Michigan football team's top 10 players of the 2000s
The Michigan football team started the decade with a bang, beating Alabama on New Year’s Day in 2000 in a memorable Orange Bowl and closed it with a whimper with its first back-to-back losing seasons in more than 40 years.
As the calendar turns to 2010, Michigan football beat writer Dave Birkett reflects on the top players, games and stories of the decade. Share your thoughts below.
Michigan running back Mike Hart slices through the Purdue line and heads for paydirt for his second touchdown of the game during second quarter of a 48-21 win over Purdue Ann Arbor News file photo
1. RB Mike Hart (2004-07) - Two-time team MVP finished his career as Michigan’s all-time leader in carries (1,015), rushing yards (5,040) and 100-yard games (28, including 6 200-yard games). He started almost from the minute he stepped on campus, and led Michigan to its last Big Ten title.
2. OT Jake Long (2004-07) - The No. 1 overall pick in the 2008 NFL draft, Long is one of the best linemen ever to wear a Michigan uniform. He was a consensus All-American as a senior and a two-time captain who committed one penalty in 26 starts at left tackle (1,743 offensive plays).
3. DE LaMarr Woodley (2003-06) - As a senior, Woodley tied David Bowens school record with 12 sacks and won the Lombardi Award as the nation’s best lineman. A unanimous first-team all-conference selection, he was selected National Defensive Player of the Year by Rivals.com in 2006.
4. WR Braylon Edwards (2001-04) - Michigan’s career leader in receptions (252), receiving yards (3,541) and touchdowns (39), Edwards won the 2004 Biletnikoff Award as the nation’s top receiver and was drafted third overall by the Browns in 2005. Remains the only player in Big Ten history with 3 1,000-yard receiving seasons.
5. QB Chad Henne (2004-07) - Henne went 33-14 in 4 years as a starter, setting Michigan records for completions (828), attempts (1,387) and yards (9.715). His 87 touchdown passes are the second most in Big Ten history, behind Drew Brees.
6. DE Brandon Graham (2006-09) - Though Michigan missed out on a bowl his last 2 seasons, Graham goes down as one of the most productive players in Michigan history. He led the nation with 26 tackles for loss as a senior, won the Chicago Tribune Silver Football Award as Big Ten MVP and is second on Michigan’s all-time list with 29 ½ sacks.
7. LB Larry Foote (2000-01) - Along with Woodley, Foote is the only Wolverine to win Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year this decade (2001). A two-time first-team all-conference selection and first-team Football News All-American as a senior, he also played the 1998-99 seasons.
8. RB Chris Perry (2000-03) - The Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year in 2003, Perry ran for 1,674 yards and 18 touchdowns as a senior, one of the best seasons in Michigan history. He holds the single-game (51) and season (338) record for carries, and was drafted in the first round (No 26 overall) by the Bengals in 2004.
9. OL David Baas (2001-04) - It’s easy to overlook Baas’ contributions as an interior lineman, but the 2004 co-captain started 39 games at guard and center and shared the Rimington Trophy as the nation’s best center as a senior. He's also Michigan’s last 3-time first-team all-Big Ten selection.
10. CB Leon Hall (2003-06) - A first-round selection, No. 18 overall, in 2007, Hall finished his career with 12 interceptions and a school-record 43 pass breakups. Also recovered 5 fumbles in his career, returning 1 a school-record 83 yards for a touchdown as a junior.
Dave Birkett covers University of Michigan football for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached by phone at 734-623-2552 or by e-mail at davidbirkett@annarbor.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.
Comments
treetowncartel
Fri, Jan 1, 2010 : 10:52 p.m.
Henson and Navarre started? i stand corrected, but it proves my point even more. I bet
Lokalisierung
Thu, Dec 31, 2009 : 12:28 p.m.
Come on Stan, you know those 2 things have nothing to do with each other. College and pros are 2 totally different things and everyone knows that. And as always I would be very carefull about pouring that annointing oil on Henne's career in Miami. He has a bad passer rating, more INT than TDs, and I believe a losing record. One year "wonders" are very common in the nfl (and his stats aren't that good. All types of players dissappear anfter 1 year...Braylon Edwards, David Terrel, Anotheny Thomas...etc.
stan
Thu, Dec 31, 2009 : 7:32 a.m.
Lokalisierung, you're kidding right? There is NO WAY that Navarre was better than Henne. Henne is playing in the NFL and looks like he could have a starting spot sewed up for many years to come (although he could use some better receivers). Did Navarre ever make the Cardinals?
onlybetter
Wed, Dec 30, 2009 : 7:54 p.m.
