Mario Ojemudia to OLB?!?
In a recent Detnews article, they talk about Mario playing OLB for Michigan. If true, that is a shock to me and it raises more questions about or DL recruiting. If Mario goes to OLB that means we did not land any true WDE's this year and we are even more loaded at OLB.
Wormley, Godin and Strobel all seem to be SDE/ DT types. Pharoh Brown was slated for WDE and maybe his desire to play TE helped the coaches decide to move on. I suppose Mario can still end up at WDE after putting on weight, but I'm still wondering why the staff did not start recuriting other WDE's once Brown left?
I know, I know, trust the coaches, blah blah blah, but this one confuses me.
http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20120116/SPORTS0203/201160340/Michig…
January 17th, 2012 at 12:45 PM ^
I feel like the coaches recruited Mario to play Jake Ryan's SAM position, with Ryan and perhaps Beyer moving to WDE if they put on some weight.
January 17th, 2012 at 12:48 PM ^
Last year Clark was headed to OLB, too... Clark and Ojemudia seem like similar players to me. So we'll see...
Regardless, I think Strobel can play weakside DE. Keep in mind that, while it sounds like the WDE should be a guy who's small and quick, the coaches still wanted Roh to get up to 270 to play WDE. Godin is almost headed for the SDE and maybe DT if he gets too big, but Strobel's a little lighter and a little more athletic.
Also, don't forget about Phara-...oh, never mind.
January 17th, 2012 at 3:22 PM ^
It'll be interesting to see how the positions all shake out. While the coaches did supposedly want Roh at 270 that's bigger than anyone we have returning or coming in to play SDE. With Black and Clark backing him up, there's a good chance Roh or Black moves over, no?
January 17th, 2012 at 3:47 PM ^
Mags, you think you were posting on Oregon recruiting board again? You really have to stop that!
/kiddin'
January 17th, 2012 at 12:49 PM ^
January 17th, 2012 at 12:52 PM ^
Didn't Hoke originally say when he was first hired that he wanted to run a 3-4?
January 17th, 2012 at 12:58 PM ^
In a few of his first interviews he said flatly that Michigan will be playing the 4-3 with either an over or under look.
January 17th, 2012 at 12:58 PM ^
the 3-4 switch looks very plausible.
January 17th, 2012 at 1:23 PM ^
Hey, how about the 3-3-5? I heard it's really good.
Seriously, as long we play well, I don't care what we run on defense. At the moment though, I don't want to change anything because of the fear that we may regress.
January 17th, 2012 at 1:44 PM ^
Our Base D, the 4-3 Under, uses personnel very similar to 3-4 Personnel
http://mgoblog.com/diaries/4-3-under-think-3-4-personnel-and-recruiting-makes-sense
January 17th, 2012 at 2:50 PM ^
Well this is convenient! Excellent post that I must have missed when it was originally featured.
January 17th, 2012 at 12:49 PM ^
As Frank Clark and Brennan Beyer showed OLB and WDE are fairly fluid designations.
January 17th, 2012 at 3:04 PM ^
SAM and WDE need similar athletes to play them. As do the 5-tech and 3-tech (see RVB and Heininger)
January 17th, 2012 at 12:54 PM ^
the next Jake Ryan in the long line of Jake Ryans. His body type is that of a LB. unless he grows alot in overall size this makes complete sense to me. When i saw his tape when he first committed i said to myself this kid would crush at LB. agree on the hypbrid 3-4 look.
January 17th, 2012 at 12:54 PM ^
I think Ojemudia is going to be used in the same way Brennan Beyer is used... an OLB that is at the line on passing down situations.
January 17th, 2012 at 12:55 PM ^
let's all panic
January 17th, 2012 at 12:56 PM ^
about anywhere we put him!
ALL WORLD!
Lights OUT!
Muhammad Ali of Michigan football!
Just Saying!
January 17th, 2012 at 1:48 PM ^
Yo, Fred, what's up? It's been a while, man.
January 17th, 2012 at 12:57 PM ^
I think Mario has come out and said that Mattison has told him, he's going to be used as a pass rusher, mostly standing up. So DE type responsabilities but from an OLB position maybe?
January 17th, 2012 at 12:59 PM ^
Super Mario . . . playing wherever we need him!
January 17th, 2012 at 1:07 PM ^
When it comes to recruiting and what positions a 17 year old kid projects out to playing I have to leave to the coaches to know what they are doing. I (and i would guess about 99% of the board) are ill equiped to second guess these decisions given the limited facts we have available to us. So yes...trust the coaches blah blah blah.
I save my all-important suggestions for really critical matters like bubble screens and 4th and 1 playcalling at MSU. I feel there I truly can offer some much needed assistance.
s/
January 17th, 2012 at 1:16 PM ^
...until there's clear evidence that this coaching staff takes seriously the need to recruit the body types and skill sets needed to implement a full-bore bubble screen scheme on offense. We MUST design the world around the players we have and get: don't ask players to do what they cannot, and what they can and should do at Michigan is bubble screen all the time. (That's the key to shredding Alabama's defense next year, too.)
Yes, this is sarcasm, because I'm sick unto death of the zombie-like fixation on bubble screens...
January 17th, 2012 at 1:24 PM ^
Hoke mentioned that he looked at butts and shoulders and tried to project how big a kid could get when filled out. Current height and weight only tell part of the story.
Who would have thought that Frank Clark would have played at almost 230 lbs as a freshman when he was listed as a 210 lb recruit, and those numbers tend to be on the high side.
