Tag: Western Michigan

2021 Michigan vs. Western Michigan Awards

Please support the blog through these Amazon links (LINK):

Let’s see more of this guy on offense . . . A.J. Henning. Assuming Ronnie Bell is out for a while (hopefully not!), I think Henning is probably the guy who needs to see more touches. Michigan needs a guy who can run through tackles and make something happen after the catch. As much as I like Cornelius Johnson, Roman Wilson, and other guys, I’m not sure that any receiver besides Henning can offer that ability after the catch. Henning had a 74-yard touchdown on an end around and caught 1 pass for 11 yards from J.J. McCarthy.

Hit the jump for more.

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.

Visitors: Michigan vs. Western Michigan

2023

Ethan Clark – RB – Clarkston (MI) Clarkston: Clark is a 6’1″, 195 lb. prospect with offers from Bowling Green, Marshall, and Toledo.

Cole Dellinger – OG – Clarkston (MI) Clarkston: A teammate of Clark’s (see above), Dellinger is a 6’4″, 280-pounder with offers from LSU, Michigan, and Michigan State. He’s the younger brother of LSU offensive tackle Garrett Dellinger.

Semaj Morgan – WR – West Bloomfield (MI) West Bloomfield: Morgan is a 5’10”, 175 lb. prospect with offers from Memphis, Michigan, Missouri, Ole Miss, and several MAC schools. He’s a 3-star, the #44 wide receiver, and #314 overall. Morgan played for Michigan safeties coach Ron Bellamy earlier in his high school career.

Brennan Parachek – TE – Dexter (MI) Dexter: Parachek is a 6’6″, 235-pounder with offers from Arizona State, Kentucky, Michigan State, and a few MAC programs. He’s a 247 Sports 3-star and the #20 tight end.

2024

Tashi Braceful – WR – Southfield (MI) Southfield: Braceful is a 6’1″, 175 lb. receiver.

Amir Herring – OT – West Bloomfield (MI) West Bloomfield: Herring is a 6’4″, 280 lb. prospect with offers from Michigan, Michigan State, Ole Miss, and Penn State, among others. He’s a 4-star, the #6 interior offensive lineman, and #174 overall. Herring, like Morgan, played for Ron Bellamy last season.

2025

Zachary Green – DT – Detroit (MI) U of D Jesuit: Green is a 6’2″, 240 lb. prospect.

Preview: Michigan vs. Western Michigan

We don’t have much to go on based on national stats from 2020, because they’re all skewed. For the most part, teams played only within their conference. So Michigan doesn’t have lollipop games against MAC teams, and MAC teams don’t have tough games included vs. Power Five teams. That does leave an apples-to-apples comparison, but it doesn’t give us what we’re used to from every other year in regard to overall performance. So this preview will stick to raw stats.

RUSH OFFENSE vs. WMU RUSH DEFENSE
Michigan has a returning starter at running back in Hassan Haskins who averaged 6.1 yards per carry last season; Haskins also doubles as a Wildcat quarterback. His backup is ballyhooed sophomore Blake Corum, who averaged just 3.0 yards a carry but has a some quickness and burst. The Wolverines return four out of five starters up front, though there has been some reshuffling. Left tackle Ryan Hayes and center Andrew Vastardis return in the same spots, but it sounds like last year’s left guard, Chuck Filiaga, will be playing right guard in the opener due to an injury to Zak Zinter. Meanwhile, Trevor Keegan should start at left guard with fifth year senior Andrew Stueber bumping out from right guard to right tackle. Fifth year senior defensive tackle Ralph Holley (6’1″, 285) is the plug in the middle of the line, but the linebackers are nothing special. Corvin Moment (6’0″, 250) is the most experienced guy but does not move well, and fifth year senior A.J. Thomas (6’0″, 215) moved to linebacker this year after starting at free safety and cornerback in 2020. Even without Zinter on the line, Michigan should be able to move the ball against an outsized defensive line.
Advantage: Michigan

Hit the jump for more.

Michigan vs. Western Michigan Awards

Shea Patterson (image via WRAL)

Please consider helping out the blog by doing your Amazon shopping through these links:

Let’s see more of this guy on offense . . . Ambry Thomas. Thomas had just 1 catch for 5 yards and had only a couple snaps on offense, but it would be nice if Michigan could put together some packages for him. He’s the #4 corner on defense right now and Michigan lacks playmakers on the offensive side of the ball, so they might as well use him on offense. Get your best athletes on the field.

Hit the jump for the rest of the awards.

read more