Who impressed you today? (spring game over reactions)
I thought there was some nice things in the spring game today. Black looks soild at the 3.Hawtorne can slice thru blockers like a mad man. Rawls of course looked nice but i am really impressed with the depth in the secondary. Over all it was a boring event but better than nothing. Go Blue!
Something which a lot of people were missing was that Campbell was not the one getting destroyed at the nose a lot of the time. In fact, when he was single blocked, he often dominated his man, which is a good thing. All that we need from Campbell is that he requires double teams.
The key things to realize are:
- Runs down the middle were blown up
- Long runs were mainly the result of missed tackles by filling LBs in space
- The secondary played lights out. There was a blanket on every receiver.
- Gardner ran as soon as his primary and secondary checks were covered. If he had stayed in the pocket he would have been sacked on a lot of the pass plays
- Gallon and Roundtree have improved considerably in the crispness of their routes
- Black and Clark have lost speed since putting on weight. Clark in particular looks a lot slower than he did last year. We won't be seeing as much speed-in-space as we had expected
- Morgan was ineffective and injured
- Jarrod Wilson has to work on tackling
- Defensive line was playing contain against gardner - when the ends rushed too far upfield he started to run
- Demens played terribly
I thought I saw Cambell making some good plays but I didn't often see 73 out there when a run near the middle got anywhere.
BWC with his shirt up - I think that was a testament to the effort he has been putting in to his game. I hope he continues it, and really shows us something in the fall.
My Predictions:
- Kyle Kalis will start the first game of the season... I think his technique, size, off-season workout regimine with LeCharles Bentley (former NFL'er) will prepare him to start...He will easily beat out Joey B/Mealer for Guard
-Desmond Morgan has a huge season, but James Ross finds his way into some playing time
- Ondre Pipkins may not start, but our DL will feature a large rotation without defined 'starter's and 'backups'... Clark, Campbell, Beyer, Roh, Black, Pipkins, Heitzman, Ash, Washington, and another Freshman will all contribute
-Devin Funchess will be utilized at Wideout, this season...
-Chesson will also play
-Dennis Norfleet will be used more than anyone expects
Consider the following:
There are four types of comments in this thread.
1. The WR's don't look good.
2. We didn't see much Denard.
3. Gardner just doesn't look good.
4. Bellomy lacks arm strength.
So... you're concerned about our WR's because our best QB didn't play, our 2nd stringer wasn't very good and our 3rd stringer wasn't strong enough. I don't think your concerns should be on the WR's.
Posted this in the other spring game forum, but I think Hawthorne looked good there near the end. Big hit, one handed interception, goaline tackle. Looked solid even with one arm wrapped up. RBs look good. Wile made a medium length field goal, but what can you really say with so few attempts?
I thought our front 7 on D didn't play so well early on, but it got a little better as the game progressed. We need better snap exchanges; two on the ground today is bad. We didn't get to see much of the WRs. Gibbons push that one field goal wide, again just one play, doesn't mean this is necessarily a problem.
seemed to be making some plays
Bellomy and Rawls looked legit. The O-line looked better than expected.
He looked too comfortable pulling the ball down and running. He's a great runner and all but it's a spring scrimmage. I just want to see him take a few more shots downfield because teams will play close to the line of scrimmage and he needs to be ready for that.
I think the defensive backs played excellent today, given the fact that Denard wasn't in. This is a good sign, given that not every QB will have the game changing-speed of Denard.
Rawls looks to have a nice future, maybe not this year, but he's got potential.
Wile kicked a nice FG, 40-some yarder IIRC?
I like the fact that Shane signed my son's helmet and introduced me to his father. He's a great kid! My son will remember that forever.Reminded me (as soon as I saw your picture) of a picture I have of my son when he was that age sitting on the shoulders of James Hall after the spring game of (I thnk) 1998. Another great Michigan Memory was created today for you and your son!
Morris kind of looks like Zack Novak.
Just keep that in mind.
One game.
