Thanks for supporting GBMW
Donate to GBMW -- Thanks for supporting GBMW

Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Coach's Corner: What About the Cupboard?

Collapse
This topic is closed.
X
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Coach's Corner: What About the Cupboard?

    Posted at 7:15am — 12/26/2014

    What About the Cupboard? — Offense

    When Jim Harbaugh, or Plan B From Inner Space, takes over as Head Coach of Michigan Football in the next few days, the celebration will be giddy, the optimism will climb, the synergy will be noticeable, and the axis tilt will be somewhat restored. Immediately afterward, a reality will set in that Michigan has placed one logical cog in place, but many other factors must be addressed to ascend upward. There will be much more than the hiring of just one coach/leader/personality to improve Michigan. A great staff will need to be assembled, a system put into place, and recruiting restored. Before all of this, however, it may be of use to take a look at what talent is returning to Michigan that will be available to the new coach. The short answer is plenty of players on both sides of the ball.

    The right assistant hires will be needed, make that critical, to put into place a very coherent methodology that identifies and accomplishes program objectives. This was described months ago here as the mechanist taking over. Athletic Director Hackett has done his homework, but his job goes beyond the process of hiring. He clearly will harp on increased player development, the most disappointing aspect of Coach Hoke’s otherwise positive approach to players and staff.

    The defense did improve in some regards the last two years, the offense not really so. Quarterback play and the failure of some highly recruited offensive linemen to play well, or even make the starting lineup, ended up negating opportunities to advance. Special team coverage was at best average. Both kickers are gone, the quarterback is gone, the coordinators will almost certainly be gone, although it should be noted that both are excellent people with a track record of success. Their merits are noteworthy, still, that is not the debate as to keep or not to keep any current coordinator. Mattison, a loyalist and all-around good guy, is likely fed up even if a new coach would approach him, and Nussmeirer will flee the city limits quickly, most likely to a high profile location in Gainsville, Florida taking over the offensive coordinator job with them.

    Michigan’s situation can be likened to a revised nursery rhyme below: Old Father Harbaugh (insert other hire if needed) Went to the cupboard, To give the poor team a win; When he got there, The cupboard was indeed not bare, And so the poor team and new coach had a chance.

    The cupboard is not bare, it is not stacked with high four stars and five star talent across the board. But the talent level is better than the pessimists would harangue and not as good as the optimists might levy.
    Part one of this series focuses on what the new staff has to work with on offense. A stocking, or cupboard, if you will, or even the proverbial glass, is truly about half full. As of right now with no transfers, departures, guys being done after 4 years, injuries, etc… We have 20 of the 22 on the two deep on offense returning (losing Devin Funchess who declared for the NFL draft and Devin Gardner using up all his eligibility).

    The offensive line and line coach Darell Funk have born the brunt of some scathing criticism the last three years; patience, as is the nature of the 2014 instant gratification crowd, ran past thin to microscopic. Techniques of the linemen were questioned and used as recruiting fodder by opponents. Michigan has struggled since the late 2000’s to establish any type of control or power running game. Michigan also struggled to run effectively out of a spread under Coach Rod. Without two superb athletes, future Michigan legend Denard Robinson and, when healthy, Devin Gardner, the Michigan running attack was a true non-factor excepting one good year by Fitz Toussaint.

    I join a few others on the staff in concluding that the offensive line showed some progression during the second half of the season. Defined, progression is opening some holes, versus none, missing fewer assignments, and getting to locations a little quicker and with better angles. The inability to sustain blocks or push defenders back in power situations remained obvious. When blocks are not angled correctly, are late, or not sustained in zone reads, the play can get blown up pretty bad, especially when teams are aware of the weaknesses and shoot gaps.

    There is a good group of talent on the offensive line. Fans have dismissed this unit as being overrated and opined that the coaches did not properly evaluate talent. The truth is few schools would not have been gleeful with the haul Michigan made in quick domino order in the 2013 class, and everyone wanted 2012 recruit Kyle Kalis.

    Kyle Kalis has suffered injuries, bounced back and forth in acquiring starting positions, and like the other linemen garnered the tag of underachiever. He is a class kid that takes his life far beyond football. He may be a true right-brain thinker, the type people incorrectly label with negatives. But, the phrase “thars gold in them thar hills” applies to Kalis and the younger linemen of 2013. Someone has to mine it into a product.

    Kyle Bosch hit some seriously tough times in 2014 after a 2013 freshman season where he was inserted into the starting lineup because of the failures of veterans. His future looked bright and the assumption was made that Bosch would be a solid starter. Coach Hoke made a sound move in putting Bosch in a position where he was forced to reconcile his life and adjust. If he rejoins the team in good fashion with a positive attitude, based on sound lifestyle and applied work, Bosch can still be a solid starter.

    At one time, Chris Fox was almost as highly thought of as Bosch. His obstacles have been injuries and conditioning. Michigan’s coaching staff was extremely happy to sign Patrick Kugler. Shoulder surgery for an offensive lineman can be devastating; practice time, strength, and system immersion basically are put one year in arrears. Shoulder surgeries can take a long time to heal and are painful. Kugler will get a mulligan with the “new regime,” as will all of the line group, starters and non-starters alike.

    Jack Miller always seems to slowly progress, not regress. He will be in the middle of any center competition. Jack probably could best be described as an average to slightly above average Big Ten lineman last year. He brings smarts, perseverance, loyalty, and toughness. Jack still needs to increase strength and master maintaining blocks, but at least finally he is not a constant focus of criticism or a clear liability. Those who routinely criticize centers are welcome to first understand the demands of the position.

