Projected Depth Chart

Defensive Tackles
In the middle, Senior Terrance Taylor and 5th-year Will Johnson are the tackles. There is little depth among the backups, particularly with Marques Slocum leaving the team this summer. Redshirt sophomores Jason Kates and John Ferrara will be the backup tackles. Renaldo Sagesse has reportedly had a good summer and should challenge for playing time as well. Don’t be surprised to see true freshman Mike Martin in the rotation, either.

Stats

Analysis
Taylor is a big run-stopper at defensive tackle, and has been a starter since his sophomore year. Johnson enters his second year as a starter, though I found him entirely uninspiring last year. The backups are far less touted and experienced than the starters across the line, but they will have to get the job done as well. While the starting DLine is probably the strength of the Michigan team, the lack of depth is one of the major weaknesses.

Defensive Ends
One the ends, Michigan returns another pair of starters. Junior Brandon Graham is a terror from the defensive end position, and 5th-year senior Tim Jamison mans the other side. Jamison is a more traditional speed rusher, but Graham has an element of quickness to his game as well. The backups are Ryan VanBergen, Adam Patterson, and Greg Banks. A man-sans-position thus far in his career, senior Andre Criswell will give end a shot this year.

Stats

Analysis
Graham is a very athletic pass rusher on one side, but fans are still waiting for Tim Jamison to live up to his potential. Many are hoping that a good ass-kicking in the weight room under new strength coach Mike Barwis can unlock the thus-far dormant ability. The lack of depth at end is a major weaknesses. Few have gained significant playing time thus far, and there aren’t even that many bodies at the position. Until he showed up to camp ineligible, it was thought that Marcus Witherspoon might become a defensive end. A likely redshirt this year may be the perfect opportunity to switch positions.

Posted under Analysis, Personnel

Projected Depth Chart

Offensive Line
We’ve all heard the facts: four starters are gone, including the NFL’s number one overall pick, a multi-year starter next to him, a Michigan legacy who transferred to Ohio State, and a guy who was never in good enough shape. The lone returning starter is Stephen Schilling at right tackle. The redshirt sophomore started every game last year, and accounts for 13 of the entire squad’s 16 career starts. The other positions are mostly up for grabs, but redshirt junior Mark Ortmann will probably man the other tackle spot. On the inside, redshirt junior Cory Zirbel, redshirt sophomore David Moosman, redshirt junior Tim McAvoy, and redshirt freshman David Molk will compete for the final three spots. Moosman has the upper hand at center, with Zirbel likely at one of the guard spots. Several other players will provide depth, including 6 freshmen.

Analysis
This may be the hardest-hit unit on the team aside from quarterback. Schillling is probably the best athlete on the offensive line, and Molk has tons of potential on the inside, likely as a future center. Ortmann is a classical big left tackle, and it remains to be seen if he has the athleticism for the spread system. The same could be said for most of the players along the interior as well, who were recruited to Michigan’s old power run game. If the offensive line has time to gel, it shouldn’t be a catastrophe, but until we see them accomplish something on the field, they remain the biggest question mark.

Posted under Analysis, Personnel

Projected Depth Chart

Wide Receivers and Slots
Mario Manningham and Adrian Arrington both left to ply their trade in the NFL, leaving Michigan with a very young wide receiver group. Junior Greg Mathews is the most experienced of the bunch, and is a near-lock to be a starter. Sophomores Junior Hemingway and Toney Clemons look to get a lot of playing time as well, with Clemons playing on the outside or in the slot. 4th-year junior LaTerryal Savoy will probably be a depth player. Freshmen should play a significant role in the receiving corps as well. Early enrollee Daryll Stonum may be the most physically gifted wideout on the team, though fellow freshman Roy Roundtree is expected to redshirt. In the slot, freshmen Martavious Odoms, Terrence Robinson, and Michael Shaw will likely contribute.

Stats

Analysis
Stonum is likely the team’s best deep threat, whereas Greg Mathews is a possession-type player. Junior Hemingway and Toney Clemons have speed, and Clemons has very good size, too – he may have put on enough weight in the spring and summer to become a super-athletic tight end. Despite his size, Clemons also has the agility to play in the slot, showing off what a fantastic physical specimen he is. Savoy is a possession receiver, and should only get a few catches all year, unless he has improved drastically in the offseason. In the slot, Odoms and Robinson are both tiny guys with speed to burn and good moves as well. Shaw has a little more size, and may play a slot/RB split duty. He has very good speed as well, and even if he isn’t used in the slot, he will be a good receiver out of the backfield. Those whining about Rodriguez’s continuing to recruit wide receivers need only realize that he intends to play with several of them on every play, and look at the thin depth chart.

