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2010 Countdown: #12 Stephen Schilling

Name: Stephen Schilling
Height: 6’5″
Weight: 308 lbs.
High school: Bellevue High School in Bellevue, WA
Position: Offensive guard
Class: Fifth year senior
Jersey number: #52
Last year: I ranked Schilling #6. He started all 12 games at left guard, making All-Big Ten Honorable Mention and sharing the team’s offensive lineman of the year award with Mark Ortmann.

Schilling was a very highly touted recruit from the Pacific Northwest in 2006. Early in his career, he had issues with mononucleosis and a shoulder injury that prevented him from working out for much of his first year in college. Regardless, he became a starter at right tackle in 2007. Suspect in pass protection, Schilling played a bit at right guard in 2008 and moved inside full-time in 2009, starting every game at left guard. He has started every game over the past three seasons except for the 2008 contest against Ohio State, and begins 2010 with 36 career starts.

The Wolverines will be counting on Schilling’s leadership and run blocking in 2010. With a solid season, Schilling could squeeze into the middle rounds of the 2011 NFL Draft. He has good size and he’s a solid 308 lbs. He lacks the lateral quickness and balance to play tackle in the NFL, but he could project at guard for an NFL team. With his experience and talent, Schilling could be ranked higher. However, the depth on Michigan’s offensive line diminishes his importance somewhat. There are capable backups on the team in the form of Elliott Mealer, Ricky Barnum, and John Ferrara. Hopefully, though, Schilling is making his 49th career start sometime around New Year’s Day 2011.

Prediction for 2010: Starting left guard; All-Big Ten second team

Apparently, the populace thinks I’m underrating Schilling here. He was tied for the sixth-leading vote-getter, behind Cameron Gordon (28%), Ryan Van Bergen (21%), Jonas Mouton (19%), J.T. Floyd (12%), and Troy Woolfolk (5%). Remember that I finished this list prior to Woolfolk’s injury and will not be recalibrating his placement on the list, so take that into consideration before you vote.

Poll: Who should move to cornerback?

For the past several days, there has been a poll running on the sidebar regarding any potential position changes. Rich Rodriguez was asked by the media whether any offensive players would be moved to defense to play cornerback, and he said no. So far the only player who has changed responsibilities is Teric Jones, who played corner last season but was playing Bandit in the spring.

I’m curious to know who people had in mind when they voted for the “Other” category. Feel free to comment if you were one of those people and voice your opinion.

In the immediate future, I guess Michigan fans shouldn’t expect any further position changes. But another injury or departure could force a switch.

The Effect of the Troy Woolfolk Injury on Recruiting

There was immediate frustration felt by Michigan fans upon Troy Woolfolk’s ankle injury, and that injury will have a ripple effect on the team and Michigan’s recruiting. As a true senior in 2010, Woolfolk’s eligibility status throws an interesting wrench into the plans to recruit for 2011.

Woolfolk’s senior status had Michigan fans and recruiting gurus planning to “take him off the books” for 2011, who assumed that his scholarship could be used toward bringing in a new recruit. I presume that Woolfolk will now return for a fifth year of eligibility in 2011. As a solid Big Ten starter with NFL measurables, Woolfolk had a chance to be a mid-round pick in the NFL Draft next year. Assuming that he recovers fully from his injury, that potential still remains but will likely be postponed until the 2012 NFL Draft.

According to my unofficial calculations, Michigan would have had 17 scholarships to give in the Class of 2011. Twelve seniors should be graduating, and five scholarships are unused. Ten of those scholarships have been filled up to this point. However, since Woolfolk will probably return for a fifth season, that number of graduating seniors drops to 11 and the total scholarships available drops to 16. And despite the fact that Michigan’s cornerback depth is very thin, Michigan should return at least three cornerbacks with starting experience in 2011 – the presumed 2010 starters in J.T. Floyd and Cullen Christian; and Woolfolk. And although it wasn’t completely necessary for Michigan to bring in an immediate-impact corner in the Class of 2011, now that need has likely been diminished even further.

