V w U w w w i Come high noon on Yom Kippur, the light will be brilliant, the the donuts glazed, the football leather. With worn laces. 0, how the mighty beast of Michigan football doth plow through the unworthy opponent. An easy fast to all. Everett Cook, Zach Helfand, Matt Slovin and Liz Vukelich. TABLE OF CONTENTS Believe it or not, Taylor Lewan actually used to be little. Find out how he went from high school transfer to star. Who has the edge in this one? Just kid- ding, it's Michigan. Still, see how the Zips stack up in this week's breakdown. One day, when you're old and all that's lefttare the memories, you'll be telling generations to come about the game they called "The Glazed Donut Game." Here's the preview. Cover illustration by Tanaz Ahmed 2013 Schedule Central Michigan (Aug. 31): Michigan beat the Indiana (Oct.19): Long Island Bowl 2013. Win- Chippewas by their largest opening-day margin ner drinks from the keg of glory and gets all the - since 1905. bagels and muffins in the land. 0 Lewan: nasty since the beginning Notre Dame (Sept. 7): Eminem is still in the ESPN booth, wondering where he is and where all the people went. j Akron (Sept.14): Unfortunately, Akron is chick- ening out of this great rivairy after this year' game. Connecticut (Sept. 21): No really. this games going to be played in Connecticut. Serious y. ka Not lying. Minnesota (Oct. 5): Jerry Kill kind of looks like a walrus. Happy homecoming! Penn State (Oct.12): Happy Valley at night usu- ally isn't so happy for opponents. Kickoff is at 5 p.m. Michigan State (Nov. 2): Michigan State's defense is really good. Michigan State's offense s really not. Nebraska (Nov. 9): The problem with.Nebraska fans is they're much too nice to hate. Unless, of course, the 'Huskers win again this year. Northwestern (Nov.16): Nice kitty. Iowa (Nov. 23): Vodka Sam! Ohio State (Nov. 30): The Game is past its peak -- the rapper, that is. FOLLOW US ON TWITTER: @MICHIGANDAILY IT'S GOOD FOR YOUR SOUL STAFF PICKS The Daily football writers pick against the spread to predict scores for the Top 25 and Big Ten in the 2013 football season. Zach Helfand Eve Ca No.l Alabaa-S) atNo.6 TexasA&M No.20Orogont(-28)v. Tennessee No.4 OhioStat -16) atCaifornia No. 5 Saord (-29)aArmy Nio. 7 Louisvile t-14.5)olat Kentuky No.81LSUt-37) vs Kt St. No. 10FloridSat -34)v. Nevada No. 11 Mihignt-37)vs. Akron No 12Okilahomea t-47) vs. Lamar No. 13Souhiaonao04) v. Vanderbilt No. 14Oklahoma-24.5) vs. Tulsa No.16 UCLAt(+4.5)at No. 23Nebraska No.174orthwesern (-30.)vs. WesternMichigan No. 19Washngon(-10)1aIinisii No 20 Wisonosin (+6)at Arizona State No. 21 NoroDamio(-21) atPuraue No. 24TCU (-3)atTexas.Tech No. 25 Mississippi (+2.5) at Texas Iiana 0) s. Bowling Green Minnesolta -24) vs. Western lliois Michgan State (25.5)v. oun~gstown St. Iowa(-2.5) atIoowaState Die Sate -5) vs CeraFlorida Overal Oregon Ohio State Army LSU Nevada Michigan Lamar Oklahoma UcLA Northweostern Washington Notre Dame Mississippi Indiana Minnesota YoungstownS t. Iowa State PennState 36-19 !rett Kok Texas A&M Oregon OhioState Stanford . Louisville LSU Nevada Michigan Lamar vanderblt Oklahoma UCLA Northwestern lltinois ArizonaState Notre Dame TcU Mississippi Indiana Minnesota YoungstownSt. Iowa Sate PennState 34-21 Matt Slovin By LIZ VUKELICH Daily Sports Editor SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - When Charlie Ragle first saw the block, he wasn't quite sure what he had in store. The big offensive line- man was on his team now. The best way Scottsdale Chaparral High School's former head football coach knows how to describe the scene is by comparing it to the 2009 film, "The Blind Side." In it, offensive line- man Michael Oher gets so aggressive during a high- school football gameethat - the way down and off the field before pushing him backward over a fence after the play is over. The only difference was that Ragle was living this scene in person, watch- ing then-17-year-old Taylor Lewan block a defensive end about 50 yards down the field. "It looked like the kid was wearing roller skates," Fifth-y Ragle said. tell th The whistle blew, the play "Th was over and the referee (Lewa was adamant about putting "He's a stop to any more aggres- young siveness from Lewan. He whaty threw a flag for excessive player blocking on Lewan's part, but as Ragle recalls, it was *** for "basically beinga bully." Ragle told the referee that The was the dumbest call he had Lewan ever heard in his coaching been b career. But that was nothing firstp compared. to Lewan's out- the pa rage; he just wouldn't let it defens go, as Ragle recalls. on th "How much are they necess paying you?" Lewan yelled But to the referee as he nod- new s ded toward the opponent's game1 bench. only 1 The referee threw down few m his flag again in frustration, ferred and Ragle did his best to senior try and curb his emotional (Ariz. tackle. High; "Get your ass back down utes a' the field," Ragle yelled back Rag at Lewan, in a last-ditch Lewan effort to avoid any more