asmar bilal

Try that again. [Patrick Barron]

Previously: The Offense

Resources: My charting, ND game notes, ND roster with oddly specific heights, CFBstats

Those who lost track of Notre Dame back when we were on hiatus missed the Brian VanGorder defense. Those who didn't grow up in football in Michigan in the 1980s shouldn't be surprised when those that did all have VanGorder stories. Bowling Green's 119th-ranked defense is generating them now. I've got one I might share one day too. But ping a Notre Dame fan and you'll get all you need. Remember the year they went 4-8 (and Michigan State was 3-9?) That team was 82nd against the pass.

In 2017 they hired Mike Elko, who instituted a 4-2-5 under with tiny linebackers and a safety at the hybrid "Rover" position. In 2018 Elko left ND to his able assistant Clark Lea, the former LBs coach, who moved the rover inside for even tinier linebackers. This year they had to replace their best player at every level, and both of the linebackers. Again they moved the latest Rover to the weakside LB spot and drew in the next safety-like object. They also returned both All-If You Belonged to a Conference safeties, and a pair of defensive ends PFF thought were the best in the league, plus a Uche-like edge rushing specialist whose season unfortunately ended a few weeks ago. They've also somehow gotten even smaller across the middle, and make up for it by flinging them all at the line of scrimmage every snap.

The film: Georgia again because USC runs an Air Raid and we're going to be playing in a rainstorm unless the powers that be tell TV to go screw and move the game to noon for the safety and well-being of 113,000 people.

Personnel: My diagram:

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PDF Version, full-size version (or click on the image)

Again, take all scores in context. Notre Dame plays balls out with their linebackers to make up for their and the DTs' size issues, and that puts a lot of pressure on the secondary to make tackles and the ends to compress the line of scrimmage and get to the quarterback. We'll start with the DEs. Starting with the ends, SDE Khalid Kareem (+9.5/-5.5) is a Wormley-type tight end destroyer whom Georgia edged successfully a few times on read plays, and "Drop End" (WDE) Julian Okwara (+6.5/-3, –2 in coverage) is a standup DE/OLB hybrid except he's useless in coverage and extremely scary as a pass rusher. Inside they roll with most a three-man group of NG Kurt Hinish (+9.5/-3.5) who's solid, 3-Tech Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa (+10/-6) who's variable, and true freshman (composite #172) NT Jacob Lacey, with 3-tech/5-tech swingman Jayson Ademilola (composite #172) preferable to the available ends when someone else needs a spell.

I think they're lying about weights at linebacker. Maybe not for MLB Drew White (+6.5/-9.5 run, +0/-3 cov), a burst of acceleration who will get to the right hole if you point him straight at it. But former hybrid space player WLB Asmar Bilal (+3/-2 run, +1/-1 cov) still looks and plays like a defensive back, and has to shoot things aggressively or risk getting manhandled. The new "Rover" (HSP) Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (+9.5/-4 run, +0/-2 cov) mostly impressed me—he's the defense's wild child and used more or less how you would want a guy like him to be. The main backup is WLB Jack Lamb (+1/-1 run, +0/-1 cov) who spells Bilal on passing downs (mostly so he can pass rush), and a few snaps here and there for the true sophomores, old fashioned Pennsylvanian linebacker Bo Bauer (DNC), top-100 athlete Shayne Simon (DNC), and backup Rover Paul Moala (+1/-1).

The secondary features a lot of guys Michigan fought for, starting with speedster FCB Troy Pride Jr. (+0/-1 run, +2/-2 cov), an excellent Cover 2 cornerback who's got the size and speed but perhaps not the oomf to play as strongly in man on Georgia's well-endowed group of wideouts. BCB TaRiq Bracy (+0/-0 run, +2/-3 cov) is a widdle guy with some fight in him, and split time with a more extreme version of himself, forever-eligible starting nickel/former Brady Hoke commit Nk Shaun Crawford (+1/-3 run, +5/-2 cov), who's expected back this week from his latest foray onto the DL. Crawford's YMRMFSPA Blake Countess that Brian never got to write nonetheless still holds.

I do like the safeties a lot. FS Alohi Gilman (+6/-3.5 run, +0/-0 cov) is the Navy transfer ball-hawk who reminded you of Kovacs last year and will do so another ten times this year even though he's faster than Kovacs ever was. He's also not nearly as strong—UGA still has D'Andre Swift, who took Gilman for some piggy-back rides in this game. SS Jalen Elliott (+7/-2 run, +0/-1 cov) is very fast, especially when coming up in run support, and mostly mistake-free. He does fine on slot receivers. FS Kyle Hamilton (+0.5/-1 run, +0/-0 cov) joins them as a rangy middle-1/3rd coverage safety on passing downs.

