Carvin Johnson to Deep Safety
http://michigan.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1145679
Something small that I just saw that must have slipped through the cracks. I am not sure if this means anything about tomorrow but Rivals is saying Carvin Johnson moved to FS and Cam Gordon is working spur.
Other small note from article: Marvin Robinson could play LB in some Nickel situations.
October 29th, 2010 at 12:45 PM ^
So if I'm reading this right:
Cam and Carvin switch spots. Carvin loses time with Vinopal coming in. Vinopal vs. Carvin for that spot. Wouldn't be suprised to see Vinopal start.
MRob can contribute now, when Mouton puts his hand down.
Q/BWC - work in progress.
October 29th, 2010 at 2:38 PM ^
On the front it says that Cam knows both safety spots. It seems more like Cam and Carvin switch spots and Cam also can play box safety.
October 29th, 2010 at 6:04 PM ^
And this thread has been an interesting discussion.
But our official 2-deep doesn't reflect any changes; right?
http://www.mgoblue.com/auto_pdf/p_hotos/s_chools/mich/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/fbl-depthchart-102510
Cam Gordon is our first FS. And Carvin is stil HYB.
So I don't know what to think. Other than to make sure to get in front of a hi-def tv Saturday night.
October 29th, 2010 at 6:12 PM ^
Yeah, that depth chart also doesn't show the QWash/Thor switch so I wouldn't take it seriously.
October 29th, 2010 at 6:40 PM ^
New Probable 2011 (next season) Defensive Depth Chart:
NT: Martin(Sr.), Washington(So.), Ash(Fr.)
DT: Van Bergen(Sr.), Talbott(Fr.), Heininger(Sr.)
DE: Black(So.), Wilkins(Fr.), Watson(Sr.)...Rock(Fr./R.S.)
OLB: Roh(Jr.), Paskorz(Fr.), Herron(Sr.)...Beyer(Fr./R.S.), Kinard(Fr./R.S.)
MLB: Demens(Jr.), Ryan(Fr.), Fitzgerald(Sr.)...Jones(Fr./R.S.)
WLB: Jones(So.), Robinson(So.), Bell(So.), Leach(Sr.)
Sp: T. Gordon(So.), Furman(Fr.), Hawthorne(So.)
SS: Kovacs(Jr.), C. Gordon(So.), Simmons(Jr.), Williams(Sr.)
FS: Johnson(So.), Vinopal(So.), Van Slyke(Sr.)
CB: Woolfolk(Sr.), Christian(Fr.), Talbott(Fr.)...Brown(Fr./R.S.)
CB: Floyd(Jr.), Avery(Fr.)...Hollowell(Fr./R.S.)
Here is my personal (although maybe not 'likely') dream defense for 2011:
NT: Washington
DT: Martin
DE: Van Bergen/Black
OLB: Roh
MLB: Demens
WLB: Robinson
Sp: Furman/Kovacs
SS: C. Gordon
FS: Moore/Walls
CB: Woolfolk
CB: Floyd/Christian
...I hope that #1) Quinton Washington proves to be such a beast on defense that he can't be kept off the field and starts at NT. His 320 lb size is much needed in the middle of any 3-man front. Martin moves to DT. Van Bergen remains at DE (and is replaced by Black in passing situations). #2) Marvin Robinson quickly transitions into an instant stud at WLB and beats out Mike Jones for the starting position. #3) Josh Furman hones all of that raw athleticism and beats out T. Gordon at Spur. #4) Cam Gordon really takes to his new SS position and beats out Jordan Kovacs there - who then becomes our nickleback. #5) That we get at least two stud FS recruits in this class, and that they are 1-2 on the depth chart. Neither Carvin Johnson nor Ray Vinopal reallly has what we're looking for there. It'd be nice if Byron Moore was one of those commits, because he's probably more college ready. And it'd be nice if the other was Walls, Lyons, Clinton-Dix, or the dude that's committed to FSU right now (can't remember his name?). #6) That one of the true freshman CBs - Christian, Avery or Talbott - makes big strides this season and at least pushes Floyd for the starting position.
October 29th, 2010 at 7:16 PM ^
you em0???
October 29th, 2010 at 8:08 PM ^
Good stuff, that is an eye opener. For the first time there actually appears to be depth across the depth chart.
October 30th, 2010 at 12:26 AM ^
Any chance we can get your projected 2013 depth chart?
