OK, so we’ve done the bold predictions before when it comes to the 2021 season for Michigan football, but on second thought, I wasn’t particularly ‘bold’ enough.
My last 10 bold predictions were less bold and more ‘things that I think will actually happen’ this upcoming season. So with the season nearing, I decided to fully revamp my prognostications, digging a little deeper when it comes to what I think very well could happen (but of course, as it is with any bold prediction, very well might not).
With that in mind, here are my new and improved 10 bold predictions for Michigan football in the upcoming 2021 season.
List
Power Five teams that have never beaten Michigan football
Michigan has a 1,000 yard rusher
Photo: Isaiah Hole
This may be the hardest to achieve on my list, but I think it’s absolutely doable. With Mike Hart leading the charge as the new running backs coach, while I do think there will be a veritable rotation of three and I think we’ll see significant time from all three running backs — Hassan Haskins, Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards — I do think the bulk of the carries will go to one player. Reaching 1,000 yards on the season is a task, but when you break it down by 12 regular season games, it’s just 83 yards-per-game — less, of course if you count the bowl game. Heck — Karan Higdon was six yards shy of attaining said goal in 2017, and he didn’t become the feature back until halfway through the season. Of course, if the carries end up being more equitable, all bets are off, but Michigan needs another 1,000 yard back, not only to bolster the offense and passing game, but to also lure more top talent to Ann Arbor.
Aidan Hutchinson nets 10 sacks
DE Aidan Hutchinson
While this is also a tall task, I think Aidan Hutchinson has as much if not more potential of any pass rusher that Michigan’s had in some time. The last Wolverines end to net 10 sacks in a season was Taco Charlton in 2016. The next closest in recent history was Brandon Graham with 9.5 in 2009. From the SAM linebacker position, Josh Uche managed 8.5 just a few short years ago. It’s a hard number to reach, but with Hutchinson having the capability of playing inside, outside or as an outside linebacker, expect Mike Macdonald to get creative and utilize him in ways that confuse opposing offenses. I think that Hutchinson will make good on that and solidify his potential as a first-round talent.
The linebacking corps is competent
Photo: Isaiah Hole
This is easily the saddest prediction of the bunch, but given what we saw from the linebackers last year, it does feel like it’s a stretch. However, there’s a few things that Michigan has going for it here. We’ve seen Josh Ross play really well back in 2018 when he platooned at WILL linebacker with Devin Gil. We’ve seen flashes from Michael Barrett last year, and really, things fell off the rails when former DC Don Brown started incorporating zone after going straight-man for the first few games. Players like Anthony Solomon, Junior Colson and Nikhai Hill-Green should figure in prominently. Also, while I’m not really including ‘outside linebackers’ here, considering they’re still kind of defensive ends in my eyes, considering that Mike Macdonald comes to Ann Arbor having coached linebackers in Baltimore (and outside of Lamar Jackson, what are the Ravens known for?), I think the onus of his coaching will be on the position group — even though George Helow is the nominal coach of the position. Will the group look like everyone is Devin Bush-reincarnate? No, but it will look decent this year, despite my constant insistence that it’s the position I feel least comfortable with this offseason.
Whoever the starting QB is, they near the single-season record
QB Cade McNamara
The big, big caveat applies here: if they remain healthy. Most years, I’ve been predicting that John Navarre’s single-season record of having passed for 3,331 yards in a season will be eclipsed, and while it very well could be true this year, I’m merely predicting that it will be a close call. Shea Patterson in 2019 and Jake Rudock in 2015 both got relatively close, so I guess that’s my less-than-bold estimation here, as well. Michigan appears to have three competent signal callers at its disposal this year in Cade McNamara, Alan Bowman and J.J. McCarthy. If there isn’t some sort of round robin at the position this year, bowl game included, then to hit the mark it would take 256 yards-per-game. Though I think the run game will shine more this year, I do think the offense will be more pass-happy. And we know Bowman of all players can sling it — he’s thrown for 605 yards in a game and in games where he saw significant action, he’s averaged 305 yards-per-game. If it’s not Bowman, whoever beats him out should have similar prowess. Will they break the record? I’m not predicting that just yet. There still are likely to be growing pains with a new starter. But I think whoever wins the job will end up coming on strong as the season progresses.
