Annual Bye---err "Improvement Week" Look Ahead Depth Chart ('16-'17)
Some will recall that in the past I've always done this during the bye week when the coaches are out recruiting (thus looking ahead) and there's a quick breath to look back on the year and see where guys on the CURRENT team are...and try to forecast the next year.
With the last game that will not be mentioned (well not again) --- I'll be honest, I stayed away from all things college football for awhile, it still stings when I think about it.
So yes, this will piss some folks off because I just posted the Minnesota depth chart in a thread awhile ago (like that matters)...and because it's looking ahead while we're in season...and because it's officially game week. But whatever, it's not like there's a bunch of content on the board right now. Everything has slowed down since...dammit.
Depth Chart? Depth Chart.
QB
1. Shane Morris (RS Jr.) / John O'Korn (RS Jr.)
3. Alex Malzone (RS Fr.) / Zach Gentry (RS Fr.)
5. Wilton Speight (RS So.)
rs: Brandon Peters (Fr.)
rs: Vic Viramontes (Fr.)
RB
1. De'Veon Smith (Sr.)
2. Derrick Green (Sr.) / Ty Isaac (RS Jr.) / Drake Johnson (RS Sr.)
5. Karan Higdon (So.)
rs: Matt Falcon (Fr.)
rs: Kiante Enis (Fr.)
FB
1. Wyatt Shallman (RS Jr.)
2. Kingston Davis (Fr.)
WR1
1. Amara Darboh (RS Sr.)
2. Drake Harris (RS So.)
3. Brian Cole (So.)
4. Jaron Dukes (RS Jr.)
rs: Ahmir Mitchell (Fr.)
WR2
1. Jehu Chesson (RS Sr.)
2. Maurice Ways (RS So.)
3. Brad Hawkins (Fr.)
4. Da'Mario Jones (Sr.)
5. Jack Wangler (RS Jr.)
SLOT
1. Freddy Canteen (Jr.) / Grant Perry (So.)
rs: Chris Evans (Fr.)
H-Back
1. Henry Poggi (RS Jr.)
2. Chase Winovich (RS So.)
TE
1. Jake Butt (Sr.)
2. Ian Bunting (RS So.)
3. Khalid Hill (RS Jr.) / Tyrone Wheatley Jr. (RS Fr.)
rs: Sean McKeon (Fr.)
LT
1. Mason Cole (Jr.)
2. Grant Newsome (RS Fr.)
rs: Erik Swenson (Fr.)
LG
1. Ben Braden (RS Sr.)
2. David Dawson (RS Jr.)
3. Juwan Bushell-Beatty (RS So.)
rs: Ben Bredeson (Fr.)
C
1. Patrick Kugler (RS Jr.)
2. Jon Runyan Jr. (RS Fr.)
RG
1. Kyle Kalis (RS Sr.)
2. David Dawson (RS Jr.)
3. Juwan Bushell-Beatty (RS So.)
rs: Michael Onwenu (Fr.)
RT
1. Erik Magnuson (RS Sr.)
2. Blake Bars (RS Sr.)
3. Nolan Ulizio (RS Fr.)
rs: Devery Hamilton (Fr.)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DE
1. Lawrence Marshall (RS So.)
2. Shelton Johnson (RS Fr.)
3. Reuben Jones (RS Fr.)
rs: Ron Johnson (Fr.)
DT
1. Ryan Glasgow (RS Sr.)
2. Bryan Mone (RS So.)
3. Brady Pallante (RS So.)
DT
1. Willie Henry (RS Sr.)
2. Maurice Hurst (RS Jr.)
3. Matt Godin (RS Sr.)
DE
1. Chris Wormley (RS Sr.)
2. Taco Charlton (Sr.)
3. Tom Strobel (RS Sr.)
rs: Rashad Weaver (Fr.)
LB
1. Ben Gedeon (Sr.)
2. Jared Wangler (RS So.)
rs: Dytarious Johnson (Fr.)
