Daniel Plocher
Verified
Writer for @MaizeNBrew. Former Exec. Producer of The Wisconsin-wide Big Show Radio Network
Is this you? As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.
Claim your profile
Articles by Daniel Plocher
How to Watch: Michigan Football vs Indiana, other top games of Week 8 Original
Michigan Football hosts the reigning national champs on Saturday. Here’s everything you need to know to watch Michigan vs Indiana: A strong defensive performance and a quarterback change led the Michigan Wolverines to a comeback win over the Penn State Nittany Lions last week. Now, they have maybe their toughest test of the season to date, the reigning national champion Indiana Hoosiers.
3 things we learned from Michigan Football’s win over Penn State Original
The bye week and a troublesome offensie performance in the first half led to a quarterback change for Michigan on Saturday, leading to a 21-18 win in the Big House. True freshman Tommy Carr stepped in and led the Wolverines to three second-half scoring drives and the eventual victory. Newfound optimism courses through the veins of Schembechler Hall, but there’s still much to prove and a lot to take away from this performance. Let’s dig into what could be the turning point of the season.
How to Watch: Michigan vs Penn State, other top games of Week 7 Original
The Wolverines are off their bye to right the ship against another struggling program. Here’s how you can watch Michigan Football vs Penn State this weekend: Coming off the bye week, the Michigan Wolverines will reach the midway point of their season after Saturday’s game vs Penn State. Both programs are in the first year of a new regime, and neither has gotten off to the start they had hoped for with both being winless in conference play. That will change this weekend in Ann Arbor.
2 things we learned about Michigan Football during the bye week Original
The Michigan Wolverines were sidelined in Week 6 with a bye week in the middle of a two-game losing streak to Iowa and Minnesota. Answers are needed for a team that needs to make sure the wheels don’t fall off. They’re 0-2 in Big Ten play and have their toughest opponents still ahead of them. Here’s what we learned as we head back into game week. It feels like the conference is split up into three or four tiers every year.
What they’re saying in college football Week 6: Urban Meyer calls Michigan a ‘train wreck’ Original
It has not been a fun bye week for the Michigan Wolverines and their fans after the loss in Minneapolis to the Minnesota Golden Gophers last Saturday. The maize and blue faithful have to sit on 14 days of the last performance being a loss while the national media picks and prods at everything surrounding the program following an 0-2 start to Big Ten play.
How to watch: Georgia vs Alabama, other top games during Michigan’s bye week Original
Michigan’s on a bye this weekend, but there is a doozy in the SEC on Saturday. Here’s a couple of games to enjoy while the Wolverines sit this weekend out: Following consecutive losses to Iowa and Minnesota, the Michigan Wolverines’ bye week couldn’t have come at a better time. There is a lot to figure out for Kyle Whittingham and his coaching staff for the Wolverines to have a successful remainder of the season.
2 things we learned from Michigan Football’s loss to Minnesota Original
Unacceptable doesn’t even begin to describe what we have seen from the Michigan Wolverines through five games this season. Kyle Whittingham was meant to come to Ann Arbor and bring in stability, laying the foundation for a return of a disciplined product and program. Instead, the team is reeling heading into the bye week after losing consecutive games and being a Hail Mary away from 2-3.
What they’re saying Week 5: Big Noon Kickoff Analyst; “I think Minnesota is going to win” Original
The Michigan Wolverines are looking to avenge their loss to Iowa last week as they face the Minnesota Golden Gophers in Minneapolis on Saturday. As we head into the matchup, let’s catch up on the latest from the players, coaches and media heading into Saturday’s contest. Coming off the loss to the Hawkeyes, Josh Pate didn’t have the kindest of things to say about the demeanor of the Wolverines. “I know what I saw,” he said. “I just don’t know how to explain it. (Iowa) just found a way.
How to Watch: Michigan Football vs Minnesota, other top games of Week 5
Coming off the first loss of the season, Michigan heads to Minneapolis to face the 3-1 Golden Gophers. Here’s how and when you can watch the game: It was a brutal weekend for the Michigan Wolverines as karma reared its ugly head in a walk-off loss to the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Big House. Things don’t really lighten up for the maize and blue, as they head to Minneapolis for their first road game in 2026 to face the 3-1 Minnesota Golden Gophers.
How to Watch: Michigan Football vs Minnesota, other top games of Week 5
It was a brutal weekend for the Michigan Wolverines as karma reared its ugly head in a walk-off loss to the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Big House. Things don't really lighten up for the maize and blue, as they head to Minneapolis for their first road game in 2026 to face the 3-1 Minnesota Golden Gophers. P.J. Fleck has once again coached up a solid team, coming off an emotional victory in Seattle over Washington.
