Michigan Prep for Season

[Peake]

1. The OL should be very solid. LT Taylor Lewan put on another 15 lbs and is up to 305 standing 6'8. He is your future All-American. LG will be held down by junior Ricky Barnum. Barnum came in at 6'3 255, he is now 300 and ready to go. Dave Molk the preseason All-American will be the captain of the OL at center and should be as good as any center UM has had in years. Pat O'Mameh, 6'5,290 junior will return as a starter at RG and their is an on going battle at RT with senior Mark Huyge and Sophomore Mike Schofield (6'7. 300). Schofield is the future but Huyge may end up winning out. The problem here is depth. Schofield and Rocko Koury are the only two real options at this point to back up the OL (maybe Mealer). The OL will be a strong and weak point of the team depending on injuries.

2. QB- Denard is the man no and ifs or buts about it. Devin would start for 75% of the other B10 teams. UM is solid here.

3. RB- MIchigan needs one to step up. Shaw seems to be "the guy" so far. This staff says the want a feature back, meaning 20+ carries. Shaw put on 15 pounds this spring and is up near 205. He is the most explosive but lacks change of direction (Brandon Saine clone). Vincent Smith will be the change of pace back (3rd downs), and it is a battle to be the backup between Hopkins and Toussant. Don't be surprised to see freshmen Thomas Rawls get carries. Rawls is the big back they have been looking for at 5-11, 230.

4. WR-Solid....Roundtree, Hemmingway, Odoms, and Gallon will make this unit good but not great.

5. TE- Koger is the real deal. He has 1st round potential. Lets see if this pro-style can get him the ball.

6. DL- Quickly becoming one of the better units of the team. Mike Martin returns, but you will see him all over the field. Will Campbell has according to coaches seen the light come on moment. He slimmed down from 342 to 320 this spring and is demanding double teams. 3 year starter Ryan Vanbergan is up from 270 to 290 at strong DE and Craig Roh is up from 252 to 265 at weak DE. Jibreel Black will be a solid back up along with Quinton Washington on the DL.

7. LB-Demens is now 255 at Mike and looks like something out of incredible hulk. The competition is at SAM between RFr Jake Ryan and RSoph Cam Gordon. The WIL looks to be all Mike Jones (6'4, 225), he returns after breaking his leg against ND last season. This unit I pray to God will be improved.

8. Secondry- Woolfolk is full speed and Courtney Avery seem to have the two spots hammered down while JT Floyd and Terrance Talbott will be solid #2's. This group will be solid but nothing more. It is up to the front 4 to get pressure on the QB to keep the heat off of these guys. Jordan Kovacs will start at free with Marvin Robinson backing him up and Carvin Johnson will start at strong with Thomas Gordon and Josh Furman backing him up. This group will give you excellent run support and knock you out, but I am a little frightened by the deep ball with them.


ST-Matt Wile will hold down PK and Punts. Should be an instant upgrade to the can't do anything right PK's last year. Will Hagerup will return game 4 and take the punting duties back over.

[froggy48]

Thanks for the update Peake. I am sure you know about this site but if not go to hailvictors.com (Michigan Football) tab and check out the countdown to kickoff videos. Great stuff!!
Go Blue
Go Bobcats

[1987chieftains]

THANKS FOR THE UPDATE PEAKE. KEEP THEM COMING.

[Peake]

A name to keep in your mind, Nathan Brink(6'4, 275, DT). THe kid has really made things interesting at DE. He is a walkon who the coaches have raved about.

[91Buckeye]

peake, something I found interesting, I think it was mgoblog I read them quoting the o line coach that omameh would be starting at left guard and barnum at right guard. I was also thinking of brink when I read your first post. Have heard he is really pushing campbell at the 3 tech tackle. I have been following the daily countdown on mgoblue and am more excited about Michigan football than I have been in a long time.

[Peake]

Thanks guys....

1. Brink is a 5-tech not a 3-tech, in other words he is a strong side DE. He will rotate down on occasion but he is a 5-tech.
2. Shaw and Touisant were running with the 1's today.
3. Looks like it will be Huyge at RT to start the season.
4. You are right 91 on the OG's.
5. Marvin Robinson has been the MVP on D the past 2 days in a row. HE is making noise and sooner then later will take over imo for Kovacs.
6. Looks like Grady and Odoms at KR and Gallon at PR at the moment
7. Roh has been very disappointing so far at DE and Black has really moved up.

***Off subject but neat. Like Vrabel, MIke Hart turned down a free agent gig with the 9ers to coach at Eastern Michigan. Really wants to be a coach at UM.

