Michigan football's Roy Roundtree among 4 Big Ten receivers on Biletnikoff list
Michigan receiver Roy Roundtree burst onto the national scene two years ago, when he hauled in a team-high 72 catches as a sophomore.
Last year, he went kerplunk, recording just 19 catches. That's the worst single-season drop off in receptions in school history.
But it appears at least one group of people has faith he can turn it around.
The Tallahassee Quarterback Club Foundation announced Tuesday that Roundtree made its watch list for the Biletnikoff Award, which is presented annually to the nation's best receiver.
Reciever Roy Roundtree was expected to be one of Michigan's best players last year, but faltered. He finished with 19 catches.
Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com
Forty-nine players made this year's watch list, but only four from the Big Ten. That puts Roundtree in select company, joining the likes of Wisconsin's Jared Abbrederis, Ohio State's Corey Brown and Iowa's Keenan Davis.
That's showing a lot of faith in Roundtree, who last year ranked 524th nationally in receptions.
Although, his numbers could receive a boost next season after making the move to Junior Hemingway's old flanker spot. Hemingway was Michigan's leading receiver last year, and often it's go-to option, especially on deep balls.
Roundtree's quarterback, Denard Robinson, also returns and figures to be better in the passing game now that he's in the second year of coordinator Al Borges' scheme.
Michigan finished eighth last year in the Big Ten in passing offense, then lost its top-two guys in Hemingway and Darryl Stonum. It returns just 62 receptions from a year ago.
Who will step up and fill the void created by Hemingway's graduation?
Whether Roundtree can in fact turn it around will say a lot about the Wolverines' chances of getting its passing game on track.
Kyle Meinke covers Michigan football for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at 734-623-2588, by email at kylemeinke@annarbor.com and followed on Twitter @kmeinke.
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