Open practice reaction thread
It won't be over for a few hours still, but I figured I may as well start this thread now. I'm there currently. It's tough to take much from a practice like this, but I can give an impression of the depth chart. Sorry for the disorganization.
Rudock at QB, Smith at RB, Harris/Perry/Chesson at WR (haven't seen much Darboh now that I think of it). Line is as it was reported previously. LBs were solidly Ross/Bolden/Morgan (now wearing #3), and CBs saw a lot of LewisClark (thanks Qmatic), Stribling, and a couple others. Hill and Wilson played with the 1s at S, and of course Jabril played every snap. Butt obviously started at TE. Isaac was first off the bench at RB, Morris at QB. I'll try to update with further impressions as possible. I'd love to see other attendees corroborate the above, and add more details. They came down on phones pretty hard so this is all from memory.
August 22nd, 2015 at 10:48 PM ^
Wait, are you saying Dawson and Bars were on the 1st team OL? Were Magnuson and Braden out? With the 2s?
August 22nd, 2015 at 10:53 PM ^
August 22nd, 2015 at 11:00 PM ^
Cole-Braden-Glasgow-Kalis-Mags...that's been decided.
If anyone reports anything differently, it's likely a mistake or someone was out and a little dinged up.
I feel comfortable knowing our starting QB, TE, OL...we know Glasgow, Henry, Morgan, Bolden, Peppers and Lewis are starting on defense and it sounds like Hill has entered that group.
I feel comfortable putting Darboh as a starting WR when he's healthy and Perry is the only healthy slot we have at the moment.
No one has said anything about FB, but I'll assume Kerridge.
So that leaves Chesson vs. Harris and the RBs for the offense.
On defense. It sounds like it's Ojemudia, but it all depends on the front. Same with Whether or not Ross starts.
Then the #2 CB spot and the other DB spot are still up in the air.
For the most part, I think we know who's playing. Let's just stay healthy and get better!
August 22nd, 2015 at 11:19 PM ^
I have to think Wilson is going to get the other safety spot. Assuming a 4-2-5 base, I think Lewis, Wilson, Hill, and Peppers are set at corner, safeties, and wherever the hell he wants, respectively. My question would be the other corner. Sounds like Lyons is with the 2s behind Stribling and Clark. I heard Stribling was beat by Harris on that 4th-down TD. So maybe Clark at the other corner? Got to say having Lewis and Clark at the corners would be the best name event in the Michigan D since we had Sword, Swett, Huff, Irons, Gold, and Steele all on the field at the same time.
Surprise to me is on the DL tonight. Did not expect Godin's name to pop up like that. Godin and Glasgow, Henry and Ojemudia, I guess, with a lot of Hurst, Wormley, Taco, and RJS rotating in.
August 23rd, 2015 at 2:23 AM ^
Did we ever actually have Sword, Swett, Huff, Irons, Gold and Steele on the field at the same time outside of practice? Irons was a senior when Gold was a true frosh, and that's four listed LBs. So odds are no. Just saying. Also, didn't Huff have an injury issue and miss some time?
August 23rd, 2015 at 11:33 AM ^
Also, Gold played tailback his freshman year. He switched to LB in '97.
August 23rd, 2015 at 6:55 AM ^
I started noting players numbers on my phone then was chastised by staff. The line nos.I wrote down after I borrowed a pen were for the first drive going north for Rudock when they subbed out Morris 's whole squad that was driving south. Sorry for the confusion. Pictures or it didn't happen---right? Seriously it was like doing undercover ops - a few students were sent packing to the exits for being warned and still using there phones..
August 23rd, 2015 at 12:44 AM ^
I think the first TD was caught by Drake Harris.
August 22nd, 2015 at 10:15 PM ^
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August 22nd, 2015 at 10:27 PM ^
Rudddock.
August 23rd, 2015 at 5:32 AM ^
Our QB is the man.
/s
August 23rd, 2015 at 5:52 AM ^
Maxxxx Williams
August 22nd, 2015 at 10:17 PM ^
1) Ruddock is #1 and it's not even close
2) Butt is our top target, excellent hands.