January 17th, 2012 at 4:38 PM ^
big butt/shoulders = can fill out more
or
big butt/shoulders = already maxed out or near it?
January 17th, 2012 at 4:48 PM ^
that Player X can put on more muscle. Rear ends are harder to read, but I would imagine big hips are better than smaller hips.
January 17th, 2012 at 1:15 PM ^
It looks like Mario is Darth Vadering your avatar
January 17th, 2012 at 1:10 PM ^
I just interviewed Mario the other night. He said the coaches plan to use him as a rush end and that Coach Mattison has specifically told him that he wants to bulk Mario up to put him in a Terrell Suggs-type position.
January 17th, 2012 at 1:26 PM ^
I like it. Mario has the potential to be the Michigan "crowd pleaser".
January 17th, 2012 at 1:28 PM ^
He's a relatively polarizing prospect to some, but I think he may have the highest ceiling in the class in terms of potential.
January 17th, 2012 at 5:01 PM ^
He'll play next year, though I realize he's still quite skinny. I'm going to be foolish and go ahead and predict 5+ sacks for this kid, including 2 in one game. Fully realize this would have nearly made him the team leader this year, but I don't think some OT's are going to know what to do with him.
5+ sacks in limited time.
January 17th, 2012 at 1:27 PM ^
for the Terrell Suggs reference.
January 17th, 2012 at 1:47 PM ^
Does this mean he will be dual-enrolling at Ball So Hard University along with Michigan?
January 17th, 2012 at 2:07 PM ^
that was my understanding of the role he would be playing so that was why I was surprised by the Detnews article.
I agree with all the comments about guys like Clark, Ryan, Beyer, etc we have some flexibility. I personally hope we keep loading up on the Dline. Athletes with size on the DL is what separates the SEC from the rest of the world.
January 17th, 2012 at 1:35 PM ^
Are Roy Roundtree and Jeremy Gallon 'slot' receivers or a 'wide' receivers? IDK, but I WORRY.
Is Mike Martin an a 4-3 DT or a 3-4 DE in the NFL? IDK, but I WORRY.
Do I call Courtney Avery a 'nickel' back or a 'corner' back? IDK, but I WORRY.
Is Thomas Gordan a 'strong' safety or a 'free' safety? IDK, but I WORRY... Bonus Worry: what does this year's coaching staff call it exactly?!?
These may be stupid things to worry about but not nearly as much as worrying about the future positions of verbal commitments, when even the coaches aren't sure about the long-term position for the majority of them. The only recruit with almost zero chance of moving away from his currently projected position is Richardson.
January 17th, 2012 at 1:38 PM ^
You're focusing too much on specific names of positions. The 4-3 under we've been running doesn't necessarily need players that fit the exact mold of three positions (DT, DE, LB) as defined by "Tackles are fat and stand in the middle", "Ends are fast and edge rush", "Linebackers hit gaps and tackle RBs."
DTs and DEs may use quickness or power and some may rush while some may contain (or even drop back into coverage LOLZ Mike Martin).
DEs and OLBs can have similar responsibilities depending on formation and play.
We play what looks like a 5-2 a lot even though it's a 4-3 under and if you start focusing too much on setting positions into a traditional mold, it probably won't fit. 4-3 under seems like an amorphous formation anyway.
Also to remember, Mario has not enrolled yet and he's 210 pounds. Regardless of projected position, he'll need to add weight. He may be a totally diffferent player in 2 years when he sees the field
January 17th, 2012 at 1:40 PM ^
We're currently at Roh, Black, Heitzman as WDEs. Clark and Ryan can also play with their hand down if needed. So even if we don't take a WDE, I'm not going to panic.
January 17th, 2012 at 1:46 PM ^
WOTS is that Heitzman is now working at SDE.
But Clark was playing WDE all season long.
January 17th, 2012 at 2:52 PM ^
Didn't Brian hint that Heitzman is moving to TE?
January 17th, 2012 at 3:04 PM ^
January 17th, 2012 at 3:10 PM ^
Heitzman might see some time next year on defense. He has a chance to pass up Brink at that SDE position.
January 17th, 2012 at 3:18 PM ^
January 17th, 2012 at 3:20 PM ^
Will be interesting to see how much bigger Heitzman is next fall. He is listed at 251 on the roster.
Sounds like the spring game should feature Brink (if healthy), Black and Heitzman at the top of the SDE depth chart. All of these guys are significantly smaller than Heininger.
January 17th, 2012 at 3:29 PM ^
January 17th, 2012 at 1:52 PM ^
I saw Wormley play twice in HS. I know a little bit about football, and I think there's at least a chance he might move inside to the 3 tech at some point.
January 17th, 2012 at 3:23 PM ^
I think you may be right, IF, if, if he can stay low. He stands up way too much off the snap, I saw a few games over the last few years, and that seemed to be his only Negative.
January 17th, 2012 at 2:34 PM ^
they want him to play the 'Joker' position which is a DE/LB hybrid. The player primarily plays with his hand down and occasionally drops into coverage. Think James Hall from the 1997 team.
January 17th, 2012 at 2:44 PM ^
Think Terrell Suggs
January 17th, 2012 at 2:59 PM ^
But by comparing him to a former Michigan player you can watch old Wolverine Historian clips on youtube and get a good idea of the position.
January 17th, 2012 at 5:13 PM ^
you can see what Mattison will do with him within the last few years