What’s Harbaugh’s worst loss at Michigan? Michigan State lost 49-7 to Iowa, so was that it last week? Or was it getting wiped off the field by a team you hadn’t lost to since 1987? The Hoosiers are a better program right now than the Spartans, so there’s less shame in a competitive sense. But still, even Rich Rodriguez (2-0) and Brady Hoke (2-0) managed not to lose to Indiana.
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Name: Ronnie Bell
Height: 6’0″
Weight: 184 lbs.
High school: Kansas City (MO) Park Hill
Position: Wide receiver
Class: Junior
Jersey number: #8
Last year: I ranked Bell #27 and said he would be a backup slot receiver (LINK). He started ten games and made 48 catches for 758 yards and 1 touchdown.
TTB Rating: 71
Bell was the breakout skill player in 2019. Even though Jim Harbaugh said coming out of the spring that Mike Sainristil had earned the starting job in the slot, Bell managed to come out swinging and led the team in catches (48) and yardage (758 yards). He saved his best career performance for the rivalry against Michigan, when he set career highs in catches (9) and yardage (150 yards), but that was the only time he topped 100 yards. But he was very consistent, with six other games in which he had between 78 and 98 yards.
Somehow, Bell was held out of the end zone except for a 39-10 win over Indiana, when his lone catch for 6 yards went for his only score of the year.
That lone touchdown thing was really frustrating for some Michigan fans, who saw Bell drop a touchdown pass in a 28-21 loss to Penn State. Some morons acted out harshly toward Bell – who was in tears after the drop – but he earned a standing ovation from Michigan fans without brain damage.
As Michigan’s leading returning receiver, Bell was a no-brainer to be ranked pretty highly. But just like Giles Jackson yesterday (LINK), Bell would be ranked even higher if the countdown had been created with the knowledge that Nico Collins would not be available for the season. Bell has pretty reliable hands and is an excellent runner after the catch, even though he lacks blazing speed. He is reportedly moving to the X receiver spot to take over for Collins there, opening up room for Jackson and Mike Sainristil in the slot. I do expect the volume to go down a little bit since he’s moving out of the slot, but if Joe Milton can get him the ball out there on an island, Bell should be able to make some fun things happen after the catch.
Prediction: Starting wide receiver
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.
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Who’s more deserving of wearing the #1 jersey?
As you might have guessed, the first guy is Ronnie Bell. The second is Nico Collins. I’m not sure it totally makes sense to give the #1 jersey to the guy with 11 fewer catches, but I don’t really care too deeply. I like them both.
Award watch list notes:
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Walk-on kicker Alan Selzer is transferring to Indiana State, where former Michigan assistant (and player) Curt Mallory is the head coach. Selzer was on Michigan’s team for the past two years but did not play. Walk-on running back Jordan Castleberry recently transferred to Maryland, too.
The highest-graded player at the Senior Bowl: Michigan edge defender Josh Uche pic.twitter.com/042jjkvm87
— PFF Draft (@PFF_College) January 27, 2020
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