Tight Ends
At tight end, redshirt junior Carson Butler and redshirt senior Mike Massey are expected to start. Sophomore Martell Webb, redshirt freshman Steve Watson, and freshmen Kevin Koger and Brandon Moore are behind them. There are more tight ends on this team than you can shake a stick at. Carson Butler will likely get the lion’s share of starting snaps. Andre Criswell has moved to the defensive line after playing tight end in 2007.

Stats

Analysis
Butler is an athletic tight end, but is prone to mental mistakes like false starts and holding. Massey is the classic Michigan tight end, and is a capable if not exceptional receiver. He has been plagued with injuries throughout his career, and may exceed expectations if he can stay healthy. Webb is a similar athlete to Butler, whereas Steve Watson is more of the classic Michigan TE. It will be interesting to see if he can find a good place on this team. Of the two freshmen, Koger is more ready to play, but his services might be needed on the defensive side of the ball as well, which remains to be seen.

Posted under Analysis, Personnel

Projected Depth Chart

QBs
Uh, crap. Both players who threw any meaningful passes last year are gone, Chad Henne (the four-year starter) to the NFL and Ryan Mallett (the ex-heir-apparent) to Arkansas. The cupboard isn’t entirely bare, but it’s damn close. Steven Threet, a redshirt freshman who sat out last year after transferring from Georgia Tech, was a four-star recruit in 2007, but isn’t the mobile player that Rich Rodriguez would like in his spread. Walkon Nick Sheridan is more athletic, but a worse passer. Incoming freshman Justin Feagin is expected to get some playing time as the dual-threat that Rich Rodriguez desires. Redshirt sophomore David Cone… at least he’ll leave Michigan with a good degree.

Stats

Analysis
Threet and Feagin had better be able to step up, otherwise Michigan’s offense might be in big trouble. Threet will be the passer of the two, and Feagin will be eased into the offense with running plays, and eventually work his way into the passing game. Sheridan will likely only be used as a contingency plan, and Cone doesn’t look to get any playing time. If spring was any indication, there needs to be a lot of improvement in this unit for success.

RBs
Four-year starter Mike Hart departs as Michigan’s all-time leading rusher. Stepping up, however, Michigan has a number of viable options. Redshirt junior Kevin Grady was the backup in 2005 and 2006, but was out last year with an ACL injury. He is also expected to be suspended for an indefinite period of time for a July DUI arrest. True juniors Brandon Minor and Carlos Brown were the backups last year, and filled in when Hart was out. Redshirt freshman Avery Horn is a speedy option, though he might not have the moves to be a true tailback. Incoming freshmen Sam McGuffie and Mike cox will challenge for playing time. The fullback will either be redshirt sophomore Mark Moundros or true sophomore Vince Helmuth.

Stats

Analysis
Grady is the most powerful runner of the three, though he has problems fumbling in the past. He hasn’t shown the vision that was expected of him coming out of high school. Brandon Minor definitely loks the part of a D-I football player, and his imposing figure is an accurate indicator of his strong running style. He doesn’t have the best speed, but he runs with power. Carlos Brown is the speedster of the proven players, though his vision has been criticized in the past. He has taken snaps at quarterback as well, and may be the recipient of a direct snap or two. Horn is fast, but doesn’t really have moves or vision, and is best when he gets the ball in space and has to do little other than run fast in a straight line. Sam McGuffie’s internet fame speaks for itself, and Cox seems to be in the mold of Brandon Minor. Helmuth is the more athletic fullback, and is more likely to be a “runaway beer truck,” but Moundros picked up the offense better in the spring and may get the starting nod.

Posted under Analysis, Personnel

Items of note (obviously subject to major change after fall camp):

• Your OL (from left to right): Ortmann, McAvoy, Moosman, Zirbel, Schilling.
• Starting TE: Butler or Massey.
• Greg Mathews and JR Hemingway starting split ends.
• Toney Clemons starting slot, backed by… Jim Potempa?
• Threet and Sheridan listed as co-starter at QB.
• Moundros over Helmuth at FB.
• RB: Minor over a three-way tie between Brown, Grady, and Horn.
• Starting linebackers: S-Austin Panter, M-Obi Ezeh OR Johnny Thompson, W-Marell Evans OR Jonas Mouton.
• SS listed as BHarrison OR CStewart.
• Return specialists: Punt – Warren, Kick – Brandons Minor and Harrison.

The VB Depth chart will probably be updated in short order, as part of the team preview.

