Mike Sainristil, Meritocracy, and #speedinspace
I was reading Touch the Banner - where I find the commentary to be excellent - and noted that Magnus has written a few times about this now - where is Mikey Sainristil? MGoBlog itself had annointed him as a starter before the season but I'm not sure I've ever actually seen him on the field and according to Magnus he has zero catches (and potentially zero balls thrown at him).
I wanted to pose the question I asked Magnus over at TTB here on this forum too and see what others think.
What Magnus wrote:
"Let’s see more of this guy on offense . . . Mike Sainristil. Michigan offensive coordinator Josh Gattis promised Michigan fans #speedinspace when he was hired. During the spring and then the summer, Jim Harbaugh said Sainristil was the starter at the H receiver position. We’re three games into the 2019 season, and the supposedly healthy Sainristil has yet to touch the ball even once. Not on jet sweeps. Not on screens. Not on kick returns or punt returns. Not on downfield shots.
Let’s see less of this guy on offense . . . Nick Eubanks. Or Luke Schoonmaker. Or any second tight end. Eubanks isn’t speedy in space, and neither is Schoonmaker. Michigan threw the ball to Eubanks on an arrow route, which is somewhat similar to a bubble. Why isn’t that throw going to someone who is actually fast?"
My question:
"Magnus – very curious on your comments on Sainristil. Does his omission from the games indicate to you that perhaps Josh Gattis is NOT in full control of the offense and that at the end of the day Harbaugh is making personnel decisions? I can’t imagine that Gattis wouldn’t want to get Sainristil on the field, especially since he seemed to have a big roll in all of spring and fall. *Added note: Gattis even highlighted Sainristil on his Twitter a few times.*
Separately, are we really a meritocracy or is there significant player loyalty being deployed by the coaches? For example, Sainristil is a true freshmen but Eubanks is a much older player who has paid his dues and so they are playing him? Perhaps this has something to do with the rumored locker room issues / the lack of dynamism throughout this offensive transition.
It seems to me what we are seeing on the field is different than what we’ve seen in spring practice."
September 23rd, 2019 at 9:25 AM ^
Just wanted to also add a link to Magnus' entire post.
https://touch-the-banner.com/michigan-vs-wisconsin-awards-5/#comment-56278
September 23rd, 2019 at 9:33 AM ^
BRENT VENABLES.
He's the best defensive mind in college football today. Seems to be the only DC in college football capable of stopping Elite modern offenses (i.e. in CFP formats).
Only 48 yrs old. Has been the #2 man at top-5 programs (Oklahoma/Clemson) for the past 20 yrs (since he was 28 yrs old). An excellent recruiter -- Rivals' 2016 National Recruiter of the year.
Knows how it's done at a top program. Has enough experience to be ready 3 or 4 times over. No black marks, violations, accusations in his history. Could probably bring one of Clemson's co-OC's with him (Tony Elliott--the more proven offensive mind *or* Jeff Scott--the elite recruiter).
Dabo, Kirby Smart, Lincoln Riley, Ryan Day -- 4 of the coaches at top-5 programs in the country assumed their current positions with no prior HC'ing experience.
The answer is clear. I personally think he's the next Nick Saban.
September 23rd, 2019 at 9:36 AM ^
I don't think Venables (or anyone for that matter) will be as good as Saban, but I agree with you. I'd love to see him come to Michigan but knowing our luck we're going to hang onto Harbaugh for another year or two and by the time we're ready to move on Florida State or some other struggling program will have snatched him up.
September 23rd, 2019 at 9:36 AM ^
*double post whoops*
September 23rd, 2019 at 9:39 AM ^
Why isn't he a head coach already then? Sounds like he should be.
September 23rd, 2019 at 9:40 AM ^
He turned jobs down this last cycle to stay on at Clemson
September 23rd, 2019 at 9:45 AM ^
I actually thought I heard him say on Game Day, that he is completely content being a defensive coordinator
September 23rd, 2019 at 10:10 AM ^
Is he supposed to say that he wants to leave lol? Maybe he just read Bo’s Lasting Lessons and giving the Correct response.
September 23rd, 2019 at 11:39 AM ^
We must hire him now if he read Bo's Lasting Lesson. Now he is a Michigan Man
September 23rd, 2019 at 10:12 AM ^
Well then we should hire him for that job, because ours sucks now.
September 23rd, 2019 at 10:11 AM ^
I don’t believe that’s true. He actually went on record saying he’d be interested in the Texas Tech job should it be offered.
(meant to reply to the post above the one I did here—sorry)
September 23rd, 2019 at 10:14 AM ^
He gets paid more than half the power-5 HC’s right now... waiting for a really big job seems smart to me.
