This week's scouting report is on Ty Isaac, the Illinois running back that so many Michigan fans desperately seem to want. I think some of the criticisms of his running style have been overblown, although he does still have some holes in his game. Overall, I like him a little bit more now that I've really sat down and watched him.
Marcus Allen is who he
I can see that a little bit,
I can see that a little bit, but he's going to be a lot bigger than Marcus Allen and I think he'll have to be more powerful.
A recent back he reminds me of
Is Darren McFadden. Upright runner but seems to have the ability to run with power when he thinks about it (meaning it isn't really natural, but he has the ability to do it). Has good speed, is tall, one cut type of runner.
hmmm Marcus Allen
I see it now as well. Never heard that before but now that you mention it, he does have that style. Good eye.
I didn't realize
that his HS competition was so poor. That does lessen (a tad) the impact of his highlights and stats for me. Still would love to get him though. Thanks for the report.
"Everyone gets dumped Gabe. Let me give you some advice: a little coverup on your Adams Apple will make it appear smaller. Which will make you appear less like a transvestite."
Wasn't Fitz's HS
competition also poor? I know that he had injuries, but maybe that's why it took a couple of years for him to adjust to B1G play?
"They're stuck with that quarterback (sophomore Braxton Miller) for the next two or three years, that's fine with me. He throws worse than (Tim) Tebow. - Steve Everitt
Mike Hart's was too...
He played against...well, you be the judge.
“True loyalty is that quality of service that grows under adversity and expands in defeat. Any street urchin can shout applause in victory, but it takes character to stand fast in defeat. One is noise — the other, loyalty.”
Toussaint's problem was
Toussaint's problem was always the injuries and his lack of interesting in blocking. He was always one of the most or THE most talented runner on the roster.
I would have more worries
I would have more worries about his competition if he didnt dominate it the way he has. 2800 yards rushing or something and 45 touchdowns? Thats ridiculous.
Those who stay will be champions!
Shared Carries
And he achieved that while sharing carries with a fellow RB teammate who's headed to Northwestern
Why do you say his
Why do you say his competition has been poor?
Love to see "good pass receiver"
I'm pretty sure Borges would love to have all his backs being able to catch the ball effectively. With the kind of talent Michigan is bringing in at OL, I can see a back like Isaac being very successful here. Reminds me some of Anthony Thomas.
"You owe it to every man, woman, and child in the State of Michigan to beat the Buckeyes and silence their fans! Now go out there and make it happen!"
- Bo Schembechler (Result: U-M 22 OSU 0)
I don't know
For some reason lately after watching highlight films and everything I just kinda feel like I'm pulling for smith.
Obvious Chicago connection,
Obvious Chicago connection, but with his size, running style, and hands out of the backfield, Matt Forte maybe?
Looking at his size, would he
Looking at his size, would he be the tallest RB in Michigan's recent history? Maybe I'm putting too much stock in how tall he is, but seeing that people are claiming he runs too high increases that worry. WTF do I know though? I guess everyone looks enormous after watching Vince Smith for 4 years.
Sort of...but he's shorter
Sort of...but he's shorter than Shallman.
Thanks Magnus
He is still the guy i want most in this class. I think he can be a difference maker.
I see a mix of Eric Dickerson
I see a mix of Eric Dickerson and Jim Brown.Anybody else see that?
"Are you an official here?Because you've officially given me a boner."
Haha. Ty Isaac is like a
Haha. Ty Isaac is like a Rorschach test. Everyone sees something different in him. But hey, I'd love a Dickerson/Brown combo back.
He was being sarcastic...
#justsayin
“True loyalty is that quality of service that grows under adversity and expands in defeat. Any street urchin can shout applause in victory, but it takes character to stand fast in defeat. One is noise — the other, loyalty.”
Definitely
I definitely see the similarities. Except Ty is bigger, faster, stronger, AND smarter than both! He's probably the best talent that Michigan has ever recruited in the history of college football.
