Spring Game Standouts: Peters, Black, Hudson, Another Glasgow
I guess I need to include a SPOILER ALERT for those who weren't able to watch the live stream. If for some reason you want the ending of the Spring Game to be a mystery, and yet you still are on this blog, stop reading now. The full game is airing right now on tape delay on BTN and will be replayed several times this week.
Brandon Peters was the best quarterback on the day. [Eric Upchurch]
For the second straight year, the Spring Game came down to the final play. Kyle Seychel's 31-yard field goal gave the Brandon Peters-led Maize team a 31-29 victory over the Speight/O-Korn-piloted Blue team.
Newsy bits first: Juwann Bushell-Beatty was among the players sitting out, so the starting O-line from left to right was Cole-Bredeson-Kugler-Onwenu-Runyan. The coaches shuffled that combination quite a bit throughout the day even before Runyan exited with an apparent leg injury—he walked off under his own power. The other injury on the day was to Eddie McDoom, who went down awkwardly on the sideline after a deep catch in the fourth quarter; he needed help from the trainers to get to the sideline, eventually was carted into the tunnel, and was spotted walking around without assistance.
Here are a few initial standouts from each side of the ball; we'll have much more this week after a re-watch.
OFFENSE
QB Brandon Peters. Peters had the best day of the quarterbacks, displaying good arm strength, touch on throws to all levels, and enough athleticism to repeatedly break the pocket and even scramble for a touchdown. While Peters had one ugly pick when he didn't see Brandon Watson waiting in the flat, Speight was worse in that regard. Caveats abound: it's one scrimmage and Peters got better protection from the line. That said, he looked like he could legitimately push Speight, especially if the incumbent starter doesn't clean up some of these sloppy mistakes.
RBs Karan Higdon and Ty Isaac. These two had the most complete days at running back, showing patience on impressive touchdown runs and breaking into the secondary multiple times. Chris Evans and Kareem Walker also looked good in less extended action; Evans looked bigger while still maintaining his ability to juke defenders in a phone booth, while Walker has an enticing combination of power and patience. There weren't always holes to hit, but when they were there, the backs made the most of them.
Tarik Black, not Donovan Peoples-Jones, had the best day of the freshman WRs. [Upchurch]
WRs Tarik Black and Nate Schoenle. Black dominated much of the second half, becoming John O'Korn's go-to guy on a touchdown drive in which he caught a fade over Benjamin St-Juste for a big gain, then beat St-Juste to the back corner to cap the drive. He managed to get over top of St-Juste on fly routes a couple times, and he provides a big target. Schoenle also had a couple long catches, including a ~50-yard throw from Peters that was perfectly executed on both ends. To stave off the inevitable questions, Donovan Peoples-Jones had a few short pickups on a relatively quiet day for him.
TEs Nick Eubanks and Zach Gentry. Gentry's inclusion here is based on one play, a long touchdown catch up the seam on a coverage bust; he's quite nimble for such a big dude. Eubanks had a more complete body of work, running a nice out route for a catch and nearly hauling in a deep throw from Peters on which he made a nice adjustment to the ball. Sean McKeon ended up with the most targets among the TE group but didn't get too much out of them.
OL Andrew Vastardis. I mostly have to punt on line play, as they shuffled around so much that it was tough to keep track of who was on the field from the press box. The right side of the starting line had a lot of trouble against the starting D-line—Chase Winovich and Rashan Gary dominated Runyan—but Vastardis stood out on the interior of the second unit, picking up a couple blitzes that were giving the other linemen trouble.
Devin Bush spent the afternoon in the backfield. [Bryan Fuller]
DEFENSE
The starting D-line. As expected, the Winovich-Hurst-Mone-Gary line gave the offensive line a lot of trouble. Gary was flat-out dominant, Hurst batted down a couple passes, Mone held strong on the interior, and Winovich got multiple pressures off the edge.
ILB Devin Bush. Bush looked unblockable on A-gap blitzes; it was pretty much an automatic sack when he rushed up the middle. He looked equally capable at both inside linebacker spots. "It's so nice when you have a young guy like that who can play two spots," said Don Brown. "You can ask some guys to do that and they'd look at you like 'are you kidding me?' But he handled it really with ease. He's a really good player."
