Michigan Football: Mike Barwis S&C Clinic Pictures part 1

Photos by Morencie 124

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Michigan Football: Mike Barwis S&C Clinic (updated at 10:45am EDT)

There are no sure things in this world but in my opinion I’m pretty sure that with Rich Rodriguez, his staff and with Mike Barwis the Michigan football program is in good hands. The Michigan strength and conditioning clinic and Saturday seemed to be a success. There were a little over 100 coaches and interested people there to take in much information, as they could understand. Some of the stuff Barwis was talking about went over my head and I am sure others as well. Make no mistake he is more than a raspy voice guy with the energy of a dozen Energizer bunnies. The man is brilliant. He says himself that he is a guy that bases his S&C program on science more than anything else. He claims that nobody else in America works as hard as his players do.

His clinic was very informative and five hours went by very quickly. The man absolutely loves his job and he loves the players and loves to work for Coach Rodriguez. He told everyone that he does not want to work for anybody else in the country than Rich Rodriguez.

He talked a little about the gains some of the players have made. Will Johnson has lost 10 lbs but gained 120 lbs on his bench press. How does 525 lbs sound on the bench? He also said that last Friday’s workout was the hardest of the season so far. He talked about an offensive lineman that start out at 315 went down to 277 at the end of spring practice because as Barwis put it “he was fat.” The kid is now 305 and is not fat anymore. Going back to Friday’s practice, a few of the 21 NFL players working out at Michigan were watching the conditioning part of the practice that this year’s team was going through. One of the players said, “You aren’t going to make us do that shit are you?” Barwis told him “NO” because the NFL players would not be able to do it. This is person very proud of his work and should be.

Getting back to the workouts. They work out with weights three times a week but work out five days a week. Conditioning is obviously a huge part of his program. He wants to push them so hard that games will seem easy. He referred to the Fiesta Bowl last year on how the West Virginia players were not tired at all by the end of the game, but the Oklahoma players were sucking wind. He uses Olympic movements and though there are a few machines left in the weight room, they rarely get used. He believes in a variety of training ways. Core strengthening is another huge part of his program. Stretching has become very important and said that was a big problem when he arrived at Michigan.

He did not criticize Gittleson at all but said that all of the initiators of S&C programs should be held in high regard because they were the ones who started it but times change and better ways are discovered. Sounds like the players do something different every day of the week and their minds and bodies are pushed to the limit but like he says, the body will adapt and conform to the stress that is forced upon it. His wife will even come in a do Pilates and Yoga with the boys if Barwis feels they need a little extra recovery.

He also said that a program has been made up for every player for the next 18 months. It takes 16-18 hours to do a program for one kid. He says himself that he leaves no stone unturned. Nothing gets by him. He will not allow it. He would be letting his kids down if he did and he would more importantly let Coach Rodriguez down.He doesn’t train the kids to be good weight lifters he trains them to be great football players. I do not know about anybody else but I sure am glad these guys are here and can’t wait for this season to begin.

****Update at 10:45am EDT.
Also forgot to add that they will be blowing out the back wall of the weight room out and adding $400,000 to the weight room. Putting in a glass wall so you will be able to see the inside of the new practice facility. The new fieldhouse pictures will becoming out on 7/3/08.

Go Blue!!

A lot of pictures today and all week long!

Written by Morencie 124 and ErocWolverine

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Coaches Corner: Coach Shafer's Defense

There has been much talk about what Coach Shafer is going to do with the Michigan defense.

What we are sharing with you is what Coach Shafer shared with us at the Michigan Coach's Clinic this spring. Michigan will be a base 4-3 team. The four goals of the defense.

1) Stop the run.

2) Get to the Quarterback and hit the Quarterback in the mouth.

3) Get to the back up Quarterback.

4) Intercept the ball and create turnovers.

In the base 4-3, Michigan will determine the number of defenders in the front by the number of "Bigs" offense has in the game. A Big was defined as a Tight End, Full Back or Running Back. So if offense is in single back formation with Tight End in game that would be 2 "Bigs".

Standard I formation, with Tight End would be 3 "Bigs". If offense has 3 "Bigs' Michigan will play Nine Man front, 2 Defensive Ends, 2 Defensive Tackles, 3 Linebackers, and 2 Corner Backs in press coverage.

If offense has offense has 2 "Bigs' UM will play 8 man front, and with 1 "Big" Michigan will play 7 man front. There are two additional rules to add to "Big" Rules.

1) If offense adds a blocker, Michigan adds a defender. So if offense plays 2 Tight Ends and 2 backs, Michigan will play 10 man front.

2) If they/offense walk, we walk. If Tail Back in I formation walks into slot, Michigan will take defender out of front to cover the slot. In the secondary, the Strong Safety goes to the field safety, and Free Safety is the formation safety. The Corner is goes to the boundary and the Half to the field. Michigan will have a 1 tech Defensive Tackle who plays outside shade on the Offensive Center, and a 3 tech Defensive Tackle who will play outside shade of the other Offensive Guard. This will be called kick away. Which simply means the Defensive Tackles will move 1/2 a man away from the field corner/half. Defensive Ends will play outside shade of Offensive Tackle if there is no Tight End. If there is Tight End, Defensive End will play either head up on Tight End, or inside shade of Tight End depending on if Tight End is lined up to wide side of field or boundary. The Linebackers have a Middle Linebacker lined head up over he Offensive Center. Sam Linebacker who follows Free Safety and Half, and Will Linebacker who follows Strong Safety and Corner Back.

Michigan’s secondary has many adjustments depending on formations and whether formation is into the boundary or to wide side of field. The final rule is whenever you are in trouble check to cover 2.

written by CoachBt and ErocWolverine

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A little rant about the high school rankings:

A little rant about the high school rankings:

Rankings are a funny thing when they work out for the fans beat their chest and say how great of a class they have for this particular class. If they are not as high fans say well these rankings are biased and this kid is a sleeper.

Ranking by scout and other services create interest nothing more. I have watched enough high school football to be able to see that there are great kids that many people never even know about and could play if given the chance. As far as ranking go I think it is obvious the top 50 kids and then from about 50-250 you could throw many of those kids in a hat and not see much difference. To hard to tell kids apart when they are not all together and battling on the football field. Then you have the group from 250-500 and do the same thing.

I wish these recruiting services would go back and re-rank these teams 4-5 years later to see how they did, but they don't want to because that would show how bad of job some have done over that period of time. All these ranking these teams by the numbers and not the quality of the kids or knowing that many of these kids will not even make it to college.

Before this season we didn't even care about slot receivers and that has changed in a big way and I really notice that scout doesn't do a very good job of covering or ranking the difference between the slot guys and the wide out guys.

I wish the slots had their own group instead of lumping them into the wide receiver group especially since scout has three different positions for linebacker and to me wide receivers and slot is the same difference.

Going back and looking at some of the rankings this year. In the NFL draft, Michigan had Jake Long go #1 in the draft and on scout; he was a top 20 offensive linemen, which is not bad for the ranking services. On rivals had Jake as the #20th best offensive tackle not offensive linemen, but offensive tackle so that shows me how flawed these ranking are nowadays and a lot of bias towards certain area with some of these area recruiting services.

Rankings are a lot of fun to look. They are great for conversation starters on message boards. They are still only one organization, or person’s opinion. Many of these rankings have more to do with how well players perform in combines. The combines where kids do not even have pads. Yet many fans take these rankings as gospel. Yes, some of the skills used at combines give you an idea if player possess the skill set to be successful at college football, but only guide, I do not care how fast you run or run through cones, you still need to possess some other necessary skills to succeed at football.

You need to see film and actual game conditions before you can be sure kid has total package to play the game. Colleges have graduate assistants who do nothing but watch high school game film breaking down every aspect of player’s game.

