the wolverine 2012 football preview

2012 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ISSUE

CROWNING

GLORY

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Senior QB Denard Robinson And The Wolverines Have Their Sights Set On The Big Ten Title

OFC.Cover.indd 1 6/13/12 8:50 AM

4 ■ The Wolverine 2012 FooTball PrevieW

football preview 2012volUMe 24, No. 1

iSSN 1048-9940editor

John Bortonassociate editor

Michael Spaththe wolverine.com editor

Chris Balasfootball recruiting editor

Tim SullivanStaff writer Andy Reid

Managing editor Chris Riffer

Contributing editor Steve Downey

Contributing writer Ryan Tice

editorial internKevin Minor

layout and Design Cory Lavalette • Jeanette Blankenship

Contributing photographers Lon Horwedel • Per Kjeldsen

Cover photo Lon Horwedel

publisher Stu Coman

business Manager Linda Autry

Circulation Manager Gail Evans

Merchandise/Marketing ManagerBeverly Taylor

Director of advertising Dave Searcy

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Charter Member

Date oppoNeNt Site tiMe tv SerieS HiStorYSept. 1 vs. Alabama Arlington, Texas 8 p.m. ET TBA 2-1Sept. 8 air force ann arbor 3:30 p.m. et abC/eSpN2 1-0Sept. 15 Massachusetts ann arbor 3:30 p.m. et btN 1-0Sept. 22 at Notre Dame South Bend, Ind. 7:30 p.m. ET NBC 23-15-1Oct. 6 at Purdue West Lafayette, Ind. 4 p.m. ET BTN 43-14oct. 13 illinois ann arbor 3:30 p.m. et abC 68-23-2oct. 20 Michigan State ann arbor tba tba 67-32-5Oct. 27 at Nebraska Lincoln, Neb. 8 p.m. ET TBA 4-2-1Nov. 3 at Minnesota Minneapolis, Minn. TBA TBA 71-24-3Nov. 10 Northwestern ann arbor tba tba 53-15-2Nov. 17 iowa ann arbor tba tba 40-13-4Nov. 24 at Ohio State Columbus, Ohio 12 p.m. ET ABC 58-44-6Schedule subject to change; Home games in bold at Michigan Stadium

2012 Michigan Football Schedule

on The cover

More Than ShoelaceDenard Robinson Wants To Make An Impact Beyond The Field page 86

phoTo By lon hoRWeDel

4,6.Contents.indd 4 6/13/12 9:41 AM

Position GrouPsQuarterbacks ....................................... 91running Backs ................................... 100Wide receivers .................................. 112tight Ends .......................................... 119offensive Linemen ............................ 132Defensive Linemen ............................ 143Linebackers ........................................ 158Defensive Backs ................................. 165special teams .................................... 176

DEPartmEntsWolverine Watch .................................... 8michigan Football notes ...................... 10

aLso insiDErosters .................................................. 34opponent Previews ........................... 182in memoriam ...................................... 2052011 statistics .................................... 206record Book ....................................... 211Year-By-Year........................................ 236rivals.com top 100 ............................ 265recruiting: midwest top 30 .............. 266recruiting: michigan top 15 ............. 270

Michigan’s Man

Brady Hoke Has Turned Out To Be A Great Fit As The Wolverines’ Head Football Coach page 36

The Day The gaMe changeDThe Advent Of Freshman Eligibility In 1972 Forever Altered The U-M

Football Landscape page 64

The coMeback kiDs

A Look At U-M’s Best Come-From-Behind Wins page 58

FivE in a roW ..........................................................................46In 1992, U-M’s Fifth-Year Seniors Closed Out Their Careers With Their Fifth Straight Big Ten Title And A Win In The Rose Bowl

HomEcominG ..........................................................................52Greg Mattison’s Decision To Return To Ann Arbor Was Not Easy, But Was The Right Move For Him And His Family

LookinG For morE ...............................................................72Coordinator Al Borges’ Offenses Are Accustomed To Year-Two Progress

2012 sEason PrEviEW ...........................................................76A Quick Look At The Players, Games and Teams To Watch This Fall

vErsatiLE GamE PLan ...........................................................82Coordinator Al Borges Discusses Michigan’s Plan Of Attack

PuttinG it on His sHouLDErs ............................................96After Two Injury-Plagued Seasons, Fitzgerald Toussaint Has Taken Over As U-M’s Starting Running Back

cHasinG LEGEnDs................................................................108Fifth-Year Senior Receiver Roy Roundtree Is Ready To Rise Wearing The Famed No. 21

a GrEat EDucation ............................................................124Tight End Brandon Moore Studies Brain Function Along With His Playbook

cEntEr oF attEntion ........................................................128Ricky Barnum Steps In To A Crucial Role On The Line

Just tHE start ......................................................................140Coordinator Greg Mattison Expects To Build Off Last Year’s Breakthrough Defensive Effort

in tHE sPotLiGHt .................................................................150Nose Tackle Will Campbell Has One Final Chance To Fulfill His, And Michigan’s, Expectations

raisinG tHE Bar ...................................................................154After A Strong Showing As A Freshman, Linebacker Desmond Morgan Is Ready To Meet Higher Expectations

turninG it LoosE ................................................................172Thomas Gordon Wants To Join The Elite Group Of Safeties That Offenses Fear

BiG tEn PrEviEW ...................................................................180Taking Stock Of The Conference’s Top Storylines And Best Players, Plus Projections For The Division Crowns

Pro uPDatE ............................................................................194Former Wolverines In The NFL

YEar in rEviEW .....................................................................200In His First Season, Brady Hoke Led The Wolverines Back To Elite Status

rEstoration ProJEct .......................................................252Though Its Overall Record Was Lacking, The Class Of 2007 Helped Return Michigan Football To Prominence

maPPinG micHiGan .............................................................262An Historic Look At Where The Wolverines Have Come From

6 ■ tHE WoLvErinE 2012 FootBaLL PrEviEW

FEaturEs

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THE WOLVERINE 2012 FOOTBALL PREVIEW � 37

BY JOHN BORTON

Brady Hoke arrived at Mich-igan like an old school buddy with whom many had lost touch. Fans with a few years under their Wolverine-watching belts recalled him fondly as the

gravel-voiced architect of a national champi-onship defensive line in 1997.

Most knew he’d made his way off to some Mid-American Conference school and even-tually headed to the West Coast.

But many were shocked that a former U-M assistant with a slightly sub-.500 re-cord as a college head coach found himself headed for the big office in Ann Arbor.

Then they heard him speak, in one of the most memorable press conferences ever at Michigan. They edged forward in their seats when he professed a willingness to walk from San Diego to Ann Arbor to become the Wolverines’ head coach.

They felt a shiver of old-time electricity when he pounded the podium and recon-firmed “Ohio” as the … most … important … game … on … that … schedule. They noticed when a host of former players showed up … Jon Jansen, Jarrett Irons, Aaron Shea, Glen Steele and many others, all passionately sup-porting the new head coach.

They swelled with pride when Hoke de-clared, “This is Michigan,” as if no more needed to be said. They watched with won-derment as his staff filled out and highly regarded recruits began pouring in.

Then those same fans experienced a wild ride in the fall, including wins over Notre Dame, Nebraska, Ohio State and Virginia Tech in the Sugar Bowl, on the way to an

11-2 record. It wasn’t perfect — Hoke would be the first to say so and point out falling shy of a Big Ten title — but Michigan’s rumble through the autumn of 2011 certainly cleared up questions many harbored over the future of a recently humbled program.

For most, apprehensions melted away like a snowball on Bermuda blacktop. Certainly, those who wanted to know more about the crew athletics director David Brandon put in place got a whole lot of questions answered.

