Rivals: Norfleet expected to return to offense
Sounds like our favorite scatback is headed back to offense. From a Rivals spring preview article found here ($), I give you the money quote:
"He's supposedly going back to offense," Blackwell [ed: Norfleet's 7-on-7 coach] said. "They will use him in the slot and in the return game, and some as a running back. Coach [Greg] Mattison is saying he can still use him on defense and is making an argument to keep him there, but Dennis' passion is for the offense. That's where he wants to play, and from talking to Dennis it appears that's where he's going to play.
The rest of the article basically describes why Norfleet went to defense in the first place (potential for PT in the bowl game) and that offense is his true passion (duh). It also highlights his need to beef up his blocking and grasp of the playbook in order to see the field more.
Brian is going to cry tears of joy.
February 20th, 2013 at 12:38 PM ^
Special teams, offense, and defense: Dennis Norfleet, triple threat!
Good thing the kid seems to have boundless energy.
February 20th, 2013 at 12:43 PM ^
in the GIF to follow??
February 20th, 2013 at 12:47 PM ^
The best drummer in Michigan:
February 20th, 2013 at 12:48 PM ^
The best drummer in Michigan:
February 20th, 2013 at 12:54 PM ^
lmao..
February 20th, 2013 at 12:54 PM ^
So nice, I had to up-mod it twice!
February 20th, 2013 at 1:23 PM ^
and I received MGOgenius!
February 20th, 2013 at 1:36 PM ^
I was standing next to him at the AATA stop the other day. He waits for the bus in the same way he waits for the opening kickoff. Dude's a one-man dance party.
February 20th, 2013 at 1:30 PM ^
Is that Groucho Marx in Horse Feathers? Trivia: Harry Newman led Michigan to a national championship in the year this movie came out, and Gerald Ford was our back-up center. I feel like this post should end with a ~Herm.
February 20th, 2013 at 1:55 PM ^
Yes, it's Groucho as Quincy Adams Wagstaff the college president. Groucho gets convinced to recruit professional football players but ends up signing Harpo and Chico instead. A must-see for the witty, high-IQ mgocommunity. Wow, I'm a dork.
February 20th, 2013 at 2:08 PM ^
For the record, they may have looked like pro players. They're pretty good with disguises.
"We foola you good, eh boss?"
February 20th, 2013 at 4:14 PM ^
The guy who posits the question and the guy who responds to the question both have Tolkien-inspired screen names. Coincidence? Or is it RDT (Roll Damn Tolkien)?
February 20th, 2013 at 4:27 PM ^
9/11.
February 20th, 2013 at 4:48 PM ^
Half life 3 confirmed!
February 20th, 2013 at 4:32 PM ^
Coincidence. I don't think RDT was smart enough to have been a Tolkien reader. Although, finding someone who has also seen Horse Feathers is quite rare.
As for Tolkien inspired names I think there's: Thorin, Balrog, and myself. Perhaps Logan88 can become Glorfindel.
February 20th, 2013 at 8:33 PM ^
Nah, I'll take Radagast the Brown.
February 20th, 2013 at 4:49 PM ^
Only digits are 0, 1 and 2 for both of them. Very suspicious.
February 20th, 2013 at 12:42 PM ^
February 20th, 2013 at 1:30 PM ^
You're black, your short, you play Running Back. = Darren Sproles
You're white, your short, you play Wide Receiver = Wes Welker
February 20th, 2013 at 2:52 PM ^
That's raisin?
Sunmaid?
February 20th, 2013 at 1:36 PM ^
Drew Dileo is not the next Wes Welker. Wes Welker was the first Drew Dileo
February 20th, 2013 at 12:46 PM ^
Coach Mattision expressed disapointment in losing Norfleet back to the other side of the ball:
"Look...we gave the kid all off season to grow and put him on a strick diet to facilitate growth but despits all our efforts he simply refuses to get any taller. Until Dennis gets serious about his height we sadly have no place for him on defense."
February 20th, 2013 at 12:56 PM ^
I bet we could stretch him.