Then staff members do all kinds of checking. Other things like grades, work ethic, talking to coaches from opponents all go into decision-making process. We been told by most recruiting coordinators that they subscribe to at least a couple of services. However, this is just to double check names. To make sure they are not missing a player. None have used the services as rating guide.

written by CoachBt and ErocWolverine

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Mailbag Question: Regarding Justin Turner

Hey guys,

I have seen where you both like Justin Turner a lot (is it just because he is from Ohio) or can he be a great player? I have notices many people think he will play CB, S or LB at Michigan. Where do you guys think he will play and why? Will he play as a freshman and will that position be his only position over the 4 years he is at Michigan?

Where does he fit into Shafer's scheme better than English's scheme or does he?

Why does it seem like he does not get as much attention as other recruits that are just as high-ranking wise or even below him it seems like some kids get more attention.

Thanks for taking my question--- Greg
---------------------------------------------------------------
First, both of us are very happy Michigan is recruiting Ohio, and making it a priority. Both of us have a great respect for depth and quality of Ohio High School football. That said we really do not care where a recruit calls home, just that Michigan gets the best players possible.

Turner shows a very good skill set on film, against a very high level of competition, that is why we like him so much. Turner has a nice combination of speed and size that makes him an excellent prospect. Add to that he plays the game with nasty physical edge, and really, hits and you have the type of prospect all programs like to bring in.

Doubt very much we see Turner lining up at linebacker, at least in the short term; he does not have the size or frame at this time to carry the weight to be linebacker. He could help at cornerback, safety, or even nickel.

In addition, do not forget special teams, he has skills to be very good special team’s player. Under Coach English, Turner would almost certainly be a safety, but under Coach Shafer's schemes, I would not be surprised to see him start at cornerback. His ability to press and jam wide receivers at line of scrimmage make him perfect fit for what Coach Shafer is doing at cornerback.

Low rankings can be caused by many things, early commitment takes players off the radar, not attending as many combines where rankings are judged are just a couple of things that could effect the amount of attention he receives such as his school not having a good record, coaching changes and not pushing their kids to the recruiting services.

written by CoachBt and ErocWolverine

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Michigan 12th Commit: Dewayne Peace

Overall:
Good athlete who could play Wide Receiver or Defensive Back at Michigan. Also shows skill set to help on special teams, especially on coverage teams.

Strengths:
Shows quick feet, balance, and overall movement skills. Adjust well to ball in the air and has excellent timing. Cuts very well, and comes out of breaks in control and with speed. As a Defensive Back Peace breaks on ball well and is solid hardhitting tackler. Fills the alley nicely, could play either Corner Back or Defensive Back in new Michigan scheme.

Needs Work:
Does not have elite speed and is missing the extra gear. Also needs to improve his overall strength.

Our take:
Kid is OK, like better at Defensive Back than Wide Receiver from film we have viewed.

Peace Video Highlights:
http://www.prepticket.com/video/id/823292:Video:54570

http://michigan.rivals.com/video.asp?section=fbrecruit&pkey=64821&vidtype=prospect&vidid=125997

http://michigan.rivals.com/video.asp?section=fbrecruit&pkey=64821&vidtype=amp&vidid=3370

written by CoachBt and ErocWolverine

Michigan 11th Commit: Jordan Barnes

Overview:

Undersized Outside Linebacker who plays hard and hustles all over the field. Could also be used as Max Back in two back sets. Also could help on special teams.

Strengths:
Runs well in straight lines and plays hard on every play. Strong at point of attack and does nice job taking in lead blockers. Sloid in coverage and good blitzer.

Needs work:
Not as fundamentally strong as some of Michigan's other commits. His pursuit angles and lateral movement are not the best. Also has habit of geting caught in traffic and shedding blockers, especially Offensive linemen. Scrap and fill also need to improve.

Our Take:
Good prospect, but there are a lot better linebackers out there that are interested in Michigan. It will be interesting to see what happens from here on out on guys that don't have offers at this positions. Julius Ferrell "we think" is a better prospect and does not have an offer right now, but that doesn't mean that Barnes can't become a great linebacker. Might be not showing up at one of the camps hurt his chances and they decided to go after Barnes hard and get him onboard.

Barnes Highlight videos:
http://michigan.scout.com/a.z?s=162&p=11&nid=3677278&isFirstMediaIdAudioOrVideo=video&playlist=http%3A//scout.scout.com/asxplaylist.aspx%3Fs%3D162%26mediaids%3D542218

http://michigan.scout.com/a.z?s=162&p=11&nid=3677278&isFirstMediaIdAudioOrVideo=video&playlist=http%3A//scout.scout.com/asxplaylist.aspx%3Fs%3D162%26mediaids%3D542220

http://michigan.scout.com/a.z?s=162&p=11&nid=3677278&isFirstMediaIdAudioOrVideo=video&playlist=http%3A//scout.scout.com/asxplaylist.aspx%3Fs%3D162%26mediaids%3D542221

http://michigan.scout.com/a.z?s=162&p=11&nid=3677278&isFirstMediaIdAudioOrVideo=video&playlist=http%3A//scout.scout.com/asxplaylist.aspx%3Fs%3D162%26mediaids%3D542224

http://michigan.scout.com/a.z?s=162&p=11&nid=3677278&isFirstMediaIdAudioOrVideo=video&playlist=http%3A//scout.scout.com/asxplaylist.aspx%3Fs%3D162%26mediaids%3D542228

http://michigan.scout.com/a.z?s=162&p=11&nid=3677278&isFirstMediaIdAudioOrVideo=video&playlist=http%3A//scout.scout.com/asxplaylist.aspx%3Fs%3D162%26mediaids%3D542231

http://michigan.rivals.com/video.asp?section=fbrecruit&pkey=67126&vidtype=prospect&vidid=128647

http://michigan.rivals.com/video.asp?section=fbrecruit&pkey=67126&vidtype=prospect&vidid=128647

written by CoachBt and ErocWolverine

Mailbag Question: Regarding Recruiting in Ohio

Hey Guys,

I think your both from Ohio and I was wondering how do you think Michigan's recruiting is going in Ohio and how does Ohio State's recruiting affect Michigan with so many commits this early.

What does Michigan need to do to get back in Ohio more and get some of those players that don’t want to go to osu.

Where does Coach Rod need to improve on in recruiting and where are you surprised he is doing so well
---------------------------------------------------------------
Thanks for the question. Yes both CoachBt and ErocWolverine are from Ohio (Northwest Ohio area). It is our opinion that Ohio recruiting is very important for Michigan regardless who head coach is. We also think there is no reason for Michigan to give up Ohio to Ohio State. There are areas in Ohio that Ohio State historically has not done as well.

Ohio generally has enough talent that Michigan should always be able to get quality athletes out of the state. We have been very pleased so far with Coach Rod’s success in Ohio. This is a long-term project, and Michigan has a lot of ground to make up.

Ohio State under Coach Tressell has a huge infrastructure advantage in Ohio and is not going to let Michigan come in and take over. This is going to take a ton of work and effort for Michigan to start being major players for the top-level talent in Ohio. Much of the work is going to be simple legwork. show up at the clinics, travel to the high schools and start to make the contacts and connections. This will not be easy, but the potential benefits make the effort worthwhile.

written by CoachBt and ErocWolverine

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Mailbag Question: Passing Attack

With the recent question regarding QBs, I guess I am wondering how Michigan's passing attack will look. I know that we can anticipate a wide-array of screens and shallow passes, but will we ever stretch the field and do our QBs have that capability? I know that running the ball is important and a part of Michigan's legacy, but when push came to shove, Michigan has always had the capability to throw darts all over the field. How many times do you anticipate Rodriguez throwing? Everybody always says that Rodriguez will take what the defense gives him, but with all these athletes in our backfield and that, he has recruited, will we be able to stretch the field? Does Threet have the ability to run the 4 and 5 wide receiver sets?
Thanks for answering.
Best,
Michigan Fan #1
Rob
--------------------------------------------------------------
Thanks for the question. Depends on what you mean by stretch. Big part of any spread offense is the fade route. It is generally used any time Cornerbacks are playing press or tight coverage. Spreads also use some sort of skinny post, or safety read off the post look that will take advantage of safeties who decide to crowd the line of scrimmage.

