i find this extremely interesting
Hoke: Norfleet to play cornerback
December 14th, 2012 at 8:01 PM | 
Honestly, he doesn't seem
Honestly, he doesn't seem
December 14th, 2012 at 8:14 PM |
The 50? He hardly made it to
The 50? He hardly made it to
The 50? He hardly made it to the 30.
THOSE WHO STAY WILL BE CHAMPIONS
December 14th, 2012 at 8:25 PM |
There's only so many tackles
There's only so many tackles
There's only so many tackles you can expect him to break.
Go Blue!
December 14th, 2012 at 7:55 PM |
Told ya
Told ya
Told ya
GO BLUE!
December 14th, 2012 at 7:55 PM |
Sooo...Berkely Edwards then?
Sooo...Berkely Edwards then?
Sooo...Berkely Edwards then? Not sure I get this one. Seems his value you would be far greater in the Vincent Smith role than at CB.
December 14th, 2012 at 7:55 PM |
As long as he's still
As long as he's still
As long as he's still returning kicks, I'm not gonna freak out too much.
4th Generation Student
Class of 2014
Go Blue!
December 14th, 2012 at 8:08 PM |
I concur
I concur
honestly, I think everyone is overreacting a little bit, this is the internet so i understand. However, I think that it is at least reasonable to believe that norfleet can make an impact at corner...
I'm not saying we have to blindly trust the coaches or that we can't question here and there but lately I am getting repulsed by the combination of revisionist history and blatant denial of the coaches' abilities to make personnel decisions; we have to stop questioning every movement and labeling it blatant ignorance...
but hey, this is the internet so whatever floats your boats I guess...
We are the dead.
December 14th, 2012 at 7:56 PM |
I can see him there in....
I can see him there in....
Nickel/dime packages.
December 14th, 2012 at 8:00 PM |
Well hopefully he doesnt
Well hopefully he doesnt
Well hopefully he doesnt tackle like he did when we punted the ball to Ohio and he came hauling ass down only to grab all facemask at 300mph. The refs missed it cuz it was like a fucking blur.
If at first you don't succeed, skydiving isn't for you.
December 14th, 2012 at 8:00 PM |
Does this mean we can finally
Does this mean we can finally
Does this mean we can finally move Furman to RB? Seems like a fair trade to me.
December 14th, 2012 at 9:14 PM |
MUST HAPPEN!
MUST HAPPEN!
I would LOVE to see Furman in the backfield. He can't break the 2 deep at safety so why not give it a shot?
Florida Wolverines have dreadlocks...
December 14th, 2012 at 8:01 PM |
This is only a trick
This is only a trick
Hoke and Borges are really going to use him at RB but they are just telling everyone he'll play CB.
Don't tell anyone else though, because that would ruin this secret.
December 14th, 2012 at 8:02 PM |
Well we do have such an
Well we do have such an
Well we do have such an abundance of explosive playmakers...
Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence.
- Vince Lombardi
December 14th, 2012 at 9:54 PM |
curse Drupal!
curse Drupal!
If there was a laughing & crying simultaneously moderation option, this is where I'd use it.
Love & Hate are horns on the same goat.
December 14th, 2012 at 8:03 PM |
Strategy
Strategy
South Carolina's receivers aren't very tall. Norfleet's height isn't a big deal in this game. He makes up for it with agility, change of direction, etc. I think its a good move for this game. Long term, not so much.
December 14th, 2012 at 8:11 PM |
Hopefully that is what the
Hopefully that is what the
Hopefully that is what the coaches are thinking but I doubt it. I just don't understand why someone would take Darren Sproles 2.0 and say DONT WANT, PUT ON 3RD STRING D.
"Michigan Defense" is dominating everything, in every aspect of life. That's a rough definition.
-Craig Roh 10/29/2011
December 14th, 2012 at 8:12 PM |
Except I doubt the coaches
Except I doubt the coaches
Except I doubt the coaches are going to play a true frosh who has been a CB for a month over the CBs we have who played there all year, and aren't freshmen. So I doubt this move is for this game.
December 14th, 2012 at 10:44 PM |
Yea this is my thought, too.
Yea this is my thought, too.
Yea this is my thought, too. I'm thinkin that we'ere not going to see this anytime soon i.e. Bowl Game.
December 15th, 2012 at 8:52 AM |
To be fair, I was really
To be fair, I was really
To be fair, I was really surprised he started as returner at season opener against Alabama.
Touchdown Michigan!
December 14th, 2012 at 8:11 PM |
I really thought he would be
I really thought he would be
I really thought he would be an asset catching passes out of the backfield and running sweeps or reverses. Very surprising move.
December 14th, 2012 at 8:11 PM |
bizarre
bizarre
Corner makes more sense than safety but Norfleet is a guy that the coaching staff was designing plays for earlier this year. Now he's just a corner unlikely to ever start considering our current depth at the position?
