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 12:53 PM ^
I agree on Green. If he has a good offensive line, I think Green can be an excellent running back because he'll be taking on safeties and linebackers. But he's not a guy who can create on his own.
April 13th, 2014 at 12:02 PM ^
Magnus - is Kalis showing enough to expect him to start? I understand he's been somewhat of a disappointment.
April 13th, 2014 at 12:25 PM ^
I do expect him to start. I thought he took a step forward this spring. From what I've heard, the competition is more at left guard (Bosch, Dawson, etc.). So if we get Lindsay and if Braden can lock down the RT job, I would expect to see Glasgow back at LG.
April 13th, 2014 at 12:29 PM ^
Ben Braden where have you gone?? "Fall Camp Hype Train Victim" - add his name to the plaque.
If you find him see if Dymonte Thomas is using the same hiding spot.
To be fair I would not put Braden and Thomas in the same camp. Braden was a 3 star local kid who if not for Taylor Lewan calling him the most buff man on planet earth and was whispered as a starting guard at this time 12 months ago, we would not have super high expectationf for. Based on his offer list and STARZ he seemed like a guy who you could plug in at RT in his jr and sr years. Anything more than that is because expectations got raised by in camp comments.
As for Thomas - well we have a very good question there. I think we'll know a lot more by Nov 30th what the future holds for him. If he continues to look lost and cannot beat out 3 star Jeremy Clark and they continue to use excuses such as "needs to pick up defense" or "confused by too many positions" it will look like a flameout from this point of view. He is still young but I am a big believer the future studs show flashes. We saw that from Ross III, Gedeon, Wormley, Henry... and early JMFR and Countess. Charlton made a little bit of it very late in the year even in a very difficult place for a true freshman. We have not seen it from Thomas other than a blocked punt. This makes me worried - hope he is just late to the game; this was a top 100 player.
April 13th, 2014 at 12:24 PM ^
I dont care who starts this year ....all i care abt is seeing the rise of atleast two players/gamechangers ...one on defence and one on offence preferably...if i dont see them this year ...i wud have lost faith in the coaching...
there is too much potential on this team for someone to not have a breakout season
April 13th, 2014 at 12:17 PM ^
April 13th, 2014 at 12:42 PM ^
Just like the fun Izzo is having in your profile picture...
April 13th, 2014 at 12:43 PM ^
Another "rebuilding" year. With each passing season, Cornflower Blue is fading into something more like Honolulu Blue.
April 13th, 2014 at 12:59 PM ^
That's what happens when you hire a coach that completely dismantles the style your program has been built on for years and then you fire him 4 years later and hire a guy to put it all back together.
Hoke for me gets one more pass this year, but I expect growth. I expect us to develop and get better with every game and by the time we play Ohio, I expect us to WIN.
Next year? No excuses. I've said this over and over and I won't post the potential depth chart (again) for 2015...but we need to win and win BIG. The schedule is in our favor and the roster is too. 2015 is a year where if someone says "undefeated" at least until the CFB Playoff, I'm not talking down the expectations.
And I said this yesterday, if Hoke isn't back next season, whoever comes in will have a roster built to win NOW. Just like Urban did when he took over.
And if that coach wins for 3 years and slowly fades, everyone will be talking about how he won with Hoke's players.
I also said this yesterday, some of you are embarassing. You're the type that would've fired Beilein after his 3rd year (he was 15-17) if you actually gave a shit about basketball at the time...which you didn't, because we weren't winning (but you care now...so, welcome back).
Hoke got a foundation that was almost as bad as what Carr left Rich Rod. Look at Hoke's first 2-3 recruiting classes, weren't they all like 23, 26, 21 players or something? I'm making those numbers up but I know at least the first 2 were HUGE. This was the first year Hoke didn't have big numbers in recruiting...that tells me we're finally getting older.
Yesterday I counted 48-52 guys (which makes sense when you talk about the 2 big recruiting years now that I think about it) that will be considered "experienced" after this season. That's crazy. That's an insane about of guys who will finally be in at least SOME reasonable role to help the team. A bunch of RS Freshman and RS Sophomore's.
These guys are finally going to play and get experience and this time next year you're going to look at the roster and see guys who've actually played football at Michigan. This time next year you'll not only know Smith vs. Green and Darboh vs. Chesson, but you'll know about Ben Braden, Matt Godin, Henry Poggi, Hurst, Strobel, Taco, RJS, Gant, Thomas, Hill, Clark, etc. Too many to name.
So yes, we're rebuilding...because Rich Rod had to tear everything down to get his style and then Hoke had to do the same for his. Urban Meyer didn't have to do that...he got Braxton Miller and Carlos Hyde from Day 1.
...but I'll ask, then who would you hire?
