Carries for Dymonte Thomas?

Submitted by Blazefire on

Just a quick question. We spent most of our time since 2011 salivating over how good, what an ATHLETE Dymonte Thomas is. So far, we've only seen him briefly at S and then a little more on kick coverage, where he put his elite athleticism on display.

Obviously, he's not quite ready to take over at Safety yet, which I understand. We've been playing kind of soft coverages, so you need seasoned guys. My question is this. His RS season is gone. Are we really going to let this elite athlete we were all terribly excited to get languish on special teams?

I seem to recall reading that he was quite the runner out of the backfield. At 190, he's not huge, but could probably handle a few carries per game. Do you think this is something the coaches should pursue?

jmdblue

October 9th, 2013 at 9:33 AM ^

I was camping as a child with my family in New Hampshire ... The last morning I was having a final look around and I came through the woods into a vacant campsite where I suprised a badger.  I swear the earth shook when he ran away.  Scared the hell out of both of us.  Cheers.

MichiganStudent

October 8th, 2013 at 9:23 PM ^

We have Norfleet and Justice Hayes as guys who have practiced the RB position for over a year. They would be used before Dymonte. I like the thinking, but I just don't see him getting any touches on the offensive side of the ball.

AriGold

October 9th, 2013 at 8:12 AM ^

but it is not a terrible idea by any means whatsoever...i think he would be good a catching a few bubble screens and possibly breaking it loose...but that would require that the guy calling plays actually change up the play calling

Huma

October 9th, 2013 at 10:42 AM ^

Thanks - I love Short's. So many great beers. Everyone that likes craft brews needs to make it up to their pub in Bellaire. I have been going when I am up north ever since it opened ~10 yrs ago and each and every time they have several crazy new beers on tap.

Worthing

October 8th, 2013 at 9:23 PM ^

I hope not. I want him spend every available second of practice practicing for the incredibly important/ tough to play position that we have about 0 depth at.

MGoShoe

October 8th, 2013 at 9:32 PM ^

...example of how expectations for freshmen are almost always outsized and unrealistic. Rather than searching for novel ways to employ freshman who are seeing little playing time, recommend you learn to control your salivations.

Blazefire

October 8th, 2013 at 9:36 PM ^

I didn't recommend that it SHOULD happen. Simply asking what people thought. It probably would be a bad idea. At the same time, I dare you, DARE you to watch Jibreel Peppers highlights and not have "Instant Charles Woodson" flash in your brain. And he's a long way till he's even a freshman yet.

I would think you would know me well enough to know that I'm not screaming, "STAHR RANKERNS! PURT HIRM IN THUR GERM!"

alum96

October 8th, 2013 at 9:54 PM ^

And fast forward a year and if Peppers is not performing at Charles Woodson, junior level - the calls of dismay will be everywhere.  People just have too high of expectations of everything.  Peppers looks like a fantastic talent and I hope he is "the man", the chosen one, the everything.  But if he carves out a career of say a Ty Law level we should be considered lucky.  Right now from the hype on here, he is a Reggie Bush on offense + Charles Woodson on defense + should be getting 10-15 touches a game on offense the day he walks on campus + all kick and punt returners because surely he will take 1 out of 7 back all the way because he is ...Peppers.   Not like other teams dont get top 10 CBs every year - some of which you never hear of 5 years later. 

I'd suggest all MGoLovers go check the top 15 of the past 10 years and note all the total bombs.  It can happen to anyone and 7 months ago at this time all the talk was how Green would be displacing Fitz by the time the Big 10 season begins and begin his "Yeldon" years.

MGomaha

October 8th, 2013 at 10:21 PM ^

Just saying, but a lot of recruiting analysts are saying he's the best pure athlete since Patrick Peterson and is one of the best cornerback recruits in the past 15 years. Obviously nothing is guaranteed, but there is a reason people are excited about a 6'2, 220 pound cornerback.

wolverine1987

October 9th, 2013 at 10:25 AM ^

It is because of the bombs that have occurred that people get worried about a top ranked freshman not showing elite signs right way. Because in almost every case, an elite recruit shows elite signs right away (mixed in with the typical freshman mistakes) if they are going to be at that level. So IMO it wouldn't be irrational at all to be worried about Peppers given the hype, if he was not starting as a freshman like Woodson did.