Posted under Personnel

East Grand Rapids’s own Kevin Grady was arrested last night in Wyoming, MI (which is no where near Ann Arbor (apparently they don’t have such technological innovations as “Google Maps” in Ohio), though I do enjoy the smug/hopeful tone of this post, which was apparently written by a 3rd grader. I have no idea what “Grady had implications [sic] of becoming a starting running back (sharing time with Travis Minor [sic] amongst others) after recovering from an ACL tear last year” is supposed to mean, nor do I know who Travis Minor is).

This will likely be a minor setback for Grady, who is likely to be punished internally, or suspended with reinstatement by the start of the season, for the offense. His presence in the Utah game would be very helpful, as I believe the inside run game is the Utes’ biggest deficiency on defense.

Posted under Personnel

All the questions pertaining to things other than recruiting:

ikgodofsky inquires:

How will the current roster adjust to the spread? Who will be Owen Schmitt? Do we really need all these slots? I want to avoid a USC situation where we have tons of guys taking up roster space when they can’t all play at once.

The current roster is certainly not composed in a way that is suited perfectly for the spread. The O-line was allowed to get fat and slow under Andy Moeller and Mike Gittleson, the quarterback isn’t that mobile, and there is a complete dearth of slot receivers. Michigan will certainly need to count on several incoming freshmen to contribute, or it could be a very rough first year offensively.

Owen Schmitt was considered the heart of the WVU offense (in terms of effort and enthusiasm, the guy who was actually the key to making it run was clearly Pat White). Though fullbacks may not be the rare athletes that wideouts or running backs are, Schmitt was definitely a near-perfect fit for the role in the WVU offense. Whoever plays the role in Michigan’s offense will have huge shoes to fill. It’s almost like asking “who will be Michigan’s next Jake Long at the tackle position?” That question is setting unrealistic expectations for anyone. The players who will contend for fullback in the first year will be Mark Moundros and Vince Helmuth. Both played last year, and Moundros was the player used more often of the duo. He also had a better spring, but Helmuth is the more athletic player of the two.

Michigan’s offense relies on having a bunch of little slot receivers. Considering Rich Rodriguez inherited a team with none of them, it will obviously be a big need in his first two recruiting classes. The roster at Michigan will be composed in a different way than it has been in the past, carrying slightly fewer offensive linemen, but more QBs and receivers. Michigan will have Terrance Robinson and Martavious Odoms (both true freshmen), along with several other guys who may play some slot. It is obviously a recruiting need. These players are also capable of playing multiple positions, so they aren’t just taking up dead roster space.

As far as the USC comparison, I’m not sure that is quite accurate. While the Trojans did have 10 running backs coming into 2007 (which led to some of them transferring), there is a difference between the types of players Michigan has and the types of guys USC had.

USC’s players were all big, classic running backs. There is only one of these guys on the field at a time, or occasionally two. In addition, the running back position is one that traditionally has a true starter that takes most of the snaps, then a couple backups who get the rest of the carries.

Michigan’s offense, on the other hand, will use at least 1 slot receiver on pretty much every play, most often 2 of them, and sometimes three. There is a lot more playing time available to slot receivers than running backs. In addition, the wide receivers on a team rotate more frequently than do feature backs. The final thing to keep in mind is that these guys are pretty much all capable of playing multiple positions (having played WR, RB, or QB in high school). The versatility of the athletes will also allow for there to be much more of them at a time.

So, if there is a fire sale on slot receivers, Rich Rodriguez is snart to be the first in line. The team needs many more of these players than currently populate the roster, and they will play an important role in the Michigan offense of the future.

A lot of people have asked me some variation of this question:

How does USC/OSU/ND/other get away with cheating? Michigan should be rewarded for doing things the right way.

I really disagree with the notion that everyone except Michigan cheats. Sure, there are certain schools (mostly in the SEC) that don’t quite keep everything aboveboard, but to claim that the reason Michigan hasn’t won a championship in 11 years is ridiculous.

I would much prefer that Michigan fans accept the fact that we don’t have quite as much to sell right now as do schools like Ohio State and LSU. Instead of trying to claim they cheat, I would rather they hope that the Wolverines are better in the future to compensate. This makes us look less like Notre Dame fans/head coach (whiny excuse makers), and more like true fans of the game who understand that everyone can’t win every game, and instead just focus on our own team, and wish them the best in the future.

