Each week leading up to the start of the season, I will be previewing a different opponent. This isn’t a game prediction. That will come the week of the actual game. This is strictly a look at each opponent so you know what to expect. Today is a preview of Michigan’s Big Ten opener, Indiana. To view previews of UConn, Notre Dame, UMASS, and Bowling Green, click here.

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Starting spots usually aren’t won or lost in spring practice, but young guys get a chance to prove themselves and gain experience while everyone else gets to show how much they developed throughout the winter.

Development was apparent in one key player today, as sophomore quarterback Denard Robinson lived up to the hype he’s been garnering all spring with a fantastic performance in Michigan’s annual spring game.

On the first possession of the scrimmage, Robinson guided the first-team offense down the field on a touchdown drive that included a nice bootleg pass to Roy Roundtree. Robinson ran it in from 10 yards out to cap off the drive.

On his next possession, which the offense started on its own three-yard line, Robinson hit Roundtree perfectly in stride about 25 yards downfield and Roundtree did the rest, outrunning the secondary for a 97-yard touchdown.

Later on, Robinson found Roundtree in the end zone again, this time from 12 yards out.

In the overtime drill, which simulates an overtime possession, starting from the opponent’s 25-yard line, Robinson completed a touchdown pass to Martavious Odoms from about 10 yards out. On his next possession, also the overtime drill, he threaded the needle for a 24-yard pass to Terrance Robinson to set up another touchdown.

By my count, Robinson led five drives, two of them overtime possessions, and all five resulted in touchdowns. Some of this can be attributed to playing against the second-team defense, but with the way Robinson was throwing, it wouldn’t have mattered if the first-team defense was out there or not.

One of the quirks about the spring game is that the quarterback is down once he’s touched in an effort to avoid an injury. On many of Robinson’s runs, he would have picked up significantly more yardage if he had to actually be tackled.

Most importantly, he showed poise in the pocket, where last year he would tuck and run after three milliseconds. A few times, he looked through several reads before pulling it down and running. On a couple of plays, he kept his head up while on the move and delivered an accurate strike to an open receiver.

This wouldn’t be all that significant if you hadn’t seen him play last season. While he dazzled Michigan fans with his feet in open space, his accuracy was terrible to the point where Michigan fans would rather him just run it up the middle for five yards even though the defense knew he’d do exactly that, than even attempt to throw a pass.

Today, he looked comfortable running the offense and seemed to be having as much fun out there as any other player in the maize and blue. About the only aspect that looked like it needed some work was a couple of bubble screens that were either underthrown or led the receiver too far.

I wish the coaches would have switched things up to pit Robinson against the first-team defense, but it was an impressive performance nonetheless.

The development and comfort level was evident and showed how dangerous a Robinson-led offense can be when every pass thrown doesn’t end up in the wrong hands.

Last year, almost every time he lined up in the shotgun the defense knew he was going to run it. He rarely even ran the zone read, the staple of Rich Rodriguez’s offense.

This year, he should know the offense and be able to effectively run the zone read, and if he can prove he has any kind of accuracy, he would be the ideal quarterback for this offense.

I certainly realize it’s a lot of “ifs” and you can’t really jump to conclusions based on the spring game, but at this point, I would say Robinson is the starting quarterback heading into the summer.

Click here to see highlights of the top 10 plays from the spring game.

Notes:

— Tate Forcier, who started all 12 games as a true freshman last year, looked basically the exact same, although he was working with the second-team offense against the first-team defense.

He made some good plays, scrambling away from pressure and hitting the receiver on the run, but he also made some mistakes.

One pass should have been picked off by linebacker Mike Jones and another was forced into quadruple coverage and somehow wasn’t picked. He also made a bad pitch on an option play, which was recovered by the running back for about a 10 yard loss.

On the bright side, he completed a nice, across-the-body touchdown pass to Je’Ron Stokes in the overtime drill.

—Freshman Devin Gardner started out shaky, fumbling a handoff on his first play and throwing an interception deep in his own territory to Obi Ezeh, but seemed to rebound nicely with a 20-yard seam pass to Brandon Moore.

He looked nimble with his feet, but still has a weird throwing motion that needs to be fixed. He could be great a year or two from now, but I’m glad we don’t have to start another true freshman this season. He’s certainly headed for a redshirt barring a freak injury to Robinson or Forcier.

—Roy Roundtree is the real deal. He played just as he finished last season and looks to be Michigan’s go-to guy this year. He caught deep balls and screens and showed some speed in pulling away from the secondary on the 97-yard touchdown.

—The running back position has a lot of guys vying for playing time and no one really stood out today. With Vincent Smith assumed to be the starter out with a torn ACL, it seems to be a three-horse race between Michael Shaw, Michael Cox, and Fitzgerald Toussaint.

It’s perhaps the most important position that needs someone to step up, at least on the offensive side of the ball, after the departure of Brandon Minor, Carlos Brown, and Kevin Grady.

Cox had a nice touchdown run of about 20 yards against the first-team defense and the other guys didn’t do very much.

Freshman Stephen Hopkins showed some good strength and should see playing time as the short-yardage back this season.

—The defense didn’t show much today in the way of schemes or big plays. Ryan Van Bergen and Craig Roh got some good pressure on Forcier and William Campbell looks huge in the middle of the line.

Troy Woolfolk sat out the game with a dislocated finger and converted wide receiver James Rogers started in his place, opposite J.T. Floyd. Jordan Kovacs remains the starter at one of the safety spots, at least until Marvin Robinson and Demar Dorsey arrive on campus this summer.

The secondary will continue to be the group in question as the season nears, but linebacker will also be a position to watch. Seniors Obi Ezeh and Jonas Mouton both have a lot of experience, but lost some playing time last season. They both started today, with Ezeh recording an interception and Mouton looking solid.

Redshirt sophomore Kenny Demens also looked promising and could factor in this season as well.

—The kicking game looked pretty shaky and will probably be so all season. Redshirt freshman kicker Brendan Gibbons figures to be the placekicker, but the lefty sure can’t punt. Two of his three punt attempts were shanked out of bounds off the side of his foot.

