Tag: Michael Dwumfour

Review of 2018 Season Predictions

Nico Collins (image via MGoBlue)

I always like to look back at my predictions for the previous season to see how well I judged the year beforehand. Here’s the link to my 2018 Season Predictions (and the comments): LINK.

LEADING RUSHER
Prediction: Karan Higdon, 1100 yards
Actual: Higdon, 1178 yards
Thoughts: Higdon was about as effective as I thought he would be, although he would have ended up with more yardage if he didn’t miss one regular season game (due to injury) and then the bowl game (due to selfishness). I was surprised he was named First Team All-Big Ten, but there were some other backs in the conference who were not as effective as I thought they would be.

LEADING RECEIVER
Prediction: Donovan Peoples-Jones, 750 yards
Actual: Nico Collins, 632 yards
Thoughts: Collins had a breakout season, going from 3 catches for 27 yards in 2017 to leading the team in receiving yardage (and being #2 in receptions) in 2018. Peoples-Jones was just behind Collins by a mere 20 yards and led the team in receptions (47), but Collins was the big downfield target.

LEADING TACKLER
Prediction: Devin Bush, Jr., 95 tackles
Actual: Bush, 79 tackles
Thoughts: As the middle linebacker, Bush was an obvious choice, but his instincts and sideline-to-sideline speed ensured that he would make plays all over the field. Safety Tyree Kinnel was not far behind with 74 tackles in one more game, since Bush missed the bowl game.

Hit the jump for the rest of the review.

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Michigan 42, Maryland 21

Ben Mason (image via Wolverines Wire)

Hooray for fewer commercials. I have to say it was very nice not to have to sit through commercial break after commercial break after commercial break. I get that college football can’t exist in the form that it does without commercials, but some of the recent games have been tiresome. I don’t watch the commercials, ABC. I go to the bathroom, get a snack, or check my phone.

Hit the jump for the rest of the recap.

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2018 Season Predictions

Nico Collins (image via Twitter)

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LEADING RUSHER
Karan Higdon emerged from last season as the de facto starting running back, and there’s no reason to think he’ll lose that job now, especially after adding about 15 lbs. of muscle in the off-season. Chris Evans projects to be the #2 guy.
Prediction: Karan Higdon, 1100 yards

LEADING RECEIVER
The wide receiver position is a huge mess right now after the transfers of Eddie McDoom, Drake Harris, Maurice Ways, and Kekoa Crawford . . . and, oh yeah, the injury to Tarik Black’s foot. It wouldn’t be a huge surprise to see a tight end lead the team in receiving yards, but I’ll go with Donovan Peoples-Jones. He’s one of four healthy scholarship receivers on the roster, along with Grant Perry, Oliver Martin, Ronnie Bell, and Nico Collins.
Prediction: Donovan Peoples-Jones, 750 yards

Hit the jump for the rest of the season predictions.

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2018 Season Countdown: #16 Michael Dwumfour

Michael Dwumfour (image via Miller Sports Time)

Name: Michael Dwumfour
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 285 lbs.
High school: Wayne (NJ) DePaul
Position: Defensive tackle
Class: Redshirt sophomore
Jersey number: #50
Last year: I ranked Dwumfour #23 and said he would be a backup defensive tackle (LINK). He made 4 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, and 0.5 sacks.
TTB Rating: 69

Dwumfour battled shoulder problems going into the 2017 season, and he did not earn a heavy rotation spot throughout the year. He played in nine games and made 4 tackles. Maurice Hurst, Jr. ate up a ton of snaps early in the season at nose tackle, and the Wolverines have good defensive linemen every year. I ranked Dwumfour #23 based on off-season hype and uncertain depth on the interior.

It’s the same story this year. For the second year in a row, we have heard Dwumfour described as another Hurst. Hurst himself didn’t really flash truly impressive play until his redshirt sophomore year, and that’s where Dwumfour is now. This ranking is based entirely on hype. If Dwumfour is a Hurst clone, he probably deserves to be ranked higher. But we haven’t seen anything in his limited time on the field to indicate he has truly achieved that level of elite play. The hope is that Dwumfour can be a star, because the other interior linemen – Aubrey Solomon, Bryan Mone, Donovan Jeter, Carlo Kemp, Lawrence Marshall, etc. – have not shown star power yet, either. It’s a talented group overall, but somewhat unproven.

Prediction: Starting defensive tackle

Five Things to Watch During Spring Practice

Going into the beginning of spring practice, there are lots of questions about the 2018 team. Some are obvious. Some, maybe not so much. Here are the top five things I’ll be looking for throughout the spring.

1. What will the offense look like?
Michigan’s offense was, to be kind, largely ineffective in 2017. Offensive line coach and run game coordinator Tim Drevno was nudged out the door, and he was replaced by a combination of former Ohio State/Minnesota offensive line coach Ed Warinner and former Florida head coach/Alabama offensive coordinator Jim McElwain. Furthermore, offensive tackle/tight ends coach Greg Frey left for Florida State and was replaced by Central Michigan’s Sherrone Moore. Moore won’t change the look of the offense. Warinner might switch things up a little bit, depending on what types of bodies he wants on the offensive line. McElwain is the key here. He’s not known as an innovator, but will Michigan be in shotgun? Pistol? Will the use of the fullback be dialed back a bit? Will he pack it in with multiple tight end sets, or will he spread it out more?

Hit the jump for four more questions about the spring.

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