Scrimmage Personnel Hubbub
Just passing along some info, which might resolve some of the panic a couple threads below:
Shane Morris, Jibreel Black, Chris Bryant, and Jeremy Gallon were held out of the scrimmage. We'll hear from Hoke about it Tuesday. I was told it's nothing to make a big fuss about, although personally I think Morris would have benefited a lot from the scrimmage. C'est la vie. Nothing really changes the fact that if Gardner goes down we should pack up and go home.
As you saw, Bryant's absence moved Glasgow to left guard in the scrimmage. Wherefore art thou, Ben Braden, ye of my prediction for lock at left guard? Braden, notably, has not been practicing at guard for some time. He's a tackle these days (womp womp), so the depth chart at left guard (assuming Bryant is fine) goes Bryant, Glasgow, Bars.
The point of a closed scrimmage is for the team to work on areas of improvement in a real game setting but far from the prying eyes of the public. As such, yesterday was run heavy, especially when Gardner was in. Green and Smith got a lot of looks. I'm told that neither really stood out because the blocking still had some ways to go. I wouldn't worry too much about that because the two freshman backs worked heavily with the second team, and the starting line was minus Bryant anyway.
August 18th, 2013 at 1:51 PM ^
Sorry, I should have clarified: 2nd best backup. Glasgow has been taken snaps at both left guard and center and is better suited for guard than Braden. In fact there has been word percolating from practice that Glasgow managed to execute a reach block effectively. Anyway, I think the rationale for moving Braden to tackle was because 1) tackle is his ultimately destination, and Michigan is short on tackles next year, 2) Bryant is a better guard and is better at pulling, and 3) Glasgow can backup at left guard if center doesn't work out.
August 18th, 2013 at 3:58 PM ^
Don't say you're sorry Heiko. It was very clear.what you meant. Thanks for expanding on it though.
August 18th, 2013 at 11:33 PM ^
Thank you sir.
August 18th, 2013 at 1:41 PM ^
Yo Heiko, thanks for the very useful info. I did not notice presumed starting safety Wilson in the clips. Lots of Avery at safety but no Wilson.... boo boo?
August 18th, 2013 at 1:50 PM ^
That Wilson has struggled a bit at Safety so far (lots of young guys do). Most likely they are just trying to get Avery reps to see if he is a better option on the back end. Still two weeks until the season starts and this scrimmage was a good chance to try some things out to find ways to make the team improve (or find out changes that don't improve the team).
August 18th, 2013 at 3:20 PM ^
I've seen lots of talk lately about putting Michigan's third-best corner on the field if he's one of your four best defensive backs. That seems to be in reference to Avery. I do like Wilson's potential, but young safeties are always a gamble. With someone as experienced as Avery, it seems like a mistake to keep him off the field.
August 18th, 2013 at 8:42 PM ^
August 18th, 2013 at 1:48 PM ^
I think Bryant at guard is honestly the best case scenario. We tend to forget because it was a few cycles ago but Chris Bryant was very highly regarded and was a big deal when he commited. You have to think he would have gotten a shot at playing last year if he had not gotten injured. Kalis and Bryant is a nasty guard combo. This was Braden is the first off the bench and he can play either guard or tackle, where as Bryant probably cant play tackle as well. i also like the idea of having two guards that will probably start more than one season. Next year you dont want to have to replace the tackles and one of the guards.
August 18th, 2013 at 2:10 PM ^
Bryant is one of those guys who for whatever reason most of this blog's readership has dismissed without any real reason. He's a 4-star guy (i.e. was rated higher than Braden by the recruiting services) with great size who is still just a sophomore. And he was hurt all last year.
The panic about the interior o-line looks a lot like the "Oh no, Quinton Washington and Will Campbell are going to be our starting defensive tackles, whatever shall we do?" from a year ago.
August 18th, 2013 at 3:51 PM ^
August 18th, 2013 at 4:17 PM ^
Except it's not similar since this staff has a great defensive pedigree but still has a ways to go to inspire the same confidence on offense. Our O-line regressed from the ND game when everyone thought we would be okay in the Big 10 even though we lost because of how we ran the ball in the second half. To me what is as disturbing as how the line regressed last year was the stubborness in play calling that did nothing to help the line. I love this staff, but they are far from the best staff in college football at this point.