They can feel it when someone like Shea declares: “It’s his love for Michigan. It’s not fake. This is his destination job. You never have to worry about Brady Hoke taking a pro job. This is his destination job, and his goal. You can see the passion.”

Everyone could see a host of other charac-teristics as well, ones certain to envelop the University of Michigan’s most high-profile sport for years to come. Here are just some of the areas that came sharply into focus over the past year.

BRADY HOKE“We don’t hide the fact that we want

guys with character and integrity, and that have an understanding of what a degree at Michigan means. We want

guys who have a great passion to play the greatest team game there is.”

Recruiting ManiacsThe book on Hoke tabbed him a strong

recruiter for Michigan as an assistant, but some fretted about him coming in with less than great name recognition as a head coach. They questioned how he’d be able to recruit for a program coming off a combined 15-22 record over three seasons, sans a high profile.

That talk didn’t last long.Hoke’s crew scrambled to fill out the 2011

recruiting class, then began getting a flurry of verbal commitments before the summer

even rolled around. By the time they were finished, they’d pulled in a class of 25, in-cluding Rivals.com five-star linemen Kyle Kalis and Ondre Pipkins.

The class of 2012 became a consensus top-10 group, with Rivals.com and ESPN.com each pegging it at No. 7 in the nation. Hoke and his crew didn’t slow down once Signing Day came and went.

The Wolverines had already landed a very early commitment for 2013 from one of the top pro-style quarterbacks in the nation, Warren (Mich.) De La Salle’s Shane Mor-ris. By early June, they’d received 20 verbal commitments, including five from offensive linemen rated as four-star performers by Rivals.com.

That entity pegged Michigan as having the No. 1 class in the nation as spring rolled into summer. Hoke is no stargazer, and he knows it’s a long way until National Signing Day, 2013, but he also knows Michigan’s staff will always be relentless on the recruit-ing trail.

They come armed with a plenty to offer, he cautioned.

“We’re the 14th-ranked university in the country,” Hoke pointed out. “The win-ningest football program in the history of college football. We’ve got a tremendous community. We’ve got unbelievable passion that people have for Michigan on a national scale. Facility-wise, there is no stadium like that stadium. There is no indoor facility like that indoor facility.

“We’ve got coaches who understand Michigan. We’ve got guys who do a tremen-dous job with relationships wherever they go, and with the trust they have been able to create with high school coaches, recruits and parents. It’s just part of the fabric of who we are.

“We don’t hide the fact that we want guys with character and integrity, and that have an understanding of what a degree at Michi-gan means. We want guys who have a great passion to play the greatest team game there is.”

Hoke’s comment about relationships has been seconded, over and over again, by high school coaches with whom U-M’s staff inter-acts. They consistently cite the genuineness of the crew, the concern for the players, the coaches’ personable nature, etc.

Ohio State coach Urban Meyer himself — at the time, as an ESPN analyst — called Michigan defensive coordinator Greg Mat-tison “the best recruiter in college football.” Recruiting coordinator Jeff Hecklinski and the rest of Michigan’s assistants leave no stone unturned in searching for talent that also represents a fit in a winged helmet.

Coaches from Blissfield, Mich., a farming community of slightly more than 3,000 near

ICHIGAN’S

ANBrady Hoke Has Turned Out

To Be A Great Fit As The Wolverines’ Head Football Coach

Hoke's love of Michigan and his passion for coaching have been clear from the day he was hired, and U-M's players and coaches alike have been inspired by his approach.

PHOTO BY PER KJELDSEN

36-45.Brady Hoke.indd 37 6/12/12 5:22 PM

72 � THE WOLVERINE 2012 FOOTBALL PREVIEW

BY JOHN BORTON

By any objective standard, Michigan’s 2011 offense wasn’t the college football equivalent of Spam. The Wolverines averaged 33.3 points per game, more than their offense-emphasized, defense-decimated brethren of a year earlier.

While U-M’s 2011 defense drew most of the slack-jawed admira-tion by comparison, the offense didn’t take a backseat. It produced Michigan’s first pair of 1,000-yard rushers since 1975, a quarterback that totaled 3,349 yards of offense and the second-best scoring outfit in the Big Ten.

More importantly than any statistics — both head coach Brady Hoke and offensive coordinator Al Borges stress — Michigan’s of-fense proved good enough to help win 11 football games.

Now, the football-moving side of Michigan has a chance to get even better. History whispers that it will do so.

Borges has served as an offensive coordinator in some venue for the past 31 college football seasons. His crews have always

improved dramatically year one to year two, with a couple of excep-tions — Auburn from 2004-05, when it couldn’t have gotten much better, and 2002-03 at Indiana, which is … well, Indiana.

The latter reference probably isn’t fair and doesn’t tell the story of those Hoosiers teams, at least relating to the Borges pattern. The Hoosiers featured different quarterbacks in each of those years, just like the Tigers did, meaning all predictable progress bets are off.

At Michigan, he has senior Denard Robinson back, following a very productive junior season. At the same time, Robinson led the Big Ten in interceptions, with 15, and connected on just 55.0 percent of his passes.

Those areas alone allow room for the Wolverines to take a leap forward on offense. Again, statistics don’t represent the bottom line. But taking care of the football, running an even more efficient offense, and getting better in aspects directly relating to winning football games could make the difference between good and great.

“The one thing about Al is, he is as good of an offensive mind as there is in this country,” Hoke assured. “When you see what he’s done at the different stops he’s had, he does a tremendous job. I think this may have been his best year of coaching, from my standpoint, because of changing within some of the things with the spread.

“That tells you about a coach. The one thing about this staff, and

Coordinator Al Borges’ Offenses Are

Accustomed To Year-Two Progress

Borges and the Wolverines set a high bar last year, averaging 33.3 points and 404.7 yards per game, but past results for the coach por-tend improvement in 2012.

PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL

LOOKING FOR

MORE

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The Wolverine 2012 FooTball PrevieW ■ 73

why I like this staff so much is, there are no egos on it. We’ve got guys who have accomplished some great things from a professional standpoint, but everybody is in it for the right reasons —for the kids. Everybody is in it together. We agree to disagree once in a while, but once that decision gets made of what we’re going to do, it’s everybody marching, locked arm in arm, to do the job for these kids and Michigan.”

Sometimes, that means slowing the pace and scoring less, in order to help the defense. Borges stands more than willing to do precisely that, rather than piling up numbers for show.

It’s not all about the coaching either, Borges cautions. “At the end of the day, it’s all about the players,” he said. “There

are very few people out there making water into wine. A lot of peo-ple want to think they are. A lot of people want to advertise the ge-nius of the offensive coaches. But truth be told, most guys when they lose players turn out not as smart as everybody thought they were.

“The key is to try and keep your talent base in a position where you can still be as effective, even though some years you may not be as prolific. You’d love to be prolific every year, but there are going to be some years …”

This year doesn’t look like a step-backward season for the Wolver-ines. Robinson returns, with reports of refinements in his throwing efforts this spring. Fellow 1,000-yard rusher Fitzgerald Toussaint is back as well, along with three-fifths of Michigan’s starting offensive line from 2011.

Yes, Rimington Award winner David Molk is gone, as well as starting offensive lineman Mark Huyge. Tight end Kevin Koger and wide receiver Junior Hemingway won’t provide big targets for Robinson this year.

But the nucleus of the 2011 attack is back, and increasingly grounded in Michigan’s offense under Borges.

Borges insisted this spring was “Completely different. We, of-fensively, did not even install. We emphasized certain things certain days, where my first year, we had to install. Nobody knew anything. We had to install the zone play, then install the power play, install jet protection.

“Now, we came out day one and ran pretty much our entire of-fense, so we could practice it 15 days. When you install, you really only get to practice part of your offense for half the spring. It isn’t in yet.”