3) The Grant Perry hype is real, the kid just is able to get seperation
4) Harris ran an excellent route on the TD pass that was thrown to him
5) (I still want to see longer throws - most of the throws were short. I know the guys want to limit the turnovers, but we need to open it up more over the top)
6) Impossible to tell what the running game is like, could be marginally better in that we are at least picking up a couple yards vs. the scrimmage last year where we gained next to nothing
7) DBs looked solid
The game against Utah will be very revealing. Win that, and this could be a 9-3/10-2 team.
August 22nd, 2015 at 10:35 PM ^
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August 23rd, 2015 at 12:22 AM ^
August 22nd, 2015 at 10:35 PM ^
Hadn't heard that a lot lately <s>
In all honesty, thanks for taking the time to post this.
August 22nd, 2015 at 10:20 PM ^
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August 22nd, 2015 at 10:23 PM ^
Okay, sorry for the hour long hiatus. I just arrived home from Ann Arbor. I actually just moved from Ann Arbor to the Shores last week since I just graduated with my masters (yay for the MCard still being valid). To save the time of reading through the whole thread here are some takeaways.
Offense: Very vanilla play calling. Mostly split time between the first and second teams, with the third team lead by Speight receiving one series.
QB: Rudock ran with the 1's and was noticabley better than Morris. He didn't foce anything downfield, and actually tucked it and had a nice scramble. Morris threw a couple nice deep balls that were a little out of reach of his recievers, but as a whole he looked kind of down on himself the whole time (especially on the first series where he threw a poor past behind his receiver on 3rd down).
RB: Tough to see any real seperation. Mostly dives and iso runs all day with Smith getting the start and Isaac spelling him with the 1's. Green ran with the second team, and Johnson did not get any carries in live action
WR: Drake Harris looked like the best receiver out there. He still is quite slim, but he could really be a difference maker this year. Perry started in the slot, and Chesson also started. Darboh did not dress. We need someone to step up this year, because there were several times none of them were able to get open.
TE: Jake Butt has All B1G written all over him. I was interested to see that Poggi ran a little with the 1's and HIll didn't see the field much.
OL: No surprises here. Kugler did not dress and was on crutches
Defesne: They played well for the most part. Almost exclusively played a 4-2-5 with Wilson and HIll as the safeites and Peppers at Buck.
DL: Glasgow and Godin started in the middle which was a little surprising, and Henry and Ojemudia started at ends. Wormley, Hurst, and Taco subbed in at the DL. I was surprised that Lawrence Marshall didn't see the field until the 3rd team D hit the field.
LB: Morgan and Bolden out there for the majority with Ross spelling them. Gedeon and RJS saw some time too, with RJS being in mostly as a rush end.
CB: Stribling and Clark started at corner and Lewis was hurt. Lyons saw time only with the second team and also played a little safety as well.
S: Hill and Wilson were out there as the 2 deep safeties with Peppers playing a hybrid
Special Teams: Kenny Allen was kicking with the 1's.
Overall: Like I said, very vanilla play calling on both sides. I was surprised to see Godin and Glasgow at tackles and also surprised that Lyons was only running with the 2's. Cole and Canteen are a couple offensive players who did not participate in the scrimmage. Defense should be stout this year. Offense still remains to be seen. Rudock appears to have a grasp on the starting QB position, and once Darboh gets back into the mix I think him and Drake could make for a decent pair on the outside. We're going to need our OL and backs to step up, and expect for a lot of Jake Butt this year. It was a fun time to be back in the Big House, and the practice was capped off with the fans and the team singing The Victors.
August 22nd, 2015 at 10:31 PM ^
Buck is LB/WDE...
Peppers was at Nickel or sometimes you hear it referred to as the "Star" spot. He had to either be playing a CB/S hybrid or a S/LB hybrid spot. I doubt he was a rush end.
August 22nd, 2015 at 10:32 PM ^
August 22nd, 2015 at 10:34 PM ^
He can press the slot, blitz, provide run support AND cover from that position.
I can't wait to see him in action versus Utah.
August 22nd, 2015 at 11:20 PM ^
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August 22nd, 2015 at 10:26 PM ^
August 22nd, 2015 at 10:28 PM ^
Rudock is the starter...very interesting to read the reactions because Morris had so much blind support on this board.
