The Michigan Daily
3E
s
BEN SIMON/Dail
' 'Freshman Ryan
Mallett looks to
follow in Chad
Henne's footsteps
as Michigan's
qarterack.
FOOTBALL
INCOMING............
Ryan Mallett, the crown jewel of the
Wolverines' incoming football recruiting class and one of the Maize
and Blue's most hyped recruits in recent memory, might get a free
pass when it comes to freshman initiation this fall. That's because
the five-star quarterback joined the team this winter after graduating
high school a semester early.
The Texas native went through winter conditioning with the
current team and also participated in the team's 15-practice spring
session as well as the traditional spring game at the Big House. His
6-foot-6 frame and rocket arm already have diehard fans drooling at
the prospect of having another star quarterback ready to step in when
Chad Henne graduates after his senior year.
The other five-star player that Michigan reeled in for the recruit-
ing class of 2007 was cornerback Donovan Warren. The California
native will hope to help fill the gap left by another Californian - All-
American cornerback Leon Hall graduated and was drafted in the
first round of last year's NFL Draft.
Though Warren could be starting in the Wolverine defensive back-
field by the middle of his freshman season, it was another freshman
who appeared to be Michigan's key cornerback recruit for much of
last year's recruiting season. Muskegon's Ronald Johnson, widely
thought of as the nation's top cornerback prospect, seemed toube lean-
ing toward the Wolverines for most of his senior year of high school
before eventually choosing to play his college ball at Southern Cal.
Warren was widely considered to be leaning toward the Trojans for
most of his recruitment, making it essentially a five-star recruitswap
by the two teams that battled in lastcyear's Rose Bowl.
But two men can't make or break a class, and there are 18 other new
Wolverines joining the team this fall. Whether it's a quartet of quality
wide receivers hoping todmake an immediate impact at a not-so-deep
position (Toney Clemons and Junior Hemingway seem like the early
candidates to break out of that pack), three other early-enrollees who
joined Mallett in Ann Arbor last January (linebacker Austin Panter,
- safety Artis Chambersand fullback Vince Helmuth)or another Cali-
fornia kid hoping that Donovan Warren isn't the only Golden Stater
ready to make a difference in the secondary (four-star defensive back
Michael Williams), there are about four handfuls of freshmen hop-
ing to not only find a way into the starting lineup, but also into fans'
hearts.
SCOTT BELL
................................ .. O U TG O IN G
The dominant Michigan defense was
heavily depleted following last season.
Gone are the two best defensive ends (LaMarr Woodley and Rondell
Biggs), the best defensive tackle (Alan Branch), the best outside line-
backer (Prescott Burgess), the best middle linebacker (David Harris)
and the best cornerback (Leon Hall) on the team.
There are fewer losses on the other side of the ball, but the depar-
tures of offensive linemanRueben Riley and Mark Bih, wide receiver
Steve Breaston, fullback Obi Oluigbo and tight ends Tyler Ecker and
Carson Butler (who was kicked off the team in March after being
charged with assault) still leave a few holes to be filled.
Breaston will also be missed on special teams, where he's the Big
Ten all-time leader in punt-return yardage. Kicker Garrett Rivas also
graduated. Though often criticized by the Wolverine faithful, Rivas
left as Michigan's all-time leading scorer after making 17-of-20 field
goals lastcyear on the way to first-team All-BigTenhonors.
DAN FELDMAN
ICE HOCKE
INS AND LOSSES
A lot of why Michigan's athletic programs shine is the athletes
themselves. Here you'll catch a glipse of some big comings and
goings for prominent Wolverine teams. Daily sports writers
share their take on how these changes will affect the teams.
ly
GHAMAN/al
Freshman
Corperryale
"Manny" Har-
risawil arrive on
s campus looking
to help Michi
gan's basketball
team.
MEN'S BASKETBALL
BEN SIMON/Daily
Senior T.J. Hensick's leadership and skills will be missed on the Michigan
hockey team.
INCOMING...................... .
With a large class of departing players comes an equally large class of incoming freshmen for Mich-
igan hockey. Just two of the top six defensemen and three of the top six forwards from last year will
return, which provides plenty of opportunity for the team's 10 incoming freshmen to display their talents.
Talent is not lacking in this group of icers - six of them were selected in the NHL draft.
Incoming forward Max Pacioretty, who was selected by the Montreal Canadians in the first round of the NHL draft, earned
United States Hockey League Rookie of the Year honors last year.
Incoming freshman and Livonia native Aaron Palushaj was selected by St. Louis in the second round. He displayed a knack for
scoring goals in the USHL and should be able to contribute on the power play this season.
Coming out of the same high school as Andrew Cogliano (St. Michael's College School, Ontario) is freshman Louie Caporusso.
Assistant coach Billy Powers told the athletic department that Caporusso has many of the offensive skills that Cogliano displayed
during his time at Michigan. Powers also said that incoming forward Ben Winnett should contribute from his first day with the
team.
The team also welcomes Swedish goal-scorer Carl Hagelin and Matt Rust, who Powers described as a "shutdown centerman."
On the defensive end, help will come in the form of Tristin Llewellyn, Kevin Quick and Chad Langlais. With the departures of
Jack Johnson, Matt Hunwick, Jason Dest and Tim Cook, there should be plenty of playing time for these young players.
After last season's 8-5 loss to North Dakota in the NCAA Tournament, Michigan coach Red Berenson raised the possibility of
using multiple goalies this year. Incoming goalie Bryan Hogan should play into that equation.
IAN ROBINSON
.. . . ................................................................................. O U TG OIN G
A Hobey Baker award finalist, three All-Americans, six NHL draft picks, all three captains. Any
way you put it, the Michigan hockey team has quite a void to fill with the departure of nine players from last year's squad - includ-
ing sophomores Jack Johnson and Andrew Cogliano.
Departing forward T.J. Hensick led the nation in scoring last season and was the program's most prolific scorers in nearly a
decade. Johnson was already playing for the NHL's Los Angeles Kings within a week of the team's first-round exit from the NCAA
Tournament. His defensive partner, captain Matt Hunwick, was named the CCHA's best defensive defenseman.
The team will also miss Cogliano's play-making ability and blazing speed, which put him in the top 10 nationally in scoring, will
be missed. Underrated power forward David Rohlfs, who was overshadowed by his linemates Hensick and Kevin Porter will not be
around to display his grit and determination,
Finally, blue-line leaders Tim Cook and Jason Dest will also leave a void on the defensive end and in the locker room.
IAN ROBINSON