Now it is, and if the Borges’ past proves prologue, the Wolverines could be a handful.

PorTland STaTeJoining the late, great Pokey Allen at Portland State didn’t repre-

sent Borges’ first stop along the college coaching trail. He’d already put in a year as an assistant at California and three more at Diablo Valley (California) College, including the 1985 season as offensive coordinator for the latter.

Then he spent the next seven seasons at Portland State, an NCAA Division II school. Borges’ first year there, in 1986, the Vikings went 6-5 with an offense averaging 26.2 points per game. The following season, they averaged 31.7 per contest, going 11-2-1 and losing to Troy State in the NCAA Division II championship game.

“We won 11 the third year, too, and the quarterback just shot through the roof,” Borges recalled.

That quarterback was Chris Crawford, who as a sophomore in 1986 led an offense featuring 16 TD passes set against 18 intercep-tions and a 55.9 completion percentage. As a junior on the near-title team, Crawford paced a crew that produced 17 touchdown passes, only 11 interceptions and a 63.5-percent completion rate.

Here is a look at the complete 1986-87 jump by Portland State’s offense:

Portland State offense Under borgesYear Pts. Rush Avg. TD Com.-Att. Pct. Yds. TD Int. Tot. Avg.1986 26.2 1,426 129.6 19 224-374 55.9 2,914 16 18 4,340 394.51987 31.7 2,054 186.7 24 207-326 63.5 2,539 17 11 4,593 417.5

Crawford led Portland State back to the Division II national championship game the following year, taking another step up in his development. He wound up passing for 7,543 career yards and 48 touchdowns.

boiSe STaTeBorges followed Allen to Boise State, where the same phenomenon

occurred. The Broncos went 3-8 in 1993, Borges’ first season there. The following year, they jumped to 13-2, making it all the way to the NCAA Division I-AA title contest against Youngstown State and a coach familiar to both Michigan and the NCAA.

“We darned near won the national championship,” Borges recalled. “Jim Tressel beat us with Youngstown State in the championship game.

The offense took a jump of more than a dozen points per game. Here’s a look at how the Broncos went from five games under .500 to the national championship game:

boise State offense Under borgesYear Pts. Rush Avg. TD Com.-Att. Pct. Yds. TD Int. Tot. Avg.1993 19.1 1,077 97.9 13 214-411 52.1 2,557 9 18 3,634 330.41994 31.8 1,880 170.9 17 190-347 54.8 2,801 26 10 4,681 425.5

That sort of production rise caught the Pac-10’s attention. Oregon called, and Borges answered, heading up an offense averaging 27.0 points per game during the 1995 season. There’s no year-two com-parison, though, since a school the Ducks beat, 38-31, during Borges’ lone season there made a bid for his services.

He made the jump down the coast to UCLA, where he experienced perhaps his most dramatic year one to year two improvement under head coach Bob Toledo.

UClaThe Bruins struggled to a 5-6 record in 1996, Borges’ first season

in Los Angeles. They averaged a solid 30.0 points per game, but still found themselves getting outgunned in the high-scoring Pac-10.

The following season, behind Pac-10 Player of the Year Cade Mc-Nown, UCLA went on a scoring binge. They averaged 39.8 points per game and rolled to a 10-2 record and a 29-23 victory over Texas A&M in the Cotton Bowl.

Along the way, they destroyed Texas, 66-3, and ended the regular season with a 31-24 victory over archrival USC.

“Cade McNown wasn’t a very good quarterback the first year I coached him,” Borges recalled. “The next two years, he was a Heis-man candidate. That’s the biggest jump I can think of.”

Here is how the overall offensive numbers shaped up:

UCla offense Under borgesYear Pts. Rush Avg. TD Com.-Att. Pct. Yds. TD Int. Tot. Avg.1996 30.0 1,698 154.4 26 183-359 51.0 2,553 13 16 4,251 386.51997 39.8 1,988 165.7 32 192-321 59.8 3,168 25 16 5,156 429.7

“Most of the time, as a coach you could see the difference. That’s no guarantee.

i never assume. i just know my past. My history tells me that there

should be some improvement.” Borges

72-75.Al Borges.indd 73 6/13/12 12:47 PM

1. Senior quarterback Denard Robinson: He is a special player, unlike any other in Michigan football history. Robinson has his faults — he was the only quarterback in the nation to throw 12 or more interceptions (15) with fewer than 260 passing attempts (258) last year — but Wol-verine Nation loves him just the same. Mixing his dynamic athletic ability with another year under offensive coordinator Al Borges, Robinson hopes to put his most complete season together in 2012.

If he stays healthy, Robinson will smash the all-time Michigan record for total offense. After posting 4,272 yards in 2010 and 3,349 in 2011, he needs just 1,141 to surpass current record-holder Chad Henne (9,300 from 2004-07). And if he does that while leading the Wolverines to another terrific season, Robinson could very well end up in New York City as a Heisman Trophy finalist at the end of the year.

2. Redshirt junior running back Fitzgerald Toussaint: Through the first half of the 2011 season, the Wolverines did not know who their go-to running back was. In the first six games he played in (he missed the Notre Dame game with an injury), Toussaint mustered just 46.5 yards per game on an average of 8.6 carries per contest. Then something clicked. In the Maize and Blue’s last five regular-season games, he ran for 678 yards, including 192 against Illinois, on 6.1 yards per carry.

He figures to be a big part of the Michigan of-fensive attack for the next two seasons, and will be a game-breaker in 2012.

3. Redshirt junior left tackle Taylor Lewan: He certainly looks the part — he has the size, speed, strength and tenacity of a classic left tackle. And when his career is all wrapped up, Lewan will likely be a four-year starter and no doubt atop many All-American teams and NFL Draft boards.

But this is a big year for the big man. Now in his fourth year on campus, Lewan has

worked hard to drop the goofy vibe (among other things, he tattooed a mustache on the in-side of his index finger so he could hold it above his upper lip). He has focused on becoming a better leader and teammate, taking on a more serious attitude.

4. Fifth-year senior strong safety Jordan Kovacs: At a place like Michigan, with its rich history of excellence and dominance, a player like Kovacs does not come around that often. He’s not an athletic specimen. If you saw him on campus, you would be hard-pressed to distin-guish him from the general student population.

During his time with the team, there have been more talented safeties on the roster, play-ers with the physical tools that Kovacs simply doesn’t possess. But he has never relinquished his starting job, and he has transformed into one of the Wolverines’ most reliable defensive players.

5. Redshirt sophomore outside linebacker Jake Ryan: As a first-year starter in 2011, Ryan tallied just 37 tackles, but got the attention of the coaching staff with his aggressive mindset and relentless motor. He was raw but obviously talented. Now, with three years of eligibility ahead of him — and more time under his belt with Michigan defensive coordinator Greg Mat-tison — Ryan looks more polished, disciplined and dangerous.

2012 SEASON PREVIEW

TOP FIVE PLAYERS


With a healthy senior season, quarterback Denard Robinson should easily surpass Chad Henne as Michigan's all-time career leader for total offense.

PHOTO BY ERIC BRONSON/BRONSONPHOTO.COM

A Quick Look At The Players, Games And Teams To Watch This Fall

BY ANDY REID

The 2011 season could

not have been more ex-

citing. From the night

game festivities against Notre

Dame to an 11-2 finish capped

by a Sugar Bowl victory, the

Wolverines stormed back into

the national spotlight. Michigan

head coach Brady Hoke’s sec-

ond year at the helm will have

just as many twists, turns and,

hopefully, wins.

The Wolverines open the sea-

son with Alabama, play at Notre

Dame at night and, of course,

rekindle annual rivalries with

Michigan State and Ohio State.

