Changes in the Lineup Next Week?

Submitted by Wolverine Devotee on

Where do you think (if any) changes in the lineup next week?

I think Pipkins is going to be the starter over Quinton Washington next week. I liked what I saw from him, getting through that alabama o-line and stuffing a run.

At tight end, I think we may see some freshmen. Michigan played all 4 scholarship tight ends in this game. Brandon Moore left the game with a hurt knee.

Obviously we will see a change at RB with Fitz. I hope Fitz runs like a madman.

Blue boy johnson

September 2nd, 2012 at 12:42 PM ^

Was Demens hurt? I was surprised to see Ross playing MIKE, (if that is indeed what he was playing), also surprised to see Ross get snaps over Bolden.

I too think it won't be long before Pipkins is in ahead of Washington, though I'm not sure it means Pipkins will be starting, especially against Air Force and UMass

If Countess is out for an extended period; possible Terry Richardson could start at some point, much like Countess last season. I was surprised to see Richardson out there against Alabama. I think it's a pretty clear sign they like him alot

Muttley

September 2nd, 2012 at 12:45 PM ^

but I don't think his, mad-but-momentum losing jump cuts would have been at all effective.  There would have been another Alabama defender there to tackle him.

Denard's and Fitz's effectiveness is proportional to the square of the space they operate in.  When there is none, they aren't that effective.

Lac55

September 2nd, 2012 at 12:48 PM ^

Yeah regardless of what was going on during the game, I knew when Norfleet touched the ball he was trying very hard to bust it open. That guy is fearless! DG has a bright future as a receiver. I was impressed with what he did last night in his first game as a receiver against that D. Other than that I took no positives from our performance.

Mr. Rager

September 2nd, 2012 at 1:01 PM ^

I don't get how DG is your bright spot at WR over Gallon.

The only passes Gallon couldn't catch are when Denard through something drastically over his head.

Yes, DG gives us a sick deep threat - but he could have caught more balls than just 1.  He has a lot of work to do as a route runner.  

Dennis Norfleet - how could you not love this guy?  So much for needing Stonum on kickoff returns.  Norfleet = beast.  

Lac55

September 2nd, 2012 at 1:17 PM ^

Uh ok let's see. He's 6-4 ish probably 210 lbs. and a freak of an athlete. It was his first time playing wr in a live game. And don't act like he was playing against some powder puffs. That D. Millner is pretty damn good and a likely AA. Was he perfect with route running or body positioning? No, but who really expected that? There were also times where Denard just couldn't hit him. If you somehow can't see the upside now, just keep watching.

Mr. Rager

September 2nd, 2012 at 1:29 PM ^

Denard missed him on the long ball because Denard threw it to where DG was currently running, but for whatever reason DG cut a little bit inside (even though the defender was inside) - which leads me to make the obvious conclusion he ran a poor route.  

He's got huge upside and is a freak athlete - let's agree on that.  But he's still got a ways to go as a WR.  Still, what else could you expect?  

Lac55

September 2nd, 2012 at 1:49 PM ^

Yea and that's my point. He's not complete yet by far but by the time we get into the B10 schedule I think we'll see him turn into that guy. We also have to look at chemistry and timing as that didn't look to good between Denard & receivers.I understand what your saying about Gallon and love how he goes to get the ball at 5'8'' , but he is only 5'8''. Hopefully Roundtree will come to life soon. If not its time to see what the young guys have.

gsquared2123

September 2nd, 2012 at 12:55 PM ^

They should pull denard after the first quarter (assuming a decent lead) so he can heal.  He is going to be sore for a while, and it seems that bellomy is next in the hole.  He needs the experience.  There is no telling how much garbage time he will get this season with our schedule. 

 

Remember remember the first of september. 

m1jjb00

September 2nd, 2012 at 1:02 PM ^

I'll be interested in seeing how well we run next week and whether a change at guard is due.

Masochists can watch the replay on ESPNU right now.

Och3517

September 2nd, 2012 at 1:04 PM ^

I hate to say it already but demens and Morgan have gotten worse. Demens is just too slow and horrible at blitzing. Morgan isn't talented enough vs good teams going back too last year. Put somebody in for Floyd I've never seen anybody so scared too tackle. Watch the tape he hides behind blockers so he doesn't get trucked. Build for the future and they better off for this year anyway.

nes5775

September 2nd, 2012 at 1:06 PM ^

I thought Mealer played a solid game at center. Gardner is going to be a beast at WR... Round tree still has not shown much for the last year 1/2.

michgoblue

September 2nd, 2012 at 1:12 PM ^

Than fitz. It's ONE GAME. Against bama. Means nothing for the rest of the season as to how our players perform against non-NFL teams. I would roll with the same unit and not overreact to one game.

mackbru

September 2nd, 2012 at 1:21 PM ^

Relax, people. It wasn't so much that our players played especially poorly. They were just facing a vastly more talented, strong, and experienced team. Nobody on the rest of our schedule is on Bama's level. 

BIGBLUEWORLD

September 2nd, 2012 at 1:23 PM ^

Good news: Desmond Howard is back and playing for Michigan.

Bad news: He's playing quarterback.

This is no joke. Denard Robinson is a great person and a gifted athlete. He is miscast at quarterback.

trueblue22

September 2nd, 2012 at 1:37 PM ^

Agree with you. I can understand the coaches being hesitant on putting him at another position mainly because he is the one person on the team that has proven to be a play maker on any given play. I'd love to see a set where Bellomy comes in at qb Gardner at wr and denard in the back field. Maybe set up a screen pass and get him in the open field where he can work his magic. Last night was the closest thing to a true pro style offense we have ran and it blew up in our face.

corundum

September 2nd, 2012 at 1:49 PM ^

If you think Bellomy is going to come in and be instantly better than senior Denard at QB, you're crazy. Compared to how other QB's have performed against Alabama's defense recently, he actually wasn't too bad. Denard will most definitely be our best asset under center, and has a much stronger arm than Bellomy. 

