2019 discussion

Submitted by TK on September 25th, 2018 at 9:28 PM

Yup, I’m that guy that likes to look ahead. Ron probably wouldn’t approve of this thread. Oh well. Anyway, with some young players starting to play, it got me thinking a little about next year. Quick thoughts for each position group. (Yes, a lot of hypotheticals since we don’t know who will enter draft)

QBs-Feeling very positive. Not convinced Shea will leave early, but even if he does, a RS sophomore version of McCaffrey should be ready to lead this team. 

RBs- Losing Higdon is a blow, but we will have a diverse stable of backs with Evans, Charbonnet, Turner, Wilson. Plus TD sledgehammer Mason.

WRs/TEs- Loaded. Likely the strength of the team. 

OL- Hopefully the group that takes the biggest step forward. Second year of Warriner, only losing JBB who is basically a placeholder until Hudson is ready anyway. 

DL- Paye and Hutchinson won’t be Gary and Winovich, but they won’t be bad either. Should be strong inside with Kemp, Solomon, Dwumfour. 

LBs- Bush is likely gone but we will return Ross and Gill. Question mark is whether Khaleke returns. Regardless, Don Brown is going to find some dudes, and we have recruited well at this position. 

Secondary: Love the safety group with Metellus, Daxton, Hawkins, Woods, JKP. CBs could be a major strength or a huge question mark. I feel like one of the starting corners needs to return in order for us to feel comfortable. Ambry is likely going to be very good, but who would start opposite of him? It’s going to be someone very light on experience regardless. Let’s hope we get back Hill or Long and buy some time to get the young guys up to speed.

Projecting this far out is obviously not an exact science, but we will again likely have some very good talent on both sides of the ball.

Feel free to contribute, or just throw snark if thats your thing. 

Mike Damone

September 26th, 2018 at 12:01 PM ^

Dammit - Who is the idiot that scheduled Army?  That is one of the worst nonconference teams you can schedule - having to prepare your D for shit you will never see again, cut blocks to knees, etc.

Bet it was the same moron that put Alabama A&M on the basketball schedule.

You guys are right on - NEVER SCHEDULE THE SERVICE ACADEMIES AND/OR ANYONE THAT RUNS THE TRIPLE OPTION!

 

GhostofJermain…

September 26th, 2018 at 8:11 AM ^

Had a great convo with a HS coach last night in Metro Detroit.  I asked him about Michigan and their inability to get some of the bigger in state guys.  He agreed that the 2018-2020 classes are very strong.  He said that RR and SM have both been heavily involved with 3 of his kids, and that JayH has also been sniffing around much more.   He also said: "You know Mr. Wheatley was very well liked in Detroit and throughout that state, and the way that whole thing went down made many coaches, parents, and kids think twice before looking into Michigan".    Of course I came back over the top with: no sex scandals, no DV or coverups, no lying to players about playing time or position changes, we are just a very clean program.  He didn't respond other than to say the kids really like the "Jordan gear".  Also, just the way I inferred this but it sounds like Wheatley may have thrown coach under the bus to some big programs in state and nationally, and he is still very much not happy about the way he was treated.  

Bringing back AK from CMU would fix all this IMO.

Lastly, a few weeks ago I mentioned seeing Vilian at practice, unless there are duplicate numbers, or I was mistaken he was practicing a few weeks back.  Coach spoke yesterday about his surgery and being out, so I just wanted to clear that up.  My belief is he was hurt in practice, but it may have been another body all together.

One more thing, coach friend said specifically that JM is a place holder coach and will not be here more than one more year, and he expects if we do not win 9+ this year, coach will go out and hire a true OC this off season.  He referenced the "Michigan way", having an open check book and hiring the best OC statistically that was available, like we did with DonB and BenH.

 

Cheers  

TrueBlue2003

September 26th, 2018 at 1:43 PM ^

Eh, that's not the way you build an organization, especially not if you can deploy the "Michigan way" and throw money at guys.

You identify who you want, you pay him whatever makes him available, and boom, you have your OC.  No one that constitutes a good hire is ever "available."  Desired candidates always have a lot of options (whether it be their existing option or someone else). You just have to make yourself their number 1 option.

Besides, if, as you suggest, they couldn't identify a single OC during the last cycle that would be a good fit, they probably aren't being creative enough.

I guess the Dan Enos thing kind of did mess up their timing.  But still had plenty of time get a guy that could be a longer term solution rather than a guy you know is not a longer term solution.

denardogasm

September 25th, 2018 at 11:16 PM ^

The only underclassmen who have seemed like locks to go high in the draft so far have been Bush and Gary (and maybe Gentry?).  Even Gary's stock is probably falling from the top 5 spot he seemed projected preseason.  Long and Hill are not on Lewis's level right now.  Hudson seems like he would fall due to the drastic fall in production (so far) and his tweener position.  Could see him coming back.  We may not lose much next year (numbers wise), and hopefully the step up from experience across the board makes up for the losses of Winovich, Gary, and Bush.  DTs should improve. Safeties will again improve.  OL will improve, WRs will improve.  DE depth may be a question.  Was bummed that we were going to lose all these guys when we have our toughest opponents at home, but we may be set up alright.

Scared Chicken

September 26th, 2018 at 12:25 PM ^

That would mean that the nfl is assuming that the only reason Gary hasn't produced like an elite DE is because of coaching. I would likely agree with them. I just get the feeling thay, with his measurables, someone like Larry Johnson would have coached him into an unblockable beast. It's either coaching OR it could be that Gary lacks the high motor required to dominate at his position (winovich has an elite motor and that's what makes him the best player on our team)

Piston Blue

September 25th, 2018 at 9:41 PM ^

At the moment, my guess is that M will return many more of their non-seniors than I was anticipating. According to this list: https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/prospect-rankings/, only 4 of our juniors are projected to go in the first 3 rounds, with Hudson and Hill towards the back end. Obviously that's a tough choice, as there's some variance as to how much NFL teams like a particular player/their fit (for example I think Hudson/Bush can be more enamoring to teams looking for non-traditional linebackers) that could see them picked as much as a round earlier. That being said, going 3rd round as a junior is seemingly right in the 50-50 zone of 'should I stay or should I go?' so ultimately there's all kinds of uncertainty. Of our non-seniors with at least some draft potential, I'd guess (with no inside sources, just a gut feeling) M returns Shea and Hill and loses Gary, Bush, and Hudson, returning a very talented team that once again depends on the performance of the offensive tackles.