Having been on vacation in south central Arizona, I was on hand for the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl which featured my alma mater Michigan going against the Kansas State Wildcats. While the game was never really in doubt after the KSU jumped ahead on the opening drive, it was the first bowl game I had attended. I was able to come away from the game with several observations.
Devin Gardner is returning for his senior season:
Unless his off-field decision-making is as questionable as his on-field decision-making. The Wolverines signal caller was on crutches nursing a turf toe injury which kept him out of the game, and was not in uniform. The indication would be that if he cannot walk now, the chance of him participating in the combine isn’t great, and even if he did he wouldn’t be in great form. Gardner has remained healthy during his tenure as starting QB, so injury likely wouldn’t affect his draft stock next season, like it would if he declared now. If Gardner did declare he he’s not a lock to even be drafted at this point.
Shane Morris has a long way to go:
Another reason Gardner would return is that Morris’ debut was unspectacular. A true freshman who committed to the maize and blue two years ago, Morris missed his entire high school senior season due to mononucleosis and saw very limited playing time during this season. Morris showed some happy feet in the pocket and didn’t look to be in rhythm with his receivers, as there were several key drops/misfires where both Morris and his target were to blame. Though rated as a 4- or 5-star prospect and the number one QB recruit by some, Morris will have gone three full seasons without being “the guy” if Gardner returns as expected, which doesn’t bode well for QB prospects.
Cornelius Lucas is a monster:
When looking at measurables for prospects like Lucas, whose height is almost hard to believe, I usually take the players listed height with a grain of salt, often erring on the lower side. However, Lucas looked every bit of his purported 6’9” frame, standing head and shoulders above the other Wildcat linemen and doing a good job of keeping Wolverines DE Frank Clark away from QB Jake Waters. Height can be hindrance for lineman as it allows the opposing player to get under their pads easier, but Lucas certainly has the length that you look for in a tackle prospect.
There’s still more Gronk brothers:
And you thought three was a lot. The redshirt freshman isn’t a huge cog in the K-State offense yet, but Glenn Gronkowski certainly has the potential to live up to the lofty expectations of the family name. He doesn’t have the size or ability of Rob, but like Chris and Dan, he should find a role in the NFL in a few years. Glenn had a big reception in the second quarter, hauling Waters’ pass for 46 yards.
The Wildcats saved their best for last:
QB Jake Waters and WR Tyler Lockett both had their best games of the season on Saturday night. The two juniors hooked up for three touchdowns during the first half which essentially sealed the game for KSU. With Michigan playing soft zone per usual, Lockett was able to take advantage of the space and haul in ten passes. A smaller receiver, Lockett is a very good punt returner and is a very shifty runner who can separate from DBs whether they’re playing man or zone. With a big bowl performance, Lockett has set himself up for draft consideration going into his senior season.
Michigan still has no run game:
Michigan has only had one tailback since Mike Hart in 2007 to compile a 1,000 rushing yard season. And that tailback was Fitz Toussaint who carried twice for two yards and a score on Saturday night. Toussaint, a senior playing in his final game, only once eclipsed the century mark during the season. While the Wolverines have enjoyed a nice string of mobile QBs, the running backs have been essentially phased out of the offense. As a team the Wolverines ran the ball only 15 times, a number of which were end-arounds and play fakes to receivers. Again, the team’s leading rusher was QB Shane Morris who mustered only three yards outside of one long 40-yard run. One point of concern is that 5-star freshman Derrick Green had only one carry.
Sun Devil Stadium is impressive…sort of:
It’s unfair to expect much from a 50-year-old college stadium, so I’m not going to out of my way to knock it. What is great about the stadium is its location. Located in between two desert buttes, the stadium is basically wedged into the side of a mountain, making for an imposing sight approaching it. If you’re ever in Tempe at night and there’s an event at the stadium, drive by on the AZ-202. It’s an amazing sight.
K-State fans had the better presence:
While it seemed my vantage point that Michigan fans outnumbered the Kansas State fans, the latter definitely made themselves heard better. Even during pre-game ceremonies, the K-State side of the stadium consistently made more noise than the Michigan side. In other words, Wolverines fans lived up to their reputation as one of the more reserved fan bases in college football. In fact, the loudest fans I came across on the Michigan side were sauced Wildcat fans who had seats on the opposing side.
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