After watching all eight episodes of the Amazon documentary series "All Or Nothing" which follows the Michigan football team during its 2017 season, we've put together some of the key moments below.
You can watch the full series if you have Amazon Prime on a Fire Stick or on the Amazon Prime Video App on your phone or tablet.
Notes From The Series
• The Michigan quarterback situation was a main focus of the series. The ups and downs of then redshirt junior Wilton Speight, then fifth-year senior John O'Korn and then redshirt freshman Brandon Peters were a common theme throughout. However, one interesting note was that it was only a two-man competition in August. It was between Speight and O'Korn and Peters was nowhere to be mentioned. The battle did in fact go down the the wire, before Speight won the job.
• Then sophomore defense end Rashan Gary was featured prominently in the series, especially early on. The crew showed personal moments several times, including a dinner with his mom, where he talks about his relationship — or lack thereof — with his father.
• Before the season opener against Florida, Dallas Cowboys players offensive lineman Joe Looney, wide receiver Dez Bryant and former Wolverine cornerback Jourdan Lewis spoke to the team.
• Then redshirt junior defensive end Chase Winovich was also on camera frequently. The Amazon crew took viewers behind the scenes when he got his hair bleached, a walk around campus and even on a trip home during the team's bye week. Winovich is recorded a number of times trash talking opposing linemen and quarterbacks, including the bowl game where he tells South Carolina quarterback Jake Bentley that he's coming for him. Other highlights include asking linemen if the play is a run or pass, and which guy is blocking him. His outgoing personality is a fun theme throughout the show. One other note is that in the locker room after the bowl game, he wonders out loud if he can really go out like that — ultimately deciding to come back to Michigan.
• Speight and his early season struggles and eventual recovery from injury are featured. He has a confident, almost cocky nature that shines through on several occasions, including the video below where he boasts that his girlfriend, Ani Sarkisian, a member of the U-M women's soccer team, is hotter than Tom Brady's wife, Giselle Bündchen. He believed that he would return to play against Wisconsin, but was not cleared to play and accepted that he would be on the sidelines the remainder of the season. His brace came off after the Penn State game.
He gave a roundabout answer when asked why he was transferring from U-M for his final year of eligibility, saying it was just time for something new.
• Defensive coordinator Don Brown gives the best speeches, there is no other way around it. He's a fiery guy and that comes through big time throughout the series, including his halftime speech against Florida below (NSFW). He is full of funny one-liners and moments throughout the show. Brown isn't the only one that gives good speeches, however, Jack Harbaugh, Jim's father, gives a riling speech the day before the Outback Bowl.
• Passing game coordinator Pep Hamilton and offensive coordinator Tim Drevno both called plays last season. Drevno seemingly called the run plays and Hamilton the passing plays. While many figured Drevno would be the more dominating personality of the two, it was portrayed differently in the show. Hamilton was featured much more, and comes off as a mild mannered, fun guy that seemed to be on the same page as coach Jim Harbaugh. Hamilton seemed to be more in charge of the offense, although it is tough to say based just off of the series. Both Drevno and Hamilton acknowledged that O'Korn was jittery heading into the Penn State game after his rough outing against Michigan State. Both Peters and O'Korn actually took reps leading into that game.
One play call in particular that stands out is the handoff to then sophomore tight end Sean McKeon in the Outback Bowl against South Carolina. Hamilton tells Harbaugh he has a bad feeling about the play, especially when he sees McKeon is the one in the game. Harbaugh acknowledges it and realizes he should have called a timeout, but instead Michigan loses the ball on a fumble.
• When then freshman wide receiver Tarik Black gets injured, Harbaugh tells him it just means he gets to go to college for five years, implying he will receive a medical redshirt.
• The relationship between O'Korn, then junior offensive tackle Grant Newsome and Larry Prout Jr. is brought up several times throughout the series. One memorable moment is when Newsome talks about having six surgeries, but then comparing that to the more than 90 Prout Jr. has had. The show does a good job of showing the athletes as people and not just football players.
• Then junior running back Karan Higdon is another example of the series showing life outside of football. He has a young daughter, who make a number of appearances. It makes the viewer more understandable of why Higdon entertained the NFL after the season, and makes it that much easier to root for him to succeed in the future as he looks to bring her the best life possible.
• The series also shows the marriage proposal of then fifth-year senior linebacker Mike McCray to his girlfriend. That scene is used to tie in the overall theme of faith, family and football.
• A fun fact, four members of The Wolverine's staff make appearances in the show. Andrew Vailliencourt (myself) is in multiple episodes, getting about 30 seconds of face-time in episode four, a question to Hamilton in episode six and several other moments of face-time. John Borton has a question aired in episode six, Chris Balas has brief face-time and a question in episode eight and Austin Fox face-time during a press conference in the middle episodes.
• To close out the final episode, Amazon shows a gathering of teammates, including then sophomore safety Josh Metellus, who walks straight into a glass door with sunglasses on — providing a moment of laughter for the rest of the guys there.
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