Thoughts from 2011 and Jake Ryan has a bright future ahead of him with Michigan!

Submitted by WingsNWolverines on

Already as a freshman Jake Ryan has began his red shirt college career with a winning season, a victory of new member Nebraska, made several huge tackles and big plays this season, won his first Little Brown Jug game and defeated Ohio State. It all ended up in a BCS victory and a Sugar Bowl Championship. Talk about a hell of a starting resume for the 6'3 linebacker from Westlake Ohio. Jake Ryan has turned out to be someone to really keep your eyes on in the next 2 years at Michigan.

He plays with a ton of emotion and loves every minute he is on that field. As soon as Hoke put him in the lineup he made a huge difference with Kovacs, Martin, Van Bergen and Roh. He fit with those 4 like it was meant to be. Each time he made a huge stop or sack the kid was excentric about it. He's big, stocky, tough and is out for blood every minute he is out there. He reminds me a little of Lamar Woodley and he's only going to get better with experience. I for one am very excited to see this young man blossom into a leader next year with our defense. We're losing depth in defense next year, it's just a hard fact but with players like Ryan stepping up and sending messages to our opposition every game then anything is possible. I think of all the Wolverines I paid the most attention to at the end of the season he really stood out. Who are some of yours? Especially freshman or sophmores.

maizedandconfused

January 11th, 2012 at 12:53 PM ^

on his committment post that every said he wasnt atheltic or big enough to play in the B10.

Guess what? 

ESPN and B10.com Freshman All-American.

11 TFLs 3 Sacks, 1 FF 1 FR.

He keeps building on this and becomes our rush LB and he will be a 1st Team All American before it is all said and done. AA #81 I belive (after Denard, Toussaint and  Lewan all garner this honor)

Dion

January 10th, 2012 at 11:49 PM ^

If he's as good as Woodly we're sitting pretty at LB.  I like Blake Countess and Courtney Avery, They stepped up in a big way in a secondary that was horrible the year before

switch26

January 10th, 2012 at 11:58 PM ^

Im interested to see what they will do with Justice Hayes.  The RB spot is locked up unless Fitz gets hurt, and im interested if this kid is good enough to play other positions etc.

 

Also interested to see what pipkins can do when he gets here and our haul of LB's in this year's class.

Perkis-Size Me

January 11th, 2012 at 12:23 AM ^

Ryan has just a certain fierceness about him. I remember watching some of the highlights from the ND game and just being amazed by his playmaking abilities. He will make all big ten next year, and definitely be a candidate for all american by his junior year.

ccdevi

January 11th, 2012 at 12:29 AM ^

I love me some Jake Ryan. Him, Fitz, and Countess among others were unknown quantities coming into this year who were instrumental in our success. I love that part of the game, the new guys jumping in that fill holes you thought you had and outperform expectations, like Hutch and Backus in 97.

Who will those guys be next year?

Jackson? R Miller? AJ Williams? Kalis? Bryant? Any number of DLs. Bolden? Poole? Reeves? Wilson? Who knows but I think one of the most fun things about following a college football team.

Welllughhh

January 11th, 2012 at 12:33 AM ^

I'm excited for this defense to return back to prominence.  The Michigan v Ohio rivalry is going to return back in to that hatred filled game it should.  I loved the meetings the two teams had in the middle of the field where it seemed like one person was about to bust through and start an all out brawl.

Jake Ryan should be even more solid next year and I'm excited for a few freshman to come in and break the starting lineup.

A player I would like to see step up and see alot of next year is Marvin Robinson.  I heard/ think he was in some sort of legal trouble but hopefully that can be put behind him and he can work towards having a break out year and being that down hill hard hitting safety we've heard about.

South TX MFan

January 11th, 2012 at 12:45 AM ^

I heart Jake Ryan. Kid just goes out and makes big plays. I'm excited to see how he progresses as a player. As far as incoming recruits, I can't wait to see Pip. Kid is a total stud and has a great attitude and personality. He should be a major impact player for us, maybe even next year. I see our defense just getting better and better.

Perkis-Size Me

January 11th, 2012 at 11:19 AM ^

I don't think Pipkins will start at the very beginning of next season, but I think he will definitely get in the rotation, and possibly even be starting by the middle of the season, maybe B1G opener.