Erick All/Mike Sainristil finally live up to their early hype
WR Mike Sainristil
All we heard coming out of spring ball in 2019 was how two true freshmen were setting the field on fire and catching everything. Then, we saw it in both the open practice and spring game. And while we’ve heard that’s how it’s been in practice every week, we haven’t seen it really happen in games. But what happens on State St. tends to translate into what happens on Main St. I think both Erick All and Mike Sainristil have the yips to some degree. They’re able to show out when there’s no one but the staff and their teammates watching, but it hasn’t translated to playing in front of fans. Now entering their third year with the program, I think both will take a major step forward and that their hands will look like glue, as advertised. Call it a hunch.
Gemon Green nets 3+ interceptions
Photo: Isaiah Hole
No player on Michigan’s roster was more improved by the season’s end than cornerback Gemon Green, who was the best player on the field — period — in the season finale against Penn State. The lights appeared to come on for him in the final two games and the taller corner is poised to have a big year. To me, he reminds me somewhat of Channing Stribling, in both body type and potential career arc, going from a player who nobody wanted to see on the field to being a shutdown corner. The latter part is still in development, but Stribling is a player who has reeled in three interceptions in a season — as have players like Ambry Thomas and LaVert Hill — so it’s not a stretch as much as it’s anticipating that the lights stay on for Green this upcoming season. Add in Steve Clinkscale, who has a solid track record with corners in his coaching tenure, and I think Green will be a pleasant surprise for Michigan fans this year.
Michigan beats one team it’s an underdog to
Photo: Isaiah Hole
While most people pay attention to Jim Harbaugh at the top, the coaching staff is almost brand new, with only two coaches returning that remain coaching the position they were overseeing — OC Josh Gattis and DL coach Shaun Nua. With Harbaugh having delegated much of his on-field duties to the staff, this is essentially a new coaching unit altogether. And considering the youthful nature of this group, I think they’ll be hungrier to get more out of the players. So throw recent history out the window when it comes to how Michigan performs against top-tier talent. Luck has often been against the Wolverines in bigger games, but with a new look both on and off the field, I think that the maize and blue take down a team that it isn’t expected to — whether that be Washington, Wisconsin, Penn State or even (though not likely) Ohio State. There are a lot of new faces and all bets are off.
Michigan loses a game it has no business losing
(Photo by Corey Perrine/Getty Images)
The above point said, I still think there will be growing pains and some teams in the Big Ten are getting better by the minute. I could see a hungry team like Rutgers, Maryland or Michigan State (again) rise up and take down the maize and blue this coming year. Not much more to say about that, call it a gut feeling.
The defense ends up being top 20 nationally
Photo: Isaiah Hole
Assuredly, people will scoff at this, noting how Michigan had the No. 84 defense in the country last year. However, to me, that’s more of an outlier given the injuries and it being a COVID year. Going back to 2011, when Brady Hoke took over, only once did Michigan finish outside of the top 20 defensively. Nearly all of the players who will play a significant role on this year’s team were around in 2019 when the Wolverines had the 11th-best defense in the country. The bigger question is how legitimate Mike Macdonald will be as the defensive coordinator, but if you’ve listened to me on the Locked On Wolverines Podcast, I’ve stated numerous times about how Don Brown’s defense (particularly in telegraphed play calls) had become so predictable that teams were running roughshod on the defensive attack. I expect that to change this year. There’s still boatloads of talent on this defensive group, even if it’s not as prevalent as other seasons. I still think it will rebound in a big way.
Daylen Baldwin is the leading receiver
Jackson State University’s Daylen Baldwin is stopped by Alabama A&M’s JaBraun McNeal during their game at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Jackson, Miss., Saturday, April 10, 2021.
While Ronnie Bell has been the leading receiver the past two seasons and Cornelius Johnson appears ready to step up and in, I think it will be transfer Daylen Baldwin who will shine the brightest in his first year in Ann Arbor. The lights turned on for the 6-foot-3 receiver last year at Jackson State as he reeled in 27 catches for 540 yards. Though he’ll now be going up against Big Ten talent, I think he’s ready for the challenge. Michigan will now have two Nico Collins-esque receivers on the outside, and early on, I think more attention will be paid to Johnson while Baldwin gets the lay of the land. And then, I think the 2020 SWAC newcomer of the year will explode. Bell and Johnson will still get their grabs, as will Roman Wilson and A.J. Henning, but I think Baldwin ends up stealing the show in his first year in Ann Arbor.
1
1