October 29th, 2010 at 12:48 PM ^
But the Carvin to deep safety thing is new to me. I assume the coaches will do the best thing and hope for the best on Saturdays...
October 29th, 2010 at 1:06 PM ^
So, if it is new information, then it hasn't been covered, right?
October 29th, 2010 at 1:36 PM ^
I thought I made the distiction that most of it was covered, but the carvin stuff was new. But, whatever... Sometimes thoughts don't come out correctly when typed.
October 29th, 2010 at 5:03 PM ^
The thread title is "Carvin Johnson to deep safety"...
October 29th, 2010 at 12:48 PM ^
I wonder if the coaches thought he was better suited to the position, wanted to add depth to deep safety, or if Thomas Gordon just officially won the job outright or some combination of these . Interesting move.
October 29th, 2010 at 12:50 PM ^
I kinda thought deep safety was always where the wanted him. I was surprised when the two-deep came out at the beginning of the year and he was playing in the box. I hope it works out.
October 29th, 2010 at 3:33 PM ^
Agreed. I remember thinking when he commited that he was probably destined to deep safety based on his athleticism and physical prowess. I was somewhat shocked that they had him playing closer to the LOS to start the year.
As an aside, all of the position switching actually makes me more excited for this defense going forward. With so many (very) young players getting to see so many different spots in the defense, my hope is that they start to understand how it should all work very quickly. Maybe the defense is serviceable next year?!? A guy can dream, right?
October 29th, 2010 at 1:26 PM ^
I talked about this two weeks ago, but thought it'd be done after the season.
October 29th, 2010 at 1:42 PM ^
I guess after two losses and clear deficiencies at some positions, what do you have to lose?
October 29th, 2010 at 7:44 PM ^
5 more games?
October 29th, 2010 at 12:59 PM ^
October 29th, 2010 at 1:02 PM ^
October 29th, 2010 at 1:02 PM ^
I like that they are making moves and trying to get better, I have faith they will improve. Can't get much worse right?
October 29th, 2010 at 1:08 PM ^
I like this. Thomas Gordon seems to have the Spur locked down pretty well. Carvin and Vinopal might not be true FS types, but if they can play smart, then they have a step on Cam Gordon.
I hope either Carvin or Vinopal step up in a big way so that Woolfoolk can stay at CB next year.
October 29th, 2010 at 2:50 PM ^
So is Carvin fast enough for the deep safety position? Not that Cam was fast, I'm wonder if this is a quick fix temporary thing or something that could work permanently.
October 29th, 2010 at 1:19 PM ^
This sounds like an I-told-you-so...and I guess it is...
...but seriously, why has it taken the coaching staff so long to realize some of these things? Are they surprised that a 195-pound freshman can't hack it at Spur, which is basically a linebacker? Why did they believe in the first place that a 6'3", 207-pound kid with questionable speed could be our free safety? Why has 275-pound Adam Patterson been playing nose tackle when Renaldo Sagesse - who's heavier and stronger and has experience there - would be the obviously better answer?
I just don't understand what these coaches are doing sometimes. I don't know if it's Rodriguez or Robinson or Brathwaite or what, but sometimes it just seems like they don't have a clue.
October 29th, 2010 at 1:25 PM ^
they're at practice every day while you're at your computer.
October 29th, 2010 at 1:36 PM ^
Can we please kill this "the coaches are always right" meme? Coaches make mistakes too and sometimes things they try work out and sometimes they don't.
October 29th, 2010 at 1:47 PM ^
It's not that the coaches are always right. I think it's more of the fact that they have more information to base their decisions on, so maybe they shouldn't be judged as harshly when many of us don't see what they see in practice. Maybe Gordon outperforms everyone at safety in practice and it's only until now that the coaches have stopped giving him the chance to do it in a game? It's not that they're right, but we can't say we know what's best without having all the information either.
October 29th, 2010 at 1:50 PM ^
Take Cam as the example.
In mid-August, he and Emilien had the most experience at deep safety, with VinoGRIT and Carvin Johnson just entering practice.
The coaches now have 7 games and dozens of practices worth of information. Also, Emilien transferred, taking away Gordon's back-up.
They might have come to the conclusion that they now have confidence in Vinopal and Carvin to man the deep safety spot, all the while knowing that Cam can also work in that position if needed.