I just really wish he graduated early and was coming in for spring camp. He needs all the prior experience he can get.

markinmsp

January 11th, 2012 at 1:27 PM ^

  Oh yes, Can’t wait to see the havoc PeeWee raises on defense.  Also, am very excited for what Kalis brings to the O-line, and the thought Garnett might join him.  (They just seem like they’ll be monsters on both sides. I see us having a granite wall on the line in a couple of years.)

Wolverman

January 11th, 2012 at 1:31 AM ^

 As far as red shirt freshman go I'm excited about Chris bryant he just looks beast! There has got to be one of the d linemen that redshirted that will play a lot. I'm assuming that why we only went after 1 interior d linemen this year.

Incoming freshman Joe Bolden and Ondre Pipkins. How can you not be excited with all the praise these 2 have got from camps and their all american games this year.

Moleskyn

January 11th, 2012 at 11:28 AM ^

How about Chris Rock? He'll be coming off his redshirt year, and everybody knows we've got some big shoes to fill on the D-line. Maybe he can come out of nowhere and be the answer to the SDE position? If he can pack on another 10-15 pounds this offseason, he'll be pushing 280. It will be nice to have some competition up front.

Every Roh Has …

January 11th, 2012 at 6:53 AM ^

I was very impressed by Beyer. As some recruited purely as a WDE, then potentially being flipped to TE, then settling in as Ryan's primary rotational backup at SLB, I was very, VERY impressed by the kid. Obviously very coachable, and obviously very athletic, I'm happy he decided to stay with Michigan and allow Mattison to coach him up. Imagine he, Ryan, and Ojemudia rotating in at the OLB spots in a traditional 3-4

Magnus

January 11th, 2012 at 7:36 AM ^

I have high hopes for Beyer, too, but honestly I didn't see much this year that would lead me to be "very, VERY impressed."  He was pretty invisible on the field.  I mean, that comes with the territory for someone who's an undersized true freshman, but it just seems like you're heaping high praise on someone who didn't do much.

Every Roh Has …

January 11th, 2012 at 10:29 AM ^

Maybe I should rephrase. I was very, VERY impressed with his instincts. He was lacking in terms of playing under control, overall fundamentals, which resulted in getting blocked easily, running himself out of the play, and losing the edge (like Ryan did early in the year). But what I did see from him was excellent instincts, like I see from incoming guys Bolden and Ross. The main issue with Beyer was that instincts without control equals out of position. Once his fundamentals, both physically and mentally, improve he will be a very, VERY impressive player overall

dennisblundon

January 11th, 2012 at 8:03 AM ^

I am anticipating seeing Antonio Poole step up a bit next year. He was under sized coming in and was nice that we could finally redshirt someone who needed to be. Poole and now Frank Clark look to be the most impressive athletes of last year's class. I am expecting big things from both in the future despite seeing very little.

APBlue

January 11th, 2012 at 8:41 AM ^

It seemed like Delonte made a bunch of plays on special teams.  I think he had a pretty good year overall.  I'm hopeful that he'll step up next year and make a big impact.   Secondary depth is always good.  

coastal blue

January 11th, 2012 at 10:04 AM ^

was the MVP of that Sugar Bowl. 

Seemed to come up with a big defensive play every time we needed one. 

BrewCityBlue

January 11th, 2012 at 11:32 AM ^

loving me some Jake Ryan ever since the spring game. 

He had a great season and i was thrilled he continually showed improved discipline on maintaining his responsibilities within the scope of the defense, while still making plays!

Desmond Morgan as a freshman was very impressive as well. I know WLB was a weak spot for our defense, but Desmond Morgan beat out everyone else ahead of him and performed admirably at a position that probably wasn't best for his skill set and/or he was undersized for. 

Countess had a great year - had a bad sugar bowl in my opinion but overall did awesome for a true frosh - very excited for he and Avery's futures in our defensive backfield. 

Looking forward to seeing Poole be an important part of the d rotation at LB.

New guys coming in - looking to see Bolden, Ross, Pipkins, Darboh and see what they can do when they hit AA

Sten Carlson

January 11th, 2012 at 1:00 PM ^

Frank Clark!  I love what I've seen from Jake Ryan, no doubt.  But Frank came up with the play of the game, IMO, in the Sugar Bowl.  The kid seems to have talent to spare and a frame is already impressive, and could one day be an absolute BEAST!