August 27th, 2022 at 6:59 PM ^
Wow! Getting excited with all this news!
August 27th, 2022 at 7:15 PM ^
Excitement. Questions? Worries.
Yep, it's a week before the season.
August 27th, 2022 at 7:31 PM ^
I will check back after week 3 going into IOWA. I am optimistic but concerned. I want to believe and thankful we have (3) soft teams at home to figure this out.
August 27th, 2022 at 7:57 PM ^
Did Maryland just give up in week 4 to give us a bye?
That should be the biggest headline of the week
August 27th, 2022 at 7:01 PM ^
Not sure if the "base package" is the 5-2 where we have 3 DTs in there? Would be shocking if he's already our 2nd best DT.
August 27th, 2022 at 7:30 PM ^
EDIT: Redundant.
August 27th, 2022 at 8:06 PM ^
What?
August 27th, 2022 at 9:43 PM ^
I posted something without looking at the rest of thread (where it was amply covered).
August 27th, 2022 at 7:02 PM ^
This doesn't feel like good news. Maybe he's amazing beyond all expectations. I'm hoping for that. But ordinarily, on the DL, I'd hope that the guys with more development are better than any true freshman could possibly be, first game of the year.
August 27th, 2022 at 7:22 PM ^
Yeah, doesn't seem to be bode well for Goode or Benny. But we kind of know what we have with Jenkins so that's the floor, right? RIGHT? Please say yes.
Maybe they're both starting in a 5-2 like someone else suggested? Dunno. Seems surprising.
August 27th, 2022 at 8:30 PM ^
JH mentioned 3 “starters” in Smith, Jenkins and Graham. The first two are clearly the base starters with Graham on the field for 3 DL. JH called out Benny, Grant, and Goode as key contributors.
DL is a battle of attrition in each game and the season. Hopefully Graham plays a lot early to give the other guys rest. Need Mazi & others to be healthy for Iowa onward.
August 28th, 2022 at 8:50 AM ^
I view this as continuing good news. First, I believe that, until last year, Jim insisted that loyalty to seniority be given very high PT consideration. I believe that, last year, seniority was supplanted by talent and effort-and I believe it was under the insistence of all those new coaches. I believe this is Elston's call and I am most pleased to see Jim honoring the judgement of his assistants. The best coaches figure out how to get the best players on the field.
August 27th, 2022 at 7:03 PM ^
Whoa! Good for Graham. Checking the roster, he's 6'3 317lbs, so he somehow beat out Kris Jenkins?
August 27th, 2022 at 7:10 PM ^
Not necessarily. We may go MAX BEEF with the DL and have outside "linebackers" who are really glorified DEs. In the case of Morris, a 292 linebacker.
August 27th, 2022 at 7:21 PM ^
No, in the podcast, he said that Jenkins is starting at end essentially, backed up by Rooks, and Mason Graham and Mazi are interior guys
August 27th, 2022 at 7:25 PM ^
Huh. Those are two HUGE ends between him and Morris. Good luck running on us. But man, where is the pressure coming from? Maybe just sending Colson into random gaps every play. I don't hate that to keep his tasks simpler.
But sounds like the MSU approach that didn't work very well without much of a second level.
August 27th, 2022 at 7:50 PM ^
You also have another edge besides Morris if you go with those down 3, so pass rush wise just have to hope one of the guys in that competition steps up as a pass rusher. I personally believe someone will emerge among that group as the season goes on, it's not a competition devoid of talent.
August 27th, 2022 at 8:35 PM ^
Yeah no kidding. Comparing to last year, IIRC Hutch was 275 and Ojabo was 255. Morris is 292 and Jenkins is 285. Jenkins is actually listed as a DL on the roster.
August 27th, 2022 at 7:10 PM ^
Please no injuries contributing to this news. Please no injuries affecting this season.
August 27th, 2022 at 7:17 PM ^
Didnt skegemog say Jenkins was dealing with an ankle. Prolly why Graham is in their. Oh, and hes a pretty good player too.
August 27th, 2022 at 7:22 PM ^
Every once in a while other teams get lucky and find a freshman DT that can play, why not us for once?
August 27th, 2022 at 7:22 PM ^
When they released the roster and I seen where his weight was I had a feeling he was going to be playing a significant role this year. Will Johnson was doing a interview with Sam Webb a few weeks back and Graham was one of the freshmen that he singled out - saying that he’s already one of Michigan’s best DTs. Add in how all of the recruiting guys were raving about how college ready he was by the end of his high school career and him being an early enrollee and it’s not as surprising as it probably should be. Sounds like we have a real gem here. Let’s hope we keep him (yeah, I know, I’m not trying to jinx it but you have to admit we haven’t necessarily hung on to all of our Cali guys under Harbaugh.)
Maybe slightly different roles, but I’m still very high on Jenkins.
And great news for Sanristil. Dude’s a leader and Will Johnson will still see the field.
August 27th, 2022 at 7:28 PM ^
Have we lost any Cali guys that were getting such favorable playing time though? I guess Asiasi. Any others? I wouldn't consider Charbonnet here because he would have been the third best RB on the team last year.
Maybe Giles Jackson but he wasn't separating at his position and we certainly don't miss him.
I think the track record of retention is better than it seems. Persi is still around in year 3 despite not even playing yet. David stuck around for a great career. If this guy is looking at being a 3+ year starter, I can't imagine he'd leave.
But I guess there is a slight risk that home and family are too much to be away from. USC could turn it around and become more attractive.
