Defensive Depth Chart
Okay, so I'm starting to get this defense figured out, so I'm going to try to break this up a little more than Brian's depth chart. Help me make corrections.
Defensive Tackles
My understanding is that we will primarily use one at a time, lined up as a nose tackle.
1. Mike Martin, So.
2. Renaldo Sagesse, Jr.
3. William Campbell, TrFr.
4. Vince Helmuth, So.
Defensive Ends
From what I understand about this position, we'll use two at a time, one being the traditional SDE type, the other being like DT (lined up inside the deathbacker when he's up instead of back) but with the same basic job as a DE.
1. Brandon Graham, Sr.
2. Ryan Van Bergen, So.
3. Greg Banks, Jr.
4. Adam Patterson, Jr.
DEATHBACKER
Everyone's new favorite position is DE/LB hybrid more commonly known to the team as the "quick." Here's how I understand the depth here to be.
1. Brandon Herron, So.
2. Marell Evans, Jr.
3. Craig Roh, TrFr.
4. Anthony Lalota, TrFr.
5. Steve Watson, So. (Wasn't sure where to put him, tossed him in here)
Outside Linebacker
I believe both of the hybrids are "OLB's" when they play on the 2nd level, but I'm counting this as the seperate "pure OLB" as understood in a standard defense.
1. Jonas Mouton, Jr.
2. JB Fitzgerald, So.
3. Brandon Smith, RsFr. (here or hybrid?)
Inside Linebacker
1. Obi Ezeh, Jr.
2. Kenny Demens moved here from OLB at suggestion of WolvinLA.
Spinner
This is the S/LB hybrid.
1. Stevie Brown, Sr.
2. Isaiah Bell, TrFr.
3. Brandin Hawthorne, TrFr.
4. Mike Jones, TrFr.
Corner
Pretty straight forward here.
1. Donovan Warren, Jr.
2. Boubacar Cissoko, So.
3. Justin Turner, TrFr.
4. JT Floyd, RsFr.
5. Adrian Witty, TrFr.
Safety
1. Troy Woolfolk, Jr.
2. Vlad Emelien, TrFr.
3. Mike Williams, So.
4. Thomas Gordon, TrFr.
Now I realize I probably messed up in places, because I can't really remember everything. Help out with allignment issues if you can.
I thought I read somewhere that gerg will be lining up at spinner. no?
EDIT: n/m.
I thought Williams was expected to start. I know he did well in spring practices/game.
Nice work though!
They are basically option 1 and 1A. Williams is solid in run support but Vlad has a much higher ceiling.
suggests that Emilien might be just ahead of Williams, but both should receive ample playing time. Woolfolk, supposedly, is far ahead of the rest of the S at this time.
The Rivals guys think Williams will be ahead of Emilien, as do I.
I think Demens is probably #2 at the MIKE.
I like your specification of true freshmen.
We used some of the UofM spring cut-ups to teach our High School kids some of thier LB techniques...Demens was always used in Tandem with Obi. I believe thats because they are both ILB. I could be wrong but I'll offer that up.
Demens looks pretty good, I would say he is a 2nd best linebacker at this point...considering Mouton was injured and not in any of the cut-ups.
It helps to wrap your head around the defense with all of the new positions.
I bet realistically that if either Ezeh or Mouton went down, that Fitz would come in. Do correct me if I am wrong, but my understanding is that he is the 3rd best "true linebacker" and could play either position.
One thing that I just can't wrap my head around is if we included our defensive commits in this as well. I really don't know where all of them will line up. I had no idea Kinard was going to play ILB until Magnus posted that in a different thread.
I guess it is somewhat difficult to project where 17 year old who has not even played their senior year of football will play in college. Interesting to think about though. I would love to see someone take a stab at it (I hope OJ doesn't read this board).
Even some of the current freshman probably won't stay where they are. For example, LaLota and Roh likely start at the quick but as they pick up weight they'll likely move. Possibly both to DE.
It's even more convoluted with the current commits.
Paskorz: Starts at quick but potentially grows into Van Bergen role.
WIlkins: Starts at quick but maybe Graham's replacement?
Kinard: Starts inside but has been talked to about playing the quick
M-Rob: Starts at SS but may be destined for spinner
EDIT: This is also what makes the Holmes non-commitment interesting. While you have three players projected at playing some quick, all of them could end up elsewhere.
I agree this does make it a bit easier for some of us layman to get a handle on the players and positions.
I can't believe that Brandon Graham and Stevie Brown are the ONLY seniors?
