“Fall Camp Files” from Brandon Justice of Wolverine Lounge
Not a ton of new stuff but I’ll take anything we can get at this poin! Some good insight into Shea’s relationship with Nico and the fullback battle. Has an interesting note about a “surprise” coming Saturday.
https://thewolverinelounge.com/2018/08/fall-camp-files-august-29/
August 29th, 2018 at 9:18 PM ^
Brandon has been killing it. I think he means Jake Moody though.
August 29th, 2018 at 9:22 PM ^
Maybe Nik is his evil but great kicking alter ego.
August 30th, 2018 at 6:38 AM ^
Here you go Brandon.
August 30th, 2018 at 10:12 AM ^
UMBig -- how concerned are you about the kicking game? Seems a bit messy from my standpoint with 1st string punter injured and Nordin's yips.
August 29th, 2018 at 9:19 PM ^
I can deal with the hype not being real. I've done it plenty of times before. But for once in the last decade, can the hype please, please be real?
August 29th, 2018 at 9:25 PM ^
No doubt. I am not buying into any hype. Not at all. I want to see it. Starts with a victory Saturday night!
August 29th, 2018 at 10:38 PM ^
I mean I'll buy the hype for the defense. I'm sure they'll be, at least, very good. I can't buy into the offense until I see it. I definitely think they'll be better, but who knows what they'll be able to do on Saturday. A poor performance would be a huge bummer, but hopefully they can at least show some flashes of what they can build toward.
August 29th, 2018 at 10:58 PM ^
Agree on both offense and defense. I'm hoping to see an improved offense Saturday but at the same time I'm expecting them to struggle. ND will probably have a stout defense and UM is mixing in a lot of new parts with the oline and QB. Like you I'm hoping we see flashes of what this offense can be but I'm not expecting a well oiled machine out of the gate.
August 29th, 2018 at 9:25 PM ^
I watched the 49ers all the time when Jim Hrbaugh coached them. The hype is real. The experiments of last year were a failure. Harbaugh has fixed those mistakes.
August 30th, 2018 at 7:19 AM ^
Maybe i have blinders on, but i truly believe that the offense is going to start at "end of season" ruddddock level. If that's the case, watch out because Michigan is going to exact quite a bit of revenge this season. Go. Blue.
August 29th, 2018 at 9:20 PM ^
Has anybody talked much about Solomon? Is he slated to start? I expected to hear more.
August 29th, 2018 at 9:22 PM ^
Haven’t heard much, but Mattison did mention him today. He’ll be out there a ton.
August 29th, 2018 at 9:24 PM ^
Awesome. Hoping he has a dominant season!
August 29th, 2018 at 9:26 PM ^
I think Solomon has gotten this weird treatment where we all know how good he is, so we're just "yeah, yeah"ing him to focus on Rashan and Winovich's last run and Dwumfour's hype. Like Solomon started games last year, he was good for a freshman, he's going to be very good. I don't know why we're not talking about him more, but he's totally fine.
August 29th, 2018 at 9:27 PM ^
It would indeed be strange if Aubrey Solomon isn't the starter.
August 29th, 2018 at 10:30 PM ^
I will be picturing Aubrey yelling "#&$% Michigan" at opposing linemen before the snap just to get in their heads.
August 30th, 2018 at 1:40 AM ^
I think Mone will play plenty as well. It is nice having two great NT, so that one does not get gassed out by the end of the game.
August 29th, 2018 at 9:28 PM ^
Not sure where all the Solomon doubt has been coming from? He's going to excel!
August 29th, 2018 at 9:30 PM ^
Not sure either. My stomach dropped when I saw his name mentioned in that rumor thread the other day...
Go Blue!
August 29th, 2018 at 9:33 PM ^
It's just a little funny that his name isn't mentioned a single time in this writeup, and I feel like I haven't heard his name a single time in the last couple weeks.
He's obviously the key, because if teams are forced to double team him they have to go single on Gary(which will obviously end poorly for these other teams).
August 30th, 2018 at 1:38 AM ^
He's getting the 5-star treatment. Everyone expects him to be good so nobody talks about him.
August 29th, 2018 at 9:21 PM ^
The one player I will be watching, besides the obvious names, is Kwity Paye.
And Man, do I want to see a lot of tackles for loss Saturday night!
August 29th, 2018 at 9:34 PM ^
How do we get excited for a generic 3 star?
/s
August 29th, 2018 at 9:26 PM ^
I see nothing new here.
August 30th, 2018 at 10:27 AM ^
Me, neither. It seems like a distillate of gossip in the air.
But, umbig11 had vouched for the guy multiple times, which means "something about something."
August 29th, 2018 at 9:29 PM ^
I misread the title as "fall camp FLIES" which, tbh, would have been a way better title.
(I.e. flies on the wall)
August 29th, 2018 at 9:34 PM ^
August 29th, 2018 at 9:31 PM ^
I'm a little worried about DPJ returning punts with Black being injured. Can't afford another injury there.