VIPER Khaleke Hudson. The hype here isn't going to slow one bit after today. Hudson was everywhere on defense, looking like the heavy-hitting player we expected against the run and proving equally formidable in coverage, where he broke up a couple passes and nearly came up with an interception. As is his wont, he came inches away from a blocked punt, too.
CB Keith Washington. Washington held his own one-on-one against DPJ, limiting him to minimal YAC after a couple short completions. Noticeably bigger than last year, Washington also played well against the run, making at least one stop in the backfield after extending an outside run to the sideline.
S Jordan Glasgow. Surprise! A Glasgow might see the field. Josh Metellus was limited due to injury today, so Glasgow started at safety alongside Tyree Kinnel and looked very viable. He came up strong against the run, stringing out plays to the sideline and finishing them off, and he undercut a (terrible) pass from Speight for a 100-yard pick-six in the second half.
SPECIAL TEAMS
K Quinn Nordin. There shouldn't be a kicking controversy this year if today's admittedly limited sample was any indication. Nordin booted a 48-yard field goal that would've been good from 60+, an impressive kick even with the wind at his back, and he was also strong on kickoffs.
April 16th, 2017 at 12:38 PM ^
This was my read as well watching it live, and I just re-watched the play and think I still agree.
Watson has a great read jumping the route and deserves credit for that play, but Eubanks completely pulls out of his route about 2 yards early and does not even so much as attempt to catch a ball that would be pretty accurate if he continues at pace. Not sure why he stops short, but it's almost as if Eubanks shys away from possibly getting laid out and instead simply watches as Watson takes the pick clean.
Now Peters may have given that away with his eyes -- tough to tell from the film because while he's definitely looking at Eubanks before throwing, he may also be trying to identify his check down under pressure from two DL that just broke through. But in any event, doubt that would have been more than a PBU if Eubanks maintains his route.
April 15th, 2017 at 10:21 PM ^
did you get in free?
If it helps, it was a very decisive, well thrown pick.
Like he meant it.
As someone else already mentioned, it is obvious that Harbaugh has recruited many very good athletes. Give these kids time to learn their positions and we should be a very good team.
Speight just seemed off...way off.
Best thing about Speight vs. Peters is...Coach. He's flat out going with the guy that gives the team the best chance. No favoritism, none of that senority crap...the best guy period. And if any coach knows that it takes to win from that position its JH.
So...I don't even see the point in debating this...the best guy for the position will be selected by the best talent scout for the position.
Agree. It's a win-win because of the man calling the shots.
Stay here.
Your family and community don't really care about you like we do.
April 15th, 2017 at 10:46 PM ^
Quarterback
I guess you start with Speight. I'll say it...I hate Speight's throwing motion, always have. For some reason it makes me a little more critical of him (even though I'd consider myself one of his biggest supporters last year). I love his poise, I love the underdog mentality, I love his "Rudockian" way...BUT deep down, yes, I just like Peters more. His mobility, his arm, the fact that he was picked by Harbaugh...it makes me completely biased. Peters is definitely the future...it's going to be interesting this summer to see how the OL comes along. If the OL doesn't improve, Speight is a sitting duck. That said, do you want to put the young guy back there and develop bad habits? You don't want to David Carr him. It's a double-edged sword.
Speight still has accuracy problmes with easy throws - then hits the same pass with ease later in the game. I also question his downfield arm strength. He looked like the same player with a worse offensive line.
Running Back/Fullback
I like the RBs, Isaac looked good...love using Evans in the Peppers role. Higdon brings some physicality that we lose with the departure of Smith. I think Hill is going to be a factor at FB and as an H-Back/TE.
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Agree with Ace's comments above - nothing to add.
Offensive Line
They have a long way to go...Speight looked terrible, but he got NO help from his line. I thought Onwenu would be a little better, he struggled big time, so much that I don't see how he's a guaranteed starter like Cole and Bredeson.
Defensive Line
The hype is real...nothing to add. Gary on the edge lives in the backfield.
