Angelique's (Det News) starting lineup
Angelique Chengelis from Detroit News predicts this lineup for the Fall. Since she seems to have a good relationship with the coaches, I assume there might be some inside information here. There are two minor surprises: Smith at RB and Hurst at DT.
QB Gardner
RB Smith
FB Kerridge
WR Funchess, Darboh, Canteen
TE Heitzman
OL Magnuson, Bosch, Glasgow, Kalis, Braden
DE Clark, Beyer
DT Henry, Hurst
LB Morgan, Ryan, Ross
DB Countess, Taylor, Wilson, Thomas, Peppers (Nickle)
April 13th, 2014 at 11:44 AM ^
You mean the coaches?
April 13th, 2014 at 11:31 AM ^
April 13th, 2014 at 11:45 AM ^
Ummm...he was really bad as a 280 lb. freshman, too.
April 13th, 2014 at 11:56 AM ^
April 13th, 2014 at 11:59 AM ^
Well, everyone's entitled to his own opinion, but I thought he was bad. And I believe the UFR's from 2012 would agree.
April 13th, 2014 at 11:59 AM ^
There are people a lot smarter then me in football terms like Space Coyote and guys who break down every play like Brian. Per what they have been saying our TEs getting completely blown up in their blocking assignements has been a multi year theme - Williams and Funchess. Last year and two years ago. Not sure which games you were watching two years ago with Williams (and frankly it is asking a lot for freshman TEs to be effective - but he stunk last year at it too)
April 13th, 2014 at 12:23 PM ^
April 13th, 2014 at 12:17 PM ^
He shouldn't be on the field over a 3rd WR anyway. I don't care what his weight is...he's just not good enough to warrant the snaps he gets just because he's the 1st or 2nd TE.
Outside of Jake Butt, NONE of our TEs (or FBs) warrant that.
Again, we (at least say we try to) put the 5 best OL on the field...we have Denard and we tailor an offense to him. But with everyone else it's like just give me the top guys at this position and we're going to roll with them. Who cares if the entire position isn't very good.
I think 1. Funchess, 2. Darboh/Chesson, 3. Canteen, 4. Norfleet is a more effective offense than 1. Funchess, 2. Darboh/Chesson/Canteen, 3. Heitzman, 4. Williams
When Butt returns I think...1. Funchess, 2. Darboh/Chesson, 3. Canteen/Norfleet, 4. Butt/Norfleet is a more effective offense than 1. Funchess, 2. Darboh/Chesson/Canteen, 3. Butt, 4. Heitzman/Williams
The coaches were purposely keeping the second coming of Dallas Clark on defense until they just couldn't take it anymore.
Bring out the 2 TE sets. Butt and Clark 2.0 should be a dangerous duo.
April 13th, 2014 at 10:03 AM ^
I think who starts at center position may make or break for this season.
April 13th, 2014 at 10:04 AM ^
I'm surprised Taylor is starting. Not that Taylor isn't any good, but the hype on Lewis has been strong.
April 13th, 2014 at 10:06 AM ^
Taylor and Lewis were the starters in the spring game at corner, with Countess as the nickel. And Countess has more position flexibility than either Taylor or Lewis, in my opinion. He can play in the slot or potentially move to safety. The other two guys are too small or too poor of tacklers, in my opinion.
April 13th, 2014 at 11:28 AM ^
re: too poor of tackers
That falls on the coaches. They have been on campus between 2-4 years. That should be enough time to teach technique.
April 13th, 2014 at 11:48 AM ^
It's not necessarily about technique. Sometimes it's size, sometimes it's skill, sometimes it's strength, etc.
And aside from that, sometimes guys are just meant to be corners instead of safeties. It doesn't mean they're bad tacklers for cornerbacks. It just means that they might not be able to hold up to 225 lb. running backs who bust through the first two levels and are coming downhill. I mean, not many safeties are going to be able to lay that guy on his back unless your name is Steve Atwater, but it's just a different position.