Punting woes are hopefully limited along with the kicking blunders. Special teams and field position win/lose games. Especially close hard-fought ones.
Overall, I believe the roster is in pretty good shape. This season will come down to execution in dire moments. I'm of the opinion that this team will lose 3 games this season and win their bowl game. (10-3). Offense will be improved, just not enough to win the Big Ten.
August 29th, 2018 at 9:38 PM ^
I’m fine with DPJ. He made some freshman mistakes but he at least attempts to return every punt. Even if it only gets us a few yards, there’s always the chance he takes it back. He’s really shifty and if he gets in the open, no one can catch him. One thing that bothered me about jabrill was how often he called for a fair catch. DPJ returns a lot of the one peppers would have just fair caught. Jabrill was so explosive but let other teams take him out of the return game.
August 29th, 2018 at 9:49 PM ^
The concern is injury to the only experienced deep wide out on the roster. Nobody questions his ability - and you are completely correct with that assessment. We just don't want him injured fielding a punt when there are others that can do that job ably.
August 29th, 2018 at 11:34 PM ^
Uh, Peppers’ ability to fair catch punts saved a ton of yards compared to DPJ letting them hit the ground. DPJ has lots of potential going forward but Peppers was orders of magnitude better at returning punts than last years DPJ.
August 30th, 2018 at 1:15 AM ^
Yep
Was just thinking that as i read the comment...my quintessential memory of Peppers returning kicks is him running up the field about 4-8 yards from his starting point and diving to catch a rugby punt that otherwise would've bounced 10 yards past him.
Given how rare it is to actually take a punt back more than like 25 yards, you're much better off getting those plus 10-20 yards that a returner with Peppers' savvy brings on a consistent basis as opposed to some hypothetical home run threat that never materializes (and that's not so much a commentary on DPJ, but more someone like Norfleet, who was always THISCLOSE, but in sum was a pretty average-at-best returner)
August 29th, 2018 at 10:52 PM ^
I'm ready for DPJ to take another punt or 2 back this year.
August 29th, 2018 at 9:43 PM ^
Ed Warinner has worked his magic, and the o-line, through a simplified scheme and new coaching strategy, has gotten a lot better. Nonetheless, I still think we’ll see some struggles out of the gate.
I am prepared for some initial struggles, but the idea of a simplified scheme that can lead to some consistency overall on offense would still be refreshing.
August 30th, 2018 at 11:43 AM ^
Hate to be the contrarian on here, but simplified schemes tend to mean more predictability, which has always been the #1 complaint of all football fans of all teams for all time.
I don’t really want simple schemes, I want guys who’ve been coached up to understand the permutations of the plays so much that it becomes simple for them to execute.
August 29th, 2018 at 9:44 PM ^
I can't believe there is no comment on the Vincent Gray news yet. I'd like to go back and read his hello post for the shit talkers(Maizen) who don't know football, that we're questioning the coaches.
August 29th, 2018 at 9:49 PM ^
I've been at work all day. What's the news. Haven't heard.
August 29th, 2018 at 9:53 PM ^
He's in the 2 deep and looking to get playing time this year.
August 29th, 2018 at 10:45 PM ^
Great news, hopefully we don't need to see him much this year, though.
August 29th, 2018 at 11:19 PM ^
At what position? There is no way he is ahead of Watson and Thomas at CB...right?
August 30th, 2018 at 12:32 AM ^
At corner, but I am assuming he's in the 2 deep with Thomas at nickel (where he excels). It appears he's ahead of St. Juste (injury), Hughes, Sims and the rest of the freshman.
August 29th, 2018 at 9:48 PM ^
"Quinn Nordin remains the big boot he arrived in Ann Arbor as. I’ve heard he’s hit some deep ones. He played through an injury last season but he’s 100% for 2018."
Interesting that he doesn't seem to share umbig11's concerns in the kicking department.
August 29th, 2018 at 9:50 PM ^
I think Chris Partridge said Nordin hit a 63 yarder in practice.
August 29th, 2018 at 10:32 PM ^
I just went from 6:00 to midnight.
August 29th, 2018 at 9:55 PM ^
Having a huge leg doesn't mean you're always accurate though. It just means you have a big leg. I think the word with Nordic for a while there was inconsistent.
August 29th, 2018 at 10:47 PM ^
I think we saw early last year what Quinn is capable of. It'll be interesting to see how he does this year to see if he was potentially just struggling through an injury last year. I think he'll be fine.
August 30th, 2018 at 7:17 AM ^
I just want to see PATs made. Getting six points and then not getting the seventh makes my blood boil.
August 29th, 2018 at 10:01 PM ^
I guess we'll know the surprise when it happens, eh?
August 29th, 2018 at 10:06 PM ^
Is he related to Dave Brandon
August 29th, 2018 at 10:33 PM ^
In no universe is Dave Brandon related to anyone with justice as their name.