Recruiting Strategy Post OSU game - linebackers

Submitted by mtzlblk on

So we all watched the game yesterday and yes, it sucked. However, looking at it as objectively as I can, I think we learned more about where M is at as a team than in any other game this season. Previous games, win or lose, all pointed out weaknesses in scheme or personnel that could, to varying degrees, be addressed on a week-to-week basis through tactical adjustments or player rotation to yield better short term results. I think the coaches did a stellar job doing what they could with what they had to work with and I think the players also put it all out there. Their combined efforts have completely turned the program around and we are headed in the right direction, though clearly with some distance to go.

The OSU game was a perfect storm of going up against a team that has aimed at and achieved a program that competes on a national level year in and year out and playing them while they were firing on all cylinders. In short, we don't quite have the horses to run with them just yet.

On the topic of horses then, one thing that has been discussed as a position of weakness most of the season is linebacker and at no time was this more apparent than yesterday, however it doesn't seem like the current recruiting strategy is focusing adequately on this as a position of need. I very much agree with the assertion of many that when at full strength and against certain run schemes our DL was able to cover for a linebacker corps that is ill suited for the task at hand and it seems like there is no help in sight, either as younger players currently on the team or commits, or even as targets for recruiting.  

I'm not a recruitnik,  but I kind of follow it and it seems like this could be an issue over the next 3 years at least. I see tons of recruiting focus on offense at QB, running back and the line and rightfully so, but on defense there is a focus on DBs and DL which appear to be in relatively good shape and a paucity of options at LB. 

Are they counting on converting some of the ATH recruits? Is LB something that doesn't necessarily get specialized in high school and is a position that you evolve into in college? Am I missing something in our current recruiting?

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Templeton Peck…

November 29th, 2015 at 1:38 PM ^

... I would predict that a few of the young fellas coming to UM who were recruited as DBs will convert to LB. It's always easier to add size to fast, rangy, young dudes like Metellus and Gil than to ask big fellas to get faster a la AJ Williams. Viramontes looks like the real deal. That dude will play at LB early.

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Hardware Sushi

November 29th, 2015 at 1:38 PM ^

We're in good shape with most or all of the coaches' top targets, it's just that they're all deciding late. I think we'll be OK at LB this cycle, although next year will be weak regardless.

Joined: 03/08/2010

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carlos spicywiener

November 29th, 2015 at 1:39 PM ^

- Move Winovich back, hope the year at TE doesn't set him back in his quest to be Jake Ryan 2.0

- #Pray4McRay (this should be a meme all offseason, we REALLY need Mike McRay to finally get healthy)

- Aggressively look for transfers

- Early playing time for incoming freshmen

- Run a lot of 4-2 and 5-2 fronts (I dunno)

It doesn't look good.

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EGD

November 29th, 2015 at 1:40 PM ^

We are trying to sign three LB prospects: Devin Bush Jr., Caleb Kelly, and Jonathan Jones. Victor Viramontes and David Reese could also play LB. The coaches may also have some plan B linebacker prospects who they would offer if the top targets go elsewhere. So, I think it's fair to say the coaches are trying to recruit LBs. But true freshmen LBs aren't going to win games for us next season. We need to find some guys on the current roster who can contribute.

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mtzlblk

November 29th, 2015 at 3:25 PM ^

Heaven forbid that someone on this blog watch a game, make an observation and then ask a question.....right?

I don't actually think there have been that many posts regarding LB and certainly not ones that specifically address recruiting the position and the current targets, certainly not ones with the OSU game to consider.

Joined: 01/20/2009

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vict0rsvaliant

November 29th, 2015 at 1:44 PM ^

I think the staff will make some efforts here late.  There are some rumors about Bush being a possible silent commit? He seems more of a mike linebacker to me.  Vicious Vic will bring some speed to the table if he plays linebacker for us (I think he will).  

With Jordan Elliot joining the class I think he becomes a big recruiter for us in the state of Texas. Hopefully he gets in the ear of Dontavious Jackson (sp?).  He did tweet about Jordan's commitment yesterday.  

