No reason this year's defense can't be good
With a new defensive mindset coming from the coaching staff and looking at the roster for next season's team, I'm seeing no reason why this defense can't be at the level of previous Michigan D's before Rich Rod came in.
Possible lineup with a 4-3 defense could look like this..
Martin
Defensive Line
- DE- Craig Roh JR 6-5 251
- Backup: Ken Wilkins rFR 6-3 270
- DT- Mike Martin SR 6-2 299
- Backup: Richard Ash rFR 6-3 320
- DT- Ryan Van Bergen SR 6-6 287
- Backup: Quinton Washington SO 6-4 315
- DE- Jibreel Black SO 6-2 265
- Backup: Terry Talbott rFR 6-3 260
Demens
Linebackers
- OLB- JB Fitzgerald SR 6-3 244
- Backup: Mike Jones SO 6-2 208
- MLB- Kenny Demens JR 6-1 246
- Backup: Isaiah Bell SO 6-1 245
- OLB- Cameron Gordon SO 6-3 207
- Backup: Brandon Herron SR 6-2 220
Woolfolk
Defensive Backs
- CB- Troy Woolfolk SR 6-0 195
- Backup: Cullen Christian SO 6-0 188
- SS- Jordan Kovacs JR 6-0 195
- Backup: Thomas Gordon SO 5-11 205
- FS- Marvin Robinson SO 6-2 203
- Backup: Ray Vinopal SO 5-10 197
- CB- JT Floyd JR 6-0 183
- Backup: Courtney Avery SO 5-11 174
This team has some up and coming talent and the potential to be a very solid defense next year. The appropriate changes need to be made scheme-wise in order to compete with the big offensive lines in the Big Ten, but that can be done. The weight of these players will inevitably continue to grow from this point to the beginning of the season and these guys will be ready to play some hard nosed defense that we are accustomed to seeing at Michigan.
January 17th, 2011 at 1:37 PM ^
Emo is that you? Also, it's hard to have a good defense without a coordinator.
January 17th, 2011 at 1:39 PM ^
...which is why we will have a coordinator next season.
January 17th, 2011 at 1:50 PM ^
Yeah, my point is 1. Hoke needs to hurry up and 2. no real point in starting these depth chart posts until we know what our defensive philosophy will be.
January 17th, 2011 at 1:52 PM ^
I thought he was going back to Defense, if so I think he will take advantage of a fresh start and do well under the new coaches.
January 17th, 2011 at 1:37 PM ^
Hoke springs eternal.
January 17th, 2011 at 1:40 PM ^
Can we setup a few site macros to auto-populate with one these Hokeisms?
F1 - Hokemania
F2 - Hoke Springs Eternal
F3 - The Summer of Hoke
F4 - Hoke Floats
January 17th, 2011 at 1:46 PM ^
maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies.
January 17th, 2011 at 1:38 PM ^
id have to believe Carvin Johnson will be back in the lineup next year, he showed some flashes of talent
January 17th, 2011 at 1:38 PM ^
No Will Campbell on your defense makes me sad.
January 17th, 2011 at 1:38 PM ^
Look at all those true sophomores!
January 17th, 2011 at 1:38 PM ^
If we can get a coordinator who can put these players in a postition to make plays, I believe they can be good. Let's get that DC first.
January 17th, 2011 at 1:55 PM ^
There were a lot of players in position to make plays. They just didn't make them. Maybe it had something to do with them being fresh out of HS or maybe the coordinator taught them how to miss tackles instead of make them.
January 17th, 2011 at 1:58 PM ^
there were times when they were in position to make plays, but most of the time our secondary was in no position to make plays..
Watching 4 guys stand in the middle of the field while opposing QB's pass to wide open guys it was i saw most of the time.
January 17th, 2011 at 2:04 PM ^
I see your point, but I'm talking more schematically. For example, putting Roh as an outside linebacker is not putting him in a position to make plays. Sure, he may be near the ball carrier and miss a tackle (a la Indiana game a bunch), and not make a play individually, but he shouldn't have been there in the first place. I personally feel our current D-linemen are more suited to a 4 man line as opposed to the giant immovable blobs that a three man line uses to eat up blocks, and then have LB's blitz which we didn't do either. Ok, just talking about the D last year is starting to get me angry again. I'm gonna stop now.
January 17th, 2011 at 1:39 PM ^
I could think of a few reasons, but they are depressing. So I'm not going to think about them.
