Thoughts on where kareem walker will be on the depth chart.

Submitted by Boknows05 on
OK mgobloggers we all know Kareem Walker had to sit out because of grades this year. Where do you think he will be on the depth chart next year? I personally would like to see evans get the starting job. Do you think walker could be behind evans?
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huntmich

December 8th, 2016 at 8:30 PM ^

Thank you.  I'm glad someone besides myself isn't on full doom and gloom mode for next year. We are finally going to be starting the season with a solid-to-very-good qb, with a stable of talented RBs, receivers that flashed some serious talent this year, and a possibly legendary TE combo of Bunting and Wheatley.  The O-Line is going to be green but Mason Cole (and maybe Grant Newsome?) should be back and, well, it isn't as though the O-Line was terrific this year anyways.

I am predicting we contend again for the B1G next year.

Joined: 10/18/2015

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huntmich

December 8th, 2016 at 8:56 PM ^

Fair enough. I have high expectations for Wheatley based on his size and speed, and I just chose Bunting as the second because he's going to be a senior. But there is a ton of talent at TE, and Harbaugh has a tendency for sculpting great TEs. I don't think it's going to be a position of need next year.

Joined: 10/18/2015

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bamf16

December 8th, 2016 at 8:42 PM ^

Solid to very good QB?  I hope so, but I'm not that bullish on Speight.

 

Stable of talented RBs...  Talent, yes, but many question marks.

 

Receivers who flashed some serious talent this year...  Who?  When?  McDoom on sweeps?  Perry with a career high 49 yards at OSU?

 

Legendary TE combo?  

 

Newsome who spent how many weeks in a hospital bed and only recently started walking again is returning to form in '17 in your mind?  I hope you're right.

 

Good call with Cole though.

 

Joined: 01/05/2014

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huntmich

December 8th, 2016 at 8:54 PM ^

Please. Speight was grading out as one of the best qbs in the B1G prior to his injury. It took half a season to get there but he's now a fully functional Harbaugh QB. Can't wait for him to be healthy again.

Evans, Higdon, maybe Drake Johnson can get healthy finally, and Walker/Isaac, makes a talented group at RB.

We have a ton of talent at TE. I have faith in Harbaugh to make at least two of them impact players. Take your pick.

And yes, Mcdoom and Perry have flashed talent, and now that the seniors who have had the position on lockdown all year are graduating, I expect them to mature and move into significantly greater playing time, along with what should be 3 extremely talented Freshmen nipping at their heels.

And I don't know where you're getting your information on Newsome, but as of early October the plan was to have him fully rehabbed somewhere after spring practice but before pre-season summer practice. That sounds like he should be a contributor on the line next year.

Joined: 10/18/2015

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stephenrjking

December 8th, 2016 at 10:08 PM ^

As Michigan fans, I would expect a bit more realism from the optimistic side of the fanbase. Not that the sky is falling, but that guys who flash talent in one season aren't guaranteed to make significant developments in the following year. Some guys don't take that next step.

Also, I would be delighted if Newsome were ready next year, but the guy's leg was messed up to what appears to be a much higher degree than just a torn ligament. Multiple surgeries, a month of inpatient rehab... that doesn't sound good at all. 

Here's the thing with the receivers: I don't think we can count on Crawford and McDoom and Perry all taking big steps next year. Not because they aren't talented, but because sometimes guys hit snags. They have trouble making catches or they have trouble running crisp routes or being in college invites personal discipline issues that keep them off the field (Perry this year, for example). 

I am optimistic about our receivers not because I expect everyone to transform into a great player, but because Speight will be able to hit his guys and because the receivers graduating were good but not worldbeaters. It won't take huge growth for the current receivers and TEs to replace the guys that are graduating, and if either one of them or someone like DPJ can bring skills to the table like winning high-point passes that's a real positive.

Skill positions are young but promising. But the offense is going to rise or fall on the OL.

Joined: 03/15/2012

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CalifExile

December 8th, 2016 at 10:32 PM ^

Newsome was injured on October 1 against Wisconsin and got out of the hospital 38 days later on November 8. ""Blessed to say that after 38 days I'm finally leaving the hospital," Newsome wrote." http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/college/university-michigan/wol…

Not sure who was making the early October recovery plans.

