Hot, hot, hot 11: Devin Gardner's effort was weekend's best
Michael Spath
TheWolverine.com
Devin Gardner earned the No. 1 distinction earlier this year for his play at wide receiver, and now he's done it again, this time at quarterback ...
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bgcolor="#000080"> TheWolverine.com Hot 11
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face="verdana">Devin Gardner,
QB
style="font-family: verdana;">Gardner became the first backup quarterback to win a game since Nick Sheridan bested Minnesota in 2008, doing his best Denard Robinson impersonation by accounting for 255 yards of total offense and three of U-M's five touchdowns. Gardner completed 12 of 18 attempts for 234 yards and proved he's a viable reserve in 2012 and the QB favorite going into 2013.
style="font-family: verdana;">Gallon continues to make his case of a deserving No. 1 wide receiver, catching four balls for 72 yards and a touchdown Saturday. His 47-yard snag set up his own 10-yard TD reception, while he also helped in the ground game, rushing for 21 yards on two carries. Gallon now has a team-high 22 receptions for 390 yards this year.
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face="verdana">Jake Ryanface="verdana">,
LB
face="verdana">Michigan's defense held a fifth opponent this year to fewer than 300 yards of total offense in limiting the Gophers to 275. Ryan was again at the heart of that defensive performance, recording nine tackles, including three behind the line of scrimmage. His 12 tackles for loss this season now lead the Big Ten this year.
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face="verdana">Kenny Demens,
LB
style="font-family: verdana;">style="font-family: verdana;">Minnesota rushed for 128 yards but finished with only 3.4 yards per carry, as U-M held its seventh straight opponent below a 4.0-yard average. Demens was critical to that domination, recording a team-high 10 tackles, giving him double-digit stops in back-to-back games for only the second time in his career.
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style="font-family: verdana;">Drew Dileo,
WR
style="font-family: verdana;"> Dileo hauled in a 45-yard touchdown Saturday in the second quarter, sparking the Wolverines' otherwise lifeless offense at that point. One could even argue it was a bigger catch than his 20-yard haul against Michigan State two weeks ago. Dileo would finish with 69 yards on four receptions.
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face="verdana">Raymon Taylor,
CB
face="verdana">Michigan made it a point of emphasis to get physical with Gopher senior wideout MarQueis Gray, and Taylor, who plays with an aggression, did a terrific job of that, holding the Minnesotan to just three catches and 27 yards. Taylor chipped in with six tackles too.
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face="verdana">Roy Roundtree,
WR
face="verdana">The replay booth couldn't take Roundtree's catches away from him this weekend, as he proved to have definitive possession of a 47-yard reception that represented his longest snare of the season and in 13 games overall. Roundtree also had a 17-yard grab, finishing with 64 yards on two catches. face="verdana">
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face="verdana">Jordan Kovacs,
SS
face="verdana">Michigan fans had seen it before and could see the big play coming as Kovacs blitzed off the edge to produce a bone-rattling sack of Phillip Nelson, jarring the football loose. It was Kovacs' first sack this season but the sixth of his career. He had six stops overall on Saturday and helped U-M limit Minnesota to just 147 yards passing.
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face="verdana">Fitzgerald Toussaint,
RB
face="verdana">Toussaint did his best Anthony Thomas' impression busting through a hole on fourth down before sprinting untouched for a 41-yard touchdown. The gallop was the highlight of the day for a rushing attack that otherwise struggled, and for Toussaint, who finished with 70 yards on 13 carries.
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face="verdana">J.T. Floyd,
CB
face="verdana">Floyd helped Michigan lock down Minnesota' receivers, while adding six tackles. He had two pass breakups and now leads U-M with five this season, and was thisclose to a pick-six Saturday, jumping a route and getting his hands on it but ultimately unable to bring it in. It was an eerily similar play to the interception return he had a year ago at Illinois.
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face="verdana">Thomas Rawls
RB
style="font-family: verdana;">It wasn't an overwhelming effort for the rushing attack, but Rawls and Toussaint showed they can work in concert, providing a solid 1-2 punch. Rawls had 43 yards on 16 carries, and scored on a two-yard run.
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