Practice "teams" from first two-a-day
From the Department of I Should Be Doing Work:
I couldn't resist poring over today's "Countdown to Kickoff" video to see who was practicing with who. I'm not saying anything about anything, but these are the discernible players, with position, on offense and defense from each sequence in the video (in some cases, a generic position like "OL" is indicated when it's not clear where the player lined up):
SEQUENCE 1
Offense: QB Devin Gardner, RG Quinton Washington, C Elliot Mealer, TE Brandon Moore
Defense: DE Steve Watson, LB Obi Ezeh, LB Mike Jones, S Jared Van Slyke, S Ray Vinopal, CB Cullen Christian
SEQUENCE 2
Offense: QB Denard Robinson, LG Steve Schilling, C Rocko Khoury, RT Perry Dorrestein
Defense: DT Greg Banks, DT Mike Martin, DE Ryan Van Bergen, LB Kenny Demens, S Jordan Kovacs, S Thomas Gordon, S Cameron Gordon, CB J.T. Floyd
SEQUENCE 3
Offense: QB Denard Robinson, C Patrick Omameh, LG Steve Schilling, RB Fitzgerald Toussaint
Defense: DE Ryan Van Bergen, LB Craig Roh, CB Troy Woolfolk
SEQUENCE 4
Offense: QB Devin Gardner, C Elliot Mealer, RG Quinton Washington, RT Michael Schofield, WR Junior Hemmingway, WR Drew Dileo
Defense: DT Renaldo Sagesse, LB Mike Jones, S Ray Vinopal, CB Terrance Talbott
SEQUENCE 5
Offense: QB Denard Robinson, C Patrick Omameh, WR Roy Rountree
Defense: DE Ryan Van Bergen, S Floyd Simmons, S Jordan Kovacs, CB Troy Woolfolk
SEQUENCE 6
Offense: QB Devin Gardner, LT Michael Scofield, C Elliot Mealer, OL Quinton Washington, OL Ricky Barnum, WR Je’Ron Stokes, WR Kelvin Grady
Defense: DE Adam Patterson, LB Kevin Leach, S Vladimir Emilien
SEQUENCE 7
Offense: QB Devin Gardner, RB Vincent Smith, WR Kelvin Grady, WR Drew Dileo, WR Junior Hemmingway, OL Michael Schofield, OL Elliot Mealer
Defense: LB J.B. Fitzgerald, S Jared Van Slyke, S Michael Williams, S Zac Johnson, CB Teric Jones
SEQUENCE 8
Offense: QB Denard Robinson, RB Fitzgerald Toussaint, OL Patrick Omameh, OL Perry Dorrestein, WR Roy Roundtree,
Defense: DT Mike Martin, DT Greg Banks, DE Ryan Van Bergen, LB Jonas Mouton, S Jordan Kovacs, S Thomas Gordon, S Cameron Gordon
Taking all of the sequences together, the two "teams" that seemed to be on field together were (backslashes aren't meant to suppose hiearchy, simply whoever was shown first versus second at that position in the clip):
TEAM "DEVIN"
QB Devin Gardner
RB Vincent Smith
OL Michael Scofield
OL Ricky Barnum
OL Elliot Mealer
OL Quinton Washington
TE Brandon Moore
WR Je’Ron Stokes
WR Kelvin Grady/Drew Dileo
WR Junior Hemmingway
DT Renaldo Sagesse
DT Adam Patterson
DE Steve Watson
LB Mike Jones
LB Obi Ezeh/Kevin Leach
LB J.B. Fitzgerald
S Jared Van Slyke/Zac Johnson
S Ray Vinopal/Michael Williams
S Vladamir Emilien
CB Cullen Christian/Teric Jones
CB Terrance Talbott
TEAM "DENARD"
QB Denard Robinson
RB Fitzgerald Toussaint
OL Perry Dorrestein
OL Patrick Omameh
OL Rocko Khoury
OL Steve Schilling
WR Roy Roundtree
DT Mike Martin
DT Greg Banks
DE Ryan Van Bergen
LB Jonas Mouton
LB Kenny Demens
LB Craig Roh
S Jordan Kovacs
S Thomas Gordon/Floyd Simmons
S Cameron Gordon
CB Troy Woolfolk
CB J.T. Floyd
Take it for what you will. It may be telling (YTT). It may just be the first two-a-day practice. There may be players conspicuously missing. But 'tis the season to overanalyze!
August 16th, 2010 at 11:48 AM ^
+1 for the blatant wasting of your employer's time and money!
I'm going to throw this out there to cause an MGoMeltdown: Is Tate now third string?
August 16th, 2010 at 1:57 PM ^
I have a feeling that they just didn't show any footage of him. Everyone is so ga-ga over the new Denard and the frosh Devin so I think that's why all the QB footage is of them. I really think Tate will be the starter.
