TOP 25 COUNTDOWN
Conference: Big Ten
Coach: Lloyd Carr (113-36 in 12 seasons)
2006: 11-2, 7-1 in Big Ten, tied for 2nd
Bowl: Lost to Southern Cal 32-18 in Rose Bowl
Starters returning: 7 on offense, 4 on defense
Key players: Senior QB Chad Henne, senior RB Mike Hart, senior OT Jake Long, junior WR Mario Manningham, senior WR Adrian Arrington, senior LB Shawn Crable, junior DT Terrance Taylor, senior SS Jamar Adams, junior LB Austin Panter
Why Michigan is No. 7: The Wolverines should have one of the nation's most-balanced and explosive offenses. That should make up for a defense that needs re-stocking.
Best-case scenario: Michigan follows in Ohio State's footsteps and plays in the Bowl Championship Series title game. To do that, however, the Wolverines probably will need to beat the Buckeyes, and that hasn't happened of late.
Worst-case scenario: The defense continues to play like it did at the end of last season.
Bottom line: The Wolverines have an offense that might be national championship caliber. The defense needs to carry its share of the load.
Story lines
1. Will the pass defense improve, particularly with the lack of a proven lock-down cornerback?
2. Even with All-America candidate Jake Long at tackle, can the offensive line make the running game go without a proven fullback or tight end?
3. Michigan, which has a recent history of spotty kicking accuracy, must replace steady Garrett Rivas on extra points and field goals.
The Hart of it all
Michigan senior running back Mike Hart is a grinder. At 5-9, 196 pounds, he's a move-the-pile ground carrier who makes his yards between the tackles. He'll be at the center of an offense that should be among the nation's most productive. Hart, with 3,679 career rushing yards, needs 794 yards to surpass Michigan career leader Anthony Thomas, who finished with 4,472 yards. Hart will receive consideration for the Heisman Trophy, but his style isn't conducive to highlights. However, while sitting out spring practice to recover from shoulder surgery, he concentrated on lower body weight training. The work apparently has paid off in added quickness. "This is the fastest I've seen him," Michigan offensive tackle Jake Long said. "He's in the top five in all our [summer conditioning] runs."
It figures
0-6 Chad Henne's record as a starting QB against Ohio State and in bowl games.
74 Points allowed in the last two games of 2006, both losses.
133 Points allowed in the first 11 games of 2006, all victories.
Extra points
Appalachian State, Michigan's opponent in the season opener, has won consecutive Division I-AA national champions and is coached by former Texas Tech coach Jerry Moore.... Michigan had the fewest turnovers (12) in Division I-A last season and was second nationally in time of possession.... Michigan had a 1,718-yard rushing edge (2,282 to 564) over its opponents.... Junior running back Kevin Grady, who gained 187 yards last season as Hart's backup, is recovering from an ACL injury suffered during spring practice. He might redshirt this season.
Newcomer of note
Freshman quarterback Ryan Mallett, out of Texas High in Texarkana, already has Wolverines fans giddy about next season. "If he develops the right way in the next four years, he'll be the best ever to have come through Michigan," senior QB Chad Henne said of Ryan Mallett, who will likely spend the season as the backup.
Staff changes
Vance Bedford coached Michigan's secondary in 1997 when the Wolverines had a Heisman Trophy winner in cornerback Charles Woodson and won a share of the national championship. After serving as defensive coordinator at Oklahoma State and coaching with the Chicago Bears, Bedford has returned to Ann Arbor as the secondary coach.
Previously...
No. 25 Boston College
No. 24 Missouri
No. 23 Penn State
No. 22 Hawaii
No. 21 Nebraska
No. 20 UCLA
No. 19 TCU
No. 18 Arkansas
No. 17 Texas A&M
No. 16 Rutgers
No. 15 Tennessee
No. 14 Georgia
No. 13 Ohio State
No. 12 Florida State
No. 11 California
No. 10 Louisville
No. 9 Virginia Tech
No. 8 Oklahoma
* * *
If we don't beat Ohio State, we're not going to win a Big Ten championship, so it's something that we need to do and want to do. It's definitely one of our goals this year, definitely something this team is focused on. We can't leave here without beating them.
Running back Mike Hart, on Michigan's three-game losing streak to rival Ohio State
Schedule
Sept. 1 Appalachian State
Sept. 8 Oregon
Sept. 15 Notre Dame
Sept. 22 Penn State*
Sept. 29 at Northwestern*
Oct. 6 Eastern Michigan
Oct. 13 Purdue*
Oct. 20 at Illinois*
Oct. 27 Minnesota*
Nov. 3 at Michigan State*
Nov. 10 at Wisconsin*
Nov. 17 Ohio State*
*Conference game
Nonconference games with Oregon and Notre Dame will be challenging, but both are in Ann Arbor. The most challenging conference road game will be Nov. 10 at Wisconsin. That will be followed by the season finale, a visit by Michigan nemesis Ohio State.
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