August 27th, 2022 at 7:52 PM ^
Will Johnson talks about him starting at 4:37:
August 27th, 2022 at 7:23 PM ^
Interesting too, that Harbaugh said firmly that Sainristill, Green, and Turner were the starting corners. I would bet Johnson comes on as the season goes on
August 27th, 2022 at 7:24 PM ^
Truly excited on the news on Sainristil and believe in him. It gives him 11 games to prep for defending 5 star WR's the last Saturday of November.
August 27th, 2022 at 7:42 PM ^
Sainristil still has another year of eligibility also, if he wants to use it.
August 27th, 2022 at 7:30 PM ^
I’m taking this to mean Mason Graham is ready to play.
August 27th, 2022 at 7:32 PM ^
Graham has 30 lbs on all the guys he is fighting for PT. I'm sure that gives him an advantage in certain situations, I still expect to see plenty of Jenkins.
August 27th, 2022 at 7:35 PM ^
I don't think this means he is taking Jenkins spot, someone mentioned it above but I think Jenkins, Graham, and Smith might be your down 3 and then Morris on the edge along with whoever wins the edge on the other side. So essentially those 3 as the down 3 with 2 edges. More of a traditional 3-4 where you got serious beef inside. Either that or as someone mentioned above as well Jenkins might be dealing with an ankle issue and Graham is starting for that reason.
August 27th, 2022 at 11:22 PM ^
Last year they ran some 3-4 where Jenkins was often the 3rd DT in while Hinton and Smith were the regular two. Possibly a similar situation this year. I would be surprised if we see a 4 man front with him lined up at DE.
August 27th, 2022 at 7:33 PM ^
I will say this worries me, but only because I can't recall a single player named "Graham" who wears #55 ever doing anything for us on the D Line.
August 27th, 2022 at 7:39 PM ^
Mason Graham, you can see extraordinary player written all over him.
August 27th, 2022 at 7:43 PM ^
Let's just hope this doesn't mean Jenkins is hurt.
Hopefully, it means we're in more of a 3-4.
In that case it makes perfectly sense.
Graham-Smith-Jenkins
Morris-Colson-NHG-Harrell or Upshaw
Turner-Green
Moore-Moten
August 27th, 2022 at 7:47 PM ^
This would make sense, because Sainristil would be "starter"
...when he comes on. Graham or Jenkins goes off and now you're in a 4-2-5 Nickel.
August 27th, 2022 at 8:03 PM ^
I'm wondering if Sainristil is starting as a Slot DB to be the replacement for the quickness and speed of Daxton Hill.
August 27th, 2022 at 7:59 PM ^
Honestly I don't think either case is reason to be that concerned. Either Jenkins is dealing with something and has three games to get healthy or they simply like the beef those three give them with the two edges next to them.
August 28th, 2022 at 9:32 PM ^
Graham is probably starting in base and comes off when they for 4-2-5 nickel. Either way that is a big front 7.
August 27th, 2022 at 7:48 PM ^
The CB news sounds like Sainristil is the starting third corner, a position that will get a lot of use. Which isn’t earth-shattering except that a position switch like that usually doesn’t produce a starting-level player in the new position, something I was very wrong about when I heard about the switch.
Hard not to be alarmed by the DT news. But I’ve misread preseason tea leaves before.
August 27th, 2022 at 7:56 PM ^
Eh, honestly we have heard alot of rave reviews about Graham and Grant so this just might be an indication that it is not bs. I don't think it would be that unusual if they like massive beef as the down 3 in a 3-4 kind of look with the two edges outside the beef. So I think alarmed is far too strong of a word. And as someone else said Jenkins may also be dealing with something.
August 27th, 2022 at 9:28 PM ^
I think this could be more indicative of the DE situation and having to move Jenkins over to backfill in the meantime since Graham looks ready. Hopefully the pass rush will be okay.
Either way it is a little headscratching. But Graham looked real good in the spring game so my guess is he's for real.
August 27th, 2022 at 7:58 PM ^
Haha. Boy do I have a whole lot of middle fingers and told you sos in my holster for about a half dozen of you.
more to come.
August 27th, 2022 at 8:15 PM ^
Pretty stupid, self-important comment. No one here cares about whatever weird feuds you think you have with other members here.
August 27th, 2022 at 8:22 PM ^
I mean a comment above mentioned he said Jenkins was dealing with an ankle issue in another thread or something so assuming people said he didn't actually have insider knowledge in that one. So now he is saying I told you so because Graham might be starting because of a injury for Jenkins.
August 28th, 2022 at 8:27 AM ^
Yea, his comment history is incredibly toxic. He needs to step away from the board for a while.
August 27th, 2022 at 8:13 PM ^
If Mason Graham is starting on the DL, that either means he’s going to be as good as Chase Young or the Bosa Brothers, or the DL is in a LOT of trouble.
There is almost never a situation where a true freshman starting on the DL is a good thing.
August 27th, 2022 at 8:27 PM ^
Or it means someone is hurt
August 27th, 2022 at 9:09 PM ^
Which goes back to my point that a true freshman starting on the DL is almost never a good thing.
Graham is probably going to be really good before his time is done here, and he’ll probably be fine the first few weeks of the season against very overmatched opponents. But when the competition steps up…I’m a bit concerned.
August 28th, 2022 at 1:02 AM ^
He gets a 3 game dress rehearsal. You have to imagine some of the other guys like Benny will get similar snap counts. From there they can evaluate where to go.
August 28th, 2022 at 2:43 PM ^
“If Mason Graham is starting on the DL, that either means he’s going to be as good as Chase Young or the Bosa Brothers, or the DL is in a LOT of trouble.
There is almost never a situation where a true freshman starting on the DL is a good thing.”
Hey PSM, while I agree in general with your statement, a quick search shows there are freshman DT’s expected to start at Georgia, LSU, Tennessee and Texas A&M this season I just don’t think it is the disaster you propose