[After THE JUMP: BLITZBALLLLLLLLL]

Commit Updates: Look, Ma. No Tee.

2015 Michigan commit Andrew David connected on a 58-yard field goal over the weekend, breaking the school record for Ohio powerhouse Massillon Washington in doing so. I'm told that's quite a long way for a high schooler to kick a football accurately, let alone from off the ground instead of a tee. I'm sure there won't be any jokes about trying to sneak this kid onto the team this week. Nope. None at all.

Steve Lorenz has your free wrapup of the rest of Michigan's commits in action over the weekend. Some highlights:

  • Alex Malzone finished 13-for-20 for 201 yards and three TDs in a dramatic 28-21 Brother Rice win over Warren De La Salle (Shane Morris' former school). Dave and I were at Wayne State for the game, and I'll have a full breakdown of the tape tomorrow.
  • Chris Clark finally began his senior season and did so in style with 14 catches for 165 yards and a TD. Highlights from the game are on his Hudl page.
  • Darian Roseboro had seven tackles as a defensive lineman. Oh, and 186 yards and four TDs as a jumbo running back. Sadly, no highlights of this yet.

After dispatching De La Salle on Friday, Malzone attended Saturday's game along with fellow commits Brian Cole, Jon Runyan Jr., and Mike Weber, and according to TomVH he's "confident" that group—and the other commits—will stick with Michigan. At least one anonymous uncommitted target, on the other hand, is reevaluating his stance on the Wolverines after Saturday's debacle ($):

One prospect who has been hearing from Michigan said the season has impacted how he feels about the Wolverines. He has had second thoughts about his interest, not just because of the wins and losses, but because of what he has seen on the field. 

Of note: Tom mentioned specifically that 2015 five-star WDE Keisean Lucier-South and 2016 four-star OT Ben Bredeson haven't changed their opinion of U-M, though KLS attached a disconcerting "yet" to his statement.

[Hit THE JUMP for updates on a pair of 2015 targets, Brian Cole's early enrollment plans, yet another school interested in flipping Chris Clark, and more.]

Rivals100 Update: Clark, Cole Move Up

Rivals updated their 2015 top 100 today, and one of the biggest risers on the entire list is a Michigan commit. After excelling at the Rivals elite invite-only camp, TE Chris Clark vaulted up 90 spots to #56 overall, where he's in a dead heat with UCLA commit Alize Jones for the honor of top-ranked tight end:

Clark had a fantastic showing at the Rivals100 Five-Star Challenge Presented by Under Armour in Baltimore. He is a complete tight end, not just a glorified receiver. His film shows that he is an excellent blocker. In Baltimore, Clark showed that he can run and catch like a hybrid tight end. There was a heated debate about whether he should be the top tight end in the country, over Alize Jones. The two are ranked No. 55 and No. 56 in the country and the smallest of differences were part of an extensive discussion. -- Friedman

Also mentioned among the top risers on the list is NC SDE Darian Roseboro, who many feel will be a Wolverine—myself included—when he announces his college choice on August 29th. He rose 37 spots to #42 overall, just 12 spots away from five-star status:

Roseboro is a defensive end in a defensive tackle's body and that's a good thing. He has the explosiveness and nose for the ball one hopes for in a defensive end and the size of a defensive tackle. Roseboro has the natural ability to play with good leverage as well. This helps him anchor down against the run. -- Friedman

Aside from Clark, Michigan has two other commits in the top 100: CB Garrett Taylor, who stayed put at #48 overall, and WR Brian Cole, who moved up from #106 to #89. (Cole's nearly caught up to former commit George Campbell; the one-time five-star slid to #78, as concerns about his hands continue to hurt his stock.)

Also of note: Michigan's top-ranked remaining target, CA WDE Keisean Lucier-South, climbed five spots to #30 overall, earning him the final five-star designation on the list.

While RB commit Mike Weber didn't crack the list despite being ranked at #103 the last time around, it's doubtful he drops much, if at all—after strong showings at multiple camps, he's impressing Rivals Midwest analyst Josh Helmholdt in fall camp:

The full Rivals250 and further rankings updates will be out this week.

[Hit THE JUMP for updates on a couple Cass Tech prospects, Asmar Bilal, Michigan's pursuit of a top-five 2016 prospect, basketball recruiting, and more.]