The punter role seems to be incoming freshman Will Hagerup’s to lose, but he hasn’t even arrived on campus yet, so he better live up to his high school acclaim.

—The stadium looked a bit more than half full, despite the frigid temperatures. The Big Ten Network announcers placed the attendance around 30,000, but it looked to be slightly more.

I’m looking forward to a couple of years from now when Michigan can have a nationally televised spring game drawing near 100,000 fans like Alabama did today.

Michigan junior guard Manny Harris is reportedly announcing his decision on whether or not he’s going pro Monday morning at 11 a.m. Whatever his decision is, the biggest question remains whether he should go pro.

I’m not an NBA general manager or scout, but it is my opinion that he would be well served to return to Michigan for his senior season.

As of now, his projection is anywhere from mid-second round to undrafted. Unless he has heard otherwise from those in the know, why would he declare? If there’s any question as to whether you might not get drafted, there should be absolutely no reason to even think about entering the NBA Draft a year early.

This reminds me of Ernest Shazor who was a dominating, head-hunting strong safety for Michigan’s football team in the early part of the decade. His NFL Draft projection was mid-second round, and he jumped a year early. He went undrafted and never made it to the NFL.

Harris has been dominant at times for Michigan, but he has also been inconsistent and had some maturity problems.

His strength is driving to the basket, and he can pour in points by the bunches, but his outside shot still needs some work and he’s careless with the ball at times.

Manny has done a lot for Michigan basketball in the past three years. As a senior at Detroit Redford High School, he was Michigan’s Mr. Basketball and gave his commitment to then-Michigan head coach Tommy Amaker. But Amaker was fired after the 2006 season and Harris thought about looking elsewhere.

New Michigan head coach John Beilein convinced Harris to come to Michigan and after a disappointing freshman season, Harris led Michigan to its first NCAA tournament appearance in 11 years.

This season, Harris was the Big Ten Preseason Player of the Year, but fell short of the expectations and wasn’t able to lead Michigan back to the postseason. He averaged 18.1 points, good for fourth in the Big Ten, and six rebounds, 11^th in the Big Ten; however, his play was inconsistent.

Midway through the season, Beilein benched Harris for a game for “unsportsmanlike conduct during practice.”

It’s unclear whether that strained Harris’ relationship with Coach Beilein or whether that will play a factor in his decision to turn pro. What is clear is his friendship with senior forward DeShawn Sims. The two formed the “Detroit Duo” and were the only rays of light in an abysmal season this year.

Sims came to Michigan a year before Harris and stayed through the coaching change, welcoming Harris to Ann Arbor in 2006. He made the decision last season to return for his senior year.

“My best decision was to come back to Michigan,” Sims said last year. “I want to graduate. I wasn’t sure if I’d ever come back to school if I left early.”

Harris also thought about turning pro after his sophomore season, but decided to return.

“I wasn’t at all serious about going pro,” Harris said. “A lot of people got in my ear telling me to make the jump, but I wasn’t thinking about leaving. I never was a person who came here thinking I’m one (season) and done, or two and done.”

But three and done? We’ll find out tomorrow morning.

This article is inspired by a similar article written by the Detroit News’ Angelique Chengelis.

As spring practice nears its midway point and the college basketball and hockey seasons come to a close, I can’t help but look ahead to August. August is when every recruit is on campus, not just the early-enrolling freshmen, battling in the sweltering heat to get ready for the impending season. It’s also when the magazines put out their college football preview issues chalk full of team breakdowns and predictions.

While I can’t wait for August to roll around and the season opener against Connecticut to kick off on September 4, I want to look ahead even further. Further even than next season. I’d like to present my bucket-list, if you will, of teams Michigan should schedule for out-of-conference games in the future.

The winds of change are sweeping through the Michigan athletic department with Dave Brandon, the former Domino’s Pizza CEO, taking over the Athletic Director post. Brandon, who played at Michigan under Bo Schembechler, has already steadfastly stood in front of reporters deflecting questions on the impending NCAA violations and announced that the first-ever night game in the Big House will take place in 2011 against Notre Dame.

With the shift in football philosophy the past couple of years away from the traditional pro-style offense to the spread-option attack of Rich Rodriguez, this isn’t your same old Michigan football anymore. Whether you think that to be good or bad, it’s the present reality.

Even the tradition has undergone a bit of a change as of late. The gameday music has shifted to less of the Michigan Marching Band and to more piped-in electronic music. The secrecy from inside “The Fort,” (Michigan’s practice facility, Schembechler Hall) has transformed into what some feel to be too much openness. Heck, maybe president Obama could use a few pointers from this coaching staff on openness.

Biggest of all, on September 4, the newly renovated Big House, complete with luxury boxes and giant brick façades on either side, will open up, signaling a departure from Michigan football as we knew it and an entrance into big-time, money-making college football. The only piece of tradition Michigan Stadium still holds onto is the lack of corporate advertising inside the stadium.

For a while, I resisted the changes. But time has a way of easing those concerns, and now I welcome them with open arms. I’ll always hold dear the days of Schembechler and Lloyd Carr. Yet I can hardly contain myself thinking about the possibilities of getting back to Michigan’s dominating fashion, but doing it in a 21st Century way.

The past couple of seasons have been hard to watch. Whether it was Sam McGuffie getting decapitated against Ohio State or Tate Forcier throwing an interception in overtime against Michigan State or the defense failing to stop, well, anyone, the past two seasons have been abysmal. 2010 presents a seemingly make-or-break year for Rodriguez, so having the usual suspects on the schedule (Notre Dame and a couple of cupcakes) is a welcome sign. Connecticut won’t be a push-over, but at least it’s not a power-conference rival opening the season.

Once we get back to the level of play one would expect from the nation’s all-time winningest team, whether it’s with Rodriguez at the helm or not (but hopefully with), I’d like to see the schedule take a departure from the usual Mid-American Conference cupcake feast to the meat and potatoes of the college football land.

So, I present to you, my wish-list for future non-conference opponents.