These are the players, games

and question marks that will

have the biggest impact on the

2012 season.

76-80.Season Preview.indd 76 6/13/12 2:45 PM


by andy reid

i n his 21-year career as Michigan’s running backs coach, Fred Jackson has had his fair share of high-profile, nationally sought-after recruits. Ball carriers such as Chris Perry, Anthony Thomas

and Chris Howard all shunned a bevy of offers to choose the Wol-verines.

In recent years, though, that hasn’t exactly been the case. Mike Hart, who set program records for career rushing yards

(5,040) and attempts (1,105) between 2004-07, was a little-known prospect out of Syracuse, N.Y., when Jackson put him on a path toward greatness.

The Wolverines’ current go-to back, redshirt junior Fitzgerald Toussaint, who last year became the 32nd player in program history to rush for 1,000-plus yards in a season (1,041), was a four-star pros-pect out of Youngstown, Ohio, but at the time of his commitment, he held just five other offers, from middling BCS programs like Pitts-burgh, Cincinnati and Illinois. And youngsters such as sophomore Thomas Rawls and incoming freshman Drake Johnson were nearly invisible on the recruiting trail before committing to the Maize and Blue.

“You have to have confidence in your own ability to assess talent,” Jackson said. “After coaching running backs as long as I have, you know exactly what you’re looking for. As a coach, you can’t listen to the guys who are assigning five stars or four stars or whatever. They don’t coach running backs. They can say whatever they want, but I have to trust myself.

“I don’t care when someone says, ‘Fred, I don’t know why you took that kid.’ I’ll say, ‘I don’t know either, man.’ And then when he goes out there and beats you, you’ll know why I took him.”

It’s sometimes hard to define what, exactly, sparks Jackson’s inter-est about a specific running back. It’s certainly not physical attributes — he’s molded players from Hart, 5-9, 209, to Tyrone Wheatley, 6-1, 225, into dominant running backs.

And although there are obvious benefits to having a tailback that can run fast, that’s not a defining characteristic for Jackson, either.

“Speed for a running back is overrated. It’s all about moving the chains,” he said. “You can score fast — and you saw that here when we had the No. 1 offense in the Big Ten in 2010 — and that may not help your team. You want someone who can move the chains, and eventually, they’re going to break a big one. I call it the ‘Tick, Tick, Tick, Boom’ theory. That’s what we want from our running backs.”

When Jackson sets out to identify the next Michigan running back, it all comes down to one trait, because if he has it, the rest will follow.

“The No. 1 thing I look for in a running back is toughness,” Jack-

What’s Old Is NeWU-M Is Going Back To The Basics

With Its Running Backsrb

“your senior takes over the position every year, and vince knows better than anybody what i expect from my backs.

if i didn’t go to practice one day, he could go out there and know and

tell the guys what they needed to do.”Running backs coach FRed Jackson

on Vincent smith

Last season, Vincent Smith rushed for 298 yards and two touchdowns on 50 carries, while also catching 11 passes for 149 yards and two more touchdowns.

PhoTo By PeR Kjeldsen

100-106.RBs.indd 100 6/13/12 2:54 PM


rb

son said. “When I first started in 1992, Bo Schembechler told me, ‘If you get a running back who isn’t tough, he’s going to fumble the football. If he’s going to fumble the football, he’s going to get you beat.’ He has to be tough.

“You want a guy that thinks the sun rises and sets with them.”The Wolverines may have a ragtag amalgamation of spread-style

sprinters and I-formation bruisers on the roster for the 2012 season, but they’re all tough — and they may just help comprise one of Michigan’s most dangerous backfields in recent memory.

Upperclassmen Step UpAt the core of the run game will be Toussaint, who emerged from a

scrum of untested ball carriers to become the Wolverines’ every-down starter in 2011.

It wasn’t until halfway through the season that Toussaint took a firm grasp on the starting role, but once he did, he never let go.

In four of the Maize and Blue’s final five regular-season games, he ran for 120 or more yards (170 versus Purdue, 192 versus Illinois, 138 versus Nebraska and 120 versus Ohio State), finishing the year with nine rushing touchdowns and an average of 5.6 yards per carry.

In 2012, Toussaint is hoping to continue his ascent. “The expectations change in the fact that he needs to improve in

all facets,” Jackson said. “One thousand yards — that number will go higher if he improves. I’ve talked to him about things to do dur-ing the summer, and we’ll get through training camp. We’ll get him ready to do all the little things that will make him a better football player in the fall.”

Now that he has the experience of a successful season under his belt, Toussaint is even more focused on making a positive impact for the Wolverines.

“You’re going to see a different Fitz this year,” Jackson said. “He realizes that he has a chance to do something special. He wants to do it. I’m not going to have to say anything to Fitz at practice.”

Senior Vincent Smith has also accepted his role on the team and is flourishing.

In the summer months, the whiteboard in Jackson’s office isn’t lit-tered with diagrams of plays or notes on the next opponent’s defense.

QUick FacTSPosition Coach: Fred Jackson (21st season). Returning Starters: RB Fitzgerald Toussaint (11 career starts) and FB Stephen Hop-

kins (2). Departing Starter: FB John McColgan (3). Projected New Starters: None. Top Reserves: TB Vincent Smith (11) and TB Thomas Rawls. Wait Until 2013: TB Justice Hayes and FB Joe Kerridge. Newcomers: TB Drake Johnson, TB Dennis Norfleet and FB Sione Houma. Moved In: None. Moved Out: None. Rookie Impact: None. Most Improved Player: Rawls. Best Pro Prospect: Hopkins. FYI: Michigan’s running backs accounted for 1,633 yards on the ground last season,

the most production by the corps since 2007 (2,139 yards) … Michigan running backs carried the ball a combined 292 times in 2011, the most since 2008 (309 carries) … Michi-gan running backs combined for just 14 rushing touchdowns in 2011, which is tied with 2008 for the lowest number of scores since 2004 (13) … Toussaint averaged 5.6 yards per carry on 185 carries in 2011, which marks the highest per-carry average for a Michigan running back with at least 185 carries since Tim Biakabutuka in 1995 (303 carries, 6.0 yards per carry) … Toussaint was responsible for 64.0 percent of the carries by running backs in 2011 (187 of 292 total carries), the highest percentage of running back attempts by a single ball carrier since Mike Hart in 2006 (68.8 percent, 318 of 462 total carries) … Toussaint and quarterback Denard Robinson each ran for more than 1,000 yards last season (Toussaint, 1,041 and Robinson, 1,176). It marked the first time since 1975 (and only the second time overall) that Michigan had two 1,000-yard rushers (Rob Lytle, 1,030 and Gordon Bell, 1,388) … Rawls was coached by Fred Jackson Jr., the son of Michigan running backs coach Fred Jackson, at Flint Northern High School.

PreSeaSon analySiS: rUnning backSStarter ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪Redshirt junior Fitzgerald Toussaint is the first returning U-M 1,000-yard rusher since

Mike Hart in 2007 — and he’s bringing a new level of confidence, experience and expec-tation along with him. Toussaint burst onto the scene midway through the 2011 season, finishing the year with 1,041 yards and nine touchdowns, after netting just eight carries in 2010. If not for Wisconsin running back and Heisman Trophy finalist Montee Ball, Tous-saint might be considered the best back in the Big Ten.

Depth ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪Not only are there several capable ball carriers on the Michigan roster, but their

diversity of talent allows the Wolverines to bolster the offense in different situational schemes. Toussaint has proven that he can be an every-down back who can shoulder the brunt of the work. Behind him, senior Vincent Smith is a great pass blocker, who can be dangerous when he gets the ball in space. Sophomore Thomas Rawls is a tough runner who could be a potential weapon in short-yardage situations. And with versatile junior Stephen Hopkins leading the way at fullback, the Wolverines should have an explosive backfield — not to mention the added running threat of quarterback Denard Robinson.

