You don’t develop into the winningest program in faculty soccer by solely getting contributions out of your upperclassmen. As a substitute, youthful gamers should step up. Such has been the case in Ann Arbor, with the newest information level coming by advantage of linebacker Junior Colson, who was named a Freshman All-American in 2021.
However what about those that modified the sport a lot that they’re thought-about among the many finest ever first-year gamers throughout the game?
ESPN’s resident numbers guru and analyst Invoice Connelly put collectively a listing of the 50-best true freshman seasons of all time, and two former Michigan soccer gamers made the minimize, beginning with a participant who ended up being a four-year starter at crucial place on the sphere.
41. QB Chad Henne, Michigan (2004)
He by no means actually improved — his passer score was between 130 and 143 for all 4 years of his profession — however Henne was a surprising success out of the gate. The blue-chipper from Studying, Pennsylvania, threw for two,743 yards and 25 touchdowns and led the Wolverines to a 9-3 season. In a basic Rose Bowl loss to Texas, he went toe-to-toe with Vince Younger, throwing for 227 yards and 4 touchdowns.
It’s true that Henne by no means actually discovered a lot of one other gear, simply appearing as an above-average quarterback in his total tenure. However on condition that he was in a position to are available and have the kind of efficiency he did as a real freshman at such a demanding place is one thing to relish.
In fact, the opposite participant talked about is a GOAT in his personal proper, the one defensive-minded participant to ever win the Heisman Trophy.
34. CB Charles Woodson, Michigan (1995)
You don’t develop into the one defensive participant in 60 years to win the Heisman Trophy when you don’t begin producing consideration instantly. A record-setting rusher from Ohio, Woodson got here to Michigan to play protection and have become a first-stringer nearly immediately. He picked off 5 passes in his first season, together with two in a 31-23 rivalry win over Ohio State.
Naturally, Woodson’s junior season was his crowning achievement, as that was the 12 months he took house the award given to the nation’s finest participant, upsetting Tennessee quarterback Peyton Manning for the award.
Whereas that kind of greatness is one thing that each one gamers aspire to, for Michigan to repeat final 12 months’s success, it’s going to definitely want a freshman or two to play at such a degree that it’s going to contend to be on this record sooner or later.