-Fred Jackson
Disgruntled former moderator. I got a lot of problems with you people!
Well we've got Marcus Allen,
Well we've got Marcus Allen, Eric Dickerson and Jim Brown references so far. Anybody up for a Walter Payton comparison?
Fred Jackson?
Fred Jackson?
As long as we're having
As long as we're having delusions of granduer, they might as well be really grand, eh?
Don't you mean
Delusions of granger? /s
I'm so happy that this is now
I'm so happy that this is now in the MGoLexicon.
He's a combination of Barry
He's a combination of Barry Sanders and Earl Campbell.
No, thanks
No Peyton comparison, but he reminds me of the HS version of Tony Boles.
Marcus DuPree...high school version.
Only Issac's documentary will be called "The best there EVER was."
“True loyalty is that quality of service that grows under adversity and expands in defeat. Any street urchin can shout applause in victory, but it takes character to stand fast in defeat. One is noise — the other, loyalty.”
Isaac. It's Isaac. Jeepers,
Isaac. It's Isaac. Jeepers, we've only seen his name written 10,000 times now. It's Isaac.
Ill take Adrian Peterson for
Ill take Adrian Peterson for 500 Alex.
"Are you an official here?Because you've officially given me a boner."
Too bad
Ohio offered him $1000.
The threat of him catching
The threat of him catching passes out of the backfield and only having to beat a linebacker will cause defensive coordinators many sleepless nights.
Would love to see Isaac hitting the hopefully large holes that our upcoming OL will make.
This Ty reminds me of another
This Ty reminds me of another Ty that Michigan had in the early 90's.
Tyrone Butterfield?
/s
De gustibus non est disputandum
Wheatley.
Wheatley.
I really like Isaac
but De'Veon Smith has really grown on me of late, too. I just want a star back there to spearhead the ground game bring balance to the For-- err, I mean offense.
It's hard to believe that we really haven't had a feature back since Mike Hart. Blame it on the system, the line, the transition, who knows. Fitz really came on at the end of the year and has a chance for the kind of career we all wanted for Minor, Vince, Shaw and the rest. But the fact that they were selling #28 bowl game jerseys speaks volumes, and I hope Isaac and/or Smith get that.
Were they selling them in
Were they selling them in Ohio? That's a good start.
I got a fresh Stevie Brown
I got a fresh Stevie Brown jersey at Lynnhaven Mall in Va.Beach the other day.So they definitely sell a #28 jersey in Ohio.
"Are you an official here?Because you've officially given me a boner."
Ty
I will be more interested in this once he commits. Going anywhere but UM makes no sense but I am sure everyone at his school is ensuring he gives ND a look. That is just how it works.
bob_ufer
Competition
Magnus - I usually find myself agreeing with your scouting reports, but I have to call you out on your statement that his level of competition being "poor". What do you know about Chicago area football? JCA plays in the East Suburban Catholic Conference, which those on this board from Chicago know is part of the Chicago Catholic League and one of the best football conferences in the Chicago area (Joliet Catholic and Carmel are two of the best teams in the state almost every year). They play Carmel, Marist and Nazareth (each of whom was ranked in the top 25 teams in the state (for any division) at some point last year), as well as Mount Carmel (another top-ranked, great Chicago program - Donovan McNabb, Simeon Rice), every year. To do what he has done against this level of competition is unprecedented (the championship game against Montini - another excellent Chicago-area program - is a perfect example). This kid has proven he can do it against the best that Illinois high school football has to offer.
Well, they're not very good
Well, they're not very good on film. Or maybe there are only highlights of him playing against the crappy teams.
He dropped 515 yds and 6 TDs
He dropped 515 yds and 6 TDs on Montini (6th ranked team in the state) in the state title game. He also went for 218 yds and 3 TDs (one of which came on a 75 yd catch and run with 30 seconds left to win it) against Carmel (at the time, the 3rd ranked team in the state).
With his kind of production, it'd be a pretty long film for them to show us the 5-6 yd gains against some of these teams.
