Notre Dame is looking to rebound this weekend as they take on their arch-rival, the Michigan Wolverines. Michigan has won six of their last ten meetings against the Irish, including four of the last five games between the schools. The Irish have not won a game in Michigan Stadium since the 2005 season.
Notre Dame needs a win this season to get their season back on track. The Irish are also in desperate need of a win over the Wolverines. This game will also be the fourth time Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly and Michigan head coach Brady Hoke have squared off. Kelly was 3-0 against Hoke while the two were still head coaches in the MAC.
Hoke’s football team presents a unique challenge for the Irish. Michigan has one of the nation’s most dynamic players in quarterback Denard Robinson, and they return a total of 16 starters. Most of the players that were a part of Michigan’s 28-24 victory over the Irish a season ago return.
Michigan returns eight starters on the offensive side of the football and two other players with starting experience. That group includes four offensive linemen, three wide receivers, tight end Kevin Koger, running back Michael Shaw, and of course Robinson at quarterback.
Here is a look at some of Michigan’s top offensive football players.
DENARD ROBINSON, QB, 6-0, 195, JUNIOR
2010 STATS: 182-291, 62.5%, 2570 yards, 18 TD, 11 INT / 1702 rush yards, 6.6 avg., 14 TD’s
LAST WEEK: 9-13, 69.2%, 98 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT
Robinson is one of the most exciting football players in the country. Last fall, he had his best game of the season against Notre Dame. Robinson dominated the Irish on the ground and through the air, finishing with 502 yards of total offense. He threw for 244 yards, racked up another 258 yards on the ground, and totaled three touchdowns. Last season, Robinson set an NCAA record for rushing yards by a quarterback, racking up 1702 yards on the ground. Every time he touches the football he is a threat to score a touchdown from any place on the field. Notre Dame found this out the hard way last fall, as Robinson scored an 87-yard touchdown against the Irish. Michigan will use him on a number of designed runs, where Robinson uses his vision, quickness, and speed to hurt teams between the tackles and on the perimeter. Robinson is also a threat when pass plays breakdown. He improved dramatically as a passer in 2010, completing 62.5 percent of his passes while throwing for 2570 yards. Robinson is still adjusting to Al Borges’ West Coast offense, but is still a threat in the quick game and with the play-action passes. For Notre Dame to beat Michigan this weekend, slowing down Robinson will be key.
ROY ROUNDTREE, WR, 6-0, 177, JUNIOR
2010 STATS: 72 receptions, 935 yards, 13.0 avg., 7 TD’s
LAST WEEK: 2 receptions, 13 yards, 0 TD
Junior wide receiver Roy Roundtree has led Michigan in receptions and receiving yards in each of the last two seasons. His break performance from a season ago earned him Second Team All-Big Ten honors. Roundtree broke out with an impressive 72-catch, 935-yard, and seven touchdown campaign. The 6-foot-0 wide receiver is an effective after-the-catch player thanks to his speed, agility, and vision. Those traits have also helped him turn into a solid route runner, which will be essential in Borges’ precision based West Coast offense. His speed allows him to stretch defenses and get over the top of safeties that are forced to pay too much attention to Robinson’s running ability. Roundtree has had some issues with consistency catching the football, something that will have to be improved upon if he wants to take the next step to become an elite wide receiver. Regardless, Roundtree is a threat that must be accounted for, and if Notre Dame spends too much time focusing on Robinson, Roundtree and the other receivers will make them pay.
KEVIN KOGER, TE, 6-4, 258, SENIOR
2010 STATS: 14 receptions, 199 yards, 14.2 avg., 2 TD’s
LAST WEEK: 2 receptions, 16 yards, 0 TD
Senior tight end Kevin Koger is certainly not Michigan’s most talented player, nor has he been the most productive player for the Wolverines. In an offense that never really featured the tight end, Koger racked up 36 receptions, 512 yards, and five scores during his career. Borges’ West Coast is much more tight end friendly, so Koger’s senior production should be the best of his career. Koger is a solid all-around athlete that is able to work himself open over the middle of the field and when working the short parts of the field. Koger is not a threat to stretch the field with his pure speed, but when teams bite down on the run game he has enough deep ability to attack the seams and make a big play. Expect to see Koger become one of Robinson’s top targets in third-down situations. What makes Koger one of Michigan’s top offensive players is his ability in the run game. During his career he has emerged as a solid blocker in the run game, and his ability to block the edge is essential to Michigan’s run game. The 258-yard tight end has the ability to lock down the edge, and in Michigan’s power game he is essential to its success with its off-tackle plays.
DAVID MOLK, C, 6-2, 286, SENIOR
If you were to pick the Michigan offensive linemen with the least amount of natural talent, David Molk would probably be the guy that was chosen. Despite his lack of natural size and elite tools, Molk has developed into one of the best centers in the Big Ten. As a junior, Molk earned First Team All-Big Ten honors on an offense that averaged 32.8 points and 238.5 yards per game on the ground. Molk is a physical football player that loves mixing it up inside. He makes up for his lack of top size with excellent toughness and natural strength. He is a whistle-to-whistle player that has a non-stop motor. He anchors well against bigger players and uses his leverage to his advantage. Molk is a solid athlete as well, possessing good quickness and speed on the perimeter. He does a nice job staying low and getting underneath the pads of opponents. Michigan will use Molk to trap and pull as well, something he does well. If Molk dominates up front the Michigan offense is very hard to stop in the run game.
TAYLOR LEWAN, LT, 6-8, 302, SOPHOMORE
Sophomore left tackle Taylor Lewan enters his second season as a starter for Michigan, and the 6-foot-8 tackle is on the verge of becoming a star in the Big Ten. Lewan has taken big strides since last fall and has emerged as arguably Michigan’s most talented offensive lineman. He has a rare combination of great size, athleticism, and natural strength. As he has gotten stronger, his ability to dominate in the run game has significantly increased. His excellent length makes him hard to run around in the pass game, where he does a good job protecting Robinson’s blind side. Lewan also possesses surprisingly good agility and speed for such a big player. He gets into his pass set quickly, uses his long arms extremely well, and his punch has improved. Lewan combines those traits with his excellent length, making him a potentially dominant blindside pass protector. Protecting the blindside of the quarterback is much more important in Borges’ offense than it was under Rodriguez. If Lewan continues to develop, he could become one of the best left tackles in the country.
