This Week's Obsession: Redshirted Reinforcements
Reuben Jones (#4) and Shelton Johnson (#7) are probably not the same weight, lying roster. [Fuller]
The Question: Which freshman who redshirted this year will have the biggest impact/are you looking most forward to seeing in 2016?
| Name | Pos | Hgt. | Wgt. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zach Gentry | QB | 6'6" | 230 |
| Alex Malzone | QB | 6'2" | 205 |
| Brian Cole | WR | 6'2" | 190 |
| Tyrone Wheatley Jr. | TE | 6'6" | 245 |
| Jon Runyan Jr. | OL | 6'4" | 275 |
| Nolan Ulizio | OL | 6'5" | 293 |
| Shelton Johnson | SDE | 6'5" | 225 |
| Reuben Jones | WDE | 6'4" | 225 |
| Keith Washington | CB | 6'2" | 175 |
| Andrew David | K | 5'8" | 170 |
Candidates:
The Responses:
Adam: That Jim and Jay Harbaugh are looking to assemble an army of gigantic, athletic tight ends isn't exactly classified information, and they have someone who fits that mold in Tyrone Wheatley Jr. TWJ was recruited as both a tight end and defensive end, and at 6'6" and 260 pounds (and likely bigger and certainly stronger by now) that isn't much of a surprise; Jay Harbaugh said he's hoping Tim Drevno doesn't notice Wheatley Jr., so it seems plausible that he could also go down the path to being a really athletic offensive lineman.
He is, however, very much on the path to becoming a tight end at Michigan right now. It just so happens that there's going to be an AJ Williams-sized hole in the lineup next season, and who better to fill that than someone who's approximately AJ Williams-sized. Wheatley Jr. was talked about as a guy who could find playing time as a true freshman thanks to the relative polish for his age in his catching and blocking abilities, but a leg injury sidelined him early in the year and derailed hopes of early playing time as the TE group went from Jake Butt and ? to Jake Butt, his foil AJ Williams, and impressive depth in the form of Khalid Hill, Ian Bunting, etc. It seems likely that Wheatley Jr. will see significant playing time next season armed with plenty of scout team experience competing against one of the best defenses in the nation. Consider that, then consider AJ Williams' yards per target, and the hype surrounding Wheatley Jr. seems justified.
[Hit THE JUMP for MGoBloggers mentally adding 40 pounds to various stick figures]
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David: I'm going with Tyree Kinnel. Tyree is a guy who...oh, he played? Well, did he at least contribute a lot on...? Almost exclusively played Special Teams, then? I'm sure he probably blocked...oh, he ran into the punter and got called for roughing? Sounds like Dymonte Thomas's 2013 season...but...not as memorable? Looks like he had two assisted tackles on the season -one in each of the last two games. And that's 25% of his eligibility. Awesome. Kinnel is the new Thomas/Gedeon.
Well, there goes my pick.
 |
| Shelton and Reuben after a year of Mattison'ing could make their way into the Buck fight. [Fuller] |
I assume the line will be long for talking about Gentry and Wheatley, so I will take a swing with Reuben Jones. The intriguing thing about this new pick is that he should play the WDE/Buck position. Heading into Spring Camp 2016, the starter at that position should be.../crickets. Yeah. I guess there's Taco Charlton, but he's not really a Buck. Lawrence Marshall...hopefully still exists? Obviously, Ojemudia and RJS will be gone. Jones is listed around 20-25 pounds lighter than both graduating seniors, but he will have Spring and Fall camps to bulk up a bit. Dante Fowler, Durkin's prime example for the Buck spot, was 6'3", 261 when he was drafted. Jones was 6'4", 225 at the beginning of the year. So, he has a bit to go, yet. Jones has been consistently praised for his speed and quick decision making...both of which are desired from playing the WDE/Buck spot. Especially after last weekend.
Obviously, there are endless scenarios that could happen between now and next August -including another recruiting class with more Bucks- but once winter workouts and Spring Camp get under way, Reuben Jones could very easily find himself on a short list of players suited to fill that vital role in Michigan's defense. Plus, as Brian mentioned yesterday, he was Harbaugh's first personal Michigan commit...that's got to account for something!
