SanDiegoRon
09-20-2006, 02:03 PM
It’s a Big Ten weekend… cuz no other matchups are worth a damn… although there is another CALVIN opportunity tomorrow night :D (9/21 Virginia @ Georgia Tech 4:30 pm PST ESPN)…
Sat. 9/23/2006 - (31) Wisconsin (3-0, 83/24) @ (6) Michigan (3-0, 115/45) - 9:00 am PST ESPN - Yep, this ones always a war, and the last five games between the two have been decided by seven points or fewer... last year the Badgers beat the Wolverines in a classic 23-20 battle in Madison... however, a win in Ann Arbor would seem unlikely given Michigan’s total domination of ND last week…
Wisconsin –
The new starting receivers could be among UW's fastest ever, there is a good crop of pounding running backs and the line should be better with three legitimate All-Big Ten candidates returning... they are a tad green on the D-line, but have some speed at OLB and CB, and a couple of All-Big Ten caliber players at safety and ILB…
Offensively, QB John Stocco is still trying to get in sync with his WRs, and he has not lit up the competition with only 3 TD’s in 3 games... they really need him to be “the guy” this week, and we’ll see if he’s capable of it… RB PJ Hill has been solid, averaging 100 yrds over 3 games with 5 TD’s, running behind that big O-line, but Michigan’s front 7 is a tad better than what they’ve played against to date… Defensively, they are playing like a Big Ten team and their strength is in the middle of the field… Mark Zalewski is a Big Ten ILB and SS Joe Stellmacher (named preseason All-Big 10) and FS Roderick Rogers have been making (perhaps too) many of the plays…
So why this game… a matchup of future pros in Wisconsin OT Joe Thomas and Michigan DE LaMarr Woodley... this should be quite a battle... Is Thomas’ knee healed sufficiently to handle Woodleys’ speed off the edge…
http://i.a.cnn.net./si/multimedia/photo_gallery/0608/gallery.cfb.big10/images/thomas.jpghttp://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/sp/getty/ae/full.getty-71831972cc017_michigan_wolv_6_27_04_pm.jpg
Joe Thomas, LOT, 6-8 303 4.90 1, Wisconsin – the #1 rated OT by Scout.com and #5 overall OL by Scouts Inc, he thought about entering last years draft but tore an ACL in the Capital One Bowl (playing DE)... he combines long arms with brute strength, agility and speed (a 4.85 in the 40) to position himself as the top OT and Top 10 pick… he was projected by many to be the second tackle taken in the 06 NFL Draft behind Virginia's D'Brickashaw Ferguson… a former DE & TE, he has the athleticism and consistency teams are looking for in a first-round tackle… he excels in blocking for the run… has started 28 consecutive games…
The “I saw him first” award goes to: Kraig Urbik, Soph., ROG/ROT, 6-6 326, Wisconsin – In 05, Second-team Freshman All-American according to The Sporting News and Rivals.com ... started all 13 games at right tackle, and now will move to right guard... He's a technically sound blocker who'll likely grow into a top pro prospect after getting a little experience on the inside...
Mark Zalewski, ILB, 6-2 232, Wisconsin – In 05, 83 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 12.5 TFL… he has played in 38 games, including 25 starts… one of the team's best tacklers over the last two seasons with 138 stops… he's able to play either on the strongside or in the middle... he makes the calls as the leader of the defense… he’s on pace to reach 100 tackles this season, his second year in the middle… he’s currently tied for the team lead in tackles (25), with 2.5 TFL, 2 sacks, 1 INT and 1 PBU… he’s everywhere and is expected to be named All-Big Ten because of his phenomenal range…
Joe Stellmacher, SS, 6-1 218, Wisconsin – ranked preseason #10 SS in the nation by The Sporting News, he’s a veteran leader on defense who has 29 games played and 11 starts to his credit... in 05, received Honorable mention All-Big Ten... played in 12 games (10 starts) at SS and finished second on the team with 90 tackles… he is the playmaker in the secondary, and currently is tied with Zalewski for the team lead in tackles with 25…
Michigan – See 9/16/2006 Draft Preview…
Boy, did they make a very loud statement in the national title hunt by embarrassing ND… winning the Big Ten may end up being the equivalent of the National Title (and yes, they do play Ohio State on 11/18)… Michigan now has the nation's #1 run defense and is living in the oppositions backfield with 12 sacks and 24 TFL… it’s gonna be a long day for Stocco & Hill…
http://i.a.cnn.net./si/multimedia/photo_gallery/0609/gallery.cfb.michiganvnd/images/016061914.jpg
Michigan has finally found a true number #1 WR in Mario Manningham, who was named Big Ten Player of the Week for his effort against ND (4/137 yards and 3 TDs)...
