It’s been a long time since the University of Michigan football team has been in the news for good things, but ever since the addition of the “prodigal son” Jim Harbaugh, it has been a different atmosphere.
Even before Harbaugh coached his first game at Michigan, a different type of hype and buzz became apparent in Ann Arbor. Michigan would finish the 2015 season at 10-3 and would lose to both in-state rival Michigan State and one of the biggest rivalries in college sports – the school from down south – The Ohio State Buckeyes.
Now we are just four days away from season two under Harbaugh and the hype just keeps escalating to new heights.
Michigan put on satellite camps around the country, causing quite a bit of a stir amongst his other professional counterparts, such as Georgia’s Kirby Smart and Alabama’s Nick Saban. Michigan also signed a new 10-year contract with Nike, which includes the school being the first football team to wear the Jumpman brand.
Those who just follow college football will only focus on the hype surrounding these high profile reports and stories but may forget about the game. To quote the legendary coach Bo Schembechler: “The team, the team, the team.”
The team is coming off a 41-7 over the Florida Gators in the Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl.
The Wolverines will have a new starting quarterback behind center this season. It will either be the John O’Korn – the redshirt sophomore transfer from Houston – or junior Wilton Speight, who has had some experience in the offense.
After watching what Speight did during his season with Michigan last year and the spring game, it’d be a fair bet to say the advantage to Speight to be named the starter. O’Korn does have better mobility to escape the pocket if the pocket collapses.
Jake Butt, Jehu Chesson, Amara Darboh and De’Veon Smith are returning to add experience to the offense.
Michigan lost its defensive coordinator, DJ Durkin, as he left the team to become the head coach of the University of Maryland Terrapins. The defense last year was filthy good once they got the consistency going as they didn’t allow an opponent to score more than seven points in five weeks and didn’t allow an opponent to score in three straight weeks.
Coach Harbaugh brought in Don Brown, the former Boston College defensive coordinator whose defense was the best in college football in 2015.
Coach Brown has Jordan Lewis, Jabril Peppers, Chris Wormley and Ryan Glasgow returning. Peppers will play some linebacker and nickle for Brown’s defense this season, but he could also see some snaps on offense as well. Peppers could draw comparisons to Michigan’s legend and last Heisman trophy winner Charles Woodson.
Now, we are still three days away from the start of the season and then we can determine if this team will live up to the hype. It all begins on Saturday at Noon when they take on the University of Hawaii at the Big House.