Jared from Chicago asks:

So I hear you’ve had some experience with Big Ten Network in the past. I’m also fairly certain the whole Comcast debacle will make a blip on the Michigan Football/Sports radar for at least a few more months. What’s your take on the campus programming they have lined up recently? Is this just a revenue source to help them break even until Comcast can signed with? Is this a way to try and sell BTN to comcast as not just a sports tier package? Most importantly, is this going to be permanent non-sport coverage? I tell you what, I know I can’t wait for “Purdue Campus Programming: Vet School Diaries – Large Animal Hospital” showing Wednesday (5/21/08).

I am led to believe by various reports that the Comcast deal should be resolved by the time football season rolls around. This is a relief for fans of every Big Ten school (unless, of course, you are a huge fan of the remaining spring sports). This time, it sounds like something is actually going to happen, rather than empty promises from both sides. I think Comcast lost a lot more subscribers over the past year than it would like to admit, many of them simply because they wanted to get the BTN.

The campus programming has been part of the Big Ten Network’s plan from the beginning. Unless something changed over the course of a year, these programs are entirely produced by the universities. BTN’s reasons for presenting this information are many:

• Something to show in the summer when there are little or no sports.
• Outlet for Universities to show off some of their facilities and programs, enticing new students to apply.
• Chance for the universities to show that they are about more than just sports.

The third reason is the one that the Big Ten Network was really pushing immediately prior to its launch, and when President Mark Silverman toured all the universities in the conference to take questions from concerned citizens. I don’t believe the presence of this programming has ulterior motives in terms of profiting without Comcast, or getting the Annoying Corporate Monolith to pick up the station as something other than a Regional Sports Network.

To the best of my knowledge, the Network is still planning to keep this coverage each summer as a permanent fixture of the schedule. Personally, I think it’s a bad idea. The BTN is, first and foremost, a sports network. If this material was really worth watching, it would appear during the sports seasons as well, when there weren’t any games on. BTN needs to understand that its audience is composed of not just Big Ten fans, but primarily sports fans. This type of programming should probably be relegated to late-night programming, since it is essentially just infomercial material.

Posted under Coaching, Mail Bag, Personnel

Former Lowell QB Keith Nichol has stated that Michigan may his destination following his transfer from the University of Oklahoma. Nichol, a pass-run threat, committed to Michigan State, then rescinded his verbal once John L. Smith was fired as head coach. He ended up a Sooner, but received his scholarship release after two years, when he saw that he would likely not gain any major playing time.

Will Nichol end up at Michigan State? He’s not a great fit for the Spartan offense, which now features the statuesque quarterbacks that Michigan fans were so glad to get rid of. Nichol also spurned the school (and by extension, the new coaching staff) once, so it’s unclear whether he will be accepted with open arms. Still, the current depth chart situation looks perfect for Nichol to come in and take the reins in 2009.

At Michigan, the offensive scheme is more suited to Nichol’s athletic ability. However, he grew up a big Michigan State fan, and who knows if he could see himself playing for the University of Puke? Also, I’m not so sure that Rich Rodriguez and co. would want a player who won’t be able to hit the field until 2009, and even then only has three years of eligibility. Since Justin Feagin will be able to play in 2008, he will have a year of game experience over Nichol, and he has more athletic ability. By the time Nichol is eligible in 2009, Feagin will be but a sophomore, and (at least) two new quarterbacks with 5 years to play 4 will be around.

So what’s the advantage of taking Nichol? It doesn’t seem like the smartest move for Michigan from a football standpoint, and I’ll be surprised if he ends up here.

Posted under Personnel, Recruiting

UM Press Release:
University of Michigan men’s basketball coach John Beilein has announced today (Monday, May 5), forward Ekpe Udoh (Edmond, Okla./Santa Fe HS) has made the decision to leave the Wolverines basketball program and transfer to another school. Udoh has not yet made a decision on which school he will attend.

“Ekpe is a fine young man and we thought he made tremendous improvements throughout the season,” said Beilein. “I will miss Ekpe as a person and as a player and we hope success will follow him in his future endeavors.”

“This was a very difficult decision for me,” said Udoh. “I just feel I need to explore other options right now. I had a wonderful experience at Michigan and I want to thank everyone for helping me the last two years. I wish them nothing but success in the future.”

In two seasons in Ann Arbor, Udoh did not miss a game playing in 67 consecutive contests, with 31 starts. He averaged 5.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game for the Wolverines. After leading the Big Ten in blocked shots in 2007-08 with 92, Udoh compiled 159 blocks in two seasons ranking him fifth all-time at U-M.

Posted under Basketball

Good question left in the comments by Max:

Will the aggregate transition of both new players and a new system make for a “whole is less than the sum of the parts” situation?