LB
1. Michael McCray (RS Jr.)
2. Allen Gant (RS Sr.)
3. Noah Furbush (RS So.) / David Reese (Fr.)
WCB
1. Jourdan Lewis (Sr.)
2. Keith Washington (RS Fr.)
3. Terry Richardson (RS Sr.)
rs: Antwaine Richardson (Fr.)
SCB
1. Channing Stribling (Sr.)
2. Jeremy Clark (RS Sr.)
3. Reon Dawson (RS Jr.)
rs: Sir Patrick Scott (Fr.)
NB
1. Jabrill Peppers (RS So.)
2. Tyree Kinnel (So.)
3. Brandon Watson (RS So.)
S
1. Dymonte Thomas (Sr.)
2. Jeremy Clark (RS Sr.)
rs: Josh Metellus (Fr.)
S
1. Delano Hill (Sr.)
2. Jeremy Clark (RS Sr.)
rs: Devin Gil (Fr.)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
K
1. Kenny Allen (RS Sr.)
2. Andrew David (Fr.)
P
1. Kenny Allen (RS Sr.)
KO
1. Kenny Allen (RS Sr.)
2. Andrew David (Fr.)
As always, tear it up and I'll make changes if your opinion is "seconded."
Notes.
- I don't remove RS Sr's even though we know some of these guys aren't coming back - I don't predict transfers either (at least not on the depth chart)
- Odds say we're going to lose a RS Sr. that could actually contribute this year - not sure who, but it wouldn't shock me.
- I've got Jeremy Clark as the first CB or S off the bench. Gant as the first LB in James Ross' current role.
October 26th, 2015 at 10:39 PM ^
rabble rabble linebackers tigers and bears oh my rabble rabble OKorn Heisman rabble rabble Lewis better stay rabble rabble Taysom Hill Heisman rabble rabble grad transfers rabble rabble Speight Morris bye bye rabble rabble Wormley Henry stay rabble rabble Big 10 champions and playoffs rabble rabble entire starting defense gone in 2017 save Mone Hurst & buck DE rabble rabble enjoy Peppers last year
October 26th, 2015 at 10:44 PM ^
You added more rabble, but forgot special teams rabble...what about "rabble rabble Nordin rabble?"
October 26th, 2015 at 11:03 PM ^
You lost me after the seventh rabble
October 27th, 2015 at 6:47 AM ^
October 30th, 2015 at 4:55 PM ^
I think that was a self-aware joke about alum96's(well-researched and argued) common themes on the board.
October 26th, 2015 at 10:35 PM ^
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October 26th, 2015 at 10:41 PM ^
Having Peppers is HUGE.
I think Gedeon, McCray and Gant will be fine after an offseason. There was a little Harbaugh scuttlebutt on Furbush a few weeks ago as well.
However, we definitely need a blue chip freshman to toss into the mix.
With our DL, we don't ask a ton from the LBs...I think we'll be fine. The year after once we start losing players around the LB position is going to make it roooough.
Safety is also thin next year which is why I have Clark as the third safety.
October 26th, 2015 at 10:37 PM ^
October 26th, 2015 at 10:42 PM ^
or won't be a RB?
And why do you say that? Because he's hurt? Because we have 1-2 other guys that are out for the year (as commits) as well.
Not saying you're wrong, just seems like a bold (and confusing) guarantee.
October 26th, 2015 at 10:45 PM ^
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October 26th, 2015 at 10:46 PM ^
If you truly were not on the board this week, Falcon was told he could come to UM only on an academic scholarship. Apparently he was told not to play football this fall so he could rehab his knee and he chose to ignore it. (per Henson) And hence he no longer has a scholarship to play football.
See what you miss when you go away?
October 26th, 2015 at 10:51 PM ^
I did not know that...
And no...I'm a pussy, not gonna lie. That loss crushed me. I didn't cut on anything sports related until late Saturday night when I just became bored out of my mind.