September 23rd, 2019 at 9:43 AM ^
Venables is coaching without a salary cap. I don't trust anyone's coaching ability when they're paying guys and coaching in a league with a wide talent disparity.
September 23rd, 2019 at 10:08 AM ^
Seems to do wonderful against equal competition in CFP games every post-season...
September 23rd, 2019 at 9:45 AM ^
Let’s stop with the copy and paste please?
September 23rd, 2019 at 10:09 AM ^
Apologies. But I really want this guy’s name being talked about when the heat turns up. I rarely rarely post... but I love Michigan football as much as anything... and I only see one actual solution out there... and I don’t feel he’s being talked about 2% as much as he should be.
September 23rd, 2019 at 1:01 PM ^
You should move on, Larry. Harbaugh isn’t going anywhere.
Venables has no connection to the region , no HC experience, and has explicitly stated he is content as a DC. He has had multiple HC offers.
You are a poorly informed poster both from Michigan and general college football perspective. Do better.
September 23rd, 2019 at 6:18 PM ^
Walter tell Larry what happens......
September 23rd, 2019 at 9:36 AM ^
He's playing behind our most productive receiver right now.
September 23rd, 2019 at 10:17 AM ^
He's not playing, period.
I'm not looking for Sainristil to replace Bell. I'm looking for fast guys to replace slow guys. Eubanks isn't anything special as a blocker, nor as a YAC guy, so get some guys who can actually spread the field.
If you can't block up front, at least spread the field. This is something that Rich Rodriguez understood, but so far Gattis has not figured it out. Unfortunately, Rodriguez never had a quarterback who could take advantage of those things in the passing game. Maybe Gattis doesn't, either.
September 23rd, 2019 at 10:25 AM ^
Magnus, in your opinion, is Gattis calling the plays, or is it Gattis with harbaugh approval. I think the play they had to call time out after the big Ronnie Bell catch was the biggest indication thus far that Gattis calls a play, and Harbaugh has to approve it. The following play with Mason just cemented that thought for me.
September 23rd, 2019 at 11:11 AM ^
No, I think Gattis is calling the plays. I think that's why Harbaugh looked so pissed on the sideline. He had the look of somebody who was ready to explode because the people below him weren't doing their jobs correctly.
I think we might be on the verge of the reins being taken away from Gattis, but as of last Saturday, I don't think that has happened yet.
September 23rd, 2019 at 11:21 AM ^
I agree that Gattis is calling the plays. If JH is doing it Gattis would have to be leaking it by now. No way he would be sitting back and taking the blame for this shit show if it wasn’t him.
September 23rd, 2019 at 11:43 AM ^
So... you think maybe Harbaugh's statement that they were outcoached is more 3rd person than 1st person--i.e. he is pissed at the performance of DB and JG and those under them?
September 23rd, 2019 at 6:56 PM ^
Take them away, get Gattis out of here. BIG swing and a miss
September 24th, 2019 at 11:57 PM ^
Hey, I'm all for taking them away from Gattis, and for letting him go.
September 23rd, 2019 at 10:35 AM ^
You could have actual NFL receivers out there and it won't do a damn bit of good because Patterson can't see them.
Maybe he needs lazik?
September 23rd, 2019 at 11:09 AM ^
I mean, he's throwing the ball to Eubanks. Just put someone fast in Eubanks's spot, and good things might happen.
September 23rd, 2019 at 11:55 AM ^
If the receiver is too fast, Shea is at risk of underthrowing the ball.
September 23rd, 2019 at 9:37 AM ^
There is no meritocracy, its just some catch phrase he uses. There is no reason why every other team in the country play freshmen in key positions and we wont. They are always "not ready". Skill positions would be the best area for someone to play early. Giles Jackson catching punts against MTSU and almost broke a few...against Wisconsin, we have Bell back there. It's the Bo lineage, Carr and Hoke did the same thing.
September 23rd, 2019 at 10:46 AM ^
Yep, this is a bullshit Michigan narrative that gets used and repeated all of the time here. For some reason UM is the only school where freshman O and D lineman “need a couple of years in the weight room” and WR’s need more time with the playbook, etc. Is that the case for some, 100%, but it is almost always the case for Michigan freshman. If one of the highly rated freshman D lineman can’t find the field when Michigan is starting a fullback and using an undersized linebacker on the line, there is a huge fucking problem somewhere.
September 23rd, 2019 at 10:58 AM ^
They threw to him a couple of times against MTSU and he dropped two of them. He played against Army but they barely threw the ball in that game. He made the trip to Wisconsin and Milton threw to him once. Who amongst the starting-ish players does he replace? I'm sure they wish they could get him more involved but you do have to perform at a spot like that. And Jackson has been returning kicks against Army and MTSU (no punt AFAIK). And honestly, Bell has been a solid returner and receivers.
