RR confirms potential move for Campbell to OG

Submitted by Bodogblog on

Another forum post on this earlier, but RR confirms. 

Sigh.  This doesn't sound like a motivating tactic.  And we're pretty well stacked at OG.  Not good, don't see how he can move like he'd need to in our OL zone blocking scheme.  And we are not stacked at NG behind Martin.  Bye-Bye dreams of Roh-Martin-RVB-Campbell line of Death and Destruction in 2011. 

http://detnews.com/article/20101019/SPORTS0201/10190422/U-M-considers-moving-William-Campbell-to-O-line

EDIT: Bonus speculation on who's moving from OG to OT, and switching safety positions. 

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K2

October 19th, 2010 at 3:14 PM ^

will wait to place judgment on big Will until I see him on the field more. We all thought Demens couldn't have been that good since he was stuck behind Obi but that all changed last week. Sure big Will didn't play very well last year, but he should have redshirted so that was to be expected. He seems to have played fairly well in goal line situations this year and had a batted pass in the BGSU game. I think he needs some time in the rotation to prove he can't play the position before switching his position. 

Joined: 02/18/2010

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UMICH1606

October 19th, 2010 at 3:18 PM ^

The reason that there was such hand wringing about Demens getting a shot is when he actually got snaps, he looked remotely competent. The only reason that there is hand wringing about BWC is because he is a 5 star player, because on the field, when he got snaps, other than his few,isolated bright moments against OSU last year, he has been rather terrible.

Joined: 02/21/2010

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K2

October 19th, 2010 at 3:35 PM ^

for the first few games noted that he looked ok/good on the goal line. I have watched him on on all of the plays that he has been in for and while he still plays too high much of the time he looks much improved from last year and has been getting consistent penetration on the goal line. I would be shocked that after two years of practicing as a defensive tackle that he would have a bigger impact on the team by switching to a position that has much better depth than the position that he is presently at. Let's not forget that Paterson and Segasse are both seniors so we need someone to back up Mike Martian assuming he doesn't go pro.

Joined: 02/18/2010

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bryemye

October 19th, 2010 at 3:16 PM ^

This is absolutely terrible and confusing and awful. How on earth is this possible? I mean, is it even remotely possible this helps his chances of contributing in the short term? Have they given up on trying to coach him on defense so they will see if he likes offense better?

On a side note, the bye week where people are seriously questioning your coaching ability might not be the best time to tell the press that you're kind of speculating on a position switch midway through the year for a 5-star prospect in year 2 with your system. 

I'm not saying anything either way about his ability to coach, but man, PR is a bit suspect no?

Joined: 09/14/2009

MGoPoints: 2692

winterblue75

October 19th, 2010 at 3:18 PM ^

This is giving a radio station (nameless) and host (nameless) stupid fodder by saying Um can't evaluate talent and he stated that UM in the past 3 years has had more 5 stars fail than any team in the country?!?! WTF? My god do they do ANY, even the smallest bit of research before coming up with shit like that?

And I'm sorry asshat host, didn't MSU recruit BWC also? Thought so.

Joined: 09/05/2009

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Plegerize

October 19th, 2010 at 3:19 PM ^

I have to say this is a very disappointing find.

It's upsetting because I was hoping that we'd see more progress out of him and that he'd be potentially pushing Martin for playing time. Having two big scary potential All-Big Ten NT's is better than one.

But if the coaches make this choice I have to defer to their judgement, they see what these guys are capable of in practice everyday.

I guess I'm more disappointed in Big Will at this point than I am the coaching staff. If he had improved and lived up to his billing, he probably wouldn't be in this situation in the first place.

Joined: 03/26/2009

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Tater

October 19th, 2010 at 3:20 PM ^

Maybe they feel that if WC learns offensive techniques, he will better understand how his lack of defensive technique hurts him, and that he will be a better DT next year.  It's sorta like how ex-HS QB's who have the requisite speed make really good DB's.

Joined: 08/13/2008

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C-BusWolve

October 19th, 2010 at 3:21 PM ^

For those of you who are losing your minds and cursing the coaches over this possibility, just relax. You make the point that we have more depth at OL and our DL needs bodies as many of the guys in the rotation are seniors. Do you honestly believe that the head coach is not aware of this? If it were as cut and dry as a numbers game then Big Will would probably be cemented at NT. Maybe Talbott/Ash are proving to be monsters, maybe it is a motivational tactic, maybe Big Will just cannot hack it at NT. Whatever the reason for the possible position switch for Campbell is, I would have to believe that the coaches are privy to much more information than us and there is probably something going on that we cannot see. I'm sure it is not a case of Big Will throwing our players around like tackling dummies in practice and the coaches deciding they didn't want to play a future star.

