2017 discussion: Offense

Submitted by reshp1 on

Might as well do one for offense too.

Graduation: Butt, Smith, D Johnson (maybe), Darboh, Chesson, Magnuson, Kalis, Braden.

Flight risk: Cole (NFL), O'Korn (PT transfer), Morris (PT transfer)

My projected 2 deep:

QB: Speight, (O'Korn), Peters 

LT: Newsome, Ulizio?

LG: Bredeson, Spanellis?

C: (Cole) Kugler, Runyan Jr?

RG: Dawson, Onwenu?

RT: JBB, Ulizio?

TE: Asiasi, Wheatley

Flex: Bunting, McKeon

RB: Isaac, Evans, Higdon

FB: K Hill, Poggi, Henderson

WR1: Ways, Harris

WR2: McDoom, Crawford 

Slot: Perry, N Johnson

OL is the scariest position for me by far. We're scraping together just the starting 5 and the backups are 404 file not found. Losing Darboh, Chesson, and Butt will take a ton of production off the field, but at least we have some guys that seem to be pushing through from this class. RBs and blocky catchy guys are in good shape depth and talent wise.

Thoughts? 

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AZBlue

October 11th, 2016 at 2:49 PM ^

Eh...yes and no... we really shouldn't be in a position where we need Peppers on offense. We already "need" him less in 2016 than last year and JH is accumulating some playmakers -Evans, probably McDoom, etc. (plus whomever comes in in '17) - that lessen the need for him to provide explosion on the offensive side. --

He is a tremendous asset but with the OL improving and more explosiveness outside of Pep (and Chesson) we aren't in a position like last year where he was the only good running option against some opponents. I suspect 2017 will even be better in this area and somebody will step up as a wildcard as well...maybe K Hudson?

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DrMantisToboggan

October 11th, 2016 at 12:29 PM ^

Yeah if he does this it is completely academic related (and maybe he sniffs the Heisman this year but wants to actually win it), but as long as he continues to do what he is doing, and is fully healthy, his draft stock won't have much more room to grow.

 

I'd love to have him back, everyone would. But if he continues to play like an all-american and help us win a ton of games, he should go get his money.

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Ali G Bomaye

October 11th, 2016 at 11:46 AM ^

Agreed. The backups are going to be whoever wins the competitions between some more lightly-recruited but experienced guys (Ulizio, Spanellis, Runyan) and whichever stud freshmen we end up signing (Ruiz, Wilson, Slaton, Herbert, Leatherwood, Willis?). That's enough bodies with potential that whoever emerges will be decent. Plus there's Onwenu as a wild card, who could be an absolute terror in his second year in the offense (and in the S&C program).

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Alumnus93

October 11th, 2016 at 11:52 AM ^

I responded to your other post on D,  with O.

The OL will really need Cole.   And one of the elite recruits coming in, such as Leatherwood, will play....     

If Newsome comes back, it'll look like this...

Newsome  Bredeson  Cole   Kugler    Leatherwood/Filiaga

That isn't so bad.   If Cole leaves and Newsome doesn't get back, then it'll look like...

 JBB  Bredeson  Kugler  Onwenu Leatherwood/Filiaga     and then its unsavory.

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jblaze

October 11th, 2016 at 12:34 PM ^

Agree with you OP.

The OL is scary, especially if Newsome doesn't come back or isn't his old self (there were tumors of the injury being career ending) then we are in big big trouble. Maybe a grad transfer or true freshmen.

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mackbru

October 11th, 2016 at 1:01 PM ^

I bet Cole stays but you may unfortunately be a bit too bullish on Newsome's return. Hopefully he'll make it. But even if he does return, fingers crossed, it seems a bit pie-in-the-sky to suggest he'll be tip-top by September. Saying this just based on comments from the coaches, whose optimism seems to be tempered by heavy caution.

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LGenius

October 11th, 2016 at 1:16 PM ^

Sad to see those guys go, but I think it means our ceiling at OL is going to be raised significantly. Unfortunately Kalis, Braden and Mags had to endure 2-3 years of coaching malpractice which significantly limited their upside. Remember that crop of OL recruits was considered one of the best in the country at the time. Thankfully, we won't have that problem moving forward.

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Michifornia

October 11th, 2016 at 1:21 PM ^

They'll obviously get coached up and there may be some early growing pains.  But I expect that whoever is asked to step up early will do a decent job.  Can't wait for signing day to see who will end up with us.

GO BLUE!

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Perkis-Size Me

October 11th, 2016 at 1:49 PM ^

Yes, OL will be a bit of a concern next year. But luckily we're not in a spot where we necessarily have to throw a bunch of true freshmen out there. And if Cole stays, that is an immediate sigh of relief the coaching staff can have. 

Can't overstate enough how important it is to get your starting center back. We will be inexperienced upfront next year, but there will be a LOT of talent there. Luckily it will have a chance to get into some games this year as well, and it has already. So they won't be completely fresh off the boat. And this time around, we don't have to worry about how well-coached they are. 

We should be fine at RB, and if Speight is back, we can only assume he'll pick up wherever he leaves off at the end of the year. Losing Darboh, Chesson and Butt is going to hurt, but there's a lot of talent waiting in the wings behind them. Even disregarding the possibility of grabbing DPJ and Collins in a few months. Crawford, Asiasi, McDoom, and Bunting have all been getting a lot of playing time. At least one of them is going to emerge from the pack and give Speight a new toy to play with next Fall. 

One of the trouble spots we may encounter next year, though, is the schedule will be a bit tough to start off. Opening against Florida, and then playing Air Force's triple option two weeks later will be a tricky game to get around. And then MSU the first week in October. One thing is for sure: by mid-October, this team will be seasoned. 

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rock7413

October 11th, 2016 at 2:20 PM ^

- Honestly, i can see Onwenu beating out Dawson at RG.

- I don't know how i feel about JBB at Right Tackle. Haven't been super thrilled with him. (Leatherwood? Fingers crossed)

- And if DPJ does indeed go to Ann Arbor, he could potentially be a day 1 starter. Not a better time for him to come to Michigan than now, in terms of playing time.

- Curious to see how Kareem Walker fits into the RB situation next year.

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socalwolverine1

October 11th, 2016 at 2:24 PM ^

No way Ways and Harris are the starting receivers in 2017.  Ways may get some PT, but clearly he's already been passed by Crawford (faster and more skilled), but have you seen Harris?  He looks like he still weighs 175 pounds...super skinny for his height.  There's no way he can provide downfield blocking commensurate with the coaches' expectations.  

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