Coaches trying Magnuson out at LG
I thought he did well last week. Presser Link Here
NN ARBOR—Redshirt freshman Erik Magnuson had a strong showing at right tackle when he came on the field Saturday at Penn State in place of Michael Schofield who took over at left tackle when Taylor Lewan went down in the first half.
Magnuson impressed enough in fact that Michigan coach Brady Hoke says the 6-foot-6, 285-pounder is firmly in the mix and getting reps at left guard in practice.
“A little bit,” Hoke said of Magnuson’s work at left guard. “He hasn’t done it a lot but he’s a really athletic guy and he did some good things the other night that warrant trying to get the best five on the field.”
Redshirting a year ago to add weight to his slender frame, Magnuson has made significant strides in adding enough weight to get on the football field.
But if Hoke has his way, Magnuson will be even stronger when it’s all said and done.
“He’s got a quickness to him,” Hoke said. “He’s got good feet. That’s why we recruited him as a left tackle, because of his athleticism.
“What has kept him away from it as much as anything is he needs strength gains and unlike some of the guys, a guy like Kyle Bosch, who’s been in the weight room a lot -- Kyle wasn’t exactly a three sport athlete. Mags played lacrosse also so the lifting and all that kind of stuff.”
Asked whether or not he envisions any changes to the starting lineup on the offensive line this week against Indiana, Hoke left open that possibility.
“We’ll see,” he said. “Guys are working hard.”
October 16th, 2013 at 3:56 PM ^
I don't see how playing a RS FR that is small and often fails to get proper leverage at LG is in any way, shape, or form a good move, even relative to the other possible options.
October 16th, 2013 at 4:16 PM ^
This response is not directed specifically at you (or at you at all, necessarily), but at the general level of "why would the coaches do this."
For the past 4 days, this blog's readership has been wailing for the coaches to show that they are capable of making changes when Plan A is not working. There have been .gifs of banging heads against the wall, calls for Borges to be fired for being stubborn and a general view that the coaches are unwilling to do anything but stay the course.
Here's the thing: our current OL (the line as a unit, not the individual players, necessarily, as many are just young and inexperienced) SUCKS! It is killing our offense. Devin is getting very little time to operate, and the RBs are getting caught before they have time to take a step. It is a real problem and despite many on this blog (again, not you, as I think that you are probably one of the more knowledgeable people around these parts) thinking that they have the solution, it is not easy to work around.
So now that Hoke / Borges look like they may be making a change, what does everyone do? Complain about the change. Let's go on the assumption that Hoke / Borges realize that the current 5 are killing us and realize that it almost cannot get any worse. If we don't like this change, is there a better one?
October 16th, 2013 at 4:19 PM ^
Well, you see, the coaches showing that they're trying some things to improve the team goes against the narrative so many have built up here. And why ruin a good narrative just as it's geting going?
October 16th, 2013 at 5:09 PM ^
The issue is that the coaches aren't actually trying something new.
Something new would be passing out of formations with 3-5 eligible receivers to set up the run by forcing the defense to unload the box.
Something new would be implementing packaged plays combining a run or a quick pass option into one play.
Something new would be substituting a traditional run game with underneath routes or screens to Norfleet/Fitz/whomever can make a guy miss.
Replacing one guy on a shaky O-line and running power into 9 guys still in the box is NOT something new.
October 16th, 2013 at 6:30 PM ^
Actually, this may well mean further offensive changes, because an undersized guy like Magnuson doesn't necessarily make sense at LG if we're intent on emphasizing the power run game.
October 16th, 2013 at 6:35 PM ^
At this point i dont see why not move Schofield back inside and if its Mags they like or Braden move them to RT.
October 16th, 2013 at 7:26 PM ^
October 16th, 2013 at 8:02 PM ^
Stop shuffling players so you can find "new" ways to run up the middle. RUN. NEW. PLAYS.
October 16th, 2013 at 4:46 PM ^
This, if there is any real credibility to it (lots of times they are maybe trying something a little bit, it leaks, people make a big deal of it, then it's absolutely nothing) then this is a panic move. My guess, there is very little actually to this and it's just a way to get more compitition and to give Magnuson some confidence that he has a chance to play.
