Wolverine Wednesday: JJ News

For Michigan fans there are now two JJ's to consider.  First of course is our National Championship QB JJ McCarthy who will always be a Michigan Man.  Next, is newcomer WR JJ Buchanan who is getting a ton of buzz out of Fall Camp. 

The news for JJ the QB was not so good yesterday as the Minnesota Vikings named Kyler Murray their starting QB.  JJ has been injured and his play last year was a bit uneven for his first real playing time in the NFL.  He will get his shot, he just needs to wait a little longer and get some more experience.  The game was moving a bit too fast for him last season.  

JJ the WR is trending up, as a weakness on last years team is starting to become a strength.  Its fair to say an 18 year old Bryce did not play his best football coming right out of high school.  What didn't help was the number of drops he had by WR's and TE's last season.  This year's WR room seems deep in talent with playmakers and JJ Buchanan is expected to be Michigan's next star next to Marsh. 

I'm very excited to see the Michigan WR's this fall and what they can do.   The Michigan skill positions on offense might be elite!  

• Speaking of Buzz, Michigan Basketball has hired Buzzy Caruthers as its new Director of Player Development.  Buzzy comes to Michigan from Ball State where he was an assistant coach the last two seasons.

• I don't mind Bryce down playing the OSU game.  He has a lot of work to do before that is even an issue.  I want him to stay focused on his goals today and Western Michigan and Oklahoma. 

• CBS might use Tony Romo's arrest to get out of his ridiculous contract. 

• NCAA keeps pushing back on the Class of 2022 being eligible.  Which means August Rodney might just be a pipe dream. 

Michigan Tuesday: Journey Back To Ernie?

Ernie Hausmann is an interesting youngman who struggles with mental health.  He wants to do great things for his home country in Africa but he also had mental health issue late in the season last year and seemingly quit the team prior to the Maryland game. 

Ernie tried to get his life back together and entered the NFL Draft.  He was not selected and he did not sign with any NFL team as an UDFA.   It's not a talent issue with this youngman.  

This started speculation that Ernie might fill a need for the Wolverines at LB this season as losing him, Rolder, and Sully made that room much lighter then expected.  Coach Whitt seemed to shut the door on  adding him or any other 5th year player as he said they are not going to sign anyone else to this years roster yesterday during his press conference.  

I'm a second chance guy and would like Ernie to have one but I also know that quitting on your team is a situation that is very difficult to overcome in a locker room.  I just hope everything works out for this youngman in life. 

• A Michigan player made Bruce Feldman's 2026 Freak List.  It's Gavin Magorian!  Who? He is a Marshall transfer Long Snapper who's last name sounds like a Disney Star Wars spin off.  Congrats Gavin! 

• One player that is no longer with the team is Chibi Anwunah who medically retired.   We also learned that Taylor Tatum is focusing on Baseball full-time now.  Which is a good move for his long-term health. 

Michigan Monday: Quiet Is Good

We are now a week into a camp, pads are on, and outside of a few social media clips, things are quiet in camp.  Harbaugh used to call it the Submarine and it seems Coach Whitt has similar football sensibilities. 

The biggest concern for the team is at LB.  Losing Sully to OK is going to end up being a very difficult loss.  I also don't want to hear about any (I word), no I'm not going to say it.  There should always should be two goals coming out of Fall Camp, 1 - to get better everyday and 2 - be 100% healthy.  

I like quiet right now from camp.  I don't want to hear hype as many times that is over blown and I also don't want to hear player X is improving or this unit is explosive.  Keep all that stuff in house.  You can prove it starting on 9/5.

Quiet is good right now.  

• Rivals300 TE Braxton Rein spoke to Colston Loveland at Tight End U and asked him about Michigan. Colston told him, it was the best decision he ever made.

• RIP to Don Nelson

• The Oklahoma Game will be a Maize Out, Love the noon kick!

Michigan Friday: Special Time For Coach Coombs

I don't know Michigan Special Team Coordinator Kerry Coombs but the man seems to just love coaching Football.  He had a wild ride in becoming a coach at Michigan.  He was hired and asked to get right to Ann Arbor to prepare for Bowl Prep, which he did then his 3rd day and 3rd practice Sherrone is fired.   You know the rest of the story, he coaches during the Citrus Bowl and is brought back by Coach Whitt.  

That is one wild road, having to re-interview for your new job, just weeks after getting it.  

As a former OSU coach, he would hope for less hate in the Micghigan - OSU matchup.   I can tell you one thing after living 9 years in Cincinnati for work.  People in Ohio treat this game like a religion, it's actually scary how fanatic they are. 

Offensive line coach Jim Harding also spoke yesterday and gave us a few updates:

• Group is bigger and strong going into Fall camp.  Big gains in the weight room. 
• Sprague at RT and Guarnera at Center are close to locked 
• Wants to have the starting 5 locked 2-week prior to the start of the season
• 5-star Andrew Babalola is back healthy and ready to compete at Tackle. 
• Norton is mostly at guard with Link, Efobi, and Gach

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• Nice to see pre-season football back, the Hall of Fame Game didn't look as bad as it usually does. 

• Also nice to see Gibbs getting paid.  3 RB's hit the bank this week in the NFL

• This staff is letting out a bunch of practice film on social.  I think we are going to love #6 JJ Buchanan.  We love a talented JJ!

• The new Purdue AD in his intro press conference says: We are here to win championships, if you don't want to win championships, go to Indiana.  Who just won the NC in Football.  Dope!