August 18th, 2013 at 4:55 PM ^
We scored 44 points against Purdue the week after the ND game. The team rushed for 304 yards and 5.6 ypc. A week later we scored 45 points against Illinois. The team rushed for 353 yards and 6.9 ypc. MSU held us to four field goals, but the team rushed for 163 yards and 5.1 ypc (Nebraska is the only team to rush the ball more effectively against them last year, OSU gained more yards but at a lower YPC in a similar slugfest game). The Nebraska game was a shitshow once Bellomy came in, but before that we were moving the ball effectively. Then we scored 35 points against Minnesota while our RBs put up 113 yards and 2 TD (hardly disastrous). We scored 31 in regulation against Northwestern, with Fitz gaining 92 yards on 5.1 ypc. We scored 42 points against Iowa, and the team racked up 199 yards on the ground at 5.1 ypc. With Fitz out of the lineup and without the ability to throw the ball, Denard put up 100 yard games against both OSU and South Carolina.
That's five superb offensive performances against lesser competition, a grind it out rivalry win over a team with a great defense (where we performed as well as anybody save Nebraska up front against them), the ridiculously bad 2nd half against Nebraska, and two games against top-10 opposition without our starting RB where the offense scored 21 and 28 points (enough to win many games) and Denard ran for over 100 yards basically as a pure RB.
Where is the awfulness people keep complaining about from last year's offense and the line? Teams that are shitty up front don't average 30 ppg on offense while having to play Bama (national champs), ND (#4 in final AP poll), OSU (#3), and South Carolina (#8) away from home.
August 18th, 2013 at 5:01 PM ^
You can't just throw out (selective) rushing and scoring numbers to judge an OL when you have a player like Denard Robinson, who is both a very special talent AND played mostly QB, which with his abilities puts him in a favorable situation to run for a ton of yards.
Watching the games tells you a bit more. A bunch of those yards came IN SPITE of the line, not because of it. A breakdown of yards by play type would be more enlightening; shotgun running and Denard doing his thing were infinitely more effective than dive, iso, or stretches where the line is required to man up and drive people.
August 18th, 2013 at 5:18 PM ^
August 18th, 2013 at 5:41 PM ^
A number of teams did not focus extra attention on Denard. They wanted him to keep the ball hoping he would get banged up, knowing he wouldn't carry it 30-40 times, and liking their chances if they could force a 2nd or 3rd and long with a TFL. Air Force and Purdue in particular overplayed Fitz on the inverted veer look repeatedly (which is why he had virtually no production in those games while Denard posted 10 ypc strolling through the middle of the defense from the exact same play).
Anthony Thomas was the only guy who did squat on the ground in 1999 (literally, David Terrell was the 2nd leading rusher with 89 yards, all other backs were at 3 ypc or less). That doesn't mean that Steve Hutchinson and Jeff Backus weren't any good.
August 18th, 2013 at 6:38 PM ^
After the Nebraska game Fitz once again averaged over 5 ypc (5.7). The offense did things to hurt Fitz's production prior to Denard no longer being QB, and things to help his production once the threat of a pass became more realistic. I don't believe the interior line was very good all season (the interior actually struggled a bit even as early as Purdue and ND, despite the numbers Michigan put up running the ball), but it was not the only contributing factor, and it's not as simple as saying Denard picked up yards only because Denard was a special runner.
August 18th, 2013 at 1:51 PM ^
Is it possible he's just a lot better than most of us are giving him credit for? We're all considering the fact that he's pushing Miller, Bryant, and Braden as a bad thing because he's a walk on but perhaps he's just developed into a better player than most people expected.
August 18th, 2013 at 3:23 PM ^
Glasgow looked terrible at guard in spring 2012. He's moving much better in these scrimmage videos than he did then. I really don't think he's a bad player overall, and he's had the best walk-on film I've seen in recent years. I question whether he can play center because of his height, but guard or right tackle seem like fair options down the road.
August 18th, 2013 at 3:41 PM ^
Interesting comment about his height especially given that I've heard people claim Miller is too small. What sort of measurments should we be looking for in a Center?
August 18th, 2013 at 3:54 PM ^
August 18th, 2013 at 5:15 PM ^
"What sort of measurments should we be looking for in a Center?"
Does this answer your question?
August 18th, 2013 at 7:50 PM ^
I think ideal height/weight would be about 6'4" and 300-310 lbs. for what Michigan's staff wants to run.
August 18th, 2013 at 5:13 PM ^
August 18th, 2013 at 5:44 PM ^
Graham is a guy who has all the physical stature you would want and wasn't focused on football in high school (played b-ball until late, which probably indicates some natural athleticism as well). He pretty much fits the mold of a walk-on who can end up being a quality contributor (the other being a kid who grows significantly between HS and college).
