The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
Wednesday, April 15, 2009 -5A
PITCHERS' DUE
Jim Abbott, one of the greatest pitchers in Michigan baseball history, will return to Ann Arbor Saturday afternoon to have his No. 31 retired.
On Friday night, senior Chris Fetter could pass him on the Wolverines' all-time wins list. Which one is the better collegiate hurler?
SAM WOLSON/Daily
Redshirt freshman Roy Roundtree caught two touchdowns in the spring game.
Roundtree
can finally
see clearly
Now equipped passes and screens out of the slot
position. If Roundtree can com-
with contact lenses, plement Odoms as a deep threat,
it will add a new dimension to the
redshirt freshman Wolverine offensive - and give
opposing defenses matchup prob-
impresses lems.
Roundtree caught three pass-
By ANDY REID es total in the scrimmage - all
Daily Sports Editor from the slot - including another
touchdown from Forcier, a quick
There's a tried-and-true rule slant to the middle of the field.
for wide receivers: if you can get a "He told me last night that he
hand on the ball, you should catch really wanted to come off strong
it. No excuses. today," said sophomore Michael
But in the first few spring prac- Shaw, who was Roundtree's
tires this season, Michigan red- teammate at Trotwood-Madison
shirt freshman Roy Roundtree High School, after the spring
was a rare exception. Roundtree game. "I told him, 'You can do
was dropping catchable passes, it, we've been doing it since first
and Michigan coach Rich Rodri- grade.' For him to come out and
guez soon noticed the source of play the way he did, it didn't sur-
the problem for the 20-year-old prise me, but at the same time,
wideout. it's like, 'You're finally doing it.'
"When we'd look at him, he'd Hats off to him."
squint at you," Rodriguez said. As Roundtree continues to turn
"That's the first sign that you heads, the slot could become one
ought to get your eyes checked. of the most hotly contested posi-
After he got his eyes checked, the tions heading into the fall. Odoms
doctor said he didn't know how he was the team's leading receiver
was walking a straight line." last season, and Roundtree has
The Trotwood, Ohio native emerged as a viable option. Red-
wore glasses off the field in high shirt sophomore Terrance Rob-
school, but the lack of eyewear inson, who sat out last year with a
in games didn't knee injury, and
affect him too talented incom-
much. He caught all ing freshman
165 catches for "Now I read all Jeremy Gallon
2,637 yards will ensure the
and 28 touch- these books, Wolverines will
downs in high be deep at the
school, includ- and it killed position.
ing 85 grabs for It's possible
1,238 yards and my eyes. Roundtree will
13 scores as a move back to
senior. the outside,
Then came where he was
the added coursework and read- listed last year. The flanker posi-
ing assignments when he started tion is usually reserved for bigger,
college classes. more physical players, like senior
"(My eyesight) wasn't that bad Greg Mathews. But Roundtree,
when I got here," Roundtree said. listed at just 6-foot, 175 pounds,
"Now I read all these books, and it never found his rhythm on the
killed my eyes." outside, and he was redshirted
With Roundtree struggling to to give him more time to develop
locate the football mid-route, it his skills.
was nearly impossible for him to Rodriguez believes Roundtree
be an effective receiver. has the tools to be an inside and
"We got him some contact lens- outside threat, saying the receiver
es real quick," Rodriguez said. will learn both positions for the
Not quickly enough. fall. But on Saturday, Roundtree
"I had to wait for them to get was happy to be back at the slot,
in," Roundtree said. "Coach Rod his position in high school.
was like, 'Roundtree! When are "Coming in now, back in slot
you going to get your contacts?' I again, I'm used it," he said. "I like
was like, 'You've got to schedule slot more, because there's oppor-
them for me.'" tunities. Like a linebacker, I'm
The contact lenses arrived in small, but I've got heart - like a
time for Saturday's spring game, linebacker can show you he's got
and they made quite a difference. heart."
Roundtree turned in one of the Regardless of where Roundtree
most impressive offensive perfor- ends up next season, his play on
mances. Saturday has Michigan football
Midway through the scrim- fans optimistic for the receiving
mage, Roundtree - playing in corps, which was much-maligned
the slot - juked to the inside and last season.
slipped past redshirt sophomore And especially after last year's
safety Jared Van Slyke. Early- position change and eventual red-
5 enrollee Tate Forcier rolled out of shirt, he just has to take opportu-
the pocket and found Roundtree nities as they come to him.
all alone for a 50-yard bomb. "When I'm on the sideline, I'll
The play didn't come against hype the defense up, hype the
the first-team defense, but it was offense up," Roundtree said. "I'm
noteworthy nonetheless. Last just going to play my role. If I get
season, small, speedy players like the opportunity to play a long
Martavious Odoms caught short time, hey, I'm gonna take that."
PHOTO/Dai
.AH/Daily
Former Michigan pitcher Jim Abbott.
Senior pitcher Chris Fetter.
26 CAREER WINS 26
MOST WINS IN A
11 in1987SINGLESEASON 1 in 2008
3.04 CAREER ERA 2.92
Golden Spikes Award Winner (1987) Second-loam All-American (200B)
OSecmpictGoldAMedalirtcan9(20i)
gTepn Athletefda i (1988)) AWARDS/ACCOLADES Golden Spikes Watch List (2009)
College Hall of Fame Inductee (2007) All-Big Ten Conference first team (2006, 08)