2012 LB's Redshirting??
So by almost any estimation the defense and specifically the LB's have done very well this year and much better than expected. With that being said we return a host of good to pretty good and still developing LB's. I cant remember a LB group coming in that has this much hype and talent. The question then becomes who redshirts??
Royce - 4 star and should be enrolling early I thought
Bolden - 4 star
Ross - 4 star
Ringer - 3 star but lost out on the 4th because of injury this year.
I guess depending on how Ringers knee heals he would be the obvious, but I would think there will be more. Demens stays and the coaches love Morgan. Jake Ryan has played well especially against the run, and it has been stated on this board mutiple times that Mattison loves Poole he just needed to get bigger. Hawthorne has been great in spots and would figure in somewhere, and lets not forget Cam Gordon was a penciled in starter to most before the injury. Evans is supposed to be a 6th year qualifier as well, with Mike Jones and I. Bell figuring to be the odd ones out. Dont get me wrong this is exactly the problem that we need to have with talent overload and all, but just curious how the staff plans to balance this one out.
Thoughts?
November 17th, 2011 at 12:29 PM ^
November 17th, 2011 at 4:34 PM ^
He was one of my most favorite recruits last year. I'm really excited to see how he develops.
November 17th, 2011 at 12:33 PM ^
I think his size is a limiting factor. I think he'll add something to the weakside linebacker discussion, but I think some time in the weight room is needed first.
November 17th, 2011 at 12:33 PM ^
I was just wondering about Poole. Curious to see what his weight is at and how he is looking after a season of practices. Hopefully he will be a contributer next year.
November 17th, 2011 at 12:34 PM ^
I'd love to see most of the stockpile of 4* LB's redshirted. The sooner we can get back to reloading instead of rebuilding, the better, and doing so would allow us to focus on the lines and other areas we're shorthanded a little bit more.
November 17th, 2011 at 1:43 PM ^
Agreed, especially since 2 of our 3 starters will only be sophomores.
November 17th, 2011 at 1:49 PM ^
November 17th, 2011 at 12:36 PM ^
Quick question on recruiting, if Evans was granted a 6th year would that be one less available scholarship for next year's class?
November 17th, 2011 at 6:38 PM ^
He won't be.
November 17th, 2011 at 6:45 PM ^
It doesn't matter, since we'll have 29 open spots after the seniors graduate, and we'll only be able to take 28 recruits. If Evans got a 6th year, the only people it would affect is whether or not T-Rob or Cox got their 5th year.
November 17th, 2011 at 12:38 PM ^
Bolden also enrolls early.
I'd guess RJS (from Detroit, where coaching is thin on the ground) and Ringer (injury means inexperience) redshirt while Ross and Bolden play. If the coaches end up having faith in Jones and Poole we could see them all redshirt, but that never happens.
I don't know what they do with Cam. His path to PT is backing up Ryan because Black moves to SDE and they slide Beyer to WDE, but even if (when) Black moves they'll have a sophomore Clark. Good problem to have, I guess. Maybe back to WR?
November 17th, 2011 at 1:03 PM ^
Is anyone on the curent roster a candidate to move to MIKE? Next year looks like Demens then freshmen unless Isaiah Bell is doing something no one is hearing about.
November 17th, 2011 at 1:31 PM ^
Mike Jones is a backup MIKE, and I think Desmond Morgan could play there, too.
November 17th, 2011 at 1:46 PM ^
November 17th, 2011 at 8:27 PM ^
Didn't know Jones was playing at MIKE. I was relying on the MGoDepthChartbyClass which has him listed at WILL.
November 17th, 2011 at 1:36 PM ^
I doubt he'll move back to WR, but it is potentially problematic for Cam Gordon. It would seem strange that Beyer would move to WDE, since he was there to start with. Clark was a SAM to start the summer and Beyer was a WDE, then they flipped positions, and both are playing now. I do think Beyer is a better fit at WDE; it just seems odd to switch his position again.