Trying to evaluate the WRs in the spring game with the 2nd+3rd string QBs is like...Wkell, trying to evaluate the WRs in the spring game with the 2nd+3rd string QBs
I think it means good things that the the D Line dominated because almost all the OL started last year. Denard looked impressive. Gardner didn't do that well passing. Overall I think we played better than last year's spring game.
D Line dominated? I must have watched a different game.
April 14th, 2012 at 11:19 PM ^
Tim Hardaway Jr. for putting in work in the PDC on a Saturday in the offseason. And for signing my hat on the way in.
April 14th, 2012 at 11:22 PM ^
April 15th, 2012 at 12:12 AM ^
April 15th, 2012 at 12:40 AM ^
It's easy for me to answer what was the most impressive...the RBs. Does anyone else remember how bad that position looked at this time last year? Fitz and Shaw were battling for the job, and neither seemed to want it. There was talk of Rawls starting. Smith looked good, but only as a situational player. It was a mess.
Now? What a difference a year makes. Fitz looks decisive, intelligent, and fast. I have said before and will say it again: don't count on having him around in 2013. He may be headed to the league as a 2nd round pick. Rawls has improved his vision, and shows a very impressive first cut for a guy with his power. He is a great change-of-pace back and I would feel comfortable with him starting if Fitz has an issue. Hayes, Smith, and even Kerridge looked impressive today.
Fitz has the goal of the being the best RB in the country...while I'm not sure that's attainable, I do believe he could be a top five college back by the end of this season.
Other notes:
- The secondary is playing with a lot more confidence and speed. I was impressed with that group as a whole. The tackling needs to improve, though.
- If Russell Bellomy can develop some arm strength, he will push Devin for the job next year. He's a smart passer with decent accuracy. Also, his play action looked real good.
- The O-Line has no depth. None. It's worse than last year. At least two freshmen will push for time, and one could easily start. We might only RS one or two scholarship guys.
- The D-Line needs help. If BWC can't get it together, expect 'Bama to run up the gut all day against us. Demens and Morgan will have a tough time handling the blocks of the 'Bama linemen at the second level. Could be a long day in that department.
- Hello, Brandin Hawthorne. Keep doing that.
- Blake Countess...another early departure if he stays focused. 2013 will be his last season in Blue if continues to improve this quickly, and I see him as a late first-round prospect.
- All of the RB big gains came up the middle. Yes, this is redundant, because it scares the crap out of me how soft the middle of the D looks sometimes. I don't want a defense that either stops you for short/no gain or gives you chunk plays. I want consistency.
- Cam Gordon and Jake Ryan? The SLB position looks great.
- I hear a lot of talk about how great our LBs are. I wasn't that impressed with the MIKE or WILL. But Morgan was out and Demens was limited. I think we'll be fine, but I'm not ready to crown them our best position group.
- Wonderful (and also scary) thought: the secondary was the best position group on the defense today.
- Dear Ondre Pipkins: please work your butt off this summer. You may be a four-year starter at the nose for us.
- Dear Kalis and Magnuson: welcome to Big Ten football. You'll be playing this year.
My last comment is about the summer. One thing this staff does is improve players; I expect that BWC, Black, and the rest of the D-Line will meet their summer goals. The same goes for the O-Line, which I still find to be scary in the middle (C and LG). If we use the summer well and improve, we could win the B1G. As for 'Bama? Well, let's just say that if we win that game, we're well ahead of where I think we are. This program is still washing the Rich Rod out and becoming one with the Hoke, and we're still two years away from that process being over. The O-Line and D-Line prove it.
Now, can we get some "hello" going?
They looked wayyyy.... WAYYYY stronger than I have seen since?????? I can't remember. Cudos strength and conditioning and I have been fanatic since 79'. I guess Woodley would have to be the closest I can remember. I would love to see before and after pics from F to Sr on anyone of them.
I should have said been a Proud Wall Mart Wolverine since well before we knew what Wall Mart was.