X-FactorWhen Hopkins first arrived on campus, he was a big, power option that complemented

Rich Rodriguez’s spread scheme. Last season, he redefined himself as a bruising fullback who opened up major holes for Toussaint. Even though he’s added muscle and gotten bigger, Hopkins still possesses the speed and athleticism to become a larger part of the game plan. He has 48 carries for 194 yards and four scores, along with one catch for 28 yards, in his career, and, if he continues to improve, the coaches could reward him with more touches.

Overall ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪When asked about the expectations for 2012, running backs coach Fred Jackson said

he couldn’t make predictions because so much of the backs’ production rests on the evolution of the offensive line and the defenses the Wolverines face. That being said, Michigan is in very good shape in the backfield. Toussaint has continued his progression and should be even better this fall, and Smith, Rawls and Hopkins all have strengths that will provide the backfield diversity and versatility.

Note: Star rankings are made on a scale of 1-5 stars.

Fred Jackson, who is entering his 21st season coaching running backs for Michigan, said that he thinks speed is an overrated quality for run-ning backs, and that he values toughness more.

Photo by lon horwedel

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Player biosPosiTion CoaCh

Fred Jackson has coached for 21 years with U-M as the program’s man in charge of the running backs. He served six seasons as assistant head coach (1997-2002) and was associate head coach for five years (2003-07). He also served as the offensive coor-dinator from 1995-96.

Under Jackson’s tutelage, three Wolverine running backs have been selected in the first round of the NFL draft — Tyrone Wheatley (17th in 1995), Tim Biakabutuka (eighth in 1996) and Chris Perry (26th in 2004). In 2011, Fitzgerald Toussaint became Jackson’s 12th U-M back to surpass the 1,000-yard mark in a season.

Jackson also coached five seasons at Wisconsin (1982-86), serving as the Badgers’ offensive coordinator, quar-terbacks and wide receivers coach during his years in Madison.

He began his collegiate coaching career in the Mid-American Conference as offensive coordinator, quarter-backs coach and wide receivers coach at Toledo from 1979-81.

reTurning PlayersPaul Gyarmati • FBr-Sr. • Bloomfield Hills, mich.Ht.: 6-1 • Wt.: 216

Career Highlights: Appeared in all 13 games in a special teams role in 2011 and played one game as a reserve fullback … Recorded three tackles in 2010 on special teams while appearing in 11 contests … Registered one tackle against Delaware State in 2009 as a reserve outside linebacker.

Prep: A three-year letterman at Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice … Was a team captain as a senior, and earned first-team all-area and all-league honors in both his junior and senior seasons … Also was a two-year lacrosse letterman.

Personal: Paul Philip Gyarmati was born July 22, 1990 ... Enrolled in the College of Literature, Science and the Arts, majoring in history.

JuStiCe HayeS • rBr-Fr. • Grand Blanc, mich.Ht.: 5-10 • Wt.: 176

Career Highlights: Redshirted and did not see game action in 2011.

Prep: Graduated from Grand Blanc High School … Sprinted the 40-yard dash in 4.45 seconds … Rushed 380 times for 2,624 yards (6.9 yards per carry) and 21 touch-downs during his career … Rushed for 230 yards and two touchdowns, and posted more than 100 receiving yards and one touchdown, before injuring his wrist during the third game of his senior campaign … Carried the ball 175

times for 1,295 yards (7.4 yards per carry) and scored 12 touchdowns and caught 19 passes for 208 yards (10.9 yards per reception) during his junior season … Listed as a four-star prospect, the No. 4 prep player in Michigan, and the No. 85 recruit nationally by Rivals.com … Invited to the 2011 U.S. Army All-American Game as a senior.

Personal: Justice Will Hayes was born Nov. 24, 1992 … Enrolled in the College of Literature, Science and the Arts, major undeclared.

StePHen HoPkinS • rBJr. • Double oak, texasHt.: 6-0 • Wt.: 228

Career Highlights: Appeared in 11 games in 2011, starting twice at full-back … Tallied 43 yards on 11 carries (3.9 yards per carry) … Earned first varsity letter in 2010 … Appeared in 11 contests … Recorded 37 carries for 151 yards and four touchdowns.

Prep: Touted as a three-star prospect by Rivals.com … Totaled 5,010 yards and 61 touchdowns on 847 carries (5.9 yards per carry) in his final three years at Marcus High School, including 1,332 yards and 19 scores as a senior … Earned all-state honorable-mention accolades as both a junior and senior, and earned district most valuable player honors as a junior.

Personal: Born on Sept. 5, 1991 … Enrolled in the School of Kinesiology, majoring in sport management. year GP/GS att. yds. avg. tD2010 11/0 37 151 4.1 42011 11/2 11 43 3.9 0totals 22/2 48 194 4.0 4

Joe kerriDGe • FBr-Fr. • traverse City, mich.Ht.: 6-0 • Wt.: 231

Career Highlights: Did not see game action in 2011.

Prep: A three-year letter winner for St. Francis High School … Rushed for 2,153 yards and 34 touchdowns in his prep career en route to earning AP All-State honorable mention recognition in 2009 … Was named a Detroit Free Press All-State punter in 2008.

Personal: Joseph Kerridge was born Sept. 17, 1992 ... Enrolled in the School of Kinesiology, major has yet to be declared.

tHomaS raWlS • rBSo. • Flint, mich.Ht.: 5-10 • Wt.: 219

Career Highlights: Played in 10 games, including four as a reserve run-ning back in 2011 … Carried the ball 13 times for 79 yards (6.1 yards per carry) … Rushed for a career-high 73 yards on 10 attempts (7.3 yards per attempt) against Minnesota.

Prep: Starred at Flint Northern High School under Fred Jackson Jr., the son of U-M running backs coach Fred Jack-son … Carried the ball 150 times for 1,585 yards (10.6 yards per carry) and scored 19 scores as a senior … Rambled for a school-record 396 yards against Bay City Central in Sept. 2010 … Recorded 101 tackles in his junior year … Rated a three-star recruit and the No. 19 overall player in the state of Michigan by Rivals.com … Ranked as the No. 39 player in the state on the Detroit News Blue Chip list … Listed as the 15th-best player in Michigan by the Detroit Free Press … Garnered all-state honorable mention, all-conference and all-city recognition as a sophomore, junior and senior.

Personal: Thomas Rawls was born Aug. 3, 1993 … En-rolled in the College of Literature, Science and the Arts, major undeclared.