April 13th, 2014 at 12:13 PM ^
I understand where you are coming from but my general thesis is the fanbase lays a lot of blame on coordinators and head coaches and not enough at the position coach level (aside from Funk because what has happened to the OL is historically awful). And maybe our S&C program needs a look - it seems our basketball players make huge strides in their body and their conditioning but football we scratch our heads. Sanderson seems to be doing something right and yes I get age matters a lot less in basketball than football but some of the players we are saying lack "strength" are juniors and seniors. Look at how we get blown off the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball.
And I am giving some latitude for freshman lineman - asking Charlton to walk in and do much is unrealistic, as it was with Bosch. Speaking of older dudes and the guys in the back 7. If they are ineffective due to "size" or "strength" I would point to the S&C program ....and if ineffective due to "skill" I lay either at player assessment or player development which is position coaching. This staff gets a very high caliber of raw talent to work with, better than all but 8-10 teams in the country. What are they making of it?
If you cannot run an effective system without players the caliber of Peppers or having 90% seniors juniors you have a coaching issue. Most teams in the country dont even get one 5 stars - they find a way to work with their 3/4 stars.
Lewis has been here less than one year.
April 13th, 2014 at 11:14 AM ^
I got with Taylor, he has the experience. Lewis will still get plenty of snaps, Stribling should get a decent amount too.
If it were me personally, I'd just say Lewis backs up Countess on the wide side, Stribling backs up Taylor on the near side, Peppers is all time nickelback and only plays in that particular package until he masters it.
Assuming Peppers lives up to the hype, that's 5 guys I trust playing CB...if anyone is having an off day, we can put in a replacement with no drop off.
FINALLY our CB position is a bright spot besides just ONE guy.
April 13th, 2014 at 11:23 AM ^
April 13th, 2014 at 11:29 AM ^
Well color me thankful that you're not on the Michigan coaching staff. One bad game, a lifetime of hate from anonymous internet message board posters.
April 13th, 2014 at 11:50 AM ^
we all need to remember that one bad game shouldn't define or confine a young kid. As a teacher I know that beating a kid down for one bad exam is worse than doing nothing at all... and if you want to have an impact you need to go back to the mistakes, review them, teach the kid how to produce desired results and move forward....
I can't believe that our coachers are unable to coach technique, takleing and blocking, but evidence is not in favor of my disbelief...
jdon
April 13th, 2014 at 12:56 PM ^
April 13th, 2014 at 11:35 AM ^
April 13th, 2014 at 12:15 PM ^
First K State had an excellent WR - one of the best at this level. Second, Blake got blown apart just the same, not just Taylor. So by your analysis both Blake and Taylor should be off the table - at least be consistent.
April 13th, 2014 at 11:49 AM ^
Mattison just went with a LCB and a RCB last year, not field and boundary corners.
April 13th, 2014 at 12:21 PM ^
I believe he did the same with the safety spot too...
However, I was under the impression this was changing this year.
April 13th, 2014 at 10:05 AM ^
April 13th, 2014 at 11:18 AM ^
He'll definitely have a say in the middle for us this year.
April 13th, 2014 at 10:17 AM ^
I feel like as long as Lewis can remain on this astral plane, he'll see significant playing time.
Smith at RB doesn't surprise me as much - the buzz seems to be that he's played very well and the coaches like his shiftiness. And just because Green was the #1 RB coming out of HS, Smith was a highly-regarded 4* who would have been the new hotness any other year.
Heitzman at TE makes sense if Nuss cares more about getting Gardner in space and the ball out quickly, as Williams is basically all blocker now and hasn't been dynamic at that role. And when Butt returns who knows how it will shake out.
Actually surprised Chesson isn't out there at WR; he had a decent freshman year. Canteen seems to be living up to the hype if he can push through.
I suspect there will be a very fluid situation at offensive line, so I'll take that starting 5 with a grain of salt.
April 13th, 2014 at 10:25 AM ^
http://mgoblog.com/content/2013-recruiting-deveon-smith
Smith was not a highly rated 4* to anyone except Scout.