Sat. 9/23/2006 - (31) Wisconsin (3-0, 83/24) @ (6) Michigan (3-0, 115/45) - 9:00 am PST ESPN - Yep, this ones always a war, and the last five games between the two have been decided by seven points or fewer... last year the Badgers beat the Wolverines in a classic 23-20 battle in Madison... however, a win in Ann Arbor would seem unlikely given Michigan’s total domination of ND last week…
Wisconsin –
The new starting receivers could be among UW's fastest ever, there is a good crop of pounding running backs and the line should be better with three legitimate All-Big Ten candidates returning... they are a tad green on the D-line, but have some speed at OLB and CB, and a couple of All-Big Ten caliber players at safety and ILB…
Offensively, QB John Stocco is still trying to get in sync with his WRs, and he has not lit up the competition with only 3 TD’s in 3 games... they really need him to be “the guy” this week, and we’ll see if he’s capable of it… RB PJ Hill has been solid, averaging 100 yrds over 3 games with 5 TD’s, running behind that big O-line, but Michigan’s front 7 is a tad better than what they’ve played against to date… Defensively, they are playing like a Big Ten team and their strength is in the middle of the field… Mark Zalewski is a Big Ten ILB and SS Joe Stellmacher (named preseason All-Big 10) and FS Roderick Rogers have been making (perhaps too) many of the plays…
So why this game… a matchup of future pros in Wisconsin OT Joe Thomas and Michigan DE LaMarr Woodley... this should be quite a battle... Is Thomas’ knee healed sufficiently to handle Woodleys’ speed off the edge…
http://i.a.cnn.net./si/multimedia/photo_gallery/0608/gallery.cfb.big10/images/thomas.jpghttp://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/sp/getty/ae/full.getty-71831972cc017_michigan_wolv_6_27_04_pm.jpg
Joe Thomas, LOT, 6-8 303 4.90 1, Wisconsin – the #1 rated OT by Scout.com and #5 overall OL by Scouts Inc, he thought about entering last years draft but tore an ACL in the Capital One Bowl (playing DE)... he combines long arms with brute strength, agility and speed (a 4.85 in the 40) to position himself as the top OT and Top 10 pick… he was projected by many to be the second tackle taken in the 06 NFL Draft behind Virginia's D'Brickashaw Ferguson… a former DE & TE, he has the athleticism and consistency teams are looking for in a first-round tackle… he excels in blocking for the run… has started 28 consecutive games…
The “I saw him first” award goes to: Kraig Urbik, Soph., ROG/ROT, 6-6 326, Wisconsin – In 05, Second-team Freshman All-American according to The Sporting News and Rivals.com ... started all 13 games at right tackle, and now will move to right guard... He's a technically sound blocker who'll likely grow into a top pro prospect after getting a little experience on the inside...
Mark Zalewski, ILB, 6-2 232, Wisconsin – In 05, 83 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 12.5 TFL… he has played in 38 games, including 25 starts… one of the team's best tacklers over the last two seasons with 138 stops… he's able to play either on the strongside or in the middle... he makes the calls as the leader of the defense… he’s on pace to reach 100 tackles this season, his second year in the middle… he’s currently tied for the team lead in tackles (25), with 2.5 TFL, 2 sacks, 1 INT and 1 PBU… he’s everywhere and is expected to be named All-Big Ten because of his phenomenal range…
Joe Stellmacher, SS, 6-1 218, Wisconsin – ranked preseason #10 SS in the nation by The Sporting News, he’s a veteran leader on defense who has 29 games played and 11 starts to his credit... in 05, received Honorable mention All-Big Ten... played in 12 games (10 starts) at SS and finished second on the team with 90 tackles… he is the playmaker in the secondary, and currently is tied with Zalewski for the team lead in tackles with 25…
Michigan – See 9/16/2006 Draft Preview…
Boy, did they make a very loud statement in the national title hunt by embarrassing ND… winning the Big Ten may end up being the equivalent of the National Title (and yes, they do play Ohio State on 11/18)… Michigan now has the nation's #1 run defense and is living in the oppositions backfield with 12 sacks and 24 TFL… it’s gonna be a long day for Stocco & Hill…
http://i.a.cnn.net./si/multimedia/photo_gallery/0609/gallery.cfb.michiganvnd/images/016061914.jpg
Michigan has finally found a true number #1 WR in Mario Manningham, who was named Big Ten Player of the Week for his effort against ND (4/137 yards and 3 TDs)...