February 20th, 2013 at 12:44 PM ^
I never understood why Brian was so worked up about this. There was never anything suggesting the move was permanant, and it seemed to me pretty clear this was about CB depth, with Countess and Floyd both down and out.
February 20th, 2013 at 12:58 PM ^
...nothing except Coach Mallory telling Heiko as much.
February 20th, 2013 at 1:35 PM ^
To the credit of this staff, at least they tend to reconsider and fix issues.
February 20th, 2013 at 2:47 PM ^
I don't think it matters much whether it's offense or defense, this kid is never going to play relevant minutes other than special teams / return game. He's got too many people in front of him at RB, right now at slot, and certainly at CB to ever do much in those 2 phases of the game.
February 20th, 2013 at 12:44 PM ^
Good, Defense seemed like a big mismatch for his size and abilities and what it seems like the coaches are trying to do there. Would much rather see him back on offense. This is good enws if it holds up.
February 20th, 2013 at 1:17 PM ^
stronger, faster and slightly shorter than Richardson. He could do it in the right situations. With that being said, I am happy if he gets to play where he enjoys the game the most and it's what the coaches are good with.
February 20th, 2013 at 12:46 PM ^
The guy looks better with the ball in his hands
February 20th, 2013 at 12:50 PM ^
This is happy news
February 20th, 2013 at 12:53 PM ^
His skills are a much better match for kick returns and selected offensive roles like the slot, screen passes, and certain running plays.
February 20th, 2013 at 12:59 PM ^
I'd love to see him take a bigger role on offense next season. He offers a unique change of pace compared to Fitz, Green, Smith, Rawls, etc. Would love to see emerge as a third down back, slot WR and kick returning terror.
February 20th, 2013 at 1:08 PM ^
Absolutely. With Vincent Smith leaving, there's definitely an opening for a 3rd down back. I'm guessing it'll come down to Norfleet and Hayes to fight for that roll. Hopefully one of them can tap into whatever it was that made V. Smith such a monster when it came to blitz pick-ups.
Ideally, I'd like to see Hayes move to the slot and keep Norfleet at RB. But that is based on nothing but my knee jerk response to my own post as I was writing it.
February 20th, 2013 at 2:01 PM ^
To me if you have a 3rd down back, it probably means your back on first and second downs isn't that good at catching the ball or pass blocking (or possibly both). If your back that's out there on 1st and 2nd down can catch the ball and pass portect, you don't really need a 3rd down back do you?
February 20th, 2013 at 2:15 PM ^
Yeah, but you want to keep your running backs fresh, and if you have another back perfect for a certain situation it's a good chance to get that starter some rest and cut down on the pounding he takes
February 20th, 2013 at 2:23 PM ^
you want to rotate running backs but if you put a back in only for certain situations, defenses will start to pick up on that and have a pretty good idea of what is coming depending on which back is in the game.
You ideally want 2-3 backs who can handle all aspects of the position - running, catching and pass protection.
February 20th, 2013 at 3:09 PM ^
Yes, ideally you want all your players to be able to do everything. But that will never be the case; teams will always have situational players. It's not like V. Smith only came in to run one play or only stayed in to pass block whenever he was on the field. He ran it sometimes, he took blitz pick-up duties sometimes, and he ran out for passes/screens sometimes. He was used for a variety of purposes, but he was still very much a situational player.
February 20th, 2013 at 4:14 PM ^
February 20th, 2013 at 3:24 PM ^
February 20th, 2013 at 7:03 PM ^
With Vincent Smith leaving, we'll need more small hobbitses to feed to the clowney.
February 20th, 2013 at 1:44 PM ^
Let's see that Otter shoot the three.
February 20th, 2013 at 6:12 PM ^
Too much emphasis on the three. Look what that otter is bringing you in the lane! Not just the high-efficiency two, but the opportunity for and-ones at the line! Foul trouble for the opposition bigs! Cute otter accessories for the ladies!
February 20th, 2013 at 9:58 PM ^