Mulletman Dave

September 2nd, 2012 at 9:09 PM ^

In the bowl game vs Bama, Kirk Cousins had a qb rating of 100, Denard's was 104 last night. Cousins had minus 56 yards rushing, Denard had 27 yards and a touchdown.

Granted they didn't play against the exact same team, but I'd have to argue that they were bigger/faster/stronger than anything we have in the B10. We cant give up on Denard.

Joshisbowler

September 2nd, 2012 at 1:24 PM ^

i think we just leave the lineup alone except for Washington, i say we start Pipkins, other than that it was the first game and we weren't ready for a team like that

Och3517

September 2nd, 2012 at 1:35 PM ^

Look at the tape I understand we ain't got much but Floyd is another Marcus curry. I understand he's small but he's got better instincts and he ain't scared. Ill admit I'm wrong if he's worse but I tape every game and look for cowards on tackles.

Och3517

September 2nd, 2012 at 1:51 PM ^

I wish we had more upperclassman but we don't. Rich rod killed us his last 2 classes. Talents coming but I hate losing now. Just beat our rivals and possibly contend for a bog ten title and that's good enough this year.

graybeaver

September 2nd, 2012 at 2:08 PM ^

QB? Denard is a zone read QB only. Sorry if that hurts your feelings, but if he isn't running for 100 + yards then Michigan isn't winning very often. Michigan won't beat great teams with Denard as the QB. He hasn't beat a great team yet at Michigan. He was smoked by the tressel lead OSU teams and beating badly by Sparty. Great kid and human, but not much of a QB. I could care less if hes the all time rushing QB. What's his record as a starter? Mediocre!

corundum

September 2nd, 2012 at 2:14 PM ^

Nebraska annihilation and an 11-2 season with a bcs bowl victory in the first year under a new coach is mediocre? Please, set the standard higher. Will you be saying the same thing if we lose one more game this year, win the Big Ten title, and make the Rose Bowl?

UofM-I-Hart

September 2nd, 2012 at 2:57 PM ^

Anytime we play a good team Denard plays awful. Don't say Nebraska, because they played like shit that day, and regardless; if he does good once or teice against good teams out of the 5 or 6 that hes played in, that's not good. He can't throw anywhere near consistantly accurate, and most defenses now know how to shut down his running game. So after that, what does he have? Nothing so stop playin hin at QB

Sten Carlson

September 2nd, 2012 at 4:05 PM ^

 

Anytime we play a good team Denard plays awful.

 

Although I am not going to sit here an argue with you, I think you're taking a rather short sighted view, or one that is overly critical of Denard.  Look at the best "read option" teams in the nation and you'll see something they all have in common: 1) they have excellent OL's; 2) they have a equally dangerous RB; and 3) they have outside play makers.

Did you notice how much better Denard's game got when Fitz emerged as a legit threat that opposing DC's had to account for?  I don't think that Fitz would have made too much of difference last night because Bama was bascially giving Denard the give read then collapsing on the give -- they're that good and well coached.  But, it couldn't have really been any worse as he might have popped a couple.

Last night while watching Bama's OL grind our DL into dust, I couldn't help but harken back to the days of old when Michigan's OL would do the same thing.  Michigan has one elite OLineman, not 5 like Bama.  Everything starts up front, on both sides of the ball.  I love watching BTN and seeing those old game where Michigan's OL looked like giants and opened gaping holes of A Train, Biakabatuka, Perry, Hart, et. al.  We've not had that for a long time.  Unfortunately, RR didn't give us a deep stable of top OLinemen to rely upon.  They coming, but it's going to take some time.  No matter how fast and elusive Denard is, he cannot run effectively when there aren't holes, and they're aren't going to be holes if the OL cannot get into the second level, simple as that.

When Michigan plays a good team, they beat us in the trenches.  When you cannot win the trenches, you lose the game typically.  It's not Denard.

corundum

September 2nd, 2012 at 4:10 PM ^

So what have you seen from Bellomy or Gardner that makes you want to play Denard elsewhere? Even if you think Denard can't play QB, the other issue is that you would need a replacement. If you go with Bellomy, then we are back to a freshman QB that might be more accurate, but definitely doesn't have the playmaking ability with his feet or nearly as strong of an arm. If you go with Gardner, then you lose our biggest outside WR threat. Just face it, Denard is our QB, and gives us our best option to win football games this year.

justingoblue

September 2nd, 2012 at 4:25 PM ^

Denard doesn't have a great career record are things completely out of his control. He should have been redshirted in 2009, but with the QB scholarship situation he was forced into action. In 2010 he finished sixth in Heisman voting, and the offense certainly didn't lose five games. In 2011 he won eleven games, and we're one game into the 2012 season.

Citing Denard as any type of reason Michigan has struggled the past few years is pretty ridiculous, IMO.

gforsyth4

September 2nd, 2012 at 2:21 PM ^

Schofield isn't horrible. He was facing possibly the best 3-4 in college football and they were just worn down. I think it's easy to say that the Michigan LOS was in for a long night. As a player has the size and technique to play well in the big 10 and compete for all conference honors. 

gforsyth4

September 2nd, 2012 at 2:17 PM ^

I think he is a playmaker with speed. I know Avery will get the reps with Blake out but I would like to see if Taylor can step up and compete for that position. I saw him try and strip the ball on a tackle last night that makes me think with more chances he could help the D make some turnovers.

At this point we need young guys stepping up and taking on bigger roles the same way blake did last year.