Many folks excited about Harris and Perry...Dukes, Ways, Jones have fallen off the face of the earth it seems.
Butt is the best WR.
OL is set.
I'd like to hear more about the WDE spot...is it the Buck LB (Ojemudia/Marshall/RJS) or is it Charlton?
LB is set (rotation)
DB is set (rotation)
We very well could see a 4-2-5 along with the 4-3 and 3-4. We'll be multiple indeed.
August 22nd, 2015 at 10:53 PM ^
I definitely noticed Mo Ways on a couple of plays - I think he was playing with the 2s. But yeah, I didn't see anything from Dukes or Jones.
I wasn't paying too much attention to WDE/Buck, but I noticed on at least one play Willie Henry was on the end. Seemed weird.
August 22nd, 2015 at 10:54 PM ^
With Godin and Glasgow at the tackle spots...it's been reported he, Wormley and Hurst have gotten some reps at SDE with Wormley making that his primary position.
As for Ways, that's good to hear because he had some summer type hype. I haven't heard anything from Dukes since he signed and Jones wasted a redshirt year on special teams I believe...not sure.
August 23rd, 2015 at 2:55 AM ^
August 23rd, 2015 at 3:12 AM ^
*sigh* imagine this team with Laquan Treadwell…Dollar dollar bill y'all?
August 22nd, 2015 at 11:19 PM ^
August 23rd, 2015 at 12:24 AM ^
Morris was objectively the #1 QB after spring and the reports were that he was ahead of Rudock at the start of fall camp. He has all the physical talents you could want. Hoping that the kid beat out Rudock is far from "blind support."
August 23rd, 2015 at 1:40 AM ^
August 23rd, 2015 at 10:11 AM ^
I really do hope Morris is successful and I think it would be better for the team if he won the job this year. With that said, has he ever played good football? He hovered around 50% completion during high school and threw a lot of picks. It seems like he got his fifth star because of camp performances and arm strength, not because of actual football.
August 23rd, 2015 at 1:55 AM ^
If you weren't at the practice tonight, don't try to disprove the opinions of those of us who were.
Shane looks miles behind Jake at this point. If he wasn't, why would Harbaugh not give him ONE single snap with the 1s?
August 23rd, 2015 at 3:37 AM ^
Neither this nor Dawkins' post are actual responses to mine, so I'm not sure what to say. Both of you have responded to posts that don't exist.
August 23rd, 2015 at 10:49 AM ^
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August 23rd, 2015 at 10:48 AM ^
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August 22nd, 2015 at 10:43 PM ^
rudock seemed like the clear starter, he connected on a few long(20yd) passes, shane didn't seem to do shit. still no running game (that i could see), drake harris looked sharp, jack wangler had an incredible catch, jehu and the rest of the receivers seemed ok. couldn't tell with the lines, seemed ok. didn't notice peppers' don't know if that's a good or bad thing. etc
August 23rd, 2015 at 12:52 AM ^
How did you manage to not notice Peppers ? He was flying around out there, as if he was at game speed when others were not 100%.
August 23rd, 2015 at 1:47 AM ^
August 24th, 2015 at 1:10 PM ^
I mean he didn't seem to make any big plays. You're right- he was all over the place and extremely fast.
August 22nd, 2015 at 10:34 PM ^
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August 22nd, 2015 at 10:35 PM ^
I'm not going to work on Sept. 3rd...
Fuck it. I'm putting it on my calendar right now.
I'm probably doing them all a favor anyway...
August 22nd, 2015 at 10:36 PM ^
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August 22nd, 2015 at 10:38 PM ^
I'll take both.
BOOM.
(And I understand...because at least at work I'd be distracted. Maybe I'll do a 8-noon half day Thursday and then a 1-5 half day Friday? That sounds like a fair compromise.)
August 22nd, 2015 at 11:21 PM ^
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August 22nd, 2015 at 10:37 PM ^
Now that we've identified our starting QB all in one night.
Let's go ahead and agree his name is Jake Rudock. One 'D', not two.
I know, I know..."that's what she said." You perverted SOBs.
August 22nd, 2015 at 10:41 PM ^
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August 22nd, 2015 at 11:21 PM ^
Or a running back named Webbber.