1. Florida

This shouldn’t come as any surprise. Michigan fans despise Florida. The Big Ten despises Florida. The Southeastern Conference (SEC) stops at nothing to brag, rightfully or wrongfully about its college football supremacy in the past decade.

Head-to-head in bowl games since 2000, the SEC has won 15 and the Big Ten has won 14. However, head-to-head in BCS games, the SEC has a 3-1 advantage, and the SEC has claimed five national championships to the Big Ten’s one.

Michigan has done its part, going 5-1 against the SEC during that time, including 2-0 against Florida, both in the Gators’ back yard. In fact, Michigan has always done well against the SEC, compiling an all-time record of 20-5-1. Ten of those wins were against Vanderbilt, and Michigan has never played LSU or Mississippi State. The only school that has a winning record over Michigan is Tennessee, which pounded Michigan 45-17 in the 2002 Citrus Bowl.

Just think: Florida traveling to Ann Arbor or Michigan playing in the Swamp in a September showdown. Urban Meyer vs. Rich Rodriguez (assuming Rodriguez doesn’t get fired and Meyer doesn’t actually retire). The mastermind of the modern spread-option offense against the guy who’s used a version of it to claim two of the past four national championships. SEC speed vs…..SEC speed in the Big Ten?

It has all the makings of a huge game and Brandon should make it happen as soon as possible. The only problem? It would take a lot of convincing to get Florida to travel outside of the south for a non-conference game.

Since 1990, Florida has played 68 non-conference games. All but one of those were in the state of Florida and 56 of the 68 were home games. Of the 12 road games, 10 were at Florida State, one was at Miami, and the lone out-of-state game was a loss at Syracuse in 1991.

In other words, Florida hasn’t traveled more than 337 miles for an out-of-conference game in 19 years.

Getting Athletics Director Jeremy Foley to agree to travel the 1,033 miles to Ann Arbor will likely require Brandon to agree to travel to Gainesville twice, give up his first-born, and supply Foley a lifetime of free pizza.

But here’s to hoping.

2. LSU

Michigan has never played LSU, but with the recent success of the Tigers, and former Michigan player and assistant coach Les Miles at the helm, a match-up would be compelling.

As described above, Michigan has enjoyed incredible success against teams from the SEC, but this would be the first-ever game between the schools.

Imagine the possibilities: Miles, who was the undeniable favorite amongst Michigan fans and alums to replace Lloyd Carr, returning to the Big House, not as the coach, but as the opponent.

Or Michigan traveling to Baton Rouge for a night game in Death Valley, where LSU is 209-59-4 in night games since 1960.

This is probably more likely to happen than Florida, as LSU is willing to travel outside of its friendly confines.

The Tigers visited Washington last year, Arizona State in 2005, Arizona in 2003, Virginia Tech in 2002 and Notre Dame in 1998.

A home-and-home with Michigan would be compelling, whether Miles was still at LSU, or Michigan fired Rodriguez and hired Miles to replace him.

3. Oklahoma

The Sooners get the nod for the third spot on my wish list because they are one of the few schools that Michigan has a losing record against.

The teams’ only meeting was the 1975 Orange Bowl. The Barry Switzer-led Sooners beat Michigan 14-6 to claim a second straight national championship.

Michigan hasn’t fared as well against the Big 12 in the past couple of decades as it has against the SEC, going 2-4 since 1990.

Oklahoma has been one of the best teams of the past decade, playing in four of the past 10 championship games and winning the national title in 2000, and featuring two of the past seven Heisman Trophy winners.

Bringing the Sooners to Ann Arbor would be a huge draw as the all-time winningest college football team takes on the fourth-best in an early-season matchup.

It would be the spread-n-shred against traditional power football and certainly have national championship ramifications for the winner.

4. Virginia Tech

Virginia Tech has also been one of the best programs of the past decade and, like LSU, is an opponent that Michigan has never faced.

Tech doesn’t have the history of the others, but may represent college football in the 21st century more than any other team in the nation.

It was Virginia Tech that showed what the spread offense can do, when quarterback Michael Vick led the Hokies to the BCS National Championship game in 1999.

Coach Frank Beamer’s team has been one of the most exciting teams to watch with dominating special teams, and never shying away from playing big-time opponents.

Last season, Virginia Tech played Alabama and Nebraska in the non-conference schedule. In 2007, Tech traveled to LSU and in 2004, it hosted No. 1 USC.

A home-and-home would make sense regionally, because it wouldn’t be too far of a travel for either team. Night games in Blacksburg have dominated ESPN the past few years, and seeing the blue jerseys and winged helmets contrasted with the all-white with maroon trim of Virginia Tech would certainly be a sight worth seeing.

5. Miami

Miami has been down the past couple of seasons, but like Michigan, seem to be back on the upswing. The teams have faced off twice before, both in the 1980s during the Jimmy Johnson era.

In 1988, No.1 Miami needed an onside kick and a two-point conversion in the final six minutes to cap a 17-point comeback, beating Michigan 31-30 in the Big House.

Michigan won the first meeting 22-14 in 1984.

Rodriguez has recruited the Miami area heavily since taking over in 2008, so the game would make sense recruiting-wise for Michigan as many of the players would be able to play in front of friends and family when Michigan returns the trip.

Eight players on Michigan’s roster this spring are from south Florida and three more arrive in time for fall camp.

Miami puts as many players into the NFL as any school in the country and a matchup between the two schools would surely be an instant classic.

Honorable Mention:

1. West Virginia – But only if Rodriguez is still the coach at Michigan and leads them back to challenging for national championships.

2. Texas – The only meeting between the two was the 2006 Rose Bowl, which Texas won on a last-second field goal. The only reason I don’t have this higher on my list is because Ohio State just had a home-and-home with Texas.

3. Alabama – Nick Saban has built Alabama into a powerhouse in just a couple of years. The reigning national champs would make for a great matchup with Michigan. Michigan was 3-2 against Saban when he was head coach at Michigan State.

4. Florida State – Like Miami, Michigan and Florida State have met just twice, with each side winning once. In 1991, FSU rolled up 51 points, the most ever by an opponent in the Big House at the time. With FSU under the new leadership of Jimbo Fisher, a home-and-home with Michigan should be scheduled soon.