I wasn't on MGoBlog, not even lurking. I literally closed my laptop after "it" happened and I just tried to keep myself distracted with other stuff to not think about it.
That was as painful as it gets.
Thanks for the info though!
He's still listed as a commit everywhere else though...what gives?
October 26th, 2015 at 10:47 PM ^
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October 26th, 2015 at 10:55 PM ^
But I never even peeked at MGoBlog after that game...
I just went back and looked at my post history, it's actually kind of funny.
The top post is the Evening Games open thread from Saturday...the bottom post is, well...
| 2 days 29 minago | Sigh |
Hi everyone... /enters open thead after one week MGoBlog hiatus Did FSU just steal our bad mojo? Can I come back to college football? |
| 1 week 2 daysago | Punt it high to the back of the endzone |
COme on! |
October 26th, 2015 at 10:38 PM ^
None of this matters.
October 26th, 2015 at 10:46 PM ^
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October 26th, 2015 at 10:50 PM ^
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October 27th, 2015 at 8:19 AM ^
October 27th, 2015 at 8:39 AM ^
Well I sure hope they lose, I would hate for Michigan football to have to take next year off.
October 26th, 2015 at 10:43 PM ^
so many seniors on that defense for next year! but then you gotta be concerned about the following year with all the new young guys. Hopefully there will be little drop off.
October 26th, 2015 at 10:53 PM ^
Team has to win with defense in 16 married with a better offense than this year's version. None of the older guys are explosive skill players but you hope a better QB makes everyone better and then we need 1 of the underclassmen at wr or rb to actually scare another team at some point. PSU found a great freshman rb - we need to hit on SOMEONE at some point in the offensive skill position who teams have to game plan around. Maybe Chesson finds a QB who can find his hands or the other Drake becomes something other than a camp story. IDK - I still see not many playmakers on offense next yr.
Then Harbaugh needs to have that offense humming in 17 to cover for that uber young 17 defense.
If Durkin creates a similar defense in 16 as he has in 15...and he should considering most of the guys come back I assume he gets his job offer of note post 16. So 2017 defense has potential for many unknowns incl Durkin and maybe Mattison both gone by then.
With easy non conf next year and Sparta losing so many 5th year seniors incl Cook and OSU losing half its defense to NFL, even though those are road games next year is the one to make hay. 2017 we lose much of the OL as well. We will have a very young team in 2017.
So maybe Taysom hill makes sense in this context.
October 26th, 2015 at 11:07 PM ^
Chesson is getting open...Rudock just needs lasik because his depth perception is awful.
I think Mitchell, Harris, Hawkins or Cole breaks out into a reasonable threat. Darboh is the possession guy.
Defense will be a non-issue, IMO. I'm more concerned about everyone returning...with Strobel as the exception, I'd like to have someone like Godin coming back. Allen Gant.
However, it wouldn't shock me if they moved on or played somewhere else for their final year. But we could really use those guys for depth. Just like Heitzman this year (although AJ Williams is making up the difference there).
October 26th, 2015 at 11:18 PM ^
Yeah Im not going into the "this freshman wr is going to be the truth" route anymore - been burned past few years on spring hype. Unless the guy's name is Treadwell. Or Corey Davis - ugh.
I believe it has a better chance of happening among running backs.
Chesson will improve with a better QB but I dont see a Funchess or Gallon type in our upperclassmen. I am just hoping for a poor man's Breaston at this point.
Peppers sadly feels like our only special offensive player right now.
We are basically going to take our entire 2015 offense - take off Glasgow - add various and sundry freshmen (who you can't count on to be difference makers other than rb) - and hope the QB position takes a leap, and say it's going to be a lot better.
In this case I might be jumping on the Taysom Hill bandwagon - worth the risk to me at this point with the D we bring back plus the losses of personnel at MSU and OSU this coming year. 2016 is a year we need to hit it big with all the personnel losses after that year.
