Possibly Useful Scrimmage Bits
Michigan had their first scrimmage over the weekend, and the internet was alive with reports. I've gotten a couple emails and the board had a few things I'm attempting to follow up on to determine if they're independent reports or just regurgitation. For now, a few items that seem to be reliable across the spectrum.
Will Campbell is not happening. The Nathan Brink hype was an early indication of that and reports from the scrimmage talk about him more than Campbell. It seems highly likely Ryan Van Bergen starts the year at three tech with Brink the starting SDE. According to one source Campbell is "barely playing with the twos." Maybe Rodriguez and company weren't wrong to move Campbell to offensive line last year.
Obviously, that's bad. The DL was paper thin even when Campbell was supposed to start. Now you've got a walk-on in the starting lineup and Campbell may not even be a plausible backup. At least Van Bergen is somewhere around 290—just fine for three-tech—and Brink is a redshirt sophomore. At 265 he's light for a strongside DE and as a walk-on he's probably not going to do much, but for now we can close our eyes real tight and imagine JJ Watt in a winged helmet.
Yeah… that's the stuff.
Brink appears to have beaten out a healthy, senior Will Heininger, so he's got that going for him. Van Bergen, meanwhile, often spent entire games on the field last year. He's going to have to play ironman again this year.
Fitzgerald Toussaint might be happening. The constant refrain from all practices until the Saturday scrimmage was "there is no running back, Shaw by default, Smith on third downs." Saturday the internet lit up with Toussaint-related exclamation marks.
Could this be a real thing? I think so. Toussaint had a pretty good recruiting rep and his struggles so far have been injury-related. It would be one thing if he was just buried on the depth chart behind meh competition. It's not. Even skeptics have to admit Tousssaint's high school highlights are pretty sweet:
Though his competition level was not good he has the track chops to prove that speed you see is not an illusion. He was the 60M Ohio state champ as senior in high school and put up a 10.59 100 meter. The guy can go.
He's more of a slashing zone runner than a horse to run power with, but I don't see any horses to run power with who aren't conspicuously omitted from all reports except dark mutterings about being in the doghouse and missing the WMU game via suspension. If Toussaint is the guy Borges might shrug and run a crapton of zone—it's not like the media will notice.
Roh skepticism ominous. I hope Craig Roh's sickness is the main reason he's come in for a round of "is that all there is?" from the internet, because Michigan needs him. There was one weird report that Roh was playing a three-tech in certain situations—passing downs, I'd hope. That might have been a bit garbled—possibly a three-man front with a very technical linebacker for deployment against the spread.
That's something I am 100% in favor of, BTW. Michigan never got a handle on spread teams under Herrmann and it might be a little worrying if Mattison wasn't reacting to the great trend in college football lo these many years.
Hype magnets. Freshman and new faces getting buzz include:
- WDE Frank Clark, who has been getting some first-team snaps in the passing down package. Seems like he'll be deployed as a situational rusher this year.
- WLBs Brandin Hawthorne and Desmond Morgan(?!). Hawthorne's been running with the ones in practice glimpses and there are scattered reports Morgan is also getting time there. If those are accurate, just moving Morgan to WLB when he seems much better suited for the middle is an indication neither Mike Jones or Brandon Herron is impressing and they are scrambling to fill the spot with someone, anyone. Aaigh Kellen Jones.
- WR Jeremy Gallon has made a move. I'm not sure how much room there is for him at WR since there are already two 5'9" guys ahead of him on the depth chart, though. And putting him back to return punts seems like asking for it after whatever that was last year.
- More Kenny Demens.
Other items.
- Michigan's using Steve Watson as an H-back.
- Thomas Rawls has a shoulder injury.
- Courtney Avery seems to be maintaining his lead in the race to start opposite Woolfolk.
- I haven't been able to confirm this so no names, but a linebacker is reportedly not in camp and hasn't been all fall. That might be a prelude to a departure
Insider scuttlebutt espectacular scheduled Saturday. They'll have another one this weekend. This one is open to Motts donors and premium seat holders, which I'm sure Hoke loathes but sometimes dollah dollah bill y'all works in the fan's favor.
