Articles re: Offensive Line / Kyle Kalis
The Detroit News has an article today about Michigan's offensive Line. Some interesting comments were from Fitz Toussaint who said he knew the line needed to to develop. He also mentioned that he will continue training around campus for Pro Day so he can continue working with Derrick Green and De 'Veon Smith. He feels he has more he can help teach them. Kudos to Fitz for sticking around.
Kyle Kalis mentions that he suffered a severe sprained ankle in the Minnesota game which was the reason for his reduced time.
There is also a discussion about how the line has gelled. Let's hope it shows Saturday.
http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20131227/SPORTS0201/312270033/1131/s…
Edit: MLive has a more indepth article on Kalis. I'll add it here:
http://www.mlive.com/wolverines/index.ssf/2013/12/michigans_kyle_kalis_…
This article has a different story and says Kalis didn't want to sit. He was hurt but didn't want to come out. He sat down with Funk and Borges and was told he was the guy and would be the guy but there were reasons he needed to sit. He took it as a reason to work harder and it paid off.
I love the attitude.
December 27th, 2013 at 8:54 AM ^
December 27th, 2013 at 9:05 AM ^
December 27th, 2013 at 9:34 AM ^
So you're saying that they weren't injured?
Or that being injured is no reason for not playing well?
December 28th, 2013 at 9:30 AM ^
December 28th, 2013 at 10:11 AM ^
...he said very clearly that he is saying neither of these things.
December 27th, 2013 at 9:45 AM ^
he doesn't use that excuse. I take it that he was upset and used it as an incentive to work harder. I saw the News article first but the MLive article was much better as it stated that he looked at himself and said he needed to improve.
December 27th, 2013 at 9:46 AM ^
always keep in mind that these are very young men of 18, 19 and 20 years old that have put a tremendous strain on their bodies even as those bodies are still naturally growing, filling out, and strengthening. Those lads aren't naturally 300 LBs and able to bench press my fat azz numerous time, they do that, and then they're told to bash skulls with similar sized guys on a weekly basis.
December 27th, 2013 at 10:06 AM ^
I didn't say anything other than that it feels unusual.
I'm not trashing college kids or accusing them of being weak or making excuses. I just don't remember a year when it seemed like there are so many of these stories and it seemed worth pointing out. Stop putting words in my mouth you are all starting to sound like my significant other!December 27th, 2013 at 10:58 AM ^
Evenyoubrutus is trying to be the new Herm.. You should think before you post silly opinions.
December 27th, 2013 at 10:59 AM ^
...the problem is probably not with the world.
December 27th, 2013 at 11:49 AM ^
December 27th, 2013 at 10:17 AM ^
am starting to feel like there is an unusually high number of "I didn't play well because I had an underlying injury" stories/rumors/conjectures.
Other than Gardner and Kalis, who else falls into that category?
December 27th, 2013 at 10:46 AM ^
December 27th, 2013 at 11:50 AM ^
December 27th, 2013 at 5:12 PM ^
I had a good laugh at this.
December 27th, 2013 at 9:12 AM ^
December 27th, 2013 at 9:12 AM ^
December 27th, 2013 at 9:14 AM ^
He has been class throughout all the adversities he has had to deal with. Love to see him want to help out the other backs, even if they have replaced him on the coaches depth chart. The future is bright.
December 27th, 2013 at 9:19 AM ^
Hope his injury has since healed and I bet he is going to work even harder realizing nothing is a given.
Hopefully he becomes another All-American OL from AA.
December 27th, 2013 at 9:22 AM ^
December 27th, 2013 at 9:43 AM ^
5 loss season at MINIMUM is what it is and nothing can change that
Go Blue!
December 27th, 2013 at 10:34 AM ^
If they win, I will feel nominally better. If Shane looks decent I will feel great. If the online doesn't suck, I will be ecstatic.
December 27th, 2013 at 11:34 AM ^
December 27th, 2013 at 11:34 AM ^
December 27th, 2013 at 11:51 AM ^
That someone makes a perfectly normal and positive post and people immediately assume he is being sarcastic.
December 27th, 2013 at 1:09 PM ^
December 27th, 2013 at 9:23 AM ^
I really did like the story about Kalis in particular because that to me is how you would want a player to react to having to sit for a few games, to strive to do better and do everything they can and more to get back to starting status. You can learn a lot of lessons from a moment like that, and most of them are applicable outside of sports as well.
At the end of the piece, it is mentioned that the struggles of this year did bring the offensive linemen closer together as a unit, and for those that will be back, it will be interesting to see how the lessons of this year translate into the next.
December 27th, 2013 at 9:48 AM ^
It says a lot about his attitude that he looked at himself instead of blaming the coaches. I liked the comment about things clicking at the end of the year also. I think we will see an improved line Saturday.
