretender for the remainder of the schedule. A real conversation can be had as to why no one can be picked as the offensive MVP, but Patterson is the selection because everything gets put on your shoulders when being named the starting quarterback at the University of Michigan.

Defensive MVP: Khaleke Hudson LB

Hudson’s been the most steady force as the guy to count on for the defense. His biggest impact came when he pressured Iowa quarterback Nate Stanley on the final play for the Hawkeyes to help seal the victory in a defensive struggle. Other standouts on that side of the ball include almost the entire unit. Aidan Hutchinson, Kwity Paye, Jordan Glasgow, Cam McGrone, Josh Uche, LaVert Hill and Ambry Thomas have all made numerous contributions to the group as well.

Team MVP: Don Brown’s Defense

They have not excelled like they would have wanted to in going into the year. This bunch lost a lot from the draft and it has shown. However, it has also had their respective moments throughout. It shutout Rutgers, shutdown Iowa and will be leaned on heavily to make up for the uninspiring offense from here on out.

Don Brown will unquestionably have his work cut out for him as he is in charge to get his unit to perform at a championship level if the maize and blue want to achieve their aspirations in 2019.