When defenses show three deep coverage with Free Safety playing between the hashes teams like to run slots vertical to put Free Safety in a bind. All these routes are generally in the 15 to 20 yard vicinity. They are not the 50-yard bombs most of us have grown accustomed.

Even in pro style multiple Wide Receivers sets, teams that attack vertical do so with Tight End and Running Back helping in Max protection. These types of routes take time to develop and need the extra protection a Tight End and Running Back in the game provide.

As for the Quarterbacks, Threet and Feagin may not have the cannons Mallett showed, but both have more than enough arm to keep defenses honest.

written by CoachBt and ErocWolverine

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1996: Michigan-20 Colorado-13

Just happens to be the date I got married and was able to watch the game in between the wedding and the reception.

Planned it well ;)

Michigan Hockey: NHL Draft

from MGoBlue
http://www.mgoblue.com/ice-hockey/article.aspx?id=140444

Incoming Quartet Selected in 2008 NHL Entry Draft
June 21, 2008

OTTAWA, Canada -- Four future members of the University of Michigan ice hockey team were selected in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft on Saturday (June 21). Incoming freshman defenseman Brandon Burlon (Nobleton, Ontario) went highest when the New Jersey Devils selected him in the second round (52nd overall). Robbie Czarnik (Washington, Mich.) followed just 11 picks later (63rd overall) when the Los Angeles Kings picked him early in the third round. Greg Pateryn (Sterling Heights, Mich.) was chosen by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the fifth round (128th overall) and David Wohlberg (South Lyon, Mich.) joined Burlon as a Devils pick in the sixth round (172nd overall).

Burlon played the last two seasons for the St. Michael's Buzzers (OPJHL) in Toronto. As an alternate captain for the Buzzers in 2007-08, he helped the squad record program records for wins (43), points (88) and fewest losses (4) en route to the OPJHL regular-season crown. The 6-0, 195-pound rearguard earned a 7-17-24 line to go along with 41 penalty minutes in 32 regular-season games. Burlon was rated the 41st-best North American skater in the NHL Central Scouting Service's final rankings leading up to the draft.

Czarnik and Wohlberg were teammates on the U.S. National Team Development Program the last two years. In 50 games with the U.S. NTDP Under-18 Team, Czarnik (6-0, 178 pounds) posted a 16-15-31 line to finish fifth on the team in scoring and had 32 penalty minutes. Wohlberg (6-0, 192 pounds) accumulated an 11-11-22 line and 55 PIM in 46 games with the U.S. NTDP Under-18 Team. He also had 5-1-6 totals in six games with the U.S. NTDP Under-17 Team. The duo collected bronze medals at the IIHF World Under-18 Championship earlier this spring. In the NHL's CSS final rankings, Czarnik was ranked 88th while Wohlberg was ranked 172nd.

Pateryn played the 2007-08 campaign with the United States Hockey League's Ohio Junior Blue Jackets. Pateryn (6-2, 212 pounds) had three goals and 24 assists in 60 regular-season contests. His 145 penalty minutes led the team. In January, he participated in the 2008 USHL Prospects/All-Star Game. Pateryn was rated 146th among North American skaters by the NHL.

Michigan's 2008-09 roster is slated to include 14 players who have been drafted by NHL franchises.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Notes

• Michigan alumnus Mike Cammalleri (1999-2001) was traded on Friday night from the Los Angeles Kings to the Calgary Flames. Cammalleri and a second round pick were sent to Calgary in exchange for a first round pick in 2008 and a second round pick in 2009.

• Burlon and Wohlberg are the 10th and 11th Wolverines to be chosen by the New Jersey Devils in the NHL Draft. U-M alumnus John Madden (1995-98) is a current member of the Devils roster. Jason Ryznar (2002-05) has played the last three seasons in New Jersey's minor league system, making an NHL appearance in the 2005-06 season.

• Czarnik is the fifth U-M player to be selected by the Los Angeles Kings. U-M alumni Jack Johnson (2006-07) and Mike Cammalleri (1999-2001) skated for Los Angeles during the 2007-08 campaign.

• Pateryn is the fourth Michigan player to be taken by the Toronto Maple Leafs, and the second in as many years. Sophomore Ben Winnett was picked by Toronto in the fourth round of the 2007 NHL Draft.

How good is the academic support at Michigan and does it benefit everybody?

How good is the academic support at Michigan and does it benefit everybody?

There is some rumbling about another topic that I have not seen discussed on the boards.

Some of the higher ups (Phil Hanlon, the Provost, even some of the coaches) have started to ask questions about the way the Athletic Department does academic support. This is not a response to the Ann Arbor News hit piece, but a completely different set of issues.

The bottom line is that Shari Acho and the staffs over at the Academic Success Program (ASP) are very good at keeping kids eligible, and at being (somewhat inappropriately) their friends. Nevertheless, they seem to think that their responsibilities end if an athlete likes them and achieves a 2.0 GPA.

Some important people at the school think they should be working to develop the whole person, and spending at least a little time helping 2.5 GPA kids get to 3.0, or 3.3 kids get to 3.5. They also want to see a much better life skills program for example, on basic life skills things like basic finance, keeping out of trouble, setting life goals, etc.-- Going way beyond academic eligibility.

The problem is that 90% of the ASP efforts focused on football, basketball, and hockey, with the goal of merely achieving 2.0 GPA. Beyond that, there is little sense of accountability, interventions beyond grades.

Coach Beilein and Coach Rod are both big on demanding accountability from their athletes, not just to do the minimum, but to strive for excellence. Both are frustrated with the ASP because they do not demand the same concerning academics. Look for some changes over the next six to twelve months. It is unlikely that Acho and Shand will get thrown under the bus. But there is a high likelihood of three things:

1) That someone will be put in place over Acho and Shand--someone who will be an authority figure who the athletes are afraid to disappoint, and who tracks and analyzes things. This would not another cheerleader, but rather the academic headmaster.

2) There will be a big push toward mentoring/developing the whole person. Eligibility will be important, but only one aspect of the program. BTW, parents love this approach.

3) Some new lines of reporting between ASP and (ultimately) the Provost's office. Right now, almost everything is reactive. It goes thru Mike Stevenson, Martin, and Percy Bates (the Faculty Athletics Rep).

The University wants to get out ahead of some of these issues (classes oversubscribed with athletes, eligibility, etc.). Some thinking is going on now about how best to do this.

Items 1 and 2 are likely to be announced publicly at some point. Item 3 is not, but is a crucial complement to item 1.

written by ErocWolverine

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Mailbag Question: Regarding the Athletic Department and Donors

Hey Guys,

With all the talk about facilities and upgrades for the athletic department, I was wondering who the big donors that usually fund these projects are. Are they the same big donors that donate to the university itself?

Does it hurt the athletic department that they have to be self-funded where other college programs aren't this way? Does all the money they have raised over the last couple of years for the school major projects hurt the athletic department? Does the university not like their donors to donate to the athletic department?

What is the deal regarding hoops and why they cannot seem to get any of the donors to donate to their program, but sports like softball, baseball, wrestling, and other women's sports seem to be able to raise money to build new facilities?

I know a lot of question and understand if you guys can't answer them or don't feel like putting this information out there...Thanks...Randy.
-----------------------------------------------
Thanks for the question. There are a several questions in there.

1) Who are the big donors to the Athletic Department and are they the same as the big donors to the rest of the University?

This really varies because there are a couple of people who are among the largest donor to both the Athletic Department and the academic side of the University of -Michigan. These include Steve Ross, Bill Davidson, the Ford family, and Ira Harris (all well above $1million lifetime to the Athletic Department, and far above that to the rest of the University of Michigan).

Second, there are groups of people who focus their giving on the Athletic Department, but not so much elsewhere. These include Junge, Mortenson, and Don Shepherd.

