We've made it. 100 Days to Football and 100 Reasons to Love Ann Arbor comes to a close today. I'll try to get the complete list up and available shortly, but right now I'm in shock we made it all the way through. I'd like to thank everyone who emailed ideas, photos, places, and compliments about the Countdown. Your emails kept the Countdown alive. So, without further ado, it's One Day 'Till Football and here's our Number 1 Reason to Love Ann Arbor.

#1 - Michigan Stadium

via i34.photobucket.com

via umhistory.dc.umich.edu

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Michigan Stadium, as seen from Space, bitches, Space! via www.theonion.com

The Big House. Home to the Michigan Wolverines. The greatest college football program on the planet. The reason this little Michigan Football Blog exists. For seven glorious fall Saturdays every year, over 100,000 people storm through its gates to wathc Michigan play football and to cheer on the Wolverines. It's a key janglin', no-get-out-of-your-seatin', damn good time. Like every stadium, it has its quirks. I remember the first time I took my wife, a Notre Dame grad, to the Big House. As we walked up she said, "It looks like a high school stadium." But once we crossed the threshold into the stadium, the look on her face made it all worth while. The magnitude of the Stadium is hard to describe to people who haven't been there. I've made my share of trips around the country to various college venues, and Michigan is unique. Not just on size, but in design, layout and lack of adequate bathrooms. The seats are hard and small. You're shoulder to shoulder with people you barely know and once it hits November, it can quite possibly be the most miserable place to be on earth when it rains and you've got nothing to cover yourself with.

But its also the home of Tom, Desmond, and Woodson. It's seen championship teams and redemptions. It's seen upsets, beat downs and nail biters. It is the greatest place on God's green earth to watch a football game.

And tomorrow, we'll all be there to take it in.

Thanks for joining me on this wonderful tour of Ann Arbor. Our Countdown of 100 Days to Football and 100 Reasons to Love Ann Arbor is finished, but by no means complete. If you can think of places I've missed, Please, by all means, put them in the comments section or put them in a Fan Post! Thanks everyone and Go Blue!

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If there’s a player on Michigan's team with a bigger "Superstar-in-Waiting" label plastered across his forehead, with less to base it on, I must be missing something. But there he is. Stevie Brown. The next great Michigan safety. To this point the only thing we've seen from Brown is his remarkable ability to speed like a cruise missile toward some poor unsuspecting return man, and arrive with enough force to split the atom. As this is a prerequisite for being a starting safety in the Big 11 Ten, this is generally considered a good thing. But, with the exception of Browns prowess on special teams, his occasional foray into the defensive backfield, and his soul scarring torching at the hands of Appalachian State, the label seems a tad premature, doesn't it?

Well, not to the pundits and certainly not to the Michigan coaching staff. All signs point to 2008 at as Stevie Brown's arrival on the national stage as one of the premier young safeties in all of  college football. All the intangibles are there. Brown was a consensus 4 star db recruit and named the 7th best safety in his recruiting class. He possesses outstanding speed, good coverage skills and hits like a truck. The biggest bonus, and the one that has the scouts drooling is Brown's frame. At 6 feet, 210, Brown moves like a Brandon Harrison (well, not quite, but damn he's fast). With his speed and frame, Brown is the prototypical modern day safety.

But what's all that talent and potential without a roadblock or two? As I'm sure everyone remembers, in 2007 things didn’t start out too well. Like this year, the coaches were enamored with Brown's potential and named him a starting safety long before he was ready. As a result, against Appalachian State Brown stood out more for his horrific angles than for anything positive he did on the field that day and was replaced by Brandent Englemon by the second half. It wasn’t until Notre Dame came to visit that Brown began to find any redemption or gain any momentum on the season. He then followed that performance with excellent games against Purdue, Michigan State, and Wisconsin. In the finale to the 2007-2008 season, Brown notched just a single tackle, but saw plenty of playing time. Despite getting kicked in the teeth the first week of the season, Brown worked hard to improve and eventually worked his way back into the safety rotation despite having two excellent safeties in Adams and Englemon in front of him. That resilience along with his continued improvement over the season and off-season has everyone expecting big things out of him.

