Nice to know Junior holds his now-former team in high esteem!!

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20120228/SPORTS0201/202280419

With "history", if three meetings qualifies, on our side in this series, and all the defensive
losses 'Bama suffers (and no warm-up games to break in the newbies prior to facing us),
I don't mind that kind of positive speculation right now, either.

But it's WAAAAAAY too early to begin predicting scores for a season half a year off.
I say let's enjoy the last two games starting tonight, the B10 tourney, and root our
men on in the Big Dance, then enjoy the news from spring camp...for now!

After a quick google search, here is who Alabama loses from their team last year...


WR
15 Darius Hanks (6-0, 185, Sr., 3V) starter, 4 Marquis Maze (5-10, 180, Sr., 3V) starter, 11 Brandon Gibson (6-2, 194, Sr., 1V) 2nd string

TE
17 Brad Smelley (6-3, 229, Sr., 3V) starter, 87 Chris Underwood (6-4, 243, Sr., 3V) 3rd string

OT
None

OG
67 J. Boswell (6-5, 300, Sr., 3V) 2nd string, 52 Alfred McCullough (6-2, 311, Sr., 2V) 3rd string

C
73 William Vlachos (6-1, 294, Sr., 3V) starter

QB
None

RB
3 Trent Richardson (5-11, 224, Jr., 2V) starter

DE
None

NT
99 Josh Chapman (6-1, 310, Sr., 3V) starter, 58 Nick Gentry (6-1, 284, Sr., 3V) starter

LB
5 Jerrell Harris (6-3, 242, Sr., 3V) starter, 41 Courtney Upshaw (6-2, 265, Sr., 3V) starter, 30 Dont'a Hightower (6-4, 260, Jr., 3V) starter, 91 Alex Watkins (6-3, 234, Sr., 2V) 2nd string

CB
21 Dre Kirkpatrick (6-3, 192, Jr., 2V) starter, 24 DeQuan Menzie (6-0, 198, Sr., 1V) starter, 9 Phelon Jones (5-11, 194, Sr., RS) 2nd string

S
4 Mark Barron (6-2, 218, Sr., 3V) starter

P
None

KR
4 Marquis Maze (5-10, 180, Sr., 3V) starter

PR
4 Marquis Maze (5-10, 180, Sr., 3V) starter

H
None

LS
None

K
None



So it looks like they are losing A LOT of their secondary and middle defense. If Denard can really work on his reads and his short yardage and middle of the field passing he has a chance to really put up some numbers. Plus if he can get loose out of the pocket he may really have a shot to get the ball down-field against this Bama secondary.

The only problem I see is they have really good D ends and they will be back next year so that could disrupt Denard and our plays at any time. The key to UM's scoring in this game won't be the run game. It will be Denards ability to read coverage and get the ball out quick to his slot receivers.

sandyeggo_blue wrote:

So it looks like they are losing A LOT of their secondary and middle defense. If Denard can really work on his reads and his short yardage and middle of the field passing he has a chance to really put up some numbers. Plus if he can get loose out of the pocket he may really have a shot to get the ball down-field against this Bama secondary.

The only problem I see is they have really good D ends and they will be back next year so that could disrupt Denard and our plays at any time. The key to UM's scoring in this game won't be the run game. It will be Denards ability to read coverage and get the ball out quick to his slot receivers.

I agree to an extent. Problem is that 'bama is like u$c now in the fact that when someone "graduates" they just plug that hole with another 5-star. But yes, if Denard can finally attain some rythm in his passing that will open up some running. When defenses adjust back to a run stopping defense, Denard will just throw (if he can, and I've always been one to defend his passing skills although he's running out of opportunities to show them). With an athlete like Denard, you can't stop everything. Denard just needs to read the D and execute the appropriate plays.

That being said I am expecting a loss to 'bama but will be ecstatic if/when we win. Boy, if sparty thought that Michigan was arrogant before, wait until after we beat 'bama. I will be absolutely relentless...

2ndComingOfBo wrote:

sandyeggo_blue wrote:

So it looks like they are losing A LOT of their secondary and middle defense. If Denard can really work on his reads and his short yardage and middle of the field passing he has a chance to really put up some numbers. Plus if he can get loose out of the pocket he may really have a shot to get the ball down-field against this Bama secondary.

The only problem I see is they have really good D ends and they will be back next year so that could disrupt Denard and our plays at any time. The key to UM's scoring in this game won't be the run game. It will be Denards ability to read coverage and get the ball out quick to his slot receivers.

I agree to an extent. Problem is that 'bama is like u$c now in the fact that when someone "graduates" they just plug that hole with another 5-star. But yes, if Denard can finally attain some rythm in his passing that will open up some running. When defenses adjust back to a run stopping defense, Denard will just throw (if he can, and I've always been one to defend his passing skills although he's running out of opportunities to show them). With an athlete like Denard, you can't stop everything. Denard just needs to read the D and execute the appropriate plays.

That being said I am expecting a loss to 'bama but will be ecstatic if/when we win. Boy, if sparty thought that Michigan was arrogant before, wait until after we beat 'bama. I will be absolutely relentless...

Yep, I forgot to mention that.... Bama is probably so loaded with talent that there are guys that could start anywhere else just waiting to be plugged into the system.

The one thing that I hope I don't see is Denard getting in trouble and then just throwing the ball up for grabs. I don't think that is going to fly next year as well as it did this last year.

I'm hoping that Coach Hoke is starting that philosophy up here (maybe not quite to the same extent but you get my point)...

Based on what Sandy provided us, I came to two conclusions:

1.) Bama will be running the shit out of the ball in that game. They return all but their C on the OL. BUT, they return no starters at WR or RB. I see Saban plugging in a stud back (Dee Hart, maybe?), and trying to chew up yards.

2.) Michigan SHOULD get out and test those new corners EARLY. Sure they may be 5* plug-ins, but they still haven't truly played at the high-level that is a GAME in big-time D1. I expect to see a lot of those bullshit little slip screens, and some quick straight dumpouts out to our flanker.....make those newbies TACKLE.


But, wait and see. Bama will come out trying to gun-sling the ball, while Michigan will try and just pound it.

One good thing that comes from new LB's....they haven't had to read the read-option being ran by a kid as fast as Denard before (Bama will be relying heavily on those returning DE's to blow that play up...but will they?).