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Preview: Michigan at Minnesota

I hate to say it, but football season is kicking my ass. Sometimes there’s just not enough time in the day, and that goes for every day lately. So by necessity, here’s an abbreviated preview of Saturday’s game against Minnesota (7:00 p.m. on ESPN).

RUSH OFFENSE VS. MINNESOTA RUSH DEFENSE
Michigan: #49 in yardage (181 yards/game), #57 in average (4.44 yards/carry)
Leading rushers: De’Veon Smith (436 yards, 4.5 yards/carry, 4 TD) and Ty Isaac (205 yards, 6.8 yards/carry, 1 TD)
Minnesota: #53 in yardage (151 yards/game), #45 in average (3.9 yards/carry)
Leading tacklers: S Antonio Johnson (48 tackles), LB Cody Poock (45 tackles)

PASS OFFENSE VS. MINNESOTA PASS DEFENSE
Michigan: #98 in yardage (186 yards/game), #96 in passer rating (117.46)
Leading passer: Jake Rudock (61.7%, 1303 yards, 5 touchdowns, 6 interceptions)
Leading receivers: WR Amara Darboh (28 catches, 332 yards, 2 TD), TE Jake Butt (23 catches, 278 yards, 1 TD)
Minnesota: #18 in yardage (177 yards/game), #21 in passer rating (107.92)
Leading defenders: DT Steven Richardson (3.5 sacks), CB Jalen Myrick (3 interceptions)

RUSH DEFENSE VS. MINNESOTA RUSH OFFENSE
Michigan: #2 in yardage (65 yards/game), #2 in average (2.14 yards/carry)
Leading tacklers: LB Desmond Morgan (44 tackles), LB Joe Bolden (40 tackles)
Minnesota: #85 in yardage (157 yards/game), #77 in average (4.11 yards/carry)
Leading rushers: Rodney Smith (467 yards, 4.1 yards/carry, 1 TD) and Shannon Brooks (316 yards, 7.0 yards/carry, 3 TD)

PASS DEFENSE VS. MINNESOTA PASS OFFENSE
Michigan: #4 in yardage (146 yards/game), #1 in passer rating (85.42)
Leading defenders: DT Willie Henry (6 sacks), CB Jourdan Lewis (14 pass breakups, 2 interceptions, 1 touchdown)
Minnesota: #95 in yardage (194 yards/game), #106 in passer rating (113.31)
Leading passer: Mitch Leidner (59.2%, 1310 yards, 7 touchdowns, 6 interceptions)
Leading receivers: WR K.J. Maye (33 catches, 350 yards, 3 TD), WR Drew Wolitarsky (26 catches, 297 yards, 1 TD)

ROSTER NOTES

• Players recruited by Michigan: RB Jeff Jones, OT Jonah Pirsig
• Players from the state of Michigan: WR Ray Buford, RB Berkley Edwards, P Jacob Herbers, S Dior Johnson, TE Bryce Witham
• RB Berkley Edwards (5 carries, 29 yards) is the son of former Michigan RB Stan Edwards and the brother of former Michigan WR Braylon Edwards

LAST TIME THEY PLAYED . . .

• Concussiongate happened, yet somehow Minnesota DE Theiren Cockran didn’t get penalized for targeting
• Inexplicably, Shane Morris started over Devin Gardner and went 7/19 for 49 yards, 0 touchdowns, and a pick-six
• Will Hagerup averaged 50 yards/punt on eight attempts
• De’Veon Smith and Devin Gardner each scored a rushing touchdown
• Jerry Kill was still the head coach for the Gophers

PREDICTIONS

• Jarrod Wilson makes his first interception of the year
• Ian Bunting scores his first career touchdown
• Jake Rudock gets knocked out of the game, Wilton Speight can’t find his helmet, and Shane Morris burns his redshirt to come in and win the game
• Michigan 24, Minnesota 13

Recruit Tracker: Kingston Davis and Dytarious Johnson

Kingston Davis

October 23, 2015: Prattville lost to lost to Montgomery (AL) Lee by a score of 48-28. Davis had 31 carries for 137 yards and 4 touchdowns. Johnson made 1 tackle. For the season Davis has 218 carries for 1,459 yards and 16 touchdowns, plus 6 catches for 60 yards. Johnson has 59.5 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, and a blocked punt. Prattville is 5-4.

October 16, 2015: Prattville lost to Auburn (AL) Auburn by a score of 21-14. Davis had 25 carries for 141 yards and 1 touchdown. Johnson had 8 tackles and 3 tackles for loss. Davis now has 187 carries for 1,322 yards and 12 touchdowns, plus 6 catches for 60 yards. Johnson has 58.5 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, and a blocked punt. Prattville is 5-3.

Hit the jump for more game recaps.

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Recruit Tracker: Victor Viramontes

Norco (CA) Norco quarterback Victor Viramontes

October 23, 2015: Norco beat Riverside (CA) King by a score of 43-6. Viramontes was 14/19 for 183 yards and 1 touchdown. He also ran 5 times for 26 yards and 2 touchdowns. On the season, he is 96/160 for 1,473 yards, 14 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions; he also has 103 carries for 785 yards and 14 touchdowns. Norco is 7-1.

Hit the jump for more game recaps.

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Recruit Tracker: Kiante Enis

Winchester (IN) Winchester running back Kiante Enis

October 23, 2015: Winchester beat Greentown (IN) Eastern by a score of 62-6. Enis had 22 carries for 381 yards and 7 touchdowns, plus 1 catch for 41 yards. He now has 216 carries for 2,021 yards, 29 rushing touchdowns (30 total), and 5 interceptions. Winchester is 8-2.

October 16, 2015: Winchester beat Centerville (IN) Centerville by a score of 70-21. Enis had 12 carries for 173 yards and 5 touchdowns. He now has 194 carries for 1,640 yards, 22 rushing touchdowns (23 total), and 5 interceptions. Winchester is 7-2.

Hit the jump for more game recaps.

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Recruiting Update: October 28, 2015

South Jordan (UT) Bingham DT Jay Tufele

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2016
Winter Garden (FL) West Orange wide receiver Eddie McDoom was offered by Michigan. He’s a 5’11”, 170 lb. prospect with offers from Alabama, Clemson, Florida, Georgia, Ohio State, and Texas, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 3-star, the #65 wide receiver, and #392 overall. As a junior in 2014, he caught 47 passes for 854 yards and 15 touchdowns. McDoom is a speedy receiver who adjusts well to the ball in the air, which is something Michigan lacks. He is expected to stay in SEC country.

ADDED TO THE BOARD: 2017
Pittsburgh (PA) Central Catholic offensive guard Chris “C.J.” Thorpe was offered by Michigan. He’s a 6’2″, 308 lb. prospect with offers from Arizona State, Auburn, Penn State, and Pitt, among others. He’s a 247 Composite 4-star, the #6 offensive guard, and #220 overall. He is also a teammate of 2016 defensive back Damar Hamlin, who is expected to commit to Ohio State sooner or later. Some sites list him as a defensive tackle, but I think he might be a little too stiff to play defense. However, he is a very violent and relentless blocker on offense who has good foot quickness, if not ideal flexibility.

Hit the jump for another few 2017 offers, a 2018 offer, some guys who went off the board, and some other bits.

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