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Ace: I'd go with Shelton Johnson here, since Michigan managed to yank him away from Florida State despite serious interest from the 'Noles, but it's hard to see him cracking the rotation at SDE with all the returning talent on the D-line. While Johnson could potentially get a shot at the BUCK, I'm expecting Taco Charlton to be the main guy at that position next season.
Instead, I'll go with Zach Gentry, who'll be right in the mix to replace Jake Rudock. Yes, John O'Korn is the prohibitive favorite to win the starting job. Even if Gentry can't win the job outright, however, there may be a few pages in the playbook reserved for a 6'7", 230-pound quarterback who's a very capable running threat. Michigan should be able to break out quite a few special packages next season, and while most of those are going to center on Jabrill Peppers, a short-yardage look with Gentry taking snaps could be very effective—not to mention quite fun to watch. A Belldozer redux would be fine by me.
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Brian: My pick is Keith Washington, who redshirted this year mostly because he was a 170-pound high school quarterback. Washington drove Prattville to the state finals in Alabama's largest classification and offered to run a 4.3 40 in the parking lot when Harbaugh doubted his ability to do so.
I watched Washington's high school film and was reminded of one Steve Breaston... like, reminded of Steve Breaston a lot. Michigan brought him in as a corner and there's been no rumble of a position switch there, but I'm pretty sure the only reason we know that Brian Cole has been moved to safety is that one premium site was telling people he was deep in the doghouse and might never come out; the other sites said "he's fine and oh he moved to safety." Everyone else moving around on the scout team is something we'll only find out about this spring, and I'm eager to see Washington's athleticism against college players and whether or not he might emerge as a dynamic slot receiver.
Corner would be fine, too.
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Flying to the rescue [Upchurch]
Seth: If the 2015 class had any linebackers I would have instantly picked that guy. Instead I'll zoom in on the position where Michigan's depth chart is even thinner. Brian Cole wasn't originally planning to redshirt, nor was he originally slated to be a safety. He came out of Spring practice looking like the freshman most likely to contribute...as a slot receiver. Cole was shut down early after an injury, and converted to safety soon thereafter.
Ideally he would remain on offense, where his upside is highest. Cole is going to be super super raw, but he's also got the kind of raw athleticism that you want to see on the field, especially since the safety roster after 2016 reads Kinnel and air. Fortunately of all the positions Cole played in high school--which was pretty much everything short of running the athletic department--he got the most snaps at deep safety. Simply due to the roster, he has a pretty clear path to at least some playing time, which is more than I can say for everyone else who redshirted this year save Wheatley. When that happens, the expectation here is freshman Mundy or Stevie Brown, except probably even more infuriating than either.
December 2nd, 2015 at 12:41 PM ^
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December 2nd, 2015 at 12:58 PM ^
I'm more of Go-Gurt man myself.
December 2nd, 2015 at 1:24 PM ^
December 2nd, 2015 at 1:35 PM ^
Old school Dannon....
December 2nd, 2015 at 12:51 PM ^
Same high school as Georgia Tech's Justin Thomas, and Prattville is known for producing athletes. Seems a bit tall for corner, but we're starting to see taller corners more and more in football to match up with the seemingly never ending production line of 6'4"-6'6" wide receivers. I'm also curious to see if he even stays at corner in the first place like Brian mentioned.
December 2nd, 2015 at 1:36 PM ^
not see the field much as a corner but who knows on offense. At WR there's Chesson, Darboh then everybody else-Perry, Harris, Ways etc. if he is indeed as athletic at it seems getting the ball in his hands might be interesting.
December 2nd, 2015 at 12:56 PM ^
That little snippet got me curious. Has anyone heard anything about him in the doghouse?
December 2nd, 2015 at 2:29 PM ^
I have probably seen more of Brian Cole than anyone on this board (unless there is a coach?).
Brian Coles athletic ability is amost on par with Peppers. He is a stunning, strong shifty runner. Great speed and agility. blah blah.
What Brian Cole does lack is he does not bring it every play. This was extremely evident in High School. If a play is on the other side of the field, he jogs to it (or actually walks to it!).
The bigger issue may be his attitude/personality. Look why he got suspended his senior year at heritage.
I am sure one of the above 2 (and maybe both, probably the latter) put him in the coached doghouse.
