Tag: Aidan Hutchinson

Michigan 47, Western Michigan 14

Cade McNamara > Joe Milton. Redshirt sophomore Cade McNamara had a game that Joe Milton could only dream of, and that included completing 9/11 passes for 136 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions. It doesn’t matter if you can throw a ball 80 yards if you don’t know where the ball is going. McNamara has the ability to recognize matchups and read defenses, and those skills trump Howitzers for arms. His best two passes of the day were beautiful deep balls to . . .

Ronnie Bell. Bell made a great one-handed catch on the sideline (nullified by a very questionable offensive pass interference call) and a great 76-yard catch-and-run touchdown. That at the end of an exciting 31-yard punt return, he seemed to slump to the ground when getting tackled and was swarmed by medical personnel. When he left the field, he had to be carried and his right leg was just dangling. My fear is that he tore his ACL while making a cut at the end of the run. Bell is a captain, led the team in receiving the past two years, and was bound to lead the team in that category once again in 2021. After losing Aidan Hutchinson, Kwity Paye, and Jalen Mayfield to injury in 2020, it’s frustrating that Michigan couldn’t avoid a serious injury even one game into the season against a MAC opponent.

Hit the jump for more.

2021 Season Countdown: #1 Aidan Hutchinson

Name: Aidan Hutchinson
Height: 6’6″
Weight: 265 lbs.
High school: Dearborn (MI) Divine Child
Position: Outside linebacker
Class: Senior
Jersey number: #97
Last year: I ranked Hutchinson #88 and said he would be the starting strongside end (LINK). He made 15 tackles.
TTB Rating: 88

Hutchinson’s solid 2019 season seemed to have him primed for a huge year in 2020, so when he made 15 tackles from his defensive end position in the first two games, it seemed like he was tracking well. Then he got hurt early in the third game against Indiana, and I felt a little bit of life drain out of me. Michigan was already in bad shape, having lost to Michigan State and, in that game, having lost Jalen Mayfield and Ryan Hayes, too. The Wolverines were cursed in 2020.

Hutchinson himself has a relentless motor. Along with those impressive 15 tackles for a defensive lineman across two games, he seemed one or two steps away from making several sacks. I don’t know that I’ve seen another defensive lineman come this close to making as many hits on the quarterback, but still, Hutchinson’s production has just been okay, not stellar.

Going into the 2021 season, Hutchinson is Michigan’s most important player. The team did not perform well at all last season once he got injured, and they were lifeless on defense. Nobody else seemed capable of putting pressure on the quarterback, and teams didn’t have to run away from anyone, either. It was open season on the entire Michigan defense. Hutchinson is an emotional leader on and off the field, which is supported by his naming as captain. Some prognosticators have him going in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft, and while I don’t think he will have enough production to be an All-American, that’s not out of the question.

Prediction: Starting outside linebacker; 60 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 7 sacks

2021 Season Predictions

Look below for my bold, sure-to-be-100%-correct predictions for 2021.

LEADING RUSHER
It doesn’t get any bolder than picking the guy who has finished #1 or #2 in rushing the past two seasons (and the #1 guy from 2019 is playing for UCLA now). Yes, you guessed it. I’m picking Hassan Haskins. Haskins was a ho-hum recruit who has become a very dependable runner, if lacking great breakaway speed. Last season he took a stranglehold on the job, running 61 times for 375 yards (6.2 yards/carry) and 6 touchdowns. Sophomore Blake Corum should also get a good chunk of carries, but in crunch time, I expect Haskins to be the primary back.
Prediction: Hassan Haskins, 900 yards

Hit the jump for the rest of the prognostications.

Way Too Early 2021 Depth Chart: December 2020

The following depth chart assumes that the following seniors depart from Ann Arbor after 2020 and that Jalen Mayfield continues on to the NFL:

• WR Nico Collins
• TE Nick Eubanks
• RB Chris Evans
• S Brad Hawkins
• DT Carlo Kemp
• FB Ben Mason
• K Quinn Nordin
• DE Kwity Paye
• C Andrew Vastardis

It also assumes that every currently rostered player and every currently committed prospect will be here in 2021, which is obviously not true.

Hit the jump for the depth chart.

2020 Season Countdown: #4 Aidan Hutchinson

Name: Aidan Hutchinson
Height: 6’6″
Weight: 269 lbs.
High school: Dearborn (MI) Divine Child
Position: Defensive end
Class: Junior
Jersey number: #97
Last year: I ranked Hutchinson #3 and said he would be a starting defensive end with 50 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, and 5 sacks (LINK). He made 68 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, 6 pass breakups, and 4 quarterback hurries.
TTB Rating: 88

There’s been talk on the blog over the years about comparing Aidan Hutchinson to Rashan Gary, so here are the sophomore numbers for each:

Player A: 65 tackles, 11.5 TFL, 5.5 sacks, 1 FF, 7 QB hurries
Player B: 68 tackles, 10.5 TFL, 4.5 sacks, 2 FF, 6 PBU, 4 QB hurries

If you were paying attention up above, you know that Player B is Hutchinson in 2019, playing with Kwity Paye at the opposite end and nobody noteworthy at defensive tackle. Player A is, of course, Rashan Gary in 2017 with Chase Winovich on the other side, plus Maurice Hurst, Jr. at nose tackle and future first round pick Devin Bush, Jr. at middle linebacker.

This is not to say that Hutchinson is better than Gary or will even be a first round pick, but it does show that Hutchinson is producing just as well as Gary, despite lesser surrounding talent.

This season Hutchinson and Paye will be of utmost importance with Michigan’s cornerback situation. Lavert Hill’s graduation and Ambry Thomas’s opting out of the 2020 season have left the Wolverines scrambling to find consistency, which has necessitated moving rotational safety Sammy Faustin to corner for depth. Hutchinson is both a run-stopper and a solid pass rusher, and his knack for knocking down passes at 6’6″ (6 in 2019) is sometimes forgotten. Michigan needs to be great up front to make up for their inexperience on the back end.

Prediction: Starting strongside end