3 things we learned from Michigan Football’s last-second loss to Iowa Original
For the second time in four games, the final play of the game decided a contest for the Michigan Wolverines. This time, karma reared its ugly head as the Iowa Hawkeyes left the Big House with a victory in a game they probably didn’t deserve to win. The other shoe dropped from the miraculous Hail Mary that Michigan needed to beat Western Michigan in the opener, and now we’re a quarter of the way through the season.
What they’re saying Week 4: Iowa’s leading WR gives Michigan DB’s bulletin board material Original
Big Ten play begins for the Michigan Wolverines today as they host the Iowa Hawkeyes. As we get set for action in The Big House, let’s catch up on what the fans, media and coaches are saying heading into this matchup. Tony Diaz has 200 receiving yards and 17 receptions in his first three games at Iowa after playing in the FCS a season ago. A video surfaced midweek of Diaz being asked about Michigan’s defense, saying they anticipate the Wolverines will play man defense and stack the box.
How to Watch: Michigan Football vs Iowa, other top games of Week 4 Original
Conference play begins with a doozy for the Wolverines with a Top-25 matchup against Iowa this weekend. Here are the TV details: Big Ten play is here for the Michigan Wolverines, and they kick things off with a Top-25 opponent as the No. 17 Iowa Hawkeyes come to Ann Arbor this weekend. Two of the most experienced head coaches in the country face off as Kyle Whittingham and Kirk Ferentz face off for what should be a heck of a chess game to watch unfold. Day: Saturday, Sept.
3 things we learned about Michigan Football after UTEP win Original
It was a tale of two halves for the Michigan Wolverines on Saturday, needing a field goal as time expired in the first half to have a lead before the break. In the second frame, the maize and blue absolutely dominated, outscoring the UTEP Miners 35-3 in the final stretch, finishing with a comfortable victory. Wrapping up non-conference play in the first year of a new coaching staff, there are still things we are learning about this football team.
What they’re saying Week 3: Kyle Whittingham and Urban Meyer talk Bryce Underwood’s development Original
The Michigan Wolverines are coming off a huge win over the No. 11 Oklahoma Sooners last weekend, reigniting national attention to a team that severely disappointed in Week 1, despite earning a win over Western Michigan. Sentiment from fans and the media are mixed: Who are the real Michigan Wolverines: The team that needed a Hail Mary to beat a MAC opponent, or one good enough to beat an SEC opponent that made the College Football Playoff last season?
How to Watch: Michigan Football vs UTEP, other top games of Week 3 Original
The Michigan Wolverines look to start the season 3-0 as they take on UTEP this weekend. Here’s what you need to know about how and where to watch the game: What a difference a weeks makes for the Michigan Wolverines, as they have re-earned favor in the eyes of many after upsetting the Oklahoma Sooners. Now, momentum feels like its building back to where it was before an embarrassing opener against Western Michigan.
What we learned about Michigan Football in Week 2: An elite pass rush emerges Original
After a Week 1 to forget for the Michigan Wolverines, the maize and blue stunned college football with an upset win over the No. 11 Oklahoma Sooners in the Big House. It was a full-team response to an entire week of controversy and contempt by media and fans from across the country. Kyle Whittingham deserves massive kudos for how his team and his quarterback bounced back against an SEC opponent who was in the College Football Playoff a season ago.
What they’re saying Week 2: Former Michigan coach chooses Wolverines to upset Oklahoma Original
It was a stinker of an opener for the Michigan Wolverines, clutching victory from the jaws of defeat with a Hail Mary to top Western Michigan under the lights. Now, the No. 11 Oklahoma Sooners roll into town coming off an impressive 51-0 win over UTEP. There’s been too much controversy over the extra second, and it’s been discussed ad nauseam. So we’re going to leave it in the past and focus on what the media, coaches and players are saying heading into one of Saturday’s games of the week.
How to Watch: Michigan Football vs Oklahoma, other top games of Week 2 Original
A Hail Mary was needed for the Michigan Wolverines to beat the Western Michigan Broncos on Saturday in one of the most surprising and controversial finishes in college football in Week 1.
What we learned about Michigan Football in Week 1: It’s better to be lucky than good Original
It took a second chance at life and a Hail Mary for the Michigan Wolverines to beat the Western Michigan Broncos on Saturday night as 27.5-point favorites. What would have been the worst loss since Appalachian State was unjustly given to them by the football gods.
How to Watch: Michigan Football vs Western Michigan, other top games of Week 1 Original
It’s game week! Here’s everything you need to know about where, when, and how to watch Michigan Football take on Western Michigan on Saturday night: College football is back, and the Michigan Wolverines kick off their season hosting the Western Michigan Broncos. A new era begins as Kyle Whittingham mans his first game as head coach of the program, attempting to reignite a team littered with talent.