 

Joined: 03/02/2010

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huntmich

December 9th, 2016 at 12:10 AM ^

http://www.mlive.com/wolverines/index.ssf/2016/10/lt_grant_newsome_stil…

 

""That's the hope, that's the plan," Harbaugh said. "It might be a little later than (spring). ... You don't know until (the rehab process begins)."

 

Obviously there is a high degree of uncertainty here. But we have top men working on it right now.  Top.  Men.

Joined: 10/18/2015

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huntmich

December 8th, 2016 at 10:34 PM ^

My optimism is based on the utmost faith that Harbaugh knows how to develop talent. The 2015 team was without question better than the 2014 team, and the 2016 team was without question better than the 2015 team. Great teams don't rebuild, they reload. Harbaugh will have a young roster filled with talent and enough returning experience to build a great team off of.

I think the pessimism around here is built off of a culture of losing cultivated by RR and Hoke over the past decade, which is causing everyone to think that the 2016 team was so good that it must be our only shot at a national title for the foreseeable future. I don't think it's going to play out like that.

Joined: 10/18/2015

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JonnyHintz

December 9th, 2016 at 3:53 AM ^

Enough returning experience? Where? QB is set. RB is set. Your trio of TEs combined for 6 catches, 51 yards and 2 TDs. Your top 3 WRs combined for 22 catches, 289 yards and 2 TDs. Of that number, 9 catches for 106 yards and a TD came from McDoom/Crawford. On the OL you return Mason Cole, Bredeson who started half the year, and POSSIBLY Newsome (that is a truly gruesome injury). On defense you return one starter. One (assuming Peppers leaves). Sure, you have DL contributors returning. And Bush at LB was a positive special teams player. Long and Hill were pretty good at CB and we know Kinnel is good at safety. But you're not going to replicate a Jourdan Lewis with freshmen/sophomore corners. It's completely unrealistic. I'm curious where you see all this experience. Because it is SEVERELY lacking. I'm by no means part of the chicken little crowd, but you're really off base here. Michigan is looking at losing 18/22 starters and you're predicting no drop off in a division that features two other top 5 teams that return a boat load of starters. This is why fans are disappointed year after year. Michigan will be a good football team. But if you don't temper your expectations, you're going to be severely disappointed. 8-4 or 9-3 is the likely result. Still very good considering the youth factor. But a neutral site game against Florida, road games against Wisconsin and Penn State, in addition to Ohio State at the end of the year loom. Let's not overlook the triple-option Air Force will bring in either. Let's take off our Maize blinders here for a moment and be realistic. Next year is probably not the year. Sure, there's talent. None of it is battle tested or proven, but there's talent. And there's nothing that tells me any of these freshmen/sophomores can step in and play like Lewis, Peppers, Butt, Taco, Wormley, or Glasgow right away. There is going to be a drop off when you lose players of that quality.

Joined: 01/11/2015

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FlexUM

December 9th, 2016 at 8:33 AM ^

the flip side to that is we, as UM fans, have found reasons year after year to justify underperforming. I know everyone now is saying "this was the year brahs" but if you look at some old threads there was a whole lot of talk about unproven quarterbacks and taking a step backward due to breaking in a new qb and the uncertainty around that, lack of game changing running backs, concern that even with Butt and two senior receivers UM would not have a good enough qb or o-line to get them the ball and a whole lot of..."you know the defense has two game breakers (peppers and lewis) but features a lot of old but mediocre talent and not that elite level talent of osu and other elite teams." I mean hell it was four(ish) weeks ago this board was lighting up with "this defense is overrated, the linebackers are slow, the d-line isn't as good against the run as we thought, this entire team isn't full of elite talent like we thought"

So now you have younger guys with elite talent. I think that lends itself to mistakes and mental errors to start but an overall rise of talent and ability.

I'm as pessimistic as they come I figured 9-3 this year due to the qb situation.

This whole conversation reminds me very much of a work situaiton I have right now. You have some older people who are very good at their jobs in certain roles, steady, and have become abover average to supreme performers in some ways and it's always good to have some of them around. BUT...I also need to infuse some elite talent. Not highly touted, not award winning, now really good...I mean elite level talent. I know one I hired is going to make some "freshman mistakes" but I also know what is between his ears is elite. You can't teach it, you can't earn it so as he grows his ceiling is beyond what was their before. It may be an initial step back in some ways but in others he is so elite it will make up for it right away. Gary or Ambry Thomas are good examples. They are elite talent beyond what this team has right now. They are going to make mistakes and not be as good as the current seniors at times...but both their ceilings are higher than who they are replacing.

