The Michigan Wolverines were beaten soundly by the Alabama Crimson Tide on Saturday night in Dallas, but more damaging for the team's long-term outlook was the loss of top corner Blake Countess for the rest of the season. Here is Anthony Mammel of SB Nation's Wolverines blog, Maize n Brew, with a quick assessment of the loss of Countess:
Michigan has some depth to work with at corner but that doesn't mean that he's replaceable. He's the best cover man the Wolverines have and the sledding will only get tougher without him.
The most likely replacements for Countess are junior Courtney Avery, sophomore Ramon Taylor and true freshman Terry Richardson. The Wolverines also experimented on Saturday night with moving safeties Jarrod Wilson and Thomas Gordon into the nickelback slot.
Michigan will have a few weeks in practice to work out the kinks in the secondary rotation. Their next opponent, the Air Force Falcons, features a run-heavy option offense.
For updates, stay tuned to SB Nation Detroit. For more in-depth coverage, visit Michigan Wolverines blog Maize n Brew. And for more news, notes and analysis from around NCAA football, check out SB Nation's college football hub.