Post Camp Rumblings and Nuggets.

Submitted by MichiganMan14 on

We're almost there folks.  Crazy how fast the offseason can go.  I'll try to keep this short and sweet but I got some clarification to some of the rumors and performance evaluations that weve been seen suggested over the last few weeks.  

*Speight is legit and has simply done a great job.  He won the spot plain and simple.  O'korn is going to be a hell of a backup.  There is a walk-on QB that is tearing it up also. Not sure of his name...but Harbaugh has taken notice.

* Amarah Darboh is making a leap.  He has been described as a "man" out there and may challenge Jehu for top shotta in the WR stable.  Darboh's strength and hands have been setting him apart this camp.  

* The freshman recievers are the real deal.  McDoom is turning heads and will play.  Nate Johnson is more than holding his own but the jewel of them all is Kekoa.  He has been as advertised and should factor into the rotation right away.    

* Devin Asiasi is going to play and is standing out in a crowded TE group.  His size and athleticism is showing and he has big time potential.  

* There is much news in terms of Running Back.  Deveon is your starter.  Ty has had a solid camp and is the #2.  The Chris Evans hype is real and he has flashed quite a bit in camp.  He will see snaps in 3rd down situations and has a terrific knack for route running.  Higdon is finally back after a meniscus operation that shelved him for the past 2 months and a battle with mono (contracted while volunteering in nursing home in spring).  He will factor in the rotation and has hit the ground running well the last week.  Higdon is the strongest back on the team and is also likley the fastest.  There is an medical hiccup with Drake and I wont divulge how severe or minor it is at this time.   There is no positive news to report of Kareem Walker and Evans was moved to RB for a reason.  

* There is certainly a confidence with this group.  They realize that they have everything to play for this year.  They also realize that Michigan State and Ohio State are the mountains in the way.  

* Aside from Drake's issue there are no notable medical developments. Team is banged up because Harbaugh practices them like Harbaugh practices.  They are very anxious to put some actualization to the hype.  Tune in Saturday....it should be fun.

 

If any of this was redundant or not interesting I apologize.  I'm just sharing some info I've gotten the past week or so.  Go Blue!!!

MGoBoard
Football

JonnyHintz

August 31st, 2016 at 10:10 AM ^

My guess, based purely on speculation, is that they don't have the drive to work hard. In high school, Green as an example, was 5'11" 225 lbs. You don't have to try very hard in high school when you're simply bigger, stronger, and faster than everyone. You're going to see maybe 3-4 other D1 prospects during your season. You don't have to work on other skills like blocking, catching, protecting the ball, or vision. You get guys here and there every year who struggle with those skills. Michigan has just had the misfortune of bringing them on campus.

Joined: 01/11/2015

MGoPoints: 48626

pdgoblue25

August 31st, 2016 at 9:46 AM ^

Weber knew Hoke was getting fired so he decommitted.  Harbaugh got the job and tried to get him back, it was too late in the process.  They almost screwed it up by completely fucking lying to him about the RB coach, but the nail in the coffin was hiring Tony Alford who Weber loved at ND. 

We also went nuts when we lost Brionte Dunn and that amounted to absolutely nothing.

Joined: 03/03/2010

MGoPoints: 19003

RHammer - SNRE 98

August 31st, 2016 at 11:05 AM ^

this: There is no positive news to report of Kareem Walker and Evans was moved to RB for a reason.  

were these two things linked on purpose? ie. Evans moved to RB as a result of the lack of positive news regarding KW?  

Hoping for the best as he transitions to university life and onto a team where competition is just always going to be fierce, but just curious if that was an intentional juxtaposition or not.

thx

 

Joined: 06/30/2008

MGoPoints: 1372

03 Blue 07

August 31st, 2016 at 1:26 PM ^

Yes. Read his response further up the thread, and the comment by UMBig11 (a verified insider who Brian Cook trusts/has vouched for in the past as a program insider), who commented stating that there are issues with Walker and that he is a transfer candidate at this point due to said issues.  

Joined: 07/01/2008

MGoPoints: 3427

EGD

August 31st, 2016 at 11:50 AM ^

That's disappointing to hear. I hope Walker is able to turn things around at M for his own sake because he seems like a good kid and a talented player. But if he doesn't, at least we have several other young backs on the current roster or committed for 2017 who look very promising. And there's always the possibility that Najee Harris goes blue...

Joined: 09/16/2009

MGoPoints: 35199

LKLIII

August 31st, 2016 at 3:33 PM ^

I hope Walker gets back on track, but to your point RE: 2017 and 2018--one of the few positions on a team where a true freshman can come in and make an instant impact is RB.  

