Michigan football team player poll, part 1: Hardest hitter, embarrassing memories and more
Which Michigan football player is the hardest hitter on the team? Which Wolverine asked his position coach how many pairs of underwear he should bring to summer camp?
On Sunday, the AnnArbor.com staff interviewed 19 members of the current Michigan football team to ask them about their teammates, rivals and what they do away from the football field.
Here's what we found:
Note that, in some cases, not every player answered every question. In other cases, they provided two answers. We'll post the second round of questions Thursday at noon. Without further ado:
Wisconsin running back John Clay.
Associated Press
1. Without voting for a teammate, who's the most exciting player in the Big Ten this year?
Wisconsin running back John Clay - 2
Don't know - 2
No comment - 2
Ohio State receiver DeVier Posey - 1
Iowa defensive lineman Adrian Clayborn - 1
Whoever is playing MIKE at Penn State - 1
Other comments:
"It's hard to say. I don't like thinking anybody's too exciting in the Big Ten. I just pay attention to our players." - Tate Forcier.
"I don't want to say somebody, because he's from a certain school." - Cullen Christian.
2. Who is the most overrated player in the Big Ten this year?
Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor - 6
No comment - 3
Don't know - 3
3. Who is the hardest hitter on the Wolverines defense?
Jonas Mouton - 9
Marvin Robinson - 6
Mike Martin - 2
Kenny Demens -2
Mike Jones - 2
Ricardo Miller, on Marvin Robinson: "When he comes to hit, everyone knows it. I think he's cracked his helmet twice this camp, and if that doesn't show you enough that he can, I don't know what could."
4. What college football team did you root for before joining the Wolverines?
Michigan - 4
Notre Dame - 3
Penn State - 1
Wisconsin - 1
Washington - 1
Kansas State - 1
Florida State - 1
Southern Cal - 1
None - 1
5. What's your most embarrassing football memory?
• "Before camp, I called (quarterbacks coach) Rod Smith and asked him what I should bring. I asked him how many pair of underwear I should bring. He thought that was hilarious. I was serious." - Devin Gardner.
• "Probably being knocked out flat by Roy Roundtree and losing my air." - Craig Roh.
• "One game, I was knocking everybody over in the first half, and on the second-half kickoff, I just wasn't ready. The dude caught me off-guard and knocked me out. Everybody was looking at me. It was pretty embarrassing." - Marvin Robinson.
• "In middle school, I picked up a fumble and I ran like 20 yards and just dropped it. No one was around. I fell on it, but I could have scored easily." - Mike Martin.
• "In the fourth game of my junior year, we were playing a team that wasn't very good at all, and they made me fumble. No one could believe it. I was so scared to go back to the sideline, because I knew the coaches were going to be mad." - Fitzgerald Toussaint.
• "When I was in sixth grade, I was playing a game and my pants were way too big, so I had them taped on. I ran for a long touchdown, and as soon as I crossed the goal line, my pants fell to my ankles." - Stephen Hopkins.
Responses compiled by Jeff Arnold, Michael Rothstein, Pete Cunningham, Andy Reid and Pete Bigelow.
Comments
amaizenblueballs
Thu, Aug 26, 2010 : 9:45 p.m.
I hope most of the team is looser than you fans are come game time. Lighten up. Most embarrassing moment: when the M Club Banner was stolen. How do you allow that to happen? Almost as bad as losing your equipment on the road at Ohio State.
Lokalisierung
Thu, Aug 26, 2010 : 2:28 p.m.
"Faithful and America why there is so much jealousy to the UM that makes so-called fans, outsiders and the media want to trash UM. Guess when you have histories #1 winningest program - your bound to generate a lot of hate....still tough to explain." Haha, I love this. "Michigan has the most wins, we're the best, sure we had 2 totally disgracefull years yet we just can't admit how pathetic the team has become, instead we'll talk about all the games we won from 1901-1910. Boy i don't know why people can't stand this attitude we have...it must be jealousy." Clasic.
Jaxon Boyfriend
Thu, Aug 26, 2010 : 1:55 p.m.