5. Stanford – Stanford is on its way up thanks to head coach and former Michigan quarterback Jim Harbaugh. The programs have met 10 times before, with Michigan winning six, but the last time was in 1976. Like West Virginia, I only like this matchup if Harbaugh is still at Stanford.

6. Boise State – This one is more for the novelty. Boise State has been the “Cinderella” of the decade, knocking off Oklahoma in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl and finishing 14-0 last season. Many have complained that BSU doesn’t play anybody out-of-conference, so if Michigan was willing, the Broncos would listen. Plus, the winged helmet on the smurf turf would be fun.

It’s unlikely that any of these out-of-conference matchups will happen at least until Michigan’s rivalry with Notre Dame takes a two-year break in 2018-19, but it would be fun to see, especially once Michigan gets back to being, well, Michigan.

In the meantime, however, I’m happy with a diet of cupcakes to help the young Wolverines grow up.

National Signing Day came and went with Michigan making a huge late-minute splash, adding four-star safety Demar Dorsey from Lauderdale Lakes, Fla. The 6′1″, 175lb. star originally committed to Florida before backing out and eventually choosing the Wolverines, giving Michigan a very solid safety class.

Who are the rest of the high school seniors that round out the class? Here’s a breakdown by position of the defensive side of the ball. Due to the size of the defensive class, this will be broken into four posts: the defensive line, the linebackers, the cornerbacks, and the safeties.

Safeties (4)
Safety/Cornerback Demar Dorsey	DEMAR DORSEY Height: 6-1 Weight: 175 Hometown: Lauderdale Lakes, Fla. (Boyd Anderson) Rivals Rank: #13 S (4-star) Scout Rank: #19 S (4-star) ESPN Rank: #2 S (5-star) Chose Michigan Over: Florida State, USC, Tennessee, Florida, Miami, North Carolina, West Virginia, Wisconsin. How He Fits In: Dorsey was perhaps Michigan’s biggest commitment of the class, going blue on Signing Day. The cousin of current Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson had originally committed to Florida, but whether they backed off of him, or he dropped them is up for debate. Regardless, he was well sought after and is a huge coup for Rodriguez. Dorsey will probably see immediate playing time, either at safety or corner. His size, athleticism, and upside give Michigan an impact defensive player to build around. If he can stay out of trouble (some have questioned his recruitment given his background) he should be a star for the next few years.
Safety Marvin Robinson	MARVIN ROBINSON Height: 6-1 Weight: 190 Hometown: Eagle Lake, Fla. (Lake Region) Rivals Rank: #20 OLB (4-star) Scout Rank: #18 S (4-star) ESPN Rank: #21 OLB (4-star) Chose Michigan Over: Florida, Ohio State, South Florida, North Carolina, Alabama, Georgia, USC, Tennessee, Boston College, UCLA. How He Fits In: Robinson is a huge addition to Michigan’s secondary, and like Dorsey, should see time immediately. He has great size and good speed for a safety, but needs to develop better cover skills. There is a slight chance he could move to linebacker, but Rodriguez likes his prospects at safety, especially given the lack of talent at the position currently. Inserting him immediately would be an upgrade from walk-on Jordan Kovacs.
Safety Carvin Johnson	CARVIN JOHNSON Height: 6-0 Weight: 185 Hometown: Metairie, La. (Rummel) Rivals Rank: #33 S (3-star) Scout Rank: #79 S (3-star) ESPN Rank: #73 S (3-star) Chose Michigan Over: Minnesota, Colorado, Tulane, Utah, Tulsa. How He Fits In: Johnson is a talented safety against both the pass and the run. At this piont, he could stand to gain some strength on his tall and lean frame, and would do well to redshirt in 2010 to improve his footwork and technique. He has good upside and will most likely contribute on special teams for the next couple of years while he develops.
Safety Ray Vinopal	RAY VINOPAL Height: 5-10 Weight: 178 Hometown: Youngstown, Ohio (Cardinal Mooney) Rivals Rank: NR (2-star) Scout Rank: #103 S (3-star) ESPN Rank: #270 Athlete (2-star) Chose Michigan Over: Bowling Green, Kent State, Air Force. How He Fits In: Vinopal is the lowest-rated player in the class and is a definite project, but at this point, any body at the safety position is a welcome one. He has the work ethic and the drive to prove the doubters wrong and is a smart and instinctual player who puts himself in position to make plays. He will definitely redshirt in 2010 and spend a couple of years on special teams.

National Signing Day came and went with Michigan making a huge late-minute splash, adding four-star safety Demar Dorsey from Lauderdale Lakes, Fla. The 6′1″, 175lb. star originally committed to Florida before backing out and eventually choosing the Wolverines, giving Michigan a very solid safety class.

Who are the rest of the high school seniors that round out the class? Here’s a breakdown by position of the defensive side of the ball. Due to the size of the defensive class, this will be broken into four posts: the defensive line, the linebackers, the cornerbacks, and the safeties.

