Starting Secondary by B1G play
I know these speculation threads get annoying, but 247 had a thread like this that had a pretty good discussion.
With the potential freshman, emerging sophomores, Taylor and Countess, there seems to be a lot of variance in what people think will be our starting secondary by the time we get to Minnesota late September.
So I am posting this to get your opinion and start a healthy discussion.
Personally, I think (remember, by B1G):
FC: Jourdan Lewis
BC: Blake Countess
N: Jabrill Peppers
FS: Jarrod Wilson
SS: Dymonte Thomas
I think those are the odds on favorites with Clark maybe beating out Thomas.
My guess is we see Jabrill at safety and Countess moving between FC and NB.
My guess is that there isn't a difference between BCB and FCB, and instead will be RC and LC.
RC: Taylor
LC: Lewis
NB: Peppers
SS: Countess
FS: Wilson
First CB off the bench: Stribbling (will be inserted outside before Peppers moves outside)
First SS off the bench: Thomas/Hill
First FS off the bench: Clark
First NB off the bench: Move Countess down and insert a new safety
I think you'd see Countess and NB and Peppers at SS way before the other-way-around
has a steeper learning curve. It's a tough place to throw a true freshman, especially one who didn't enroll early.
Yes, even one like Peppers.
Unfortunately it's not a much better place to put a red-shirt freshman or sophomore position-switch. Thomas has never played the position. Hill didn't see much game action. So, Clark's the most experienced, but no one seems to think he'll actually win the job.
My guess is that Taylor or Countess get Courtney Avery'd on over to safety and the younger players fight it out at corner/nickel.
He's not a bad player, just doesn't stand out. If one of the CBs don't get moved back, he may be a consistent guy to plug in back there, though not with the upside of Hill or Thomas.
Thomas, from my understanding, worked at both NB and safety last year. This was part of the concern the coaches had, in that they didn't define a position for him and feel he didn't develop as much as he needed at either. He's been full time safety for a while now though. Still not optimal, but much better than a true FR IMO. Hill has been there full time. Still not optimal, but not as bad.
One thing about Michigan's scheme in the spring game is that it was a lot of Cover 1. If they play a lot of Cover 1 robber, that really fits for Thomas's and Hill's strengths and weaknesses. It puts them in a position to come up in run support, cover a fairly small zone without having to rely on a lot of technique in man coverage, and keeps them out of the deep center so that their inexperience doesn't get exposed too much. So the scheme could help the two-younger pure safeties this year, and in that case I think they are more likely to play than Clark at the position.
If Michigan wants to run more two-deep looks though, or flip their safeties more, then I think Clark has a much better chance than they do. But ultimately, like I said above, I agree that a CB gets moved back.
This was part of the concern the coaches had, in that they didn't define a position for him and feel he didn't develop as much as he needed at either
which pisses me off to no end.
total waste of a year
I don't want a FR starting at safety for Michigan. There is too much importance on angles, leverage, tackling, technique, etc at the safety position to put a player there that is used to being two steps faster than everyone on the field.
Countess has the ability to slide down and cover the slot in cover 1 (allowing Michigan to more more versatile in their base). While he's not the biggest guy, he isn't afraid to be a little bit physical and tackle well, meaning he can play some robber and can help in run support. He's also experienced enough and has played enough deep coverage to take proper angles in coverage and when coming down in run support.
Peppers, while more physical, may be that guy eventually, but I don't want to see it his FR year. Give him a position where you can limit his responsibilities (flat zone, C/D gap blitz, man coverage) rather than throwing the whole kit and kaboodle at him. At SS he'd need to know flat zone, deep half, middle third, center field, man coverage, robber zone, TE coverage, WR coverage, run/pass keys, run angles, B/C/D gap blitz, etc. The amount of pressure you're putting on him there to not make a mental mistake so that the play can be successful is too much. Countess is a better fit for that right now, this season.
And then proceeded to still play BCB and FCB for much of the season, so who knows.
Are there any differences for the skillset between RCB and LCB like there are with BCB and FCB?
In practice, players usually turn or flip their hips better one way or the other, they are better at breaking on routes one way or the other, etc. On top of that, offenses tend to be right handed, meaning they're more likely to run the football to the right and the right side will tend to be the short side of the field. That's not a hard and fast rule, just a general one.
Again, theoretically, it's not a real difference. The benefit is that you see plays/routes develop, get comfortable with a certain way of turning and breaking, leverage, etc, from one side of the field, which slightly limits responsibilities and things you need to be good at compared to just following a certain WR. That's generally why teams will either have BCB and FCB or RCB and LCB.
What happened to Terry Richardson? He didn't play at all last year did he?
I just remember the hype in recruiting.. and his comments, almost demanding to start from day 1 (which I think he retracted but I don't know for sure anymore). Anyway... is there a plan for this guy? Is he just a complete bust? Has he been banged up? He just sticks out to me because he was being recruited in a time when our secondary was at an all time low and was looked as a big part of the future.
He had a ways to go in terms of good weight gain, without a body that easily puts on weight. Being also smaller in stature and thinner in terms of structure, you have to be careful with how you put weight on him as well.
He always has been and always will be a concern in terms of size. He has good hips and good feet, but due to his lack of strength and lack of length, his technique was always going to have to carry him. He has that potential because of feet and hips, but as of now it appears some have passed him. It happens. Right now he'll work scout team, provide extra competition, and work to crack the depth chart as an upperclassman (he's now entering his RS So year).
With 'crutin the way it is now, I know about some of these guys 18 months before they get to campus. For instance, it feels like Magnuson is already a senior simply because I remember hearing so much about him.
were generally excellent with some last minute problems adjusting to the ball.
I know Mattison says, "you don't platoon the backfield". But, this year it looks like we could so without much change in the caliber of play.
I think if Michigan is looking to press more, Stribbling is a little bit further back. I like his length for pressing, but he's still very lean and not quite as fluid as Lewis. He has a little more work to do when not playing off coverage.
I think he's going to be a heck of a good safety. I'll take a future where Hill and Thomas reach their potential, thanks.
With Appalachin State in AA I do not want to see any Freshman until the 4th quarter.
They spread us and sliced us.
I thought all film of this game was burned?!
on how you define "coverage".
This reminds me of the "When will Derrick Green depose Fitz as starter...Big 10 play?" threads of last summer.
Depth and talent! Its nice to see a position stocked like that. Even the linebackers have depth. Now if only Hand and McDowell... Nvm secondary wow!
He is the prototype...Hence here is my starting group
CB: Lewis, Stribling
Safeties: Peppers, Wilson
Nickel: Countess
I still do not get the love fest with him on this board. OK, I get it. He stayed with a WR a couple of times. It doens't change the fact he never made a play. It definitely doesn't change the fact that Hackenburg annihilated him the entire final drive last year. He has a long way to go in my book before he supplants Countess, Taylor, Lewis, and (hopefully) Peppers.
Call me crazy, but I'm convinced Terry Richardson can probably stick with a receiver. What makes you a good corner is being able to make a play - which Stribling has yet to show anyone he can do.