Gideon didn't do much better than Bolden or Morgan yesterday but I do think he brings more speed to the table than the current linebacking core.  With an offseason of work I think he will be better than Bolden or Morgan starting next year.  

All I know is I trust Harbaugh and Durkin to get the talent there.  If he can go 9-3 with players he inherited I'm very excited to see what he can do with players he hand picks. 

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Muttley

November 29th, 2015 at 8:43 PM ^

is playing in 2015 w/ Hoke's best recruiting years in their prime.  There's a dip in the contributor pipeline coming, heavily in quantity and somewhat in quality, that is going to be very hard to fill with true freshman/sophomores.

 

Rivals Recruiting Team Rankings for Michigan
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https://rivals.yahoo.com/michigan/football/recruiting/teamrank/2015/all…

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BlueSpiceIn SEC.hell

November 29th, 2015 at 1:44 PM ^

You are correct, it was no more apparent than yesterday that our linebackers need work.

I also wonder if the players that were moved to tight-end/H-Back (former linebackers) weren't at the level we need at that position either.

Without question losing an entire position - Nose guard - and basically one layer of our depth chart at defensive line(including BUCK) to injuries did not help

It seems he is recruiting athletes and versatility. Certainly cognizant of getting big/strong players too.

With the strength in recruiting at the D-line (designed for use to occupy the O-line) it will allow those types of players that have speed and athleticism (which is a weakness in our current players) to flow to the ball and make plays.

My two cents, but I trust he will get us there.

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UPMichigan

November 29th, 2015 at 1:45 PM ^

I didn't read any of the posts or the original post.. We used to recruit big linebackers. Hell Carr used to recruit safeties and running backs that ended up being linebackers that are bigger than the linebackers we have now. We get some big bastards on the field.



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AZBlue

November 29th, 2015 at 4:31 PM ^

Big = Slow in most cases unless you take a safety and bulk him up. That strategy worked in Carr's time.....until it didn't (Oregon, the horror). With. Modern college offenses the emphasis needs to be speed above size. Sure you might get beat up a bit against a Stanford, Wisconsin, or future M under Harbaugh, but you see a whole lot less of those and a whole lot more of Indiana, OSU, Oregon in today's game.

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mtzlblk

November 29th, 2015 at 2:55 PM ^

It still seems like being in a good position with a few late deciding recruits is risky and not likely to produce more than 1-2 more options, plus linebacker is one of those make-or-break positions where you either have it or you don't and more often than not, it is "don't".

Looking out to the next few years of recruiting, would be surprised to not see a much more significant focus on this as a position of need.

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Uper73

November 29th, 2015 at 1:49 PM ^

But, they were not as bad as it appeared IMHO. Got to credit the OSU O line, they totally controlled Henry, Wormly and Hurst. There was no hole plugging going on.

The LBs had a tough challenge taking on Elliott and Barrett with essentially full heads of steam with little to no need to even shift out of target lanes.

Barrett's ball handling was masterful, they were masters of the mesh point yesterday. A perfect storm of factors that just confused, gassed and humbled our front seven.

We were missing two starters who may have made some difference, but the OSU O line owned the game, allowing Barrett and Elliott to wreak havoc.

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BlueWolverine02

November 29th, 2015 at 1:53 PM ^

this class currently has 4 potential LBs in it, that's not counting Bucks. We are still pursuing, at the very least, Bush, Jackson, Jones, Kelly, few other Texas guys I think. not sure how anyone could say LBs aren't a priority.

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mtzlblk

November 29th, 2015 at 3:47 PM ^

Looking at 2016 Recruiting board:

SLB
(0)
 J McCulloch        
ILB
(1+2)
 D Reese D Jackson C Kelly
J Jones		 D Bush Jr

D. Johnson

That is 1 ?? commit in Reese, one that is a project at best in Johnson (and glad to have him, believe me).

Jones is our next best bet and he looks the part, but after that...?

Bush - projects to FSU, though that is a big ??