That is to say, while I’m sure the compounded issues will make for a more difficult transition than if the Wolverines had to endure only one or the other, perhaps the fact that the players are indeed “new” will help speed up the implementation of the new schemes.

Would you rather have Chad Henne step into the new offense after 4 years of being groomed in the old system, or Steven Threet (I won’t use Feagin as an example since it’s not really a fair comparison) take the reigns having not played a snap of college football in any other system? Henne is likely still the best bet, but the point is that the playing field is shifted in Threet’s favor. Add Feagin into the equation and I think it becomes a dilemma that may even compel one to lean toward him and Threet.

While congruent comparisons are harder to draw with Mario Manningham, Adrian Arrington, and Mike Hart as their respective positions are more grounded in athleticism, they can still nonetheless be made.

I’ll start with the easiest part of this question, which also happens to be the least important. In terms of other skill position players, I don’t think the transition will have a huge effect. Wide receivers will still have to run routes (and many of the same ones). Players who have spent 2-3 years not having to block (that much) might resent that they now have to do so, and half-ass it, but the new scheme itself is not impeded by the fact that they were taught by other people before. Same thing with running backs, but they will be even better off. They have been learning a zone run scheme for the past two years, so they will be continuing to do that, with the patience, vision, and other skills they have learned over the past couple years. As a bonus, they still have the same position coach.

Moving along, offensive linemen might have to do a little deprogramming before they can learn the new system (meaning that incoming freshmen may be slightly better off because they don’t have to unlearn anything – though they’ll still be behind in terms of college conditioning programs). An offensive lineman who has, for example, spent three years knowing that his pass-protection first move will be X may take some time to stop doing X instinctually, and remember (through actual memory or muscle memory via repetition) to do Y instead. Same thing with run blocking. However, it can be said that, in general, pass blocking techniques and schemes aren’t going to be vastly different from each other, and as far as run blocking, the linemen have been learning a zone scheme for the past two years. The returning guys might need to unlearn a few things, but they will also still start ahead of the incomers (who have to unlearn some of their high school schemes, anyway).

As far as QBs, this may be the area where your idea makes the most sense (and you seem to agree, as that was the primary framework in which you asked it). If we’re going to start with all things equal, we would have to be talking about the same quarterback, since Steve Threet and Chad Henne have different natural skill sets and learning ability (not that I’m implying Henne is any smarter than Threet or vice versa, just that it’s unlikely they are of the exact same intelligence – football or otherwise). So, we will start with a redshirt freshman Chad Henne who has learned under the tutelage of Scot Loeffler for one year (and, if we’re nitpicking, GT’s terrible QBs coach for one spring (not that I know anything about GT’s QB coach other than that he must be terrible if Reggie Ball was able to start at Tech)), and a veteran Chad Henne, who has learned under Loeffler for four years, and see what we end up with.

I think I would still have the veteran Chad Henne, and have to deprogram him a little bit. First, there are some things that will apply to a quarterback, regardless of system. As long as he is able to memorize plays, he will be able to make the right read. Senior Chad Henne will invariably be better at recognizing coverages, and knowing which receiver to hit in said coverage, than Redshirt Freshman Chad Henne. In the passing game at least, SCH is definitely preferred. Of course, there are other aspects to quarterbacking. Having the confidence to ride out fakes, and being acquainted with the speed of the college game both benefit SCH over RFCH.

However, there is some unlearning to do that will favor RFCH. The footwork in the system is likely to be completely different, and SCH will have to forget all the old stuff if he wants to succeed. This is similar to the situation of the O-linemen. Also, SCH will be unfamiliar with reading the DE on zone-read plays (which we all know are a very important part of the RichRod offense). RFCH might have to adjust to the speed of DEs at the college level, but he won’t be trying to wrap his mind (already filled with other information) around something completely new.

In all, I think it is preferable to have veteran players, regardless of whether you are teaching an entirely new system or not. While there is some unlearning to do, they are also more used to the process of learning football things than new players would have. They might make a couple mistakes by accidentally replicating the old system, but is that really any worse than a mistake of completely not knowing what you have to do? Also, there is the conditioning issue. Even if Michigan’s old S&C regime was outdated, it was a college training program (and returning players have also had Barwis’s winter program as well). Under almost any circumstances (i.e. you are not trying to re-teach a quarterback with the intellect of Anthony Morelli), you’d take the veterans. Alas, Michigan doesn’t have that choice at many positions (especially quarterback), and will be starting young(er) guys almost all over the field.

Posted under Coaching, Personnel