October 26th, 2015 at 11:20 PM ^
Odds are...we're going to find someone who can play in a solid role or better.
Just like RB this year. With all of those guys...we were going to get SOMETHING from SOMEONE and Smith came out of the pack. He's not Treadwell good, but he's better than anything we've seen in awhile.
I'm just saying Chesson has shown he can take the top off, and between 4 other guys, I think we can find someone who can fit the playmaker role.
I at least like those 4 better than York, Dukes, Jones and Ways...no offense to those guys.
October 27th, 2015 at 10:03 AM ^
with 4 returning starters as well as the TE's, the running game is going to be pretty darn good next year no matter the opponent. QB will still be the key as to how lethal the offense can be though.
October 26th, 2015 at 11:18 PM ^
completely agree. the quarterback next year will be critical. But we also need the other skilled positions desperately which we probably wont have for a few years. Deveon smith is a good back but no where near elite. We need a guy who is a threat to take it to the house. We need fast gamebreaking playmakers on the outside. Couple that with a stanford-esque offensive line and you have a scary offense.
October 26th, 2015 at 10:43 PM ^
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October 26th, 2015 at 10:47 PM ^
Higdon is changed. Nice catch.
I agree on Morris and/or Speight...
Wilton is #5 because he was already behind Malzone (who was pushing Morris for the #2 spot - fact) and Gentry had some late camp hype (and I just think he's a better fit). He's no better than #4 ahead of Gentry. I just made a prediction based on offseason progress that Gentry would move ahead of him --- nothing concrete.
October 26th, 2015 at 10:48 PM ^
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October 26th, 2015 at 10:45 PM ^
Isn't Da'Mario Jones redshirting this year?
October 26th, 2015 at 10:48 PM ^
So I guess you're right...I'll make that change. Anyone else other than he and Morris (that aren't freshman)?
October 26th, 2015 at 10:57 PM ^
http://www.mgoblue.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/101715aaa.html
According to the official website, Da'Mario Jones played against Michigan State. I'm not sure I recall seeing him on the field, but there you go. His name is in the official box score as well (page 18):
http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/mich/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/2015-…
October 26th, 2015 at 11:08 PM ^
I didn't see him, in fact, until the poster mentioned it...I never thought about him redshirting this year. I just assumed guys moved ahead of both he and Dukes.
October 27th, 2015 at 9:04 AM ^
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October 27th, 2015 at 10:47 AM ^
Odd to burn his redshirt in the 7th game of the season, but Harbaugh's done this with a few players now (Kinnel, Higdon). I have no idea why Jones played in that game but Moe Ways didn't.
October 26th, 2015 at 11:00 PM ^
October 26th, 2015 at 10:54 PM ^
So many seniors next year, 2017 is probably going to be a rebuilding year. If we get really lucky and have a healthy Taysom Hill at quarterback next year, we will national champinship contenders.
October 26th, 2015 at 10:57 PM ^
October 26th, 2015 at 10:58 PM ^
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October 26th, 2015 at 10:55 PM ^
October 26th, 2015 at 10:57 PM ^
Drake Harris is a freshman now...and Butt is a junior now.
October 26th, 2015 at 10:58 PM ^
October 26th, 2015 at 10:52 PM ^
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October 26th, 2015 at 10:53 PM ^
Holy crap.
October 26th, 2015 at 10:53 PM ^
October 26th, 2015 at 10:55 PM ^
October 26th, 2015 at 11:03 PM ^
He's a RS Jr...which would make him a RS Sr. next year.
MGoBlue doesn't list a lot of RS guys until they actually use their 5th year. However, click on his bio and it even says he redshirted as a freshman.
I may have missed that on Vic. Wouldn't shock me, he's a Des Morgan 2.0 type. However, I suppose we could also use him in a Tebow freshman year or Blake Belldozer type roll.
October 26th, 2015 at 11:03 PM ^
October 27th, 2015 at 6:26 PM ^
October 26th, 2015 at 10:56 PM ^
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