DPJ already impressing people on 1st Day of Practice
I'm sure many on the board expect great things from DPJ, but it's nice to hear his teammates are already being impressed by him and his play-making skills.
Michigan has had some good receivers the last decade, but this Wilton Speight quote is quite encouraging: "Just the catch radius he had. If the ball is way out here; there was one that was going way out of bounds and he just plucked it. Some guys that were standing out of bounds just looked at each other after that one."
http://michigan.247sports.com/Bolt/Peoples-Jones-impresses-immediately-51965080
In other news, Coach Harbaugh stood by his support of Legal Services Corp and the work they do with indigent clients. I know we try to avoid anything that might even seem political on this site, but I really liked Coach's response to whether he should have avoided this topic:
“As I’ve told you before, this is a bipartisan issue. It’s an American issue and I’m allowed to be an American.”
I think DPJ, Black and Crawford are going to be the REAL DEAL this year.
I haven't been this excited about the potential of a position group since Henne/Gutz/Richard were battling.
Not that we shouldn't expect big things, but WR is a very tough position for freshmen to make an immediate impact. I think Drake, Crawford, and DPJ will be effective options this year. Hopefully add in McDoom and Perry in the slot and we should have the same production as last season.
WR is one of the easiest position groups to make an early impact at
DL and RB are the easiest for a freshman to play but wr is probably third.
March 25th, 2017 at 11:52 PM ^
Disagree on DL - only because size and strength are so important. Even Gary struggled to get reps last year even though he had more raw talent than anybody on that line (Taco is a close 2nd)
Let's ignore the fact that Gary was splitting reps as a true freshman with guys who are about to go in the first three rounds of the NFL Draft and pretend it was a size/strength issue. Whatever you say guy.
Who you calling guy, bro?
Players like Sammy Watkins and Laquon Treadwell dominated as true freshmen. Watch for DPJ to do the same.
March 26th, 2017 at 12:22 PM ^
Watkins fell off a cliff after game 9
March 25th, 2017 at 10:07 PM ^
No it's not. It's one of the easiest. What are you talking about?
Maybe not this year, but I predict he will be great in JH's offense.
My first thought, great to hear DPJ could pluck an out of bounds pass down for a reception. My second, who's throwing the ball out of bounds?
Yeah, DPJ having a tremendous catch radius is not exactly a ringing endorsement for whoever is throwing the ball. But I'll take it nonetheless.
It's been awhile since we've such an elite talent at the WR spot.
The QB was "under pressure." Despite great blocking by our young OL, and excellent coverage by our young DBs, the QB deftly eluded the onslaught of Gary and Hurst to make a near-impossible throw.
Ummm. Saying a WR has a tremendous catch radius has nothing to do with the qb. Catch radius is based on height/arm length/etc of the WR.
Randy Moss had a tremendous catch radius. When people said that they were not saying Tom Brady sucked
March 25th, 2017 at 11:49 PM ^
Not the catch radius as a fault of the quarterback. Anyways, I think he was saying it mainly jokingly so we should probably take it that way.
a big catch radius, it's one of the things Brady said he loved about Moss.
1. You don't always make a perfect throw, esp when under pressure.
2. Allows accurate QB to pinpoint a ball that beats close coverage.
It's the new back shoulder fade.
...Schultz?
March 25th, 2017 at 10:50 PM ^
His catch radius is the best thing I've heard about all off-season, other than some certain other things I've heard about Don Brown (which, wow). I feel like we haven't had a WR that will bail out a QB on some bad throws in forever.... 'bout time.
March 25th, 2017 at 11:51 PM ^
Or are you the new UMbig11 who has omniscience within the AD?
Not sure that Don Brown's catch radius is going to help us that much.
His moustache is still awesome though.
I would put Darboh in the class of a guy who helped his QB out by catching things he shouldn't. Hemingway would qualify as well. If you are looking for a great all around receiver, than yes, it has been a while since Walker, Toomer, Alexander, Howard, Edwards, Terrell, etc have been on the field.
I'm not worried about the WRs. DPJ can be a Manningham, Julio Jones etc. type impact player off the bat and he enrolled early. Then we have guys like Mcdoom, Crawford, Johnson who are sophomores who played relatively well last year and Martin, Black, Collins etc. that are extremlely athletic. I'm more worried about OL, the DBs, and if we have injuries on the DL to guys like Hurst, Gary, Mone.
March 25th, 2017 at 10:51 PM ^
OL is *the* huge question mark for me. For some reason, maybe naively so, I feel like our defense will be just fine.
Pluck a lot of passes out of the air starting Sept. 2.
Speight will have no shortage of people to throw to this season. The only real question, for me, is whether or not they can get a ground game going.
our RB group is fine.
Harbaugh is a good example to the american people on how to be open minded in politics. its pretty clear he generally votes republican, but he has reached out to the Obamas and has now critisized trump in a sense. very frustrating to me when people make everything about sides and dont stray feom that in their own opinion.
a bad (or sick) guy!
March 25th, 2017 at 10:53 PM ^
Totally agree.
Amen. I wish I could upvote you a hundred times!
March 26th, 2017 at 10:31 AM ^
Politics in America has taking the form of rooting for your favorite sport team. Issues mean squat. The only thing that matters is if your team won the game.
March 26th, 2017 at 12:32 PM ^
Gucci might be my new favorite person on the MGoBoard with that comment.
Well spoken, my man.
although I am a fisical conservative and for small government.
you meant "physical conservative"
(insert pic of your favorite ripped repub here)
:)
March 25th, 2017 at 11:39 PM ^
I just hope they can develop a connection with QB ..I think that hurt Jesus this year...Wilton and Amara had a better connection need 2-3 wrote to get it going
March 25th, 2017 at 11:47 PM ^
What the hell??!!
Haha.
JESUS!!!
Jesus may be dinged up a bit, but give him three days and he will rise up and be ready to go.
March 25th, 2017 at 11:47 PM ^
I am worried about the ol skills and dl depth but remember in Harbaugh we trust.
March 25th, 2017 at 11:58 PM ^
Yeah, wish we had a solid oline because I'm sure speight is going to end up hurt with poor protection.
for freshman receivers to get targets because of upperclassmen hogging all the snaps. That may not be an issue on our team this year.
Overthrow DPJ!
GO BLUE!!
Will have the most yards this year out of all the WR's, book it.
HAHAHAHAHAAAAA!!!!!
I hope dpj makes an immediate impact but pro style wide receiver route tree and responsibilities are very different from what was asked by Treadwell or Watkins. There are so many more subtle nuisances to the wide receiver position for a wr at Michigan than at OSU, Clemson or Auburn.
Those damn nuiscances!!
But you're right, the nuances involved are fairly deep.
Thank you for the spell check!!