August 18th, 2013 at 11:38 PM ^
Good point. If Glasgow is the best player for guard and pushes highly rated RS frosh out of the way so be it. He seems to be pushing both a center and a guard so he is doing something right. Will be interesting to see how it shakes out. Main bonus is we actually do have competition with young guys, something that was not said much the past 2-3 years.
August 18th, 2013 at 2:03 PM ^
Also worth noting - in addition to the backs struggling a bit - that Lewan and Schofield didn't play much. This was according to Schofield's dad over at gbmwolverine.com. The backups and younger guys played most of the scrimmage. I guess we have to assume then that Shane must be dinged. I can't imagine him not playing otherwise.
August 18th, 2013 at 2:05 PM ^
With Black out, who was taking the most snaps at the 3?
August 18th, 2013 at 2:12 PM ^
August 19th, 2013 at 12:53 AM ^
August 18th, 2013 at 3:53 PM ^
Looked like Henry and some Wormley as well at 3 tech
August 18th, 2013 at 5:36 PM ^
I think Willie Henry will have a pretty good year in the rotation behind Black.
August 18th, 2013 at 2:13 PM ^
Gordon was making plays all over the place. The coaches are obsessed with Beyer for whatever reason, but Gordon better play a bunch.
August 19th, 2013 at 9:43 AM ^
I really hope we see a lot of C. Gordon this year. From all I have seen (though it is through an untrained eye) Beyer really hasn't shown much in his multitude of chances on the field in the past. I think Gordon could be a real player at SAM and hope he gets a lot of run there.
August 18th, 2013 at 2:15 PM ^
Position-wise, how is the line doing at this point compared to last seasons?
August 18th, 2013 at 2:15 PM ^
Hadn't heard a lot about Bryant lately. Good to hear that he is healthy and locked down a guard spot. I know word was that he was a great run blocker.
August 18th, 2013 at 2:16 PM ^
August 18th, 2013 at 2:30 PM ^
If Bryant is better than Glasgow then that is a good thing. I thought Glasgow looked good in the highlights from the practice. He had a really nice pull where he nailed Morgan (I think) coming through the hole.
August 18th, 2013 at 2:33 PM ^
I think the Chris Bryant news is good news.
1. He's the most guard-ish guy competing for the spot (not a 6'7" OT like Braden)
2. He's the highest rated recruit competing for the spot (not a walk-on like Glasgow)
3. He was injured. It's not a Mealer situation where he couldn't get on the field for 4 years and then gets forced into a starting spot. It's Bryant's 1st opportunity to compete for a spot and it sounds like he won it right away.
August 18th, 2013 at 3:29 PM ^
I agree with #1 and #3, but your #2 is dumb.
August 18th, 2013 at 6:28 PM ^
August 18th, 2013 at 3:03 PM ^
August 18th, 2013 at 3:10 PM ^
August 18th, 2013 at 3:14 PM ^
I thought Bryant was the best player in Michigan's 2011 class, so I think it's potentially good news if Bryant is starting on the offensive line. He was overweight and injured at various times over the past couple years, but if he can stay healthy and under 320 or so, I think he can be very good.
August 18th, 2013 at 3:34 PM ^
"nastiness and feet". Taylor may have the right companion for his side of the line.
August 18th, 2013 at 3:27 PM ^
In 2013 he'll be a considerable favorite to win a starting job once Omameh and Barnum graduate.
Nice crystal ball there.
August 18th, 2013 at 4:06 PM ^
I remember one of our defensive players being quoted as saying "Chris Bryant brings the pain". That makes me smile.
Football is upon us my friends, and winter is coming.
August 18th, 2013 at 5:05 PM ^
I believe it was James Ross who said that in his Scout interview.
August 19th, 2013 at 9:46 AM ^
sadly season 4 of GOT is still like 10 months away. Ah well, it will give us something to talk about during the off season.
August 18th, 2013 at 4:09 PM ^
I wonder if they have a wildcat/direct snap to TB/RB package just in case Gardner gets banged up or has an equipment issue in a game and has to come out a few plays. Wouldn't want to burn a Morris redshirt just for something like that (or even have Cleary even set foot on the field). Then again, they might fully intend on playing Morris this year and getting him some snaps in the second half (who am I kidding, second QUARTER) against CMU. I would guess the wildcat option would be Fitz.