First team OL in practice today: Cole, Magnuson, Miller, Bosch, Dawson
At least one of the Kyles are in there?
The o-line has moving parts. Top line today. LT Cole (52); LG Magnuson; C Miller; RG Bosch; RT Dawson. pic.twitter.com/XBOHQfUPlz
— Tom Dienhart (@BTNTomDienhart) August 11, 2014August 11th, 2014 at 12:26 PM ^
And we have endless shit stirrers here.
August 11th, 2014 at 12:28 PM ^
the lower my expectations go for them
August 11th, 2014 at 12:39 PM ^
I believe Hoke mentioned something about them shuffling things around for a while to get some guys experience. Also, Glasgow not there should tell you how serious to take this lineup.
August 11th, 2014 at 1:06 PM ^
We know for sure Glasgow is a starter since he is one of our top two linemen, with Magnuson. Mags may start at guard or tackle. Now the question is who are the other three. Makes sense to get Cole, Bosch miller and dawson reps to see if they can handle it. Its a little like preseason pro football. You don't play your for sure starters much if at all so you can see who is number 2 and 3.
August 11th, 2014 at 2:16 PM ^
August 11th, 2014 at 1:21 PM ^
Same here.
And the more MILLER starts at C, the lower my expectations go for them. I've watched Miller play. I can't remember how many A-gap blitzes ran right past him, like he was looking the wrong way or something. Or over him, like he wasn't there.
I'm sure he understands the protections well, and I can see he hikes the ball well, but after hiking it-- that's where the pain begins. It seems as though in the BIG 10, he's just not up to the task physically.
August 11th, 2014 at 2:17 PM ^
August 11th, 2014 at 2:50 PM ^
Miller's inclusion may just be due to Glasgow's suspension from the season-opener.
August 11th, 2014 at 4:32 PM ^
Maybe. Although they had talked up Miller in a presser a bit, and Glasgow was playing at guard last Friday while Miller was still out there; I would expect Glasgow to still get significant time at center if that's where he's playing.
August 11th, 2014 at 2:53 PM ^
I know I'm in the minority here, but I hope Miller wins the job at center. It would give us another starter with some experience on the line, and let's not forget, he wasn't playing when 27 for 27 happened, or the two negative yardage games (MSU, and Nebraska?) Granted, he didn't look great in the four games he started last year, but we did manage to get triple digit rushing yards in all four, I think. Could he fare better in an IZ rushing attack?
August 11th, 2014 at 3:36 PM ^
August 11th, 2014 at 5:49 PM ^
It only became that after he was replaced in the lineup. Just saying.
August 11th, 2014 at 6:27 PM ^
And so the coaches decided to just let it ride rather than put Miller back in to save their jobs? Okay.
August 11th, 2014 at 1:59 PM ^
August 11th, 2014 at 11:43 PM ^
For the sake of Michigan Team 135's Offensive Line, I hope it's NOT this.
But if all that shuffling on the line helps build a bridge to a better running game
That makes the offense dance,
Then that might be super!
August 11th, 2014 at 12:29 PM ^
/notworried
August 11th, 2014 at 12:40 PM ^
August 11th, 2014 at 3:08 PM ^
Peanut Butter Jelly! Peanut But...O...Sorry...read your post too quickly
August 11th, 2014 at 7:30 PM ^
You'd like to have five guys that are just amazingly dominant and leave no question, or even seven guys that are soooo good there is a lot of competition.
Unfortunately, we've seen more of the "Oh shit, we don't have anyone playing well out there...let's try another combo."
That said, EVERY team is shuffling positions in camp right now trying to find their best players. What is important is that the shuffling stops soon and we give our line a chance to gel.
August 11th, 2014 at 12:34 PM ^
The only consistency out of this group in the last two years has been Darrell Funk. And the only thing Funk has been able to consistently do is not make up his mind, or develop a cohesive unit. Given data limited to just seeing the product on the field last year and so far this year, I'd have fired Funk a while ago. Really am hoping he surprises everyone this year and puts together a solid unit but seems like each day the news from the OL is like a mirror of last year, which forebodes poorly.
