AthlonSports pre-season All America team, eight M players are in the 4 strings
Athlon released who they think will be the All Americans for the 2023 college football season:
These selections are based on how players will perform in 2023. Career statistics and previous awards matter in player evaluation, but choosing players for the 2023 All-America team and all-conference teams is largely based on predicting and projecting the upcoming year.
https://athlonsports.com/college-football/college-football-2023-all-america-team
-The list goes 4 deep on offense, defense, and special teams
-Blake Corum is the only Michigan player in the 1st string
-Donovan Edwards is listed as 'All-Purpose'
-Michigan is tied with Ohio St for most players listed in the 4 strings with 8
-Georgia is next with 7
-Only 5 for Alabama
-Michigan St. 0 (10L Mel)
-Michael Penix Jr. is at 3rd string qb. What wonders a change of coaching has done for him!
Josh Henschke names the 8 Michigan players:
I know there will be Michigan fans that think JJ should have been in the top 4. But..... really? He could show big improvement in his sophomore to junior 'leap' that some players have. But he didn't show enough last year to make a list like this. I personally have reservations about him. I hope he is more careful with the ball this season.
I think you are being too harsh on JJ. Being not on these kind of lists is fine based last year and I think it is a system thing. I am not sure what you mean by being careful with the ball. Sometimes he was way too careful with the ball and not sling around like he is capable. We will see how this year pans out.
He only threw five interceptions last year granted two were painfully brutal on the big stage.
Only five QBs ranked in the top 50 passing efficiency rankings threw less.
And how many in the top 50 threw as few passes as JJ?
Whatever. He’ll be fine.
How many weren't starters to open the season, and how many just had offseason shoulder surgery?
It's not interceptions. It's the play under pressure that's the issue.
I am still concerned about the ability to connect on deep passes.
Michigan is running shit in the B1G this year. The boys came back for a National Championship and I believe.
I BELIEVE!
^this
GIMME SOME OF THAT!!
Future 4th-string All-American Safety Lathan Ransom
What's your favorite thing about college football, son? "Well, I like the names on the backs of the jerseys, so I always know who just torched me."
I have reservations with you having reservations about JJ
It's not just me:
You know that says highest-graded, right?
It makes my point that his grade is not as high as some Michigan fans think it should be. I never said he's not good. I am looking at him like people outside of Michigan fandom are looking at him.
I always like to assert how objective I am as well.
You can see the grades of returning Big12 QBs, and where JJ stands in reference to them:
Nationwide, JJ is not in the Top 10:
I've never seen the PFF stats on the scoreboard in the stadium. Do you know where JJ ranks as far record as a starter? I know his record is 13-1. Is that in the top 10?
The running game obviously carries the team.
You are blaming Cade McNamara fro the 2021 loss to Michigan St? If he didn't go out with injury in that game Michigan would have been 13-1 in 2021.
It’s great to see someone like Rod Moore who we know is a stud, get national recognition.
Also, I think Keegan is missing on that list. I don’t see there being 7 Guards in the country better than him. Also, Loveland will be a top-8 TE by years end.
And a side note, gtfo here with Treyveon Henderson on any All-American list
Worse than Henderson, is Tommy Two-Thumbs as first-team All American linebacker. Seems like the token midwestern white guy on the list whom no one notices fetching his jock because Corum is celebrating in the end zone.
Henderson is really damn good and Loveland may not even be TE 1
Henderson hasn't shown that he's an All-American. I know you've got homer-glasses on and will cite an injury or something. His freshman numbers were good, but he showed an underwhelming ability to read his hole/keys in 2022, from what I saw. Even as a freshman he clearly did not have the explosiveness that Dobbins had. I actually fear Trayanum more than any of your backs. But the problem with your running game is your head coach.
Michael Penix Jr. is at 3rd string qb. What wonders a change of coaching has done for him!
Penix's head coach is the same guy that was Penix's offensive coordinator at Indiana in 2019.
Good catch there. What changed is (1) UW not IU receuits and (2) Pac12 not B1G schedule.
