Previews Galore! The Schedule is being stuck to and the results have been surprisingly pleasant. However, in previews we talk about the future. That's tough to do when there's so much going on in the present. So pull up to the bar, adjust your seat, and take a look at what's
ON TAP
- Michigan Continues to Reel in Offensive Talent
- Reasoned Thoughtful Analysis? My Wife Would Disagree
- More Retirement Talk Out of The Flint Journal
- Et Cetera...
Michigan Swimming in Offensive Talent - A very good 2008 recruiting class continued to get better with the verbal commitment of four star Tight End Kevin Kroger and the official transfer of four star QB Steven Threet.
Threet transfer from Georgia Tech will cause him to sit out a year, but will enter the 2008 season with 4 years of eligibility. Kroger's commitment comes after a considerable amount of worry that a once solid UM prospect was contemplating OSU very seriously. These commitments basically close off any further recruiting at the TE and QB position for the next year or so. As always, Mgoblog and Michigan Sports Center have the details.
Preview Season Continues Unabated - It's ACC week over at Sunday Morning Quarterback. Run. Don't walk. Add to that assessments of Texas, OSU and Georgia Tech all of a sudden it's 5pm and you haven't billed a thing.
Hawkeye State is running through the Big Ten in a hurry, gathering excellent bloggers from around the conference to preview their own schools. To date Michigan State, Illinois, Indiana, and Minnesota.
In addition I've had the good fortune to receive some feedback on my predictions for Penn State, the ACC and the Big XII, all of which has been overwhelmingly positive. For all of you visiting for the first time because of the previews, welcome, and thanks for dropping in.
One email of note was from a Boston College fan named Mike who disagreed with my placing BC 5th in their Division. Mike wrote the following:
Do you realize that no team returns more starters on offense and defense combined in the ACC? QB/RB/WR/TE/OL all have 5th year senior starters. Defense is one of the best BC has had in a long time, anchored by early round 2008 NFL'ers DeJuan Tribble at CB, Jolonn Dunbar at LB, and BJ Raji at DT.
While TOB has been replaced and has thankfully taken Dana Bible with him (and in place we have Steve Logan, a HUGE upgrade at OC), the D-Coord Frank Spaziani stayed, so it's not a completely new coaching staff.
BC lost 3 games last year by a grand total of 12 points, with one of those losses coming via a hail mary.
To assume that they're going to take a big step back even though they've lost next to no players, save a couple OL, is a strange leap that I'm not able to follow.
As you would expect from a BC fan/grad, an excellent argument for placing BC higher than I assessed. However, I still feel BC's schedule is the hardest in that division and while BC remains a good team the teams I picked above them are more talented and in some cases better coached.
However, if I'm wrong and BC finishes second or better in the ACC Atlantic, I will post a Mea Cupla to Eagles fans and list twenty things about BC that kick ass. If I'm right, well, I'm right and my own sense of smug satisfaction will keep me warm through the winter.
You see folks, nice emails get results!
And Where, Pray Tell, Do You Get This Information? - Rickey Hampton of the Flint Journal penned a nice feel good piece about Lloyd Carr about a week ago. You've probably see it through one of the various message boards or Michigan blogs. It's nice, fluffy, and warm hearted about Carr. However it makes the assertion:
I'm not really thrilled with anyone throwing this out there without naming a source or getting a quote from Lloyd directly. However, with the amount of chatter about Lloyd's age and several quotes at a recent UM fundraiser about his eventual retirement, I suppose it's fair game. Still, stuff like this doesn't do anyone any favors.
Et Cetera - Sophomore Basketball player K'Len Morris was granted a medical redshirt by the NCAA yesterday. Morris injured his shoulder during practice last fall and missed almost all of the basketball season. When Morris chose UM he was rated the No. 46 shooting guard in the country. When he suits up this year, despite being a sophomore, he'll have freshman eligibility.
Rojo? Anyone? Mark Snyder takes a look at former UM target turned Trojan Ronald Johnson. Johnson was originally recruited by UM as a DB, however, since moving out west Pete Carroll has him playing WR in an attempt to fill the void left by Dwayne Jerret. Best of luck out there, Rojo.
Why God? Why? Darren McFadden's ride is the funniest worst thing ever.
Kyle is Two Years Old! Serious hat tip to Dawg Sports proprietor T. Kyle King for celebrating his second anniversary as College Football's most verbose blogger. Kyle's one of the reasons I started my own site, so you can thank blame him.
Johnny's Back. That's right folks, RBUAS is back up and running with some fresh material. Go there, read and be happy.
Finally, I wanted to say thank you to everyone for visiting Maize n Brew. When I first switched over to SBNation the sitemeter counter for this site was a little below by previous gig on Blogspot, at around 90K and change. Visits wise, I called it a wash. Since January 15, 2007, I was thrilled to see the site begin to build up, and despite my notable absence in May, I am pleased to inform you that last week I welcomed my 150,000th visitor and cleared 210,000 page views.
Thanks to everyone for visiting, and more importantly, thanks to everyone for coming back.