#9 Mercury Hayes

1992-1995
Position: Wide Receiver / Kick Returner
Hometown: Houston, TX
Career Stats: 124 receptions, 2,144 yds, 12TDs

Hayes came to Michigan by way of Houston – and was recruited by Colorado, Florida State, USC, and Arkansas.  Hayes was a four-year player that spanned the QB eras of Elvis Grbac, Todd Collins, Scott Driesbach, and Brian Griese.  Is that not a decade of Michigan quarterbacks right there?

First Play That Comes to Mind

Big number nine came through Ann Arbor just as I was in that ten to twelve years old range.  At the time, I’m sure I had no real perspective or understanding around what the Michigan football program was going though in losing Head Coach Gary Moeller that off season.  At the time, Moeller was earning a $130,000 salary as the head coach. Needless to say, coaches be makin’ a little more scratch than that these days.So as the story goes, me the kid is upset that Virginia is pitching a shutout as the 4th quarter starts.  Meanwhile, the entire Michigan fan base is mired in this extended scene of drama that began with the episode that led to Gary Moeller’s resignation and Lloyd Carr’s interim status as the head coach.

There was a lot riding in this game.  A forgotten tumultuous time for the program.

This was a tone-setter for that 1995 season – not coming back from 17 down wouldn’t have set up for a pleasant week two in Carr’s coaching career.  Michigan makes the comeback and is faced with an opportunity at the end of the game.  Saying it was an opportunity is being mad generous too.

Michigan has one play left in the game, it happened to be a 4th & 10 with four seconds left from about the 15 yard-line….  Roll the tape…

That was sweeeeeet.  That call totally could have went either way.  And to think – there was no challenge, no question once those referee arms were raised up high.

On Deck?

Who is going to be #17?  In the decade of the ’90′s, his 90-yard touchdown reception stood as the longest completion in Michigan history until it was surpassed by Mario Manningham’s 97-yard TD against Wisconsin in 2007. 

Photo cred goes to Spawn of Mzone.

Injury Report
As stated over on Mgoblog, the injury report this week is Mcguffie-licious – as in full of concussed players. Actually just Carlos Brown and Tate Forcier are listed as probable with a 75% chance of playing. Zac Johnson is still out with a shoulder injury and David Molk is still out with this quickly healing but not quite ready yet foot.

Ricky Leach Gets Mad
Not to change the subject or anything, but the injury report brings usually nothing we don’t already know – here’s something that you don’t hear everyday. Ricky Leach called in to the Michigan Insider on WTKA today and talked to Sam Webb and Ira about Lloyd Carr, his attendance at the Iowa game and his general stance of silence on Rich Rod’s Michigan program. Leach said that Lloyd had “flipped a huge middle finger” at RR and what he is trying to do in this program.

First, I think Leach is taking this a bit far. He has been very vocal about his support for what Rich Rod is doing with this program and let’s the world know how he feels. I think he is still bitter that Lloyd never came out and gave even an ounce of support for the program before this season started. It’s easy to see why people interpret Lloyd’s silence as a sign of no support – and you have to wonder. If Lloyd had great respect and truly liked Rich, you would think that he’d vocalize it at some point in time. To me it’s a non issue. The program is what we care about as Michigan fans and the program is in the hands of Rich Rodriguez. I have respect for Lloyd Carr, his philosophies, and what he did for the Michigan program. Change is here and the transition has been made. No need to get all worked up about something that really doesn’t effect the program a great deal.

The QB Sitch Against Delaware State
I’m guessing Denard Robinson gets the start this week against Delaware State. If Tate plays, maybe he goes for the first couple series in the first quarter and that’s about it. I think you’ll see Denard play for a solid 2 to 3 quarters and Sheridan / Coner will get the rest of the time. This from RR on Thursday…

“If Tate’s cleared and he’s 100 percent and he’s able to do all the practices this week from Wednesday on, then he’ll be the starter,” Rodriguez said. “But we feel confident in Denard (Robinson), and Nick Sheridan’s had a great week of practice. He’s ready as well.”

Week 1 – Washington at Michigan – VIDEO
Michigan beats the Washington Huskies on opening day at the Big House. I can remember walking back to the car assuming sure defeat – then the horns. People were dancin’ on their horns because Michigan puts an improbable field goal through as time expires for the victory.

Week 2 – Houston at Michigan – INFO
This wasn’t exactly a great game – although now I’m sure every Michigan fan would take ANY blowout. But if you look at Week 2 games – there are lots of losses and ugly wins sprinkled in throughout – two to ND, two to Pac 10 teams, bad wins against MAC teams, etc.

Shawn Crable

Week 4 – Wisconsin at Michigan – HD VIDEO
The lone bright spot of the Rich Rod’s first season at Michigan. The greatest comeback in the history of Michigan Stadium. The first half was just a waste of everyone’s time – the offense blew, and I mean real bad. But things got going late in the third quarter with some help from Wisconsin and before you knew – Michigan is winning 27-19 and pulls out the W 27-25.

See below the tables for the rest of the game descriptions…

Week 5 – Michigan at Michigan State – VIDEO
MSU came into the game 4-0 and favored in the game for the first time since 1968. Michigan winds up getting a 21-7 lead before MSU came back to tie the game. Michigan then gets up 31-24 and midway through the 4th quarter a Henne fumble gets picked up and taken to the house. Rivas ends up hitting a field goal in OT to win the game.

Week 6 – Michigan at Penn State – VIDEO
The first overtime game ever at Michigan Stadium. If you watch the video, you’ll see that there are a number of plays where the refs miss some calls that did not help Michigan in any way. Michigan winds up down 13-7 at the end of the third quarter. Michigan then gets jobbed out of what was clearly a pass interference on Braylon Edwards. Nevertheless, Navarre ends up hitting Edwards on a fade pattern in the left side of the end zone. PSU gets up again 21-14 and Michigan ties and and gets the W in OT.

Mario Manningham

Week 8 – Michigan at Iowa – VIDEO
A gutsy comeback in Kinnick Stadium against the Hawkeyes of Iowa. The boys in blue were down 13 in the second half and things were looking rather ugly. The offense couldn’t get anything going all day until late in the 2nd half. Marquise Walker makes one of the most spectacular catches I’ve ever witnessed. Great win on the road.

Braylon Edwards

Week 10 – Michigan at Michigan State – VIDEO
Michigan comes out of the gates playing well, but eventually finds themselves down 24-14 midway through the forth quarter. Henne throws one of the best passes of his career to Greg Matthews in the corner of the end zone to put the Wolverines down 3. A quick stop from Michigan’s defense and Henne takes the boys back down field for an eventual beauty to Mario Manningham for the win.

Week 11 – Penn State at Michigan – VIDEO
Not a whole lot to choose from when considering Week 11 games. This was a solid victory led by Drew Henson, Anthony Thomas and BJ Askew. The 4th straight win in a row over Penn State – who would have thought that streak was going to last all the way up to 2008.

Week 12 – Michigan at Ohio State – VIDEO
Let’s see. One opponent fills Week 12. The win in 2003 was great at home. Gotta go with Michigan’s last road win in Columbus. Enough said.

Bowl Game – Michigan vs. Florida – HD VIDEO
A great way to send off Lloyd Carr in his final game on the sidelines. A back and forth game that saw Mike Hart fumble twice, Chad Henne make some unbelievable throws, Adrian Arrington make some sick catches, Mario Manningham come up big, and Jamar Adams LIGHT up Tim Tebow a couple times. Michigan has owned the SEC in recent years, unlike ugly down in Ohio.