Michigan Friday: U Can or UConn

Warde finally filled the last spot in the 2022 schedule as he picked the UConn Huskies to join the likes of Hawaii and Colorado State on the non-conference home Michigan schedule.  Michigan cancelled a home and home with UCLA and put UConn in that spot.  The Huskies will get $1.8M for a nice Fall weekend in Ann Arbor.   How do I feel about it?

I like it.  There is zero reason to play a difficult non-conference anymore.  It helps build team confidence and gets them ready for the Big Ten season.   This past season was an example of playing a difficult non-conference schedule and having the team not gain that confidence they needed entering into Big Ten play.

Part of me also wants to see Michigan play the big boys, but I see very little upside for that to happen in the first couple of weeks of the season.   Let's also face it, Michigan hasn't done very well in many of those match-ups.   Michigan opens at Washington next season.  

• Chris Partridge didn't get raise to go to Ole Miss, he did get a promotion in title.  Anthony Campanile is still MIA as far as a job with the Dolphins goes. 

• Former Detroit Tiger Curtis Granderson has called it a career

• Michigan Basketball plays at MSG on Saturday, no word if X is playing or not.

• Good look for the former Wolverines playing in the Super Bowl.  Chad Henne and Frank Clark with the Chiefs.   Other names you might know: Mike Weber is on the Chiefs practice squad, Andrew Wylie played at EMU, Eric Fisher CMU  SF: Joe Staley CMU and former Michigan recruit and Detroit Lion  Anthony Zettel.

from The BIG HOUSE Blog http://mbighouse.blogspot.com/2020/01/michigan-friday-u-can-or-uconn.html

Michigan Thursday: Welcomes a New Kicker to the 2020 Class

Michigan struggled at times last year to kick field goals.   Even with two scholarship kickers on the team, its important to add a kicker probably every other year.   In 2020, it looks like 5 Star (Kohl Kicking) Cole Hussung will be joining the Wolverines class.   Cole is coming to Ann Arbor right now as a walk-on but Harbaugh has offered him the first opportunity to get on scholarship, as soon as one comes available (I assume for a special teams player).

From the Courier Journal: Hussung’s career long field goal in a game is 49 yards, along with multiple connections from 46, 47 and 48 yards. This season, 41 of his 63 kickoffs were touchbacks. At practices, his career-long field goal off a tee is 70 yards. On the ground with a kicking stand, he’s hit from 65. He’s connected multiple times from beyond 60 yards from a live snap and hold. As a punter this past season, he pinned 12 punts inside the opponent’s 20-yard line.

Welcome Cole and hit those field goals and extra points! 

• Wisconsin Basketball loses its 2nd leading scorer as Kobe King has left the team and wants to transfer. 

• Tony Romo is going to be the top free agent in NFL Broadcasting this off season.  ESPN is expected to offer him something north of $10M a year and CBS is now reporting that they will also be competitive.   I think Tony does a great job, but I don't think he is a good match with Jim Nantz who is well past his prime and should focus on just golf.   ESPN has been struggling to find a good MNF booth since Gruden and Tirico.   CBS or ESPN should also use Tony for golf, maybe as a walking reporter.  

• ABC News has suspended reporter Matt Gutman for reporting inaccurately that all of Kobe's children were on board the helicopter that crashed. 

from The BIG HOUSE Blog http://mbighouse.blogspot.com/2020/01/michigan-thursday-welcomes-new-kicker.html

Six Maryland farm families celebrate more than 100 years in business

Governor Larry Hogan recently honored six Maryland farm families during the 2020 Century Farm ceremony at the State House. This recognition is given to farms that have been owned and operated by the same family for more than 100 years. 

from https://open.maryland.gov/blog/six-maryland-farms-celebrate-more-100-years-business/

Wolverine Wednesday: Mid Week News and Notes

Michigan Basketball got its first road win of the year last night against Nebraska.  Michigan was without Simpson and Livers but ended up finding a way to beat the helpless Cornhuskers.  Brooks went for 20, Wagner with 18, Johns 16, and Teske had 9.   This team still has a plenty of issues but a road win is a road win.  

• Richard Sherman continues to complain about his time at Stanford under Harbaugh.  If you want to read why the Diva CB continues to complain about things that happened 12 years ago, you can hit the link.  

