Four Wolverines on Feldman’s Annual Freaks List - including Mazi at #1
All on defense…
1 - Mazi
7 - Julius Welschoff
31 - DJ Turner
46 - Kenneth Grant (!)
https://theathletic.com/3488797/2022/08/10/college-football-freaks-list-2022/
August 10th, 2022 at 7:32 AM ^
That’s unreal. That’s the third Michigan player to be #1 in the last five years. And last year Hutch was #2.
With 130 NCAA Teams, is there any chance that Michigan is lying on these numbers? Just seems crazy to have the biggest freak every single year.
August 10th, 2022 at 7:56 AM ^
They all seem to be able to repeat their performances at the combine.
August 10th, 2022 at 10:32 AM ^
The previous two were both 1st round picks.
August 10th, 2022 at 8:12 AM ^
It's a testament to our strength training staff and the investment we've made into the facilities over the past decade. Seems like the mindset really shifted when Barwis came and has carried over. No I don't think they are lying.
August 10th, 2022 at 8:14 AM ^
Regarding the timeline of the mindset shift, I think you're underrating the strength-building potential of pizza.
August 10th, 2022 at 8:20 AM ^
I'm still on the pizza program. Still waiting for the strength gains but my mass gains are good.
August 10th, 2022 at 8:42 AM ^
Cultivating mass
August 10th, 2022 at 9:15 AM ^
. . . and overtaking a**
August 10th, 2022 at 11:52 AM ^
Fat Mac was the best Mac
August 10th, 2022 at 8:59 AM ^
All weight gain is good around here, GoBlue96.
August 10th, 2022 at 11:38 AM ^
What was the Alex Mitchell quote from Brian when Barwis showed up? Something about him crying into his pizza milkshake or something insane like that b/c he would not want to do the conditioning. Don't know why I remember that, it was just something I had never read previously nor since.
August 10th, 2022 at 8:15 AM ^
The lack of pizza as a weight gain supplement has offset the use of pizza as a weight loss supplement. So it's all good when mixed with chocolate milk, which has many different benefits that nobody knows about yet!
August 10th, 2022 at 10:19 AM ^
Pizza could be a great weight loss supplement - if you are doing a low carb / keto diet, just scrap and eat the toppings on a pizza and leave the crust behind!!!
August 10th, 2022 at 10:32 AM ^
Papa Johns is selling crustless pizza bowls now.
August 10th, 2022 at 11:02 AM ^
Does that count as eating salad? Asking for a friend.
August 10th, 2022 at 2:05 PM ^
It's more like a Pizza bowl, ala Chipotle, methinks. Unless you put lettuce on it, of course, then it would transcend the bowl and become a salad.
August 10th, 2022 at 9:04 AM ^
I wonder how much the staff uses Herbert in recruiting. Because even if you don’t play much, putting these numbers up at the combine can get you drafted or signed
August 10th, 2022 at 9:21 AM ^
I’m guessing they have a good philosophy session with Herbert during official visits.
You are right. Every kid wants to be their best and make the league. This record is exceptional and should be highlighted for all of the recruits.
August 10th, 2022 at 9:10 AM ^
I don't think it had anything to do with Barwis. It has to do with Harbaugh's scouting and his strength staff.
August 10th, 2022 at 9:34 AM ^
He came in and gutted the obviously out of date strength program which isn't an easy thing to do. People around here don't like change. He upgraded and energized everything and the players loved it. Herbert and team have taken it to the next level but Barwis did the hard part.
August 10th, 2022 at 10:07 AM ^
Thats the positive spin.... I'll take the other side. Our best success on field had been with Gittleson. Our worst had been while Barwis was there. Those are two facts. Yes, coaching and scouting is far more important.
August 10th, 2022 at 10:14 AM ^
Imho, you are both right. It takes a certain kind of person to completely remake any program or department. Barwis did that. Of course, we didn't win while Barwis was here, but he did move the strength program away from the 1990s mentality that existed previously.
Even if he really just broke it completely, it's much easier to move from broken to working than from somewhat-successful to very successful.
August 10th, 2022 at 3:55 PM ^
The teams under Barwis routinely faded in the 4th quarter and were routinely outmuscled by the Big 10 powers. This is ridiculous.
August 11th, 2022 at 8:45 AM ^
So did the teams under Harbaugh until they got the scheme right last year. Had nothing to do with strength training.
August 10th, 2022 at 11:07 AM ^
Seems like the mindset really shifted when Barwis came and has carried over.
LOL. Never has there been a coach longer on hype and shorter on results. Our teams got pushed around all day when he was here, but hey, he wrestled a wolf once!
Let's give credit to the current S&C staff, who are actually getting results while receiving 10% of the hype.
August 10th, 2022 at 11:22 AM ^
Give credit like I did in my first sentence that you didn't quote?
Pretty sure the D getting pushed around had more to do with a DC that carried a teddy bear around with him on the sideline. Mike Martin was one of the strongest guys in the history of the program and he always praised Barwis and worked with him after he graduated.
August 10th, 2022 at 9:07 AM ^
Who were the others?
August 10th, 2022 at 10:36 AM ^
Rashan was pretty obvious in 2018, but the one I wouldn't have guessed was Kwity in 2020. Honestly I would have guessed Aidan was the other if it hadn't said in the OP that he was #2 last year.
