EMU Week 1: Indiana State August 20, 2008

If Eastern Michigan wanted to secure Jeff Genyk an opening win (he hasn’t had one since his first season), the fledgling program sure did it by scheduling one of America’s most futile football teams: Indiana State.

The Sycamores have had 11 straight losing seasons, are a combined 1-32 over the past three seasons, have a new head coach and (gasp!) are in line for another rebuilding season.

The Big Day Prep Showdown will provide more football excitement on Friday than this game.

BetUs has EMU listed as a 38 point favorite. Wins have been hard to come by in Ypsilanti lately. 38-point wins have been even rarer. However, this is unquestionably the worst FCS team in America. (more…)

Lloyd Carr on BTN August 20, 2008

Former Indiana coach and current Big Ten Network studio analyst Gerry DiNardo sits down with Lloyd Carr and this interview should be as good as advertised.

It debuts at 6 p.m. next Tuesday (August 26) followed by BTN’s Michigan preview and a showing of the 2000 Orange Bowl (Big Ten’s Greatest Games).

And, Comcast subscribers can finally watch.

Bolden no slouch, either August 19, 2008

Michigan’s other top-ranked dual threat junior signal caller is Orchard Lake St. Mary’s Robert Bolden.

Bolden is a solid 6-3, 191 and has offers from Michigan State, Central Michigan and now Vanderbilt. He started early as a sophomore last year and will lead a OLSM team that returns all its players at the skill positions but has to replace nearly everyone along both lines.

OLSM has an intriguing opener as the Eaglets head West to exact some revenge at East Grand Rapids on Friday of Week 1.

U-M offers in-state V.Y. clone August 19, 2008

With the emergence of a pair of highly-regarded in-state quarterbacks in the class of 2010, Rich Rodriguez could add to his haul of prototype dual-threat QB types without leaving the state.

Devin Gardner has looked like an ideal fit in the spread since the beginning of his high school career, and now has a home in Ann Arbor if he wants it. Now of Inkster fame after transferring from (where else) U of D Jesuit, Gardner made the recruiting news of the day after receiving a Michigan offer.

Gardner is raw but is looking more and more like a Vince Young clone. He has the same long, lanky, chiseled build and the same half-arm throwing motion. His athleticism is off the charts but according to the recruiting gurus his football IQ needs to develop. He’s in line to receive an Elite 11 invite after working the camp this past year.

Who knows what motivated his transfer? Perhaps he wanted to play for Greg Carter, compete for a state title among a cast of Division I prospects. Perhaps he became disenfranchised with U-D Jesuit’s non-commitment to athletics as many have before him.

He’ll have a top receiver in Cameron Gordon, who is currently uncommitted (Michigan State and Cincinnati are his BCS offers), and a workhorse back in Alan Freeman, a formidable trio for this consensus top-10 team in the state and the odds on favorite in Division 5.

Rich Rodriguez has looked out of state extensively during his first year, drawing the ire of some jealous Sparties, but early offers to Gardner, Livonia Stevenson’s Austin White and Ann Arbor Huron’s Jeremy Jackson should help provide the foundation of a strong in-state class of 2010.