Finally, there are bunches of people who give LOTS of money to the University of Michigan, but little or none to the Athletic Department. These include the Taubers, Erbs, Sam Zell, Al Taubman, etc.

The thing to remember is that this is not a contest. The University of Michigan has a very good development operation--at the Athletic Department and across campus. Joe Parker and his team in athletics work closely with the rest of the development people to figure out who the high potential givers are, and what they are mist interested in. Some like athletics and others could care less. Some love medicine, and other Native American studies. The University of Michigan figures that if you have money, they will offer you something to support, and then send in the right people to push your buttons. Therefore, the Athletic Department and the University complement each other. They really do not compete with each other.

2) Does making the Athletic Department be self-funding hurt the Athletic Department? It definitely makes life more difficult. When they wanted to build Breslin up at Michigan State, they just put a fee on all student bills. When Ohio State wanted new athletics facilities, the University borrowed and guaranteed the money to do it. Bill Martin has to figure out this stuff on his own. Therefore, it definitely makes life more challenging. However, it is also the right thing to do. There are many people at the University of Michigan who do not care about athletics, so why should the University tax them to make Bill Martin's life easier?

There is sometimes some tension between specific units when going after a donor (for example, several units on campus have asks big out of Bill Davidson and Steve Ross. All the units that get a "no" will be annoyed at whichever school gets a yes. Nevertheless, as described above, in general the development people coordinate closely and work toward the same end. It is only the Looney tunes (Duderstadt, Pollack, and women’s' study types) that really see this as a zero sum issue.

3) What is the problem with basketball? There have been two issues that interacted. First, the Ed Martin scandal really turned off many donors. Who wants to be associated with that cesspool? In addition, the University really let this fester so, instead of turning the page, the University essentially frozen for 3-4 years, with a steady drip of revelations.

Second, while Tommy Amaker was clean, he was also a huge introvert who did almost no outreach to donors. The other programs you mention (Baseball, Wrestling, Football, Softball, Gymnastics) all had coaches who did lots of outreach. They got to know the donors. They beat the bushes. They asked for donations. Tommy Amaker did almost none of this--and it showed in the anemic support for his program.

written by ErocWolverine

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2004: Michigan-45 Michigan State-37

Big Ten Network and Comcast make a deal: BTN wins big

My Take: The sad thing is this is what the BTN wanted from the beginning last year and Comcast didn't want any part of it. Time for the other cable companies to fall now.
-------------------------------------------------
From Big Ten Network
http://www.bigtennetwork.com/corporate/comcast.asp

June 19, 2008

Comcast, Big Ten Network Reach Broad Multimedia Agreement for Big Ten Network Content

Comcast customers to receive Big Ten Network HD, Big Ten Network high-speed Internet content through Comcast.net, and condensed game replays and other programs through Comcast On Demand

Philadelphia and Chicago -- Comcast Corporation and the Big Ten Network announced today that they have reached a long-term multimedia agreement for Comcast to carry Big Ten Network programming across television, broadband and video-on-demand in time for the 2008 college football season.

Under the terms of the agreement, Comcast will initially launch the network as part of its expanded basic level of service to promote it to the majority of its customers residing in states with Big Ten universities (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania, with the exception of the Philadelphia region which will launch on a broadly distributed digital level of service) starting August 15th. (Comcast does not have systems in Iowa, the eighth Big Ten state.) In Spring 2009, Comcast may elect to move the network to a broadly distributed digital level of service in most of its systems in these states. Comcast's digital customers in the Big Ten states will also have immediate access to live Big Ten games and events in high definition, Big Ten programming via Comcast's video-on-demand platform, and a wide array of conference-related content through Comcast.net.

Outside of the Big Ten states that Comcast serves, Comcast has the option to provide Big Ten Network programming on any level of service, including its Sports Entertainment Package.

Officials from Comcast and Big Ten Network said they look forward to utilizing both traditional and emerging media to bring more Big Ten programming to fans than was ever available to them before.

"We are very pleased with the agreement we have reached with the Big Ten Network to carry hundreds of live Big Ten events," said Madison Bond, Executive Vice President, Content Acquisition, Comcast Cable. "We will be providing our customers with Big Ten programming through our signature video-on-demand service, and will have lots of highlights, replays, scores and more through Comcast.net so fans can keep pace with Big Ten action whenever they want to."

Big Ten Network President Mark Silverman said the network is thrilled to have Comcast as a distribution partner. "This agreement allows us to reach many more Big Ten fans with our programming because of the high concentration of Comcast subscribers in Big Ten states. With the Comcast deal now in place, the Big Ten Network will be available to more than two-thirds of all homes in Big Ten Country."

Big Ten Network already produces more high-definition television content than any new sports network in television history. Over the next year, more than 400 live Big Ten sporting events will be carried by the Big Ten Network in high definition, including football, men's and women's basketball, baseball, softball and soccer, as well as other NCAA-sponsored sports.

Comcast's digital customers who receive the network will have On Demand access to programming such as weekly extended highlights and condensed game replays from around the conference, classic Big Ten sporting events, bowl game coverage and coaches' shows, plus original campus programming and nightly studio shows from Big Ten Network, most of which is available in high definition.

Comcast also has the ability to deliver much of that same content to its Comcast High Speed Internet customers via the company's Comcast.net portal. Additionally, Comcast has the rights to carry certain network content on Fancast.com.

About Comcast Corporation
Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA, CMCSK) (http://www.comcast.com) is the nation's leading provider of entertainment, information and communications products and services. With 24.7 million cable customers, 14.1 million high-speed Internet customers, and 5.2 million voice customers, Comcast is principally involved in the development, management and operation of broadband cable systems and in the delivery of programming content.

Comcast's content networks and investments include E! Entertainment Television, Style Network, The Golf Channel, VERSUS, G4, PBS KIDS Sprout, TV One, ten Comcast SportsNet networks and Comcast Interactive Media, which develops and operates Comcast's Internet business. Comcast also has a majority ownership in Comcast-Spectacor, whose major holdings include the Philadelphia Flyers NHL hockey team, the Philadelphia 76ers NBA basketball team and two large multipurpose arenas in Philadelphia.

About the Big Ten Network
The Big Ten Network is dedicated to covering the Big Ten Conference and its 11 member institutions. The Big Ten Network provides unprecedented access to an extensive schedule of conference sports events and shows; original programs in academics, the arts and sciences; campus activities; and associated personalities. Sports programming includes live coverage of more major men's and women's events than ever before, along with news, highlights and analysis, all complemented by hours of university-produced campus programming. The network is available to all cable and satellite carriers and television distributors nationwide, with most programs offered in stunning high-definition television (HDTV). The Big Ten Network is a joint venture between subsidiaries of the Big Ten Conference and Fox Cable Networks.

Michigan Tidbits: Football and Hoopheads

Football Tidbits:
As many has heard there is some bad news regarding Slocum right now and I will leave it to that for the time being until some things get released officially.

Regarding the all the football camps. The summer camp seems to be more for the younger players for the coaches to get an idea who to look out for in the next couple of years so not sure a lot of offers or commits will come out of it compared to the last coaching staff. The elite camp that was before the summer camp will be a time for kids that will be seniors to come in and show what they have and I am betting that Coach Rod and staff will probably have a lot more of these types of camps to see prospects. Also a lot more junior days as well compared to the old staff. Be interesting to see how the new kicking camp goes over especially having more of a Michigan connection instead of having others in charge of it. I am willing to bet they will offer at least one kid possible two once they see them in person after this camp and hopefully be able to land a kicker in this years recruiting class. The 7 on 7 camp might be something that needs to be changed or get more people involved because this came out late and a lot of these tournaments have been going on for along time and some are the same weekend. The Indianapolis Colts have a big tournament the same time along with other colleges in the area so they might want to change the tournament to before all the camp stuff instead of after.