August 16th, 2010 at 11:40 AM ^
But I wouldn't read too much from it. You're missing a lot of guys that are expected to start/back up. Lewan, Molk, Campbell and more. Looks like a good start, though.
August 16th, 2010 at 12:26 PM ^
My first thought was "Oh Shit, no Molk" ...
August 16th, 2010 at 12:36 PM ^
Probably just wasn't captured on film. Khoury was the only center who could be identified with Denard's team, though. Could've merely stepped in for Molk for a snap or two. I don't think Molk's job is in question at all; I just hope to God he's healthy for the duration of the season.
August 16th, 2010 at 1:19 PM ^
Me as well - thus the momentary panic
August 16th, 2010 at 11:47 AM ^
Looks to me like an approximate first and second team, actually, with "Team Denard" being the first team. I think it's worth reading into. Missing players like Molk probably just mean the camera never saw them.
But if I'm right, Obi Ezeh running with the second team is a surprise.
August 16th, 2010 at 11:56 AM ^
I thought Demens running with a lot of the purported starters was the most interesting tidbit from the video. Obi was running with Vinopal et al. (not that there's anything wrong with Vinopal).
Toussaint looked tough against our big guns on D.
August 16th, 2010 at 1:41 PM ^
FormerWolv said the other day that he thinks Moundros will start at MLB. He said that was a good thing about Moundros and not bad about Ezeh, but putting everything together probably means that Ezeh has lost his starting spot.
August 16th, 2010 at 11:58 AM ^
This is all very... telling.
August 16th, 2010 at 2:06 PM ^
telling me.
August 16th, 2010 at 12:04 PM ^
Thanks for breaking this down Zapruder style. You just opened up my lunch hour for me!
August 16th, 2010 at 12:33 PM ^
I'll repeat... back... and to the left.
August 16th, 2010 at 1:16 PM ^
Bio-Dome? lol.. if that is what you're quoting..
August 16th, 2010 at 1:22 PM ^
One of the most quoted and parodied lines of all time, and the place you know it from is "Bio-dome"? Can we watch Son-in-Law later?
August 16th, 2010 at 12:16 PM ^
2 pretty good offensive teams
Tate was out for most of the second practice it seems. Early on BTN tweeted that all 3 looked good, later only talked about Denard and DG (adding that Tate was out)
I'll one up the "Tate is 3rd narrative": how soon before people start saying DG is the starter? "He's passed Denard!!"
I know we have 1 good quarterback who can be great if he works. I think we have another who can be special. Too good to be true if we have a 3rd
August 16th, 2010 at 12:42 PM ^
Let just say for the sake of discussion Tate is "banged up" (during the day on Friday?) or ill (kevin_blue suggested a mono rumor the other day). I am assuming red shirt means not practicing, golden maize means QB no contact, and green means limited contacted. (Who is the receiver in the day 19 video with a green jersey who gets tackled? I was guessing Vincent Smith, and thinking "don't hurt him!)
Anyway, if this serves as an opportunity for Devin to get a lot of snaps, so much the better. Remember (I don't, not me) going into the OSU game in 2008 with Threet out, and Sheridan not 100% and thinking (insert French car horn sounds) Feagin?!?!?
It would be nice not to burn his redshirt sure. However, Devin is clearly talented, fast, and from interviews he sounds smart. I for one am glad we'll have him fairly ready to step in if we need him.
August 16th, 2010 at 1:32 PM ^
Feagin would have been fun to watch if he could throw, and conducted himself off the field in a way that made me like him. Basically, Feagin would have been fun to watch if he was Denard Robinson.
As it was, I shared your concern.
August 16th, 2010 at 1:40 PM ^
Second defensive team makes me pee in my boxers a little bit, though. Just a little bit.
August 16th, 2010 at 12:23 PM ^
this looks like a very realistic starting defense...and the Offense is probably not far off as well...as a fellow Michigan football addict, thanks for the fix.
August 16th, 2010 at 12:32 PM ^
I'm excited to see the Gordons and Toussaint. The DG team has a scary secondary-no upperclassmen and, even worse, no experience.
August 16th, 2010 at 12:54 PM ^
Interesting that Will Campbell wasn't part of those two D squads either. I was hoping that he would have claimed, or at least pushing for, the starting spot beside Mike Martin in the first team defense by now.
August 16th, 2010 at 1:22 PM ^
He was too handsome to put on the video ... might distract from actual football viewing
August 16th, 2010 at 2:28 PM ^
Considering Martin is the likely starter at NT, having a 333 lb. 3-tech DT is highly unlikely.
August 16th, 2010 at 6:17 PM ^
there is a lot 1st & 2nd string guys missing from this video