WolvinLA2

October 9th, 2013 at 10:40 AM ^

This is ridiculous. Lots of players who turn out to be great players don't start (or even contribute) right away. Sometimes they need an adjustment to the college game, or sometimes there are just good players ahead of them. Jake Ryan redshirted his freshman year. Similarly, Ben Gedeon might be a future all American, but he's behind a handful of very good LBs. Peppers will come in with two returning starters at CB, and other talented guys behind them. He will likely not start, and that's OK.

Mr Miggle

October 8th, 2013 at 9:56 PM ^

as a freshman. Thomas is still learning how to play safety, and he might still be needed there. I can't see asking him to learn another new position in the middle of the season, especially one that already has more depth.

MGoShoe

October 8th, 2013 at 10:30 PM ^

...a rare talent, but the hype is ridiculous. This is the sort of thing that leads to people calling 18 year olds "busts". If he starts and has an incredible year, that will be wonderful and will be rightly celebrated. But to expect it to happen is asking for a let down.

jmblue

October 9th, 2013 at 12:56 PM ^

 

I dare you, DARE you to watch Jibreel Peppers highlights and not have "Instant Charles Woodson" flash in your brain.

 

 

High school is not college.  All these guys look like men among boys in high school.  That becomes much less true at the college level.  Also, highlights are, well, highlights - a compilation of the very best plays a player has made. The bad plays don't get on there.

 

M-Wolverine

October 9th, 2013 at 12:54 PM ^

At this point in Woodson's career he was still a couple of weeks away from getting torched by MSU as a freshman. It wasn't until the end of the season and OSU that Woodson even started looking like WOODSON his first year.

LSAClassOf2000

October 8th, 2013 at 9:36 PM ^

Of minor interest perhaps, Thomas' high school stats exist on 247Sports in a semi-complete format. As an RB, he is listed as having accumulated, over his HS career, some 2,107 yards of rushing and 31 rushing TD, as well as 105 yards of receiving and 1 receiving TD. 

That being said, I am pretty sure that we're deep enough at RB right now. Thomas was putting up some good tackling stats as well, so I am thinking DB is where he stays. 

WolvinLA2

October 8th, 2013 at 9:42 PM ^

But don't you want him practicing at safety and learning that position better? Any hope of him ever seeing the field at RB would require he practice there exclusively to learn the offense. Than would stunt his development at his actual position. Considering we don't need another RB, this seems like a bad move.

Danwillhor

October 8th, 2013 at 9:43 PM ^

this. Surely they could toss him in there at nickel for a play or few a game. I'd bet he would be a dang fine rusher out of that spot as well as good his own in coverage along side the guaranteed freshman mistakes.

reshp1

October 9th, 2013 at 10:19 AM ^

He's playing special teams, which always gets overlooked. It doesn't have the glamour of a starter on defense or offense, but it's an important role nonetheless (one where he's already contributed a big play). I know people gripe about people burning RS on special teams, but someone's got to play there and the same people would be griping when starters/contributers on defense and offense get injured playing special teams.

Creedence Tapes

October 9th, 2013 at 4:01 PM ^

Deveon Smith set Trumbull County record with 6,750 career rushing yards (breaking former mark of Jimmy Rasey) and had 82 touchdowns in his HS carreer. Justice Hayes ran 380 times for 2,624 yards and 21 touchdowns in HS, Rawls  ran for 1,585 yards and scored 19 touchdowns as a senior, Derrick Green ran for 1,350 yards and 21 touchdowns as a senior and 1,500 yards and 20 touchdowns as a junior. Toussaint ran for 4,690 yards and 65 touchdowns during his HS career. All of those guys are currently Running Backs that he would have to beat out to see the field. 

Danwillhor

October 8th, 2013 at 9:38 PM ^

in that a kid with his pure athleticism has to get more time on the field somehow. As he said, many stated he could play offense or defense (sound like a guy we have coming in next year?) at a high level right away. Some went so far as to claim he could be the backup HB. I'm not saying it has to be HB but I think the blocked punt and his (nd late hit aside) play on ST shows he is every bit the athlete we thought he was. Kids can run and is not afraid of contact. We rotate DL so much that I'm also kind of shocked we've yet to nickel him occasionally, kicking our best DB to cover corner and send him at the QB along with coverage here and there. True Freshman, I know. Yet, kid is taller than I thought he'd be, just as fast, just as agile, just as physical, etc. Just dint get the absolute lack of time as well, that's all. RS burned and all.