How does Michigan football replace Brandon Graham? It's a legitimate question
Mike Martin (68) is being counted on to help replace the production of former Michigan defensive lineman Brandon Graham. It's something he seems excited about, saying "if a team doesn't double-team me, then they are going to have problems because I'm going to play hard and I'm going to be there the whole game." (AnnArbor.com file photo)
Mike Martin would be minding his own business, walking around living his regular college life. Along the way, he’d hear the same question over and over again.
The Michigan defensive lineman's friends, and people he didn't know, all wondered the same thing.
“Man,” they’d ask Martin. “Are you guys going to be good without BG this year?”
Valid question. And one that, for Michigan to be any good this season, it will need to have a good answer for.
"BG" is former Wolverine defensive end Brandon Graham, Michigan’s best player a year ago and possibly the best defensive talent the Wolverines have had in the past decade.
The 2009 Michigan defense was defined by two things: 1) How well Brandon Graham played, and 2) How poorly everyone else around him played. So, concern is obvious.
“If you want to try and say we’re better, we’re not better as a team without Brandon because Brandon is a great player, guy and a great leader,” Martin said. “But if you want to talk pure scheme, if you have one good player you can focus on that guy and kind of know where he’s at on the field. When you see Brandon make so many plays and when you have a bunch of guys on the D-line, it’s who are you going to block, who are you going to pay attention to?
“That’s huge.”
That was something Michigan sorely lacked last year. And it’s why Michigan has hope that the subtraction of Graham will be offset by the addition of more overall depth and talent.
Teams focused on Graham, setting up run plays away from where he lined up and double-teaming him in pass protection. As Martin’s shoulder injury worsened and his game slowly deteriorated, it left Michigan hurting for defensive line talent.
Now, Martin says the line is deeper. While Graham is gone, there is balance.
But don’t expect a singular player to replace Graham. No one -- coaches included -- wants to put that type of pressure on any Michigan player.
“We don’t really want to try and compare anybody to BG because he’s a once-in-a-lifetime player, a first-round draft pick, a dominant guy everywhere he played,” Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez said. “We don’t have a guy that is BG-ready, but who does?
“We have several guys with experience.”
Michigan needs to bank on that to help a defense with questions at linebacker and youth, inexperience and enough potential holes in the secondary to keep Rodriguez and defensive backs coach Tony Gibson from sleeping much this week.
That experience is led by Martin, even though he plays a different position -- nose guard -- than Graham did at defensive end. Along with that, the same attention Graham received could collapse on Martin, a player Rodriguez dubbed one of Michigan’s most indispensible players.
It’s something he seems excited about. Especially the extra attention.
“I’m going to demand getting doubled,” Martin said. “I’m working hard this year. If a team doesn’t double-team me, then they are going to have problems because I’m going to play hard and I’m going to be there the whole game.”
Martin won't be able to replicate Graham’s production, though. That’s not realistic from his position -- interior linemen just aren’t that effective -- and not what is expected of him.
But having Martin in the middle could open up the ends for Ryan Van Bergen and fifth-year senior Greg Banks. It is within those three players, combined, where Michigan thinks it might be able to make up for Graham.
Van Bergen had a respectable year last year. He made 40 tackles from an interior line spot. Moving outside, he’s expected to do more. Banks is more of an unknown quantity, but spent four years behind Graham watching and learning.
So while they won’t be able to singularly replace Graham, they might be able to hold up together.
“I’m sure they bounced their moves off of each other,” fifth-year senior guard Stephen Schilling said. “I think both Ryan and Greg are bigger than Brandon was. They are certainly both taller and they are, in that sense, different players.
“But Brandon was a special player, a combination of size and power.”
And one who clearly needs to be replaced by a committee. Michael Rothstein covers University of Michigan basketball for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at (734) 623-2558, by e-mail at michaelrothstein@annarbor.com or follow along on Twitter @mikerothstein.
Comments
paperstreetsoap
Tue, Aug 31, 2010 : 8:18 a.m.
There always someone on the sideline waiting for his shot to show what he can do on the field. In Michigan's case you didn't ask this kind of question because the next man was just as good as the one he is replacing. Since now that rr has had three classes we find ourselves asking these types of questions. I wonder why? Hey old folks do you feel like you are so wise and gray that you have to call everyone "boys and girls"? Does that make you feel good? If you really knew the ways of old you should be outraged at what rr is doing to your schools name off the field. Wins and losses aside you must have class, and use proper english helps.