What i can tell you, is his athletic ability is 2nd to one on this team. Someone posted in another thread that he was overrated being a top 100 recruit, and that is simply NOT true, unless they take the above into consideration. He is an unbelievable athlete. But im not sure that will remain the same unless his work ethic and coachability improves.
December 2nd, 2015 at 2:49 PM ^
simply because I believe Wheatley Jr. is already pencile in on one side of the ball or other, so his contribution will not come as a surprise to me.
However, unlike the other poster that stated Gentry's surprise element could be mitigated due to Pepper's having that role, I am looking for a package of him and Peppers in the backfield at the same time, not only dictating the defense respect either/or but this would also provide a Denard like response from opposing defenses if Gentry is introduced as a running threat. With he and JB in the same backfield and with what I will assume will be a real nice receiving corps based on nothing more than the two tangibles we have returning, the idea of DBs cheating to stop the run in this instance gives me half a chub.December 2nd, 2015 at 5:26 PM ^
He sounds like the perfect Baylor WR.
December 2nd, 2015 at 12:59 PM ^
Sorta OT but what's up with Winovich? Thought that guy was supposed to be a beast. Did he get hurt?
December 2nd, 2015 at 1:06 PM ^
December 2nd, 2015 at 1:02 PM ^
December 2nd, 2015 at 1:52 PM ^
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December 2nd, 2015 at 3:39 PM ^
I still think Wheatley ends up at tackle.
December 2nd, 2015 at 1:22 PM ^
Everyone has talked about Kinnel being Peppers 2.0, but he seems like the best candidate to be a true safety. I'm wondering if Cole can use his athleticism to become Peppers 2.0. He can play safety, he can play HSP, he can moonlight on offense, etc. To me he seems like the perfect prototype for the heir to Peppers, especially since he played a lot of DB in high school.
I saw Jones warming up on the field before the game from the sideline and he looks like he could be a rotation player. He seemed a little shorter than his listed height, but he looked like he was in game shape to be a contributor.
December 2nd, 2015 at 1:22 PM ^
The idea of special packages with both Gentry and Peppers where you don't know which one will take the snap and the other could be a WR, RB, or TE sounds amazing.
December 2nd, 2015 at 1:24 PM ^
I'd like to see Gentry hand off to Peppers who then tosses it to Chesson for a reverse as Gentry lead blocks.
December 2nd, 2015 at 1:35 PM ^
I'd rather have Gentry line up under center with Peppers as RB, then have Gentry motion out wide and have Peppers take the snap, run a sweep and throw a toss up to Gentry in the end zone where he's covered by a 6' tall safety.
December 2nd, 2015 at 1:33 PM ^
I would bet Jones and Johnson are both already closer to 240 lbs than 225, just from just checking them out on the sideline. I'd be shocked if one of them isn't getting some snaps at Buck next year. Charlton is flat-out not a linebacker and is kinda big even for a WDE, so either the defense scheme changes or some underclassmen will be rotating in for significant snaps. We've seen next to nothing from Marshall but he'll be competing with Jones, Johnson, Kemp and other freshman for a major role. If Durkin leaves all bets are off though...
Thing thing about a pseudo-OLmen like Wheatley is that that, like an OLmen, it typically takes a few years of seasoning to really be an asset as a blocker. I think Poggi and Hill (both 270 pounds) will have something to say about Wheatly getting a major role next year. Poggi may be starting at FB or he may be back on the line. Hill presents a nice combo of both blocking ability and pass-catching skills. Also have Bunting and perhaps a certain 5-star recruit lurking in the background. They're more pass-catchers than blockers, but Jake Butt isn't giving away snaps to anyone and if he's used as an in-line blocker more, he'll still draw significant defensive attention perhaps opening up opportunities elsewhere. If Wheatley does break through, it'll probably be a very good thing given depth at the position.
Kinnell's a good choice, especially if Thomas or Hill miss any time. At worst, you'd expect him in some dime packages. Maybe Cole has more upside, but that's a difficult position to switch to and will certainly take more than a few months to get up to speed at. I can't imagine Michigan trusting the role of last-line-of-defense to a position-switching RS freshman, regardless of what he did in high school.
December 2nd, 2015 at 1:39 PM ^
I think that Andrew David, could be a sleeper pick to make an impact next year. If we don't get a transfer Punter, he should be in a battle for the job. Wouldn't be surprised to hear about him pushing for the Kicker or Kickoff jobs either based on what we hard coming out of high school. Allen has done a great job but hearing about David at least pushing for the roles would be a good sign.