November 17th, 2011 at 1:40 PM ^
Well that would be odd, considering Mattison singled out Cam as a guy who could truly boom.
November 17th, 2011 at 2:06 PM ^
This is an interesting possibility given Cam's inability to get PT in front of Beyer. We are pretty thin at WR even given the high liklihood that we will take two this year. Cam was pretty well regarded as a potential possession receiver and he was the go to guy for Devin when Gardner was a HS Junior.
November 17th, 2011 at 2:17 PM ^
Stonum and Gallon start. Roundtree and Dileo backup. Jackson and Robinson depth. Assume 2 freshman. That's 8 guys. Plenty for a pro-style offense.
Then you have other guys who can be used in 4 WR set like some RB (Hayes/Smith) and TE (Miller/Funchess)
November 17th, 2011 at 2:08 PM ^
Injuries aside, I don't think any of us really thought Countess would come in w/o enrolling early and unseat a fifth-year senior Woolfolk for his spot. It's tough to say who it will be, but if this class is as stacked as the ratings suggest, I expect at least two to be contributors on next year's team. My gut is Ross at MLB and Bolden (forget where he's being recruited for though) at WLB.
One thing, however, that people forget is that one of the reasons so many of these guys committed was early PT. They weren't guranteed anything, but these kids believe they will come in and play, so it may be a lighter year for redshirts than it normally would.
November 17th, 2011 at 12:51 PM ^
With all these big time backers, and the Ryan/Beyer combo of really big SAMs, not to mention Mario O coming in, anybody think we might see some more 3-4 defensive looks in the future years? Didn't mattison run some of that in Baltimore?
November 17th, 2011 at 1:10 PM ^
November 17th, 2011 at 12:55 PM ^
...to watch all these talented kids pushing each other for playing time.
Michigan looks to be becoming the new "Linebacker U".
November 17th, 2011 at 12:59 PM ^
Whoa, whoa, whoa, lets not get ahead of ourselves here. I hope so, but it seems a bit premature.
November 17th, 2011 at 1:05 PM ^
because 100% of our 4* linebackers have turned out to go on to successful NFL careers? Nowadays I'm glad if our 4* linebackers end up being starters so maybe calm down on that one for the next 10 years or so
November 17th, 2011 at 1:06 PM ^
We have 3 positions and how many scholarship LBs for next year? Demens, Morgan, Ryan, Beyer, Clark, Gordon, I. Bell, M. Jones, Hawthorne, Poole, and if Evans gets a 6th year that would make 11 plus Bolden, Ross, Ringer, RJS, and Mario O. Do we really need 16 scholarship LBs for 3 positions?
November 17th, 2011 at 1:21 PM ^
LBs are perfect for special teams, you need lots of them. Covering kicks, punts and what not were made for guys who fight off blocks, can tackle in space, can run, etc.
November 17th, 2011 at 1:35 PM ^
I count 14 linebackers. I'd add Paskorz as a linebacker. I'd remove Evans as a medical 6th year is unlikely. I'd also put Ojemudia, and Clark on the DL.
November 17th, 2011 at 3:49 PM ^
some of next years 4 will redshirt. I'd think we'll end up with 12.
November 17th, 2011 at 1:06 PM ^
BTW, it's Ringer and Bolden who are planning on enrolling early—don't think RJS has that lined up right now, unless I completely missed something.
I said this in the comments of Thursday Recruitin', but I think Bolden and Ross will get early PT. Bolden's been getting rave reviews and played at a big-time high school against tough competition, plus he's an EE, and Ross just looks college ready (I got to see him play twice this season, and he was the best linebacker I saw out of anyone this year). RJS is talented but very raw, and Ringer had the injury issues, so I'm guessing both will redshirt.
November 17th, 2011 at 1:38 PM ^
Ross is effing awesome. He could have started for Michigan last year.
