Returning Wolverines (Jake Long!)

[Wizzle]

From MLive:

Thursday, December 14, 2006

Henne too ... probably Hart
There were not too many concerns that Chad Henne would actually turn pro before his senior season, but he's decided that he's coming back. And it sounds like Mike Hart's joining him.


"We have unfinished business," Henne said on a conference call. "I haven't beaten Ohio State. We have a great corps coming back. We have a great chance to do it."

Meanwhile, junior running back Mike Hart said he was "99 percent sure" he would return to Michigan.


Something tells me that all the potential early-entrant candidates had a talk that might have touched on something related to "unfinished business."




Long coming back
I hinted at this yesterday, but since it's official now ... Jake Long will be back for his senior season.


"It's best for me and for the team," he said. "I looked into it a little bit, but I never was close to leaving. I really want my degree, and we have unfinished business as a team."


Good start to the 2007 season right there.

Hell yes

[Glenn]

Wow, that's a great surprise.

IBDTSWAAMFT

[detroitsportscity]

Wow, that's a great surprise.

IBDTSWAAMFT

In Before Dr. Tre says whines about another michigan football thread?

[Glenn]

Man, you're good.

"Starts whining", but close enough.

Keep your flamethrower holstered, Tre, it's all in good fun.

[detroitsportscity]

Man, you're good.

"Starts whining", but close enough.

Keep your flamethrower holstered, Tre, it's all in good fun.

I actually had that, but I was first thinking 'says why another...' but I couldn't get another A, so I got whining about another, and didn't remember to switch says. I mean, says whines doesn't make a lot of sense.

But I think I was a little lucky on that one, as those usually own me.

[Jethro34]

I'll step away from the pretty funny stuff and go right to the actual story.

Regarding Henne - duh. If he ever considered leaving it shouldn't have taken long for him to wake up and realize how bad that idea would have been.

Regarding Long - if he stands by this like anyone making such a bold statement should, it's VERY good news. This team will already have enough holes, they didn't need that to be another one.

Regarding Hart - 99%? Come on Cuba Gooding Jr, give us the rest. Your best lineman is returning and you know you want another shot at Ohio State. Concerning your draft status, you're up crap creek either way. Leave this year and you've got to fight Peterson and most likely a dozen other juniors and seniors that could be picked higher. Wait a year and you have one heck of a group of this year's sophomores to contend with. McFadden, Rice, Slaton, James Davis? Wow. That's one heck of a RB class. Hart just needs to accept that he's probably a 3rd round pick one way or another but he should spend one more year at Michigan to meet some serious goals including beating the Buckeyes and rolling up the career chart.

[Zip Goshboots]

Jethro:
I couldn't agree more. I can't envision Hart having much of a pro career anyway. I'm hearing that Crable and Branch have also committed to staying. I wasn't aware that Crable had another year.

[Jethro34]

Yeah, Crable was in the same recruiting class as Burgess, Woodley, etc - but he was a redshirt.
If he and Branch stay that would be absolutely HUGE! Crable could certainly benefit draft-wise from a strong year, one in which he would be the most experienced LB by far.
As for Branch, he certainly can't move up the charts much more than he already is considerring how many mocks have him projected as a top 10 pick. However, he could move up a little and get better money in a guaranteed contract, he could gain some individual accolades, he could develop a bit more to improve his ability to have an immediate NFL impact, and he could have that same shot at beating the Buckeyes that was mentioned before. He's probably the hardest sell.

[Zip Goshboots]

Well, I haven't heard ANYBODY talk about Crable as a pro yet. ESPN had Pat Forde on yesterday and he discussed ten or so players who are considering coming out. Branch didn't make that list.
Could be that Forde assumes either way what Branch is doing.
I would leave if I was Branch, especially considering that he's already had a knee injury. It's that old "stock never higher" thing, like you said.

[Baker]

Sounds like Michigan Football thread to me. Do we really need another UM football thread?

LOL, you knew that was coming