Cornerbacks (3)
Cornerback Cullen Christian	CULLEN CHRISTIAN Height: 6-0 Weight: 180 Hometown: Pittsburgh, Penn. (Penn Hills) Rivals Rank: #8 CB (4-star) Scout Rank: #3 CB (4-star) ESPN Rank: #18 CB (4-star) Chose Michigan Over: West Virginia, Ohio State, Pittsburgh, UCLA, Illinois, Purdue, Cincinnati, Colorado, Minnesota, Boston College. How He Fits In: Christian is an elite cover corner with great hands, good size, and solid fluidity. He has the ability to become Michigan’s next great corner and is exactly what Michigan needs immediately due to the lack of depth at the position. The only thing he lacks is elite speed, but that’s something he can work on, and his lockdown ability can make up for it. He could play right away if the coaches feel he’s ready come fall camp. Probably the best comparison is Marlin Jackson, and if Christian can live up to that comparison, good things are in store for Michigan.
Cornerback Courtney Avery	COURTNEY AVERY Height: 5-10 Weight: 165 Hometown: Lexington, Ohio (Lexington) Rivals Rank: NR (3-star) Scout Rank: #35 CB (3-star) ESPN Rank: #94 CB (2-star) Chose Michigan Over: Stanford, Indiana, Louisville, Vanderbilt, Bowling Green. How He Fits In: Avery is somewhat of a wild card. He is very quick and athletic, but lacks ideal size for a corner, and played mostly quarterback in high school, where he earned first-team all-state honors. He adds depth to the position, but won’t play right away. If he can develop his cover skills, he could see playing time in a couple of years.
Cornerback Terrence Talbot	TERRENCE TALBOTT Height: 5-10 Weight: 172 Hometown: Huber Heights, Ohio (Wayne) Rivals Rank: NR (3-star) Scout Rank: #108 CB (3-star) ESPN Rank: #33 CB (3-star) Chose Michigan Over: Cincinnati, Illinois, Kentucky, Wisconsin, Connecticut, North Carolina. How He Fits In: Talbott is the brother of defensive tackle commit Terry Talbott. Like Avery, he lacks ideal size, but he makes up for that with his cover skills and vertical jumping ability. He has goos speed, plays physical for his size, and has fluid hips, which is important for a good corner. A year of redshirting should prepare him well to see the field in a couple of years and he could become a solid contributor.

National Signing Day came and went with Michigan making a huge late-minute splash, adding four-star safety Demar Dorsey from Lauderdale Lakes, Fla. The 6′1″, 175lb. star originally committed to Florida before backing out and eventually choosing the Wolverines, giving Michigan a very solid safety class.

Who are the rest of the high school seniors that round out the class? Here’s a breakdown by position of the defensive side of the ball. Due to the size of the defensive class, this will be broken into four posts: the defensive line, the linebackers, the cornerbacks, and the safeties.

Linebackers (4)
Linebacker Josh Furman	JOSH FURMAN Height: 6-3 Weight: 194 Hometown: Millersville, Md. (Old Mill) Rivals Rank: #38 Athlete (3-star) Scout Rank: #7 S (4-star) ESPN Rank: #38 OLB (3-star) Chose Michigan Over: Virginia Tech, Illinois, Maryland, North Carolina, West Virginia, Oklahoma, Pittsburgh, Duke. How He Fits In: Furman could become the best player in the class. His athleticism is proven by his versatility, as Scout ranks him the seventh-best safety in the class, ESPN projects him as an outside linebacker, and he rushed for nearly 2,300 yards and 31 touchdowns during his senior year at Old Mill High School. He ran a 4.37 40-yard dash and as an outside linebacker, can fly to the ball. He should fill Stevie Brown’s spinner position after a redshirt year, unless he can win the spot practice this fall.
Linebacker Antonio Kinard	ANTONIO KINARD Height: 6-4 Weight: 210 Hometown: Youngstown, Ohio (Liberty) Rivals Rank: NR (3-star) Scout Rank: #95 DE (3-star) ESPN Rank: #62 OLB (3-star) Chose Michigan Over: Iowa, Michigan State. How He Fits In: Kinard committed to Michigan very early in the process and is a good athlete with range and versatility. He’s still pretty thin, so will need a year or two to bulk up. He’s a guaranteed redshirt in 2010, but fills a need of depth at the position.
Linebacker Davion Rogers	DAVION ROGERS Height: 6-6 Weight: 210 Hometown: Warren, Ohio (Harding) Rivals Rank: #28 OLB (3-star) Scout Rank: #102 OLB (3-star) ESPN Rank: #29 OLB (3-star) Chose Michigan Over: West Virginia, Michigan State, Pittsburgh, Toledo. How He Fits In: Perhaps the best comparison to Rogers among recent Michigan players is Shawn Crable. He’s very long and thin at this point, but has great athleticism and could become a rush end if he puts on more weight. He was one of the last commits of the class and could become a standout player a couple of years from now. If he becomes the type of player Crable was, this is a very solid commitment for Rodriguez.
Linebacker Jake Ryan	JAKE RYAN Height: 6-3 Weight: 220 Hometown: Westlake, Ohio (St. Ignatius) Rivals Rank: #30 ILB (3-star) Scout Rank: #81 OLB (3-star) ESPN Rank: #58 OLB (3-star) Chose Michigan Over: Bowling Green, Toledo, Central Michigan, Ball State, Eastern Michigan. How He Fits In: Some might question the recruitment of Ryan, since all of his other offers are MAC schools, but he could be a huge sleeper. Perhaps his biggest weakness is strength, but that’s something that he can add under Barwis. Most importantly, his instincts and football sense gives Michigan a linebacker reminiscent of those that rival Ohio State has fielded for years. He represents a change from the typical safety-turned-linebacker that Michigan has featured the past decade, and a couple of years from now could compare to Mike Vrabel, A.J. Hawk, or James Laurinaitis. And as much as we dislike those guys, that’s a good thing.

National Signing Day came and went with Michigan making a huge late-minute splash, adding four-star safety Demar Dorsey from Lauderdale Lakes, Fla. The 6′1″, 175lb. star originally committed to Florida before backing out and eventually choosing the Wolverines, giving Michigan a very solid safety class.

Who are the rest of the high school seniors that round out the class? Here’s a breakdown by position of the defensive side of the ball. Due to the size of the defensive class, this will be broken into four posts: the defensive line, the linebackers, the cornerbacks, and the safeties.