Linebacker
This group will be better than last year...including Peppers in last year's unit. Don't get me wrong, Peppers is a once in a lifetime talent...but this group feels like a group that is built to do what Don Brown wants to do. Hudson is physical, Bush is a bullet up the middle and McCray is McCray. The depth behind those guys is a lot better as well. Robo better be ready because I will almost guarantee Bush gets tossed from a game for DESTROYING an opposing QB on a legit hard hit. It seems inevidible with the way they protect the QB.
Defensive Back
Keith Washington? What?! Washington looked like a guy who's going to contribute, not a guy who's going to transfer in a year. That's big time. Metellus showed some nice range on a deep ball in the 2nd quarter. I thought Long played well. Is it my TV or does young Glasgow have crazy sunburn?!
...what I haven't heard too many people talk about, the playcalling. I love the versatility with the offensive playcalling.
I put it in another thread(s) but I listened on radio and pregame they had an extended interview with Harbaugh and lots of OL questions and IMO the blog's love affair with Onwenu is a bit extended based on where he is right now in Harbaugh's pecking order per his comments.
Harbaugh essentially listed 3 starters for the fall - Cole (at "some position"), Bredeson, and JBB as a "tackle". He did not put Onwenu in that group. He said the other 2 spots are "a process".
He said Cole is clearly their best OL and Bredeson their 2nd.
He talked up Onwenu and Kugler in the next group below those top 3. Then he said Ruiz is competing and talked briefly about 3 freshman coming in on OL to compete.
Only then did he say the typical coach speak about the "older guys competing" i.e. Runyan types.
To your other point Dierdorf said Harbaugh said 9 of the 10 early enrollees would push for "meaningful time" this fall. (I can't confirm the 10 # of EE but that was the quote).
So I take the OL to be:
JBB/Onwenu or competition/Kugler or Ruiz/Bredeson/Cole
Obviously Hall is the one EE who won't push for time...however, Harbaugh's off, we have 11 EE's this year. IMO Corey Malone-Hatcher is the other guy who redshirts. The other 9 play.
It'll be interesting to see how many meaningful snaps Woods and Mason get, but they're always special teams.
If JBB is a starter, I'm slotting him in at RT. We've already done the LT experiment and Kuglar and Ruiz can play C.
So I've got Cole-Bredeson-Kugler-????-JBB. All signs point to Onwenu being that RG, but I think he gets pushed by Ruiz who played some RG today. Runyan can also play RG. So I'll go with those 3 in a 3-way competition for the RG spot.
Gut feeling is that this OL is going to be a lot better in November than they are today. Hopefully it doesn't cost us game(s) early in the year.
I'm sure he's a beast in power run blocking situations (which we didn't really get to see for obvious reasons), but he was a turnstile in pass pro.
If yesterday was any indication. Start someone else and put the big guy in as a TE/FB/6th OL in those obvious short yardage run situations. Like when Bama puts in the DTs.
You can still run away from or run play action. He's definitely shown enough somewhere to earn all of this hype...if it's not pass pro, it's got to be in his 1v1 run blocking...right? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
FWIW, according to Webb, Drevno has been asked directly about Onwenu needing to get down to 320, and Drevno stated that he wants both Mike and Ruiz to play as big as they can as long as they're getting the job done, essentially implying that he doesn't think they need to get down to some arbitrary predetermined weight.
You're a better judge of this than I ever will be, but how much of Onwenu's struggles are solely attributable to his weight and how much are due to his still learning the basics of blocking at this level? From what I gathered during his recruitment, he was so big compared to virtually all of his HS opponents that he really didn't have to rely on technique.
April 16th, 2017 at 10:13 PM ^
April 16th, 2017 at 10:53 PM ^
You got a foretaste of what getting old is like. Something I've got direct experience with.
With regards to Onwenu's weight, Sam Webb has been saying ever since he was recruited that Mike is amazingly athletic considering how big he is. IIRC, the biggest concern over his weight was not agility but endurance, and Dierdorf and Brandstatter were alluding to that during the broadcast yesterday.
You know how many guards are on NFL roster who have a listed weight more than 320lbs and 6'3 or less?
