Will Campbell: Why the Bust Label is Wrong (So Far)

Stats to back up your point...outstanding. Although, you do remind us about DeQuinta-what a huge kick in the groin there

Personally, I don't really give a rat's ass that Will Campbell hasn't contributed much yet.  If the defensive depth weren't so terrible, he wouldn't have played last year.  And we've got a potential All Big Ten or All American nose guard ahead of him, so who cares?

Dude, people here don't want facts.  They just want to be irrational. 

Nice work.

Didn't McCoy just get drafted this year?

Look, I am disappointed that Campbell hasn't excelled.  But that doesn't yet mean he is a bust.  It was unfortunate he had to play last year.  He still has time to 'get it'.  Let us hope he does. 

dequinta jones... :(

The panic is spreading like wildfire! Campbell got singled out for showing up out of shape, now he's down on the depth chart. Shouldn't be this big of a surprise. Gabe Watson and Alan Branch wore out the path between the doghouse and the field, and Campbell has similar physical gifts. He'll be fine if he can handle the tough coaching.

Thank you for this - it cheered me up after looking at our depth chart.  Granted, I still would like to see him at #2 instead of #3. 

thanks for the facts.

Good info. If Big Will is 3rd string I am confident that Michigan is finally getting some depth on defense.

I thought this was going to be a "bust/not a bust" REALLY type post, but it was very informative. 

If he's truly 3rd string this year, maybe we stay healthy enough he redshirts this year.

+1 for College of the Sequoias. 

And for today's trivia, "Sequoia" is one of but a few english words using all of the vowels.  And almost definitely the only tree name to do so, but I am too lazy to look that up.

Campbell still has time.  Hopefully he can spend this season improving his technique and getting a bit more game experience.  That way next year, when we really need him, hopefully he'll be ready to start giving hell to opposing OLs.

Based on the two deep, it does not look like Campbell will get much playing time this year to answer very many questions. Unless he gets switched to a different position (unlikely?).

I doubt it's likely and this might be a dumb question but is there any chance at all that he redshirts this year as a sophomore since he is listed at 3rd string NT?

...can't he just flop on top of the opposing linemen until they cry "uncle?"

Instead of negging him, post your comments about WC's technique from your observations. There's room for debate on MGoBlog, or should be. Maybe it's not as consistently bad as he's observed...

While I don't get some of the "BRIAN'SBEINGNEGATIVE!" hysteria, I do think calling any underclassmen - regardless of "hype" - a bust is far too premature.

Not only is DT a position that often requires a player to learn technique he never needed in HS, but, building on top of what the poster mentions re: redshirting, these past few years of attrition have thrust young players into positions previously not required by the UM football program.

Back in the day, rumors of a player "not getting it" or not developing "fast enough" were just that - rumors.  Chris Perry getting transfer papers from Lloyd, Braylon being a hothead as a frosh, etc.  Those stories (1) weren't reported as fast/furiously in that media day, and (2) weren't as relevant at a time when U of M didn't require much from its underclassmen.

The past few years, this regime hasn't had the benefit to redshirt/stash underclassmen, and thus, we're seeing kids on the field that, admittedly, aren't ready, but it's obfuscating the fact that underclassmen are rarely ready.

He looked disinterested in the drills on the Big Ten replay, but several times last year in game action he looked really good and got some penetration and disrupted things in the middle.

I think it's important to note that tall NT have a hard time keeping their pads down in general.  Guys like Renes and Zorich were guys who would excel in this defense because they were agile and were short enough to always have their pads underneath the OL.  It's tough for guy's with certain types of bodies to play on the interior DL.  If he's top heavy, then there is no way he can play effectively inside, but he looks to have his weight pretty evenly distributed on his frame.  I think there is much conjecture from people who don't know about interior line play.  If BWC stands straight up and eats up the center and one of the guards...who cares where his hands are.

The guy has obviously worked hard at times or he wouldn't come into camp having lost weight, but the type of conditioning they are talking about is tough on big guys to do and there has to be some line of demarcation from 323 DL and 265LB DEs in the conditioning tests, but apparently there is not.  I would have loved to see him practice with more passion than I have in the past, but some guys are just gamers and I think he's a gamer.

Obviously, we are at least a year away from drawing any conclusions about Campbell. By the same token, it was widely reported that he showed up for camp over-weight and out of shape.

Now, it may be that if the program had normal depth, Campbell would have redshirted last year. But as he didn’t redshirt, he has the advantage of actual Division I competition, where he would have seen first-hand the difference between high school (where he could overpower almost anybody with raw strength) and college (where that is no longer possible without proper conditioning and technique).

So let’s not kid ourselves. On a preliminary basis, it has to be at least somewhat disappointing that he can’t crack the two-deep, especially if lack of effort in the off-season is a contributing factor. There is still time for him to avoid the “bust” label, but he has some work to do.

Good research - thanks.

Not being on the 2-deep has to be considered a significant but he is far from a bust yet.  Looking at him conditioning seems like the biggest issue.  Hopefully he isn't totally in the doghouse and gets on the field enough to work his way back up.

...Big Will sees this and realizes that he's moving along quite nicely.

it's hard to rid the world of ignorance and those rip sophomore DTs.  the coaches on this board could probably answer better than me, but i would think DT (or NT) is one of the hardest positions to step into and contribute early; especially if up against more experienced OL.

i would think most DTs need to add "good weight" and learn technique when they get on campus.  QBs and Centers may be the only tougher positions, imo.

This shit ain't nothin' but the negative version of "all about Denard", last I checked the 2010 season is in the future.

Not talking specifically about this well put together thread, but about the Will Campbell know it alls

This topic just made me depressed that we didn't get DeQuinta Jones.

Starting year two in the program, apparently no progress.  Here's my theory.

He's a bust.

The guy has so much potential and talent he just needs to start improving his technique and conditioning. We still have Mike Martin at the postion this year but hopefully Will realizes he can start next year and gets himself in shape next year.

My only problem with Big Will is he showed up for camp out of shape.  That's 100% on him and there's no excuse for it.