The purpose of this diary is to track the roster as it changes between now and the start of the 2016 Michigan Football campaign. This will be updated in regards to recruiting and transfers as time progresses. I will leave the recruiting projections to those who know that best around here including Ace, Magnus, Alum96, etc. The only thing that I have attempted to project on my own is the renewal of fifth year seniors to be. We all know Harbaugh's policy that fifth year's are not guaranteed, and, therefore, I have taken a few of the redshirt juniors off of the roster already. My guesses with the Fifth Year Seniors are based on whether or not they were contributors this year. Hence Drake Johnson is projected to return and Tom Strobel is set for a firm handshake as he would not have played except for injuries to both Bryan Mone and Ryan Glasgow. Finally, I am going to take Jourdan Lewis and Jake Butt at their word about their desire to return since they have both made those statements publicly.

Rules

1. There are 5 categories which the players were divided between. The categories are Returning Contributors, Contributors Lost, Other Returners, Commits, and Targets.

2. Only what can be confirmed as fact will change my projection of the roster.

3. While the coaches are bound to the 85 scholarship rule my projection is not. If there are more than 85 players changes will come but I will not update the roster until the change(s) are made public.

4. What constitutes a Contributor is my belief that the player either A) Played meaningful snaps in multiple games at some point in the season or B)Would have if not for a significant injury before the season began. Bryan Mone, I'm looking at you (sigh). Other Returners are all of the players on the roster who are not labeled as a Contributor.

5. I will not project grayshirts or attrition among the commits.

Version 1.0

Conclusions:

• Michigan's Secondary and Defensive Lines should both be huge areas of strength next year with almost the entire group of Contributors set to return. 13 of the 16 between the two positions if the fifth year players are renewed.
• Linebacker is going to go with a lot of young players. Help us Ben Gedeon. You're our only hope!
• Don't look now but Michigan should have 3 Fifth Year Senior O-Line members who are in, at least, their third year as starters and their second year with Drevno. Do I dare to think we are going to truly have a dominant O-Line again, finally? Insert the "I want to believe" meme here.
• The new QB will be a very happy man since he will inherit 9 of the 10(!) current WR's and TE's on the roster this year. (We'll miss you A.J.!). And that is without any consideration for TWJ, or the recruits.
• If the coaches can unearth a playmaker at RB Michigan could make life very easy on the new QB because of the above mentioned veteran talent among the pass catchers and OLine. Could we develop an offense that deserved to be mentioned with the 2000, 2003, 2004, and 2006 units?
• The coaches want to add Defensive Lineman and LB's the most in recruiting-based on quantity still left on the board-which leads me to question how many of the current D-Lineman will get a fifth year.