They have to. With the loss of Adams and Englemon to graduation, Brown is one of the few Michigan safeties with any playing experience. Despite being mostly a special teams standout, Brown posted 28 tackles, forced a fumble, recovered two, posted 2 PBUs and an INT. Even though he went from starter to back-up in the season’s first game, from Notre Dame on his playing time increased and Brown saw time at both safety and corner. But this, and Brandon Harrison's resume, represent the entirety of the Michigan safety platoon's meaningful playing experience. Brown's emergence will be the key component to this key's either killer or mediocre defense.

For this defense to play at the level people are expecting, or at the level it will require for Michigan to compete bowl a meaningful bowl game, Safety must be a bedrock and not a work in progress. Now Brown re-inherits his starting position and the expectations he shouldered a year ago.

But this year, things are different. He is a year older, a year wiser, and infinitely more prepared to handle the rigors of the starting job. Look for Brown to be one of Michigan's leading tacklers this year and for Stevie Brown to be one of our 15 Michigan Players to Get Excited About in 2008.

I did it last year. Why not again....

Twas the day before Football, and all through the land
No man was working, and some were just canned.
The jerseys and t-shirts, team hats covered thinning hair,
All had the knowledge that Football, soon would be there.

The coolers were packed full of bratwurst and beer,
The weather channel reported the skies would be clear.
Now it was fall and the wind had a chill,
For throwing a football and burgers on the grill.

Preseason rankings had all been released,
As usual Duke's chances had been pre-deceased.
Georgia was No. 1 barring a choke,
while Alabama’s former 'backer was peddling some LOTS OF coke.

DUI's and bar fights got Missouri in trouble,
But with Chase Daniels back there's no bursting their bubble.
While Kansas still revels in its BSC win,
The chances of a repeat look pretty thin.

On flipped the tube and there's Musberger's face!
"What a season we've got! It'll be quite a race!"
Ole' Brent looked quite parched, as he searched for a brew,
After slamming one down, "It's College Football anew!"

"Now Texas! now, Georgia! now, Michigan and Clemson!
On, Oregon! On, Utah! on, on California and Wisconsin!
USC is unbeatable, that's just what we're thinkin'!
There's football to play and our predictions could be stinkin'"

Neuheisel now points the way for old UCLA,
But the Trojans still laugh at the ad he displayed.
Carr is now gone and Rodriguez took his place,
the shadow of Schembechler he'll still have to face.

Above it all stood Myles Brand's greed,
And lest we forget, all that SEC speed.
USF is hyped and West Virginia's still kickin,
But Rutgers is still there and their chops they're a 'lickin.

The Big XII finally has talent everywhere,
So watch out Oklahoma, Missouri's right there.
Down in Alabama Nick Saban has no time for this shit,
He's still got fifteen players that he has to make quit.

Joe Pa returns and Bowden's under the gun
which will crack first? I can’t wait for the fun.
Ferentz thinks he’s Erickson with an offseason of arrests,
If Iowa struggles early, he’ll keep his job? Surely you jest.

All the off season nonsense finally comes to a close.
No more stories about change and hair in corn rows.
Recruiting goes cold if, for only a while,
Because there's football to play and that business is vile.

The Big East wants respect, the Big Ten validation,
The SEC another crown, and the Pac 10 attention.
The Big XII wants to prove it's more than two teams,
And BYU and Boise have BCS dreams.

But now everyone's tied, nothin and nothin.
Every team's got some hope that this year will be somethin.
South Carolina and NC State line up for the show,
And tonight at Williams-Brice Stadium, the season's a go.

But today test your eyes, there's info you need,
Your hunger for College Football, tonight you will feed.
As I turned off the tube, I saw Brent fade away,
"College Football to all, and to all a good-day!"

Two days left till Football. Two more Reasons to Love Ann Arbor until our Countdown is Complete. So, here's #2 in our nearly complete Series of 100 Days to Football and 100 Reasons to Love Ann Arbor.

#2 – The Diag

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via www.mcdb.lsa.umich.edu

The center of student life in Ann Arbor and the University of Michigan. A beautiful open space that permits you access to every building and every class, while permitting you space to stretch out and relax. There's the flag pole, the steps of the Grad Library, the green houses, and of course the Block M smack in the middle. It's just beautiful and a place that sends goose bumps to every alumni who walks through it. It's Michigan. And it's #2 in our Countdown and Reason #2 to Love Ann Arbor.

