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TheWolverine.com Hot 11
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| align="center" bgcolor="#c0c0c0">Rank | align="center" bgcolor="#c0c0c0">
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Player | align="center" bgcolor="#c0c0c0">
The Analysis | align="center" bgcolor="#c0c0c0">Last
Rank
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1
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| face="verdana">Denard Robinson,
QB
| style="font-family: verdana;">Robinson
fell three yards shy of his sixth career 400-yard game,
totaling 397 yards of offense, including 291 through the
air, and has now accounted for 82.3 percent of the
Wolverines' total offensive production this year. Up next
for Robinson is Notre Dame, a team he has torched to the
tune of 948 yards and eight touchdowns in two previous
meetings.
| style="font-family: verdana;">1
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2
| face="verdana">
| face="verdana">Devin Gardner,
WR
| style="font-family: verdana;">Gardner has now hauled in
three touchdowns this season, ranking him second all time
behind tight end Mark Schmerge (60.0 percent) for career
receptions that have gone for scores (Gardner is at 33.3
percent). He also continues to prove a big-play threat,
going 42 yards on one snag to give him three catches of 20
yards or more this year.
| style="font-family: verdana;">3
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3
| face="verdana">
| face="verdana">Devin Funchessface="verdana">,
TE
| face="verdana">The rookie opened the scoring for the Maize
and Blue with a 26-yard TD reception and added to his
early 2012 haul with an eight-yard first-down grab. The
freshman end now has six grabs for 140 yards and two
scores and could very well threaten the tight end
single-season yardage record of 662 yards (Jim Mandich,
1969).
| 2
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4
| face="verdana">
| face="verdana">Drew Dileo,
WR
| style="font-family: verdana;">style="font-family: verdana;">The junior hasn't generated
as much pub this season as some of his receiver teammates,
but he had an outstanding game Saturday and looks like a
dependable target for Robinson. Dileo had three receptions
for 91 yards, including a 66-yard catch and run that set
up the Maize and Blue's third touchdown of the day. face="verdana"> | style="font-family: verdana;">NR
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5
| face="verdana">
| style="font-family: verdana;">Fitzgerald Toussaintface="verdana">,
RB
| style="font-family: verdana;">It
wasn't exactly an overwhelming performance, but Toussaint
finished with 85 yards rushing and a touchdown -- his best
Superman impression -- on 15 carries (5.7 yards per rush),
and added a 17-yard reception on a screen pass. Toussaint
is still looking to hit his stride but could be a key
complement to Robinson this weekend against Notre Dame.
| style="font-family: verdana;">NR
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6
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| face="verdana">Frank Clark,
DE
| face="verdana">The defense only allowed six points (UMass
scored 13 but its TD came off an interception), but it
wasn't a banner day. Still, there were some solid efforts,
led by the sophomore end, who continues to display the
natural instincts to be a threat in the offensive
backfield. Clark had three tackles, one for loss, and
broke up two passes, giving him three PBUs on the
year.
| style="font-family: verdana;">5
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7
| face="verdana">
| face="verdana">Jeremy
Gallon,
WR
| face="verdana">That the redshirt junior ranks as the
fourth target on today's Hot 11 isn't a slight to him but
a demonstration that U-M is building depth and finding
playmakers at the position. Gallon was solid Saturday,
tying for the team high with three receptions, good for 32
yards. He leads Michigan with eight catches after three
games.
| style="font-family: verdana;">NR
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8
| face="verdana">
| face="verdana">Jibreel Black,
DT
| face="verdana">When the coaches moved the junior inside
from end in the spring, the thought was he would utilize
his quickness to make plays from the interior of the line.
Against the Minutemen we saw that prophesy prove true,
with Black racking up a team-best two stops behind the
line of scrimmage. It may have been against an overmatched
opponent, but it provides some much-needed confidence.
| style="font-family: verdana;">NR
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9
| face="verdana">
| face="verdana">Taylor Lewan,
LT
| face="verdana">The fans, media, coaches, and even the
players themselves have been harping on the offensive line
this season, but Michigan averaged 6.8 yards per carry,
totaled six touchdowns and 294 yards on the ground. The
line deserves some credit for that, and at the very least
for doing a superb job in pass-protection this year, as
Robinson has been sacked only twice. face="verdana"> | style="font-family: verdana;">NR
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10
| face="verdana">
| face="verdana">Vincent Smith,
RB
| face="verdana">This is the Smith that can be an asset for
the Wolverines -- a do-it-all type that impacts as a
receiver and a runner. Smith had four offensive touches
Saturday, finishing with 39 yards and two scores. The
senior tailback now has 16 career touchdowns, and 39
receptions, ranking him 10th all time among U-M running
backs.
| style="font-family: verdana;">NR
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11
| face="verdana">
| face="verdana">Roy Roundtree,
WR
| face="verdana">Roundtree didn't make a grab until the
second half against the Minutemen but he proved he's not
dead yet, snaring an 18-yard touchdown pass to give him 13
in his career. Roundtree has had some big catches agaisnt
the Blue and Gold, and chances are we'll hear from him
Saturday.
| style="font-family: verdana;">NR
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