Michigan Starting Defense Projections.

Submitted by MichiganMan14 on

I think we will have a "Michigan Defense" this season and one gander at this starting lineup should be enough to convince even the most fatal of fatalists.  We are stacked.  Can we live up to the billing?  The biggest question I have is team speed which will be revealed against ND, Ohio, Sparty and our bowl opponent.   Ideally you would like your DBs (sub 4.5) LBs (sub 4.7) DEs (sub 4.9) and DTs (sub 5.1).    Not sure if we are there on the Dline yet.   Regardless, heres what I've got guys......

C- Blake Countess- 5ft10 180lbs (Rjr)

C- Raymon Taylor- 5ft10 184lbs (Sr)

SS- Jarod Wilson- 6ft2 205lbs (Jr)

FS- Dymonte Thomas- 6ft2 193lbs (So) 

Nickel- Jabril Peppers- 6ft1 205 (Fr)

OLB- Joe Bolden- 6ft3 231 (Jr)

MLB- Jake MF Ryan- 6ft3 236lbs (Rsr)

SAM- Royce Jenkins Stone- 6ft2 234lbs (Jr)/ James Ross III- 6ft1 227lbs (Jr)   Torn.....

SDE- Taco Charlton-6ft6 276lbs (So)

WDE- Frank Clark- 6ft2 277lbs (Sr)

DT- Chris Wormley- 6ft4 295 (Rso)

DT- Ondre Pipkins- 6ft3 306lbs (Jr)

 

Average size for Secondary= 6ft+ /193lbs

Average size for "Backers"= 6ft3 / 234lbs

Average size for DLine= 6ft4/ 289lbs

Average * rating for Defense= 3.92

Average years in program= 2  

*Safety is the weakest link.  Peppers can slide to safety and Hill and Clark can be of service there as well. 

*Jourdan Lewis will push at both corner spots and Stribling/ TR3 should contribute.

* We have a slew of 4 star LBs on the bench (4) plus D. Morgan.

* We have 5 Four star D-Lineman on the bench not including Godin/Hurst/Henry.

* This Michigan defense is deep and talented.  Fatigue should not be an issue.  We have more NFL talent on this defense than we have had in 8 years.  Time to get after peoples' ass.

*Charlton/Bolden/Jenkins-Stone/Clark can all run well from what I've gathered which alleviates much of my concern with team speed.  Our secondary should be just fine in that dept. 

With Ohio's Oline issues I don't see an offense that we can't matchup with. 

 

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Sopwith

August 7th, 2014 at 12:52 PM ^

...with Taylor on the other side and Countess at NB.  It's been absolutely unwavering all summer.  The chatter has been that Countess just isn't well suited to the more physical press, turn-and-run schemes we're going to see more of this year, and Lewis was superb in spring.  It seemed ludicrous when I first read it but they've almost got me convinced at this point... will be interesting to follow.

Joined: 06/29/2010

MGoPoints: 61095

ca_prophet

August 7th, 2014 at 2:57 PM ^

Overall, our CBs and LBs look deep and talented, and I trust Mattison to get the most out of them. I worry about the non-Wilson safety spot and hope that Thomas can lock it down. I don't know who our CB/NB will be by The Game, but I have confidence they'll be good. Even Lewis/Stribling/Countess would be better than most teams have. Same with our LBs - at worst Morgan/Bolden/Ross would be solid, to say nothing of JMFR and Gedeon. However, having all that talent won't help if they have to beat multiple blocks to get to the ball because we can't control the line of scrimmage. (It's a bit like the two generals meeting in the opposing capital and asking who won the air war - if you don't own the line you'll lose.). If Clark and Henry can build on last year, if Pipkins can come back where he left off, if Wormley and Taco can keep developing, if Hurst can require doubles ... There's a lot of IFs there, and not all will go our way.

Joined: 09/07/2010

MGoPoints: 7052