chris barnett

Previously: 2008 Offense, 2008 Defense, 2009 Defense, 2009 Quarterbacks, 2009 Offense, 2010 Offense, 2010 Defense

Michigan's best offensive recruit of 2011 entered the program as a walk-on. [Barron]

It's that time of the offseason when I go back through the recruiting profiles for the class that just finished its five-year cycle, which brings us to...

Oh no. Ohhhhhhhh no. It's the 2011 hybrid RichRod/Hoke class, an underwhelming group at the time—ranked 26th in the composite—that didn't come close to living up to expectations. I promise this exercise will be less painful next year. Until then, let this serve as a painful reminder of how far the program has come in the last couple years.

This post on the offense will be mercifully short, at least; there were only seven scholarship players on that side of the ball in the class, and two didn't make it through their first fall camp.

Forcier Comparison = Accuracy

Michigan snake-oiled three-star dual-threat quarterback Russell Bellomy from Purdue shortly before signing day. By the time Brian got around to writing up Bellomy's profile, Shane Morris had already committed to the 2013 class, while Devin Gardner was waiting in the wings behind Denard Robinson. Bellomy's profile didn't exactly scream "future starter" regardless of the competition:

So what have they won? A developmental prospect. Bellomy's a bit like Justice Hayes in that he seems like a better fit for the offense Michigan just dumped. That might not be a big deal long term—unlike Hayes, Michigan actually got interested in Bellomy after the transition—but Bellomy is not Chad Henne. He's described as an "efficient spread offense QB" and completed only 58% of his passes on a run-heavy team. He rarely broke the 20 attempt barrier. Opposing coaches($) say stuff like "he was much more effective in the pocket than we expected" and "you have to respect his passing ability as well." He needs work.

Bellomy's YMRMFSPA was "pick a Forcier" due to his mobility and reputation as a "riverboat gambler." The comparison worked in that Bellomy flamed out of the program. You know the story well: Bellomy entered the 2012 Nebraska game over Devin Gardner, then moonlighting at receiver, when Denard Robinson hurt his elbow, had a disastrous three-interception performance, and never saw meaningful time again. He transferred to UT-San Antonio for his senior season, attempted ten passes as their backup quarterback, and left the program only a month into the 2015 season.

[Hit THE JUMP for, well, more pain.]

Chris Barnett has tweeted that he is out:

No longer at the university of Michigan

A couple of commenters wondered if that might be a joke. It is not. I've heard from multiple sources that Barnett was not in practice and was considering leaving or actually had left the team. Now it's (all but) official. That's the third member of the incoming class to flame out before the first game. At least in this instance I'd forgotten to write a recruiting profile for him. I did fret about his association with Baron Flenory.

Barnett probably wasn't going to play this year after suffering an injury late in his high school season and showing up pushing 280 pounds. Like Posada, his departure is more of a big deal next year when Koger and Watson graduate. At that point the only non-freshman tight end on the roster will be Brandon Moore, who hasn't played a lick thus far in his Michigan career.

Michigan might have to delay this manball thing even longer than they wanted simply because they don't have the personnel to put a tight end on the field much.

UPDATE: There's also Ricardo Miller at TE, though he needs to spend the next year eating nothing but bacon grease if he's going to get up to a reasonable weight.

It's a useless tradition around here to look at the roster and see who's grown to massive size and who is lean destructive sinew because All Weight Changes Are Positive.

Presenting weight changes that are all positive. I bolded things I find interesting:

