Uh... Exit Kekoa Crawford, Too Comment Count

Brian

[Marc-Gregor Campredon]

It has been pointed out to me that we never officially bon voyaged Kekoa Crawford, who like Kareem Walker was in the Schrodinger transfer box for a few months here. There is still no official announcement but like Tyrone Wheatley Jr he is also not on the roster, so that's good enough.

Crawford came in with a fair amount of hype, just outside of the top 100 on most recruiting sites, and was expected to emerge into a starter last year. He did, sort of, but after a bunch of drops and bad routes he receded into the background even after Tarik Black's injury. Michigan started throwing fades at Eddie McDoom. That's how bad it was.

Crawford's disappointing year has apparently resulted in his departure from the program, which may have happened as far back as spring. He was conspicuously absent from press conference discussions when not one but two walk-ons (Nate Schoenle and Jake McCurry) were drawing mention. Whether that meant he wasn't participating or had just been passed is unknown. Given last year you can't rule out the latter.

Crawford's departure probably impacts the two-deep, which is set to have some combination of the three second-year players (Black, DPJ, and Nico Collins) who are certainly outside guys but doesn't have a certain #4. It could be fellow 2017 recruit Oliver Martin; it could be one of the walk-ons. That's not a ton of depth. Grant Perry and McDoom are slots and slots only. Maybe Zach Gentry could pick up some WR snaps?

Comments

Shop Smart Sho…

August 3rd, 2018 at 12:39 PM ^

You know, at some point Harbaugh might want to hire someone who can count when it comes to roster management. There are 16 DBs on scholarship and now just 7 WRs. I know that the DBs have one more position to fill, but that ratio still doesn't make a ton of sense.

***EDIT***
You know, since the voting isn't working, instead of being lazy and just hitting a button that does nothing, perhaps people could start conversing instead. It might actually get this place back to what is used to be when people actually shared their opinions and had conversations instead of trolled for votes.

4th phase

August 3rd, 2018 at 2:48 PM ^

I dont think we need to bump the numbers up, at first it may seem lopsided. But taking 4 WRs (Johnson, Mitchell, McDoom, Crawford) then 5 WRs (DPJ, Black, Collins, Martin, Hawkins) in back to back classes seriously hurt recruiting in the 2018 class. I don't think taking more WRs is the answer. 4 and 5 star guys want to feel like they are going to get the ball, having less WRs actually helps recruiting.

Also as many have noted you actually need more DBs, since you generally have twice as many on the field and DB is more physically taxing than WR. Corners get tired faster than WRs because they constantly have to follow the WR around and the WRs generally get that extra gear when they feel like they have a chance to get the ball.

ak47

August 3rd, 2018 at 2:01 PM ^

One year of elite recruiting a position isn't good enough. Freshman wide receivers are bad. If DPJ and Tarik Black are great and leave for the NFL we are still fucked after next year because in the last two classes we have no great receiving recruits. And god forbid there are injuries too. Winning a championship isn't just about having elite starters, its about having elite depth. That is why the blue chip ratio matters, its why Michigan has better title odds than michigan state and wisconsin.

Ali G Bomaye

August 3rd, 2018 at 12:58 PM ^

Every contributing WR other than Perry will be here at least another 2 years, and we rarely use more than 2 WRs at once (Harbaugh likes to use RBs and TEs in his "spread" formations). We have some upperclassman DBs, our base defense uses 5 DBs, and we sometimes use 6.

It makes perfect sense that we have roughly 2x as many rostered DBs as WRs.

Shop Smart Sho…

August 3rd, 2018 at 1:02 PM ^

I can't get the search function to work, so I can't find the post that examined all the lineups, but I'm remembering it differently than you. I thought it was only 5 DBs as the majority if you counted the Viper spot, which I and the Depth Chart by Class don't. And that snaps were still weighted a bit towards 3 WR over 2 WR.

mgobaran

August 6th, 2018 at 10:11 AM ^

Light production, but something. Schoenle had 4 catches for 41 yards last season, compared to Collins 3 catches for 27 yards. RS Freshman Walk-on vs. Scholarship Freshman, but still. Schoenle has proven to be a fine 5th/6th receiver, which exceeds expectation of any walk-on imo. McCurry, tbd. 

The complaint is that we only have 7 scholarship receivers. I would say Schoenle has strengthened our WR depth, which is lucky/unexpected. 

FrozeMangoes

August 3rd, 2018 at 1:12 PM ^

I agree it seems a little lopsided at first glance.  Does anyone have any numbers on other rosters? I tried to look over MSU's roster quickly but I don't know which players are walk-ons or scholarship, other than the obvious ones. 