Some people need to calm down. RR said it was possible, not definite. I'm not willing to write off any player's career halfway through their true sophomore year, but what if Big Will is a bust. He wouldn't be the first 5* bust and he sure won't be the last. Too many people jump to conclusions and panic as soon as they hear the wind blow.  

Joined: 09/15/2009

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JeepinBen

October 19th, 2010 at 3:34 PM ^

And I'd recommend re-reading this: http://mgoblog.com/diaries/will-campbell-why-bust-label-wrong-so-far to anyone who is furious at an 18 (19? 20?) year old kid and his development. We're not at practice, we don't know what is happening. 

 

In terms of his current play, WC was absolutely BLOWN UP on that blocked field goal (can't find the picture, but they showed a replay on ABC during the game) 

Maybe BWC is going to work with the offensive guards so he had a little more technique on special teams? Maybe he's being motivated to lose weight or never play real meaningful football? Maybe he's pregnant and expecting? I have no idea, but I trust our coaches

Joined: 01/22/2010

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JimBobTressel-0

October 19th, 2010 at 3:23 PM ^

I'm sure a few walk-ons with hearts of gold will anchor the middle for M for years to come

/sarcasm

 

How many days till Ohio State bends Michigan over a table again? Golly gee, I can't wait to find out.

Joined: 08/27/2008

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winterblue75

October 19th, 2010 at 3:23 PM ^

And if RR didn't recruit WC because he couldn't play or if WC went out of state all we would have heard for the past 2 years is how RR hates Detroit,  hates recruiting instate kids and wants the PSL to implode

Joined: 09/05/2009

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marlon

October 19th, 2010 at 3:25 PM ^

Everything I read said Campbell was really, really raw, and that his high rating was due to his huge potential.  Given that:

1. Why did Campbell burn his redshirt on cleanup duty last year?

2. Why are people expecting an admittedly raw player to dominate in his second year in college?

Joined: 01/21/2009

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Victory Collins

October 19th, 2010 at 3:30 PM ^

It has to be Marvin Robinson to the Deep Safety position.  That is a very good sign.  Robinson was buried behind Kovacs at the other safety position, given that Kovacs is one of our better players on defense and a likely starter the rest of his career.  From all reports, Robinson is more athletic than Gordon and Vinopal, and so should provide some good competition at that position.

Joined: 12/29/2009

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caup

October 19th, 2010 at 3:58 PM ^

Bring on Marvin.

Put anyone but Cam back there at deep safety. Hell, I'm willing to bet a dollar that there is at least one upperclassmen walk-on deep safety who would be better than Cam Gordon out there.

Some things never change.

Bo/Mo/Carr didn't always put the best players out on the field, either.

Joined: 06/30/2008

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jg2112

October 19th, 2010 at 3:30 PM ^

Hey - remember when the scouting services all said that Will Campbell would probably end up as a better prospect on the offensive line?

Evidently, no one posting here remembers that.

Joined: 11/24/2008

MGoPoints: 9925

profitgoblue

October 19th, 2010 at 4:00 PM ^

You are on fire today!  Its one thing to be upset about the development.  Its another thing to fly off the handle and start claiming that the coaches don't know what they are doing, blah, blah, blah.  I'm not saying that is what you're doing here, I'm just saying that lots of people are overreacting without really knowing what the hell they are talking (typing) about.

Joined: 09/01/2009

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STW P. Brabbs

October 19th, 2010 at 4:07 PM ^

I do want to say again that I'm not claiming Rodriguez doesn't know what he's doing here (though unless there's really no hope for Will at DT, I think his utility for the team might still be greater at DT than OG - that considering our depth chart, the value of one good DT so outweighs the value of another good OG that even a significantly lesser likelihood of success at DT still means a greater expected value at DT.*) 

My disappointment is based on the notion that Rodriguez is most likely correct in suggesting this move - that is, that Will just ain't gonna cut it at DT.  And I think this is some seriously bad news for the defense, since I was hoping that Will would come into his own next year and wreck fools like Alan Branch in 2012 (after Martin has left.) 

*Please excuse this humanities student's attempt to make probabilities-type logic take up six lines of text.

Joined: 08/27/2008

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