GoBlueWolverine: Henry (and rest of DL) buying in and stepping up.
Nice article over at Go Blue Wolverine about Willie Henry's development through Spring and Summer, and rising the challenge coaches gave him to give more on the field and off.
http://michigan.scout.com/story/1433344-henry-now-buying-in?s=162&p=1
The challenge was clear. Henry had shown promise during his freshman campaign, but in the eyes coaches he was going down a path on which much of that promise would be left unfulfilled. “They came to me personally and were like, ‘we need more from you, on and off the field.’ I took it as a man and I stepped up on the field trying to make more plays and encourage the young guys (and) bring the team along with me. If I’m having bad day, teammates like Ondre Pipkins and Frank Clark (are) people that I can go talk to. (They can) help me become a better player and things of that nature.”
August 13th, 2014 at 3:09 PM ^
This team seems hungrier than they were last year, which is a good thing with how they folded down the stretch
August 13th, 2014 at 4:53 PM ^
It's amazing how hunger, chemistry, desire, etc. increase every single year.
August 13th, 2014 at 6:04 PM ^
every team is a contender in the offseason.
August 13th, 2014 at 8:11 PM ^
The longer you go without #eating, the hungrier you get...
August 13th, 2014 at 3:15 PM ^
As stated on other posts, I think the DT position is going to surprise. In fact by mid season it could be considered stronger as a group than the DEs. Pipkins, Hurst, Wormley, Henry and I assume Mone ...and throw in either a Glasgow/Godin/Strobel. It's a young 3 deep but plenty of players who could really make a surge this year out of the first group of 4. I think it will actually be the strength of the defense leading into the 2015 season.
August 13th, 2014 at 4:02 PM ^
and a great example was MM and RVB back in Hoke's first year. They were a really strong front and it made the LBs and DBs better, IMO.
August 14th, 2014 at 10:57 AM ^
Absolutely right.
It's more fun to talk about the sexy, skilled positions. But the truth of the matter is the success of line play--on both sides of the ball--goes a long way to determining team success.
2011 is a paradigmatic example.
August 13th, 2014 at 5:50 PM ^
What about Poggi?
August 13th, 2014 at 7:41 PM ^
He's still iisted as a DE, and I think he's still one year away from getting meaning snaps. Which is fine, since he's just a RS frosh this fall.
August 13th, 2014 at 3:23 PM ^
I had high expectations for the D line last season. There was early talk that they were going to rotate 2-3 guys at every position. I thought they would tire out alot of offensive lines and take over the further a game went along. That never really happened and the Pipkins injury took a big (literally) piece out of rotation. However, this season these guys are 1 year older, stronger, bigger, and more experienced. I think that this year we'll begin see some of those previous expectations come to fruition.
August 13th, 2014 at 7:18 PM ^
August 13th, 2014 at 7:43 PM ^
Yeah - Black was never going to be a good DT, but I'm surprised QW wasn't better than he was. I had high hopes for that guy. I agree with you though, with Pipkins back, this year's DT group will be better than last year's by a solid margin.
August 14th, 2014 at 8:47 AM ^
wasn't to bash Black, and I agree with your post. Just want to add that Black, despite always being undersized for interior DL, made a lot of nice plays for us during his career.
Future looks damn bright though!
August 13th, 2014 at 3:32 PM ^
August 13th, 2014 at 4:22 PM ^
'All I'll say is, just watch. Watch and see.'
I really hope this team proves everyone wrong. Hoke has not won a big road game since he got here. For me, winning at Notre Dame, Rutgers or Northwestern is not gonna get it done. I know ND is a big game, but even RR won in South Bend and that didn't really prove anything. We must win in East Lansing or Columbus!
August 13th, 2014 at 7:33 PM ^
"Shiiiiiiiiiiiiittttttttttt!"
I know Hoke is trying to get any road win possible. A win in south bend would prove a helluva lot to me. When we get a win at the toilet seat or East Landfill, hopefully this year, watch this program take off.
August 13th, 2014 at 3:35 PM ^
The only potential hole I see in our two-deep is at safety. Jarrod Wilson seems to be the only established guy there.
I'm excited about this defense.