If you've got suggestions on places you'd like to see, email me with a photo or a description and we'll get your favorite hangouts in our supplemental countdown as the season goes on. I'll also try to get a link on the sidebar in the coming days that allows you to see all 100 Reasons to Love Ann Arbor.

With the season opener around the corner it is certainly time to provide you with a little more insight into the season that places to go in Ann Arbor when you're hungry. So, the Mountain West Conference Connection Blog and I got together to do a little Q & A on the game. You probably remember the prior Q&A I did with Block U, so use this as a defensive set of answers to the questions Utah's veteran team will pose for the Wolverines. I answered Jeremy's questions a couple of days ago and you can find my answers there.

For now, sit back and enjoy the great stuff from Jeremy over at the Mountain West Conference Connection.

Q & A with MWCC:

Maize n Brew:  Block U was kind enough to fill us in on Utah's base offense (evil, maniacal laugh). Now its your turn to betray your flock.Tell us who we have to shut down. Who are your stars on offense? (and if he's a lineman that counts, too.)

Mountain West Conference Connection: The offense is loaded with returning talent at all of the key skill positions.  Everything runs through quarterback Brian Johnson, because if he is healthy the Utes are a dangerous team, just go back and look once he came back to start he lost just the one game against BYU on the last play.  In 2005 Johnson's first full year as a starter he had better numbers then Alex Smith did in 2004 before he tore his ACL late in the season against New Mexico.  The talent is there, but Johnson must stay healthy, and with Johnson in the game the play book is much more open then if someone else were to play under center.  Johnson is an ideal quarterback to run the option with his ability to take off and run with his speed and now that his arm is healthy he can beat the defense with the pass.  The only concern Johnson has had too many turnovers and then when running the option he needs to improve in attacking the line when running the option.  Again if Johnson is healthy he is equal if not better to Max Hall the quarterback at BYU.

Darrell Mack was a pleasant surprise at running back last year, because he was to redshirt but the injury to Matt Asiata forced Mack in who then ran for over 1,000 and became the first Utah running back to do so since Quinton Ganther in 2005.  With all accounts of Matt Asiata healthy the Utah running game will be very dangerous with both backs.  Expect to see multiple sets with both backs in at the same time and to be involved in the short passing game, as well.

The wide receivers are all full of experience in this offense, but the most explosive is Brent Casteel, who back when a freshman proclaimed he would win the Heisman for Utah.   He is a bold player with bold predictions and can back it up, except for the Heisman talk.  Casteel last year hurt his knee early in the season and was out, but look for the same player to be involved in the running game and short passing game.  Casteel is a speed player that can make the big plays, and will be in the return game at times.

The best over all receiver is Brandon Godfrey, he is capable of going across the middle, going deep, and a great possession receiver.  Last year he had 50 catches for 524, yeah that is not a lot but the ball is spread to many different players.

Center Zane Beadles is a junior and stud on the offensive line.

Maize n Brew: What about the Utah D? What kind of set are you running? Any coaching changes or scheme changes worth noting?

Mountain West Conference Connection: The defense will be young and inexperienced on the line which is troublesome since last year the Utes gave up nearly 4 yards per carry with all conference performers on the line.  The defensive line will struggle, but the coaches always seem to get the defense in line just look at last year when the secondary was suppose to be the weak point.  This did take a few weeks to get things under control, so I fully expect the Utes to give up some big running plays.  The line does have some solid players and one is Koa Misi who has had an impressive fall camp and the other is true freshman David Kruger who may not start but see a lot of time.

Wow. Two days left till Football. There are just 2 Days Left Till Kick-off, and the Countdown is almost complete. So with 2 Days Left, you'll get two posts with two of our last three reasons to Love Ann Arbor! So, here's #3 in our nearly complete Series of 100 Days to Football and 100 Reasons to Love Ann Arbor.

#3 – Yost

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via www.schickhappens.net

The greatest venue in college hockey and, arguably, in hockey in general. There's something special about Yost. Something magical. You're just surrounded by history. Pictures of Michigan's All-Americans, current and former pros, Championships, celebrations, and the like. The fans are right on top of the rink. They're knowledgeable. They're involved. They yell, they scream, they taunt, they will their team to victory. Yost houses student life, college hockey, even broomball. It's the history, present and future of Michigan athletics. It's a place unlike any other, and that's why it's #3 in our Countdown and Reason #3 to Love Ann Arbor.