VinCent SmitH • rBSr. • Pahokee, Fla.Ht.: 5-6 • Wt.: 172

Career Highlights: Earned his third varsity letter with 12 appearances and one start at running back in 2011… Rushed for 298 yards on the ground and two touchdowns on 50 carries (6.0 yards per carry) … Caught 11 passes for 149 yards (13.5 yards per reception) and two touchdowns … Has carried the ball 234 times for 1175 yards (5.0 yards per carry) and eight touchdowns in his career … Has grabbed 36 catches for 361 yards (10.0 yards per reception) and two touchdowns in his collegiate career … Caught a career-long 32-yard touchdown pass against San Diego State in 2011 … Recorded a rushing, passing and receiving touchdown against Minnesota … Played superback in all 13 contests in 2010 … Made 10 starts … Had 136 carries

Redshirt freshman fullback Joe Kerridge, from Traverse City, Mich., earned honorable mention all-state prep honors in 2009.

photo by lon horwedel

rosTerno. name Pos. Ht. Wt. year elig. Hometown (High School)99 Paul Gyarmati FB 6-1 216 5th Sr. Bloomfield Hills, Mich. (Brother Rice)5 Justice Hayes RB 5-10 176 So. Fr. Flint, Mich. (Grand Blanc Community)33 Stephen Hopkins RB 6-0 228 Jr. Jr. Double Oak, Texas (Marcus)— Sione Houma RB 6-0 215 Fr. Fr. Salt Lake City, Utah (Highland) — Drake Johnson RB 6-1 205 Fr. Fr. Ann Arbor, Mich. (Pioneer) 36 Joe Kerridge FB 6-0 231 So. Fr. Traverse City, Mich. (St. Francis)— Dennis Norfleet RB 5-7 170 Fr. Fr. Detroit, Mich. (Martin Luther King) 38 Thomas Rawls RB 5-10 219 So. So. Flint, Mich. (Flint Northern)2 Vincent Smith RB 5-6 172 Sr. Sr. Pahokee, Fla. (Pahokee)28 Fitzgerald Toussaint RB 5-10 195 Sr. Jr. Youngstown, Ohio (Liberty)

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2012 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ISSUE

CROWNINGGLORY

$12.95

WWW.THEWOLVERINE.COM

Senior QB Denard Robinson And The Wolverines Have Their Sights Set On The Big Ten Title

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6/13/12 8:50 AM

Order at www.comanpublishing.com or call 800-421-7751 to order your copy!

86 � THE WOLVERINE 2012 FOOTBALL PREVIEW86 � THE WOLVERINE 2012 FOOTBALL PREVIEW

THE

AMBASSADOR

PHOT

O BY

PER

KJE

LDSE

N

86-90.Denard Robinson.indd 86 6/12/12 4:00 PM

THE WOLVERINE 2012 FOOTBALL PREVIEW � 87THE WOLVERINE 2012 FOOTBALL PREVIEW � 87

THE

AMBASSADOR

TDenard Robinson Wants To BeMore Than A Football Player

BY JOHN BORTON

he speaker could have been any Michigan football fan, given his eager inquiry regarding the presence of senior quarterback Denard Robinson.

“ Where’s Denard?” he called out. Upon spotting No. 16 sheepishly standing, he offered: “I hear you’re coming back, man. That is a good deal for Michigan.”

Only the speaker wasn’t just anyone. He was the President of the United States. And when Barack Obama ventured to Ann Arbor to address Michigan students at the Al Glick Field House, he knew what name to mention to excite the crowd.

Giving a shout out to one of the most explosive, dynamic per-formers ever to pull on a winged helmet to a Michigan crowd these days is like wading among hungry piranhas. It’s going to cause a stir.

86-90.Denard Robinson.indd 87 6/12/12 4:18 PM

1. Senior quarterback Denard Robinson: He is a special player, unlike any other in Michigan football history. Robinson has his faults — he was the only quarterback in the nation to throw 12 or more interceptions (15) with fewer than 260 passing attempts (258) last year — but Wol-verine Nation loves him just the same. Mixing his dynamic athletic ability with another year under offensive coordinator Al Borges, Robinson hopes to put his most complete season together in 2012.

If he stays healthy, Robinson will smash the all-time Michigan record for total offense. After posting 4,272 yards in 2010 and 3,349 in 2011, he needs just 1,141 to surpass current record-holder Chad Henne (9,300 from 2004-07). And if he does that while leading the Wolverines to another terrific season, Robinson could very well end up in New York City as a Heisman Trophy finalist at the end of the year.

2. Redshirt junior running back Fitzgerald Toussaint: Through the first half of the 2011 season, the Wolverines did not know who their go-to running back was. In the first six games he played in (he missed the Notre Dame game with an injury), Toussaint mustered just 46.5 yards per game on an average of 8.6 carries per contest. Then something clicked. In the Maize and Blue’s last five regular-season games, he ran for 678 yards, including 192 against Illinois, on 6.1 yards per carry.

He figures to be a big part of the Michigan of-fensive attack for the next two seasons, and will be a game-breaker in 2012.

3. Redshirt junior left tackle Taylor Lewan: He certainly looks the part — he has the size, speed, strength and tenacity of a classic left tackle. And when his career is all wrapped up, Lewan will likely be a four-year starter and no doubt atop many All-American teams and NFL Draft boards.

But this is a big year for the big man. Now in his fourth year on campus, Lewan has

worked hard to drop the goofy vibe (among other things, he tattooed a mustache on the in-side of his index finger so he could hold it above his upper lip). He has focused on becoming a better leader and teammate, taking on a more serious attitude.

4. Fifth-year senior strong safety Jordan Kovacs: At a place like Michigan, with its rich history of excellence and dominance, a player like Kovacs does not come around that often. He’s not an athletic specimen. If you saw him on campus, you would be hard-pressed to distin-guish him from the general student population.

During his time with the team, there have been more talented safeties on the roster, play-ers with the physical tools that Kovacs simply doesn’t possess. But he has never relinquished his starting job, and he has transformed into one of the Wolverines’ most reliable defensive players.

5. Redshirt sophomore outside linebacker Jake Ryan: As a first-year starter in 2011, Ryan tallied just 37 tackles, but got the attention of the coaching staff with his aggressive mindset and relentless motor. He was raw but obviously talented. Now, with three years of eligibility ahead of him — and more time under his belt with Michigan defensive coordinator Greg Mat-tison — Ryan looks more polished, disciplined and dangerous.

2012 SEASON PREVIEW

TOP FIVE PLAYERS


With a healthy senior season, quarterback Denard Robinson should easily surpass Chad Henne as Michigan's all-time career leader for total offense.

PHOTO BY ERIC BRONSON/BRONSONPHOTO.COM

A Quick Look At The Players, Games And Teams To Watch This Fall

BY ANDY REID

The 2011 season could

not have been more ex-

citing. From the night

game festivities against Notre

Dame to an 11-2 finish capped

by a Sugar Bowl victory, the

Wolverines stormed back into

the national spotlight. Michigan

head coach Brady Hoke’s sec-

ond year at the helm will have

just as many twists, turns and,

hopefully, wins.

The Wolverines open the sea-

son with Alabama, play at Notre

Dame at night and, of course,

rekindle annual rivalries with

Michigan State and Ohio State.

These are the players, games

and question marks that will

have the biggest impact on the

2012 season.



1. Fifth-year senior center Ricky Barnum: He will have a stressful job in 2012. Barnum is moving to center, a position he hasn’t played since he was an underclassman in high school, and which is the most mentally and physically taxing along the line. And, for added pressure, he’s replacing Rimington Award-winner and All-American David Molk.

Barnum has not shied away from the task. Through the spring and summer, he and quar-terback Denard Robinson have put in countless hours of individual voluntary work, practicing snaps, cadence and timing.

If Barnum excels at the position, it could mean big things for the Wolverine offense.

2. Senior nose tackle Will Campbell: This is Campbell’s last chance. He arrived in Ann Arbor a five-star stud prospect projected to be an un-stoppable force in the middle of the field. Now entering his senior year, he has 13 games — 14, if the Wolverines earn a spot in the Big Ten championship game — to reach that potential.

In three years, Campbell has tallied just 19 tackles in limited playing time, but he has earned the praise of the coaching staff this off-season. If Campbell can be a reliable option in the middle of the field, eating up blocks and freeing up the linebackers to make tackles, it would answer a lot of questions for a defense that is replacing three starters along the line of scrimmage.

3. Freshman linebacker Joe Bolden: By all accounts, Bolden really made a name for himself during spring practice. The early enrollee didn’t always know where to go — which is expected from someone just learning the playbook — but he never shied away from a hit and flew to the ball whenever he was on the field.

Bolden has been playing all three linebacker positions, but the Wolverines are looking for a No. 2 middle linebacker behind starter Kenny Demens. If Bolden continues to progress, he could provide crucial depth to the linebacking corps.