First thing that came to my mind on why JH might go this route is he offsets the numbers with the TE group more than most schools.  

I understood the lack of going after a lot of WRs last class but hope they can get a couple more this class (they are in on some top guys) since it seems unlikely all four from 2016 complete their eligibility here. 

Mr Miggle

August 3rd, 2018 at 1:15 PM ^

Let me help you out.

A minimum of 4 DBs are on the field, often 5. They cover not just WRs, but TEs.  So their numbers should be compared to all receivers, not just WRs.

Even then, Michigan never plays 5 WR/TEs at once. It's often 4, often 3. Being weighted a bit towards DBs makes sense then, doesn't it?

There are 16 DBs and 13 receivers and two more receivers departed after the roster was filled. There is also a returning walkon who got snaps at WR and an incoming player listed at athlete who may play in the slot.

 

 

 

 

rc15

August 3rd, 2018 at 1:29 PM ^

Exactly, who looks at this roster and says we need more offensive pass catchers?

DPJ, Black, Collins, Perry, Martin, McDoom, Evans, McKeon, Gentry, Eubanks... At most 5 of those guys can play at once. Likely 4, or 3 if Higdon and a FB are on the field. Even with Wheatley and Crawford gone, I'm not sure there's enough snaps to go around... Not to mention 6 OL and freshmen you want to get snaps.

edit: because I can

WolvinLA2

August 3rd, 2018 at 1:26 PM ^

There are always at least 4 DBs on the field and sometimes 5. We often use two TEs or a fullback, meaning there are only 2 WR on the field at times. And as some have said, some of our TEs or RBs can split out as WRs so we definitely need more DBs, by a large margin. That’s also a more physical position so risk of injury is higher. 

dipshit moron

August 3rd, 2018 at 2:43 PM ^

you say you want conversation, but you start out with a dumb remark as if you are the only smart one in the room and question  the head coaches ability to manage a roster. so my question to you, mister conversation, would be what are your qualifications for  recognizing and fixing roster imbalances?

GarMoe

August 4th, 2018 at 5:09 AM ^

Then it devolves into,this pissant snarky shit from 3000+ pointers.  “Mr conversation” - did you have nice hearty chuckle at the keyboard after that one?   You really crack yourself up sometimes ey Mr Snarky?  (Cool, huh?)

CalifExile

August 3rd, 2018 at 12:44 PM ^

It's surprising that we haven't heard where he is going. It's late to catch on with a P5 team, so maybe he's going the same JC route as Walker. Or maybe he's moving on with his life.

darkstar

August 3rd, 2018 at 12:47 PM ^

Shame to see him go. Hope he does well elsewhere.

Kudos on the Schrodinger's reference. Smartest blog out there (or at least the only one I consistently read).

NowTameInThe603

August 3rd, 2018 at 12:49 PM ^

This surprises me. I mean I knew about it months ago but him transferring in general. I had high hopes when he committed. And even though they brought in a monster WR class 2 years ago he would still have the most experience out of the outside guys. He was a willing blocker. Just seems like he would not have lost enough snaps to warrant a transfer. 

 

Best of luck to him.

Mr Miggle

August 3rd, 2018 at 12:52 PM ^

 Not just Gentry, a healthy Eubanks is a better deep threat than Crawford. There are plenty of parts to provide matchup nightmares for opposing defenses. 

Ron Utah

August 3rd, 2018 at 1:07 PM ^

I think Schoenle and McCurry are going to contribute and fans will be pleased. There are plenty of pieces and Gentry and McKeon both lined up in receiver positions last year, as did Eubanks. 

Jmer

August 3rd, 2018 at 1:18 PM ^

Now that the dust has settled and we see who is back on the roster and who isn't, what size of recruiting class are we looking at for 2019 assuming no one else leaves the team during the season?

ColeIsCorky

August 3rd, 2018 at 1:55 PM ^

Doesn't sounds like it. He is currently at the "rover" safety position and was graded out as the best Safety the last 4 practices of camp AFTER being injured for a big chunk of camp. I don't think they want to remove him from Safety. Besides, the staff likely knew about Crawford at this time and did not move him, so I would be shocked if it happens.

Edit(!): Props to Mr. Miggle. Beat me to the punch.

Alumnus93

August 3rd, 2018 at 1:46 PM ^

Yet another west coast player to burn out and leave... Doesn't seem too productive for the staff to spend time on west coast when they all transfer back.. Asiasi and now Crawford....

And another thought...now that Wheatley is leaving,maybe we should cut back on the legacies too..not one has done well... Runyan might be the first .