August 11th, 2014 at 12:39 PM ^
How Funk wasn't fired is absolutely baffling. Blame Borges all you want, but Funk put out a position group that ranked, what, dead last in the country? And he's retained?
Interesting...
August 11th, 2014 at 12:42 PM ^
Well, even Brian defended Funk, so there must be something worth it.
August 11th, 2014 at 1:29 PM ^
Brian did caveat his "defense" saying it was entirely based on hearing him speak at a coaching clinic. I respect Brian as much as the next guy, but judging a coach off his ability to speak doesn't count for much.
August 11th, 2014 at 2:10 PM ^
August 11th, 2014 at 5:10 PM ^
It's like the guy who comes in last at the Olympic 100 meter dash final--he's waaaay behind Usain Bolt, but he's faster than all the guys who didn't make the final and faster than 7 billion people on Earth. He's just not quite fast enough.
Except for the fact that it isn't true...
Both the USA and Jamaica had runners faster than people in the Olympic 100M finals - but you're only allowed 3 participants in the event.
The #4 runners from the USA and Jamaica both posted significantly faster times, in the same year, than the others who made the finals.
The USA and Jamaica occupied 6/8 of the spots in the 100M finals in 2012 - and if there weren't a rule preventing it, they likely would have accounted for all 8.
August 11th, 2014 at 12:43 PM ^
August 11th, 2014 at 12:51 PM ^
As we know well, not all recruits work out as expected, but considering how many highly ranked kids we brought into the program, I find it hard to believe that at least a few of these kids won't meet expectations.
Let's see how things go before we go crazy.
August 11th, 2014 at 3:40 PM ^
August 11th, 2014 at 12:50 PM ^
yet Borges continued to run the ball against a loaded box. I don't care who the Oline coach is you are going to have a hard time being successful. I 'll hold off judgement on Funk based on the constantly changing schemes and stupid play calling last year though I tend to wonder exactly what you do.
Hopefully Nuss will give DG the ability and time to audible to a quick pass when the WR has a 10 yard cushion and there is 8 to 9 in the box. Not sure DG had the go ahead to do so last year. Half the time it wouldn't have matter as we came out of the huddle with less than 10 seconds on the play clock.
August 11th, 2014 at 1:06 PM ^
in the latter half of the year?
My conjecture as to one of the reasons Gardner performed so well against ND but not others is that the ND defensive coordinator didn't have the chance to see our pitiful O-Line on film.
Others did, and if you saw that O-line combined with the speed of our receivers, wouldn't you tighten your coverage? (Or you could load the box and bet that the O-line won't hold up long enough to do serious damage.)
August 11th, 2014 at 12:52 PM ^
As someone who coached three all-freshman teams last year that had to compete against other schools who had Juniors and Seniors... man, it was a tough, eye-opening-experience. The level of simplicity that had to be put in place to get the athletes to get decent at anything was no match for the complexity experienced opponents put against us. The areas where I tried to put in more complexity more quickly were the areas the athletes performed even more poorly.
With that said, the O-Line had a raw, new middle. Borges ran a crap load of formations using a variety of blocking schemes. Instead of simplifying and mastering, Borges went for comlexity... and our 2 guards and Center wet the bed. We act shocked by this. To purely blame Funk and to say that he should be fired for not having young, inexperienced players ready for multiple-complex systems is absurd. You might as well ask for these kids High School coaches to be fired for not preparing these kids footwork and blocking knowledge to be ready to step into play as experienced linemen.
Does this clear Funk or mean he is a good coach? No. But it may explain why he was given another year to earn his keep on the staff.
Speaking from my personal experience stated above, and that Nuss works out of one base blocking package, I am willing to give Funk one more season to show progress with a group that is still extremely young. If signs of significant progress are not clear by the end of the season (massive injuries aside), then Funk will need to find his way to a new job.
August 11th, 2014 at 12:53 PM ^
I don't totally disagree with you, but the Offensive Coordinator runs the offense and if he continually changes the scheme week after week an O-Line coach will have a very difficult time finding a cohesive unit of linemen. Also those linemen will have a very difficult time improving. We saw all of that last year. While I'm not saying Funk should be completely exonerated for last year's performance, I believe he deserves an opportunity with an OC who'll help build an identity so Funk can do his job.