Kelly - Oklahoma, also a big ???

Jackson - Texas

No other SLBs seems remiss, as does ILB with solid interest and dark horse options with tepid interest at best.

Also note that for every name up there, Durkin is the lead recruiter, not that I pay much attention to rumors, but the mere fact that he talked to Maryland makes these even more tenouous.

I know that it is an MGoBlog target number in 3 overall players, but it just seems like for a glaring hole in the defensive personnel, that this is not proportionately the right number of people to be in discussions with at this stage. Perhaps there are plan B options we don't know about, but one has to assume that anyone worthy of plan B would need some kind of offer at this point to consider us seriously, even if it was of the "can't quite commit today" variety.

Also, I certainly have faith in this staff and perhaps this will shift post Indiana/OSU and they will align better, fingers are crossed here. 

This position will be as crucial as any other moving forward, we can't rely solely on Peppers as a spotter/spread-buster going forward or that is a recipe for disatser if he is injured, or just effectively neutralized like against OSU.

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AZBlue

November 29th, 2015 at 5:06 PM ^

If I were M, (if they actually want him), I would ask him to wait as long as possible to see if we have an EE slot -- one of those was to be Bush Jr. So it would also free up a LB slot in the class -- so we can give it to him if available. I don't think a TX etc would pull his spot until the last moment seeing as it would still be 2 months from NSD.

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Lou MacAdoo

November 29th, 2015 at 1:58 PM ^

I used to think LB was our best position group. Hoke seemed to recruit the position hard and we were set up with depth for years. Then some guys left, some switched positions, and our experienced starters suddenly pooped the bed. Now it's doom. Let's play 8 DL next year with Lewis, peppers, and Wilson in the back end.

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Blueinsconsin

November 29th, 2015 at 2:04 PM ^

strategy is to get athletes and plug and play them in many positions until he finds the right fit for the team and player.  Position switches are so common under Harbaugh, it would not surprise me to see recruits we think will be a WR to move to safety to LB

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dmuthalovinmase2

November 29th, 2015 at 2:09 PM ^

I want Bush Jr. and Jackson... but after seeing the ass whooping laid on us, we'll need to aggressively pursue an elite athelte like Caleb Kelly. All game after the first tackle was missed there was no one coming from the back side of the play

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west2

November 29th, 2015 at 2:16 PM ^

of the problem isnt just raw speed its also being able to read the play and react quickly to close the hole.  Another year with the same coaches will help.  Last year there were worries about slim prospects at receiver and that worked out.   Michigan, unlike the buckeyes when Meyer took over, were not loaded with talent at every position.   Its going to take a couple of years to recruit NC caliber players before M will be able to compete with the big dogs.  Its been a fun season with the coaches patching things up after 8 seasons of disarray but the buckeye game was a reminder that Michigan has a way to go yet.  

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M-Dog2020

November 29th, 2015 at 2:24 PM ^

Need more speed at the position to beat Meyer's read option offense. Every big run came from a one-on-one whiff be our LBs. That is the goal of the Meyer offense - get one-on-one mismatches. Need more versatile speed guys like Peppers ... Victor is a good option, but he won't ready for Power 5 football until 2017. I thought Furbush came on strong at end of season for special teams. Looks quicker and rangier than a Bolden or Gideon type ILB. But we may just need to run more 4-3 next year given plethora of returners at DL and new high-end DL 2016 recruits.

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Wolvermarine

November 29th, 2015 at 2:57 PM ^

David Reese will not be a part of this class, for those that haven't got the memo yet.  

 

We have one true LB commit in Dytarious Johnson, and three athletes who could end up playing LB IMO (Viramontes, Gil and Enis).  

 

We are in good position with Devin Bush Jr., Caleb Kelly, Dontavious Jackson, and Jonathon Jones.  I'd guess we get 2, maybe 3 of them.  

 

What these recruits tell you is that we are going more for athleticism than size.  Given the defensive scheme we run and the type of defensive line talent we will have, these type of players can be very effective if they are kept clean by the DL.  

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