Harbaugh: "up to 10 freshman" on the two deep
So that's newsy. And I'd say very good news actually, for depth and overall talent. I don't track such things, but I'd say that's a lot of freshmen making a two deep for any team. Says a lot about this year's recruiting.
http://www.mlive.com/wolverines/index.ssf/2016/08/jim_harbaugh_at_least…
August 28th, 2016 at 8:42 PM ^
Minkah Fitzpatrick, Calvin Ridley, Da'Ron Payne and Damien Harris all played as true freshman last year. And that was a stacked Bama team. I bet Bama fans aren't crying about burning Damien Harris' red shirt even though they had a Heisman winning running back on the team.
August 29th, 2016 at 12:44 AM ^
I can't help but feel that a lot of this boards "don't burn the redshirt!"-worries are PTSD-like effects from the previous 2 head-coaches performance.
I distinctly remember people being upset at how true freshman on other college teams could somehow make an incredible impact during their freshman year, whilst our freshman players seemed lost, undersized, and out-paced. And how a significant amount of our roster somehow needed 2-3 years to do what other players on other college teams could do immediately or after 1 year.
And our worrying about redshirts are just remnants from the famine. Like when immigrant parents still patch up clothes of their American children despite the fact that they no longer live in poverty and political instability. (/terrbily weird analogy)
I don't think we have to worry so much any more. Yes, red-shirting is a great investment on the future. But with Harbaug (and it sounds cliche, I know), but, the future is now.
With Hoke and RR, we would have KILLED to have 5th year seniors at any position. With Harbaugh, it's, "decision must be mutual", implying, there's a good chance we have underclassman more valuable to the team.
That's night and day.
It's called "Coaching", and we clearly didn't have that before.
The gap between the new and the old staff, top to bottom, cannot be overstated.
The recruits will come, the talent will be nurtured, and over-worrying about a burned red-shirt will be a thing of the past.
August 28th, 2016 at 7:09 PM ^
Very exciting news. I think they may have left one or two off too.
August 28th, 2016 at 7:43 PM ^
Verify this and format it correctly or I'm going to get pissed
August 28th, 2016 at 8:11 PM ^
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August 28th, 2016 at 8:11 PM ^
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August 28th, 2016 at 6:50 PM ^
The plural of freshman is freshmen.
This is Michigan fergodsakes!1!
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August 28th, 2016 at 7:02 PM ^
August 28th, 2016 at 7:23 PM ^
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August 28th, 2016 at 7:02 PM ^
August 28th, 2016 at 7:12 PM ^
What do you think Rashan Garys role on the team will be? I know he won't start but how far back in the depth chart will he be?
August 28th, 2016 at 7:14 PM ^
August 28th, 2016 at 8:06 PM ^
August 28th, 2016 at 8:12 PM ^
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August 28th, 2016 at 9:57 PM ^
That's what he had been saying. But earlier today on the Scout board ($) he said that Gary has been practicing with the 2s recently. Said that yesterday, Mone was in with the 1s at 3tech, possibly because Hurst was out.
I have no idea what "out" means. I am trying not to worry. It sounded like it just meant 'out yesterday for a very minor thing.'
August 28th, 2016 at 8:19 PM ^
I hope so. We have so much quality and depth that I think it makes sense to start Wormley, Hurst, Glasgow and Charlton and let Gary move around getting experience at both ends and DT, even a little at NT although that doesn't seem like his optimal position.
August 28th, 2016 at 7:18 PM ^
August 28th, 2016 at 7:23 PM ^
This is going to be a long week.
August 28th, 2016 at 7:28 PM ^
August 28th, 2016 at 7:48 PM ^
Michigan...the 33rd NFL team!
I pity every single team on our schedule because...
...WINTER IS COMING
August 28th, 2016 at 8:00 PM ^
There's some sort of crazy statistic about 2nd-year head coaches and winning National Championships.
As well as something about first and second-year recruiting classes being crazy talented and performing abnormally well.
I can't remember where, but there was this huge article with statistics on it. No one can figure out why, but believe it may have something to do with attracting game-ready freshman who value immediat playing-time, upper-classmen adapting to change (hence 2nd-year of Head-Coaching change, but not 1st), and some sort of social/psych momentum/excitement in the transistion.
If someone happens to remember the article I'd appreciate the link!
The most recent example is OSU.
August 28th, 2016 at 8:30 PM ^
That stat only applies to elite coaches i.e. Saban, Harbaugh, Meyer, et al. The run of the mill NCAA D1 guy I think the 2nd year thing is ethe exception not the rule.
August 28th, 2016 at 9:02 PM ^
August 28th, 2016 at 9:26 PM ^
August 28th, 2016 at 9:39 PM ^
August 28th, 2016 at 10:53 PM ^
August 28th, 2016 at 8:34 PM ^
Could easily be 10
1 offensive ninja (Evans,) 2 TEs (Asiasi, other) 1 LT (Bredeson,) 1 Destroyer of worlds (Onwenu,) 1 other Destroyer of worlds (Gary,) 1 linebacker (Bush,) 1 corner(Hill,) 1 safety (Metellus,) and 1 hybrid tweener to fill in Nickel/DB or WDE/SAM depth.
August 28th, 2016 at 10:59 PM ^
August 28th, 2016 at 8:33 PM ^
Part of the reason we will see a lot of Freshman on the two deep is because the 2 classes before the 2016 were pretty lowly ranked for Michigan and the 2015 class (Harbaugh's first class) was extremely small. We already lost a couple guys from that 2015 class. The 2016 and the 2017 class were critical for the program. I have no doubt we continue to recruit well but will definitely feel those classes going forward. The young kids will definitely see the field this and next year.
August 28th, 2016 at 8:42 PM ^
On another note, how many scrimmages have we had this Fall? I know last years were publicized a bit more since one was at Ford Field. But it seems like we at least got some video from last years scrimmages. I haven't seen anythning about them this fall.
August 28th, 2016 at 8:43 PM ^
A team with so many frosh on the two-deep must have significant problems.
Somebody actually posted that on another CFB board and not in jest. Less than a week to see :>)
August 28th, 2016 at 9:15 PM ^
If you have a lot of freshmen on the two-deep, it normally makes you wonder about the upperclassmen. If it was Rutgers, you wouldn't think twice about it because they've been pretty bad.
But we have freshmen on the DT and WR two-deep and many people think we have top-10 units at both positions just by looking at the upperclassmen. In our case, it's an embarrassment of riches.
August 28th, 2016 at 10:17 PM ^
August 28th, 2016 at 10:35 PM ^
August 28th, 2016 at 11:45 PM ^
August 29th, 2016 at 4:31 AM ^
August 29th, 2016 at 9:42 AM ^
for what else we have on the team. The old saying is every Freshman that starts can cost you a game. Let's hope they are all second on the depth chart and upper classman are getting the playing time