August 11th, 2014 at 1:05 PM ^
I totally agree with you, but just saying the early signs of more constant shuffling are a bad start toward Funk's year of redemption. Like I said, I hope he turns it around.
August 11th, 2014 at 12:57 PM ^
August 11th, 2014 at 1:07 PM ^
Yeah you're right. No data can be surmised thus far from the O line in the spring game, and the near daily news all Spring and now fall camp of more O line shuffling, including moving a natural freshman into a potential starting role. I mean, why even bother reading MGoBlog to gain any clues on how the team is doing until kick off vs App State right?
I drew no conclusions other than the data so far bodes poorly, and hope Funk proves me wrong.
August 11th, 2014 at 2:54 PM ^
August 11th, 2014 at 8:23 PM ^
constant rotations during camp are totally normal and all teams i played on did the same thing. im guessing, and id hope, the coaches have a pretty good idea of who they want to play and where they want to play them - and pretty sure hoke sticks to his timeline and names his group with 2 weeks left. but the reps are necessary due to potential injuries, etc...if glasgow or magnuson or cole or anyone gets hurt and misses 4-6 games or more, its nice to have an idea of available alternatives and how those top 7-8 guys looked on tape when repping together at different spots for several sessions. the only real issue i have (besides not recruiting enough capable athletic OTs who do not need more than 2 yrs to transform their bodies) is the continued play of magnuson at OG since he very obviously cant handle DTs. id say miller repping at C with 1s is also an issue since hes not, nor ever will be, a BSC level player in my opinion, but they obviously have limited options/bodies and do not trust kugler with calls yet. but for the most part, rotations during camp are totally normal and most teams do it - lets just hope the rotations stop in week or so and do not continue throughout the season like last year
August 11th, 2014 at 1:13 PM ^
Is Funk or Nuss the one picking the personnel groups? I always thought the O-Coordinator had the most say in who starts while the position coach mostly coaches them on technique and stuff.
August 11th, 2014 at 1:33 PM ^
I have no insider knowledge, but I would guess it's Nuss telling Funk "give me the best 5 by the end of the week," with Nuss having veto power and the final say.
August 11th, 2014 at 2:35 PM ^
August 11th, 2014 at 2:33 PM ^
Starting to think the same thing...
More indication that Hoke is a day late and a dollar short when it comes to figuring out that certain assistants aren't up to par... Like the lightbulb does go on, but the sun's already come up first.
Hope I'm wrong.
August 11th, 2014 at 4:42 PM ^
blame Borges for sure. It's difficult to really evaluate Funk with the insanity that Borges was trying to run.
Indecision came from the top with the inability to change up schemes, the tackle over nonsense, the play-action run gimmicks...and when that's your boss, it's REALLY hard for a position coach to get players to commit when he has to say "OK, we're doing something different this week...again."
It's tough to get your players on board because it's nearly impossible to hide your lack of faith in an OC that struggled mightily the first two years before sending out the gimmick squad with a bunch of young talent. Funk knew it. The players knew it.
Hoping some actual focus from the top will shape up our offensive line more than can be reasonably expected, because they were much worse than could be reasonably expected last year, and the chaos of the randomized scheme caller has been removed.
August 11th, 2014 at 12:35 PM ^
its early yet and the OL takes some degree of "chemistry" and they will get it sorted out.
BTW....has anyone received their copy of HTTV or tee-shirt yet? I have not and the "contact" button on here does not work.
August 11th, 2014 at 12:44 PM ^
August 11th, 2014 at 12:37 PM ^
Cole may turn out to be an incredibly gifted tackle. However, at this moment I can't help but be frustrated at the fact that highly-talented linemen who are now entering their third year in the program are no better than one that is entering his first. Either Cole is THAT good, or the line development these past two years has been so bad to the point of being nonexistent.
August 11th, 2014 at 12:43 PM ^
Kalis, has been noticeable for not making the first team much in these rotations
August 11th, 2014 at 12:37 PM ^
I'm both excited and mortified that Mason Cole has locked down the LT spot since spring. Excited because he must be a damn good ball player. Mortified because he is a true freshman.
August 11th, 2014 at 12:54 PM ^
August 11th, 2014 at 3:38 PM ^