Two.
Chance Womack is 6'2", 323 lbs.
Gabe Jackson is 6'3", 335 lbs.
There isn't a single OG in the NFL over 340 lbs....and only 3 at 340lbs... and 2/3 of them are 6'5" or taller.
These early enrolees are REALLY good. Just about all of them are impressive and will see time this year. The future is bright.
Come on, this was the main betting action of the day! Let's have it.
It's always a ballpark figure.
For other times they at least know how many tickets were distributed. Here it was just an educated guess.
April 15th, 2017 at 10:04 PM ^
but seriously, we've all squeezed into those 16" seats on the bleachers during games and thats NEVER the case during the Spring Game.
People s p r e a d out on those bleachers today and made it look a hell of a lot fuller than it was.
I don't care about numbers; there was a good crowd, the weather was great, and i hope it was enjoyable for any visiting recruits.
Isn't this the case for most, if not all teams?
I don't know too many teams who are good with bad QBs and OLs.
Wikipedia "Michigan Football 2008" for Example A.
April 16th, 2017 at 12:19 AM ^
#3 and #10 were all up in Speight's jock all day long. I think the Blue team had the better offensive players, but the Maize had the better defensive players. That obviously contributed to Peters being the better QB on the day. With that said, I think this is going to be a tight race this summer and fall. Speight will be pushed much more than he was last year and that can only be a good thing for this team.
April 16th, 2017 at 11:10 AM ^
That is if Speight starts all of this year doesn't that make it much harder to not start him next year? I am on the take the guy with the higher ceiling side now.
I don't think Harbaugh makes those...I think he's going to play the QB who gives him the best chance to beat Florida. It's not about developing someone for the future.
Wisconsin played 2 QBs last year and got the younger guy prepared. Michigan can do the same. You don't won't to Spurrier rotate play by play...but if Speight is stinking it up, put Peters in...vice versa. Play whoever gives you the best change to win that particular game...screw 2 seasons from now, so much can change.
April 16th, 2017 at 10:05 AM ^
I think your question and mine deserve the same answer.
Obviously, it gives Speight a definite leg up, as it would Peters, for the rest of their time here. But you are always going to prepare the next guy to be ready to take over. Harbaugh seems very much like a win now type of coach. See his redshirting philosophy. I fully expect him to play whoever he thinks will be best for the current season and to be willing to change QBs when it's clear he should.
Did Malzone get a throw?
I mean, he's gone...but just wondering.
Link: http://mgoblog.com/mgoboard/17-18-depth-chart-version-5-spring-chatter-edition
UPDATED: 4-15-17 (don't know WHAT to do with Jon Runyan...)
First time for 2017-18 this is NOT "OT"...YAAAAAY!!! As always, it's just for fun...so if you're all tight faced, lighten up, Francis. Besides, I'm guessing you likely don't know what to do with the DB's OL any more than I do.
Notes:
- HORRAY for a general "consensus" from the insiders and folks with spring football updates
- REMEMBER - just because a guy is listed as a redshirt doesn't mean he won't play. Brian just made a thread about "unburned redshirts."
- Maybe it's not as bad as we thought it'd be? Maybe? (note: spring chatter is always overly positive)
- Almost positive at least 1 more transfer is coming...maybe more. But until you put your thank you up on Twitter, I'll keep you on the depth chart.
- I will try and go back and update this throughout the year to keep it as current as possible.
QB
1. Wilton Speight (RS Jr.)
2. Brandon Peters (RS Fr.)
3. John O'Korn (RS Sr.)
rs: Dylan McCaffrey (Fr.)
RB
1. Chris Evans (So.)
2. Karan Higdon (Jr.) / Ty Isaac (RS Sr.)
4. Kareem Walker (RS Fr.)
5. O'Maury Samuels (Fr.)
rs: Kurt Taylor (Fr.)
