Starting Secondary Next Season!?

Submitted by blueadams on

I know that this is a horrific site, but I'm guessing that we go into spring ball with experience at each position...

FS: Kovacs, Gordon, ROBINSON
SS: Williams, Emilien
CB: Woolfolk, Turner, Rogers
CB: Floyd, Jones, WITTY

In spring ball, I'm guessing that Robinson beats out Kovacs at FS...I'm guessing that Turner beats out Floyd at CB...and I'm hoping (but not guessing) that Emilien is able to beat out Williams at SS. So, I'm guessing that we come out of spring ball looking something like this...

FS: ROBINSON, Kovacs, Gordon
SS: Williams/Emilien
CB: Woolfolk, Floyd, Rogers
CB: Turner, Jones, WITTY

In the summer, I'm guessing that Parker comes in and takes over the SS position...I'm guessing that Christian beats out Floyd as our nickleback...and I'm guessing that Johnson, Vinopal, Grimes, Witty, Avery and Talbott are all red-shirted. So, I'm guessing that we go into the season looking something like this...

FS: ROBINSON, Kovacs, Gordon, JOHNSON
SS: PARKER, Williams/Emilien, VINOPAL
CB: Woolfolk, CHRISTIAN, Jones, GRIMES, AVERY
CB: Turner, Floyd, Rogers, WITTY, TALBOTT

Mr. Maize

December 24th, 2009 at 12:39 PM ^

a) again?! seriously?!
b) can we wait before someone actually, I don't know, commits(!) before you put them in a depth chart??!?!
c) what happened to your gary moeller avatar?
d) the jig is up.

Clair Voyant

December 24th, 2009 at 12:56 PM ^

Excellent, I've been contemplating the same starting unit myself.
Do you think there is any chance that Denard gets moved to safety and makes all conference, I do!

OT a bit but I think Furman may come in and win one of the back-assward safety positions by September 20.

Now if Parker comes in and we have Denard and Parker at the corners with Woolfolk and Furman starting at Safety our D will be invincible. LOOK AT THE DEPTH!!!!

We all know that Jones and Hawthorne are faster and bigger hitters than any LB's we have had since David 3* Harris, combine them with Marvin and our LB's will be irresistible.

Merry Christmas to all and Feliz Navidad

NOLA Wolverine

December 24th, 2009 at 2:31 PM ^

No but guys seriously, there's like another thread on the first page about MANNY PACQUIAO, and this is serious Michigan stuff. I said MANNY PACQUIAO, and we're ripping him for making Michigan threads. Since all of you hate the topic, it's clear you just posited for points. For the record, the OP care about points, just you guys. I bet none of you even played HS football like the OP.

AC1997

December 24th, 2009 at 4:12 PM ^

First off, I don't understand the disdain some people have for this type of topic. We have no bowl game to discuss, our bball team has fallen apart, and the hockey team is a mess. Are we supposed to stop discussing all Michigan topics until the Spring Game? Come on!

As for my thoughts....
-- I think the coaches are going to really want Woolfolk at FS because of his experience, speed, and smarts. The team played so much better on defense (relatively speaking) with him there. I think it will be hard for anyone on the current roster or a new recruit to unseat him. I realize Warren's departure seems to suggest that we need Woolfolk at corner, but I think he's more valuable at FS.
-- As SS I don't have a big problem with Kovacs there, especially with an offseason of weight/speed training. That being said, I think this spot is wide open for anyone to challenge. Maybe Williams can redeem himself here or maybe Vlad has some potential. And they might also give a freshman a shot.
-- I think the corner spots are totally up for grabs with anyone and everyone. Fortunately it looks like we'll have some depth, though it isn't clear if we have talent and we have almost no experience. I think Turner will be given every chance to succeed at one spot. I think Floyd will get minutes just because he has experience and is reliable....even if he isn't very good. But I expect that Floyd will get replaced by one of the freshmen sooner or later.
-- If Cissoko gets reinstated, I suspect he'll have a long road back to starting. He'll have to earn it. I'd like his talent and experience on the field, but I don't think it will be counted on any time soon.