What they’re saying Week 1: Michigan a sneaky CFP contender in 2026? Original
We’re just a couple days away from the Michigan Wolverines starting their 2026 campaign against the Western Michigan Broncos. Each week this season, we’ll recap some of the top things we’ve heard from the national media, the coaches on either side, the media and the fans. Let’s dig into what folks are saying heading into Week 1: On Josh Pate’s College Football Show on YouTube, Pate took comments from fans, voicing his opposite positioning from popular takes across the country.
The Top 25 Michigan men’s basketball players since 1989: No. 1 Original
We’ve reached the end of the Michigan Wolverines’ athletics offseason, and with that concludes our series ranking the top-25 players for the men’s basketball team in between the 1989 and 2026 national championships. The celebration of Dusty May and this program winning their first national title in more than three decades concludes with the only National Player of the Year in this era and one of two in the history of the program — Trey Burke.
K Trey Butkowski's path to Michigan football, outlook for 2026
Neither the offense nor the defense performed to expectations last season, but maybe the greatest disappointment of all was special teams. Kicker Dominic Zvada was coming off a first-team All-American season where he set Michigan's single-season record for field goal percentage at 95.5 percent, including a perfect 7-for-7 from 50+. But there was a drastic falloff in 2025, with Zvada converting 17-of-25 attempts (68 percent).
K Trey Butkowski’s path to Michigan Football, outlook for 2026 Original
Neither the offense nor the defense performed to expectations last season, but maybe the greatest disappointment of all was special teams. Kicker Dominic Zvada was coming off a first-team All-American season where he set Michigan’s single-season record for field goal percentage at 95.5 percent, including a perfect 7-for-7 from 50+. But there was a drastic falloff in 2025, with Zvada converting 17-of-25 attempts (68 percent).
Predicting the winners of Michigan Football’s 3 top position battles
Throughout the offseason, Michigan Football fans have had a keen eye on some position battles. With a little more than a week to go, it’s time to call our shot as Kyle Whittingham and his staff iron out the final details heading into a Week 1 contest with Western Michigan. Here are our best guesses at the players that win each of these position battles.
Predicting the winners of Michigan Football’s 3 top position battles
Throughout the offseason, Michigan Football fans have had a keen eye on some position battles. With a little more than a week to go, it's time to call our shot as Kyle Whittingham and his staff iron out the final details heading into a Week 1 contest with Western Michigan. Here are our best guesses at the players that win each of these position battles.
The Top 25 Michigan men’s basketball players since 1989: No. 2 Original
We wrap up the Fab Five with the No. 2 player on our offseason list of ranking the best players between Michigan’s 1989 and 2026 national titles with the legendary Chris Webber. It was a tight race between Webber and our No. 1 overall player because no Wolverine since that 1989 team entered college with more talent and also carried his team to consecutive National Championship appearances. No. 2 - C Chris Webber - Score: 205.7 Solidifying the historic Fab Five recruiting class was Webber.
S Mason Curtis' path to Michigan football, outlook for 2026 season
Maybe the most intriguing player on the Michigan Wolverines' roster heading into the fall is junior safety Mason Curtis. That's because he's an experienced player — 20 game appearances on defense with three starts — but head coach Kyle Whittingham said a few weeks back he wasn't confident in the depth in the secondary. That's surprising because of Rod Moore, Zeke Berry, Smith Snowden, Jyaire Hill, Chris Bracy and others' experience in what was once considered a loaded position group.
S Mason Curtis’ path to Michigan Football, outlook for 2026 season Original
Maybe the most intriguing player on the Michigan Wolverines’ roster heading into the fall is junior safety Mason Curtis. That’s because he’s an experienced player — 20 game appearances on defense with three starts — but head coach Kyle Whittingham said a few weeks back he wasn’t confident in the depth in the secondary. That’s surprising because of Rod Moore, Zeke Berry, Smith Snowden, Jyaire Hill, Chris Bracy and others’ experience in what was once considered a loaded position group.
The Top 25 Michigan men’s basketball players since 1989: No. 3 Original
The fourth member of the Fab Five — Juwan Howard — enters our list ranking the top players for the Michigan Wolverines since the 1989 national championship. The first commitment in the recruiting class that changed the trajectory of college basketball, Howard was the ultimate glue guy who developed into one of the most decorated players in the history of the program. Even with a forgettable tenure as head coach, Howard’s an iconic name that will forever be tied to Michigan.
S Rod Moore’s path to Michigan Football, outlook for 2026 Original
The last time Rod Moore played a fully healthy snap for the Michigan Wolverines was in the National Championship in 2023. Two and a half years later, there’s optimism the program is finally getting him back in full force. After everything Moore has accomplished, being the face of conquering the Ohio State Buckeyes on the Wolverines’ run to the national title, his final season is about cementing his legacy and getting back the two years that injuries took away from him.
