Detailed Spring Practice #7 Report
I haven't seen this linked to the board yet so please delete if it's already been posted, but here's a great report from the latest spring practice. It's very bullish on Shane being the starter at this point, apparently he had a great outing. OL looking good outside of center right now. Almost exclusively base 3-4 defense. Definitely worth a read.
Please oh please let 5'4 Antonio Whitfield get some PT this year.
3. Antonio Whitfield, Jr
Suprisingly, Whitfield got a number of carries behind the 1st Oline, and not all of them were out of shotgun. I’d be surprised if he saw the ball much during the regular season, but today showed the coaches trust him.
Serious question for the more seasoned MGoplayers/coaches- Is there any advantage for a really short running back being able to "hide" under his tall OLineman?
I imagine a really short but shifty running back could be difficult to visualize for the backers and, at times, would only be able to be seen when he hits the hole....and then boom! he's gone.
Yes, it is an advantage in being a shorter ballcarrier when running between the tackles. For linebackers and DL, it makes it more difficult to spot the RB in an instant if he is smaller and more capable of being shielded from vision by other players. It's not a massive advantage, but it is helpful for sure, even moreso if the short ballcarrier is coupled with an abnormally tall OL.
Little fucker hid behind his mammoth O-line, went crazy in the second half and ran for 200-some yards. I think he was the only one of Iowa's backs to escape the notice of AIRBHG, probably because he was so small.
Fred Russell as a Senior in HS wearing 95. He bulked up 5 more pounds at Iowa with their strength and conditioning program.
Hey! Where'd the ball go?
If anything, we should all be pretty encouraged that he is getting positive reviews this early in his and Harbaugh's career. These QBs should all be pretty solid in a year or two.
And then Michigan and Ohio State can finally unleash their all-QB offenses on each other.
Marcus said good things about all of them. And if you like arm strength, I really doubt Speight has more of it than Morris anyway.
If Speight or Malzone starts, they might be fine, but it also means we're going to have a lot of mistakes at QB. But if Morris starts, it might be because he got it all together. The best high upside scenario is Morris starting, so I'd like to see that happen despite seemingly so many people here dying to see Speight or Malzone start.
I want the best QB through summer practices starting, and I'm sure Harbaugh will pick the one who performs the best. You really cannot judge who will be QB after spring practice. I have a hunch that Morris will separate himself from the rest of the pack this summer. But who knows? Harbaugh will not be afraid to start Malzone if he performs the best this summer! I think out of one of these QBs we will have a very serviceable QB who can run Harbaugh's offense. I'm more optimistic this year that we will see at least average QB play.
For those who are criticizing or writing Morris off: what the fuck do you expect out of him? He got almost no experience in 2013 but had to play a bowl game due to Devin's injury. Then, in 2014, he had to play in the Nuss via Brandon Clusterfuck Offense. And, of course, there was the "invisible concussion" that could only be seen by those who weren't on the sideline.
Through it all, Morris has represented the University of Michigan well. He hasn't been in trouble. He hasn't complained about anything. He has worked his ass off. He even tried to take the blame for being left in with his concussion and tried to help the staff make excuses afterwards.
Remember, too, that his senior HS season was derailed by mono.
If Morris starts, it is going to be because he earned it. I hope everyone remembers that in September.
Well said Tater, I love your posts.
It has Pallante listed as the #2 FB.
Thanks for the link . . . good to hear more about how practice is going. Glad to hear Morris is doing well. Although, I'll believe he is the starter when they take the field for the first game, and not before. Also am very intrigued by what will happen with Graham Glasgow. Hope that LTT rounds into form. Would love to see Pipkins up to to speed as well.
-Good lord, what the hell happened to Drake Harris now?
-I know it was just a typo, but "Time Drevno" is going to be stuck in my head for a long time.
He just might be one of those guys who can never stay healthy.
If he can't stay healthy playing football, what about playing basketball? He was one of the top talents in the state right?
He was a major prospect that Beilein AND Izzo went hard to land. He (obviously) only decided to play football at the college level. He definitely could have made a roster and probably would have received some serious minutes on Michigan this season.
His major problem has been hamstrings. That doesn't sound like something caused by football. I doubt basketball would make his hamstring problems go away.
March 23rd, 2015 at 10:11 PM ^
Harris is still short of 180 while having about 4 inches on Roundtree. I'm not sure that's a great comparison. And even Roundtree had to redshirt.
March 23rd, 2015 at 11:26 PM ^
Along the lines of Tai Streets, 6'4", 185. Or Adrian Arrington 6'3" 185, David Terrell 6'3" 205, Marquis Walker 6'3" 196, Braylon Edwards 6'3" 192.
March 23rd, 2015 at 10:05 PM ^
March 23rd, 2015 at 10:34 PM ^
uh... 5'11" is even shorter then the aforementioned WRs at 6'.
March 23rd, 2015 at 10:35 PM ^
March 24th, 2015 at 10:16 AM ^
March 24th, 2015 at 12:17 AM ^
Why are we still doing this? His first explanation was pretty clear.
March 24th, 2015 at 10:18 AM ^
Desmond Howard wasn't 5'11", and Desmond Howard wasn't 170lbs when he won the Heisman.
Desmond Howard first season with meaningful playing time he was 5'9", 176lbs.
Desmond Howard measured 5'9", 188 lbs at the NFL combine.
March 23rd, 2015 at 10:43 PM ^
Just like our OL all used to weigh either 298 or 299. The listed weights and heights have been (and probably still are) so unreliable that it's hard to put much stock in any analysis involving them.
I somehow forgot how fast Steve Breaston was. He actually had some great cuts as well.
March 30th, 2015 at 10:05 PM ^
I'm sure he will put on some weight before the start of the season. I'm sure the staff is working to bulk him up too.
March 23rd, 2015 at 10:18 PM ^
March 23rd, 2015 at 10:33 PM ^
No he doesn't. Desean Jackson is listed as 5'10"
March 23rd, 2015 at 10:37 PM ^
March 23rd, 2015 at 10:59 PM ^
Pretty much no one playing football has a Drake Harris build. I always remeber Plaxico being a super skinny WR in college -- a Drake Harris build if you will. At 6'5", he's about the same height as Drake, but he weighed in at 231 at the NFL draft combine.
In another comparison, remember when the Pistons drafted Austin Daye? He was crazy skinny coming out of college. He measured in at 6'10" 192 at the NBA Draft combine. That's Drake Harris level skinny.
And again, nothing at all against the kid. Wish him the best of luck. But 6'4", 176 is too skinny for college football. You'll get abused by DBs.
March 23rd, 2015 at 11:30 PM ^
the closest Michigan approximation to Drake Harris is Tai Streets, and Streets had at least 10 pounds on Harris.
March 24th, 2015 at 11:39 AM ^
Would be Braylon Edwards. 6'3 212 pounds at the combine. Drake Harris is 6'4, 176 pounds. Drake Harris needs to be 6'4, 220 pounds to truly be in an NFL frame. The closest thing to Harris in the 2014 NFL draft was L'Damian Washington from Mizzou (6'4 195 pounds, went undrafted after a 50 catch, 900 yard, 10 TD season in 2013).
He's now on the Cleveland Browns practice squad. Harris truly needs to put on 30+ pounds to be elite and a top flight draft prospect.