[1987chieftains]

***Off subject but neat. Like Vrabel, MIke Hart turned down a free agent gig with the 9ers to coach at Eastern Michigan. Really wants to be a coach at UM.

ARE THEY FOLLOWING WHEATLY?

[Peake]

ROh has mono, reason why he has been disappointing.

UM yes on Wheatly, Wheat is going to be gone soon---bigger schools want him bad, and Mike wants Michigan while Wheat just wants to be the man at a big school.

[91Buckeye]

I thought I saw Montgomery say something about Brink really pushing Campbell thats why I assumed he was a 3 tech, although his size does fit better at the 5. I also saw Mattison talking about him and he was unusually revealing in his comments, he said that Michigan people will be very happy with what they get out of Brink. I just can't get what the deal is with Cox, what is it about him? He has tremendous ability and something keeps holding him back. Just watched the countdown to kickoff day 17 interview with Tony Anderson on mgoblue.com, I got to say this young man is a great person and has instantly become one of my favorite players.

[Peake]

I ask myself the same question 91. Only negative on him from people I have talked to is they say he is immature, meaning he tends to be a little more worried about what he is doing after the game then the actual game. That's what I have heard.

Yeah i saw that Mattison comment too, I sure hope someone steps up. Van Bergan is playing some DT right now because BWC can't seem to put it together two days in a row.

[91Buckeye]

I noticed that Montgomery implied he is kind of jekyl and hyde. Did you catch the interview with Tony Anderson? If not definitely need to check it out, impressive young man.

[Peake]

yeah I saw it, good kid.

[Peake]

2 deep as of today

Offense
QB-DENARD
devin

RB-SHAW
smith or tousannt

FB-McClogan or Hopkins

WR-Roundtree and HEmmingway
jerald robinson and jaron stokes

Slot-Odoms
gallon

TE-Koger
moore

OT-Lewan
schofield

OG-Barnum
huyge or mealer

OC-Molk
Kouhry

OG-Omameh
huyge

OT-Huyge or Schofield

D

DT-Martin
van bergan

DT- Van BErgan or Campbell
washington

SDE-Van Bergan or Brink

WDE-Roh or Black

MLB-Demens
fitzgerald

SAM-Cam Gordon or Jake Ryan

WILL-Mike Jones
hawthorne

DB-Wolfolk or JT Floyd

DB-Courtney Avery
talbott

SS-JOrdan Kovacs
josh furman

FS-Troy Wolfolk or Carvin JOhnson
marvin robinson

nickel-Thomas Gordon

That is the two deep as of today as told to me by my bro in law (works for UM).

[Peake]

On D I was told only a few guys have there names written in stone as starters.
1, Mike Martin
2. Van BErgan but where?
3. Demens
4. Wolfolk but where
5. Avery
6. Kovacs

[Peake]

Ok, so I got to see about 30 minutes of practice today. It was a full contact scrimmage with several players on the defense mixing and matching on the 1's and 2's.

My observations:

Offense:
*Lewan is an animal, from the line in Rocky IV---whatever he hits, he destroys.
*Vincent Smith was the best looking runningback I saw during my 30 minutes there.
*Shaw was the 2nd best but that's not saying much, and the freshmen Rawls only got 2 carries but they were both good runs v the 1's. HE will see time.
*Huyge sucks at RT, God I hope Schofield wins this battle. Michigan is very thin in depth on OL and there is a large difference in unit #1 and 1a (Schofield and Kouhry) and unit #2.
*Koger is going to be good
*Denard looked pretty solid. Less deep routes and a lot of play action.
* I was surprised that they had so many two TE formations. Moore is a pretty solid blocker nothing more.
*MOlk looked good like always.
*Still not an Omameh fan. I think if this were UM of 2003 he'd never see the field. JMO
*Barnum had to block Mike Martin a lot and I thought he was solid.
*Devin is still a year away at QB, has happy feet in the pocket.
*Moving guys everywhere on the OL

Defense:
*Front 4 was solid
*Black was starting WDE with Brink at SDE and Van Bergan at DT with Martin. Van BErgan is around 290-300, he will probably start at DE but end up at DT where he looks more comfortable.
*Jake Ryan is a kid who will be good but still a year away imo. He will make a play then get handled by the blocker because he won't use his hands to shed blocks. He is a kid that loves contact too much. Smith broke a 30 yarder because he couldnt get off a block and keep gap responsibility.
*Big Will will make a play then take 3 off. Very frustrating player. Has the body.
*Richard Ash is awful and imo will not be a player at UM.
*Hawthorne---just dont see it. Loses responsibility a lot.
*Demens---meh
*Brink---meh
*Wolfolk---never really tested
*MIke Jones looked slow to me
*Cam Gordon---meh, he is ok but still a year away imo.
*Avery looked solid
*safeties never really tested.
*Roh--meh not really mean enough

What I took away is Michigan will be a lot more physical on offense. The OL loves to hit and will be improved but pray they stay healthy. Denard looked in command and threw it well. Runningbacks were meh with exception of a few good runs. TE's are doing very well in this offense.