Of course, if they just had the all-knowing knowledge of Magnus, they'd have done this months ago because Magnus knows their roster better than them.
October 29th, 2010 at 2:04 PM ^
magnus also said, emphatically, that carvin johnson wasn't all that good and was definitely going to redshirt.
October 29th, 2010 at 2:14 PM ^
And he really hasn't done anything to dispel that notion. He's been practically invisible, and Thomas Gordon (who already redshirted) seems to be doing just fine there.
So...yeah...he didn't redshirt. I was wrong. That doesn't mean he shouldn't be redshirting.
October 29th, 2010 at 2:25 PM ^
Practically invisible is a big win for a true freshman.
October 29th, 2010 at 2:28 PM ^
Right. I'm not saying he's horrible. But what's the point of burning his redshirt if you have another guy or two who can do the job?
October 29th, 2010 at 3:03 PM ^
October 29th, 2010 at 3:05 PM ^
I agree. And I'm not knocking Carvin Johnson here. I think he's a good player, but at least at this point in his career, he's not physically ready to be a linebacker.
However, this is not "hindsight" on my part. I said back during the summer that Carvin Johnson should redshirt.
October 29th, 2010 at 3:28 PM ^
Do you think M. Robinson has the size right now to play OLB? Or does it not matter that much since it seems like he will be coming in on passing downs.
October 29th, 2010 at 11:48 PM ^
If he's only coming in on obvious passing downs, then I think his size is fine. I do think he's too small to stuff the run at this point, though.
October 29th, 2010 at 3:22 PM ^
Nevamind
October 30th, 2010 at 10:48 AM ^
He was injured when? And he came back when?
edit: this was in response to a much earlier comment, and makes zero sense here.
October 30th, 2010 at 11:22 AM ^
It doesn't really argue against his point either. He has been arguing that he should redshirt because he is undersized for that position. He gets injured in the first game because he's undersized and gets plowed over.
October 29th, 2010 at 2:40 PM ^
Right...so after watching Carvin Johnson play linebacker for 7 weeks - plus summer camp - they now have confidence that he can play free safety.
Yeah, that makes sense.
October 30th, 2010 at 1:38 PM ^
October 29th, 2010 at 2:07 PM ^
At least our coaches didn't reinstate a felon the day he got out of jail.
Gotta look on the bright side.
October 29th, 2010 at 2:30 PM ^
Good one.
October 29th, 2010 at 1:54 PM ^
sorry if i came off as a dick, but i really don't like the "these guys are idiots" meme
October 29th, 2010 at 2:10 PM ^
Glass is half full. The world is full of different people, who have all kinds of different views. In sports, it's "Monday Morning Quarterbacks". Everybody is 20/20 on Monday.
It does make me wonder though...
Why didn't Coach Carr start Tom Brady earlier?
Why didn't Bo adjust his style of play before he lost his 6,7 or 8th Rose Bowl?
Why didn't Moeller attend some AA classes?
Hmm........
October 29th, 2010 at 2:44 PM ^
I am not a Monday Morning Quarterback. I've been saying since Cam Gordon was recruited that he had linebacker speed. And I said several weeks ago that Carvin Johnson was too small to play Spur.
I am many things, but a liar is not one of them.
October 29th, 2010 at 2:50 PM ^
With the thought he would turn into an beast at LB? He wanted to play WR so the coaches game him a shot but it is clear he is best suited to play closer to the LOS.
October 29th, 2010 at 11:50 PM ^
I haven't heard it straight from the horse's mouth, but yeah, supposedly the coaches told him he could have a chance at WR but they really wanted him on defense. I think everyone assumed they meant at LB, but I don't know that his defensive position was predetermined.
Like I said, I thought he'd be a linebacker, but that's not necessarily in line with what the coaches thought.
October 29th, 2010 at 3:29 PM ^
If you think about it though, the problems that Gordon has been experiencing, concerning the obvious lack in speed at safety, have not occurred until recently (MSU/Iowa games). In the first Big Ten game at IU, he seemed OK, I believe he even had a pick. The next two games, it became obvious he might be out of position. The bye week arrives, time for the coaching staff to to look back at the film, make some changes.
I believe that is what the coaches are trying to do.
Anyways, everyone is on the record going forward, so let's hope for the best and see what happens.
October 29th, 2010 at 7:47 PM ^
He had a rough day at Notre Dame, too.