Phil Steele's All-B1G team features 5 UMers
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Steele has Devin Funchess, Jake Ryan and Blake Countess on his preseason All-Big Ten 1st team. Frank Clark and Desmond Morgan make 2nd team.
We have the best LB in the B1G and i think Morgan is one of the main reasons for that.
Just playing devils advocate and that's probably why DG isn't on there.
Steele 1st teamer Devin Funchess.
I'm okay with a #2 & 3 pass catcher coming out of Chesson, Freddy, Butt, and Darboh. Many of the QBs lost their #1 and have less proven guys playing with them.
I'm much more worried about DG's OL than his WRs.
Very much agreed. Pass catchers are the least of my worries when it comes to this offense. DG will find a way to have a solid year (IMO), but the running and the blocking are my major concerns.
No doubt, but that is the story practically every year in college football. There is always a bunch of stars that need to be replaced with unproven players. Having a solid WR/TE returning is very positive. There is bound to be someone that steps up between Canteen, Darboh, Norfleet, Chesson, or maybe another RS frosh, or true frosh.
I am a big fan of Chesson and think he could have a solid year, Darboh will be back, and Butt will return sometime during the season. Not exactly Braylon, Avant, and Breaston, but a lot of potential and the top three guys are in their third year with the program.
NW, MSU and MD are the three teams with more than 1 receiver coming back with more than 500 yards, and with Kings, Jr. at 509.
Penn State's top returning wide receiver is Geno Lewis at 234, 13 yards more than Chesson. All their returning tight ends caught 743 yards, 5 less than Funchess.
I definitely think Thomas will make some noise by the end of the year, and could sneak into a 2nd/3rd team.
I sure hope so but that is quite the bold opinion.
People forget because he struggled toward the end of last year, but he came in with more than enough hype to justify some higher expectations. And I really do think that toward the end of the year, the defense was just trying to keep bodies on the field and not blow games, which isn't a recipe for a true freshman getting much playing time.
Where is Peppers?
Book it.
*All Amercia honors
We definitely have been lacking first teamers the last half decade. Would be nice to get some playmakers making 1st team instead of the usual O-Lineman. Although, we certainly need that too!
If our #1 WR, MLB and shut-down CB are all first team B1G then it will be a pretty good year.
Add our WDE and WLB to the second team and we could have a shut-down defense to make every game close
In 2013 UM had the following guys on the first or second team all big ten (looking only at DB's, LB's, dline and pass catchers):
Coaches: Gallon, Funchess, Clark and Countess were all second team.
Media: Funchess and Countess were both first team. Gallon was second team.
If the OL is just decent this year and he stays healthy, Gardner can easily make 1st team all B1G.
Yeah, I think Gardner will be at least the second-best quarterback in the conference...
If OSU had their OL from last year I'd agree, but they lose 4 starters as well as their senior RB. Last off season we heard all about how Miller was learning to become a QB instead of an athlete and that never materialized. If Gardner has a semblance of a running game and some protection, he may have much better "QB" numbers than Miller. May also depend on overall record which could give MIller the win. But 0% chance seems like a big stretch.
first thing that comes to mind when I see this list....
that I heard both Gedeon and Bolden are on par with Morgan right now, and also heard that Jourdan Lewis is also as good as Countess... maybe this is a good sign, that the talent level has gotten a huge uptick.