4. Redshirt junior free safety Thomas Gor-don: He began the 2011 season as the Wolver-ines’ starting free safety, and he looked good in the early going. Gordon recorded a career-high nine tackles in Michigan’s comeback win over Notre Dame and pitched in a career-high six un-assisted tackles against San Diego State. Midway through the season, though, his playing time began to dwindle.

He didn’t play at all in the Wolverines’ loss to Iowa, while fifth-year senior Troy Woolfolk was getting more and more reps at the position.

The coaches said Gordon is looking less tenta-tive and more assertive back there, now. Michi-gan is still looking for reliable depth in the sec-ondary, and his evolution could be a big step for the position group.

5. Fifth-year senior tight end Brandon Moore: He has just two career catches, but he finds himself the veteran leader of the tight ends. With the graduation of Kevin Koger, the Wolverines are woefully inexperienced at the position. Moore looked good in spring practice highlight videos released on MGoBlue.com.

He may not have all the tools and will most likely split time with two incoming freshmen: Devin Funchess, who is a more athletic, pass-catching option, and A.J. Williams, who can help out in the blocking schemes. If Moore can be a reliable blocker, he could give a boost to the Wolverines’ power run game.

1. Redshirt junior left tackle Taylor Lewan At 6-8, 302, Lewan immediately awakens memories of another left tackle that dominated

opponents for the Wolverines: Jake Long. He has the physical tools to be an excellent player at the next level — he’s big, athletic, speedy and strong. Lewan has two more years to build up his résumé, but he definitely has the physical foundation to be a first-round pick. And some national pundits, such as SBNation.com’s Ryan Van Bibber, are already placing Lewan in the first round of 2013 mock drafts, meaning they believe he may leave school a year early.

2. Fifth-year senior right guard Patrick Omameh Along with his 6-4, 299-pound frame, Omameh has excellent feet — a necessity for a

guard who will be expected to pull — and could project highly at the next level. By the time he wraps up his Maize and Blue career, Omameh will have nearly 45 career

starts under his belt (as long as he stays healthy in 2012). He has proven to be a very reli-able right guard.

3. Senior quarterback Denard Robinson Who’s going to take a gamble? Some NFL Draft prognosticators project Robinson as a

running back, some as a wide receiver. Others see him as a Joshua Cribbs-type return man (Cribbs was a QB at Kent State before being converted into a wide receiver/kick returner by the Cleveland Browns). And, of course, Robinson wants to continue playing quarterback. One thing is for sure: Robinson will be one of the most explosive players in the draft, and some team won’t be able to resist.

4. Senior nose tackle Will Campbell His career has not gone the way many people thought it would, but Campbell has one

more year to change that and live up to his lofty potential. From a scout’s point of view, Campbell is a very enticing player, because 6-5, 322-pound linemen who can move like he can don’t come around too often. Someone could take a gamble on him.

5. Fifth-year senior cornerback J.T. Floyd The cover man was one of the players who received a draft evaluation last year. Although

Floyd has made his fair share of coverage mistakes, he has good size for a corner (6-0, 185) and possesses good athleticism, even after a particularly bad ankle injury in 2010.

ToP Five Players To WaTch

ToP Five Pro ProsPecTs

Taylor Lewan, a redshirt junior left tackle who mea-sures 6-8, 302 pounds, just may be the most promis-ing NFL prospect on the entire U-M roster in 2012.


Fifth-year senior center Ricky Barnum will certainly be one of the most watched Wol-verines this season.

photo by per kjeldsen



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the dirty work you need of him. So can Joe. You can sleep at night, thinking that these guys can do what you need them to do in order to make the offense successful.”

return To Power The Wolverines are welcoming three new additions to the backfield

with the 2012 class: tailbacks Drake Johnson and Dennis Norfleet, and fullback Sione Houma.

Norfleet is a fleet-footed scatback who can add some explosiveness to the offense in situational use.

“He’s hopefully a Vince Smith kind of guy,” Jackson said. “I think he’ll be a very good punt returner and kick returner, and catch the ball out of the backfield.”

The incoming player that Jackson is most excited about is, once again, the player practically no one had heard of before he signed with Michigan — the 6-1, 205 Johnson, whom Jackson plucked right from the Wolverines’ backyard at Ann Arbor Pioneer High School.

“I’ve known him since he was in elementary school,” Jackson said. “I watched his high school film from his sophomore year to his senior year, and I saw him gradually get better. What I saw his senior year

was what I wanted to see from him. He started lowering his shoulder and being the big back that he is.”

Johnson may not come in with five stars from the recruiting rank-ings or a bunch of hype, but he has Jackson’s toughness stamp of approval.

With players like Rawls and Johnson, the Wolverines and Jackson are returning to their roots: tough, hard-nosed runners who are going to fight for every last yard.

“I’m very excited about getting back to power football,” Jackson said. “That’s the way I learned how to coach backs: put them in a situation and let them make the difference in the game. ‘It’s third-and-1, and we miss a block, you get the yard anyway. You be your own blocker.’ Those are the kind of guys I like coaching. The guys that want to have the ball in their hands, in any situation. The Michael Jordan mentality.” ❏

Fullback Stephen Hopkins has carried 48 times for 194 yards and four touchdowns in his first two years at U-M, and he looks to be the Wol-verines' starting fullback in 2012.

Photo by lon horwedel

U-M backs Gain Yards in Chunks

At 5-6, 175 pounds, senior running back Vincent Smith may not be physically capable of handling the responsibilities of an every-down back or running between the tackles on a regular basis. But the half-pint halfback is an invaluable member of the Wolverines’ offensive philosophy.

On 61 offensive touches last year — both rushing and receiving — Smith averaged a whopping 7.3 yards. And that’s not even taking into consideration his passing ability; he threw two passes last year, con-necting on one with wide receiver Drew Dileo for a 17-yard touchdown pass in a 58-0 rout over Minnesota.

Smith amassed 298 rushing yards on 50 carries and 149 yards on 11 catches on the year.

In the last 20 years, just one Michigan back has tallied a better season-long average yards per touch, with at least 50 touches. In 1992, Tyrone Wheatley averaged an incredible 7.5 yards on 198 touches (1,357 yards on 185 rushes, 145 yards on 13 catches).

Smith’s 7.3 yards per touch in 2011 and Wheatley’s 7.5 in 1992 com-prise the only two performances in which a Michigan back averaged better than seven yards per touch on 50 touches in the last 50 years.

Smith’s 2009 season average ranks among the best in the last 20 years, too.

He ran for 276 yards on 48 carries and added 82 yards on 10 catches for 6.1 yards per touch, which ranks seventh among Michigan backs.

“You can flank him out, and he can catch the football like a wide receiver,” Michigan running backs coach Fred Jackson said. “You put him in any position with a run-pass option. He’s a valuable guy in this offense.”

Smith is not the only current Wolverine who has shown the propen-sity to pick up big yards.

Redshirt junior Fitzgerald Toussaint ran for 1,041 yards on 187 carries and picked up 28 yards on six catches in 2011, averaging 5.5 yards per touch. That ranks 17th in the last 20 years.

Yards Per Touch leadersin The last 20 Years

Rk. Player Att. Yards Rec. Yards Avg.1. T. Wheatley (1992) 185 1357 13 145 7.582. V. Smith (2011) 50 298 11 149 7.323. Wheatley (1991) 86 648 10 90 6.644. J. Johnson (1991) 107 634 16 180 6.615. C. Brown (2009) 81 480 10 122 6.546. T. Biakabutuka (1994) 126 783 8 73 6.387. Smith (2009) 48 276 10 82 6.178. Biakabutuka (1995) 303 1818 5 50 6.069. E. Davis (1992) 61 374 3 11 6.0110. A. Thomas (2000) 319 1733 17 271 5.9617. F. Toussaint (2011) 187 1041 6 28 5.53Player had to have a minimum of 50 touches in a season to be ranked.