August 13th, 2014 at 3:52 PM ^
August 13th, 2014 at 4:00 PM ^
Yep, a lot of people put S and DT in the same sentence as areas of concern. I don't see it that way at all. Not only do we have plenty of candidates at DT it could in theory absorb an injury. If Wilson goes down it will be a starting 2 pack of safeties who currently have nearly zilch playing experience. And even if he stays healthy it appears from all indications Dymonte Thomas is not going to be a factor at this position in 2014 (if ever - maybe he turns into a LB next year) as he gets passed by a litany of players. I think it was Brian's story - or I read it elsewhere here that with Hill down, they are putting Clark with the 1s. But of Clark, Hill, Peppers, Watson, whomever - it's a bunch of inexperience back there.
August 13th, 2014 at 3:43 PM ^
Coach sure does like to say "Willie" a lot.
August 13th, 2014 at 4:37 PM ^
I noticed that too..
“Willie is a young man that has great potential,” Smith told GoBlueWolverine. “When I say that, I think Willie can be as good as Willie wants to be. When he decides that it is the time, then he will be. He had a good spring and one thing you’ve got to keep talking to Willie about is doing everything he needs to do on and off the field. With that message being sent, I think Willie has gotten a lot better.” “Willie is making good progress. I feel very good about Willie. I have a positive outlook for Willie. You can see him… and I am going to use that word mature again… you can see Willie starting to mature a little bit. We’ll wait and see if that holds out over the long haul, but I see Willie making good strides, making good progress in being able to help us win a lot of games.”
August 13th, 2014 at 4:37 PM ^
Explorer
August 13th, 2014 at 4:38 PM ^
Balls.
August 14th, 2014 at 1:23 AM ^
He said Willy
August 14th, 2014 at 10:19 AM ^
As kids we use to sing it as "GD everybody now go home!"
August 13th, 2014 at 3:46 PM ^
It sounds like the defense is developing a similar camaraderie that has been talked about among the units on offense, which I think is an excellent thing. The closer these guys are to one another and the more trust there is there, the better they will do most likely. I say that too knowing that I am talking about a very talented corps on the defensive line as it is too, so if this is the foundation being laid, I do think these guys surprise us pleasantly this year.
August 14th, 2014 at 1:28 AM ^
about what Mattison has said...nothing, he's not trying to sell us anything. Last year he was selling the 3 deep DL there are no starters because they're all starters. The year before he was telling us Washington finally got it and that Roh would be another RVB. And in 2011 Nathan Brink would be the breakout player of the year.
Well Brink wasn't, Washington and Roh were just serviceable, and true enough, the DL in 2013 really didn't have any starters. This year though, none of that, he just says, "watch them."
August 13th, 2014 at 4:24 PM ^
I'd love to see Henry explode so that we finally have some quality guys to brag about from Glenville again. Getting shut out of that school for the better part of a decade really hurt this program.
August 13th, 2014 at 7:38 PM ^
It's feel good to go in there and beat osu for talent once again. I think Pierre Woods was the last we got outta Glenville that had an osu offer.
August 13th, 2014 at 7:45 PM ^
You guys don't like Frank Clark?
August 13th, 2014 at 9:12 PM ^
I was just saying going into one of the osu feeder schools and getting a kid, with an osu offer, is gonna be nice.
August 13th, 2014 at 5:19 PM ^
versus the "right to rush 4" that was going on last year. Slogans are talk. The whole defense and the D-line seem poised to step up and do it rather than talk about it. Excited. All that depth is going to pay dividends over the course of the season.
August 13th, 2014 at 5:37 PM ^
August 13th, 2014 at 10:40 PM ^
I know a lot is being said of team chemistry, but I think a lot of this just happens to be that Hoke's first full recruiting class is now becoming upperclassman and leaders. Not that the older players from the last 3 years didn't buy in or weren't good leaders, but now there is more consistency to it. 2011 was a bit of an aberration because I think they were so excited about a guy that appreciated the UM tradition that it ignited their fire. Plus Hoke's system was probably more similar to what most of them with Carr were recruited for. But, I think this is just the natural process that happens as a coach's recruits, system, and development play out. It's what none of us have had the patience for the last 2 years. Dont' get me wrong, I don't think we're there yet everywhere becasue there are some position groups that still need more development and experience. I'd expect more again next year as the team should be only Hoke's guys at that point except for 5th year guys. IDK, maybe I'm way off but I think that's part of it.