Mailbag question: Now what happens

Posted at 8:00am -- 4/27/2010

Mailbag question: Now what happens

Guys, thanks for your great insightful coverage into our beloved Wolverine Football Team. With Spring Practice over, could you tell me what the players will be doing between now and 8/1/10 to continue the improvement they showed during Spring Practice? We all know too well by now that there are “coaching restrictions” during this period, but four months is a lot of time that people like Denard Robinson could improve even further. How do they make the most out of this time so that on 8/1/10, they’re ready to roll into the fall practice schedule? Thanks.

Steve S. In Mississippi

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Thanks for the question.
After the spring game the next couple of weeks will be devoted to academics. The classroom will take precedence over football and few, if any, would debate that is how it should be.

Then, many players will go home for a couple of weeks immediately after classes end.

Most, if not all, players will return around the first part of June to begin informal, voluntary workouts that will include 7 on 7 and other football type drills. Lifting also is a big part of the summer plan.

Many players will also take summer classes to allow them a lighter load during the season. The freshmen can take a class or two to become familiar with college scholastic life.

Some players will keep going with personal workout regiments and continue S&C workouts with Coach Barwis. Many players will only take a short break to go home and relax before coming back and getting ready to start football workouts. This is the way of college football at the D-1 level.

Of importance is the young players getting in early. We have seen problems with certain kids who recently have struggled to get everything in order and approved by the clearinghouse.

If an incoming player wants to play early, then he needs to get to Ann Arbor as soon as possible to start working out with Coach Barwis and the S&C coaches, along with going through work-outs with the team and learning the system.

As always, we never count a commit as in until he actually shows up and starts practicing with the team. Last summer demonstrated that signing is not a guarantee of being admitted for summer semester. It is the belief here that Turner and Gallon were put behind the 8-ball last year and are still trying to make up ground.

Basketball coaches will tell you that players are made in the summer. Football may not be quite so dramatic, but none would argue that summer is not important, perhaps critical.

Decades ago, young student athletes, including football players, would venture home and get a nice summer job and show up for fall camp. All that has changed and the argument can be placed forward as to whether or not most players staying home for most of the summer is a good thing or not.

For the fans, now is a “dead zone,” and by June or July the true football addict will be hunting old tapes, recorded dvd-r’s, or ESPN Classic material to continue daily existence.

Written by GBMW Staff

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