arralI penalties. The t' It wasn't funny at the and h time, but enough time has office1 passed that Ragle can now the fi OhioaState Florida Stat Vaanioohit Oklahoma Wiscon-9-M NotreoDana Mihigan State Iowa8 Liz Vukelich Alabama Oregon OhioState Stanford Louisville Kent State rdia State Michigan Okah~oma State Soutah Carolinoa Tulsa Nebraska Western Michigan Washington ArizonaState Notre Dame TexasTech Texas BowlingGreen Minesota Youngstown St. lowa State Penn-State 34-21 Lloyd Brady, / Michigan legend Alabama Oregon OhioState Stanford Louisville LSU rioaState N amar oxth Caroa Okahoma UCLA inneMichigan Wasngton s. Awa st.te Notnaeoo Texas Tech, Miisissippi Indiana Youngstown St. Iowa 5t. Perm Sate o story with a laugh. at's what makes an) great," he said. emotional. He was a kid then, but that's you want to see in your s." funny thing is, n never should have ilocking that kid in the place - he. had spent at three years playing sive end, only dabbling e offensive line when sary. it was a new school, a tart. By the time that took place, Ragle had known Lewan for a onths - Lewan trans- to Chaparral for his year from Cave Creek ) Cactus Shadows School, about 30 min- way. le says he remembers n's first day at Chap- like it was yesterday. wo of them sat down ad a chat in Ragle's before heading out to eld for practice. The ERI fear senior offensive tackle Taylor Lewan played on the defensive side of the bail for three years in high school before switching to offense. Needless to say, coaches had set up several Ragle said. standard agility drills for Humenuik taught Lewan Lewan before having him the fundamentals of the run a few 40-yard dashes. offensive line, but there was "I looked at our offensive still something he needed to coordinator, and I just said, work on: his tenacity. Ragle 'This kid is going to be spe- wasn't too concerned - the cial,' " Ragle said. "To run coach says the two share the. and be as athletic as he was? same kind of hyper-aggres- Those kids don't just grow siveness. There were still on trees." the occasional flare-ups on Lewan's switch to offen- the field, but at the end of sive lineman had as much to the day, there was nothing do with how he impressed overly worrisome. Ragle with his athleticism "If you're designing an during those intial drills as offensive lineman, you it did with Chaparral's new know Taylor Lewan's the offensive line coach Rod model, from a physical Humenuik. Humenuik had standpoint, to a tenacity recently retired after 20 standpoint and aggressive, years as an offensive line but when he steps off that coach in the NFL. Ragle is field, (he's a) very gregari- convinced that the timing ous and fun-loving guy that of Humenuik's arrival has you enjoy to be around," everything to do with the Ragle said. "He came and he switch. was eager to learn. He was "The amount of experi- hungry, and he didn't come ence Taylor got in his first in with no pretentiousness year as an offensive line- or an attitude like he had all man from his old line coach the answers." was something that kids play their whole high school *** careers and some of their college careers and don't Ragle is now in his sec- get that kind of experience," ond year as the tight end and special teams coach thingto do. for the University of Ari- Ragle, of course, support-om zona, working under former ed that choice but is pretty Michigan head coach Rich sure it could have gone Rodriguez. In fact, part of either way. the reason for Ragle's cur- "I think you can make a rent position is the rela- case in this profession for tionship he formed with Taylor that either decision Rodriguez when he was would have been the right recruiting Lewan and for- decision," he said. "Every- mer Michigan defensive end one knew he was a good Craig Roh out of Chaparral player last year, but the bar in 2008. has risen. (For) some people, Like any coach, he keeps the expectations are even in contact with all his for- higher for him this year just mer players. Lewan. is no because of who he is. exception. With as much "But with that being said, attention as Lewan has there isn't a greater guy that received under the Michi- I would want to meet that gan limelight, it's kind of challenge than Taylor." hard for Ragle not to keep tabs on him. Ragle says the *** two usually speak before the beginning of the foot- In the past few seasons, ball season, and they even Lewan has been increasing- had a discussion as Lewan ly responsible on the field. was deciding between stay- He's a captain now, so he ing at Michigan for his fifth has to be more accountable. year or leaving for the NFL But occasionally, he stiles Draft. draws a penalty. When Lewan announced And when he does, there his decision to stay at Mich- are still glimpses of the igan last January, he was smaller, 17-year-old Lewan very adamant that remain- visiblewithinthe315-pound ing a Wolverine was the best frame of the All American. TheMichiganDaily - www.michigandaily.com13 2 1 FootballSaturday - September 13, 2013