Freshman Uniform Numbers Released; Jones, Pace Not on Fall Roster [UPDATED]
Cornerback J.T. Floyd will switch to No. 18 this year.
The 2011 Football Media Guide was released yesterday and, along with revealing numbers for incoming freshmen (as well as number changes by returning players), there were a couple notable absences from the roster. Redshirt freshman center Christian Pace is not listed on the fall roster amid reports that he’s battling potentially career-threatening injuries — if true (and it appears so), the Wolverines lose a promising backup center. Also absent is incoming freshman linebacker Kellen Jones, and although rumors are swirling right now, I will not lend them any credence until there’s something more than message-board speculation to go on.
[UPDATE: Angelique Chengelis reports that Pace indeed is not on the roster due to a medical issue, while a team official confirmed that Jones is not only off the team, but is no longer enrolled at the university. No further details were included.]
One player who is listed on the roster — as well as among the returning starters — is senior wideout Darryl Stonum, whose spot on the team was in question after a second arrest for driving while intoxicated earlier this year. It’s yet to be seen if Stonum will receive some sort of suspension that lasts into the season, or even if he’ll see the field at all, but this at least indicates that he’s on track to remain a part of the program.
On to the freshman numbers, including walk-ons (denoted with an asterisk):
[table id=151 /]
As you can see, Michigan has added a walk-on fullback in Traverse City’s Joe Kerridge, who ideally would alleviate the need for the Wolverines to use a 2012 recruiting spot on a scholarship fullback (I’d much prefer seeing the staff take a second defensive tackle). There’s also a trio of walk-on offensive linemen, including one-time Ohio State pledge — at least, he stated he intended to walk on to the Buckeyes in February — Graham Glasgow, a mammoth tackle from Illinois who is a very intriguing prospect. While this isn’t quite on par with Kyle Kalis changing his commitment to Michigan, I fully welcome any recruit who spurns a four-year sentence in Columbus for college in Ann Arbor.
As for the number changes:
- S Josh Furman: Switched to 14 from 6
- QB Jack Kennedy: Switched to 25 from 14
- CB J.T. Floyd: Switched to 18 from 12 (as Misopogon points out, this will scare all of us into thinking James Rogers somehow came back for a sixth year)
- S Thomas Gordon: Switched to 30 from 15
- LB Isaiah Bell: Switched to 34 from 26
- CB Terrence Talbott: Switched to 37 from 22 (confusingly, he now has the same number as LB Jake Ryan, and both are expected to see the field in some capacity this fall)
- LB Marell Evans: Was No. 9 in his previous stint as a Wolverine, but will now suit up in the No. 51 jersey
- G Ricky Barnum: Switched to 52 from 56
- TE Brandon Moore: Switched to 89 from 88
- Teric Jones, for some reason, is the only player on the roster to not have a number listed. He wore No. 14 last season. [UPDATE 2: According to team spokesman David Ablauf, via MGoBlog, Jones will no longer be on the team due to a medical issue.]
There are no changes to the listed heights and weights for returning players from the spring roster yet, so we’ll have to wait for wild speculation about who is and isn’t in shape heading into fall camp.
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VERY excited for this crop of walk-ons. A 300+ lbs lineman who plays hoops, set records every year for deadlifting and has only played one year of football? Yes please. These OL had better come ready to work, because there’s a lot of competition coming down the pipeline.
I am of the opinion that all fullbacks should be walk-ons, thus cementing their blue collar status. And at ~240 lbs, Kerridge fits the bill as a HUGE fullback. I love fullbacks.