Defense I was a little disappointed. They lack elite talent aside from Martin. This group will be better but the year will go as they go.

[Peake]

Full scrimmage today.

1st team offense:
QB-Denard
RB-SHaw and Touisant
WR-HEmmingway, ROundtree
Slot-Odoms, Gallon
TE-Koger
OT-Lewan and Huyge (kill me now)
OG-Barnum and Omameh
OC-MOlk

Defense:
DT-Van Bergan and Martin w Washington rotating
DE-Black and Brink w/ROh rotating
LB-W-Hawthorne, M-Demens, S-Ryan
DB- Wolfolk and Avery w JT Floyd rotating
S-Kovacs and Thomas JOnes w Carvin rotating

Key points:
*Things are pretty much set on both sides w only a battle or two left
*RBs will be Shaw, TOussant, and V Smith 3rd down back and maybe Rawls getting minutes
*WR's set---very solid
TE-Koger and no one else. KOger is a stud the rest are duds or too small right now
OL-Everyone is solid except RT where Huyge and Schofield are still battling w Huyge winning
OL-pretty much winning every series v 1st team DL. Good or bad? You be the judge
QB-Denard looked good and everyone said the same thing, he is going to be hit less this year. Devin still a year away.
*Defense still looks not good.
*Big Will looks to be done. He has been demoted to 3rd team which is a statement. This will force Van BErgan to DT where he is too small. Not good news.
*I was told Brink is as good as Van Bergan at DE and he is a RSoph.
*Black and ROh both had their moments at DE, but Black is the future.
Demens is very solid, just a good LB.
THe other LB's not so much. Worried.
DB-Wolfolk very good day and JT very good day. Looks like another battle with Avery for starting spot.
S-KOvacs solid and battle at free between Carvin and Thomas Jones.
****IMO put Marvin Robinson on transfer watch. HE is 3rd team safety right now. Not good.
Q Washington at DT better be ready to go because he has been put in the #2 spot now.

[Peake]

One more thing.

This was a great point that bro in law said to me today about RR.

Look at the defensive guys and you can see how little attention and how little the defensive staff and Rich Rod did to address talent level.

HE said who are the top 3 guys on D?
1-Martin, Carr recruit
2-Wolfolk, Carr recruit
3. Demens, Carr recruit

He went onto say that the top 3 D players were all another staffs players and the fact that you have to go down to probably player #6 on D to point to a guy that RR actually recruited that is worth a crap.

4. Van BErgan, Carr recruit
5. Kovacs, walkon so RR can't take credit for recruiting the kid.
6. Avery maybe, who is a true soph, or maybe JT FLoyd another Carr recruit.

Point is RR sucks at recruiting defensive talent and off all the players on this D only Carr recruits are making a "major" impact. Rich Rod set Michigan back at minimum 3-4 years due to lack of recruiting on D. Very sad.

[Peake]

Starters as of today.

Offense:
QB-Denard
RB-Touissant
FB-Hopkins
WR-Hemmingway
WR-Roundtree
Slot-Gallon
TE-Koger
OT-Lewan
OG-Barnum
OC-Molk
OG-Omameh
OT-Schofield

Defense:
DT-Martin
DT-Van BErgan
DE-Black
DE-Brink
SAM-Desmond Morgan (true freshmen---keep an eye out)
WILL-Cam Gordon
MIKE-Demens
DB-Wolfolk
DB-JT Floyd or Avery
SS-Kovacs
FS-Carvin
NIckel-Thomas JOnes

KR-Kelvin Grady Odoms
PR-Gallon

[91Buckeye]

Desmond Morgan? Wow that is really surprising to me. I figured that Marrel Evans would get a look at WLB.

[seofan_via_dublin]

Brady Hoke has 3 years to get this team to a level where they should be considered ready to play for a national title!

To start the 4th season, APPALACHIAN ST comes to town!