Michigan’s All-Decade Team: 2010-2019

Tag: Will Hart


31Dec 2019
Blog, homepage 32 comments

Michigan’s All-Decade Team: 2010-2019

Taylor Lewan

There are probably some controversial choices here – starting with the quarterback choice – but if I were putting together an all-star squad from the 2010-2019 seasons, here’s who I would want on my team.

QUARTERBACK: Jake Rudock
RUNNING BACK: Fitzgerald Toussaint
FULLBACK/H-BACK: Khalid Hill
WIDE RECEIVER: Jeremy Gallon
WIDE RECEIVER: Junior Hemingway
TIGHT END: Jake Butt
OFFENSIVE TACKLE: Taylor Lewan
OFFENSIVE GUARD: Ben Bredeson
CENTER: David Molk
OFFENSIVE GUARD: Patrick Omameh
OFFENSIVE TACKLE: Mason Cole
OFFENSIVE ALL-PURPOSE: Denard Robinson

DEFENSIVE END: Chase Winovich
DEFENSIVE END: Taco Charlton
DEFENSIVE TACKLE: Maurice Hurst, Jr.
DEFENSIVE TACKLE: Mike Martin
OUTSIDE LINEBACKER: Jake Ryan
INSIDE LINEBACKER: Devin Bush, Jr.
INSIDE LINEBACKER: Ben Gedeon
CORNERBACK: Jourdan Lewis
CORNERBACK: David Long
SAFETY: Jarrod Wilson
SAFETY: Dymonte Thomas
NICKEL: Jabrill Peppers
DEFENSIVE ALL-PURPOSE: Jordan Kovacs

PUNTER: Will Hart
KICKER: Kenny Allen
PUNT RETURNER: Donovan Peoples-Jones
KICKOFF RETURNER: Giles Jackson

24Nov 2019
Blog, homepage 14 comments

Michigan 39, Indiana 14

Nico Collins (image via MLive)

IT’S A TRAP! I was expecting a relatively close battle (I predicted 28-17 Michigan), and the great and powerful Lee Corso predicted an Indiana victory. But it turns out Michigan had other ideas this year. After a slow start on defense, the Wolverines defense put the clamps on Indiana. Michigan was down 14-7 at one point and then scored 32 unanswered points the rest of the way. Indiana’s secondary was severely outmatched in this one, and Michigan took advantage to the tune of 366 passing yards and 5 touchdowns through the air.

Hit the jump.

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28Aug 2019
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2019 Season Predictions

Joshua Uche

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Iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit’s time! Fighting in the maize and blue corner, it’s . . . the 2019 season predictions. You can check out my 2018 season predictions and how they fared here (LINK).

LEADING RUSHER
I am not confident in this pick whatsoever, but I’m sticking with what I predicted a couple weeks ago: Tru Wilson edges out Zach Charbonnet. Charbonnet is the most talented back to land at Michigan in years, if not decades, so I’m very willing to be wrong on this one. In fact, I want to be wrong. Please prove me wrong by rushing for 850 yards, Zach Charbonnet…
Prediction: Tru Wilson, 700 yards

Hit the jump for the rest of the prognostications.

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7Aug 2019
Blog, homepage 2 comments

2019 Season Countdown: #24 Will Hart

Will Hart (image via Twitter)

Name: Will Hart
Height:
6’3″
Weight:
206 lbs.
High school:
Hunting Valley (OH) University School
Position:
Punter
Class: Redshirt junior
Jersey number:
#17
Last year:
I ranked Hart #45 and said he would be the backup punter (LINK). He was the First Team All-Big Ten punter after averaging 47 yards per punt.
TTB Rating:
N/A

Hart had one of the biggest one-season turnarounds in memory. As a redshirt freshman in 2017, he was below average when forced into duty as the starting punter. He averaged just 37.7 yards per punt, which was literally the worst average in the Big Ten, if he had had enough attempts to qualify.

The 1991 Minnesota Twins ain’t got nothin’ on Will Hart.

Hart went worst to first, averaging 47.0 yards per punt in 2018. He had a long of 65, 19 kicks that went 50+ yards, and landed 15 kicks (out of 43) inside the 20-yard line. The #2 punter in the conference was Penn State’s Blake Gillikin at 44.0 yards per punt. That 47.0 average is the highest in Michigan history, and his single-game average of 59.3 against Nebraska is also a program record.

In one year Hart went from the worst punter in the conference to the best punter in Wolverines history.

This year Hart figures to be a stalwart once again. Former presumed starter Brad Robbins entered the transfer portal in the off-season, but he’s still listed on Michigan’s roster as a 6’1″, 199 lb. junior. I don’t imagine he will win the job back. This is Hart’s gig to lose, obviously. It’s hard to expect another record-breaking season, but expectations are still high. Obviously, going from 37.7 yards per punt to 47 is almost a 10-yard difference in field position, as long as the punt coverage can still get downfield and hold returners to modest or no gains. Luckily, Hart gets a lot of air time instead of counting on rugby-style bounces and rolls, so big returns haven’t been an issue.

Prediction: Starting punter