Michigan football countdown to kickoff: 76 days until 2022 season
There’s much anticipation heading into the Michigan Wolverines football season, and TheWolverine.com is counting down the days until the Sept. 3 opener against Colorado State. We’ll discuss the current Michigan events, upcoming season and/or take a look at a significant number that correlates with how many days remain until kickoff, whether it be a player’s jersey number, a year, a date, a score, etc.
Big No. 76 — graduate left tackle Ryan Hayes — is a headliner on the Michigan offensive line, which is striving to become the first unit to win the Joe Moore Award for a second straight season. Hayes allowed team-highs with 27 pressures and three sacks, but keep in mind he was blocking the opposition’s top pass rusher much of the time, and held his own much more often than not.
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The 6-7, 307-pounder has appeared in 28 career games with 18 starts, and is ready to have his best season this fall.
TheWolverine.com was in Traverse City Saturday for ‘Wolverine Weekend’ at Grand Traverse Resort, a golf outing and meet and greet with three Michigan players — Hayes, sophomore quarterback J.J. McCarthy and graduate wide receiver Ronnie Bell. Hayes, of course, is a Traverse City native, and received the biggest cheer when introduced at the Saturday night dinner. He enjoyed his time, and one thing was apparent — Hayes has been working in the weight room. He looks to be in his best shape ahead of the 2022 campaign, a big one for him as he’s an NFL Draft prospect.
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Bleacher Report pegged Hayes as a first-round pick, and while they’re the only ones that we’ve seen to do so, he’s got that potential. ESPN analyst Mel Kiper Jr. projected him as the No. 8 offensive tackle in the draft. Things can change between now and next spring — good or bad — meaning Hayes has a lot to prove this fall.
76-yard strike
Next, we highlight a 76-yard play for Michigan football. The most recent came in 2019, when quarterback Shea Patterson connected with wideout Nico Collins for a touchdown at Indiana.
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The senior signal-caller faked a handoff before looking to throw. Meanwhile, Collins ran a slant route from the right flank and found a crease in the middle of the Hoosier zone defense. Patterson hit his wideout in stride, with Collins making one man miss before he was off to the races, outrunning the rest of the Hoosier defenders and taking it all the way to the house for six.
The 76-yard pitch and catch was the longest play from scrimmage in 2019 for the Maize and Blue, and stood as the longest in Collins’ career. It’s also tied as the 13th-longest passing play in Michigan history.
Michigan football countdown to kickoff
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