If you've got suggestions on places you'd like to see, email me with a photo or a description and we'll get your favorite hangouts in the countdown as well. I'll also try to get a link on the sidebar in the coming days that allows you to see all 100 Reasons to Love Ann Arbor.

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I may be in the minority on this one, but I'm a huge fan of Brandon Minor.  6’1", 210, with breakaway speed. The ability to mash a linebacker in pass protection as well as the quickness to dodge him in the flats. Minor is something special. In Michigan’s new offense, he stands to be the primary mail carrier and could walk away from this year with everyone clawing over one another to pick up those new adidas jerseys with his number on them.

As a somewhat unheralded 3/4 star recruit two years ago, Minor was Hart’s primary backup in 2007, notching 90 carries and 385 total yards. Now a junior, the weight of the world has been placed on his and Carlos Brown’s shoulders as then men who must replace Michigan’s all time leading rusher, Mike Hart. Minor appears more than up to the challenge.

Blessed with unnaturally quick feet for a man his size, Minor has the ability to make cuts similar to the ones Hart made a season prior. While no one is as nimble as Michigan’s former 5’9" titan, Minor is easily the most agile of Michigan’s veteran tailbacks. He runs on his toes, taking short, quick steps behind the lines before breaking into sprinter’s strides after the line of scrimmage. Minor’s height also provides him an advantage Hart did not have; the ability to survey the field from above the traffic. This added bonus helps to give Minor what I perceive to be the best field of vision among Michigan’s running backs. He simply seems to see the field better than the remainder of Michigan’s stable of running backs.

However, this isn’t to suggest Minor doesn’t have things to work on. Minor was dropped in the backfield far too many times, ending up with a minus 44 yards, only 12 fewer lost yards than Hart on one third the carries. From time to time his vision seems to be a hindrance. You can see him constantly searching for the path of least resistance rather than plowing straight ahead or behind his blockers. He also has a tendency to be hesitant hitting the gaps, seemingly knowing that his upright running style exposes him to the big hit.

But these are all traits of a tall, inexperienced running back. The big guys tend to run upright until coaching or getting popped, forces them to change. Given the difficulty running behind anyone other than Jake Long, it’s hard to blame the kid for being a little hesitant last year when approaching a spot guarded by Mitchell or Boren.

The spring and fall practices have seen a steady stream of praise thrown Minor’s way. Nothing that makes you stand up out of your chair, but things that reassure you the Minor is in fact the real deal. His unique blend of size, speed, and shiftiness make him one of Michigan’s most formidable offensive threats. Look for him to break the 1,000 yard mark this year and notch at least 6 TDs. Look for the tall shifty running back to become Michigan’s workhorse in 2008.

Holy Crap! There are just 3 Days Left Till Kick-off, and we've almost made it through the Countdown! So with 3 Days Left, here are three more reasons to Love Ann Arbor! Tomorrow and Friday are our final two, and they'll make way for actual football related content. But since we're almost done, here's #6 in our continuing Series of 100 Days to Football and 100 Reasons to Love Ann Arbor.

#6 – Angelo's

via: amywcook farm1.static.flickr.com

Simply the best breakfast place in town. The waits are insane. The lines are long. The service, well, it can be (*ahem*) average on game days. But good holy God is the food good. If you're in town, make a point of eating here. But also make a point of getting there early. It's #6 in our Countdown and Reason #6 to Love Ann Arbor.

#5 – Ashley's

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Beer heaven. That is all TAP beer. Go there. Drink. Be merry. Also realize the food is really, really good. Ever since I realized that beer can actually have taste I have returned to Ashley's during every one of my post graduate trips to Ann Arbor. Cozy, but not shoulder to shoulder. The staff are knowledgeable beer snobs, the prices are reasonable, and you cannot beat the location. There are plenty of college kids, but its got a distinctly grown up feel to it. Maybe its the lack of vomit on the floor, or the fact no one is doing shots off the miller lite girl's stomach, or maybe the fact that they don't serve pitchers (at least they didn't when I was there), but it's a bar to sit, converse and contemplate your beer future. Hands down the best pure "bar" in town, and arguably the best bar in a 300 mile radius. That's why it's #5 in our Countdown and Reason #5 to Love Ann Arbor.

