portal good
josh priebe
[via Instagram]

Josh Priebe (Northwestern) Has Committed to Michigan Comment Count

Seth December 28th, 2023 at 9:26 AM

Michigan just added a starting Big Ten guard to the mix to replace Trevor Keegan and Zak Zinter.

Priebe's a Michigan native (from Niles, which is close to the Indiana border), played his high school ball for the Edwardsburg Eddies (We're from Ed!), and was playing for former Michigan lineman/Northwestern OL coach Kurt Anderson in Evanston. Priebe specifically mentioned Anderson's uncertain future with the Wildcats in his decision to enter the portal.

Priebe's started 28 games, and played in another eight of them as a true freshman in 2020. Since he got that season for free, Priebe still has one year of eligibility.

Via PFF scores he's historically been a better pass protector than run-blocker. PFF has him for 17 pressures on 169 pass sets, though Illinois's Jer'Zhan Newton gave him the business.

Michigan's 2024 OL still has a lot of shaking out to do. I expect they'll get back at least two of Trente Jones, Karsen Barnhart, and and Myles Hinton, and one of Drake Nugent or Greg Crippen, plus somebody from a deep bench of Gio El-Hadi, Jeff Persi, Raheem Anderson, and Andrew Gentry should be ready to pop through.

Comments

NotADuck

December 28th, 2023 at 9:40 AM ^

Myles Hinton starting LT after another off-season of polishing is intriguing to me.  I know Brian has his reservations about him but I'm more in line with Seth that his issues can be coached out.

Hinton, El-Hadi, Crippen, Priebe, Jones is an O-Line that inspires confidence within me.  Anderson should be pushing for playing time at either guard position too.  Gentry is a good option at backup Tackle.

Joined: 12/20/2013

MGoPoints: 18339

NotADuck

December 28th, 2023 at 2:16 PM ^

As good of a kid Barnhart is, I kinda want him to move on.  He's clearly limited athletically and I'd like to see someone else get a shot at starting instead.  Somebody who might hold up better against the likes of Purdue.

I have similar feelings about Nugent, but less dire.

Joined: 12/20/2013

MGoPoints: 18339

conradb42

December 28th, 2023 at 9:50 AM ^

As someone who lives across the state line from Edwardsburg and works in Niles, this is pretty cool. Welcom Josh!

Can't get enough lineman who have that size AND a chiseled jaw line.

Joined: 09/12/2013

MGoPoints: 3586

lhglrkwg

December 28th, 2023 at 10:08 AM ^

Michigan continues to really kill it in the portal. You can't build n entire roster off the portal, but for a team like Michigan it has been critical for plugging holes in the roster. Is this team entering its 3rd straight CFP without guys like Olu, Henderson, Wallace, etc?

Joined: 07/03/2008

MGoPoints: 87934

ScruffyTheJanitor

December 28th, 2023 at 10:56 AM ^

Perfect move. While Left tackle appears to be the weak spot next year, the last 15 years of being a Colts/Michigan fan have taught me that poor tackle play is an inconvenience, but poor iOL play can RUIN your damn offense. El-Hadi - Crippen/Nugent - Priebe is more than good enough to build around, and Trente Jones is just a solid lock for RT (assuming he comes back). Honestly, a Hinton/Persi battle for left tackle isn't ideal but it is far from a crisis-level problem. 

Now if we could only get an experienced receiver to help Morris/Morgan out...

Joined: 02/03/2011

MGoPoints: 12197

Killer Khakis

December 28th, 2023 at 11:04 AM ^

I’d love to see a line of Hinton, El-Hadi, Crippen, Priebe, Jones for 2024. That’s a line that could still compete for the conference title and playoffs. El-Hadi, Persi, Crippen have all started at least one game in the last two years and I’d love to have them start seeing the field before they enter the portal feeling like they cannot see action. 

Joined: 12/03/2015

MGoPoints: 5041

mgeoffriau

December 28th, 2023 at 11:32 AM ^

Just curious, does anyone know the scoop on the referenced uncertainty around Kurt Anderson's position with Northwestern? I googled a bit and couldn't find anything, though I stopped short of digging into any Northwestern fan sites/forums (do those exist?).

It seems odd for him to be on the hot seat given their success this year, but I also didn't see anything suggesting he's about to get poached by another school.

Joined: 01/01/2013

MGoPoints: 8983

Needs

December 28th, 2023 at 12:57 PM ^

They mentioned in the 4th quarter of the NU bowl game (all that I watched) that the O-coordinator is for sure going to be let go (was already reprimanded by the university for wearing a pro-Fitz shirt after the hazing allegations came out) and that it was presumed that most of the remaining staff would probably be let go in order to allow Braun to hire his own staff.*

*The NU coaching situation was weird, with Braun, a totally new hire, named interim coach in order to avoid head coach connections to Fitz. The existing staff was retained because it was July. Braun far exceeded expectations and they took the interim tag off, but he didn't hire any of the assistants.

Joined: 08/05/2008

MGoPoints: 11636

mgeoffriau

December 28th, 2023 at 1:07 PM ^

Ah thanks, that makes sense, I suppose. I had kind of assumed that they'd already cleared out anyone they thought was implicated by the Fitz scandal, but I guess it makes sense that some folks were retained out of necessity that Braun will probably want to replace in the offseason, if only to further separate themselves from the hazing scandal and hire his own guys.

Joined: 01/01/2013

MGoPoints: 8983

Grahambino007

December 28th, 2023 at 11:35 AM ^

I covered his high school team while he was there.  Played against Barnhart several times during that stretch and dominated on both offense and defense against Karsen.  Excited to see him in the maize and blue!

Joined: 02/28/2019

MGoPoints: 8

MaizeBlueA2

December 28th, 2023 at 1:40 PM ^

When Northwestern played at Michigan in '21, I tailgated at Pioneer and Priebe's family was right next to us...some of the nicest people I've ever met.

This is a great pick-up, but what is happening with Kurt Anderson? He's a GREAT coach.

I've always thought that if Harbaugh leaves and Moore is hired as HC...Anderson would be a great replacement as OL coach.

Joined: 11/06/2018

MGoPoints: 49974

MaizeBlueA2

December 28th, 2023 at 1:44 PM ^

Also, I wonder what this means for the OL.

I'm a FIRM believer of add talent and let it shake out, but guards are something we have in abundance. Unless guys just don't return.

Hinton - El-Hadi - Nugent - Barnhart - Jones is a solid OL.

Gentry and Persi as the 6th and 7th guys. Then you have Crippen at C and Anderson is still in there.

As mentioned in the OP, I wonder if this means some of those vets are gone. Either way, a great pick-up for Michigan! 

And add Anderson to the staff in some capacity! He's awesome.

Joined: 11/06/2018

MGoPoints: 49974