How many true freshmen will see the field?

Submitted by robbyt003 on

http://annarbor.com/sports/um-football/michigan-football-over-under-how-many-true-freshmen-see-the-field-for-a-veteran-team/

It's a slow day, and I'm sure everyone is sick of hearing about Penn State, so I figured I'd see what everyone elses input is on this.  Annarbor.com has an article where they debate how many freshman will see the field this year.  The over/under is 6.  I'm going with the over and predict 9.

 

Darboh - WR
Chesson - WR
Williams - Blocking TE
Funcess - Hybrid WR/TE
Kalis - OL
Bolden - LB
Norfleet - KR/PR
Wilson - S
EDIT - Pipkins - DT  (duh)

hart20

July 17th, 2012 at 8:47 PM ^

in the Alabama game, although I'm not sure how likely that is. I do think that he starts by the end of the season though. I'm not very confident in our receivers this year. I think Gallon will be the best receiver and I don't think Roundtree has the speed to stretch the field. That's why I feel confident in saying that Chesson should have a big impact this season.

UMaD

July 17th, 2012 at 8:54 PM ^

Roundtree had a disappointing year last year, but the guy is a legitimate player.  It doesn't matter if you can 'stretch the field' if you don't have a QB who can get the ball there.  Denard CAN do that - but he has to get better.  Borges will also figure out a better way to use Roundtree this year.

Chesson may be a star, long-term but I doubt he beats out either Gallon or Roundtree...he might not even beat out Jackson, Darboh, Funchess, etc.

UMaD

July 17th, 2012 at 8:50 PM ^

Looks like you didn't read the post I responded to, which said just that.

As for Chesson's blocking: a) he's a freshman not used to blocking college athletes, let alone Alabama-caliber athletes and b) his arms are still too skinny.  He has to develop physically and learn technique before he's going to be a Big 10 caliber blocker.

I wasn't questioning his desire to block or his long term potential as a blocker just recognizing it's extremely unlikely that a true freshman is going to be able to block nearly as well as one of our vets.

WolvinLA2

July 17th, 2012 at 9:54 PM ^

Yeah - when I was skimming the comments, I thought he was saying Chesson could play when he clearly said start, so that's my bad. So yeah, I agree with you that Chesson probably won't be a starter this year, at least that early.

Mr. Rager

July 17th, 2012 at 7:04 PM ^

There are some rumblings that if you were making a list of freshmen most likely to see the field at some point, Funchess should be #1.  "Needs a shirt" or not, they will use him in the slot (apparently) this fall.  

DrewGOBLUE

July 17th, 2012 at 6:36 PM ^

That's true Magnuson still has to develop some more. I'm just speculating that if heaven forbid the OL gets plagued with injuries and another freshman needs to step up, Magnuson might be a likely one to burn his redshirt. 

Jfox1020

July 17th, 2012 at 5:15 PM ^

Our D line is light so I would have to say Pipkins, WR we are rather small so I can see both playing a small amount of time.. Bolden already has been on campus along with Ringer at the LB spot. and Wilson and Richardson could both play quite a bit since our secondary is scary thin.. And finally, Kalis will start from begining to end.. this is my 2 cents.. Go Blue

Jfox1020

July 17th, 2012 at 5:15 PM ^

Our D line is light so I would have to say Pipkins, WR we are rather small so I can see both playing a small amount of time.. Bolden already has been on campus along with Ringer at the LB spot. and Wilson and Richardson could both play quite a bit since our secondary is scary thin.. And finally, Kalis will start from begining to end.. this is my 2 cents.. Go Blue

Frito Bandito

July 17th, 2012 at 5:17 PM ^

They all dress for home games. I would say all of them SEE the field. Norfleet is pretty tiny though. He might have a tough time.

brandanomano

July 17th, 2012 at 6:14 PM ^

Gallon looked like Desmond Howard out there this year compared to whatever I was watching the few years before on PR's. I could see Norfleet getting some time at KR and being utilized at slot and maybe rarely as a change of pace back, though. With the lack of depth at reciever it wouldn't hurt to put his speed out there and get him similar time to what Dileo recieved last year.

GoBlueInNYC

July 17th, 2012 at 6:25 PM ^

Are freshman punt returners really that weird?

I honestly don't know. The idea that having a freshman returning punts is some kind of roster desperation move seems weird. Not that it's common, but I wouldn't have thought that it was any more unusual than having a freshman WR or something.

turd ferguson

July 17th, 2012 at 6:35 PM ^

I don't think you can be this absolute about freshmen returning punts.  Returning punts isn't complicated in the way that running an offense (as a QB) or mastering blocking schemes (as an O-lineman) is.  It does take balls, though, to handle that pressure and spotlight.  Generally speaking, upperclassmen have bigger balls than true freshmen, but I'm sure there are plenty of big-balled freshmen out there.  Does Norfleet have the skills and cool to handle it?  I don't know, but I wouldn't rule it out because of an inflexible rule about freshmen returners.  I think he gets a shot.

GoBlueInNYC

July 17th, 2012 at 6:44 PM ^

I actually don't really remember the punt return units from 2008 and 2009. Wasn't Odoms returning most of the punts as a true freshman in 2008 and doing an alright job of it?

But even if UM sucked at returning punts in those seasons, that doesn't actually answer my question of whether or not freshman punt returners are that unusual or are inherently a really bad sign. All that means is that UM sucked really bad a punt returns.

leaders best

July 17th, 2012 at 8:08 PM ^

I disagree about issues with Norfleet at KR/PR because of being a freshman. I asked Allen Trieu who i should be most excited for from the 2012 class he said the usuals first: Kalis Pipkins and so on then said his big one is Norfleet. He said the kids an incredible athlete and has the drive to excel. Then i asked if he thought he would get a shot a returning kicks this year? His answer, absolutely

turd ferguson

July 17th, 2012 at 5:22 PM ^

I say about 3,000.  There will be ~7,000 incoming students this fall, maybe 4,000 of them will buy football tickets (at least once), and probably about 1,000 of those 4,000 never will actually divert their attention from their friends, phones, and hair long enough to notice the field.  So 3,000.

Oh, and in the interest of not being a complete ass, I think that 8-10 guys see the field but only two or three of them really play significant roles.  I think the most likely candidates for major contributions are Kalis (at left guard), Chesson/Darboh (whichever of them emerges), Pipkins (later in the season), and Norfleet (as a returner).

pkatz

July 17th, 2012 at 5:21 PM ^

All freshman will see the field... unless we actually have a BLIND recruit.

Do I win something for getting the answer correct?