Hybrid RB/Slot
1. Chris Evans (So.)
2. O'Maury Samuels (Fr.)
FB
1. Khalid Hill (RS Sr.)
2. Henry Poggi (RS Sr.)
3. Ben Mason (Fr.)
WR1
1. Kekoa Crawford (So.)
2. Tarik Black (Fr.)
3. Drake Harris (RS Jr.)
4. Nico Collins (Fr.)
WR2
1. Donovan Peoples-Jones (Fr.)
2. Maurice Ways (RS Jr.)
3. Nate Schoenle (RS Fr.) / Brad Hawkins (Fr.)
SLOT
1. Eddie McDoom (So.) / Oliver Martin (Fr.)
3. Nate Johnson (So.)
susp: Grant Perry (Jr.)
TE1
1. Ian Bunting (RS Jr.)
2. Zach Gentry (RS So.)
3. Nick Eubanks (RS Fr.)
TE2
1. Tyrone Wheatley Jr. (RS So.)
2. Sean McKeon (RS Fr.)
LT
1. Mason Cole (Sr.)
2. Nolan Ulizio (RS So.)
3. Chuck Filiaga (Fr.)
rs: Andrew Stueber (Fr.)
inj rs: Grant Newsome (Jr.)
LG
1. Ben Bredeson (So)
2. Jon Runyan Jr. (RS So.) / Cesar Ruiz (Fr.)
C
1. Patrick Kugler (RS Sr.)
2. Cesar Ruiz (Fr.)
3. Mason Cole (Sr.)
4. Andrew Vastardis (RS Fr.)
RG
1. Michael Onwenu (So.)
2. Jon Runyan Jr. (RS So.) / Cesar Ruiz (Fr.)
3. Stephen Spanellis (RS Fr.)
rs: JaRaymond Hall (Fr.)
RT
1. Juwan Bushell-Beatty (RS Jr.)
2. Nolan Ulizio (RS So.)
3. Jon Runyan Jr. (RS So.) / Chuck Filiaga (Fr.)
rs: Joel Honigford (Fr.)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
WDE
1. Chase Winovich (RS Jr.)
2. Luiji Vilain (Fr.)
3. Reuben Jones (RS So.) / Kwity Paye (Fr.)
rs: Corey Malone-Hatcher (Fr.)
NG
1. Bryan Mone (RS Jr.)
2. Michael Dwumfour (RS Fr.)
3. Aubrey Solomon (Fr.)
4. Carl Meyers (RS Fr.)
rs: Phillip Paea (Fr.)
DT
1. Maurice Hurst (RS Sr.)
2. Aubrey Solomon (Fr.)
3. Rashan Gary (So.)
4. Donovan Jeter (Fr.) / Lawrence Marshall (RS Jr.)
rs: James Hudson (Fr.)
SDE
1. Rashan Gary (So.)
2. Carlo Kemp (So.)
3. Donovan Jeter (Fr.) / Ron Johnson (RS Fr.)
rs: Deron Irving-Bey (Fr.)
WILL
1. Mike McCray (RS Sr.)
2. Devin Gil (RS Fr.)
3. Josh Ross (Fr.) / Jordan Anthony (Fr.)
ILB
1. Devin Bush Jr. (So.)
2. Mike Wroblewski (RS Sr.)
3. Ben Mason (Fr.)
4. Jared Wangler (RS Jr.)
SAM
1. Noah Furbush (RS Jr.)
2. Elysee Mbem-Bosse (So.)
3. Josh Uche (RS Fr.)
rs: Drew Singleton (Fr.)
VIPER
1. Khaleke Hudson (So.)
2. Jordan Glasgow (RS So.)
3. Josh Metellus (So.)
CB
1. Lavert Hill (So.)
2. Ambry Thomas (Fr.)
3. Keith Washington (RS So.)
CB
1. David Long (RS Fr.)
2. Brandon Watson (RS Jr.)
3. Benjamin St.-Juste (Fr.)
FS
1. Tyree Kinnel (Jr.)
2. Jaylen Kelly-Powell (Fr.)
SS
1. Josh Metellus (So.)
2. Jordan Glasgow (RS So.)
3. J'Marick Woods (Fr.)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
K
1. Quinn Nordin (RS Fr.)
P
1. Brad Robbins (Fr.)
KO
1. Ryan Tice (RS So.)
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