October 16th, 2013 at 4:54 PM ^
I actually don't think the Offensive Line sucks. I think their performance sucks; however, I think they are incredibly talented (albet young). So, rather than shuffle around the line, which really just pinpoints blame to specific players for ineptitude, why not change the playbook? Why not make the job of the line simpler? Leverage the no-huddle to read the defense; provide check downs when obvious run plays have been sniffed out by the defense; etc.
I am not complaining simply to compain. I'm complaining because this wreaks of a panic move, and I think other options should be considered (i.e. no huddle; check downs; simpler offense that isolates our game-changing players in one-on-one situations).
October 16th, 2013 at 5:15 PM ^
I actually agree with you that the individual players are very talented. That is why I said "our current OL (the line as a unit, not the individual players, necessarily, as many are just young and inexperienced) SUCKS."
As for this being a panic move, it probably is. But so what? There is good reason to panic.
October 16th, 2013 at 6:36 PM ^
Nowhere does it says Magnuson is being moved to guard. Or that he is going to start at guard this Saturday. It says he did a nice job as back-up tackle, and he's "in the mix" "getting reps" as guard as well. This is practice. This is how the youngsters grow, learn and get ready to be useful when needed. Practice is where the competition happens, if not the magic. And the game is where those who do well at practice are thrown into the fire to learn how to handle it. Some will learn eventually, some may not.
If he handles things better in practice than some others, then he might get thrown into the fire eventually, and of course we'll panic again if he doesn't solve the problems any more quickly than the other youngsters.
October 17th, 2013 at 8:46 AM ^
AL comes in,why want he just wake up and smell the roses??? If we try to run the ball against sparty when the load the box,HE MUST BE FIRED,SIMPLE AS THAT.
October 16th, 2013 at 5:13 PM ^
October 17th, 2013 at 12:06 AM ^
Seriously. It's the gameplan. Clear and simple. So sick of people pinning it on Miller, Fitz, DG, etc. The team may be young, but other teams do plenty more with a lot less. When Borges has a sensible gameplan and the offense still sucks, then you can throw some blame on the players. If Art Briles was in charge of this O, I bet we'd be crushing people. I'd say RR, but then we'd get into a whole nother discussion.
October 16th, 2013 at 7:52 PM ^
October 16th, 2013 at 4:29 PM ^
more spread formations.
October 16th, 2013 at 7:05 PM ^
yeah well have you seen our interior line play so far?
October 16th, 2013 at 3:58 PM ^
happened to Braden. He was working at LG during the Spring and Fall, is he hurt or just struggling in practice?
October 16th, 2013 at 4:03 PM ^
There was a lot of talk about him in the spring and summer.
October 16th, 2013 at 4:07 PM ^
I asked the same thing yesterday and still have not heard, Is Braden hurt? I almost hope so, because he was supposed to be a big part of next years line??? Since he didn't come in for Lewan it appears he is not the back up LT and he didn't come in at guard for Bryant he is not the backup G????????? Please provide us some hope and say he has a boo boo.
October 16th, 2013 at 4:23 PM ^
October 16th, 2013 at 4:00 PM ^
The pre-season hype and predictions for Braden have sure vanished. By my count this would be the 4th option at LG before any mention of Braden
October 16th, 2013 at 4:56 PM ^
October 16th, 2013 at 4:00 PM ^
I like Magnuson alot but I don't think he's the answer on the inside for the running game.
October 16th, 2013 at 4:20 PM ^
Since he is not the answer, is there a better option? If not, he may not be ideal, but he is the best answer we may have.
Abandoning the run completely is not an option. Switching offensive systems mid-season to one that the team has not practiced is not either. The playbook that the team has been working with calls for some element of up the center running. I don't see the downside of plugging in Magnuson to see if he can add some spark. I thought he played great against PSU.
Frankly, I don't really understand why we don't put him at RT and move Schofield to LG.
October 16th, 2013 at 4:23 PM ^
Frankly, I don't really understand why we don't put him at RT and move Schofield to LG.
