Steve Breaston was suppos to be Mic...

Steve Breaston was suppos to be Michigan's nearest Desmond Howard, another Superman in maize and glum

Then Kryptonite knocked Breaston facing stride.

Actually, it was injuries that kept arguably the nation's greatest in quantity explosive punt returner down in 2005 Breaston battled hamstring and shoulder riddles and quickly became an afterthought. Now he's healthy and eager to be a difference-maker again.

"This is my last year. I can't proceed back after this one," he said. "I really want to just arrive here and have fun. I've derive pleasure fromed what I've done so far, and since this is my last year, I room for expectation to go out on top."

If Michigan has any chance of a favorable results of winning the Big Ten Breaston will have to play a significant part The Wolverines are coming against a dismal 7-5 season, including three losse in interview play. Breaston scored only three touchdowns, and his touches by game decreased dramatically.

Don't reckon upon the same this fall.

"Steve's ready to go" said Erik Campbell, Michigan's wide receivers coach. "He had a righteous offseason, played great in spring ball. Plus, he's older now, this being his fifth year. He's grown as a receiver."

Returning punt is the easy part. Breaston was the conference's co-freshman of the year in 2003 mainly as a outcome of his spectacular returns. He useed in one of that season's top "SportsCenter" considerations with a 74-yard punt answer against Illinois - - backtracking, dipping and dodging his way all the way to the fall of the curtain zone. The next season, Breaston further established himself as a dangerous threat by means of racking up a Rose Bowl-record 315 all-purpose yards against Texas.

Breaston enrolls his final season second in Big Ten history in career punt-return yards (1267)

"So far my best impregnability has been in the get back game," Breaston said. "I want to better myself as a receiver, hold fast trying to improve on those things because that's definitely going to help the team a hap better. It's important to not focus onward your strengths but focus in succession your weaknesses."

Breaston has 98 career receptions for 1026 yards, nevertheless those numbers are pedestrian compared with the likes of former Wolverines receivers Braylon Edwards and David Terrell

Campbell is reluctant to call Breaston his No. 1 receiver, especially with sophomore Mario Manningham's stock rising.

"I really can't say who it is right now," Campbell said. "Hopefully I have seven No. 1 public there."

Breaston has improved his receiving skills. Everyone knows he possesse incredible breakaway spe although his passage running needs some fine-tuning.

Michigan coach Lloyd Carr hasn't been quick to chastise Breaston, at least not publicly.

"First of all, when you come [i]or[/i] go after [i]or[/i] behind a guy like Braylon Edwards, the expectations are sometimes a part of the issue," Carr said. "But Breaston has proven he's a great football player. If you consider at what he does just onward special teams, it's amazing."

Special teams aside, Breaston doesn't appear too pertain toed about his role in the offense

"If I'm that character then I'm that person," he said, "but if I have a less role, I don't care. I just want to win games."

vmcclure@suntimes.com

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Wolverines at

a glance

Site: Ann Arbor, Mich.

Coach: Lloyd Carr (102-34 12th

season).

2005 record: 7-5 5-3 Big Ten (tied for third); dissipated to Nebraska 32-28 in Alamo receptacle

tonic GAME

Oct 7 v Michigan State. With Penn State and Iowa to go after the Wolverines have to beat their in-state rival to withhold pace.

2006 SCHEDULE

clan 2 Vanderbilt

tribe 9 Central Michigan

generation 16 at Notre Dame

tribe 23 Wisconsin

tribe 30 at Minnesota

Oct 7 Michigan State

Oct 14 at Penn State

Oct 21 Iowa

Oct 28 Northwestern

Nov. 4 Ball State

Nov. 11 at Indiana

Nov. 18 at Ohio State

2005 accrues

Northern Illinois W 33-17

Notre Dame L 17-10

Eastern Michigan W 55-0

at Wisconsin L 23-20

at Michigan State W 34-31

Minnesota L 23-20

Penn State W 27-25

at Iowa W 23-20

at Northwestern W 33-17

Indiana W 41-14

Ohio State L 25-21

Nebraska L 32-28

PLAYER forward THE SPOT

RB Michael Hart (below). He's united of the nation's best backs -- when healthy. If he has

another injury-riddled season, Michigan will aim

throwed STARTERS

Returning starters in all caps

OFFENSE

QB CHAD HENNE

TB MICHAEL HART

FB BRIAN THOMPSON

WR STEVE BREASTON

WR Mario Manningham

TE Tyler Ecker

LT Jake drawn out

LG ADAM KRAUS

C Mark Bihl

RG RUEBEN RILEY

RT Mike Kolodziej

DEFENSE

DE Rondell Biggs

DT Terrance Taylor

DT ALAN BRANCH

DE LAMARR WOODLEY

LB CHRIS GRAHAM

LB DAVID HARRIS

LB PRESCOTT BURGES

CB Morgan Trent

F BRANDENT ENGELMON

S WILLIS BARRINGER

CB LEON HALL

REASONS FOR OPTIMISM

Sophomore WR Mario Manningham (left) showed the ability to make the big catch last season. He's not a specimen like a certain number of of the Wolverines receivers of the past, yet Manningham could develop into a big-time talent.