The Top 25 Michigan men’s basketball players since 1989: No. 4 Original
We cracked the top-five of our offseason series, and some of our readers had a conniption seeing Hunter Dickinson’s name starting us off. As we creep towards the top, there should be absolutely no drama surrounding who comes in at No. 4. The focal point of the team that was crowned national champions in 2026, an elite presence and infectious personality who emerged into superstardom in his only season in Ann Arbor. The magnificent Yaxel Lendeborg.
CB Zeke Berry’s path to Michigan Football, outlook for 2026 Original
The Michigan Wolverines are primed for a much-improved secondary in 2026 with a team laden with experience and talent. One constant throughout the last several years is Zeke Berry, a fifth-year senior who has been a contributor since the Wolverines won the national championship in 2023. Heading into his final season, Berry has the chance to be an All-Big Ten performer and a potential NFL Draft pick come next April.
The Top 25 Michigan men’s basketball players since 1989: No. 5 Original
We’re into the Top 5 of our offseason series ranking the best players from the Michigan Wolverines championship in 1989 to the team that just won it in April of this year. We’ve had a bunch of Michigan Men to this point, but in the new era of college sports, we have the first guy on this list who didn’t finish his career in Ann Arbor. He was the face of the program for a few years and an elite multi-year performer. It’s the polarizing Hunter Dickinson.
LB Troy Bowles’ path to Michigan Football, outlook for 2026 Original
Kyle Whittingham was on The Rich Eisen Show earlier this week and expressed some concern about the second and third phases of Michigan’s defense. “Little thin in the secondary as far as guys that have accumulated a lot of reps,” Whittingham said.
The Top 25 Michigan men’s basketball players since 1989: No. 6 Original
We had our first Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year winner earlier in this list, as Aday Mara came in at No. 10. Now, we reach the first Big Ten Player of the Year in our offseason series ranking the Top 25 players since 1989. A key force on the national champion runner-ups in 2012-13 and one of the best shooters in program history: Nik Stauskas.
DE Lugard Edokpayi’s path to Michigan Football, outlook for 2026 Original
The edge room got a whole lot better with the addition of John Henry Daley, a potential All-American pass rusher who came to Ann Arbor from Utah with head coach Kyle Whittingham. Effectively deployed as the DE1 on the depth chart, everyone else took a bump down that list, including redshirt sophomore Lugard Edokpayi, who has played limited snaps but hopes to be a more bona fide rotational piece this fall.
Michigan Football 2026 opponent preview: UTEP Original
UTEP was 2-10 last season in Conference USA and now joins the revamped Mountain West. Here’s what you need to know about Michigan Football’s Week 3 opponent: The Michigan Wolverines have a matchup with the UTEP Miners coming up this season. Heading into the third season under Scotty Walden, the Miners have had little success in the past few years. On top of that, the team was completely shredded in the transfer portal during its transition from Conference USA to the Mountain West.
The Top 25 Michigan men’s basketball players since 1989: No. 7 Original
We’re well into the top-10 in our offseason list of the top-25 Michigan men’s basketball players since 1989. While the model was really strong, there was a surprise that snuck above some Michigan legends. And had he played in Ann Arbor at a different time, he likely could have earned similar love. Let’s remember four-year All-Big Ten performer LaVell Blanchard.
DE Cameron Brandt’s path to Michigan Football, outlook for 2026 Original
The Michigan defensive line has seen a lot of change this offseason. Three starters and a couple extra rotational pieces either graduated or moved on from the program. That includes Derrick Moore and Jaishawn Barham, two edge rushers picked in the early rounds of April’s NFL Draft. But one name that stands out heading into 2026 is senior Cameron Brandt, who may be in line for a starting role this fall.
Michigan Football 2026 opponent preview: Oklahoma Original
The Michigan Wolverines have become very familiar with former Big 12, now SEC foes in Oklahoma and Texas the last three seasons. Heading into 2026, the Wolverines will get their turn to host the Sooners in the Big House in Week 2 for what should be a matchup between two teams vying for the College Football Playoff. After falling short in Norman a season ago, the Wolverines hope for some revenge this year to get the season rolling early.
The top 25 Michigan men's basketball players since 1989: No. 8
Daniel Plocher The first member of the Fab Five comes in at No. 8 on our list of the top-25 Michigan men's basketball players since 1989. He was the vocal leader of the crew, a hometown hero, and remains a face of the University of Michigan and its basketball program. The great, Jalen Rose. No. 8 – Jalen Rose – Score: 124.2 Before we get into this, we've stayed true to our scoring model for this entire series. I really liked 95 percent of the outcome, but Rose was snubbed.
Show More
loading
Actions
Get in touch with Daniel
Contact Daniel, search articles and posts on X, monitor coverage, and track replies from one place.
Learn more about Muck Rack