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Player biosPosiTion CoaCh

Fred Jackson has coached for 21 years with U-M as the program’s man in charge of the running backs. He served six seasons as assistant head coach (1997-2002) and was associate head coach for five years (2003-07). He also served as the offensive coor-dinator from 1995-96.

Under Jackson’s tutelage, three Wolverine running backs have been selected in the first round of the NFL draft — Tyrone Wheatley (17th in 1995), Tim Biakabutuka (eighth in 1996) and Chris Perry (26th in 2004). In 2011, Fitzgerald Toussaint became Jackson’s 12th U-M back to surpass the 1,000-yard mark in a season.

Jackson also coached five seasons at Wisconsin (1982-86), serving as the Badgers’ offensive coordinator, quar-terbacks and wide receivers coach during his years in Madison.

He began his collegiate coaching career in the Mid-American Conference as offensive coordinator, quarter-backs coach and wide receivers coach at Toledo from 1979-81.

reTurning PlayersPaul Gyarmati • FBr-Sr. • Bloomfield Hills, mich.Ht.: 6-1 • Wt.: 216

Career Highlights: Appeared in all 13 games in a special teams role in 2011 and played one game as a reserve fullback … Recorded three tackles in 2010 on special teams while appearing in 11 contests … Registered one tackle against Delaware State in 2009 as a reserve outside linebacker.

Prep: A three-year letterman at Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice … Was a team captain as a senior, and earned first-team all-area and all-league honors in both his junior and senior seasons … Also was a two-year lacrosse letterman.

Personal: Paul Philip Gyarmati was born July 22, 1990 ... Enrolled in the College of Literature, Science and the Arts, majoring in history.

JuStiCe HayeS • rBr-Fr. • Grand Blanc, mich.Ht.: 5-10 • Wt.: 176

Career Highlights: Redshirted and did not see game action in 2011.

Prep: Graduated from Grand Blanc High School … Sprinted the 40-yard dash in 4.45 seconds … Rushed 380 times for 2,624 yards (6.9 yards per carry) and 21 touch-downs during his career … Rushed for 230 yards and two touchdowns, and posted more than 100 receiving yards and one touchdown, before injuring his wrist during the third game of his senior campaign … Carried the ball 175

times for 1,295 yards (7.4 yards per carry) and scored 12 touchdowns and caught 19 passes for 208 yards (10.9 yards per reception) during his junior season … Listed as a four-star prospect, the No. 4 prep player in Michigan, and the No. 85 recruit nationally by Rivals.com … Invited to the 2011 U.S. Army All-American Game as a senior.

Personal: Justice Will Hayes was born Nov. 24, 1992 … Enrolled in the College of Literature, Science and the Arts, major undeclared.

StePHen HoPkinS • rBJr. • Double oak, texasHt.: 6-0 • Wt.: 228

Career Highlights: Appeared in 11 games in 2011, starting twice at full-back … Tallied 43 yards on 11 carries (3.9 yards per carry) … Earned first varsity letter in 2010 … Appeared in 11 contests … Recorded 37 carries for 151 yards and four touchdowns.

Prep: Touted as a three-star prospect by Rivals.com … Totaled 5,010 yards and 61 touchdowns on 847 carries (5.9 yards per carry) in his final three years at Marcus High School, including 1,332 yards and 19 scores as a senior … Earned all-state honorable-mention accolades as both a junior and senior, and earned district most valuable player honors as a junior.

Personal: Born on Sept. 5, 1991 … Enrolled in the School of Kinesiology, majoring in sport management. year GP/GS att. yds. avg. tD2010 11/0 37 151 4.1 42011 11/2 11 43 3.9 0totals 22/2 48 194 4.0 4

Joe kerriDGe • FBr-Fr. • traverse City, mich.Ht.: 6-0 • Wt.: 231

Career Highlights: Did not see game action in 2011.

Prep: A three-year letter winner for St. Francis High School … Rushed for 2,153 yards and 34 touchdowns in his prep career en route to earning AP All-State honorable mention recognition in 2009 … Was named a Detroit Free Press All-State punter in 2008.

Personal: Joseph Kerridge was born Sept. 17, 1992 ... Enrolled in the School of Kinesiology, major has yet to be declared.

tHomaS raWlS • rBSo. • Flint, mich.Ht.: 5-10 • Wt.: 219

Career Highlights: Played in 10 games, including four as a reserve run-ning back in 2011 … Carried the ball 13 times for 79 yards (6.1 yards per carry) … Rushed for a career-high 73 yards on 10 attempts (7.3 yards per attempt) against Minnesota.

Prep: Starred at Flint Northern High School under Fred Jackson Jr., the son of U-M running backs coach Fred Jack-son … Carried the ball 150 times for 1,585 yards (10.6 yards per carry) and scored 19 scores as a senior … Rambled for a school-record 396 yards against Bay City Central in Sept. 2010 … Recorded 101 tackles in his junior year … Rated a three-star recruit and the No. 19 overall player in the state of Michigan by Rivals.com … Ranked as the No. 39 player in the state on the Detroit News Blue Chip list … Listed as the 15th-best player in Michigan by the Detroit Free Press … Garnered all-state honorable mention, all-conference and all-city recognition as a sophomore, junior and senior.

Personal: Thomas Rawls was born Aug. 3, 1993 … En-rolled in the College of Literature, Science and the Arts, major undeclared.

VinCent SmitH • rBSr. • Pahokee, Fla.Ht.: 5-6 • Wt.: 172

Career Highlights: Earned his third varsity letter with 12 appearances and one start at running back in 2011… Rushed for 298 yards on the ground and two touchdowns on 50 carries (6.0 yards per carry) … Caught 11 passes for 149 yards (13.5 yards per reception) and two touchdowns … Has carried the ball 234 times for 1175 yards (5.0 yards per carry) and eight touchdowns in his career … Has grabbed 36 catches for 361 yards (10.0 yards per reception) and two touchdowns in his collegiate career … Caught a career-long 32-yard touchdown pass against San Diego State in 2011 … Recorded a rushing, passing and receiving touchdown against Minnesota … Played superback in all 13 contests in 2010 … Made 10 starts … Had 136 carries

Redshirt freshman fullback Joe Kerridge, from Traverse City, Mich., earned honorable mention all-state prep honors in 2009.


rosTerno. name Pos. Ht. Wt. year elig. Hometown (High School)99 Paul Gyarmati FB 6-1 216 5th Sr. Bloomfield Hills, Mich. (Brother Rice)5 Justice Hayes RB 5-10 176 So. Fr. Flint, Mich. (Grand Blanc Community)33 Stephen Hopkins RB 6-0 228 Jr. Jr. Double Oak, Texas (Marcus)— Sione Houma RB 6-0 215 Fr. Fr. Salt Lake City, Utah (Highland) — Drake Johnson RB 6-1 205 Fr. Fr. Ann Arbor, Mich. (Pioneer) 36 Joe Kerridge FB 6-0 231 So. Fr. Traverse City, Mich. (St. Francis)— Dennis Norfleet RB 5-7 170 Fr. Fr. Detroit, Mich. (Martin Luther King) 38 Thomas Rawls RB 5-10 219 So. So. Flint, Mich. (Flint Northern)2 Vincent Smith RB 5-6 172 Sr. Sr. Pahokee, Fla. (Pahokee)28 Fitzgerald Toussaint RB 5-10 195 Sr. Jr. Youngstown, Ohio (Liberty)

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