November 17th, 2011 at 3:51 PM ^
The question is; can he start for them next year? Much tougher proposition. Your Mom could have started at LB for M last year and it probably wouldn't have made much of a difference.
November 17th, 2011 at 2:15 PM ^
If we don't find a third EE we will not be able to take 28 in this class. Any ideas on that Ace?
November 17th, 2011 at 4:41 PM ^
Jarrod Wilson.
November 17th, 2011 at 1:09 PM ^
Why are we talking about 2012 already.
Season has 3 games to go, and all are big big BIG games. Start of our new "rivalry" with NU, then The Game, then likely a NYD bowlgame for sure -- or a post-NYD bowlgame if we win the first two. Can we stop worrying about things we have NO IDEA about, like redshirting guys who haven't even signed a LOI yet?
November 17th, 2011 at 1:21 PM ^
We talk about things like this because it is MGOBLOG. This blog was created for Michigan fans who like to talk about Michigan. You don't have to read the thread if you don't want to.
November 17th, 2011 at 1:39 PM ^
Yes. It's extremely important that we fans maintain focus. If we get off track, the actual football team is going to go straight down the tubes.
November 17th, 2011 at 2:43 PM ^
...that's always a danger when we get ahead of ourselves & start dreaming ;-)
November 17th, 2011 at 2:22 PM ^
Is there going to be any NYD bowls since it is a Sunday? Thought they tried to avoid the mix with the NFL.
November 17th, 2011 at 2:25 PM ^
I'm not sure about the others, but the Rose Bowl is going to be on January 2.
November 17th, 2011 at 5:23 PM ^
Why are you even worrying about a post-NYD or NYD bowl game when we still have 2 regular season games to go and could end the season 8-4 and shut out of the BCS/Cap1/Outback? Can you please stop worrying about things we have no idea about, like which bowl game Michigan will be in? You act as if it's a sure thing.
November 17th, 2011 at 6:57 PM ^
Rough day?
November 17th, 2011 at 1:14 PM ^
That's all Im sayin
November 17th, 2011 at 1:19 PM ^
I would assume that between James Ross and whoever else is considered a MLB, one or both will be available as a backup to Demens in order to groom him for a starting position in 2013. I would assume the OLB candidates will all redshirt considering there will be 2 sophomores ahead of them on the depth chart. And hopefully Ryan will be so ridiculously good that we will be fearing his departure each season beginning next year.
November 17th, 2011 at 1:40 PM ^
Ross is a WILL.
November 17th, 2011 at 2:16 PM ^
Agreed - he will be a monster playmaker from WILL. I see Morgan moving to MIKE in 2013.
November 17th, 2011 at 3:36 PM ^
Ah I see. These things seem to change frequently with these high school recruits. I remember when he committed in studio with Sam Webb, Sam was talking about him being a MLB.
November 17th, 2011 at 4:12 PM ^
You could be right (I don't listen to Sam Webb very often), but from my own projections and what I've seen everywhere else, he's being recruited as a WILL. He doesn't seem to fit the mold of a 4-3 middle linebacker, especially when the coaches are grabbing big, tall, thick guys like Jenkins-Stone and Bolden to play MIKE. They're completely different body types.
November 17th, 2011 at 1:32 PM ^
Hopefully they will all redshirt unless they can crack the 2-deep or are otherwise needed to play LB (not special teams) in meaningful situations. This seems likely at MLB as our depth chart should look like this:
SLB: Ryan, C Gordon, Beyer
MLB: Demens, ???
WLB: Morgan, Hawthorne, Jones, Poole?
If Evans ends up as Demens' primary backup, then one or even two true freshmen might have to rotate in anyway so we won't have entirely raw MLBs in 2013. I think the only plausible (if unlikely) scenario where true freshman MLBs won't have to play in 2012 would be if someone (Poole?) clearly beats out Morgan at WLB and Morgan moves over to MLB to back up Demens.