And he stayed healthy, something that didn't happen much at IU.
Kalen DeBoar was only at Indiana 1 year. He was the QBs coach. Ryan Grubb is the QBs coach at Washington. Penix had never been coached by him before 2022.
What they are saying is that under the offense he runs Penis performs much better. It is an offense that makes his skills shine. Also PAC 12 defenses are not quite on the level of the Big10.
...Penis performs much better
Username checks out.
Penix played in 6 games the year DoBoer was at Indiana.
And his stats were actually pretty good that year.
The rest of the Pac 12 will have Penix envy this year.
And I’ll see myself out…
I don’t anticipate JJ making the All America team, mostly because the system he plays in is designed to run the ball down the opposition’s throat. Harbaugh typically isn’t putting the game in JJ’s hands and telling him before the game “you need to be the guy who wins this for us.”
That’s not to say Harbaugh wouldn’t potentially nudge more in that direction now that JJ has a full year of starting under his belt and is the absolute unquestioned starter, but short of being in a bunch of shootouts, I don’t see McCarthy being asked to do enough to make All America status. He’ll probably be trusted to do more this season than he was last season, but he’s not going to be throwing the ball 40 times a game like OSU asks it’s QBs to do.
On the flip side, Corum and Edwards should be finding themselves all over All America watch lists.
…throwing the ball 40 times a game like OSU asks its QBs to do.
That was 2021 OSU. Last year, Stroud averaged 29.9 per game, and OSU was middle of the pack nationally (68th in attempts/game). It just seems like they throw more because of the absurd TD total (42, 4th nationally).
Yes...and you have to believe that after getting throttled by UM two consecutive years w their high flying offense OSU is going to try to be more balanced this year...kind of man ball lite.
I'll bet OSU does not change their balance. They are a pro passing team with 2 1st team AA receivers. I really don't think Day can change, which is one difference between him and Jimmy. We will crush them again.
Interesting, but I’d be curious instead what percent of their total plays were passes instead. I’d think they’d be closer to the top of the list year. Maybe they had fewer overall pass plays because they were all going for TDs.
Kalen King 1st CB for Penn State. Dam we missed out on him for sure. Pretty sure he would have committed if we wanted him. Sucks missing on Detroit kids and they go somewhere else and blow up. Sauce Gardner is another. Not saying we don't recruit good CBs but just that they are right down the road in Detroit and most would jump at a Michigan offer
I coached in the playoffs vs both of them (in different years). King was more impressive and impactful in HS than Sauce was. Sauce was solid but he wasn’t “Sauce” yet.
Kind of amazing that he wasn't great in HS and credit to Fickell for identifying him and developing him into a top 5 pick and DROY at Cincinnati.
My recollection (grain of salt) is that Kalen was on the "most wanted" list, but he never showed much interest in return.
FWIW, he and obviously Xavier Worthy are the only names on the list who make me say doggone it, shoulda gone after him harder.
(Okay, also shoulda gone after the guy named Corleone ...)
IIRC Michigan did not want King's brother, who is a LB.
Without looking I'd say Corum, Edwards, Zinter, Keagan, Will Johnson, Sainristil, Moore and Paige
Sleepin on Junior Colson. Oh the humanity. 😉
A shameful oversight! I overlooked Jenkins too.
I did pretty poorly actually. 4/8. We'll see whose right at the end of the year. I think Sainristil is really underrated because he switched positions. Keegan is just underrated,
Mason Graham and Loveland will probably be on some lists at the end of the year.
I easily agree on Mason Graham. He's going to be in the pros some day, a starter as a rookie.
Crazy thing is he may not be our best linebacker this season and I think he is fantastic!
This is all fine and good, but I’m more interested in who’s on the list after season.
Highlander, we are coming up on one of the most anticipated seasons in recent memory (IMO anyway) with a TON of returning talent and you are looking at the following year already??? Man, stop and smell the roses for a minute. Damn.
Just saying I’d rather be #1 after post season play than in the preseason poll.