QUARTERBACK
Player	2009	2010	2011	09 to 10	10 to 11
Denard Robinson	185	193	195	8	2
Devin Gardner	N/A	210	205	N/A	-5
RUNNING BACK
Player	2009	2010	2011	09 to 10	10 to 11
John McColgan	227	231	240	4	9
Fitzgerald Toussaint	185	200	195	15	-5
Michael Cox	208	211	214	3	3
Michael Shaw	178	187	195	9	8
Vincent Smith	168	180	172	12	-8
Stephen Hopkins	N/A	230	228	N/A	-2
WIDE RECEIVER
Player	2009	2010	2011	09 to 10	10 to 11
Junior Hemingway	220	225	222	5	-3
Darryl Stonum	196	195	195	-1	0
Je'Ron Stokes	181	193	193	12	0
Jeremy Gallon	165	180	185	15	5
Kelvin Grady	168	176	177	8	1
Martavious Odoms	172	175	173	3	-2
Roy Roundtree	170	176	177	6	1
Terrence Robinson	171	175	177	4	2
Jerald Robinson	N/A	199	206	N/A	7
Drew Dileo	N/A	172	172	N/A	0
TIGHT END
Player	2009	2010	2011	09 to 10	10 to 11
Kevin Koger	249	255	258	6	3
Ricardo Miller	N/A	217	234	N/A	17
Brandon Moore	243	250	255	7	5
OFFENSIVE LINE
Player	2009	2010	2011	09 to 10	10 to 11
Mark Huyge	288	306	302	18	-4
Michael Schofield	268	293	299	25	6
Ricky Barnum	275	286	292	11	6
Rocko Khoury	283	295	287	12	-8
Taylor Lewan	268	294	302	26	8
David Molk	275	285	286	10	1
Elliott Mealer	299	313	310	14	-3
Patrick Omameh	276	299	299	23	0
DEFENSIVE LINE
Player	2009	2010	2011	09 to 10	10 to 11
Mike Martin	292	299	304	7	5
Quinton Washington	325	315	302	-10	-13
William Campbell	318	333	322	15	-11
Kenny Wilkins	N/A	270	280	N/A	10
Craig Roh	238	251	269	13	18
Will Heininger	261	267	295	6	28
Ryan Van Bergen	271	283	288	12	5
Jibreel Black	N/A	265	260	N/A	-5
Richard Ash	N/A	320	301	N/A	-19
LINEBACKER
Player	2009	2010	2011	09 to 10	10 to 11
Brandon Herron	220	220	221	0	1
Isaiah Bell	220	245	250	25	5
J.B. Fitzgerald	232	244	241	12	-3
Kenny Demens	236	250	248	14	-2
Cameron Gordon	208	207	222	-1	15
Mike Jones	203	208	224	5	16
Jake Ryan	N/A	225	230	N/A	5
CORNERBACK
Player	2009	2010	2011	09 to 10	10 to 11
J.T. Floyd	183	183	185	0	2
Troy Woolfolk	193	195	191	2	-4
Courtney Avery	N/A	174	173	N/A	-1
Terrance Talbott	N/A	179	178	N/A	-1
SAFETY
Player	2009	2010	2011	09 to 10	10 to 11
Brandin Hawthorne	198	203	214	5	11
Floyd Simmons	185	200	194	15	-6
Jordan Kovacs	194	195	197	1	2
Josh Furman	N/A	208	208	N/A	0
Carvin Johnson	N/A	198	200	N/A	2
Marvin Robinson	N/A	203	200	N/A	-3
Thomas Gordon	205	205	208	0	3

Items!

• Where is the addition of beef? I highlighted the starting offensive line above. They gained a total of 11 pounds between them, or one pound more than David Molk did last year, when he was the least inflated OL on the team. If Michigan's running power with these guys it might not go so well.
• Where is the addition of beef: answer. It's in the outside-linebackery parts of the defense. Craig Roh's added 18 additional pounds; now up 31 from his arrival at Michigan he is legitimately DL sized. The projected starters at SLB and WLB both put on around 15 pound.
• The subtraction of beef. Is where you'd expect it: the tubby tubs on the interior of the DL. Will Campbell, Quinton Washington, and Richard Ash are all relatively svelte now.
• Maybe Wilkins is eventually plausible. I was shocked to see Wilkins came in at 270 and is now 280. He got blown up in the Spring Game but in a couple years he could be a reasonable option at three-tech.
• All weight gain is good! Michael Shaw is eight pounds heavier and better able to take the pounding of the Big Ten.
• All weight loss is good! Vincent Smith lost eight pounds and will return to the jackrabbit ways he flashed as a freshman.
• BEEFCAKE. I hope Ricardo Miller loves protein shakes, because he's added 17 pounds and is still ridiculously small at tight end.

Notable freshmen:

• Tony Posada and Chris Bryant. Good lord: both enter at essentially 340. They should form a tag team themed around natural disasters. Neither can be in any shape to play right now and unless Posada sheds a ton of weight he is a guard all the way at 6'4". Also monstrous: walk-on Gary Yerden at 6'5", 333.
• Antonio Poole. With Kellen Jones gone he's got a major opportunity to play right away and at 212 he's not much slimmer than Jones. Big difference between that and the 195 he was reputed to be.
• Greg Brown. While the rest of the freshman defensive backs enter at a willowy 176 or less Brown is packing 192. Good or bad… eh, probably not so good. But he did play well in spring.
• Chris Rock. Enters at 267. Will be a three-tech by WMU.
• Chris Barnett. Enters at 278. Redshirt coming with the knee and all; will be interesting to see if that goes down next year.
• Thomas Rawls. 5'10", 219 is pretty compact. Hayes is listed at the same height and a cornerback-like 176.

Weight gains or losses are the key to domination. We has them. Get out of our ways.