Defensive End (3)
Defensive End Jibreel Black	JIBREEL BLACK Height: 6-2 Weight: 253 Hometown: Cincinnati, Ohio (Wyoming) Rivals Ranking: #25 DE (3-star) Scout Ranking: #15 DT (4-star) ESPN Ranking: #45 DE (3-star) Chose Michigan Over: Cincinnati, Indiana, Michigan State, Kentucky, West Virginia, Minnesota. How He Fits In: Michigan was the third school to receive a commitment from Black during the recruiting process, but the only one that counts. He could be the biggest sleeper of the class as a guy who didn’t have many major offers, but has a great body type and good upside. He’s comparable to LaMarr Woodley or Brandon Graham at a very early stage, and given time to work on technique, strength, and quickness, could develop into Michigan’s next great rush end. That won’t happen for another couple of years, however, and his impact in 2010 will be virtually nonexistent as a redshirt is likely.
Defensive End Jordan Paskorz	JORDAN PASKORZ Height: 6-3 Weight: 225 Hometown: Allison Park, Penn. (Hampton) Rivals Rank: #41 DE (3-star) Scout Rank: #74 DE (3-star) ESPN Rank: #52 DE (3-star) Chose Michigan Over: Pittsburgh, Minnesota, Virginia, Bowling Green. How He Fits In: Paskorz provides depth on the defensive line and is certain to redshirt in 2010. He’s a traditional defensive end, but could move to outside linebacker before his time in the maize and blue is over. There’s nothing overly special about Paskorz and he’ll need a couple of years to develop before he’ll see the field.
Defensive End Ken Wilkins	KEN WILKINS Height: 6-3 Weight: 244 Hometown: Washington, Penn. (Trinity) Rivals Rank: #15 DE (4-star) Scout Rank: #67 DE (3-star) ESPN Rank: #42 OLB (3-star) Chose Michigan Over: Pittsburgh, West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, Rutgers. How He Fits In: Wilkins has a bigger body than Black and Paskorz and may also redshirt. ESPN projects him as a linebacker, but he will most likely fill the strongside defensive end position for Michigan. He’s a high-motor guy with a nose for the ball and could be a solid contributor in a couple of years.
Defensive Tackles (2)
Defensive Tackle Richard Ash	RICHARD ASH Height: 6-4 Weight: 263 Hometown: Pahokee, Fla. (Pahokee) Rivals Rank: #25 DT (4-star) Scout Rank: #52 DT (3-star) ESPN Rank: #54 DT (3-star) Chose Michigan Over: West Virginia, S. Florida, Rutgers, USC, UCLA, Tennessee, Colorado State, Minnesota, Mississippi, Oklahoma State, LSU. How He Fits In: Ash originally committed to West Virginia, but decided to follow fellow Pahokee graduates Martavious Odoms, Vincent Smith, and Brandin Hawthorne to Ann Arbor. He was recruited by Florida and USC until he showed up at Florida’s camp overweight. Once he gets in Mike Barwis’ strength and conditioning program, that should change, and after a couple of years, Ash could be a monster in the middle.
Defensive Tackle Terry Talbott	TERRY TALBOT Height: 6-4 Weight: 255 Hometown: Huber Heights, Ohio (Wayne) Rivals Rank: #61 DT (3-star) Scout Rank: #41 DT (3-star) ESPN Rank: #95 DT (3-star) Chose Michigan Over: Wisconsin, UCLA, Cincinnati, Michigan State, N.C. State, Arkansas, North Carolina. How He Fits In: Talbot is a bit of a ‘tweener at this point, as his body is small for a tackle, but that’s most likely where he’ll play at Michigan. He’ll need some time to bulk up and add weight, but he has good athleticism and intensity. He needs a redshirt, but Michigan might not be afforded the luxury, given the lack of depth at the position.

National Signing Day came and went with Michigan making a huge late-minute splash, adding four-star safety Demar Dorsey from Lauderdale Lakes, Fla. The 6′1″, 175lb. star originally committed to Florida before backing out and eventually choosing the Wolverines, giving Michigan a very solid safety class.

Who are the rest of the high school seniors that round out the class? Here’s a breakdown by position, starting with the offense (defense to follow soon):

