Sam Webb: Canteen switch to CB could be permanent
It's free (LINK). The meat of the article:
So does that mean a permanent move to corner is possible?
“Yeah,” replied [Elkton (Md.) Christian Academy coach Dwayne] Thomas. “He told me that he has been doing well. Durkin wants to play man.”
“If you’re going to play a lot of man schemes, Freddy isn’t going to hurt you at all. With experience he is going to be an all-conference guy.”
“The last I talked to Freddy they’re definitely certain that he will at least play both (receiver and corner).”
If the coaching staff does opt to make a complete switch to the defensive side of the ball Thomas says his former star pupil would welcome the opportunity with open arms.
“Freddy doesn’t care,” said Thomas. “He just wants to play.”
http://www.scout.com/college/michigan/story/1578131-michigan-practice-buzz-canteen-to-switch
August 24th, 2015 at 5:26 PM ^
I see Lyons getting beat out as a positive sign. If you take his play at Stanford as the baseline, his getting beat out by Clark and Stribbling would mean they will be, at worst, better than Stanford Lyon's. Given the potential with Clarks size and inexperience at corner, if he is already better than Lyon's, I will definitely take it.
August 24th, 2015 at 9:16 PM ^
Depends on how you feel he played at Stanford. He had a good defense around him with a NFL CB on the other side of the field. So lots of support and a defense that got to the QB better than UM. Yet couldnt stick around as a starter.
August 24th, 2015 at 3:33 PM ^
August 24th, 2015 at 3:37 PM ^
He played WR exclusively in HS. Canteen's HS coach said that he thinks Canteen could be an all conference DB with some coaching up and he's talked to him and he's all in for the switch to defense.
August 24th, 2015 at 3:34 PM ^
I am fine with this. Obviously, the coaches feel like they have the right group of guys for the receiving corps. If Freddy helps us more as a CB than he would as a WR, then so be it. Also, I think one thing we are forgetting is how much Harbaugh likes to use the TE in the passing game.
August 24th, 2015 at 3:38 PM ^
August 24th, 2015 at 4:29 PM ^
I wonder as well if his size has anything to do with it. Maybe his physique is better suited to CB? Not that Canteen is small but he was never going to have a physically imposing NFL type WR body, nor is he top geared speed demon. He is a solid all around athlete with great feet and quickness. In other words maybe his CB ceiling is higher than his WR ceiling.
August 24th, 2015 at 9:17 PM ^
Plenty of great college wrs out there without NFL bodies or being speed demon. Tyler Lockett anyone? Jeremy Gallon?
August 24th, 2015 at 3:39 PM ^
August 24th, 2015 at 4:05 PM ^
didn't move Sherman to CB. Sherman asked him to move to CB and Harbaugh obliged. The rest is history for Sherman
August 24th, 2015 at 4:25 PM ^
He likely obliged already knowing that Sherman had the potential to be good at DB. He didn't just grant it to be nice.
August 24th, 2015 at 5:19 PM ^
Harbaugh in practice
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August 24th, 2015 at 8:34 PM ^
August 25th, 2015 at 3:10 AM ^
No one knew he would blow up in the NFL based on college.
Dude backed up another starter for a long time, didnt play as much as you'd think.
Source: ex stanford player that played with sherman told me these exact words - He also said that sherman forced him to select him as a team captain. The count was like 100 for a popular defensive lineman, 2 for sherman, the rest were 0s. dude is a clown.
August 24th, 2015 at 6:32 PM ^
August 24th, 2015 at 8:23 PM ^
Where does this opinion come from?
August 25th, 2015 at 5:58 AM ^
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August 24th, 2015 at 9:54 PM ^
August 24th, 2015 at 3:40 PM ^
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August 24th, 2015 at 3:52 PM ^
This year at this time, however, I am very confident in it. Harbaugh has winning experience at the college and pro levels with top teams. He knows where to place his guys to win.
August 24th, 2015 at 3:53 PM ^
Tripp Welborne, anyone? He was a great player and I got to know him a little bit when we both lived in South Quad in 1987. If Freddy Canteen becomes a Welborne type of player, I have no concerns whatsoever about the defensive backfield.
August 24th, 2015 at 3:59 PM ^
August 24th, 2015 at 4:02 PM ^
I think the comparisons to Tripp are overblown. Tripp was way more comparable to Jabrill than Canteen. Tripp was all everything in HS played offense/defense and I think he was like top 3 WR in his class. Canteen has some great potential but he is not the same caliber as Tripp.
