It's Friday, my close childhood friend is making an unexpected one-day-only appearance in town, and my desire to write a whole lot is waning by the minute. We've fretted ever since Mitch McGary's departure about Michigan's status as a Big Ten title contender. Here's a quick reminder of what John Beilein can do even when handed a less-than-stacked deck. Apologies for the rather cumbersome chart:
2011-12 Starting Lineups & Top Bench Players
| Michigan | Michigan St. | Ohio St. | Wisconsin | Indiana | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PG | Trey Burke (Fr.) (6’1, 175) | Keith Appling (So.) (6’1, 180) | Aaron Craft (So.) (6’2, 190) | Jordan Taylor (Sr.) (6’1, 195) | Jordan Hulls (Jr.) (6’0, 175) |
| SG | Stu Douglass (Sr.) (6’3, 190) | Brandon Wood (Sr.) (6’2, 190) | Lenzelle Smith Jr. (So.) (6’4, 205) | Josh Gasser (So.) (6’3, 190) | Verdell Jones (Sr.) (6’5, 185) |
| SF | Tim Hardaway Jr. (So.) (6’5, 185) | Austin Thornton (Sr.) (6’5, 210) | William Buford (Sr.) (6’6, 220) | Ryan Evans (Jr.) (6’6, 210) | Victor Oladipo (So.) (6’4, 210) |
| PF | Zack Novak (Sr.) (6’4, 210) | Draymond Green (Sr.) (6’7, 250) | Deshaun Thomas (So.) (6’7, 225) | Mike Bruesewitz (Jr.) (6’6, 222) | Christian Watford (Jr.) (6’9, 230) |
| C | Jordan Morgan (So.) (6’8, 240) | Derrick Nix (Jr.) (6’9, 278) | Jared Sullinger (So.) (6’9, 280) | Jared Berggren (Jr.) (6’10, 235) | Cody Zeller (Fr.) (6’11, 220) |
| 6th | Evan Smotrycz (So.) (6’9, 235) | Adreian Payne (So.) (6’10, 230) | Evan Ravenel (Jr.) (6’8, 260) | Ben Brust (So.) (6’1, 190) | Will Sheehey (So.) (6’6, 195) |
| 7th | Matt Vogrich (Jr.) (6’4, 190) | Branden Dawson (Fr.) (6’6, 216) | Sam Thompson (Fr.) (6’7, 190) | Rob Wilson (Sr.) (6’4, 200) | Derek Elston (Jr.) (6’9, 235) |
A reminder: Michigan shared the Big Ten title that year with MSU, OSU, and Wisconsin, while that Indiana squad finished a game back.
Keep in mind that Trey Burke hadn't quite become TREY M.F. BURKE, Tim Hardaway went through a sophomore slump in which he shot 28% on 187 three-point attempts, and Jon Horford suffered a foot injury that forced a redshirt, so Michigan's only viable backup big was Evan Smotrycz, who never appeared very interested in post defense and transferred following the season.
Here are the KenPom Player of the Year standings from that season:
The four other Big Ten contenders are all represented. Of the four Big Ten players to make the list, only Jordan Taylor wasn't a college big.
Somehow, Michigan put together the nation's #19 offense despite (1) having only two rotation players shooting above 40% from three, and (2) attempting a higher percentage of three-pointers than all but seven teams in the country. The defense finished a respectable 61st in efficiency in spite of a relatively inexperienced lineup, a complete lack of shot-blockers or pickpockets—Evan Smotrycz, of all people, finished first on the team in both block and steal rate—and that whole 6'4" power forward thing.
At the time, Smotrycz was the team's highest-rated recruit on the roster—yes, including Burke and Hardaway. Backup guard Carlton Brundidge, a Southfield product in the same class as Burke, was the second-highest regarded prospect on the team. He transferred to Detroit after barely seeing any time as a freshman.
Sure, Michigan was fortunate to share the conference title that year, and they bowed out of the NCAA Tournament before any of the other Big Ten contenders. But look at that Wolverine roster, then look at this upcoming season's—talent-wise, at least by recruiting standards, there's no comparison, and even knowing how much Burke overachieved I'd take the 2013-14 roster over the 2011-12 roster in a heartbeat. How that team went 13-5 in that conference—one dominated by exceptionally talented big men, and featuring plenty of talented point guards to match up with U-M's best player—still perplexes to this day.
This is a long way of saying that you probably shouldn't count out John Beilein, because he's a wizard masqerading as a basketball coach/sub enthusiast.