JimRhatt
Tue, Aug 31, 2010 : 6:59 a.m.
I personally, don't think it's a significant question. The bigger question is: How do we replace the Defensive Secondary? Any typical UM starter will be adequate to replace BG, if the secondary is significantly upgraded, as I think it is. Even BG couldn't cover for the secondary, last year. Go Blue!!!
3 And Out
Tue, Aug 31, 2010 : 5:22 a.m.
Just put em all in the weight room with Barwis!!!! he will mold them all in to NFL first rounders like Brandon. Barwis rules!!!
Sean T.
Tue, Aug 31, 2010 : 1:05 a.m.
The Lions 0-16 season meant nothing because we all know that they are really better than their record.......not! We're starting to stretch it a bit too far.
PortageLkBlu
Mon, Aug 30, 2010 : 11:47 p.m.
Nope,not always sometimes, in the case of RR he is better than what those losses are based on such as, needing a full 4 yrs. to get his system and players in place. Not having been left with much spread type talent by the outgoing coach. Not having any kind of spread type QB his first year and boys and girls again, how important is the QB in the spread system? His second year was played with 2 freshman QB's. Ya, I will give RR credit that he is better than his record indicates but then again, I try to be fair about things.
Lemansblue
Mon, Aug 30, 2010 : 9:35 p.m.
Great coach? His record has me fooled. Against the Big Ten: 2008 2-6 2009 1-7 Against top 25 at WV: 7-11. I thought you were what your record said you were.
saginaw
Mon, Aug 30, 2010 : 8:38 p.m.
Michigan now has the talent; although the talent is very young. We all talked last season about the really good players that we would lose due to graduation. We will step up. I think that we need to start talking about the UConn match-ups. What do we nned to do to win our opener?
GoblueinNE_PA
Mon, Aug 30, 2010 : 8:13 p.m.
Sure we replaced those guys Portage, but we also didn't have men in charge who said things like "he's a once in a lifetime player" or "We dont have a guy that is BG-ready, but who does?". The last quote is the one that's ridiculous. Who has first round draft pick ready players every year? OSU, FL, TX, USC, Ala., etc. The schools we USED to compete with. I wish the team the best of luck. Go blue!
PortageLkBlu
Mon, Aug 30, 2010 : 7:20 p.m.
Happens every year in college ball, great players leave at one position, great players continue at other positions. When I didn't know better I remember thinking one year, how will we replace Ron Johnson or Dan Dierdorf or another year, who could ever replace Billy Taylor, it's done every year boys and girls. I wondered at one time, who the heck are we going to replace LC with well, see boys and girls we did just fine and got a great coach, RR. You might think he's not great becuase of 2 bad years well, for those that know like Mike Bellotti, (Oregon Ducks) RR is a really good coach and if they keep RR Mike Bellotti thinks RR is going to light up the big 10 in the near future. I don't listen to the negative about RR becuase I believe you all know that RR is a good coach, I think you complainers don't like his personality. I think you complainers know he should be given a full cycle, 4yrs. I'm basing my unprofessional opinion on what a lot of coaches and commentators think. My opinion matters not but the majority of opinions that I think do say the guy is a very good coach, sorry boys and girls I think I'll listen to big ten network and ESPN in regards to RR's qualifications which seem to be regarded very highly. I've read all your comments and all your opinions over these last few months and it appears to me that most of your knowledge and comments are based on the exact opposite of mine being, I simply have a good feel for RR and you complainers have a bad feel for RR. I believe if RR goes undefeated you complainers will complain about what make of car he drives, I on the other hand will support RR and team throughout his tenure be that one more year or twenty. Go Blue!
Kubrick66
Mon, Aug 30, 2010 : 4:41 p.m.
Actually sometimes you can get better after losing your best player. Too often teammates sit back waiting for "the guy" to make a play. With him gone everyone will be expected to be "the guy." Go Blue!
NoBowl4Blue
Mon, Aug 30, 2010 : 4:16 p.m.
You don't replace BG and get better DUH!