Seeing it in writing really makes it apparent just how young this team is.
Maybe we should step back from the 8-9 wins cliff for a while.
One thing has been bugging me since the spring game - when UM faces multi receiver sets, as they undoubtedly will against Western and ND, what are the nickel and dime D's going to look like?
For nickel, i would imagine Mouton and another LB stay in, and Stevie shifts to cover the extra receiver, making him the 5th DB - or does he stay in the box, one of the LBs comes off the field and a 5th true DB comes in - Maybe Mike Williams or Vlad?
And for a dime set I have no idea. Basically I'm just trying to figure out which non-starter DBs will be playing and how much.
I would supose that they would prefer a true 5th DB for a nickel defense. But that is what makes the spinner position so flexible. You fill it with a multi-purpose guy that can drop back into coverage on spread formations. Of course you can also send him blitzing with the knowledge that he should have enough speed to either hurry the throw or break up the play. It will be fun to watch how it develops through out the year.
lies in the development of Turner. If he picks up the defense quickly he could be the nickelback. He is a guy who has corner skills but is built like a safety. I would think he would do well in that role.
I may be wrong, but didn't Mike Williams play nickelback at times last year? Stewart and Brown would play safety while Williams bumped down to nickel, if I remember correctly. I'm guessing that a similar thing will happen with Vlad and Woolfolk playing safety and Williams bumping down to play nickel, unless they like Stevie Brown to just move out (unlikely, since I don't believe he matches up well against slot receivers), or if Turner is just too good to not play
Yes.
I assumed I had more mistakes in there, but the only one I was corrected on was Demens is an ILB and not an OLB. I was actually going to request that next time Brian updates the depth chart by class that he organized the defense like this. I believe that would cause less confusion. For instance, Graham and Roh are listed at the same position (DE) but Roh actually plays the same position as Herron who's listed as a LB. So Brian, I know you do a lot, so it's no rush, but I do think it'd be sweet if the depth chart broke down to DT/DE/DEATH/OLB/ILB/SPINNER/CB/S.
Also, a few people mentioned wondering about incoming D recruits. As I know it, this is how they were recruited:
Paskorz: Deathbacker
Wilkins: Deathbacker
Kinard: ILB
Robinson: S
I was under the impression that spinner/deathbacker was the same position. Folks around here weren't impressed with the spinner term and thus labled it deathbacker. I may be wrong, but I recall thoughts of Gohlston playing the spinner/deathbacker position when his recruitment was 'open'. I don't think it was for the S/LB roll.
Anyone????
The terminology has often been confused.
Quick = Deathbacker = DE/OLB hybrid = Herron, Evans, Watson (Gholston)
Spinner = S/OLB hybrid = Brown, Hawthorne
Roh is listed as an OLB, as are the rest of the Quick candidates.
from today's article on Rivals
Kinard has plans to return to Michigan several times this fall for home football games. He is excited to see how the Quick end position will be utilized in defensive coordinator Greg Robinson's defense because that is where he is projected to play. "I actually think I will do pretty good at that position. I played that position when I first started football as a young kid so it's nothing new to me," Kinard said. "They say they are going to put more weight on me, so I will be good to go when I get up there."http://michigan.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=969775
Thanks. This clashes with earlier reports from Rivals that he was recruited to play ILB, but okay.
Yes, that's different than what I thought as well. Does that mean that we have 3 recruits for the Quick or do you think Paskorz or Wilkins will be a true DE now?
I sure as hell hope Paskorz plays defensive end. He's about as agile as I am, and I'm getting old and my agility training has gone the way of the dodo.
breakdown of the spring game, your arrangement of the defensive line is a little off. The quick will be lined up on the strong side. Then it will be Van Bergen in a SDE vs. DT role. Then Martin, then Graham as WDE. I think they are doing it this way so that the quick can cover a TE if needed and Graham is rushing the passer the majority of the time rather than get blocked by a tight end. The spinner or Steve Brown lines up near a slot if there is one on the field, otherwise, he is closer to the box to stop the run.
I imagine the biggest strength of this lineup is that you don't need to bring people on or off of the field for a nickle or dime package nearly as much because you essentially have 5 DBs in the game at all times. If our opponent goes to a 4 wide set, we can have a safety come down, along with Brown, and then have the quick drop back into coverage and you are good to go.
With that being said, I see Turner getting on the field to give people a breather, or if he is outperforming them in practice, but not because of much formation change, ie brining in another DB for pass coverage.