September 23rd, 2019 at 11:04 AM ^
Magnus's point (I believe) was not that he would replace an existing receiver, but that he would replace someone like the 2nd tight end.
That's certainly the premise of my question.
September 23rd, 2019 at 11:12 AM ^
Correct.
September 23rd, 2019 at 2:50 PM ^
I guess my counter to that is it appears the coaches feel like they need the extra blocking and like McKeon and Eubanks more. But with McKeon possibly out, it'll be interesting to see if they make the change.
September 23rd, 2019 at 9:40 AM ^
Of all the issues, WR doesn't seem to be one. I've seen multiple videos of open WRs and our QB either not throwing the ball to them or overthrowing them.
September 23rd, 2019 at 9:44 AM ^
That is my take. It is the quarterback as much as the receivers. Accuracy would help.
September 23rd, 2019 at 9:58 AM ^
I expect Dylan to be out for a few weeks due to concussion. If DM was healthy, he'd be the starter.
September 23rd, 2019 at 11:14 AM ^
People keep saying this, but Dylan McCaffrey is not good in the passing game right now. I would be glad to be wrong, but this is a case of the grass not always being greener on the other side of the fence.
September 23rd, 2019 at 11:33 AM ^
IIRC he took one deep shot vs. Wisconsin, overthrew his WR by 10+ yards almost resulting in an INT. He isn't the answer over Shea, imo.
September 23rd, 2019 at 11:45 AM ^
Then my question is why? Why isn't one of them good? I mean we lived through Speight & JOK in year three, and why is it happening again? Harbs was great with Ruddock and Speight in his first year. I don't understand why not the past three years? Is it a change in Offense, misjudged talent? The Oline? I mean wow...
September 23rd, 2019 at 12:01 PM ^
It's the offense we are running. Year 1-2 and somewhat year 3 was Harbaugh's offense i.e. man ball. Harbaugh knows how to teach that and was probably more involved with the QBs
September 23rd, 2019 at 9:42 AM ^
Meritocracy is mostly BS in my opinion.
September 23rd, 2019 at 9:43 AM ^
THE QB CANNOT SEE GUYS THAT ARE WIDE OPEN.
When you watch other teams hit wide opens guys i think to myself...why can't Michigan do that? I go to the game in Madison and i see receivers wide open but the ball doesn't get thrown to them.
Edit: I also realize that sometimes the pocket may be collapsing or other things are going on during the play. It happens way to often to be overlooked.
September 23rd, 2019 at 11:13 AM ^
I agree Patterson has missed open guys, but I also have noticed he's under duress much sooner than last year. So that when there are guys open, he's already bugged out. It's a holistic problem.
September 23rd, 2019 at 10:00 AM ^
The lack of the freshmen receivers on the field is exhibit A that this is still JH and not Gattis.
Exhibit B is Charbonnet getting 33 carries against Army.
Exhibit C is the fact that last week someone walked down to the DL meeting room, grabbed Ben Mason out of there and walked him into the RB meeting room.
Exhibit D is the near constant 2 TE formations. It’s still 2 TEs even if you line one up in the slot.
You people wanting to dump Gattis are idiots. He’s obviously not being allowed to do his job.
September 23rd, 2019 at 10:38 AM ^
He has never run an offense or called plays before. I'd rather he have to ride the bike with training wheels this season.
If Harbaugh is still running the offense, why have we ditched everything that worked last year? Where the fuck is our run game? Every single play out of the gun?
Does that sound like Harbaugh?
September 23rd, 2019 at 10:50 AM ^
Agree. If they decided to let Gattis pick the formations and have Harbaugh call the plays, everyone should be fired immediately.
September 23rd, 2019 at 11:00 AM ^
The run game, as reported in UFR's, is still based on the same plays we ran last year. And that wasn't anyone's complaint last year. The complaints were the passing game - and that is still the complaint this year. Look at what Bama and PSU ran when Gattis was there - maybe 1 TE on some plays, with lots of slot receivers. Here, he runs 2 TE's exclusively, no 'real' slot rec's, runs the ball 33 times into a stacked front 8 (incl 12 times in a row), and has the internal power to pull a DT away from Don Brown.
I don't think Harbaugh has taken over complete control, but I do think he has inserted himself too far into the process/scheme. The result is an uncoordinated mess of an offense.
He needs to either take it over completely, or get the hell away from it.
September 23rd, 2019 at 12:02 PM ^
While the running plays are based on last year IIRC we switched to IZ from OZ? Maybe I’m off base but that does have an impact on the OL’s technique