Drevno Interview Comments RE LT position (and bonus Don Brown interview)

This just means more good depth to me. Very nice

This just means more good depth to me. Very nice

After all these months sparring and posturing (not all in full team practices, obviously), let's get it done. Just my 1/50th of a dollar.

The QB comment is I think the most interesting of the bunch. It looks like once they name a starter, it'll be his job to lose, which on its face doesn't seem to be leaving open the possibility of a mid-season Colin Kaepernick passing Alex Smith type of situation.

Most people seem to agree that O'Korn has the higher upside; the question is whether he can put it all together, especially with accuracy and decision making. Based on Drevno's comment, it seems like either they're leaning towards O'Korn, or if they're leaning towards Speight, they don't think O'Korn will improve much during the season from where he is at the end of camp...

To not be surprised if Brederson starts this year.

It has actual real content and provides useful information.

OT season must be almost over.

The Bredeson news is outstanding! We need the depth. 

After the seemingly constant shuffling we had a few years ago, I'm glad the OL is mostly set two weeks before the opener.  

pretty much listed the entire defense when responding to the "So who are the dudes?" question.

Love it.

... loved his response to the "High Risk, High Reward" label.  Especially when he gets into the cameraman's face.  

Didn't Clemson have a true freshman lt last year? Having a season like theirs wouldn't be the worst thing.

Our maxim on roster weights is "all weight gain is good; all weight loss is good." Do we have a similar maxim for spring/fall camp news about players competing for starting spots? Like, "the Bredeson/Newsome battle means that both are outstanding" and not "OMG Newsome must be struggling big time"?

Let's not forget that Newsome himself is just a sophomore with a lot of growth left. If he is getting pushed by Bredeson, he might be struggling. Bredeson might be great. Maybe both. There are some starters on our line this season who were totally overmatched as sophomores. If Newsome gets edged, I think we still have good signs for depth and I would expect Newsome to start somewhere on the line next year. If Bredeson is competent right now that is a good, good sign for our depth.

Bredeson was a really polished player coming in in terms of technique, especially in run blocking. I thought since he was recruited that he could easily be a true LT, and actually expected him to end up there despite the coaches telling him he would start at Guard (at the time, Michigan had Hamilton slotted to start at LT, so the difference in opinion is understandable); so that part of it isn't completely alarming and I have no issue with Bredeson being a LT. I did express concern about the depth he gets in his kick slide, and concerns that combining that with his length could see him struggle against speed rushers, so it's not all sunshine and roses. In that way, he is very much like Cole was as a true FR - down to being very undersized (both about 280 as incoming FR) - a guy you can probably get by with but against elite rushers is going to not have a good day.

So this isn't the end of the world, but it isn't exactly encouraging either. I don't think this is a matter of Michigan getting something unexpected out of Bredeson as much as Newsome just not getting the blocking schemes and technique yet. I liked what I saw from Newsome down blocking last year (that's about all he was asked to do), he can really latch on and move people when he fires off low, but man he looked really rough in pass pro in the spring and he really looked like he was thinking about his pass pro technique rather than executing it; have to think that's still an issue. This is not optimal for Michigan's OL, as if it all clicked for Newsome he has the ability to be "the next great LT". At least there is some depth, but this isn't optimal.

That said, I still expect Newsome to start. Bredeson will get snaps though, I have little doubt about that. If Bredeson does start, expect Michigan to be very right handed this year, especially to start. That's not all bad as it allows Kalis to down block rather than pull, Braden to pull (he got pretty good at it at the end of the year), and I've heard Magnuson is starting to be more consistent at the point of attack, so being a right handed run team wouldn't be all bad.

This does emphasize how big of a blow it was to have LTT booted. By some accounts, Newsome wasn't far behind LTT, but that kind of contradicts that LTT wasn't very far behind Cole last year, so I'm not sure how much stock to put into that. Furthermore, LTT allows Bredeson to get up to size, and probably at least provides a solid and more consistent option at LT than Newsome. Really could have used him this year.

I'm sure they'll play the 5 that are best for this season, but I hope Newsome wins LT because I think we need him to work out there for the next couple of years at least. Bredeson can play RT after Magnuson graduates. Would be great to see Dawson, Onwenu, and Bredeson all get a lot of snaps in garbage time this fall.

2017 OL:

Newsome

Dawson/Slaton

Cole

Onwenu

Bredeson

Would be interesting to see if there's room in Harbaugh's massive playbook for spread concepts to utilize Peppers/Evans/Hudson at H-back. That would seem to favor O'Korn at QB. He looks good on the run. Is that a link between the Evans hype and the QB contest? Sounds like Jabrill is not practicing on offense yet, but it wouldn't be surprising if they keep that whole look under wraps until MSU.

another true freshman at LT just three years after Cole did it. Bredeson sounds like a stud and may find himself moving around on the OL in his career. Either way we are going to have a young inexpereinced player starting at LT, so let's hope the camp competition brings the best out and they are ready to go come September 3

I have no proof of this at all, and camp rumors caveats galore, but it's just my hunch that this Bredeson pushing Newsome thing--as others have said--at the very least means our O-Line depth isn't a giant abyss.  Think about it--at ths Spring Game it was "Newsome at LT, Cole at center, but if Newsome is terrible we shift Cole back to LT and put Kugler at center."

This isn't happening, and I don't think it's beause Kugler AND Newsome are both terrible and that Bredeson is the best option is at LT just becuase Colel is absolutely required at center.  It seems to me Bredeson is stepping up and giving Newsome a run for his money.

Bottom line is for me at least, of the three concerns I had for this year:  QB play, Linebackers, and OL depth--two of them are of lesser concern due to the buzz coming out of camp.  Soundsl ike O'Korn vs. Speight is not a battle of who sucks least, but of who is not merely adequate but "good."  And the OL depth seems to have been addressed by Bredeson stepping up, even if he doesn't ultimately win the starting job.

Plus our super soft 7 game start to our schedule allows both the QB play & OL play to solidify before the meat of our schedule starts.

 

this isn't redundent but generally if a younger guy is tied neck and neck with older guy. Younger player gets the nod.

I loved Drevno's interview!  He's normally pretty stiff and filled with non-answering coachspeak. This time he was light hearted, even laughed when someone asked about Mags at QB, and he was filled with good answers.  Good, in-depth ansers...  He must be really liking this team.  I can get onboard with that.