And don't say Harbaugh or Miles.
Realistically, who was coming to Michigan at the time?
I keep saying it, we just picked an AWFUL year, we got unlucky. Look at this year. Charlie Strong, James Franklin...there were some solid coaches out there.
I'll give you this to think about.
We got our 2nd or 3rd choice and ended up with Brady Hoke.
TEXAS got it's 8th or 9th choice and ended up with Charlie Strong.
That's crazy if you think about it!
Once we missed on Harbaugh, it was really Hoke/Ferentz/Edsell/Schiano level guys after that. And I don't think Harbaugh was coming for less than $6 million a year, if that, I think it was well known he wanted to stay out in California with his kids.
Personally, I think we have a better shot with Harbaugh NOW than we did then. But that's just me.
You can't definitively say Hoke gets a pass for one more year, and then say you need to see 'growth'.
So if we lose to Appy State (again), but improve throughout the season - and beat OSU, that is a pass for you? What if OSU is our 4th victory of the year?
Hoke's gotta win at least 7 games this year to keep his job, I think. And even at that level, he is on the hot seat.
atleast 7 wins and a W against either sparty or ohio ...will give hoke another year
Jeez...Of COURSE he has to win 7 games. I think he's got to win 9 games to be honest.
10 if you count the B1G Championship Game and/or a Bowl game.
But that's not good enough in 2015. In 2015, I think we should be an ELITE team. Not a solid Georgia/Nebraska Capital One Bowl level team.
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And I didn't define anything...I just said I wanna see improvement, of course there are some standards and benchmarks, but I don't think they're set in stone. I think anyone (like you) who does that is setting themself up for failure.
People say, "he better be 2 of the 3 rivals." Okay, what if he loses to 2, wins the B1G and makes the CFB Playoff with 2 losses? You gonna fire him?
We can sit here and throw out bullshit benchmarks all we want, but you have to wait and see the context and everything else that happens.
April 13th, 2014 at 12:45 PM ^
Thomas should have a lot of impact on the defense. The depth it as corner not S. Right now the depth chart for S is
1. Wilson
2. Hello everyone
Smith as the starting RB is absolutely no suprise for a few of us who watch the kids videos, scrimmage and actual games and form their own opinions, rather than the majority who simply star-gaze and thus, they MUST be the 2nd coming of Bo Jackon and no way a lower rated recruit can be better.
Been saying Smith is the best RB on the roster for some time. Actually, all the time.
Smith as the starting RB is absolutely no suprise for a few of us who watch the kids videos, scrimmage and actual games and form their own opinions, rather than the majority who simply star-gaze and thus, they MUST be the 2nd coming of Bo Jackon and no way a lower rated recruit can be better.
Been saying Smith is the best RB on the roster for some time. Actually, all the time.
You watch the kids videos? What does that mean? Those little 2 minute mgoblue videos? Wow, you are some scout. We must all bow down to your great football wisdom.
Green was better last year. We all saw the games.
I'll make a friendly bet that if both are healthy Green is the more productive back this fall. He's got a lot more upside.
Pipkins, Charlton and Wormley aren't starters. C'est la vie.
I don't think too many people expect him to start over Clark or Beyer.
And Lewis is our best corner.
Angeliques is a snapshot of right now, but come opening day, I fully expect Cole, Lewis, and maybe another LB like even Bolden, RJS, Gedeon, starting
Oh, the Spring Scrimmage starting lineups...that's right.
Welp, I guess we can take that scholarship from Graham Glasgow since he's the 3rd string RT and give it to his brother who was the 1st string DT.
April 14th, 2014 at 10:00 AM ^
High all, been following this sight for a while now and thought I'd comment appropriately when necessary - Im a parent of a player on the team. I do not pry into the inside football details with him when we talk but I do get just via conversation a little more background than most.
A couple of things - the article are guesses, there is a lot more going on behind the scenes so don't take it as gospel.
There are so many plans in place and players getting reps that are not public that it basically makes virtually all of the articles by beat writers and "experts" on this site... completely moot.
Proof will absolutely be on the field but don't rely on the spring practice or tidbits from the press to guide you.
My personal but also very biased opinion (tempered with a sound football background) says that everything is trending to be very good. Everything is moving in the right direction.
I will take it a step further.
Don't go off of what you see as the starting lineup even for the first game!
Many times coaches (ESPECIALLY coaches like Hoke) punish guys who come back to fall camp overweight or out of shape or they use it as a motivational tool of some kind.
Remember a few years back when Brandon Herron was our starting SLB for the first 2-3 games? Or Mike Jones or Brandin Hawthorne getting early PT...then by the time the 3rd or 4th game rolled around they were buried on the depth chart never to be seen again.