Quarterbacks (2)
Quarterback Devin Gardner	DEVIN GARDNER Height: 6-4 Weight: 195 Hometown: Detroit, Mich. (Inkster) Rivals Ranking: #1 dual-threat QB (4-star) Scout Ranking: #5 overall QB (5-star) ESPN Ranking: #5 overall QB (4-star) Chose Michigan Over: Notre Dame, Wisconsin, Purdue, Oregon, Nebraska, Michigan State, West Virginia, Iowa, Cincinnati. How He Fits In: Gardner is the ideal quarterback for Rich Rodriguez’s system. He’s a big, strong, fast, and athletic dual-threat quarterback that has a chance to be an absolute star in Ann Arbor by the time his career is over. The biggest improvement needed is his passing game. He has a strong arm, but needs to develop the stamina to last a full season. A red-shirt is almost guaranteed for Gardner, and with a year of practice and strength and conditioning under his belt, should factor into the starting quarterback race in 2011. Gardner enrolled at Michigan in January and will participate in spring ball, giving Michigan three solid quarterbacks on the roster to push each other.
Quarterback Conelius Jones	CONELIUS JONES Height: 6-2 Weight: 197 Hometown: Spartanburg, SC (Spartanburg) Rivals Rank: NR (3-star) Scout Rank: #60 QB (3-star) ESPN Rank: #92 Athlete (3-star) Chose Michigan Over: Wake Forest, Duke, Stanford, Syracuse How He Fits In: Jones gives Rodriguez a second dual-threat quarterback in the class, though he could move to defensive back because of the three quarterbacks ahead of him (Tate Forcier, Denard Robsinon, and Gardner). He’s an athletic guy with a great body frame for both quarterback and defensive back. Ideally, he’ll start out as Michigan’s fourth quarterback until Gardner is up-to-speed, and then look for a change of position to utilize his athleticism.
Running Backs (2)
Running Back Stephen Hopkins	STEPHEN HOPKINS Height: 6-0 Weight: 235 Hometown: Flower Mound, Texas (Marcus) Rivals Ranking: NR (3-star) Scout Ranking: #52 RB (3-star) ESPN Ranking: #50 RB (3-star) Chose Michigan Over: Texas A&M, Kansas, Stanford, Kansas State, SMU How He Fits In: Hopkins is a big back that isn’t the typical scat back preferred by Rodriguez, but fits the mold of departing tailback Brandon Minor. Hopkins will join the stable of backs competing for the starting job and in time could give Rodriguez a solid power back to complement the smaller guys. He probably will never be the go-to guy, but gives Rodriguez a short-yardage bruiser. He also enrolled at Michigan in January and will have a semester of workouts under his belt when fall camp begins.
Running Back Austin White	AUSTIN WHITE Height: 6-0 Weight: 186 Hometown: Livonia, Mich. (Stevenson) Rivals Ranking: #10 All-purpose back (3-star) Scout Ranking: #15 RB (4-star) ESPN Ranking: #77 RB (3-star) Chose Michigan Over: Michigan State, Illinois, LSU, Wisconsin, Iowa, Purdue How He Fits In: White also enrolled at Michigan in January and fits into a position group in which Michigan has plenty of, thus a redshirt is virtually guaranteed. He’s the type of back that Rodriguez likes — versatile and quick — and can catch the ball out of the backfield. He’s kind of a Reggie Bush type of player (not saying he’ll have the type of career Bush did at USC) who can line up in the backfield, in the slot, catch passes out of the backfield, etc.
Wide Receivers (4)
Wide Receiver Jeremy Jackson	JEREMY JACKSON Height: 6-3 Weight: 194 Hometown: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Huron) Rivals Ranking: NR (3-star) Scout Ranking: #79 WR (3-star) ESPN Ranking: #39 WR (4-star) Chose Michigan Over: Florida, LSU, Minnesota, Louisville, Iowa, Nebraska, Stanford, Tennessee, Texas How He Fits In: Jackson is the son of long-time Michigan running backs coach Fred Jackson. He has great size for an outside receiver and his solid hands and route running more than make up for his lack of elite speed. Jackson should be a reliable possession receiver for Michigan in the years to come. Like Gardner, Hopkins, and White, Jackson enrolled at Michigan in January to get a semester of weights and practice under his belt.
Wide Receiver Ricardo Miller	RICARDO MILLER Height: 6-2 Weight: 208 Hometown: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Pioneer) Rivals Ranking: #66 WR (3-star) Scout Ranking: #27 WR (4-star) ESPN Ranking: #27 WR (4-star) Chose Michigan Over: Florida, South Florida, Tennessee, Stanford, Central Florida, Miami, LSU How He Fits In: Miller is a big wide receiver with great versatility. Originally from Florida, Miller moved to Ann Arbor prior to last season in order to finish his high school career near the U of M. His combination of size and speed could make Miller a No. 1 receiver at Michigan in a couple of years. Also enrolling at Michigan in January, Miller has a chance to see the field next season as Michigan’s fourth or fifth receiver while he continues to develop his route running and hands.
Wide Receiver Jerald Robinson	JERALD ROBINSON Height: 6-2 Weight: 175 Hometown: Canton, Ohio (Canton South) Rivals Ranking: #48 WR (3-star) Scout Ranking: #41 WR (3-star) ESPN Ranking: #99 WR (3-star) Chose Michigan Over: Cincinnati, Michigan State, Illinois, Purdue, Pittsburgh How He Fits In: Robinson is a great athlete with a very lanky frame, great hands, and superb route running. The Ohio native was offered a scholarship from Ohio State late, but he was alredy committed to Michigan. Also enrolling at Michigan in January, Robsinon has a shot at seeing the field next season. He would do well to add some muscle, but his quickness and ability to go up and get the ball in space should earn him some playing time.
Wide Receiver D.J. Williamson	D.J. WILLIAMSON Height: 6-1 Weight: 172 Hometown: Warren, Ohio (Harding) Rivals Ranking: NR (3-star) Scout Ranking: NR (2-star) ESPN Ranking: #54 WR (3-star) Chose Michigan Over: Illinois, West Virginia, Kansas, Indiana How He Fits In: Williamson is the flier of the class. He hails from the school that produced former Wolverines Mario Manningham, Prescott Burgess, and Desmond Howard. His blazing speed (he won the Ohio state track championship with a 10.82 in the 100-meters during his junior year) complement the rest of Michigans receiver class. He’s a converted running back and is still working to develop his pure receiving skills, but his speed and athleticism make him an intriguing prospect. He’s the only receiver in the class not enrolling early, so he’ll have some catching up to do and will most certainly redshirt.
Slot Receivers (1)
Slot Receiver Drew Dileo	DREW DILEO Height: 5-10 Weight: 175 Hometown: Greenwell Springs, La. (Parkview Baptist) Rivals Ranking: #73 Athlete (3-stars) Scout Ranking: #101 WR (3-stars) ESPN Ranking: #138 Athlete (3-stars) Chose Michigan Over: Stanford, Virginia, Northwestern, Tulane How He Fits In: Dileo is small and reminiscent of former Michigan running back Sam McGuffie, who played one season and then transferred to Rice. His quickness and ability to return kicks will allow him to challenge for playing time in Michigan’s return game, especially if he proves he can catch the ball. He won’t factor into the offense for a year or two, playing behind Martaveous Odoms, Kelvin Grady, and Terrence Robinson while he learns the offense, but the hope is that he turns into a Wes Welker-type player.
Offensive Linemen (1)
Offensive Lineman Christian Pace	CHRISTIAN PACE Height: 6-3 Weight: 262 Hometown: Avon Lake, Ohio (Avon Lake) Rivals Ranking: #7 C (3-star) Scout Ranking: ESPN Ranking: #13 Offensive Guard (3-star) Chose Michigan Over: Pittsburgh, Michigan State, Louisville, Florida State, NC State How He Fits In: Pace will undoubtedly redshirt next season, as most offensive linemen do to bulk up and get acclimated to college football. A very strong lineman for his small stature, Pace excels at run blocking, which is nice for Rodriguez’s system. He should have a few years to bulk up and learn the system before seeing the field when current starting center David Molk graduates.

Overview

Although Rodriguez signed just 10 players on the offensive side of the ball in this class, those who signed filled needs and complement one another well. The biggest commit was definitely Gardner, who will be Michigan’s quarterback of the future—the only question is when.

Rodriguez does not want to start a true freshman quarterback again, so Gardner will most likely redshirt, allowing Forcier to man the position for a second straight year. In 2011, Gardner will compete for the starting job and could supplant Forcier, since he’s bigger and more athletic.