Michigan already has two cornerbacks committed for 2011. The goal for a number of defensive backs may have swelled to four by Signing Day, but if Woolfolk returns, the need for a fourth DB disappears. There are now six scholarships available, and Michigan can only afford to use a maximum of one of those remaining scholarships for the defensive backfield. Here’s how I see those scholarships being used:

1. Running back: Demetrius Hart is the most likely option, as long as Michigan’s season goes fairly well.
2. Tight end: There are no impending commitments, but a WR/TE tweener could be offered and commit, such as Ben McCord.
3. Wide receiver: More depth is needed at wide receiver, especially with Darryl Stonum, Junior Hemingway, and Martavious Odoms being seniors in 2011. AJ Jordan is a possibility.
4 and 5. Offensive line: Anthony Zettel offers some position flexibility, which would be helpful with needs at both OL and DL. Chris Bryant would also be an option.
6. Defensive tackle: There’s talent already at defensive tackle, but not a lot of bodies. Michigan needs one big body in the middle.

Cornerback isn’t as pressing of a need as those other positions. Including Woolfolk and the two current Class of 2011 needs, Michigan will have seven cornerbacks on the roster in 2011. As mentioned, at least three of them will have starting experience. The needs at TE, WR, OL, and DT are more pressing. Interestingly, the position Michigan least needs to recruit is the running back spot, but Demetrius Hart is the highest-rated and most anticipated Michigan target at this point. If no additional scholarships open up and Hart commits elsewhere, I would not be surprised to see Michigan go without a running back in this recruiting cycle.

Addendum: If 2010 commitments Conelius Jones and Antonio Kinard end up qualifying and enroll in January, that could add more twists to the scholarship situation. However, usually it seems that Michigan’s non-qualifiers don’t end up at Michigan, so I’m not counting on them being a part of the picture.

2010 Countdown: #13 Darryl Stonum

Name: Darryl Stonum
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 195 lbs.
High school: Dulles High School in Stafford, TX
Position: Wide receiver/kick returner
Class: Junior
Jersey number: #22
Last year: I ranked Stonum #21 and called him an inconsistent deep threat. He caught 13 passes for 199 yards and 1 touchdown. He also returned 39 kickoffs for 1,001 yards (both are school records) and 1 touchdown.

Stonum has been one of the more frustrating components of Michigan’s team over the past year or so. He committed to Lloyd Carr’s Wolverines and then enrolled early in January 2008 for spring practices run by Rich Rodriguez. At the time of his entry to the University of Michigan, it was assumed that he would be Michigan’s next great deep threat due to his excellent speed and acceleration. However, he suffered from a case of the Dropsies at times, and he doesn’t always run his routes with maximum effort. Furthermore, his quarterbacks for the past two seasons have been less than stellar, a phrase that could also be used to describe his decision-making – Stonum received a DUI as a Wolverine, too.

Now it’s 2010 and Stonum is an upperclassman. While he was an elite kick returner in 2009, his receiving stats weren’t anything to write home about. He averaged just over one catch per game, although in fairness, those passes were being thrown by true freshmen. The deep passing game has been somewhat de-emphasized, whether by scheme or necessity. Therefore, most of the passes we’re seeing are hitches, slants, or bubble screens, not deep posts, fly patterns, etc. Stonum has the talent to make plays on deep balls and run away from defenders, but the opportunities have been few and far between. But the 2010 season will see the use of quarterbacks who have actually taken college snaps before, whether that QB is Denard Robinson or Tate Forcier. This should improve Stonum’s stats, although the quarterbacks have grown to love targeting slot receiver/wideout Roy Roundtree. Roundtree might lead the team in receptions and receiving yards, but Stonum’s ability to get deep as well as return kickoffs makes him one of the most important members of the 2010 squad.

Prediction for 2010: Starting wide receiver and kick returner; 35 receptions, 525 yards, 3 touchdowns

The leading vote-getter for #13 on the list was Cameron Gordon with 25% of the votes. Stonum finished second with 18%.

I am Excited