As far as giving ohio state locker-room-material, who cares? Michigan will dismantle the bucks either way and pryer will pout on the bench and a certain smelly sweater vest will be trashed. Most embarassing moment, explaining to Michigan Faithful and America why there is so much jealousy to the UM that makes so-called fans, outsiders and the media want to trash UM. Guess when you have histories #1 winningest program - your bound to generate a lot of hate....still tough to explain..
tim
Thu, Aug 26, 2010 : 11:25 a.m.
Thanks guys. i have forwarded a copy of this to tp.I am sure he will enjoy reading it before the annual beatdown. Ya do know he is faster than all but 1 or 2 of your players.when r u gonna lose the coach who cares nothing about michigan tradition? im a buckeye and i think i respect mich more than rr. I hopr u keep him for a few decades.lol.oh and u better buy u some dbs cause we got a stable of rbs and wrs thats gonna run circles around yall. i actually feel sorry for u guys cause that scumbag coach of yours.
Lemansblue
Wed, Aug 25, 2010 : 9:01 p.m.
Most embarrasing? Mi turning over their program to RR so he could dismantle it. Losing to a bad Toledo team at home in the middle of the season. With RR their is to many to list.
MetricSU
Wed, Aug 25, 2010 : 8:57 p.m.
Why are people beating up on Pete? To the question "Who is the most overrated player in the Big Ten this year?" six of the Wolverines had the good sense to answer "No comment" or "Don't know." All of the players knew, or should've known, that their answers would be published. Remember the motto "Loose lips sink ships"?
1998pa
Wed, Aug 25, 2010 : 6:45 p.m.
Paco: Irresponsible? Why, because it might fire up OSU? My God, is there a Michigan fan out there that realizes it's not AA.com's responsibility to try to help the Wolverines win? It's a NEWS organization. It's hilariously sad to me that there are people out there who are immediately critical of those who have NOTHING to do with UM's win-loss record -- the newspapers/websites -- yet refuse to criticize the very people who coach the team, as well as those who partake in the game.
Paco12054
Wed, Aug 25, 2010 : 6:25 p.m.
Obviously I meant overrated.
Paco12054
Wed, Aug 25, 2010 : 6:20 p.m.
Pete, I have refrained from being negative about the stories by AA.com staff, until now. WHAT WERE YOU THINKING? Or were you NOT THINKING? To post the underrated comments about any player we will play, let alone asking the question in the first place, is irresponsible. Moments of stupidity like this by the press is exactly why Lloyd Carr shut down Fort Schembeckler to the press. I will not be surprised if RR does the same.
3 And Out
Wed, Aug 25, 2010 : 4:55 p.m.
App State had 4 players drafted the following year and made NFL rosters and have had several more off of that team since then.... very talented team that took talented players who couldnt stay on DI due to academics and other reasons and have built a powerhouse program. This is all documented.
Lokalisierung
Wed, Aug 25, 2010 : 4:41 p.m.
"5. What's your most embarrassing football memory?" Well our cupboard was at least 3/4 filled and then Rich Rod came to town and....
3 And Out
Wed, Aug 25, 2010 : 4:31 p.m.
Most embarrassing moment in UM history: 3-9 under Rich Rodriguez followed by 5-7 and NCAA sanctions.
Macabre Sunset
Wed, Aug 25, 2010 : 3:49 p.m.
I think that was the most embarrassing moment for casual fans - at least until the 8-16 tenure of he-who-cannot-be-named. I actually was at that game - and it was not a pleasant experience. But if you know college football, you'd understand that Appalachian State would have been a fringe top-25 team if it played in the FBS, and did win the FCS championship that year. That doesn't excuse the loss, but it was far, far less egregious than the 2008 loss to Toledo.
umgoblue47
Wed, Aug 25, 2010 : 3:47 p.m.
SUNSET... re-read the article and you will see that the most embarassing moment was your post unfortunately! i like hopkins story as well...
Macabre Sunset
Wed, Aug 25, 2010 : 2:41 p.m.
So, why do we want to generate Buckeye locker-room material already? Of course Pryor is overrated - he's the leading candidate for the Heisman so he has nowhere to go but down. My vote for most embarrassing moment in Michigan football history? It started in late 2007 and hasn't quite ended yet. More than a moment, unfortunately.
81wolverine
Wed, Aug 25, 2010 : 2:07 p.m.
I like the most embarassing football memory part. I vote for Stephen Hopkins story as #1 most embarassing. Very funny!