The freshmen are making their way to Ann Arbor if they are not there yet. They are all supposed to take summer classes and work out with Barwis. The thing is the freshman might be in for a rude awakening with the workouts during the summer because Barwis is not going to slow down for them. The workouts are actually harder than in the winter with the workouts themselves along with the temperature as well. Seems like almost everybody is buying into the program now and this will be a key factor from here on out to instruct the new incoming freshmen how things are done now.

It will be interesting to see how this team comes together during the summer and into fall practices. One thing this year we need to keep injuries to a minimum this year especially at the offensive line in particular.

Recruiting needs to focus in on the defensive side of the ball especially the defensive line and a few offensive linemen would help as well. We need great/elite players here and not just bodies.


Hoophead Tidbits:
Regarding Darius Morris and not visiting Ann Arbor yet do not worry. I believe the kid got ahead of himself and really wanted to visit during the summer, but when he talked with his family about it that makes it tough. Right now, a plane ticket from Los Angeles to Detroit is around $500.00 or more and then you throw in food, hotel stay that is not cheap in the Ann Arbor area either, a rental car that gets quite expensive as well since the parents were planning on attending. I think Michigan will get one of his first visits when he can take his official visit. It just makes it quite hard now for a working class family to be able to attend across country with the economy the way it is and throw in gas prices that really bites into a family’s wallet. Another point is he is extremely busy with all the basketball going on right now all over.

***Darius Morris will be coming in after all for the basketball camp*** so hopefully that is some good news.

As I stated before for the past several months and I know there has been people saying the opposite about Coach Beilein and his recruiting, but his recruiting is going quite well and it is starting to show. Some people only look at what he has done locally, but when you can have players like Darius Morris and Andy Brown on the Michigan radar your doing something right.

Jordan Morgan is going to surprise some people as well and I remember this kid was getting bashed by the message board members that Beilein can’t recruit people and going after lower tier prospects. Well his stock is rising and it helps that he loves Michigan and he is helping spread the word about Coach Beilein and Michigan.

Coach Beilein might not be the fastest coach in America to offer a kid right now, but the one thing he is doing is making sure kids know that they are very interested in certain kids and they do not offer kids just because other programs have offered. The coaches also are telling the kids that Coach Beilein is more old fashion and wants to see these kids in person along with let them be kids and offer them when he feels it is the right time. He is getting many younger players coming to Michigan for visits and showing interest in Michigan and that is a good thing right now.

Regarding the basketball facilities, I have been sticking my neck out there a lot about this debate from the Martin haters and Beilein haters. Some people do not understand no matter how many times you explain it to them how things are done at Michigan. If Bill Martin had somebody step up 5 years ago with the money the basketball, practice facility would have been built. Bill Martin is still waiting for that major donor to send in a check. He is going ahead with the project and that is in regards to the football renovations going over so well this early. Rumors are they have over forty-five of the luxury boxes sold and could be closer to sixty by now out of the eighty-three they have to be sold. They have until 2010 football season to sell them so they have along time yet. Also hearing that a lot of the outdoor seating is going well along with the towers which they have four of them and have donors stepping up with naming rights to two of them already. Why is all this matter to the basketball facility because Martin is taking some of that money to get the basketball practice facility started while he is still waiting for a donor to step up for the basketball program and he is tired of waiting for them and the promises that they were giving the coaches and players. Also shows that Martin is not going to be blackmailed into accepting money from somebody that is demanding certain things that will not happen at Michigan at least not now and for sometime.

A newspaper person wrote an article about it took the Carr over six years to raise money for the football practice facility worth around 25 million dollars. Well it was more like twelve years, but for the “cash cow” to take that long it shows how things are done at Michigan.

Another thing that a newspaper person put out there that the basketball practice facility will not be started until the football renovations is over. Well again, I disagree with this person and many other people that do not have a grasp on things. I have been told that the basketball practice facility could possible break ground this year yet (if things go right), but most likely it will done in the spring of ’09. Martin has to take the idea to the Regents and this is usually a three to four step process. I believe he will take the first step to them in August or September and of course they have to approve every step and if they see something wrong then it has to be corrected before they can move onto the next step. Therefore, it could be done this year yet, but everything would have to fall into line perfectly and that includes getting the bids out there and the companies starting on it immediately after being rewarded the job. In addition, weather at that time could be a huge factor especially if it starts in December of ’08 or January of ’09.

Now for Crisler Arena I have heard they will wait until the football renovations are over in ‘10 just so it will not be as congested with all the construction going on especially if the basketball practice facility is going on at the same time as well. I have heard anything from twenty-five million to 75 million ranges to upgrade Crisler Arena. They had the same type of ideas with Michigan stadium where they had three plans and choose the middle of the road plan so I am ASSuming that they will do the same thing here and be around the fifty million range.

They have already added several things to upgrade the facility, which includes, as many people know the locker rooms, the weight room, lounge area, film room, lights in Crisler, speakers in Crisler, redoing the floor in Crisler.

Several suggestions were handed out to the basketball program during their meet and greet several months ago to get the student body more involved and some of them were have more get together with the students and even invite students in for practices. There were suggestions of more bench seating for students and other fans that want to stand and make a lot of noise during the game. Well the first thing is need to sell the spaces they have first and get students to the games. I heard they are thinking of adding more benches possible around the baskets on both ends of the floor, but students are going to have to start participating for some of these changes to occur. Also with these types of changes, they could actually move the band up into these benches, be closer to the students, and be up in the air a little bit so the entire arena can hear the band.

Not saying these types of things will happen, but they are looking at ideas of making Crisler Arena more fan friendly along with making it into a place tough to play in.

written by ErocWolverine

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Michigan Wrestling: Design approved for new facility

from MGoBlue
http://mgoblue.com/wrestling/article.aspx?id=140362

U-M Regents Approve Design for New Wrestling Facility

June 19, 2008

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The schematic design for a new wrestling facility was approved today (June 19) by the University of Michigan Board of Regents. The new building will be built adjacent to the Preston Robert Tisch Tennis and the Donald R. Shephard Women's Gymnastics facilities on South State Street.

The $5.5 million, 18,000-gross-square-foot building was designed by Jickling Powell Associates, Inc. of Bloomfield Hills, Michigan.

"We are very excited about this new facility. I think it is going to take our program to a new level," said Joe McFarland, head wrestling coach. "We really needed more space, and we needed all the elements in place that we felt would make us a national championship team. This is going to help us reach that level."

The new facility will include a two-story indoor practice area with three regulation wrestling mats. It also will feature athletic medicine areas, strength and conditioning space, a locker room and storage area.

The design reflects Michigan’s athletic tradition and will complement surrounding athletic facilities. The building materials will be a combination of brick and metal with the main entrance highlighted by a curved two-story wall of glass. On the south façade of the facility, a series of large windows will face a natural wooded wetland area. A standing seam metal roof will be highlighted by a ribbon window that wraps around the entire structure.

Construction is scheduled to be completed in Fall of 2009.

Michigan Stadium Renovation Pictures

Mailbag Question: Regarding the Quarterbacks

Hey guys,

With Feagin coming in does the coaches throw him in there and see where he stacks up against Threet?

Will the coaches give Threet an opportunity or if Feagin is close to Threet will they just throw Feagin in there since it seems like Coach Rod want that style of QB no matter what he keeps on saying about his system can adapt to the players?
Greg
---------------------------------------------------------------
Thanks for the question. Coach Rod and staff in our opinion are going to play the people who give Michigan the best chance of winning.

Positions will be determined by who plays the best. Competition at many positions, including Quarterback will be great thing for the program. Feagin, Threet, and even Cone and Sheridan are going to be given equal shot to lead this team.

