Official Depth Chart Released

Michigan’s depth chart going into the Utah game has been made official. We now have an idea of who most of the starters will be, but the depth chart really didn’t clear up any of the confusion regarding the backfield. That is because the word “or” graces the depth chart in a few places, meaning two or more players are competing for a spot and a decision about who will start has yet to have been made.

Here is the official depth chart:

Beginning at the top you’ll immediately notice that no starting QB has been named. That shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone as neither Nick Sheridan nor Steven Threet have really distanced themselves from each other. My belief is that Sheridan will start the Utah game, but that doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll finish it. If things go poorly there’s a very good chance that Threet will get into the game as well, so keep an eye on the QB situation depending on how Michigan’s offense plays early on against Utah.

Moving on to running back, a pair of freshmen are surprisingly listed as the starters. I knew both Sam McGuffie and Michael Shaw would play an awful lot, but I didn’t think one of them would start. Even so, Brandon Minor and Carlos Brown will still play a lot as well. In fact, it doesn’t really matter who the starter is as all four running backs will be in the game quite a bit on Saturday.

Perhaps the most surprising position on the depth chart is wide receiver. Why? Well, freshman Martavious Odoms is the only clear cut starter right now. Darryl Stonum is in the mix to start at two different WR spots, and one of those battles is with LaTerryal Savoy. Savoy has obviously come a long way from being off the team at one point last summer (he was reinstated after being found not guilty of indecent exposure) as he now has a shot at starting. Missing from the depth chart altogether is Junior Hemingway. I’m guessing he is still recovering from surgery he had earlier in the summer, but I can’t confirm that right now.

The starting spot at tight end appeared to be Carson Butler’s as Michigan came into fall camp, but that is no longer the case. Mike Massey and freshman Kevin Koger are now in the mix to start at TE, which is one of the many surprises this depth chart provided. Butler seems like the most athletic tight end Michigan has, but evidently Massey and Koger have impressed coaches quite a bit as well.

The offensive line does not look very promising. It’s not necessarily because of the players starting, but more because there is so little depth on the o-line right now. David Moosman will start at either center or right guard, and if an injury happens to him John Ferrara will step in as a starter. Considering he just switched to the offensive line for the first time in his life last week, the fact that he is one play away from starting is very scary.

On the defensive side of things there aren’t many surprises, which is a very good thing. The defensive line looks to be in good shape right now with all four of its starters from last year returning. Linebacker isn’t as nice but it isn’t bad, either. Austin Panter enters his senior year much improved after transitioning from a JUCO to Division I-A football last season. Obi Ezeh returns in the middle as the team’s top linebacker. And Marell Evans joins Panter and Ezeh as the team’s third starter at LB.

Looking at the backups at LB, I felt pretty confused when I saw the name “Kevin Leach.” That confused feeling was because I had never heard of Leach until I looked through the depth chart. After looking at his profile on MGoBlue I learned that he is a walk-on from Kentwood, Michigan, and is in his second season with the Wolverines. The other backups are much more recognizable as John Thompson will be the best second-string LB on the team and Jonas Mouton is someone that we have been waiting for to step it up for a couple years now.

Looking at the secondary, there are very few concerns as Morgan Trent, Donovan Warren, Stevie Brown, and Brandon Harrison come together to form one of the strongest units on the team. Even the second-stringers in the secondary have quite a bit of talent, easing any concerns I have about an opponent’s passing game.

Finally, looking at the special teams, there are no big changes until you get to the returners. Speedsters Brandon Harrison and Morgan Trent will be the starting kick returners. Martavious Odoms and Michael Shaw, who have great speed of their own, will be the backups. At punt returner Donovan Warren will be the starter, and Odoms again is the backup. I like the fact that the coaches aren’t afraid to use their key starters as returners as special teams will be a way that Michigan can put points on the board. Considering all of the questions surrounding the offense, returning kicks or punts may be the easiest way to score points.