#4 – The Golf Course Tailgate

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Every home Saturday the Michigan golf course goes from pristine emerald elegance with rolling hills and ancient trees to something resembling a refugee camp as thousands upon thousands of people cram onto its fairways. And I wouldn't have it any other way. There's nothing quite like it. Everyone has their tailgate set up. The deep fryers are out. The ten foot grills are burning hot. Beanbag toss tournaments are being organized and kids are running around the fairways in 50 person games of two hand touch. The flat screens are set up and Gameday blares out of the speakers. They serve burgers, dogs, and lobster. Lobster? You heard right. It's a place where beer is the ultimate barter and everyone, even you, tOSU fans, are friends. On a pristine fall day, it's one of the most beautiful sites on the planet. That's why it's #4 in our Countdown and Reason #4 to Love Ann Arbor.

If you've got suggestions on places you'd like to see, email me with a photo or a description and we'll get your favorite hangouts in the countdown as well. I'll also try to get a link on the sidebar in the coming days that allows you to see all 100 Reasons to Love Ann Arbor.

You can love someone without reservation. Promise before God that you'll spend the rest of your lives together. Travel the world, make friends, start a home, maybe even start a family together. You can agree on everything. The furniture, the locations for your trips, how to spend the holidays. You can look into each other's eyes and know true happiness. But there's one thing you'll never agree on. There's one thing that'll set you at odds, turn one of you into a despondent mess while the other celebrates, make you put those promises you made before God on hold for 24 hours. One thing that won't even let you get a matching Bean Bag game set.

It's College Football. And no matter how much he or she loves you, come Saturday, you and your team can go to hell.

via www.motorcitycruise.net

If you had to guess who Michigan’s top returning tackler was I’m willing to bet good money you wouldn’t pick Ezeh. But that’s who it is. Ezeh, despite playing his first downs of football at the Linebacker position in 2007, notched 68 tackles, 2 sacks, 2 PBUs and even grabbed an interception from the middle linebacker slot.

While 68 tackles are not what you normally look for from a MLB, I’m willing to give Ezeh the benefit of the doubt for a couple of reasons: 1) He’d never played linebacker before; 2) the defensive line as a whole underachieved last year which allowed linemen free reign at the defense’s second level; 3) he was playing with Shawn Crable and Chris Graham who were #2 and #3 respectively in tackles last year; and 4) he was playing with Shawn Crable and Chris Graham who spent most of their time out of position either by design (Crable at DE) or just by being themselves. That’s some tough on the job training.

This year no one can use the excuse, "well, he’s a converted Full Back" when talking about Ezeh. No, this year he’s the sole returning starter at Linebacker and will have to anchor the middle of the field while Austin Panter, Jonas Mouton, JB Fitzgerald, or any one of the numerous square pegs in Michigan’s circular linebacking core sort themselves out. While normally this shouldn’t instill too much confidence in a position or a player there are reasons for optimism where Ezeh is concerned.

First, Ezeh brings something a lot of career linebackers just don’t have. Speed. It’s easy to forget that Ezeh was once a moderately recruited tailback with offers from other major conference schools. He just decided Michigan was the best fit. He’s got quick feet and great closing speed. So the things you desperately need at the MLB position and the things you simply can’t teach, Ezeh already possesses.

Second, Ezeh improved with just about every game he played last year. Sure there were some steps backward from time to time, but as the season progressed and Ezeh became more comfortable at his position the ratio of thinking to reacting swung dramatically into the positive. Case in point was the Citrus Bowl where Ezeh was all over the field, racking up tackles and hits, and perhaps more importantly, being where he should’ve been play after play.

Third, and most importantly, Ezeh is only a sophomore this year. Hard to believe, but Michigan’s starting middle linebacker last year was a freshman, and a freshman who’d never played linebacker. Whether it’s hard to believe, or just plain scary, Ezeh was the best player on Michigan’s roster to fill that slot as a freshman. And for a freshman campaign, learning a new system, a new position, and the speed of the college game, Ezeh performed adequately at linebacker. Now, with a year under his belt, his potential growth at the position has me extremely excited.

Look for a monster year out of Ezeh, potentially doubling his tackles and sacks, as well as bringing some stability to Michigan’s linebacking corps.