Michigan Tuesday: Big Game Tonight

ESPN has been promoting this game for nearly a week.  #2 Michigan will take on #4 Illinois tonight at Crisler.   It the latest game of the year for the Wolverines and the Big Ten after Michigan beat now #5 Iowa and #7 Ohio State. 

It's also another monster match-up between big men.  We know about Hunter but tonight he is going against a brick wall in Kofi Cockburn.  I would suggest that Austin Davis use all of his fouls tonight on Mr. Cockburn, who is built like he is ready for WrestleMania's main event.  

Illinois's best player is still questionable as Ayo Dosunmo is healing from a facial fracture that he suffered a week ago. 

Either way this should be a great game and if you have been missing Michigan Basketball this is your week, as the Wolverines play 3 times and need 1 win for the Big Ten Championship.   Let's go!!!

• The NIT will only be 16 teams 

• The #2 player in Michigan in the 2022 class, 4 star LB Josh Burnham is starting to trend away from the Wolverines to ND. 

• Mgoblog does some roster analysis on the Spring Roster.  To net it out:

 Jack Stewart to DL from OL

David Ojabo to LB from DL 

Walk-on WR's: Schoenle and McCurry are both gone

JJ is #9

Edwards #7

Dunlap #22

Dixon #10 

Anthony #1 

Crippen #51

Anderson #62

El-Hadi #58

Bounds #72

Colson #25

Rumler from #55 to 70

Wheeler 25 to 44

Green-Warren 6 to 28

The Original Michigan Monday: A Great Weekend For The Wolverines

I love weekends like this last one, lets face it, Michigan's Football best season has been the off season lately and Michigan Basketball is playing elite basketball right now.  

Michigan traveled to Bloomington on Saturday and didn't play their best game but it was enough to beat the under maned Hoosiers.   This will be another short turn around week with a huge game against Illinois on Tuesday and back to back's against Sparty to end the final season.   Michigan needs to win 1 game this week to be crowned Big Ten Champions!   Let's Go!!!!!

Michigan Football also got 2 pieces of good news on Sunday. 

1 - Michigan legacy, #1 Player in Michigan 2022 and 5 star CB Will Johnson committed to the Wolverines.  Jimmy kept him in this class through all the coaching changes and Will seemed to connect with Coach Mo since then.  This was a must win for the Wolverines and hopefully the tip of more good news on the recruiting trail.   Love the new recruiting strategy.  

2- Michigan found some QB depth in the transfer portal with grad transfer Alan Bowman from Texas Tech.   Bowman has started 16 games for TT and completes 67% of his passes.  He is a pro style QB and doesn't run.   He will miss Spring Practice so he will have to learn the offense this summer and in Fall camp but having a guy with playing experience is very important.   Bowman has played 3 years so I expect he will have 1 left.  He did get injured in 2019 and only played in 3 games, so a red shirt year could be in play for another if needed.   Then there is the 2020 rule of not counting so he should easily have 2 years in A2.

Now that is a good weekend!!!

• Sparty after 2 great home wins, loses to Maryland on the road on Sunday. 

• OSU after playing a classic with Michigan has lost 3 in a row to Michigan, MSU, and now Iowa.  

• Kansas also beat Baylor who is also knock the rust off after a COVID shutdown. 

• Berkley Edwards is playing in that Johnny Manziel Fan Controlled league. 

Michigan Friday: Didn't Feel Like a Blowout

Michigan and Iowa played a close game in the first half.  The second half not so much.   There are a 100 things I love about this team but one of things near the top, is they always play better in the second half.  

In a year where UK, UNC, and Duke are barley tournament worthy, Michigan has a nice lead in one of the toughest conferences ever.   Juwan Howard is earning every coaching award available to him this post season as this is one of the best teams I've seen in the maize and blue.  Yes, the Fab 5 had more talent and upside, but this team is just solid and deep.  

Last night, Hunter basically shut down the best player in college basketball and Franz could get to rim anytime he wanted.  I wanted Wagner to take whoever was guarding him into the paint every time down the floor.  Livers continues his strong shooting and Chaundee comes off the bench and just plays hard 100% of the time.   If Michigan makes 50% of the 'bunnies" they missed in the first half, it would have been even a bigger margin.  

Doesn't it feel good to root for an elite team?  It seems like its been a long time.   Even Coach B's run to the Final 4 were good teams, not great. 

• 5 star Michigan legacy CB Will Johnson is announcing on Sunday.  This is a must win for the Wolverines and he has 100% CB to the Maize and Blue.  He is 6'3 and 190 pounds.  YES, PLEASE!

• Jimmy had his first Spring Presser yesterday and we pretty much learned stuff we already knew, like he was going to be the QB coach but when BJM left for UT, he wanted to hire Matt Weiss and flipped a couple coaching positions.  

• Michigan and NW announce a new trophy game to honor George Jewett.  What a great idea! 

• DDJ opts out of the rest of the year for Cincinnati.  He said he is struggling with his mental health due to COVID.  I hope he gets the help he needs and gets through this. 

• 2022 Instate 4 star WR Tay'shawn Trent is trending towards the Wolverines. 

• MSU is playing much better then a month ago, they beat Illinois and OSU back to back this week.  Michigan plays the Spartans twice next week.  

Michigan Thursday: A Tough Road

I'm a bit old school when it comes to goals for Michigan's sports.   I want Big Ten Championship and then everything else is icing on the cake.   In basketball, I want the regular season championship because the Big Ten and NCAA Tournaments are unpredictable where you have to be lucky and good.   The true sense of accomplishment for the season is winning the regular season BIG 10 championship.  

Michigan will have to play their best basketball in the next two weeks to accomplish that goal.   It started on Sunday and continues tonight as the Wolverines host #9 Iowa at home.   Michigan can't overlook the trip to IU on Saturday, then a tournament like week starts.   Where Michigan hosts #5 Illinois and plays 2 games against rival MSU.    If Michigan can get through those games, they will have earned that Big Ten Title.  

Here is Michigan's new football coaching staff:

We believe this is finally final for Michigan's staff changes.  

• MSU beat Illinois on Tuesday, tonight they have OSU.  

• Michigan's Pro Day is 3/26, with no Combine this year, a very important day for the Wolverines who want to get drafted.