August 24th, 2015 at 4:04 PM ^
perfect for WR.
Anyway, my one and only cool story bro is that I met Coach Thomas at a Harbaugh camp. Super nice guy and seemed really concerned about his players. I thought I would appear creepy knowing the school Freddy Canteen and Watson went to, but he took it as a compliment (which it was).
August 24th, 2015 at 4:11 PM ^
Caught me by surprise, but thanks for the update. I was wondering why we hadn't heard much about him in the slot. If the kid is a competitor and wants on the field, you have to like that attitude.
August 24th, 2015 at 4:20 PM ^
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August 24th, 2015 at 4:20 PM ^
If this move is for real then I hope that they don't piss away his redshirt as he is obviously going to need a year to learn that position.
August 24th, 2015 at 4:40 PM ^
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August 24th, 2015 at 5:25 PM ^
redshirts not being used.
August 24th, 2015 at 5:39 PM ^
I am curious to see if we get the traditional thread after the first or second game on the burn count for redshirts. I have a suspicion that it might not be as impressive as in recent years, but then I could be wrong about that. It is just another one of those tiny details about life in the first year of Harbaugh that I am wondering about.
August 24th, 2015 at 6:38 PM ^
I'd guess it's hard to RS a bunch of guys when you turn over coaching staffs every 3-4 years.
August 24th, 2015 at 9:27 PM ^
Also, I think a lot of people here think other programs redshirt more players than they do. MSU is often used as an example, but they aren't redshirting the recruits that we offered..Good players see the field as freshmen everywhere, at least at most positions..
August 24th, 2015 at 4:30 PM ^
August 24th, 2015 at 4:48 PM ^
The coaches must feel very comfortable about the players in the slot.
August 24th, 2015 at 4:38 PM ^
especially if he can (and doesn't mind) a redshirt year.
Canteen came in with ridiculous footwork and technique. He had great hip flexibility, change of direction/pace and route running chops. Those are things that should translate to corner pretty well, particularly man stuff.
August 24th, 2015 at 4:57 PM ^
Hope Canteen can get a redshirt as well. He will undoubtedly need time to learn the position.
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August 24th, 2015 at 5:09 PM ^
/ checks notes, sees that Canteen is WR recruited by Hoke
// checks list of other WRs recruited by Hoke
/// takes deep breath, remembers Jim Harbaugh is competent
Yeah, this move might be the right one. In Harbaugh We Trust.
August 24th, 2015 at 5:12 PM ^
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August 24th, 2015 at 6:20 PM ^
This could mean that due to how good the tight ends look/how much Harbaugh wants to use them we may not have a lot of snaps where there is a slot receiver on the field this year and choose to go with two tight ends instead. Could see a lot of Bunting/Butt motioning out into the slot.
August 24th, 2015 at 6:34 PM ^
but also practices at CB this year, makes sense. We're not loaded with proven pass catchers this year, so we may need him there yet, and he's not likely to be a significant contributor this year at a position he's never played. If he looks like he's taking to CB, and if other WRs are coming along, switch him completely next spring, with the possibility of being a starter or significant backup in 2016-17.
In the long term, that's at least as likely to work out well as Clark at CB. Canteen has better speed, athleticism and physicality for the position.
August 24th, 2015 at 6:35 PM ^
No...too soon? I'll be curious to see where they fall on this year's depth charts
August 24th, 2015 at 7:00 PM ^
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August 24th, 2015 at 9:19 PM ^
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August 24th, 2015 at 7:20 PM ^
Love the quote "He just wants to play." UM certainly has the coaching staff to evaluate players ability. Glad here he is reseptive to that.
And of course I am excited about this year's road uniforms.
August 24th, 2015 at 7:43 PM ^
I wonder if this is fallout from Countess leaving. Seems like it was unexpected to most.
August 25th, 2015 at 7:28 AM ^
I think that Jungle Beats can translate over to DB too.
August 25th, 2015 at 11:10 AM ^
Harbaugh can identify talent, hands down. Have faith that he knows what he's doing.
Freddy Footwork better change his name to Freddy Jamwork. Plus, a DB that was once a receiver shouldn't get fooled on the fakes.... and should be able to catch the picks... instead of watching a ball bounce off a defenders chest... reminds me of HS.
Coach tells the D player that's why he plays defense and not offense.