• Recently, there has been a lot of information out there showing how bad the Michigan WR's played last year.  Mgoblog has an article up, detailing a ton of drops and that Patterson's passes were on target.  The truth is in the middle, Shea did struggle with accuracy during the year and that was on display last week at the Senior Bowl.  He will be lucky to be drafted.   The WR's also had some bad drops, which killed drives and cost the team points and games.  The stat that shows Ronnie Bell with the most drops in the college football is a bit overblown, but there is also an issue there and he has to catch more balls.   I went into the year, thinking Michigan had the best WR's in the country and then the former basketball player Ronnie Bell becomes the #1 WR.   This is also why I thought DPJ should have stayed one more year.   The truth is neither Shea or the WR's played up to expectations last season.  

• IU QB Payton Ramsey is in the transfer portal.  I wouldn't be surprised if he ended up at MSU.

• RIP NFL Hall of Famer Chris Doleman   

from The BIG HOUSE Blog http://mbighouse.blogspot.com/2020/01/wolverine-wednesday-mid-week-news-and.html

What makes up Maryland’s innovation ecosystem? One of the best global incubators in the world, for starters.

For more than 20 years, the Baltimore-based incubator and accelerator Emerging Technology Centers (ETC) has powered more than 500 companies and attracted more than $2.4 billion in capital to the region. ETC has an earned an incredible reputation locally, but it’s not just locals who recognize its impact. Recently, UBI Global recognized ETC as a top five global public business incubator. To determine its rankings, UBI Global assessed 1,580 programs worldwide using 21 key performance indicators related to value for the ecosystem, value for the program, and value for client startups. 

from https://open.maryland.gov/blog/what-makes-up-marylands-innovation-ecosystem-one-of-the-best-global-incubators-in-the-world-for-starters/

Michigan Tuesday: Did Don Misuse Josh?

When I think back at the stars Michigan had on defense a couple years ago, I get sick.  Gary, Winovich, Bush, Lewis, the list goes on.  These guys are playing regularly in the NFL and Don Brown couldn't find a way to win big games while they were at Michigan.

Did Michigan miss another opportunity to have a dominating player?  Josh Uche for all accounts was not blockable during Senior Bowl week.   He displayed that in game and even had a mental lapse when he "two hand touched" Oregon QB Justin Herbert during the first drive, instead of sacking the highly ranked QB.

PFF (Pro Football Focus) yesterday came out with their highest graded performer all week at the Senior Bowl, you guess it:  Josh Uche.   According to PFF Josh had 11 pass-rush snaps and five QB pressures in the game. 

Per SI: According to the scout, “He (Uche) won me over during Wednesday’s practice. He doesn’t have the typical edge-rusher build but likely projects as an outside 'backer who can sustain pass-rushing downs in certain situations." The talent evaluator added, “Loved how explosive his lower-body movement showed up in individuals. Great bend. They’ll call him a tweener in every draft profile you read, but he’s so versatile that every NFL team could find a role for a guy like this."

Draft experts are now saying Josh probably jumped up a round from the 3rd to the 2nd round with his Senior Bowl week performance.

Don used Josh all over the field as a SAM LB at his time at Michigan, which lead to some pretty good numbers.  Josh finished his career with 16.5 Sacks, with 8.5 coming last season.  He also had 11.5 tackles for a loss and 2 forced fumbles during his senior year.

So now the question remains, should have Josh been lined up more at DE?  During the Senior Bowl your not able to blitz, so when Josh rushed the passer he was in the traditional DE position.

If Michigan is going to improve, it has to put its best players in the best position to win games.   The Wolverines have done a very poor job of that on both sides of the ball during the Harbaugh rein.

• Michigan Basketball is imploding due to injuries, poor play, and bad decisions.  Zavier Simpson has been suspended by Coach Howard for breaking team rules tonight against Nebraska.   The length of the suspension is still unknown.   Just like their run through the best teams in the country in the Bahamas, I didn't see this coming either.  

• With the final signing day next week, Michigan fired off a late 2020 offer to 5'11 175 pound athlete Chayce Bishop.  His offer list includes Vandy, VA Tech, Purdue, Northwestern, Memphis, Mizzu, and Ball State (where his dad played).   He is ranked a 3 star and the #87th athlete in the country.   As you can tell, Chayce is not a DT or OT but does seem to be a good student. 

from The BIG HOUSE Blog http://mbighouse.blogspot.com/2020/01/michigan-tuesday-did-don-misuse-josh.html

Maryland travels to Arab Health 2020, awards 16 companies with export grants

from https://open.maryland.gov/blog/maryland-travels-arab-health-2020-awards-16-companies-export-grants/