The one runs the team the best, gives Michigan best chance to win will be the starter, but that can change from week to week. This spring, you would see changes on daily basis at some positions. The guys who preformed/played the best, got the playing time and that is how it ought to be.

written by CoachBt and ErocWolverine

Thanks for stopping by http://gobluemichiganwolverine.blogspot.com/
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Informative Responses: Part 2 Regarding Supplements

Regarding Supplements:
After doping scandals, some thought the way to go for better athletic performance was from food supplements. This seemingly less harmless approach has not been as simple as first thought. As always variables rear up, these include the type of supplement and the type of physical activity. Simply put, some substances work (according to some conflicting evidence) only for certain, specific types of physical endeavors. The author infers that Coach Barwis has fallen squarely into the camp of purist. Further it is inferred, based on research, that Coach Barwis is correct. Maybe the question of cherries vs. supplements might best be described as city water versus pure water. One can easily live on both, but few would argue that city water is better for your body over decades.

Read this: maximum chemistry equals maximum performance. Remember, in the series “The Other 90%,” the point was frequently hammered home that big programs always sought any edge, regardless of how small. Literature supports what Coach Barwis is doing, this is not just his personal preference. The edge is getting the body’s natural ATP energy cycle to work with maximum efficiency.

And now on to the supplement discussion. It should be mentioned that Europe and the US have held different stances on added supplements for athletic performance. Europe is more purist. USA programs investigated the use of supplements as an alternative to drugs enhancing athletic performance, now called banned substances. European studies posit the view that those taking many supplements are more likely to use banned substances.

Creatine is a substance produced in the human body from certain amino acids. By increasing the amount of creatine, some benefits have been demonstrated, including better resistive exercise performance and short anaerobic exercise improvements.

But creatine has come under fire recently, some even calling for banning supplements that increase the natural level of creatine. There are concerns about long-term health risks and an actual loss of performance because of the production of non-lean muscle (Coach Barwis wants lean muscle) and water retention. In short, the jury is out on risks and benefits of creatine.

HMB is a supplement that stops muscle loss. Some see this as a way to get extra human growth hormone. Well, in today’s climate that may not be a good idea, especially for a noted trainer. Read this: a great S and C program (nutrition included) and a butt-kicking running component are sufficient to create the necessary level of growth hormone to maximize performance. Now you see why these guys are running more.

Whey is a protein supplement and at first glance one would wonder what the commotion is about. Athletes, it is agreed, need more protein than the rest of the population, for both performance and muscle tissue maintenance. For a long time, whey (named milk protein) has been thought to be an easy and quick way to build muscle. Like the other supplements there are some concerns, namely the long-term effect on the immune system.

Concerning nationally ranking Coach Barwis as an S and C coordinator:
There is no need for such a ranking. Coach Barwis is in a select elite group in the athletic community. Add to this his passion and mental intensity, his knowledge base, and loyalty, and it becomes most obvious that the University of Michigan is sitting very pretty, thank you very much. Coach is very intelligent and the author believes he has not yet reached the pinnacle of his career. His purist approach will be supported by the passing of time.

Concerning what this means for U of M football players:
Their life will change; their habits will change, their thought processes will change, their body structure has already changed and their philosophy of life will change. When the author gathered advice with the famous Gus Hoefling, a commitment was forthcoming before anything else happened. Clearly Coach Rod and Coach Barwis want such a commitment. Hoefling approached this journey the Michigan players are now taking as three doors. The first was difficult but doable. The second door needed a large commitment of time, energy, and talent: months or years, but the rewards were profound. Door three was a drastic life changer and only the best of the best need apply. Coach Barwis has introduced door one and the future holds door two, perhaps even as early as next year.

written by Doc4Blu

Thanks for stopping by http://gobluemichiganwolverine.blogspot.com/
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2000: Michigan-38 Ohio State-26

Mailbag Question: Regarding the 4-3 Defense

Coach and Eroc,

Since it seems we will play a 4-3 defense mostly what exactly, will the differences be from under Coach English?

How will Coach Shafer's defense be better or worse (if that is possible)? How will the D-line be different than last years along with how the LB's will play and DB's?

I know many questions in such a short e-mail, but thanks for taking my question and hopefully answering it.

Coach English kept preaching playing fast and aggressive, but they also played stupid as well so how will Coach Shafers talk of playing fast and aggressive be different.

Tim
---------------------------------------------------------------
Thanks for the question. The base defenses are similar in formation and that is about it. The philosophy and rules are completely different.

Front seven will look the same in base, but will play differently. Defensive Ends are about getting up field. Defensive Tackles will be also about creating push, something different from past.

Biggest difference I saw in Linebackers was on the outside. Outside Linebackers are going to play not only in box, but also in space. The biggest differences are in the secondary. Michigan was primarily a 3 deep zone team. They used some man, but mostly 3 deep.

Coach Shafer is using 2 and 4 deep. He is also putting Corner Backs to press coverage. This is going to make Michigan a much more aggressive defense. Pressing Corner Backs changes Quarterback reads and makes it difficult to use hot read Wide Receivers.

There will be no more of the days when Quarterbacks can simply stand up and hit Split Ends for six yards in front of soft zone coverage like under Coach English. The biggest difference is going to come on two philosophical fronts.

#1 Accountability:
Players who did not play fundamentally sound football, maintain contain, be in proper position, etc were pulled. No more of it people making same mistakes repeatedly.

#2 is emphasis in practice on fundamentals.
Working on hand control, working on proper pursuit angles, and asking for, but demanding every player run and pursue to the football. These are the things that we believe will pay dividends this year and into the future.

written by CoachBt and ErocWolverine

Thanks for stopping by http://gobluemichiganwolverine.blogspot.com/
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Informative Responses: Part 1 Regarding Food and Vitamins

Informative Responses

Recently, several questions have been posed from readers regarding, “The Other 90%,” the place of nutrition in a strength and conditioning program, the status of Barwis, and what “The Other 90%” will mean to U of M football players. Keep the good work up readers and send forward your inquiries. All responses that follow are educated inferences and are not based on direct conversation from anyone within the S and C program.

Regarding Cherries:
Readers ponder: what is the big deal with cherries? Cherries are the jackpot of foods that could be classified as natural supplements. There may be no food on earth that provides as much potential benefit as cherries. For starters, cherries likely provide at least a dozen antioxidants, yes the same antioxidants that have been regularly pushed on TV. Antioxidants from supplements out of a bottle are fine in theory, but the physiological fact is that antioxidants from real food are much better than substitutes from a pill boasting antioxidants. Next, cherries and other fruits, like strawberries, serve as anti-inflammatory agents, perhaps better than some prescribed medicines. If you are an athlete in the new S & C program, your body craves anti-inflammatory benefits. Lastly, antioxidants are strongly suspected to be cancer inhibitors. All of this without supplement concerns.

The antioxidants are referred to as flavonoids. Anthocyanins are the type of flavonoid thought to deactivate those nasty radicals (floating broken chemical bonds) that collect in the body. You know, red wine, amber beer, and cherries. Antioxidants prevent harm by combining with any “free floating” radical bond by joining and completing a healthy substance. Eat cherries, all of you.

Regarding B Vitamins:
B vitamins have always been suspected of pure performance enhancement. They make the ATP cycle (energy cycle) more efficient, and breakdown carbs and protein to the energy needed in the ATP cycle. B vitamins help heal muscle tissue, make better muscle mass, and provide help for the nervous system. Take vitamin B, all of you.

written by Doc4Blu

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1995: Michigan-31 Ohio State-23

Mailbag Question: Regarding Offensive Tackles

EROC,

A question regarding Offensive Tackle skill sets. I routinely read that a player needs more work on pass protection but where he is fine in run blocking. Can you explain the difference, assuming I am a brain-dead OSU fan, and the skills and techniques to excel at both?

And is the reason that many OTs coming out of HS aren't as proficient in pass blocking due to the fact their schools run more than they pass?

Thanks!
Steve
--------------------------------------------------------
Thanks for the question even though you are a brain-dead “nut” … lol.