I do not have high hopes for our offense going forward.
@owenrosen
December 14th, 2012 at 8:11 PM |
FREE DENNIS
FREE DENNIS
sounds better in French
December 14th, 2012 at 8:16 PM |
Moved to CB purely based on
Moved to CB purely based on
Moved to CB purely based on interception return potential.
December 14th, 2012 at 8:16 PM |
Arg
Arg
Why, WHY? This guy was made for the jet sweep type plays. Maybe he can still get in on offense a few plays a game. (Probably not)
December 14th, 2012 at 8:19 PM |
I just won the Heisman with
I just won the Heisman with
I just won the Heisman with Norfleet as a rb in my ncaa season. Does this mean I have to move him to corner now? Seriously though, I dont get this move. He must have really been shitty in practice.
THOSE WHO STAY WILL BE CHAMPIONS
December 14th, 2012 at 8:25 PM |
Jake Ryan to fullback.
Jake Ryan to fullback.
Book it, my friends.
Also, Keith Stone to 3-tech.
"You know, for a bartender/bookie, you're pretty judgmental."
December 14th, 2012 at 10:17 PM |
Keith Stone's best rush
Keith Stone's best rush
Keith Stone's best rush move: "Hold my 'stones." *TFL!*
"Hold my 'stones." *SACK!*
He's so smooth!
Michigan Resurgent? Michigan Resurgent!
The beatings will continue until the uniforms improve!
December 14th, 2012 at 8:25 PM |
Norfleet was too much of a
Norfleet was too much of a
Norfleet was too much of a playmaker for Borges. His replacment at RB is AJ Williams.
December 14th, 2012 at 9:16 PM |
Playmaker
Playmaker
I hope that you were being sarcastic.
Norfleet didn't make a single significant rb play all season.
December 14th, 2012 at 11:39 PM |
He didn't have many
He didn't have many
He didn't have many opportunities
I got the shotgun. You got the briefcase. It's all in the game though, right?
December 15th, 2012 at 8:18 AM |
And there is probably a
And there is probably a
And there is probably a reason for that, too
December 14th, 2012 at 8:28 PM |
Perspective
Perspective
I'll admit I am a bit puzzled by this move but I think a bit of perspective is necessary...stats showed that he was an average kick returner and he couldn't garner meaningful playtime, even with our atrocious running game. The way people are acting seems like we just moved denard to safety...
December 14th, 2012 at 10:03 PM |
Do the stats
Do the stats
do an adequate job revealing our generally craptastic kickoff blocking?
The Dino-punt formation doesn't help our punt returns either.
Love & Hate are horns on the same goat.
December 14th, 2012 at 10:47 PM |
^This.
I thought the guy made
^This.
I thought the guy made
^This.
I thought the guy made quite a bit out of very little this year on Kick-offs. Because he didn't break one long I don't think means he lacks any speed/agility. He didn't break one long because it was impossible to do so, meaning he actually did do a nice job with what was "given to him".
December 15th, 2012 at 11:40 AM |
gallon
gallon
was our punt returner - not norfleet. and your point is that norfleet would have had better stats if he had better players around him? uh, yah. so would everyone...
December 14th, 2012 at 8:33 PM |
He can
He can
Still return kicks, not sure why everybody is so up in arms...on offense he could run one play, jet sweep, and we can probably run that play with Hayes if it even stays in the play book. Seems like he is destined for nickel back coverage and not anytime soon. He can still do what he was probably brought here to do, return kicks or punts.
Denard Robinson......They're not going to catch him!
December 14th, 2012 at 8:38 PM |
It matters little...
It matters little...
Norlfeet looks like a career returner to me, not much more. They can switch him to Nose Guard for all I care, he's going to be behind many others at RB, Corner, Receiver, Safety... He was a flier as a recruit whose worked out well in a special teams role. He's a good little returner, but I never saw him playing meaningful minutes on O or D anyway. RB makes the most sense as his "position" given his skills and the team's depth there, but honestly, which group he practices with every day is of minimal concern to me.
...I can puncho yo buns...
December 14th, 2012 at 11:13 PM |
Exactly, lets not forget this
Exactly, lets not forget this
Exactly, lets not forget this guy was a late offer by the staff. The coaches clearly didn't have huge expectations for him at RB from the get go.
December 14th, 2012 at 8:43 PM |
panic level for M offense,
panic level for M offense,
panic level for M offense, 2013 version, sloooowly starting to rise.
Lewan and the twosie gone....breaking in up to 4 new starters on the O-line....our best WR is also our projected starting QB....we have very poor WR depth....Northfleet now a CB....
Borges' fault?
