The latest edition of Inside the Fort brings you everything we're hearing out of the Michigan Wolverines' football practices as they head to Minnesota to clash with P.J. Fleck's Gophers.
Redshirt sophomore quarterback Joe Milton has been one of the top team leaders, per our sources at practice, and several skill position youngsters — including a pair of freshmen in Blake Corum and Roman Wilson — have been shining and will likely be making a big impact sooner rather than later.
We also have updates on Oak Park (Mich.) High four-star defensive tackle and heavy Michigan target Rayshaun Benny inside, and why the postponement of his collegiate announcement this weekend didn't necessarily come as a surprise after speaking to him last Friday.
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Starting with football heading into a critical, Big Ten opener at Minnesota …
Michigan is currently a three-point favorite across the board, a 4.5-point swing from the opening line of Minnesota -1.5. Much of the betting started when rumors swirled that several Gophers might miss this game, including a couple big ones.
We spoke with Sean Williams of The Gopher Report this week to get a better understanding of which contributors Minnesota might be missing on Saturday night, and he confirmed there are a few key players he doesn’t expect to play.
“Been a lot of rumors swirling around both [redshirt sophomore right guard Curtis Dunlap and junior right tackle Daniel Faalele],” he said. “Nothing has been confirmed, but I wouldn't expect either of them to play. Considering the comments at [Golden Gopher head coach P.J.] Fleck's presser on Monday, there is a strong likelihood others could be out on Saturday whether it's injuries, COVID positives, or opt-outs. Minnesota hasn't released a depth chart yet, so Fleck isn't showing his hand just yet.
”Some have credited Minnesota’s 11-2 season last year as a result of a soft schedule, expecting the program to perhaps return to reality in 2020. We asked Williams whether or not Fleck is preparing his Golden Gophers to view themselves as the clear favorite, or if he’s playing the underdog role and prepping his team to come out with a chip on its shoulder.
“My prediction for Minnesota when the Big Ten season was resurrected was 6-2 heading into championship week,” Williams recalled. “When I see an official depth chart, that prediction may be lower. They were successful in knocking off Penn State last season, so this is another chance for them to knock off a blue blood Big Ten program. They know this rivalry has been one-sided for a long time, but Fleck and the players are confident they have a talented team that will match up well with Michigan."
Those close to the Michigan kids, meanwhile, really like this team. They’re nervously excited, of course, about redshirt sophomore Joe Milton in his first start — “he’s been great … great … in practice, but you don’t know anything until it’s live” — but the team has gravitated to him. He’s been a great leader.
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