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If last year is any indication there will be a flood of often-contradictory reports here and elsewhere; I'll pick through them and add impressions from the email.
August 22nd, 2011 at 4:32 PM ^
Ha. That isn't the one I was thinking of though. Although I don't know if any good pictures of his face exist. And his name is probably too long.
August 22nd, 2011 at 6:00 PM ^
I don't like the way he's holding that ball.
August 22nd, 2011 at 3:58 PM ^
Will Campbell not at least play, for depth, in a rotation. I know, i know, the one play in the Iowa game 2 years ago where he got blasted. But come on, how can be THAT bad.
And why do we have Linebacker's transferring out of here? I am trying not to jump the gun on concerns here, but this is stating to sound familiar man.
August 22nd, 2011 at 4:24 PM ^
Players who don't see themselves having a shot at getting playing time transfer. They do it all the time at every school in the country under every coach. Kenny Demens is going to start at MLB for the next two seasons. Cam Gordon is going to start for the next three seasons. If a guy like Mike Jones or Jake Ryan grabs the reins in camp he will probably be starting for 3+ years. Guys who are third or fourth on the depth chart behind those guys can't really be blamed for starting to look elsewhere.
August 22nd, 2011 at 4:38 PM ^
because it wasn't just a Rich Rod thing, like a lot of people want you to think. It happens to every coach, at every job, at every school in America. Period.
August 22nd, 2011 at 4:40 PM ^
I wonder the same thing about Will Campbell. He played quite a few snaps against OSU in 2009 and he played pretty well that game. Completely blew up a 3rd or 4th and short and then sort of blew up another running play (that ultimately resulted in a big play because of shitty LB tackling). He got more playing time in 2009 than he got in 2010, and the D-line was a lot worse in '10 than '09. I'm just sorta perplexed by it all.
August 22nd, 2011 at 5:56 PM ^
I'm actually not super-worried about Campbell because at this point he's a sunk cost. He'll be a true junior who hasn't been able to crack one of the worst defenses in CFB the past two years, and is struggling again now. He sounds like a good kid and I wish him well, but anything he does here on out would be a bonus.
<br>As for LBs leaving, if the reason is a strong depth chart, then I'm fine with it.
August 22nd, 2011 at 7:34 PM ^
This is the first report indicating that Big Will isn't having a good camp. Further, while Webb, Balas, and the others have gone on record by saying he's been doing well (and they all said he did well Saturday), this is an anonymous poster.
There are too many reasons why Big Will has had issues. He should have been redshirted. His coaching sucked (listen to Mattison, Montgomery and Hoke speak about technique all the time, and how Martin, RVB and Roh and Black need to improve that stuff, and you can tell what they think of the DL coaching in here the past 3 years), and he was moved to the Oline.
Campbell will play, Mattison will put him in positions to succeed. This blog's position for 3 years now is that Campbell "has not lived up to his considerable recruiting hype." Well, first of all, what defensive player other than Brandon Graham HAS? Second of all, isn't it pretty obvious why Campbell's development has been screwed up? Let's give him time with some good coaches before we throw dirt on the grave.
August 22nd, 2011 at 4:00 PM ^
Didn't Freddy Jax and Hoke both say things about Fitz being more of a bruiser recently? I know he put on some weight, but I wonder if he kept his speed.
August 22nd, 2011 at 4:13 PM ^
August 22nd, 2011 at 4:05 PM ^
...(6 for 4) means that if BWC doesn't start, it may not mean he's a lost cause, just someone who continues to develop as he works into the lineup in specific situations that the coaches think he'll best contribute.
The departed LB (note the past tense) is not a freshman.
August 22nd, 2011 at 4:13 PM ^
then i'm back to guessing that it is isiah bell.
August 22nd, 2011 at 4:26 PM ^
Knowing that it is not a freshman, then Bell is my guess as well. He has not been mentioned at all, as far as I know, this off season.
August 22nd, 2011 at 6:02 PM ^
...correct, sir.
August 22nd, 2011 at 6:49 PM ^
Is Tony Posada the OL from FL the other? (FR)
August 22nd, 2011 at 4:25 PM ^
mentioned at all?