Most high schools are predominately running teams, and that definitely effects pass protection. Another factor is more high school teams using zone blocking. This makes transition to college running schemes even easier. The problem goes deeper though. Pass blocking by nature is not as aggressive as run blocking. Backing up, giving ground, and the passiveness this tends to bring out also play into mix. Many jumbo athletes at high school level just have problem moving laterally, or backwards. They have not grown into their large bodies, and have not developed the coordination to maintain balance when moving sideways or backwards. When run blocking is easy to teach and get players to execute the proper power angles and good football position to be able to block even stronger defenders. Getting them to bend their knees, move their feet, and punch all while moving backwards takes more work.

If you are zone blocking the skills necessary are same for all Offensive line positions. This is one of the main selling points of zone blocking. Everyone takes same steps, has same rules, and uses same techniques. In pass blocking one of major differences is type of athlete/player they are blocking. Offensive Guards and Offensive Center, are generally blocking players in stances, on the Line of scrimmage, lined up either over them or at least close. Offensive Tackles have athletes in two points some time, lined up in outside shades or even staked. This means they must have quick feet to get to those speedy edge rushers. They also need excellent balance, as they move laterally and backwards, long arms are major plus, if Defensive Ends or Outside Linebackers can get tight into body of Offensive Tackles he is at their mercy.

Finally, the Offensive Tackle must be very strong, if he cannot while moving backwards keep that Defensive Ends from just dipping his inside arm and ripping through he will either give up sack, or get holding call all night. This is where hips and core become key. If Offensive Tackle cannot extend his arms, drop his hips, and then roll them through, he will never be very successful at pass protection.

written by CoachBt and ErocWolverine

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Michigan Football: Get their 11th commit

Michael Schofield:

Overview:
Good combination of size and athletic ability. Skill set fits well with what new Michigan Offensive line need to be able to do. He is a former Tight End who also ran hurdles on his high school track team his freshman and sophomore year. Good get for Coach Rod and staff.

Strengths:
Very quick feet, who steps flat and covers defenders nicely. Does very good job at backside cut off. He has able to block defenders at second level and in secondary. He finishes his blocks very well. Hustles all the time and shows good speed for player his size. Film shows him tackling Defensive Back 50 yards down the field after interception.

Needs Work:
He plays for predominately a running team so his pass protection is not as advanced as his running blocking. Showed a nice wide base, but his feet went dead and defenders were able to gain outside leverage. His overall footwork in general could be touch better. He would also benefit from some private tutoring from one Mr. Barwis.

Highlight videos:
http://michigan.scout.com/a.z?s=162&p=11&nid=3673581&isFirstMediaIdAudioOrVideo=video&playlist=http%3A//scout.scout.com/asxplaylist.aspx%3Fs%3D162%26mediaids%3D555919

http://michigan.scout.com/a.z?s=162&p=11&nid=3673581&isFirstMediaIdAudioOrVideo=video&playlist=http%3A//scout.scout.com/asxplaylist.aspx%3Fs%3D162%26mediaids%3D555921

http://michigan.scout.com/a.z?s=162&p=11&nid=3673581&isFirstMediaIdAudioOrVideo=video&playlist=http%3A//scout.scout.com/asxplaylist.aspx%3Fs%3D162%26mediaids%3D555923

written by CoachBt and ErocWolverine

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Michigan Hockey Schedule released

from MGoBlue.com
http://mgoblue.com/ice-hockey/article.aspx?id=140196

Michigan's 2008-09 Schedule to Include 17 Home Dates
June 16, 2008

2008-09 U-M Ice Hockey Schedule

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- University of Michigan ice hockey head coach Red Berenson announced the schedule for the 2008-09 campaign on Monday (June 16). The Wolverines' 36-game regular season slate includes 17 contests at Yost Ice Arena. There are 14 games scheduled against teams that competed in the NCAA Tournament a season ago.

Michigan's 87th varsity season kicks off with an exhibition game on Saturday, Oct. 4, versus the U.S. National Team Development Program's Under-18 Team. U-M will host Waterloo in another exhibition tilt on Sunday, Oct. 5.

The regular season gets underway on Oct. 10-11 when the Wolverines host a two-game, non-conference series against St. Lawrence, which last faced U-M early in the 2004-05 season. Michigan's other home non-conference game comes two weeks later on Thursday, Oct. 23, when Niagara visits Yost Ice Arena. The Wolverines and Purple Eagles met in the first round of the 2008 NCAA Tournament with U-M winning 5-1.

The Maize and Blue have three road non-conference games, highlighted by a single game at Boston University on Oct. 25. U-M makes its customary biannual trip to WCHA country to face Minnesota (Nov. 28) and Wisconsin (Nov. 29) in the College Hockey Showcase.

The 44th Great Lakes Invitational will take place on Dec. 27-28 in Detroit, Mich. U-M will oppose Michigan Tech in one semifinal, while Michigan State and North Dakota are on the other side of the bracket.

Michigan's four-team CCHA cluster includes Miami, Michigan State and Ohio State. In 2007-08, U-M, MU and MSU finished first, second and third, respectively, in the CCHA standings. The Wolverines visit Miami on Nov. 21-22 before hosting the RedHawks on Jan. 9-10. Michigan gets two home games against the Spartans on Dec. 5 and Jan. 23. U-M heads to East Lansing on Dec. 6, while the rivals have their annual faceoff at Joe Louis Arena on Jan. 24. U-M gets two home games against the Buckeyes on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1 before traveling to Columbus for two games on Feb. 20-21.

The Wolverines have two more conference home series, facing Lake Superior State (Feb. 6-7) and Nebraska-Omaha (Feb. 13-14).

Michigan has two other road series in CCHA play. The Wolverines head to Northern Michigan on Oct. 17-18 and to Alaska on Nov. 7-8.

Finally, the Maize and Blue has four home-and-home series versus Western Michigan (Nov. 14-15), Bowling Green (Jan. 16-17), Notre Dame (Jan. 30-31) and Ferris State (Feb. 27-28).

For the third consecutive season all 12 CCHA teams will qualify for the CCHA Tournament, and the top four seeds will receive first-round byes for the weekend of March 6-8, during which the squads that finished fifth through 12th will play best-of-three series at campus sites. The four teams remaining after the first round will travel to the campuses of top four seeds for a second round of best-of-three series March 13-15. Teams will be reseeded following the first round. The four teams that emerge from the second round will move on to Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Mich., for the CCHA semifinals and finals Friday and Saturday, March 20-21. The victor of the CCHA Tournament receives an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

The road to Frozen Four will travel through four NCAA Regional sites. Two regionals will be held on March 27-28, with the East Regional at the Bridgeport Arena in Bridgeport, Conn., and the West Regional at Mariucci Arena in Minneapolis, Minn. On March 28-29, the Northeast Regional will be played at the Verizon Wireless Center in Manchester, N.H., and the Midwest Regional at Van Andel in Grand Rapids, Mich. Having made a record-setting 18 straight NCAA Tournament appearances, the Wolverines will be striving to reach the Frozen Four for the second year in a row. The 2009 Frozen Four will take place in Washington, D.C., with games being played at the Verizon Center, home to the NHL's Washington Capitals. The national semifinals will be on Thursday, April 9, and the NCAA championship game will take place on Saturday, April 11.

U-M's television schedule will be released later this summer. Some game times and dates could be changed for television purposes.

Season ticket renewal forms will be mailed beginning in early August. Fans interested in purchasing season tickets can contact the ticket office beginning on August 7 at (734) 764-0247. Individual game tickets will go on sale in the middle of September. Ticket information will be available on MGoBlue.com.

Link to Hockey Schedule
http://mgoblue.com/ice-hockey/page.aspx?id=80738

1993: Michigan-21 Penn State-13

Mailbag Question: Regarding TV Schedule

Eroc,

Are you going to update your TV schedule anytime soon. That was always a good place to keep up to date on shows regarding Michigan.