Not an expert but I ponder this as well. There are probable reasons but after hearing/reading this I do wonder what the reasoning behind not doing the aforementioned.
October 16th, 2013 at 4:37 PM ^
I don't know what the better option is at this point. Bryant is struggling in pass protection and Magnuson can definitely help in that area but the trade off might be less push on running plays.
October 16th, 2013 at 4:54 PM ^
October 16th, 2013 at 5:08 PM ^
I would imagine so. At least throw more on first down to set up the run.
October 16th, 2013 at 7:47 PM ^
Nobody is asking them to abandon the run or change schemes mid season. They want Borges to stop tipping his hand on exactly where the run is going and to put options to audible out of runs against stacked defenses fronts especially when the DB are playing 10-15 yard off the receivers. It doesn't matter who you have on the line when what you are doing is so obvious the defense can sub in 4-5 DT's. You are not giving the O line a chance to succeed.
October 16th, 2013 at 4:02 PM ^
well if they work enough at it maybe Lewan will be the LG while Funches will be the LT... they both move their feet very well...
October 16th, 2013 at 4:02 PM ^
Have they considered putting Magnuson at tackle, where he seemed to do okay last weekend, and moving Schofield back to guard?
October 16th, 2013 at 4:11 PM ^
I was wondering the same thing but I guess that is too much youth on the right side.
October 16th, 2013 at 4:29 PM ^
Other than rewinding and avoiding the RichRod era, what do you suggest?
October 16th, 2013 at 4:38 PM ^
Relieve Darrell Funk of his duties immediately - Wisconsin did exactly that last year after two horrible games from their O-Line. Then turn to Borges and say "you're next" if he continues to run play after play into brick walls like he did last week.
Yes i know it wont happen.
Yes I know that Hoke might actually be the brick wall culprit. But if we did those things it would tell me he isn't. As of now I'm about 50-50 on if it's Borges, Hoke or both on the insane playcalling.
October 16th, 2013 at 5:11 PM ^
I agree with this 100%. Funk goes now. Borges evaluated at the end of the season. Heavy emphasis on how we play against MSU and OSU.
October 16th, 2013 at 9:29 PM ^
While I don't mean to direct this at you personally, this got me thinking: is it fair to evaluate Borges' offenses with personnel he didn't recruit?
Of course, I don't think he's directly involved in recruiting, but I mean Hoke & Co. are clearly targeting specific players for Borges's system and they're currently freshman and sophomores with excellent talent coming in for 2014 and 2015 thus far. There are headscratching and very frustrating moments no doubt, but I feel it may be a bit shortsighted to heavily emphasize two games (albeit important ones) from one season in determining whether or not he will remain here.
October 16th, 2013 at 5:39 PM ^
I think the Wisconsin situation is not really analagous. They fired they're brand new coach who had installed a new technique. When they fired him, they went back to coaching the old technique that the players had a history of executing succesfully.
October 16th, 2013 at 4:29 PM ^
All of the upvotes.
October 16th, 2013 at 5:08 PM ^
For an old man this is fucking hilarious.
October 16th, 2013 at 4:06 PM ^
We could clone Lewan and put him at every position, but if you have 6 guys blocking 8 defenders, you're still going to lose that battle every time.
October 16th, 2013 at 4:16 PM ^
October 16th, 2013 at 4:38 PM ^
October 16th, 2013 at 4:05 PM ^
FAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANTASTIC!
I am so pissed I purchased tickets for this Saturday a month ago rather than outside the stadium for $5/per.
Fuck me and my stupid risk avoidance mentality. I hate all things.
If the Tigers lose tonight I am going to hate all things so hard, man.
October 16th, 2013 at 4:22 PM ^
October 16th, 2013 at 4:24 PM ^
I feel your pain. I am scared to look at Stubhub right now considering that I bought two on the fifty last week on Thursday for $"not cheap". Other side of the coin...maybe there are a lot of Indiana fans coming north smelling an upset. Plus long term forcast looks like rain. Nothing about this is enjoyable.