Four Michigan players picked to represent U-M at Big Ten Media Day
Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh has chosen his four players to lead the Wolverines at Big Ten Media Day in Indianapolis July 26-27, and none are surprising. Senior quarterback Cade McNamara, senior tight end Erick All, senior defensive tackle Mazi Smith and senior cornerback DJ Turner are the four who will join Harbaugh to discuss the upcoming season.
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McNamara is in a battle to keep his starting job after completing 210 of 327 passing attempts for 2,576 yards with 15 touchdowns and six interceptions. He also rushed for a score in leading Michigan to a Big Ten title. He’s being pushed by sophomore J.J. McCarthy, who missed spring with a shoulder injury but is back throwing in preparation for the season.
Turner and Smith were honorable mention All-Big Ten honorees last year. Turner was a breakout player at corner, where he appeared in all 14 games with eight starts at cornerback. He notched 33 tackles and broke up nine passes with two interceptions. Smith started 14 games along the defensive line and registered 37 tackles including 2.5 for loss, four pass breakups, and four quarterback hurries.
All appeared in 13 games as a tight end and a special team contributor, notching eight starts. He caught 38 passes for 437 yards with two touchdowns in earning honorable mention All-Big Ten honors.
Big Ten Media Days will take place July 26 and 27 in Indianapolis. Harbaugh and Co. will be featured Tuesday the 26th with six other schools (Nebraska, Minnesota, Maryland, Iowa, Indiana and Northwestern) while the other six (Ohio State, Purdue, Illinois, Rutgers, Penn State, and Wisconsin) will take the podium Wednesday.
The participants from each school, from BigTen.org:
Michigan is the defending Big Ten champion, having plastered Iowa, 42-3, in its first appearance in the Big Ten championship game. The Wolverines won their first title since 2004 and beat Ohio State for the first time since 2011 in winning the Big Ten East Division title.
U-M will need to overcome several losses to repeat, including Heisman Trophy runner-up and edge Aidan Hutchinson, second-round pick and edge David Ojabo, running back Hassan Haskins (who scored five touchdowns against the Buckeyes) and two starters on the offensive line.
Michigan does get wide receiver Ronnie Bell back from knee surgery, however, and has plenty of talent returning. Most have picked the Wolverines to finish second to Ohio State in the Big Ten East.
