Michigan Tuesday: Athletic Department Needs a New Rolodex

One of the hardest parts of being an athletic director at a major university is trying to schedule future opponents.  When you are Michigan it has to be even more difficult.  Why? You have to find teams that:

• Will accept a 1 year contact at the Big House
• Won't require a home and home contract
• Has an available date around Michigan's Big Ten schedule and ND games
• Is willing to take Michigan's dollar amount.  I assume Michigan doesn't over pay for opponents to come to the Big House.

The news broke a few weeks ago that Michigan had rescheduled App. State again, now it seems Michigan has brought UMass back to the Big House for the 2012 season.   The upside?  UMass will be part of the MAC when they play in the Big House in 2012.

I am feeling a little indifferent about this decision. I'm not concerned about Michigan losing this game, I just wish there was a better opponent coming to the Big House.   IMO, If we are going to play a MAC team, I would rather the $$$ stay in state with Western, Eastern, or Central.  Or local against BGSU or Toledo. 

Also if you are a season ticket holder, your games next year look like: Air Force, UMass, Ill, MSU, Northwestern and Iowa.   That is clearly not enough home games for Denard's last year. 

Michigan plays Alabama in Dallas, ND in South Bend, at Nebraska, at Ohio State.  Yikes!

So clearly David was looking for a win and scheduled UMass.  

• Sam Webb is reporting that Chris Wormley is up to 6'6 270 pounds.  Sounds like he could be a  DT at Michigan.

• Remember WR Bryce McNeal?  He was a WR that was committed to Michigan for a short time before he changed his mind and went to Clemson.  Remember Sammy Watkins? who was real interested in Michigan when RR was here (he was teammates with Dallas Crawford).   Well, Sammy is lighting it up at Clemson as a true freshman and has pushed Bryce to the bench and now out of the program as Bryce has decided to transfer.  The ESPN Gameday crew called Sammy the best freshman in the country.