[bigboydan]

Sophomore slump or too much media hype after a fantastic freshman year? Any way you slice it, Michigan Wolverines QB Chad Henne performed well below expectations last season.

"This is probably a make or break year for Henne on a number of levels," the author of this article says. "With Michigan quarterbacks getting more than just a passing look-see these days in terms of NFL potential, the junior has every opportunity to show professional scouts that he has what it takes to play on Sunday. He also has a lot to prove to the university and it's fans, attempting to turn last season's negatives into this year's conference title. This is his time to shine, fully equipped even more with the knowledge he needs to lead this offense. Smart money says that he will, and that the Wolverines will once again finish among the top tier in the Big Ten standings."

So how will Henne and the Wolverines perform in 2006?

[pags11]

a lot of his success depends on the health of RB Mike Hart...the dude has a strong arm but needs to work on his footwork and decision making...behind Smith and Stanton, possibly the third best QB in the big 10...although Tate's pretty damn good too...

[bigboydan]

theres no question they have a ton of talent surrounding Henne this year i just wonder if the michigan play calling will be effective enough to get this kid to really shine.

[Orion]

Well when you factor in the injuries to the offensive line, Mike Hart missing a majority of the season, and the lack of any real deep threat receiver, it's not hard to see why he struggled so much last season.

Based on what I am hearing about summer workouts, I expect Henne and the offense to be much improved this year.

[onlooker]

Blue Ribbon Yearbook.

Back for his third year at the controls is junior Chad Henne (6-2, 223), one of the keys to the Michigan offense.

That's usually the case for a quarterback, but especially so in Henne's case. Last season, Henne completed 58.4 percent of his passes, but the Wolverines were 0-4 when he dipped below 50 percent. Still, he threw 23 touchdowns and only eight picks, trimming his interceptions by four from his freshman year, when he posted the best numbers for a freshman quarterback in Michigan history.

With 24 straight starts, Henne has proven his durability. He has averaged almost 220 passing yards per game in his career, and his 48 touchdown passes are more than any other Wolverine quarterback has posted in a two-year span. Now, he's just got to find a way to translate those numbers into more victories, a feat that often comes with experience.

"[Henne] had a good spring," Carr said. "What I see is a different guy -- in terms of his total confidence in what he's doing and in what he needs to do. He's been around here, and he understands the leadership aspect of that position. I think he's right where he needs to be."