Tag: Jon Runyan Jr.

Best Father-Son Duos Since 1980

Happy Father’s Day to all you Michigan fan dads out there!

I’m no Michigan football historian. If you asked me what the team’s record was back in 1929 or who the starting running back was in 1954, I would stare at you blankly and then walk away. They barely kept stats back then, so did it really happen if there were no TFLs?

I’m here to say it didn’t.

But I can make an argument for the best father-son duos to play for Michigan football since the beginning of the 1980s. If you disagree, you’re wrong. But it’s your prerogative to argue in the comments, anyway.

1. Chris Hutchinson (1989-1992) and Aidan Hutchinson (2018-2021)
Chris wore #97 and was an All-American at defensive tackle in 1992. He was a three-year starter and a captain who set the school record with 11 sacks in 1992, and he had 24 sacks for his career. Aidan also donned #97 and started for three seasons at defensive end, topping his dad with 14 sacks in 2021. He finished his career with 16.5 career sacks and was the #2 overall draft pick by the Detroit Lions in 2022.

Hit the jump for more.

Former Michigan Athlete of the Week: Tom Brady

He just can’t stop being awesome. Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady completed 24/36 passes for 276 yards and 5 touchdowns in a 48-25 win over the Falcons.

HONORABLE MENTION

• RB Chris Evans (Bengals): Evans caught 1 pass for 14 yards in a 20-17 loss to the Bears.
• DE Kwity Paye (Colts): Paye made 5 tackles in a 27-24 loss to the Rams.
• WR Donovan Peoples-Jones (Browns): Peoples-Jones made 1 catch for 14 yards in a 31-21 win over the Texans.
• S Jabrill Peppers (Giants): Peppers made 6 tackles and returned 2 punts for 8 yards in a 30-29 loss to the Washington Football Team.
• OG Jon Runyan, Jr. (Packers): Runyan made his first career start in a 35-17 win over the Lions.
• OLB Josh Uche (Patriots): Uche made 3 tackles and 2 sacks in a 25-6 win over the Jets.

Both of Josh Uche's sacks came late in obvious passing situations, but he undressed the right guard twice on the same drive with a punch-dip move. #Patriots pic.twitter.com/n8cfUjeASX

— Evan Lazar (@ezlazar) September 20, 2021

All-Harbaugh Team: Offense

Thanks to Joe for the generous Paypal contribution over the weekend! It was much appreciated. After getting paid by Amazon, AdSense, etc. for the month of June, that was actually the roughest financial month since I started keeping track in August 2012 . . . and the second worst month in that span was April 2020. That’s fitting, of course, since we’re in the middle of a pandemic and a recession and everything. Anyway, if you would like to contribute, here’s the link:

I like to take a look back at the careers of Michigan’s recent coaches and see which players had the best seasons. After five years at Michigan’s helm, it’s time for a look at Jim Harbaugh’s tenure in Ann Arbor.

QUARTERBACK: 2015 Jake Rudock
Rudock, a former starter at Iowa, decided to grad transfer to Michigan for his final year of eligibility. Unlike some grad transfers who spend the spring at their new school, Rudock did not practice with Michigan until fall camp. Through seven weeks of the season, Rudock threw for 5 touchdowns and 6 interceptions. But when he heated up toward the end of the season, he really heated up. Over the final six contests, he threw 15 touchdowns and just 3 picks on his way to a 10-3 overall record in Harbaugh’s first year. His final stats included 249/389 (64.0%) on completions, 3017 yards, 20 touchdowns, 9 interceptions; he also ran for 166 yards and 4 touchdowns.

Hit the jump for more.

2020 NFL Draft Recap

Round 1 (#24 overall): Cesar Ruiz – C – New Orleans Saints
This was about where most people thought Ruiz would come off the board. I heard some talk about the Saints wanting to groom him for 2021 and beyond, but I think that’s crazy talk. You don’t draft an offensive lineman in round one to let him sit on the bench. He could potentially play guard for a year or more, though. Ultimately, Ruiz goes to a great spot with a team that could be in the running for a Super Bowl.

Round 2 (#60 overall): Josh Uche – OLB – New England Patriots
I have to imagine Uche will see some immediate playing time in New England’s versatile scheme. The Patriots can do a lot of things with him, and he should play a role similar to what he did at Michigan. They should use him to rush off the edge and then also line him up at inside linebacker occasionally and run some stunts. Kyle Van Noy and Jamie Collins both left New England in the off-season, so the Patriots needed to replenish the linebacker position. He joins former college teammate Chase Winovich, and those two could be rushing the QB from opposite edges in 2020.

Hit the jump for more.

2020 NFL Draft Preview: Michigan

Please use the links here at TTB to make your Amazon purchases (LINK):

Just for fun, I like to take a shot at the NFL draft prospects from Michigan each year. This year there is less top-end talent than last year (Devin Bush, Rashan Gary) but more depth. It seems like only two guys are guaranteed to get drafted through Day 2, and then the rest is a crap shoot.

Hit the jump for a rundown on all of Michigan’s draft-eligible athletes.