January 17th, 2011 at 1:39 PM ^
After our experience this past year I'm thinking we may try to go without a coordinator next year and see what happens.
January 17th, 2011 at 1:42 PM ^
Anyone but GERG.
January 17th, 2011 at 1:45 PM ^
I appreciate everything Kovacs has done over the last two years, but I really hope he isn't a starter this upcoming season.
January 17th, 2011 at 2:03 PM ^
What a blessing that would be (assuming healthy scratch and not injury-related).
<br>
<br>How about a general rule of no more walk-ons or true freshman in the two deep? That would be nice.
January 17th, 2011 at 2:43 PM ^
If we do go back to a 4-3, Kovacs just cannot be one of the two deep safeties. Asking him to cover half the field when we go cover 2 would be ugly. And when we go man-to-man asking him to cover a tight end or slot is very unreasonable. I would find ways to get him on the field (ie goalline) for the leadership, but that's about it.
I would like to see Vinopal as the free safety. The kid is fast, and fluid in open space. He's the type of player I think you could even trust to go single high every once in a while. I know he had trouble with physical backs. But you put 10 pounds on him, better defensive coaching, and I think that can be improved.
I think Carvin Johnson could really excell at SS. He hits like a tank. In general, I do agree with the OP. I think we do have some talent on this defense that just hasn't been used right. Not to mention although this defense will still be on the young side next year, they will be experienced.
January 17th, 2011 at 3:21 PM ^
Couldn't agree more. Of the projected starters, the safety position makes me nervous. Then again......is that anything new?
I still have a feeling Kovacs finds his way onto the field (regardless of where TW plays)
January 17th, 2011 at 1:45 PM ^
Small nitpick, Wilkins is a strongside DE, not a weakside DE like Roh. I'd put Herron behind Roh. I'm also not sold we're going to be running a 4-3, but that's a different matter
January 17th, 2011 at 1:57 PM ^
Do you really think Herron is a DE? He's 220, that's pretty small. Wilkins is certainly a strongside end, but most of our DEs are (RVB, Black, Wilkins, Talbott - if he plays end). We'll need Herron at OLB, I wouldn't be surprised if Paskorz shows up in the 2-deep.
I think if we run a 4-3, our line-up will be a little fluid depending on the offense, or the down and distance. If we're looking to stop the run, a line-up of RVB-MM-QW-Roh would be best, and if it's a passing team (or down) we could move RVB inside in place of Q and put Black at DE opposite Roh.
January 17th, 2011 at 2:04 PM ^
There's reason #1 why the 4-3 doesn't make a lot of sense. If you're not willing to put Herron at weakside DE, then we have...2 weakside DEs. In a 3-4, or at least a 4-3 under, you could have Herron, Roh, (potentially) Davion Rogers, Brennen Beyer, and some other hotshot freshman like Deion Barnes all playing a standup LB spot.
January 17th, 2011 at 2:13 PM ^
Didn't Roh almost leave the team because he was being made to play LB when he really wanted to play (and was much much more effecting playing) at DE?
Also, for OP -- Why move Cam Gordon to the front 7? Early-in-the-year mistakes aside, he played pretty well (well, better, at least) in the secondary toward the end of the year, and could presumably make a big leap in his second year at the position.
January 17th, 2011 at 2:23 PM ^
Cam is not a safety/DB, he's just too slow. LB is his best position. And Roh was being used as a 3-3-5 LB, meaning that he was rarely rushing the QB, and spent most of his time dropping into coverage, etc. When I say 3-4 rush LB, think Shawn Crable.
January 17th, 2011 at 2:20 PM ^
Davion Rogers? I thought he was long gone
January 17th, 2011 at 2:25 PM ^
The rumor is he's still on campus and plans to re-join the football team
January 17th, 2011 at 2:26 PM ^
and that he has gained about 25 pounds of muscle.
January 17th, 2011 at 2:28 PM ^
He has time to develop
January 17th, 2011 at 2:25 PM ^
Davion has not been on the team for quite some time.... if ever.
January 17th, 2011 at 1:45 PM ^
...wait, what???? can't be wait???
(/head asplode)
January 17th, 2011 at 1:46 PM ^
I agree but is there a reason it can be good? I hope so.
January 17th, 2011 at 1:47 PM ^
except all the evidence pointing to the contrary and the lack of a defensive coaching staff...