These may be good teams, but
These may be good teams, but Magnus is right they aren't very talented. Of the 5 teams you mentioned, only 3 defensive seniors will be playing for BCS conference teams next year, and only 4 will be playing in D1. One 4*, one 3*, and two 2*'s (per scout). They have no players ranked early from the 2013 class. Carmel, Marist, and Nazareth didn't have a single D1 defensive prospect between them.
Isaac is a great player and I'd love to have him, but no, his competition level really isn't very good.
"They've roused the Fire Wyrm!"
-the 13th Warrior
My only point was that you
My only point was that you can't make statements about the quality of his competition from a 13 minute highlight film unless you've take a better look at his opponents. If you (and Magnus) are reaching the conclusion that his competition is poor because his opponents didn't have future BCS signees lined up against him every week, then that's one way to look at it. But if you have some of the best teams in the state of Illinois, with good coaches and with above average players, gearing up to stop the guy (if you know JCA, they rarely pass the ball) and he is still torching them for 200+ yds week in and week out, the guy is talented.
Generally, even very good
Generally, even very good players don't put up the numbers Isaac did against good competition. Isaac is significantly better than his opponents. If he were playing against good programs in Texas or Florida or California, he wouldn't be putting 2,200 yards and 45 touchdowns. That's not a fact, but an educated guess on my part.
If you watch the film, the kids he's playing against are tiny and slow and several notches below him as an athlete. If you watch the good running backs from TX, CA, FL, etc., there are at least guys who can keep up with the good running backs, tackle them occasionally, etc. Those players don't exist in Isaac's film.
It sounds like you're a Chicago guy, and frankly, I think you're being a little defensive of your area/alma mater/whatever. From an objective perspective (I have no ties to Chicago, Texas, California, Florida, etc.), Isaac's competition pales in comparison. He's a man among boys, and it's not because he runs a 4.3 forty or because he's a T.J. Duckett-sized powerhouse. Plop him down in Houston or southern California, and he'd probably rip off 1,400-1,800 yards and score 30 touchdowns. Which is still good, of course, but his stats are inflated because of his competition. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see it.
Didn't McGuffie put up over
Didn't McGuffie put up over 3,000 yards in a good Texas division?
Lets not lie to the people.
Lets not lie to the people. The ESCC is a good conference for small schools in IL. For the upper echelon it is not. The ESCC IS NOT in the Chicago Catholic League. They do not play Mount Carmel. As a matter of fact Marist that beat JCA was blasted in the 1st round of 8A playoffs by a mediocre team. Ty probably put up 200+ against Marist. Homewood had about 200 rushing against Marist. Homewood had less than 20 against Lincoln Way East, and only 4 rushing yards (yes 4 yards for the game) against Bolingbrook. Naz which beat JCA was blasted in the 2nd round of 6A. Carmel (not Mount Carmel) was defeated by an average team in the 2nd round of 7A, JCA needed a last minute Isaac TD to beat Carmel. For example Montini, the team JCA played in the championship, was massacred by the 8A runner-up (Loyola) in week 2. Only window dressing made the game look more competitive. Loyola had 4 TDs in the first 13 minutes of the game.
Ty is a beast, you can look at his build and see that. But his competition is VERY poor and thats being generous. Those guys had no business being on a field with Isaac. Now if you put Isaac in 8A, say the conference with Mount Carmel, his #'s are probably cut in half. Thats not an indication on Ty, just a reality of the difference in defenses.
Just saw a new article on Ty
Just saw a new article on Ty on scout. I'm not an insider so I have no idea what it says... Anybody an insider that could share the gist of the article?
...will be champions
He says that he's watching
He says that he's watching March Madness today and that Urban Meyer will call him during his visit to USC to mess with Lane Kiffin.
"Are you an official here?Because you've officially given me a boner."
Marcus Allen is who he reminds me of in his style. This is the first time i've seen him run and that is first name that came to mind.
"You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life." - Winston Churchill