August 22nd, 2011 at 4:31 PM ^
Kenny Demens has for one, someone else has too. Though if he's a SLB, it's not a good sign that they immediately moved Beyer there.
August 22nd, 2011 at 4:12 PM ^
Whatever happened with Marell Evans? Don't hear his name anymore or did I miss something?
August 22nd, 2011 at 4:27 PM ^
I think he was playing MLB, so probably competing with JB Fitzgerald to backup Demens.
August 22nd, 2011 at 4:27 PM ^
I heard/read/saw in some animal entrails (I can't remember which) that he was having a disappointing camp. I can't imagine that he'd transfer, though, since he already did that once.
August 22nd, 2011 at 4:21 PM ^
Mattison has more than a passing acquaintance with the spread. After all his defenses at Florida faced one every day in practice.
August 22nd, 2011 at 4:22 PM ^
I'm really trying to take a glass-half-full philosophy with the BWC situation.
My hope is that Brink stepping up simply gives us another quality option, rather than indicating that BWC will never figure it out.
It makes my day so much better to think that we have 3 sure-things (Roh, Martin, and RVB) and 3-5 guys ready to step up behind them (BWC, Brink, Black, QWash, etc). And that all of them will be able to contribute at least a little to the defensive line.
One thing I know for sure is that I trust the coaching staff to get the best combination of guys on the field. Between Hoke, Mattison, and Montgomery the DL group is by far the most watched and scrutinized unit on the team. And that can only make them better IMO.
August 22nd, 2011 at 4:26 PM ^
let me see, a freshman linebacker who has not participated in the fall practice and is not even on campus. That would be Kellen Jones. Come on Brian, this was already covered, do a search before you post ;)
August 22nd, 2011 at 4:32 PM ^
1) Montgomery loves him, speaks glowingly about him in CTK - and they haven't done that with many players, 2) he's been sick for at least several days of camp. This is good news - Black must be playing exceptionally well
Though I agree the lack of BWC/Q/Wilkins is concerning.
Also: see Montgomery mouths the words "fucking do the drill" to freshman C. Rock
August 22nd, 2011 at 4:28 PM ^
I have also been on the Fitz Toussaint bandwagon since he first came on campus. I really hope he can find a way to get on the field more this year, if not become the outright starter.
August 22nd, 2011 at 4:44 PM ^
I hope the fact that two walk-ons continue to be in the two deep means that the coaches pursue O'Brien as hard as possible so we have two strong DT in the 2012 class.
August 22nd, 2011 at 4:57 PM ^
Is anyone else having trouble reconciling those track numbers with the kid who got tracked down from behind by middling Bowling Green DB's after being spotted about a 10-yd. lead on his long run in that game? He wasn't hurt before he got tackled, if memory serves. I'm not believing Bowling Green had Denard-type speed from 2 guys in their secondary. Something is very amiss.
That said, his high school tape is the most entertaining of any back we've recruited (successfully or otherwise) in the past few years, with Dee Hart being a debatable alternative.
August 22nd, 2011 at 4:59 PM ^
He had a brace on his knee. No matter how fast you are, that's going to hamper your ability to run.
August 22nd, 2011 at 5:17 PM ^
He wasn't "hurt" but he was coming off an injury, hence, the massive brace on his leg that focused on his knee. It is extremely constrictive.
In high school, I wore a big shoulder brace because my shoulder was knocked out, and that already hampered my ability to run and my speed. I can only imagine what a massive brace on your knee would do.
August 22nd, 2011 at 5:48 PM ^
Tell us how good you were again
August 23rd, 2011 at 7:19 AM ^
4 TD in one game is no joke.
August 22nd, 2011 at 7:59 PM ^
to heal, and even longer for you to trust it for sports.
August 23rd, 2011 at 8:14 AM ^
I'm not big into orthopedics, but we covered it in med school before I went into cardiology. Lots of knee injuries don't take long to heal nor does it take long to trust it for sports after recovery. If you are talking about torn acl/mcl things like that, then yeah it takes time, but if it is a minor sprain/strain etc, it's not a big deal.