December 14th, 2012 at 8:51 PM |
Oh come on (this is not
Oh come on (this is not
Oh come on (this is not directed only at you). Were you guys expecting Dennis Norfleet to carry the load at RB next fall? He got a small handful of carries on offense and did almost nothing with them. He would be behind Fitz (if healthy), Rawls, likely Hayes, and maybe even Deveon Smith and Derrick Green if he comes.
Point is, there has been no indication that Norfleet can be a quality option on offense, but now we're gonna give up on 2013 because he's not there? I think he could have been a nice weapon at one point too, but I wasn't planning on him having that big of a role next fall. And if the coaches are moving him, my guess is he hasn't stood out at RB when we're not watching either.
December 14th, 2012 at 9:11 PM |
I have no problem with the move
I have no problem with the move
at best he was a V. Smith and at worst he was an even smaller V. Smith. Tiny RB's have never done well at Michigan and on the bright side, he is still returning kicks.
It's tough being Blue in Columbus!!!
December 14th, 2012 at 11:15 PM |
Morris
Morris
Morris, Jamie.
Hart, Mike.
December 14th, 2012 at 11:31 PM |
They were short, but not
They were short, but not
They were short, but not exactly tiny at 25 -35 lbs heavier than what Norfleet is listed at.
Michigan Resurgent? Michigan Resurgent!
The beatings will continue until the uniforms improve!
December 15th, 2012 at 1:08 AM |
And they ran like it. Both
And they ran like it. Both
And they ran like it. Both had good moves, but they ran with a ferocity that we haven't seen from Norfleet yet. Hart impressed everyone in '04 not because of his sharply quick feet, but by the way he carried much larger tacklers into the end zone.
Servant. Pastor. Husband. Michigan fan in Duluth.
December 14th, 2012 at 9:17 PM |
I expected Norfleet to be the lead back
I expected Norfleet to be the lead back
Not right away, but I don't think much of Rawls and co. so I thought Norfleet would eventually establish himself as the best overall player and the one who got most carries outside of short-yardage.
The indication that he would be a good RB is based on his ability to run with the ball - which looks good, at least in the return game. There was less indication Rawls, Hayes or a freshman can do the job....until they moved him to the secondary -- that's a pretty good indication they don't think much of him as a RB.
December 14th, 2012 at 9:27 PM |
Well who were you envisioning
Well who were you envisioning
Well who were you envisioning to provide offense?
Here is our RB depth chart at the moment:
Rawls
Hayes
...(Northfleet was here)
We have two true-frosh RBs thus far
Smith
Shallman
With Green as a possible third.
I'm hopeful that Smith is underrated, seems to have good vision, doesn't have top-end speed, but you need to be able to get to the second level/outside first, and without interior line blocking, top-end speed can be a little moot. There has been even less indication that Rawls and Hayes were the answer.
Our WR depth is even worse:
Darboh/Chasson, Gallon, Dileo, Jackson. That's it...we have 3 true frosh (Dukes, York, Jones) coming in, but all are more under-the-radar types.
I'm all for optimism/spring practice hasn't even begun yet, etc. Howeva, the talent pool @ RB, WR is threadbare, and were NOT strong points in the 2012 offense. Losing two of the pieces (even if they weren't the centerpieces) does NOT inspire optimism.
Edit: I left Fitz off the depthchart for now; that was a nasty injury and will wait to see how his rehab goes before putting him at the top of the heap at the moment.
December 14th, 2012 at 9:41 PM |
It's common enough for
It's common enough for
It's common enough for freshmen to play at running back, so whoever comes in is likely to get some time on the field next year, but you make a good point.
"that's why you don't go to Ohio State, Lawrence"
December 14th, 2012 at 9:46 PM |
Drake Johnson, too.
Drake Johnson, too.
Don't forget Drake Johnson. Hoke said at his last presser he wished freshmen could play in the bowl game and keep their redshirts in reference to him. Not saying he's going to start, but I wouldn't be surprised if he was ahead of Norfleet.
December 14th, 2012 at 9:14 PM |
All 5 OL positions will have new starters
All 5 OL positions will have new starters
since Schofield is likely to move to LT.
But oiur best WR is Gallon and will be again next year. Roundtree will be missed but is replaceable.
Our TEs will be better. Our FB will be better.
QB should be pretty good too.
RB will miss Smith, but if Toussaint is back we'll be fine.
December 14th, 2012 at 8:44 PM |
I suppose it could be because
I suppose it could be because
I suppose it could be because he's an awesome corner, but man, this is kind of depressing. Hope for a diverse elite offense is slowly starting to sink.
Honestly, he doesn't seem that fast to me. For all the talk of him being "just about to break one" he barely crossed the 50 all season on returns and just never showed the afterburners you expect in a huge game breaker.
Servant. Pastor. Husband. Michigan fan in Duluth.