August 10th, 2022 at 6:41 PM ^
Some were more so than others, but I remember we were all a little skeptical about Kwity being an “athletic freak” because 1) at 277, he was 60 lbs above his HS senior playing weight and 2) Don Brown had recently called him the “most technically sound DE in the country.”A technically sound #1 athletic freak DE is a first rounder, and lo and behold, that’s exactly what he was.
August 10th, 2022 at 8:00 AM ^
I'm surprised Mason Graham isn't on there. He should be imo.
August 10th, 2022 at 8:16 AM ^
Graham is plenty big and strong, but I've never seen "freak level" numbers associated with him. It's hard to measure technique and "motor."
August 10th, 2022 at 1:10 PM ^
don't forget grit
August 10th, 2022 at 8:09 AM ^
I know we're replacing two NFL first-round caliber draft picks on the D-Line this year, but I have to say after years of wandering in the DonBrownDLine Desert, it feels good to know that D-Line won't be a glaring weakness, even as we seek to find the next man up one the edges. Even with losing Hinton somewhat inexplicably it feels like the interior line will be a strength and we have loads of options to throw at the outside spots.
August 10th, 2022 at 9:20 AM ^
Yes! This has to sound good to people who have been worrying about the D.
August 10th, 2022 at 11:18 AM ^
After seeing the Enemy Ranking for QB and my very general understanding of the other team's offenses on this schedule. I am getting more and more convinced that our defense will be just fine. The only team that can truly threaten them appears to be OSU and they threaten just about anyone.
Couple that with my high expectation that our offense will be running/passing roughshod over the opponents defenses all game long and we are returning top level Special Teams. The floor for this season is sky high....
Of course I could also be drunk on Kool-Aid, but I like it and no one can change my opinion about it.....
August 10th, 2022 at 11:24 AM ^
Pass me a big glass.
August 10th, 2022 at 11:56 AM ^
August 10th, 2022 at 12:06 PM ^
I don't think that is kool aid at all. The offense is absolutely loaded with talent and the defense even with the losses still has a good amount of talent as well. Top 10 offense paired with a good defense is completely reasonable for this team.
August 10th, 2022 at 12:58 PM ^
The defense will be fine
The question is really "will it be good enough to keep up with OSU in The Shoe"
Their offense is killer and we're gonna need some stops. And doing that will mean harassing Stroud like we did last year. I think our run D should be good and the secondary good, but if we can't get to the QB reliably we may have a lot of trouble
August 10th, 2022 at 2:22 PM ^
I know it's not 2021 - but OSU has more ?s on D than we do. They played 4 teams that finished the season ranked and allowed 35, 1, 42(!!) and 45 points. In '21 our D slowed their O enough and our O was unstoppable. Yes, their O has more freaks - but unless their D is a lot better, their O has to be flawless to win. New DC should see improvement but we'll see how they fare against ND before we pencil them in as 11-0 heading into the game
August 10th, 2022 at 3:31 PM ^
They have more freaks at WR.
But I'm pretty confident we are stacked there as well...Ronnie Bell returns to join Andrel Anthony - these are two #1 outside recievers on most teams in the country. Add in Wilson in the slot, and All at TE...we're pretty loaded there too.
O-line - UM is better
RB - Our duo is better
QB - Obviously goes to Stroud, but the ceiling with JJ still unknown.
I like our chances unless they show up fielding a top 10 defense come November.
August 10th, 2022 at 8:08 PM ^
I wouldn’t even consider Andrel a starter right now. Johnson and Wilson on the outside and Bell in the slot should be our opening lineup with Anthony and Henning rotating in.
August 10th, 2022 at 3:10 PM ^
I am also as concerned as to how the game will be officiated
.
August 10th, 2022 at 8:18 AM ^
In Welschoff's case, shouldn't it be "Monstrum?"
Or did Google Translator lie to me again?
August 10th, 2022 at 8:20 AM ^
Rumor has it that Kenneth Grant is a gift granted to Jim Harbaugh directly from the football gods.
August 10th, 2022 at 9:22 AM ^
Now that I see Grant is on this list as a true freshman, I now agree that Harbaugh was likely referring to Grant. I had thought it was Mason Graham. That a true freshman is on this list, is astounding, considering most males at 18 are still growing.
I digress... am I the only one who thinks Mazi should shed 10 lbs ? If not, I hope he does so before the Combine, to get his numbers up, and to show the scouts he can control his weight.
August 10th, 2022 at 9:40 AM ^
He talks with strength and conditioning coaches from all the programs that do preseason testing and compiles their numbers.
August 10th, 2022 at 10:11 AM ^
I think we are all sleeping on Welschof.... looks like they are trying Grow-a-Hutch. Body composition and athleticism are equal, now its a matter of Welschof playing like Hutch. I'm glad they shed his weight, he didn't look right being so heavy.
I'm absolutely loving this defense. Smith and Jenkins manning the middle... with Morris, Welschof, Harrell on edge. Though the LB depth looks weak.
August 10th, 2022 at 1:00 PM ^
The problem with Welschof is they were trying to grow a DT for a couple years, and now are trying to Shrink To Edge
For a guy that was raw to begin with, changing body so much and then changing positions is another hurdle
Hopefully he puts it all together and can be a significant part of the rotation, but I'll have to see it to believe it