August 22nd, 2011 at 5:01 PM ^
August 22nd, 2011 at 5:13 PM ^
I completely missed out on that if that's the injury we're talking about. Wasn't he the MVP of the Big33 game after his senior season or something?
August 22nd, 2011 at 5:33 PM ^
He's a RS Sophomore, soI think the injury occurred at Michigan.
August 23rd, 2011 at 8:17 AM ^
Fitz did not tear his ACL like Smith. You guys are lumping all knee injuries into one group (an acl tear) which is essentially the worst knee injury you can suffer. There is a big difference between a tear and a sprain or strain. Fitz never tore his ACL and therefore, didn't suffer the same injury as Smith.
To be clear though, he did have a brace on his knee during that game which is why he was caught from behind.
August 22nd, 2011 at 5:02 PM ^
Beaten by a faster typist.
August 22nd, 2011 at 5:13 PM ^
have been wearing a brace on your fingers or something
August 22nd, 2011 at 5:15 PM ^
I wish that was my excuse for getting caught at the goal line.
August 22nd, 2011 at 5:09 PM ^
Honestly, do you think the coaches are lying? All of the videos of interviews with Mattison, Hoke, and Montgomery tell the same thing. There has been MASSIVE improvement on the defensive side of the ball up front. The fact that Mattison has said that Brink shows up every day and plays his heart out and plays like a Michigan football player is enough for me.
I do not want some hyped athlete whose only value comes from the star rankings he got in high school (which are influenced by school size, location, and how much media hype a player can get) starting over somebody who really cares and understands what it's like to be an underdog. There is no way that an athlete can be a true champion unless he understands what it's like to be in the depths of loss.
Van Bergen is NOT vastly undersized for the 3 tech.
Brink is NOT vastly undersized for the 5 tech.
In a perfect world, I would love to see Van Bergen as SDE, Martin at 3 tech, Campbell at 1 tech, and Roh as a WDE. This could very well be the final alignment come Sept. 3. But honestly, a line up of Brink SDE, Van Bergen at 3 tech, Martin at 1 tech, and Roh at WDE would not worry me at all.
We have 5 Ts in rotation (Van Bergen, Campbell, Martin, Ash,Washington) and 5 Es in rotation also (Black, Roh, Van Bergen, Brink, Washington).
August 22nd, 2011 at 5:20 PM ^
Magnus had a good write up on BWC. He believes that BWC is a 3 tech because of his height.
http://touchthebanner.blogspot.com/2011/08/2011-countdown-15-william-campbell.html
August 23rd, 2011 at 7:22 AM ^
Donnie Warner.
August 22nd, 2011 at 5:22 PM ^
first off, this is a kid who basically got no instruction in technique (or at least absorbed none) in high school because he never needed it. So it takes a couple of years to learn, and he's not there yet. Later this year, or even next year, you never know when it comes together for the kid. He seems to care.
Howeva... doesn't the BWC situation make the Tommy Schutt story a bit more head-scratching? At the very least, doesn't it warrant making a push to bring in O'Brien along with Pipkens? I'm still confused by the reluctance to take two (or three, counting Godin)
August 22nd, 2011 at 7:38 PM ^
I have to poop
August 22nd, 2011 at 7:37 PM ^
Let's be real, Big Will never got proper defensive line technical coaching before this past March.
Listen to the defensive coaches talk about line play, about the need for technique. You can read between the lines as to what they thought of Tall and Robinson's coaching.
August 23rd, 2011 at 7:24 AM ^
If he working his ass off perhaps he needs a Redshirt to get it down.
August 23rd, 2011 at 8:23 AM ^
and I'm still confused by who Pipkens is?
In all seriousness though, it really didn't take any additional information to have me confused by the Schutt situation. To me not taking him was strange, but then again...I'm not the coach who has far more information than I do so what do I know.
August 22nd, 2011 at 5:36 PM ^
I'd love to see Fitz breakout this year
Something to think about if he does play and get a lot of touches....One of the scouts I interviewed for the HTTV 2010 recruiting article I did told me point blank that Toussaint will not succeed in the Big 10. Sounds like we might put that statement to a test after all, we'll see.
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