depth chart
2011 western michigan

Your 2011 Two Deep Comment Count

Brian

Released in the depths of the WMU game notes:

MICHIGAN OFFICIAL TWO DEEP 8/29/2011
OFFENSE
Pos First Second Third
QB D. Robinson D. Gardner
RB
M. Shaw OR
F. Toussaint
 V. Smith S. Hopkins
FB J. McColgan S. Watson
WR 1 J. Hemingway K. Grady J. Jackson
WR 2 R. Roundtree J. Gallon M. Odoms
TE K. Koger B. Moore S. Watson
LT T. Lewan M. Schofield  
LG R. Barnum E. Mealer  
C D. Molk R. Khoury  
RG P. Omameh E. Mealer  
RT M. Huyge M. Schofield  
DEFENSE
Pos First Second Third
SDE

W. Heininger

 N. Brink
NT M. Martin W. Campbell
DT R. Van Bergen Q. Washington
WDE C. Roh J. Black F. Clark
MLB K. Demens J.B. Fitzgerald

M. Evans
WLB M. Jones B. Herron B. Hawthorne,
D. Morgan
SLB C. Gordon J. Ryan B. Beyer
SS T. Gordon C. Johnson J. Furman
FS J. Kovacs M. Robinson
CB1 T. Woolfolk B. Countess G. Brown
CB2

C. Avery OR
JT Floyd

 T. Anderson
SPECIAL TEAMS
Pos First Second Third
P M. Wile OR
S. Broekhuizen
K B. Gibbons OR
M. Wile
PR J. Hemingway OR
D. Dileo OR
J. Gallon OR
M. Odoms
KR J. Gallon K. Grady V. Smith

Items:

  • Heininger didn't get the memo that Brink was the walk-on who was supposed to start at SDE. Seriously, Hoke said point blank he would start.
  • Will Campbell is back at one tech?
  • Martavious Odoms is way down the depth chart.
  • That horrible, horrible OR at K.
  • Freshmen who made it on: Beyer, Clark, Morgan, Brown, and Countess
  • Hopefully Barnum's presence means his injury isn't significant.
  • Somewhat surprising that Mike Jones managed to hold on to the starting WLB job without so much as an OR. Seems like we've heard about everyone save him.

Comments

CRex

August 29th, 2011 at 1:27 PM ^

Am I out of line to panic a little on the whole Will Campbell not starting thing?  I was seeing the key to our defense being a 320 pound BWC drawing a double team almost every play.  That would leave Martin in a 1 v 1 (which he wins most of the time) and RVB on the outside working 1 v 1.

With Martin or RVB being success at beating their blocker most plays (assume one guy wins) it would force offenses to keep in a blocking back or a TE in.  That means one less WR for our secondary to worry about.

As it stands now it really comes down to RVB being able to handle a guard instead of a tackle and Heininger coming out of the gate as a stud to get the same impact.  I really wanted to MM not drawing a double team (or drawing a guard + blocking back instead of two OL), that would have been amazing.

Here's to hoping that we put away our MAC snacks quickly and BWC can come in and get soem game reps.  Hopefully the light bulb goes on and he can contribute to spell Martin or move Martin over to 3 Tech.

Joined: 09/28/2009

MGoPoints: 9010

colin

August 29th, 2011 at 1:31 PM ^

i think BWC not panning out this year ends our chances of having an above average D for basically the reasons you mention.  there should be enough size/talent/experience for adequacy even still, but anything more than that is probably asking too much.

Joined: 07/01/2008

MGoPoints: 1472

DGDestroys

August 29th, 2011 at 1:35 PM ^

As a NT, it was Martin's job to draw the double teams, not BWC. The whole idea of putting BWC at 3-tech was to minimize double teams, and consequently, the importance for proper leverage. I know some people think that just b/c BWC is 320, it means his role is automatically a big ol' space eater to free up MM, but ideally he would have been able to push the pocket in 1-on-1s against guards, making both running and passing troublesome.

