Michigan Friday: 2014 is Already Better Then 2013

Austin Hatch played in his first basketball game in 3 years this week.   I'm not sure I have ever been more proud of a young man that has overcome the devastation of 2 plane crashes and the loss of his family.   It will be great to see him in a Michigan jersey next season.

Austin got in the 4th quarter and hit his first jumper: 

According to the LA Times, the jumper "caused his Loyola High coach and teammates to charge onto the court and pick up a technical foul."
Loyola won the game, 87-59.

"It was the best technical foul I've ever been a part of," Loyola Coach Jamal Adams told the Times.

His shot made ESPN's Top 10 plays of the day on Sportscenter last night.

• In fact, there were Wolverines were all over the Top 10 plays last night.  Hardaway had a nice dunk and Walton's half courter at the end of the first half also made the list.  

• Michigan beats Nebraska in Lincoln by one point.  The game looked like a lay up line on both sides of the court.  The Michigan defense was one of the worst I have seen it but the Wolverines had equal success on the offense side of the court.   A win is a win in the Big Ten and they got out of there with one.  I love's Nik's game right now with him setting up his teammates (last night it was Jordan Morgan) but I still think he needs to find a few more shots and hit his free throws.  

• This happened a few days ago but UA All American game MVP and "soft" Minnesota commit, RB Jeff Jones will visit Ann Arbor on 1/31.  That will be the last official visit weekend before signing day.   Jeff is also going to visit Florida.   This would be a great close to the class, he ran like a beast during the UA game.  Florida just landed 4 star RB Brandon Powell from Deerfield Beach today which might help Michigan's chances with Jones. 

• OSU loses another coach as Mike Vrabel is heading to the Houston Texan's.   Urban has lost a bunch of coaches this off season.  

• ND has left Adidas and moving to Under Armour.  A quote from the ESPN article:  Notre Dame's deal with adidas began in 1997. In 2005, the German shoe and apparel company signed a 10-year deal that lasted through this school year. When Notre Dame signed the deal, it was the top priority for adidas, but things changed when adidas began providing shoes and apparel for the University of Michigan in 2008. The deal that gives the Wolverines $8.2 million in cash and equipment annually is the largest deal in all of college sports.

• Doug Nussmeier will be introduced at 11:00 AM this morning.  He will be the OC and QB coach.  He is expected to make around $1.2M a year. 

• The Eagles signed David Molk yesterday to a futures contract.  A futures contract are for players who are currently not under contract in the NFL for next season.   If you were under contract, you would have to wait until the season was over to sign with another team.