A solid top 8, but David Baas and Leon Hall ahead of David Harris and Marlin Jackson? Not taking anything away from the contributions of the players you listed, but Harris and Jackson were so dominant that most offenses just played to the other side of the field.
Lokalisierung
Wed, Dec 30, 2009 : 6:27 p.m.
Oh he loved 3-3. Once again that goes back to my late game Braylon points...we all know no one plays down to their opponents liek the Wolverines.
peltist
Wed, Dec 30, 2009 : 6:24 p.m.
Chad Henne was a decent QB. If Lloyd let the team loose like he did against Florida, then you may think differently of him. If you remember the USC game when we didn't go in the shotgun until the end of the 3rd quarter. After the game, the OC said the only way to protect the QB was to run the ball. How about score some points! The offense started to roll, but it was too late. Lloyd was almost content with a 3-3 halftime score.
Lokalisierung
Wed, Dec 30, 2009 : 6:22 p.m.
But yes I totally agree that with a REAL defense Henne's numbers would have been better, but I really put that more on Hart's side than Henne's. But hey, no one knows for sure either way.
Lokalisierung
Wed, Dec 30, 2009 : 6:16 p.m.
Yes I still think Henne was very sub par. Sure he has all the records, but he's got to have to most loses in any 4 year stretch since Collins/Driesbach. To me I never trusted him...obviously the defense is to blame somewhat but when you have a solid back like Hart setting records and you're still dumping that mnay games a year..I'm just not buying him.
Lokalisierung
Wed, Dec 30, 2009 : 6:05 p.m.
This might have somthing to do with Carr not including him in the games until they realized they may lose and then they would just chuck it up to him in the 4th quarter. At least that's how it always felt to me. Then again since he's still having the ol dropsies you're probably right.
misti3k
Wed, Dec 30, 2009 : 6:02 p.m.
Henne a choker?! "God-awful"?! Sure, he had some poor games like anybody (2004 Ohio State comes to mind, but he was forced to throw 54 times in that game because Troy Smith embarrassed UM's defense), but let's talk about 2004 MSU (4 TDs, 0 INTs, triple overtime comeback win), 2005 Rose Bowl (4 TDs, 0 INTs), 2005 MSU (3 TDs 1 INT, overtime victory) 2005 Penn State (2 TDs, 0 INTs, TD pass on the last play of the game to win), 2005 Alamo Bowl (3 TDs, one INT), 2006 OSU (2 TDs, no INTs), 2007 MSU (4 TDs, 1 INT, comeback win), 2008 Capital One Bowl (3 TDs, 2 INTs, comeback win, overcoming 3 Mike Hart fumbles). The games that were losses were due to the fact that Jim Herrmann and Ron English could not properly defend the spread offense. Henne may not have led a lot of drives that iced a game or ran out the clock, but in most cases the close losses came because the defense gave up late points too easily (2005 Rose Bowl v. Texas, 2005 Wisconsin, 2005 Minnesota, 2005 Ohio State, 2006 Ohio State, 2007 Appalachian State. Henne may not have been as clutch as Brady, but even Brady's Wolverines had one of Michigan's most epic collapses (1999 Illinois). Imagine if Henne's offenses had the defenses that Griese and Brady had.
chosen1
Wed, Dec 30, 2009 : 5:51 p.m.
but braylon dropped way too many passes. He would make amazing catches, but drop gimmes
Lokalisierung
Wed, Dec 30, 2009 : 5:31 p.m.
I'd rather have Navarre over Henne any day...but the coaching was starting toi show signs of losing touch evcen by Navarre's time. They should have won so many of those games when Braylon was on the team; what a beast.
InRichRodWeTrust
Wed, Dec 30, 2009 : 5:31 p.m.
You will this for the final time this decade. Hart was the heart of every team he played for.
treetowncartel
Wed, Dec 30, 2009 : 5 p.m.
Yes, but he came after Navre. And once again the tight ends in the program never get any respect. That offense only clicked when they got the tight ends involved.
Lokalisierung
Wed, Dec 30, 2009 : 4:26 p.m.
I guess you have to put Henne on there becasue of his UofM "Records" but he was just god awful...a classic choker.
chosen1
Wed, Dec 30, 2009 : 3:36 p.m.
we had some great players this decade, unfortunately too many have a 1-3 or 0-4 record against that team down south