The addition of Hopkins adds a big back to go along with Michigan’s wealth of small guys and replace Minor and Kevin Grady.

The four outside receivers were probably a bit much for one class, but will provide depth at the position to help stretch the field for the slot ninjas. Dileo is one of the slot ninjas and will give Michigan a true return man, which it has lacked in the past couple of years.

The only position that suffered in this class was the offensive line. Rodriguez signed just three offensive linemen in 2009 and runs the danger of a ridiculously thin position group in a couple of years. The current junior and senior classes are fairly solid, but Rodriguez really needed more than one commit in 2010.

There’s still the tiniest sliver of hope out there for Seantrel Henderson, the nation’s top recruit, who verbally committed to USC, but won’t sign until he finds out about the impending NCAA penalties the program faces. But Henderson reportedly isn’t even considering Michigan (his top five outside of USC were Miami, Florida, Ohio State, Notre Dame, and Minnesota). Unless Rodriguez can replicate the magic he used on Dorsey, Henderson isn’t coming anywhere near Ann Arbor.

Overall, it’s a small offensive class, but solid nonetheless. If Rodriguez had gotten more offensive linemen to provide depth at the position, it would have been a good one. Because of that, I’m giving the class a C+.

With the one-game suspension of Manny Harris on Saturday, Michigan head coach John Beilein essentially waved the white flag on Michigan’s season.

Harris, the Big Ten’s leading scorer at 19.2 points per game, was suspended for Michigan’s game against Purdue as a result of “unsportsmanlike conduct during practice” on Friday.

“Manny has made great strides both on and off the court over the last three years,” said Beilein in a release issued Saturday morning. “Unfortunately he used poor judgment on Friday. It is best for Manny’s future if he stays home and sits out this Purdue game.”

Details on the act of unsportsmanlike conduct have not been released, so we have to trust the coach’s judgment without criticizing his decision.

Regardless of whether the act merited a one-game suspension or not, Beilein decided that suspending Harris and sacrificing a game would pay off in the long run.

Of course, Beilein would never say that. He, as probably every other coach in America, would say he expected the team to beat Purdue even without Harris. But that’s like expecting the Colts to beat the Jets without Peyton Manning.

Don’t be mistaken by the 10-point margin of victory. It wasn’t that close. Purdue built a 27-point lead midway through the second half before Purdue coach Matt Painter started emptying his bench and Purdue’s defensive intensity dropped off.

DeShawn Sims filled Harris’ void early on, but unfortunately, no one else did. Michigan didn’t get a second scorer until Zach Novak hit a three with 7:38 remaining in the first half.

By that time, Michigan was all but out of the game.

The loss drops Michigan to 10-9 overall and 3-4 in the Big Ten with a matchup with rival Michigan State looming.

At this point, anything short of running the table or winning the conference tournament assures Michigan of a postseason date in the National Invitational Tournament at best.  

So, in such a critical game, was Beilein’s decision to suspend Harris the right one?

It depends on what happened, and we may never know, but one thing is for certain: Beilein is a coach that stands on his convictions as much as any other coach. Win or lose, he does things the right way by caring as much about the growth and development of young men than solely wins and losses.

Consider some recent examples from other college coaches for comparison.

In Florida’s football game against Georgia on Oct. 31, linebacker Brandon Spikes, the leader of the team’s defense, viciously dug his fingers through the facemask of Georgia running back Washaun Ealey.

The attempted eye gouge was caught on camera and was a clear act of unsportsmanlike conduct, to say the least. It was an attempt to injure another player that could have significantly impacted Ealey’s life beyond football.

Florida head coach Urban Meyer responded by handing down a half-game suspension of Florida’s next game against Vanderbilt.

Half of a game against one of the worst opponents on the schedule for attempting to maim another player in an act completely outside of the normal course of the game.

Spikes later responded to the backlash from the fans and media by suspending himself for the rest of that game.

Meyer apparently thought standing Spikes on the sidelines for the first 30 minutes of a pretty much meaningless game was justice for blatantly trying to injure another player.

In other words, Meyer cared more about winning a game than teaching a 20-year old kid a lesson.

At Michigan State, running back Glenn Winston spent four months in jail during the offseason for putting a hockey player in the hospital with severe head injuries.

This wasn’t a black eye. This was a fractured skull and a subdural hematoma, or bleeding of the brain.

According to reports, the hockey player, A.J. Sturges wasn’t even involved in the fight. He was just blindsided by Winston. As a result, he missed the rest of the hockey season, and memory loss caused him to drop classes.

Michigan State football coach Mark Dantonio immediately reinstated Winston to the football team when fall practice resumed, and Winston began the season as the starting running back before injuring his knee.

Did he learn his lesson? Apparently jail time wasn’t enough. Winston was involved in another off-the-field incident last November, when he and some teammates stormed into a dorm and assaulted a group of students at a potluck dinner. Only then was Winston dismissed from the team.

Was Harris’ act of unsportsmanlike conduct on Friday as bad as either of those two scenarios? It’s probably safe to say that he didn’t put someone in the hospital with a severe head injury, and it most likely wasn’t as severe as attempting to gouge out another player’s eyes.

Yet Beilein made the tough decision to suspend his best player for a must-win game. He sent a message that no player is bigger than the team, and if a player’s actions undermined the coach or disrespected his teammates, he was going to be penalized for it, regardless of whether he was the star player or the last man off the bench.

If that means losing a game because of it, then so be it, because Harris and the rest of the team will learn from it. Or at least Beilein hopes.

“We will meet with Manny and the team again when we return to determine if he has learned enough from this suspension to rejoin the team for Tuesday’s game,” Beilein said. “I am confident that this learning experience will be valuable in the future to both Manny and our basketball program.”

Now the question is whether Harris will respond as a better teammate and role model, or whether he will harbor resentment towards Beilein for sitting him out of an important game and possibly hurting his chances for Big Ten Player of the Year.

We’ll find out on Tuesday when Michigan hopes to hand seventh-ranked Michigan State its first Big Ten loss of the season.