April 13th, 2014 at 11:18 AM ^
April 13th, 2014 at 12:23 PM ^
...but I've been a HUGE Darboh fan from day 1. And I know for a fact that he was CLEARLY ahead of Chesson before he got hurt. I think Angelique probably knew that too and assumes he'll get his spot back.
are going to be sophomores this fall. Don't you think it's still a little early to be hinting that Green will be a flop?
Development of our OL is going to be a much bigger factor in determining whether any of our RB's have future success at Michigan.
April 13th, 2014 at 11:57 AM ^
you know he was a four star in three of the 4 services... maybe not highly rated 4 star by your definition, but you could understand how someone else might say it right?
the newer, kinder, gentler me wants to understand your desire to correct the 'facts', the real me just thinks you are an asshole who wants to nitpick... fortunately it is a sunday and I feel good so I am going to say:
I understand your desire to correct our friends statement, but i think you could just say 'well, revisionist history aside Smith was a four star on three of the four sites sourced, however he wasn't a highly rated 4 star on any on them, and here I mean top 80 player to mean highly rated four star'
thanks,
love you,
jdon
April 13th, 2014 at 12:28 PM ^
Thank you. The number of self-proclaimed experts feeling the need to "correct" every opinion they see seems to be on the rise. Maybe it's the off season.
I get the feeling a lot of these folks are frustrated sports radio talk show hosts who can't stand anything but their own opinion.
April 13th, 2014 at 12:51 PM ^
The number of self-proclaimed experts feeling the need to "correct" every opinion they see is not on the rise. They have always been around in force you are just noticing it more now.
Everybody's wrong but me.
/s
April 13th, 2014 at 10:20 AM ^
Ughhhh, that looks like an 8-4 roster. Man I hope I'm wrong. The coaches need it not to be an 8-4 roster. My poor heart needs it to not be an 8-4 roster.
April 13th, 2014 at 10:34 AM ^
April 13th, 2014 at 12:56 PM ^
6-6 would not be a surprise.
I hate football season already.
After the PSU game we are either 5-2 or 4-3.
At MSU/ At OSU = loss locks
Indiana / Maryland at home = win locks
NU = toss up.
So, realistically this is a 8-4 team at best (5-2 through PSU, wins against NU, Indiana and Maryland). A 6-6 team at worst. Anyone predicting 10+ wins is smoking crack or meth. I couldn't hate on a 9-win prediction, but that person sees the world through rose colored glasses for sure.
those of us smoking things other than crack or meth.
Let me roll one up and pass it around . I'll then either get really hungry and grab some munchies, or feel like I'm in the huddle and be able to foretell what this team is going to do.
Then again I might just giggle a lot and forget what we're discussing...
April 14th, 2014 at 12:04 AM ^
If we can hang around and lose to ohio based upon the fact we went for 2 and didnt convert with last years team, we can certainly beat them with this years team...and win more than 8 games. No hyde, 4 new OL starters. I have a feeling braxton is going the have a rough rough year getting knocked around. No safety net in hyde anymore.
April 13th, 2014 at 11:30 AM ^
April 13th, 2014 at 11:58 AM ^
our history with these coaches seems to predict 7-5...
however, we have a fifth year senior quarterback and some players on defense so i think 10-3 is much more likely...
jdon
Please tell me the ten games you think we will win? Everyone except ND, MSU, and OSU? That's unlikely.
why can't we win out? And why can't we beat one of OSU, MSU or ND. There are some indications that our defense could be pretty good.
I actually think we will win one of the big three (probably ND) and then lose to one of the other ten...
jdon
April 13th, 2014 at 10:37 AM ^
is about as valid as most of the recruiting speculation that many of us post regularly around here. Other than picking Smith over Green at RB, she looks to be sticking to "safe" picks/guesses for the most part.
I read her short article; here (opening sentence) is where I lost it:
...with her mention of looking ahead in the same sentence as "Appalachian State. No, not her fault, she's only reporting and had nothing to do with the schedule.
Just. Not. Looking. Ahead. To. Appalachian. State.
(end of mild rant)