January 17th, 2011 at 1:49 PM ^
You do know that the plan is to hire one...right? We're not just gonna cut costs and settle with what we have...the four or so days with an OC and no DC aren't really that hurtful...but don't let facts get in the way of a good gripe-fest.
January 17th, 2011 at 1:47 PM ^
The defense SUCKED last year... and we aren't getting any recruits! :"(
/s
But really, good post. I would be surprised if the D didn't improve by quite a bit as compared to last year. Should be exciting to watch.
January 17th, 2011 at 1:49 PM ^
Can Josh Furman work his way into the mix?
January 17th, 2011 at 1:51 PM ^
I'm with you there -- depending on the defense we do run, I could see him possibly at safety. Also, I want to see Marvin Robinson out there cracking skulls.
January 17th, 2011 at 1:52 PM ^
Never doubt the dreads...or the 4.3 speed, that certainly doesn't hurt, too.
January 17th, 2011 at 2:00 PM ^
All he did in HS was rush the passer. Now he's supposed to move to safety and cover WRs? There's no doubt about his straight line speed, but there were concerns about stiff hips. IMHO this would be like putting Cam Gordon back there except Furman would be able to run down Kyle Rudolph.
January 17th, 2011 at 2:06 PM ^
I never advocated putting him at safety. I meant the 4.3 speed would help him as a linebacker, although he's probably lost a little speed with the weight he's gained
January 17th, 2011 at 1:50 PM ^
I'll take a defense that ranks in the 50s or even 60s. I think a "good" defense may be a stretch at this point.
January 17th, 2011 at 1:50 PM ^
I sure Hoke you're right about this... I will be pessimistic until my eyes have witnessed an improvement...
January 17th, 2011 at 1:52 PM ^
If kovacs is one of your 11 best your not very good ... great heart, but tooo small toooo slow
January 17th, 2011 at 2:21 PM ^
...Kovacs made me actually agree with something Matt Millen said last year: Which was something to the effect of: Kovacs is the type of guy that you look at physically and try to replace every year. And every year he'll be playing for you because all he does is make plays. (this is pretty close to what he said but I didn't include the quotation marks since I'm fairly certain that it isn't exact).
Kovacs makes enough plays that I'm not sure why everyone (including Chris Speilman) caps on the guy.
January 17th, 2011 at 1:53 PM ^
Introducing the 3-3-5 defense can present many challenges, especially if the personnel isn’t available to execute it properly.
San Diego State found that out last season and had a 4-8 campaign to show for it.
That’s why coach Brady Hoke and defensive coordinator Rocky Long took a special interest in the defense this past spring. It wasn’t just about being faster or more physical, though those aspects were addressed, it was about putting the right players in the right positions to allow the defense to reach its potential.
http://espn.go.com/blog/ncfnation/post/_/id/21454/san-diego-states-defense-makes-strides
Of course, Rocky Long isn't quite as much of an acknowledged national expert in running the 3-3-5 as, say, Jeff Casteel at WVU.
January 17th, 2011 at 2:06 PM ^
Depending on who you ask, Rocky Long invented the 3-3-5.
January 17th, 2011 at 2:21 PM ^
But while we might have finally gotten Jeff Casteel this year, had Coach Rodriguez been retained (the fourth time is always the charm, right?), we're clearly not getting Rocky Long:
SAN DIEGO -- Rocky Long had a chance to follow Brady Hoke to Michigan. Instead, he stayed at San Diego State and was promoted from defensive coordinator to head coach.
"This is a much better deal," Long said during his introductory news conference Wednesday. "And I'm not talking about anything about being a head coach. We've got things started here. They've got a lot of work to do there."
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=6015802&campaign=rss&source=ESPNUHeadlines
January 17th, 2011 at 1:55 PM ^
This defense is still going to have very little depth and is still going to be very young. Given that they were amongst the worst in D-1 last year, expecting them to be anything better than below average (somewhere in the 70-90 range) is expecting a LOT to happen. If all goes right, 2012 should be the "back to normal" year.
January 17th, 2011 at 2:13 PM ^
There is substantial depth. Its inexperienced depth, but it should be there. No more needing to rely on true freshman or walk-ons like the last couple years. Now (assuming no attrition), each position will have at worst second year players, most having had had significant on-field playing time (at least in the secondary).
"Back to normal" is a longshot and "Average" would be major progress.