Thus my guess would be:

CB: Turner (Freshman back-up)
FS: Woolfolk (Freshman back-up)
SS: Kovacs/Williams (Vlad/Freshman back-up)
CB: Floyd/Freshman

It's nice to at least have options, isn't it?

WolvinLA2

December 24th, 2009 at 6:11 PM ^

I agree our offense was better with TW at safety (and he was at SS, not FS) but that was with Warran at one of the corners. If TW moves back to safety, we have JT Floyd, Turner (RS Frosh) and all true frosh. That's not a good scenario.

If TW is a corner, at safety we have Williams and Kovacs back, Vlad (RS Frosh), T. Gordon (RS Frosh) and true frosh, one of which is MRob who is enrolling early.

I think that the safety spots can make it without TW better than the corner spots can.

I do, however, think that many people underestimate Witty. He is essentially a RS Frosh this year, so he will be a step ahead of all the other incoming frosh DB's. Plus he's faaast.

jbibiza

December 25th, 2009 at 2:13 PM ^

I concur with Ac-1997 that this is a totally appropriate topic to be bandied about by Michigan football fanatics; such as we are. Much more informative and enjoyable than the insecure and childish banter that usually passes for criticism on these pages. Rant finished.
I'll take my best guess on the 2010 secondary two-deep which reflects my desire for a major shake up to spur our defense to greatness (or OK-ness?). Much will change from now til September, and I am mindful of Woody Allen's dictum that: "If you really want to make God laugh..... tell him your plans for the future."

CB: Turner, Christian or Grimes
CB: Cissoko, Witty or Grimes
SS: Vlad, Williams or T. Gordon
FS: Woolfolk, Parker or JT Floyd

*Teric Jones returns to RB and James Rogers to WR

WolvinLA2

December 25th, 2009 at 2:22 PM ^

You bring up a very good point at the end of your post about Teric Jones going back to RB. It was necessitated by depth deficiencies, but I was bummed when Teric moved to CB because I think he can be exciting carrying the ball. Especially if Vincent Smith is still less than 100% to start the year, Teric is perfect for our "little back" spot.

WAMichFan

December 24th, 2009 at 6:32 PM ^

What do you think? Put Justin Turner in his old HS position, since we're just as hit up at safety as we are corner. Keep Woolfolk at CB. He did well there at the end of the season. Floyd gets the other CB spot, since he has experience and there's a chance he's decent. Memory may fail, but I don't remember him getting toasted too much last year with his limited PT.

The backfield would look like this:

CB - Woolfolk
CB - Floyd
S - Turner
S - Kovacs

I think we could be solid at two of those positions (with Woolfolk and Turner), possibly three (if Floyd works out).

Kovacs works his butt off, makes great open-field tackles, and hits like a mo-fo, but he can't cover. I'd say that's our weak link. God bless the guy.

J. Lichty

December 24th, 2009 at 8:22 PM ^

Kovacs will be a starter at least in non-passing down situations - hopefully they move him to the traditional SS position (which apparently is called FS in GERG-speak), but Kovacs is servicable playing in the box.

Also, Kovacs was a freshman last year who was coming off of major knee surgery and did not have the benefit of a full year of S and C.

Parker, if he comes, is likely to play the traditional FS position over Kovacs.

Emelian has yet to show he can play at this level, he did not have a redshirt and was still not able to crack the two-deep.

We do have some guru approved depth in the secondary - but it is all unproven -

Projections are absolutely useless at this point. Who would have predicted Kovacs at this time of year (who had even heard of him?).

There are enough bodies back there that there will be some shuffling.

wishitwas97

December 25th, 2009 at 12:50 PM ^

the starting lineup will be:

CB: Turner(basically a lock to start at CB or S but it's likely that he'll start out at CB)
CB: Christian(early enrollee)
FS: Woolfolk(back to his position from the beginning of last season)
SS: Kovacs(there isn't anybody else who can beat out Kovacs for this spot

Maybe we'll see Boo-Boo back in the starting lineup if he can shore up academically. This would probably allow Turner to move to S alongside with Woofolk.