The latest edition of Inside the Fort brings you all the latest news occurring behind the scenes of the Michigan Wolverines' football and basketball programs, with this week's focus on the leaders who have emerged for next year's football team and the impending pro decision junior forward Isaiah Livers will have to make.
Some inside intel from one of the most knowledgable draft analysts in the industry on two specific Wolverine football players at the NFL combine has also been included, along with the latest updates on elite basketball targets Lakewood (Calif.) Mayfair five-star shooting guard Josh Christopher and Austin (Tex.) Vandegrift five-star small forward Greg Brown.
Here is a sample of what's inside:
The latest edition of INSIDE THE FORT, including much of what we've picked up behind the scenes on football, basketball and recruiting in the last few weeks.
Starting with winter football and the latest on conditioning, who’s stepping up, etc. …
It’s been a good offseason for many guys, and those you would expect to lead have really stepped up. On defense, defensive linemen senior Kwity Paye and fifth-year senior Carlo Kemp have really led the way with redshirt junior linebacker Josh Ross, a kid anxious to come back with a huge year. As noted before, the focus is on the “new way” compared to the old way and weeding out guys whose first priority isn’t winning for Michigan.
There were a few last year, and in hindsight, there are things the coaches probably would have done differently.
On offense, fifth-year senior tight end Nick Eubanks has really made a move in the leadership/work ethic department, and he’s going to be one who really impresses this fall if he continues, those close to it predict. He’s been outstanding. Fifth-year senior kicker Quinn Nordin is another, and both quarterbacks (redshirt junior Dylan McCaffrey and redshirt sophomore Joe Milton) have excelled in that area.
As we mentioned a few weeks back, a former U-M employee who was extremely close to it said U-M’s best chance to catch Ohio State (in his opinion) was Milton, assuming he continued to learn how to read defenses, etc.
Some close to it now believe he might be the most motivated guy on the team, but McCaffrey remains the odds-on favorite to win the job and is (at least currently) “the most talented guy.”
The offensive line, meanwhile, is so young that the leaders are still emerging. There’s a lot of talent here, but not the group of fourth- and fifth-year seniors to show the younger guys how it’s done. It’s going to be interesting to see how that comes together.
We’d heard good things about redshirt junior Chuck Filiaga heading into February, for example … it’s been quiet since. We’ll see where he is when spring practice starts several days from now.
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