Greg

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Thanks for the question Greg. Yea I will get back into the swing of things and start to update it once again. I was not sure how many people liked the idea and actually used it during the off season. Most of the programming at this point is re-run games and such. I will start getting back in the swing later tonight probably.

written by ErocWolverine

Michigan Women's Track:

from MGoBlue.com
http://www.mgoblue.com/track-field-w/article.aspx?id=140006

NCAA Titles by Gall, Ofili Help Michigan Finish Seventh
June 14, 2008

Site: Des Moines, Iowa (Drake Stadium)
Event: NCAA Outdoor Championships (Day 4)
U-M Team Finish: 7th Place (29 Points)
Next U-M Event: Season Completed

DES MOINES, Iowa -- Juniors Geena Gall (Grand Blanc, Mich./Grand Blanc HS) and Tiffany Ofili (Ypsilanti, Mich./Ypsilanti HS) earned national titles Saturday (June 14) to lead the University of Michigan women's track and field team to seventh place at the NCAA Outdoor Championships at Drake Stadium. Ofili repeated in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 12.84, while Gall won the 800-meter run in 2:03.91.

Junior co-captain Bettie Wade (Northville, Mich./Farmington HS) and senior Nicole Edwards (Winnipeg, Manitoba/Vincent Massey) also earned All-America honors, with Wade placing third in the heptathlon (3,560 points) and Edwards finishing sixth in the 1,500-meter run (4:15.00).

Ofili took control of the 100m hurdles final from the start as she and LSU's Nickiesha Wison separated from the pack over the first three hurdles. Ofili extended her lead over Wilson (13.00) by 0.16 of a second over the reaming seven hurdles to secure her third NCAA individual title and tally 10 points for Michigan.

Ofili is the first U-M sprinter in program history to win consecutive NCAA outdoor titles and claim All-America honors in back-to-back seasons. She is also the first Wolverine to win three consecutive national championships (two outdoor, one indoor) in school history.

Gall, who earned her third 800m outdoor All-America honor of her career, Gall began in the middle of the pack and was between fourth and fifth place throughout most of the race. She moved into the third at the 500m mark and starting kicking ahead with 150 meters to go. Heading into the straightaway Gall was second to Becky Horn (2:04.67) of Western Michigan before a late spurt with 50 meters remaining separated her from the rest of the pack.

Gall is the first Wolverine to claim the NCAA outdoor 800-meter run title and the first one to claim three consecutive All-America honors in the event, adding to her fourth-place finish in 2006 and fifth-place effort last year. Gall's victory earned another 10 points for the Wolverines.

Wade, who was third in the heptathlon after the four events contested Friday, solidified her position with a strong performance in Saturday's first event, the long jump, tying for fifth with a mark of 19-9 that was good for 856 points. Wade held a 13-point edge over fourth-place Brianne Theisen of Oregon entering the final event, the 800-meter run. Theisen passed Wade at the 600m mark, but Wade was able to stay with her pace and kicked past Theisen down the homestretch to finish sixth (2:21.60) to Theisen's seventh (2:22.73).

Wade's third-place performance marks the highest heptathlon finish in school history and earned six points for the Wolverines. Jacquelyn Johnson of Arizona State won the title for the fourth straight year.

In her final collegiate track race, Edwards began the 1,500m run in the back of the pack and remained in eighth and ninth for most of the race before starting her move at the 300m mark. With 100 meters remaining Edwards had moved up to fifth place, before dropping back to sixth down the homestretch. Edwards' finish added three points to U-M's tally.

Michigan extended to four its streak of top-10 finishes at NCAA championships over the past two seasons. The Wolverines were ninth at the 2007 indoor meet and had program-best finishes of third at the 2007 outdoor event and third at the 2008 indoor championships before their seventh-place performance this week.


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Final Team Standings (Top 10)

1. Louisiana State 67
2. Arizona State 63
3. Texas A&M 48
4. Penn State 39
5. Texas Tech 32
6. Stanford 31
7. MICHIGAN 29
8. Oregon 27
9. Florida 26
10. Texas-El Paso 25

U-M Results (Day 4)

800-meter Run
1. GEENA GALL, U-M 2:03.91
2. Latavia Thomas, LSU 2:04.38
3. Becky Horn, Western Michigan 2:04.67
4. Zoe Buckman, Oregon 2:04.69
5. Heather Dorniden, Minnesota 2:05.86
6. Phoebe Wright, Tennessee 2:06.56
7. Carlee Clark-Platt, BYU 2:06.61
8. Anna Layman, Washington State 2:06.93

100-meter Hurdles
1. TIFFANY OFILI, U-M 12.84
2. Nickiesha Wilson, LSU 13.00
3. Shantia Moss, Georgia Tech 13.15
4. Aleesha Barber, Penn State 13.18
5. Latoya Greaves, Oklahoma 13.30
6. Jessica Ohanaja, LSU 13.32
7. Celriece Law, Tennessee 13.57
8. Shalina Clarke, Southern Cal 13.58

1,500-meter Run
1. Hannah England, Florida State 4:06.19
2. Sally Kipyego, Texas Tech 4:06.67
3. Sarah Bowman, Tennessee 4:07.50
4. Dacia Barr, Arkansas 4:11.02
5. Emily Anderson, William & Mary 4:14.73
6. NICOLE EDWARDS, U-M 4:15.00
7. Lauren Hagans, Baylor 4:15.43
8. Susan Kuijken, Florida State 4:17.28
9. Brie Felnagle, North Carolina 4:17.76
10. Keri Bland, West Virginia 4:18.18
11. Amanda Miller, Washington 4:20.71
12. Jessica Eldridge, Oklahoma 4:22.21
13. Elizabeth Maloy, Georgetown 4:22.66
14. Brenda Martinez, Riverside 4:24.99
15. Maggie Infeld, Georgetown 4:27.57

Heptathlon (Top 8)
1. Jacquelyn Johnson, Arizona State 6,053 points
2. Liz Roehrig, Minnesota 5,811
3. BETTIE WADE, U-M 5,738
100m Hurdles (13.73) 1017 (6)
High Jump (5-8 3/4, 1.75m) 916 (4)
Shot Put (43-1 1/2, 13.14m) 737 (3)
200m Dash (24.97) 890 (8)
Long Jump (19-9, 6.02m) 856 (T5)
Javelin (105-11, 32.29m) 520 (21)
800m Run (2:21.60) 802 (9)
4. Brianne Theisen, Oregon 5,710
5. Gayle Hunter, Penn State 5,709
6. Annett Wichmann, Hawaii 5,670
7. Kasey Hill, Boston College 5,666
8. Tammilee Kerr, Iowa 5,633

( ) indicates place in each decathlon event

Michigan Men's Track:

from MGoBlue.com
http://www.mgoblue.com/track-field-m/article.aspx?id=139990

Wolverines Finish Fourth in 4x400 Relay at NCAAs
June 14, 2008

Site: Des Moines, Iowa (Drake Stadium)
Event: NCAA Outdoor Championships (Day 4)
U-M Team Finish: Tie-42nd Place (5 Points)
Next U-M Event: Season Completed

DES MOINES, Iowa -- The University of Michigan finished fourth in the men's 4x400-meter relay with a school-record time Saturday (June 14) on the final day of the NCAA Outdoor Championships at Drake Stadium on Jim Duncan Track.

Junior Andre Barnes (West Bloomfield, Mich./West Bloomfield HS), senior co-captain Andrew Wechter (Shelby, Ohio/Shelby HS), senior/junior Dan Harmsen (Rockford, Mich./Rockford HS) and fifth-year senior Stann Waithe (Towson, Md./Loch Raven HS) posted a time of 3:04.64 to earn five team points, putting the Wolverines in a eight-way tie for 42nd place in the final team standings.

After a good opening leg by Barnes, Wechter received a clean exchange and maintained third place with the lead pack until the final 50 meters. Harmsen received the second exchange of the race and held off an early surge by Texas to maintain fourth place.

Waithe closed in on the lead group around the final bend and held off a late surge by Northern Iowa (3:04.97) to secure fourth place, U-M's best finish in the 4x400m relay since 1972. The Wolverines shattered the old school record (3:05.73) by more than a second.