Joined: 01/05/2010

MGoPoints: 19352

RagingBean

August 29th, 2011 at 1:58 PM ^

Even if Campbell was going to be a starter, it was never going to be as a Nose Tackle (which is the position you are envisioning him in here). Mattison spent all of the Spring saying that he was challenging BWC to take over the 3-Tech spot (where RVB now is and where MM will wind up in the NFL). Despite his measurables BWC has never had enough technique or mass to be a double-team drawing space eater ala Terrence Cody.

Joined: 10/29/2008

MGoPoints: 1757

UMAFA08

August 29th, 2011 at 3:42 PM ^

Expect to see lots of plays out of shotgun (per Borges). If they're coming out in the gun as much as he says, there will definitely be some 3 and 4-wide packages and not every receiver will be able to hit the field every play. Tay will get playing time for sure. However, I am skeptical of him being so far down the depth chart with the ability he's shown to make plays. Maybe he didn't have the greatest camp? Maybe the cast held him back? Who knows...

Joined: 01/19/2011

MGoPoints: 238

gremlin

August 29th, 2011 at 1:37 PM ^

I hope everyone here realizes that this is the 2011 opener vs Western.  Upperclassmen are going to get the preference to start over underclassmen for this game.  It may only be for one play.

Joined: 01/13/2009

MGoPoints: 624

El Jeffe

August 29th, 2011 at 1:48 PM ^

It is interesting that both staffs reached the same conclusion on a number of players (liking Kovacs, Heininger, and Smith (V) and having problems with BWC and Cox). It makes me think that the problems on defense last year were a combination of horrific meta coaching choices (on the part of RR and GERG), youth, and possibly player development, but not necessarily talent identification.

Joined: 07/07/2008

MGoPoints: 27329

Bodogblog

August 29th, 2011 at 5:59 PM ^

at FS, and putting Carvin Johnson, a smaller, faster player at OLB.  Oh and keep Thomas Gordon at OLB too, where he's stuck behind Carvin.  And when you do lose your gd mind and switch of every player who can be switched during the bye week, leave Gordon where he's at bring true freshman Vinopal in.

Joined: 06/08/2010

MGoPoints: 26674

J. Lichty

August 29th, 2011 at 2:06 PM ^

Schofield strictly a tackle - there has been talk that he was backing up all but center on the O-Line.  That gives me some hope that most, if not all of the freshmen O-linement can redsirt next year.

Joined: 06/30/2008

MGoPoints: 1604

higbe

August 30th, 2011 at 10:44 AM ^

Michael has gotten time at every position (including TE (blocking)) and has surprised the coaches at his ability to play Guard, at this time he will be first in on the line (except for Center). last weekend he played LG in practice, getting good practice time at every position.

Joined: 08/30/2009

MGoPoints: 8

beenplumb

August 29th, 2011 at 2:10 PM ^

Killinger gets the start at SDE in RVB's stead. I am more excited about my new nickname for him than I am about having a former walk-on starting at a key position on defense, but here's to hoping he lives up to his (new) nickname (which will stick, damn it all).

And yes, it's a Venture Bros reference.

Joined: 10/15/2010

MGoPoints: 1552

93Grad

August 29th, 2011 at 2:38 PM ^

none more so than Kovacks listed as a free safety.  I know Mallory likes them to be interchangeable, but that is not really comforting either.

Joined: 07/26/2011

MGoPoints: 13608

Action

August 29th, 2011 at 3:40 PM ^

Regarding Free safety/Strong Safety, I thought it was explained in the spring that Mattison sort of reverses the roles.  Strong Safety in his system plays more like a free safety as we know it, and free safety in his systems plays more like a strong saftery; but in the end they are kind of interchangable.

Wasn't Dileo the holder last year for XP's and FG?  I thought it was interesting the Gallon is now the holder accoriding to Angelique Chengelis ..

Joined: 09/14/2010

MGoPoints: 228

chatster

August 29th, 2011 at 8:35 PM ^

Wasn't Jeremy Gallon a QB in HS and 3rd string QB for the Mississippi State bowl game after Tate Forcier's academic issues prevented him from playing in that game?  Could his QB experience give him UM an advantage in having Gallon as the holder?

Joined: 09/14/2010

MGoPoints: 26926