Not apples to apples but you get what I'm saying.

For the record I'm actually quite pessimistic and contrary to my post I don't disagree with you that much in many ways. Hell i picked 9-3 this year and had a post similar to yours last year lol.

Joined: 11/05/2011

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huntmich

December 9th, 2016 at 10:04 AM ^

Let me just ask you a quick question:

 

Why was Ohio State able to send 15 players out in the draft last year and then return to the playoffs this year? They were able to do it because they recruited top 5 draft classes for the prior two years (which we are about to do as well) and they have an elite coach (which we do as well).

 

Great teams don't rebuild, they reload.

Joined: 10/18/2015

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canzior

December 9th, 2016 at 8:19 AM ^

I mean the rest of your points are good too, but the OL play will determine how good this team is. 

There will be a step back on defense to very good from nearly great which is to be expected.

 

This year the defense won games, I think next year the offense will be able to win games.  QB play is 2nd most important to OL play.  Pass blocking was not bad this year.

Joined: 05/28/2010

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Everyone Murders

December 9th, 2016 at 7:50 AM ^

TD to INT ratio of 17:6 is pretty damned good.  Plus he played well (or well-enough) against PSU, Wisconsin and MSU (apart from an ill-advised pick) - all in his first year as a starter.  He got dinged bad in the Iowa game (shoulder injury impacts your accuracy), and still seemed a bit off for the Ohio State game.  But playing through an injury does not make you mediocre.  It means you are tough.

Let's see how he does against FSU, with some recovery time before that game.  It's a legit defense, and I suspect Speight will make a good showing.

Joined: 12/14/2010

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Jonesy

December 9th, 2016 at 6:13 PM ^

He has struggled to complete long passes all season long.

 

He's late and behind on almost every pass, yeah they still often get completed, but for 0 yac, and then theres all the times theyre not completed...like most of our failed 3rd down conversions where the target fails to reach behind himself and catch a ball he probably should catch but is a lot harder than it should have been.

 

He's great in the pocket and makes good reads but his accuracy is terrible. 17:6 is not pretty damned good and its not the whole story either, are you gonna tell me that Barrett and his 24:5 is a good QB?

Joined: 03/14/2012

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bamf16

December 9th, 2016 at 3:51 PM ^

No question Evans has talent, but I (and I think many) are unsure the specific role he'll play.  Is he an every down back?  Is he a change of pace guy?  Can he pass block well enough to be a reliable third down back in passing yardage situations?  

 

In the middle of the season, I thought Higdon may be the best RB on the team.  Harbaugh & Co. didn't agree; he got 15 touches the last 4 games.  The other RB you mentioned has had multiple surgeries and almost died in a forklift accident.  Sorry my sketicism seems to have rained on your parade.

 

Isaac is still a curious case; he got 12 carries the last 5 games, none at OSU, and only 1 at Iowa, and we all know the huge importance of those two games in the season. 

 

I don't think any receivers flashed enough "serious talent" to quell my doubts about that position.  McDoom looked great on the sweeps, Perry's drawn some Jason Avant comparisons as a possession receiver, and while it is telling that Crawford got time this year as a true freshman, I didn't see him flash enough "serious talent" in his 4 catches on the year, 2 of which came late in a 56 point win.

 

Though I did find it amusing that in one post, you predict a "legendary combo", then later admitted that 1/2 of that combo was picked simply because one of the guys was a "senior."

 

I think all of us see Michigan contending for the B1G next season, but there are question marks and areas of uncertainty, which is expected when so many seniors are lost from one season to the next.

Joined: 01/05/2014

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Maynard

December 8th, 2016 at 10:11 PM ^

Luckily for us, Harbaugh is bullish on Speight because he is good. And question marks at running back? Huh? We're going to be all set at running back with a ton of talent there and possibly more coming in. Don't step away from the ledge. Just jump already.

Joined: 02/19/2016

MGoPoints: 9888

Steve in PA

December 9th, 2016 at 10:35 AM ^

That's what needs to improve in year 2 with Speight.  His receivers caught a lot of passes that if were more accurate would have been TD's.  Besides the deep balls they could run under he has issues with accuracy.

Time will tell if that improves.  There will be guys on the bench pushing him to get better and JH has shown the best player will play regardless of seniority or experience. 

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