If Harbaugh looks at the potential RB roster for 2017 sometime mid season this year, and determines that we need more bullets in the chamber, we could see the staff make a very strong additional late push for Harris (2017) or some other high priority 2018 kids as well.

Joined: 11/06/2013

MGoPoints: 8927

Mr. Yost

August 31st, 2016 at 12:16 AM ^

Harbaugh beats the shit out of them in fall camp, but you know what...last year we actually FINISHED games.

OSU, IMO was a lot of poor scheme...but outside of that game. We weren't getting pushed around by anyone. Indiana may be the exception in the run game, but even then...we were strong late when we needed to get the W.

Guys get hurt, it's football, but the conditioning, toughness, mentality of this team was certainly different last year.

Now we have depth and experience of knowing what we're up against this year...we're going to fuck shit up. 

Joined: 07/25/2011

MGoPoints: -9898220

PopeLando

August 31st, 2016 at 1:13 AM ^

Injuries are only preventable to a degree. You can train right, eat right, recover right, and the next step you take can tear your ACL like it's yarn. Or you can be minding your own business and suddenly a wild forklift appears and runs you over. Some years we'll be completely healthy all year, other years guy will drop like flies. I suspect it all evens out in the long run. Here's to a healthy season for everyone.

Joined: 08/01/2015

MGoPoints: 68694

WorldwideTJRob

August 31st, 2016 at 11:15 AM ^

They're just guessing like you but that wasn't scheme that got our ass kicked...that was talent! Ask a guy like Marcus Ray and he might have the same take I have. A different scheme might have made the score closer but we weren't winning that game, especially given the way the offense looked too. Kirby Smart was getting his staff together and Bama still won the NC. I remember the same for Bo Pelini, we can make any excuse in the world for that performance but the bottom line is they were better on that Saturday(yes it pains me to say it).



Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad

Joined: 07/05/2010

MGoPoints: 31149

EGD

August 31st, 2016 at 11:58 AM ^

We took on OSU with an eight-man front a week after MSU beat them with a nine-man front. Our scheme was flawed. Whether the Maryland job had anything to do with it, I don't know--maybe we'd have run the same scheme regardless. But we didn't make the necessary adjustments and it's fair to hold Dyrkin responsible for that.

Joined: 09/16/2009

MGoPoints: 35199

WorldwideTJRob

August 31st, 2016 at 12:02 PM ^

Maybe I didn't make myself clear enough in the first post which is on me. If you want to get on him for the scheme, cool. I just hate the he went to Maryland for a job interview so that's the reason we lost excuse.



Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad

Joined: 07/05/2010

MGoPoints: 31149

reshp1

August 31st, 2016 at 9:48 AM ^

I mean, you can argue Durkin taking an interview didn't have an effect, but it's pretty hard to say with a straight face the defensive game plan was not a huge factor in the blow out. I mean, Ohio probably still rolls given our DL depth, but keeping one hand behind your back by sticking with a 1 high safety while you're getting edged over and over is insane. 

Joined: 10/31/2011

MGoPoints: 34177

Mr. Yost

August 31st, 2016 at 12:34 AM ^

The problem is...how many elite RBs do you see in CFB who didn't contribute as freshman?

His career isn't over, lol, but I just wonder...especially after Derrick Green (there recruitment was kind of similar as well, both took a Shane Morris dip towards the end and had people second guessing).

I'm not saying he's done. Not saying he'll never start or play in the NFL. I'm just talking if your expectations were 5* top RB in the country, elite, instant impact player...I don't know of anyone off the top of my head who finds that later in their career. Even if guys don't start, most of the guys I'm thinking of all had a role as freshman. 

When I think of Michigan specific...I can't remember Chris Perry's freshman year, but Hart and A-Train certainly had big roles as freshman. Denard if you consider him more of a RB as well, especially early in his career.

Of the guys I'm thinking about nationally, I think all of them are the same...McCaffrey is the exception, he redshirted. Fournette, Cook, Chubb, Perine, Freeman all played decent to big roles their freshman year. Now they're probably 5 of the top 6 or 7 backs in the country.

Joined: 07/25/2011

MGoPoints: -9898220

Mr. Yost

August 31st, 2016 at 1:09 AM ^

But I don't consider him an elite back...not after the names I just mentioned.

Like I said, I'm not saying Walker is never going to be a starter or NFL player....WAAAAY too early for that.

But I just don't know of many guys who are ELITE who don't contribute early. I'm sure there are some...I even mentioned that McCaffrey redshirted. But more often than not, if it's a RB. He's getting some early PT.

Joined: 07/25/2011

MGoPoints: -9898220