December 2nd, 2015 at 2:49 PM ^
We are seriously courting Nordin who is the number 1 kicker in the country... what does that say about David's chances? As you say, Allen has done an excellent job this year and we expect him to be as good or better next year. So if we take Nordin that means he will likely redshirt... and that would give us two young scholarship kickers in 2017 (RS soph and RS fr)... or one goes. Maybe David takes a baseball scholarship instead??
December 2nd, 2015 at 1:57 PM ^
I really wish the idea of "preserving redshirts" (spoken in the post about Kinnel) would leave the thought process. Not that it's never a bad idea, but not one we should rue.
First off, keeping Kinnel off the field this year would've been a bad idea, as he is poised to play a lot next season. As it is he played in 7 games this year, which leads to.....
Second, this idea that playing special teams is a "wasted" redshirt isn't smart. Go check the number of special teams plays that occur over the course of a season. After 12 games this season I estimate it at about 350 plays. How is that "wasted", to learn the mechanics of setting up for a play, for firing off at the snap, for learning how to block, to learning the rules of leverage, angles, for playing in front of large (supportive or hostile) crowds? I think it would be invaluable.
Let's not also forget one other important point. Pick any player on down the line. There's a good chance that player will sustain an injury at some point over 4 years.
If the player is good enough to come play at Michigan, after 2-3 months he can probably contribute in some way to the team. I say, other than QBs, OL, and positions of depth, it might be a good idea to burn the redshirts so they're available in case of injury.
December 2nd, 2015 at 2:18 PM ^
http://www.mgoblue.com/sports/m-footbl/stats/112815aac.html
Because I tracked that this season, I was curious as well.
There were:
70 kickoffs
46 opponent kickoffs
54 punts
78 opponent punts
20 field goal attempts
18 opponent FGA
41 PATs
21 opponent PATs
348 special teams plays in total. Give that man a gold ribbon.
Offense ran 829 plays, defense played 766 snaps. That's 348 special teams plays out of 1943, or 17.9%. Somewhere between 1 in 5 and 1 in 6 plays are special teams plays, and the field flips on the kickoffs and punts, and you score points on the FGs and PATs, so yeah, you want your best players out there.
December 2nd, 2015 at 2:31 PM ^
A red-shirt should be viewed as an outcome if a guy can't contribute, not a default status. The phrase "burned red-shirt" should be considered obsolete in modern football for a variety of reasons ranging from recruiting ramifications, scholarship allocations, and marginalized value due to increasing graduate transfers.
December 2nd, 2015 at 2:34 PM ^
Also, outside of quarterbacks and linemen, how many great players redshirt? He found the field for a reason, probably because he is good. The experience will help in the future.
December 2nd, 2015 at 2:12 PM ^
EDIT: wrong thread. Mods pls delete k thx thx
December 2nd, 2015 at 3:27 PM ^
Will the position even exist after spring practice?
December 2nd, 2015 at 6:46 PM ^
Then the buck position may be a non-factor. The two skinny DE's in this year's class may end up as strong side linebackers.
December 2nd, 2015 at 7:16 PM ^
I've also seen Brian Cole play extensively in high school and agree he is a special athlete. I've always felt Brian's best position is safety. He is all of 6'2" and has the frame to get in the 220-225l range and runs a legit 4.4 forty. Brian needs to stay motivated and be focused. I truly believe he has the potential to be an all-american safety and a future high pick in the NFL draft if he commits himself to becoming the best player possible. Brian has to decide how good he wants to be because the sky is the limit. I certainly hope he doesn't waste his athletic ability. I'm pulling for him.
December 2nd, 2015 at 7:46 PM ^
Isn't it a bit concerning that 2 of our top recruits from last year's class (Kinnel & Cole) are in the doghouse, plus another few highly ranked guys (Isaac & Marshall)? If all our most talented guys get in the dog house that can't be good for results.
December 3rd, 2015 at 9:43 AM ^
although you hear about this a lot at other top programs. Many of these guys were the MAN in high school and it can take some time to correct the attitude at the next level. I expect all these guys to get their shit straight under Harbaugh and come along to be major contributors.
December 3rd, 2015 at 5:30 AM ^
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