December 27th, 2013 at 9:48 AM ^
I'm sure that I'm speaking too soon, but it's made me happy in a similar way that we haven't had anyone transfer out since the season ended. No one has thrown their hands up or walked away, whichsays something very positive about the program.
December 27th, 2013 at 9:30 AM ^
Hearing Kalis say that something clicked in the bowl practices could turn out to be significant. I remember during the 2007 MNC game Charles Davis mentioned that Jim Tressel said during the bowl practices something clicked for Beanie Wells. Let's hope this bodes well for game tomorrow.
December 27th, 2013 at 9:30 AM ^
December 27th, 2013 at 9:32 AM ^
thanks for sharing...this makes me feel terrible for the o-line, not only were they battling thru injuries/no starting experience, they have an OC who continues to screw them over with play calls they cannot (and most likely will not be able to) execute next year with the loss of both Tackles...i see another 8-4 or 7-5 year full of bad/predictable play-calling and watching DG get beat up again
December 27th, 2013 at 9:34 AM ^
I remember the play where he hurt his ankle in the Minnesota, and I also remember him sprinting back on the field to finish a touchdown drive. The kid is a gamer and will be just fine.
December 27th, 2013 at 9:36 AM ^
I wonder how much coach Funk's personal issues have effected the line... Hopefully coach Funk has a much better year...
December 27th, 2013 at 10:28 AM ^
December 27th, 2013 at 9:40 AM ^
isn't the 100% pathetic bust that so many around here think.
December 27th, 2013 at 9:43 AM ^
December 27th, 2013 at 9:52 AM ^
December 27th, 2013 at 9:43 AM ^
sorry for my inquisitve post, but who in the hell was talking smack about Kalis??? i believe you, of course, but i am borderline shocked that idiots on this board would call out a freshman lineman with play-calling that horrific...i must have selective memory when in comes to terrible posts (mine included, since I'm sure I have made some incorrect posts in the past)
December 27th, 2013 at 10:01 AM ^
About that play calling. I hold myself as no expert on such matters, but it seems to me the more we learn about what happened this season, the more the "bad playcalling" doesn't seem to be that bad after all.
Take the failed 2pt conversion as an example. All manner of blame going around, most of it about the play calling and then we find out that there was at least one mitigating factor, Gardner could barely walk much less run. Now we find out that Khalis wasn't just performing poorly, he was legitamently hurt (and yes, Khalis, Bosch, and Miller were all held in tremendous contempt by many people posting on this site).
So maybe with the revolving door on OL, and other factors to which we aren't yet privy, there is a reason why, to some, the play calling seemed at best misjointed.
December 27th, 2013 at 10:19 AM ^
the last play-call or the OSU game in general...I am talking about the Iowa, Nebraska, Penn St. OT, Akron and UConn gameplan/playcalling that nearly cost Borges his job...unfortunately he will return, and it is highly likely nothing will change other than Gallon not being there to help bail out DG when he is running for his life with 2 new tackles in place that will almost asuredly get blown by against the likes of ND, OSU, MSU, Penn St. etc....but hey, I hope im wrong and manball gets us 10 wins
December 27th, 2013 at 10:55 AM ^
December 27th, 2013 at 11:36 AM ^
thanks for the nice comment on a website based solely on opinions based on outcomes
December 27th, 2013 at 1:10 PM ^
Are you talking about the outcomes in which the OC called enough plays to put the team in a position to win 10 games? Even with some pretty poor performances by the OL, QB, RB, WR, TE groups? Sometimes a defense needs to make stops, and they were rotating enough players in and out that fatigue should not have been an issue. Other teams do not rotate and seem to be able to make stops. The O had the team in position to beat PSU, Neb, and OSU the defense owns those losses more than the O, even if you don't care for the play calling. Yet, I've not seen you reserve criticism for the defense...it is all Al's fault.
Also, if a play is called, and the play is there; but, a ball is dropped, a poor pass is thrown, a blitz isn't picked up, the right cut isn't seen/made, your athlete can't out athlete an arm tackle, etc. this is not typically a coaching issue, but a performance issue. You know, the dreaded "E" word. I have not heard the coaches throw any players under the bus, "We need to execute better" is generic coach speak. If, after those performances, the players didn't believe they needed to execute better then 1.) there is little hope they will ever improve and 2.) shouldn't be D1 athletes.
December 27th, 2013 at 11:58 AM ^
agreed
December 27th, 2013 at 5:11 PM ^
Seems you have a selective memory indeed. Everyone made mistakes this year including the coaches, but you act like nothing good will ever happen as long as al is OC and that's ridiculous
December 27th, 2013 at 10:03 AM ^
December 27th, 2013 at 10:05 AM ^
December 27th, 2013 at 9:53 AM ^