Recruiting and a Hoke/Mattison vision of what a Michigan defense is
Mattison talks incessantly about a "Michigan Defense". What exactly is it's makeup? Can we catch a glimpse of it in Hoke's defensive recruiting so far?
Much like Alabama kicked our ass, we seem intent on kicking ass in the future. We might lose some games to teams with superior skill and speed in the future but opponents are going to take a physical pounding along the way.
I think we have a good idea what type of offense M is going to run in the coming seasons with big physical OL/TE , big receivers, and big RB's getting recruited en masse, but what about the defense?
Absent from recruiting on the defensive side of the ball is players with great speed. This doesn't seem to concern Hoke and Mattison at all. Hoke wasn't BS'ing when he talked about being physical at the point of attack and seems to be a primary focus of defensive recruiting
Linebackers is where Hoke's vision for M's defense is most evident. Looking at the recruits here now and coming in the future, they are all physical kids but not freak athletes
Linebackers recruiting:
Desmond Morgan | LB | SO | 6-1/227 |
Antonio Poole | LB | RS FR | 6-2/224 |
Royce Jenkins-Stone | LB | FR | 6-2/213 |
Kaleb Ringer | LB | FR | 6-1 231 |
Joe Bolden | LB | FR | 6-3/223 |
James Ross III | LB | FR | 6-0/225 |
Ben Gedeon | LB | HS | 6-3/215 |
Mike McCray | LB | HS | 6-4/230 |
Michae Ferns | LB | HS JR | 6-3/235 |
Defensive Tackles are big uglies by trade so no surprise here
Defensive Tackle recruiting:
Willie Henry | DT | FR | 6-2/314 |
Ondre Pipkins | DT | FR | 6-3/340 |
Maurice Hurst Jr. | DT | HS | 6-2/305 |
Henry Poggi | DT | HS | 6-4/260 |
Defensive Ends, there appears to be a speed rusher on the way in Taco Charlton, but nobody on the roster at this point, though Frank Clark and Mario Ojemudia show promise. A couple of the D Ends seemed destined for the interior, though I know not who.
Defensive End recruiting:
Brennen Beyer | DE | SO | 6-3/252 |
Frank Clark | DE | SO | 6-2/262 |
Keith Heitzman | DE | RS FR | 6-3/270 |
Matthew Godin | DE | FR | 6-6/277 |
Mario Ojemudia | DE | FR | 6-3/231 |
Tom Strobel | DE | FR | 6-6/252 |
Chris Wormley | DE | FR | 6-4/279 |
Taco Charlton | DE | HS | 6-6/249 |
DB's: I am lumping Safety's and Corners together. A bigger more physical brand of safety is certainly on the way. Corner are coming in two kinds: Boundary and Field is how they are referred to, but again no speed burners in the group.
Delonte Hollowell | DB | SO | 5-9/176 |
Blake Countess | DB | SO | 5-10/180 |
Raymon Taylor | DB | SO | 5-10/182 |
Jeremy Clark | DB | FR | 6-4/200 |
Jarrod Wilson | S | FR | 6-2 194 |
Terry Richardson | DB | FR | 5-9/162 |
Allen Gant | DB | FR | 6-2/199 |
Gareon Conley | DB | HS | 6-2/165 |
Ross Douglas | DB | HS | 5-10/180 |
Jourdan Lewis | DB | HS | 5-10/159 |
Channing Stribling | DB | HS | 6-2/170 |
Dymonte Thomas | DB | HS | 6-2/192 |
October 12th, 2012 at 2:28 PM ^
Not to go all track coach on you, but you do realize all the cass DB's can fly right? We are talking 10.7-8 speed from all of them. They have speed.
Conley has nearly unstopable at WR for Massilon Washington. I have yet to hear anyone say speed is an issue for him. Blake is a good athlete all-around. Speed and athleticism don't seem to be a problem at corner.
Not really sure what your point in all of this is?
October 12th, 2012 at 2:38 PM ^
October 12th, 2012 at 2:42 PM ^
The corners are broken down into 3 groups. Field, boundary, and slot corners. You keep saying we don't have breakout speed in our recruits (which isn't true) like it's a bad thing (which it also necessarily isn't.) If you look at our DB's you'll see 9 of them have sub 4.5 40 times reported. Jourdan Lewis is listed at 4.40 flat, Ross Douglass at 4.41, Raymon Taylor at 4.43, Jeremy Clark at 4.47, Blake Countess at 4.47, Dymonte Thomas at 4.48, ect. I know all 40 times are suspect, but I don't know where you're getting that they are lacking in speed. Mario Ojemudia, Taco Charleton, Maurice Hurst, Ben Gedeon, and others are extremely fast and freaky athletic for their position, too.
October 12th, 2012 at 4:47 PM ^
while Hoke/Mattison may not be explicitly stating that they're seeking speed, they're getting elite players that have it. The pretty obvious upgrade in talent that's in the pipeline will trump any (at this point unverifiable) decline in team speed.
October 12th, 2012 at 5:00 PM ^
I am not saying there is a decline in team speed. I find it interesting this staff doesn't prioritize speed in and of itself as a virtue like many seem to do. For example, I will use somebody no longer on the team, DJ Williamson, he was mostly recruited because he was a track star and could run real fast. This staff never seems to go down that road, offensively or defensively.
For the record, I love what Hoke is doing with defensive recruiting, and think in two years time, M will regularly field a NC contending caliber defense on a regular basis.
October 12th, 2012 at 5:14 PM ^
October 12th, 2012 at 6:08 PM ^
October 12th, 2012 at 5:16 PM ^
October 12th, 2012 at 5:16 PM ^
Strong front four that generates plenty of pass rush. One guy spends most of the game in the opponent's backfield. Opponents struggle to break 3 YPC.
Linebackers that react quickly, fill the holes, swarm, and hit hard. When they blitz, they drive it home. LBs lead the team in tackles.
Defensive backs that can handle man and zone coverage. Strong safety that hits with authority.
Defense gets offended when the opponent scores. Points against per game < 10.
Smart and disciplined. Make the right read and get to the ball quickly. Need for speed isn't critical if you are headed in the right direction at the snap.
Big plays don't happen.
At least 8 guys on ball every play.
Don't care what the guys look like, but those are the attributes. Refer to 1976 (5 shutouts) and 1997 defenses as examples.
October 12th, 2012 at 8:03 PM ^
Just as important as speed is reaction time. I think we're recruiting some solid athletes, but also a lot of celebral players.
October 12th, 2012 at 11:15 PM ^
What? Keith Heitzman wasn't recruited by Mattison.
October 12th, 2012 at 11:38 PM ^
October 13th, 2012 at 12:59 AM ^
October 12th, 2012 at 11:49 PM ^