    Michigan has hit a gem in Mason Cole, excluding injury or bizarre circumstances. Although he was only a true freshman, running backs running the zone outside stretch to the left side found some relief this past season for gains of over a couple of yards, a figure all too common for the running game in previous years, subtracting quarterback contributions.

    Guys like Erik Magnuson and Graham Glasgow may progress with new coaching; there are no guarantees. Guys like Samuelson will get second looks, a phenomenon that always occurs with new coaching.

    Michigan has a clear need at right tackle, enough said.

    Quarterback is another story. Whoever, including the possible hire of Jim Harbaugh, takes over as offensive coordinator/quarterback coach, their task is large. There is no strong candidate to hang a hat on for security and everything will be rebuilt from the ground up. A new system will once again be placed upon the shoulders of the quarterback brigade and the entire offense.

    There are three true candidates: Shane Morris, Wilton Speight, and newcomer Alex Malzone. All three have strong personal characteristics, and all three need development. Morris was ballyhooed after a strong sophomore year in high school. He has upper shelf arm strength, but is in strong need of touch and accuracy.

    The days of throwing darts in 7-7 camps five feet off the ground, forty yards down-field against no defensive front are over. Shane will work, he has the smarts, but will need quick success if he wins the starting job; goblins of last season hopefully do not remain as lurking shadows.

    Speight has size and reasonable mobility. His best assets may be accuracy and touch. Like all the other quarterbacks, his intelligence is strong. Speight came from a very exclusive private school that centers on leadership skills. Speight will not win the Ryan Mallett arm strength award, but he is Michigan’s best bet at floating a well-placed lob down-field.

    Alex Malzone will be an unknown, but his characteristics lead to winning football. It may not be off base to refer to him as a Harbaugh type. The most likely situation next year is practice squad learning, but never say never when the competition will obviously be open. Some would say that Michigan would be in extreme trouble if Malzone plays; some would say Michigan is in trouble if any of the three play. We will see how this position changes and develops the next few months.

    The wide receiver group has experience and consists of typical division one talent. There was one potential impact player now gone to the NFL. Catching the ball, the most basic task of receiving, was problematic, so the loss may not be great.

    Drake Harris is a potential impact player; his cutting is still unproven and his overall speed is pretty good. Constant hamstring injuries are a red flag for receivers. Riding a bike and running backwards help strengthen an injured hammy. But unless the hamstring heals and is balanced strength-wise with the quad group, trouble may persist. Continuous injuries can calcify a hamstring.

    Darboh and Chesson have decent size and hands, they are similar possession types and that presents a problem since UM truly needs a burner. Give any good offense a Sammy Watkins type and everyone looks better. Both of the two above mentioned players have outstanding work ethic and attitude. There is plenty of potential for improvement for this duo, and that is a good thing.

    Freddy Canteen may not be Watkins-like, but the bet here is that he is much better than he showed his freshman year. He needs to work on his hand skills and run focus drills.

    Dennis Norfleet may lose playing time if the offense features two tight ends. But a new coach may see the value of his continued play at the slot.

    Then, there is the possibility of Jabrill Peppers playing somewhere on offense.

    If Harbaugh hitches the wagon and heads east, the tight ends need to be at his door the first day, greet him, pledge instant allegiance to blocking, and grovel to the best of their ability. This group will be under scrutiny and may develop a true appreciation for the position. The heat will be turned on and perhaps as many as four may be asked to be major contributors to the h-back, tight end position.

    Jake Butt is a good start for any new coach. He can expect to block his tail off and catch more passes. We will all see if Ian Bunting has gained health and size. He has monster hands but may not see the field unless he demonstrates blocking skills.

    Khalid Hill was contributing until his knee injury; time will show how well it has healed. Khalid is another high character player who should respond to hard coaching.

    A.J. Williams may wish to purchase a book on how to play tight end and also a survival manual. Would it shock anyone to see Harbaugh or his new position coach lighting up Williams?

    Keith Heitzman is at least a willing blocker. An extra year of relearning how to catch the ball may increase Heitzman’s value. Again, if two tight ends are to be used, Michigan needs four dependable options.

    The running back position took a blow when Drake Johnson suffered another knee injury. The trio of Ty Isaac, Derrick Green, and DeVeon Smith is a nice nucleus that is still young and somewhat undeveloped. Isaac has big time skills and is the fastest of the trio; he also is the most versatile.

    A current professional coach once conversed that he had a discussion with his former head coach who asked him if he was going to use a fullback. The fullback situation at Michigan is not dire. If two tight ends and an H back are used more often in the new offense, then so will the fullback. Joe Kerridge is your typical selfless, little thanked fullback. His blocking is solid but not devastating, and when asked to make a tough play out of the backfield, he usually does.

    Sione Houma has athleticism and could run the ball on a quick dive. Strangely that option has never been tried. He is not as quick to the hole as some guys, but could be a fullback where carrying the ball is a real option. Wyatt Shallman, often hurt, is an athlete, and any new coach will see his potential to see the field, either at fullback or h-back.

    One factor to consider in the running back derby is whether Fred Jackson becomes a member of the new staff. Regardless of who coaches the backs, a functioning offensive line makes running backs look smart and fast. Some bellyache that this offensive group is back and will carry the load. The offense basically remains intact withstanding the loss of the two Devins. Any new coach would like to take his chance on an offense returning most of the top twenty players, versus rolling the dice with total newcomers.

    What About the Cupboard? — Defense

    The new Michigan coaching staff will find plenty of returning veterans when making the grand Aida-like first appearance in January. Who will be the defensive coordinator is not an intention of discussion.

    We have 17 of the 22 on defense returning (losing Clark if your counting him, Ryan, Taylor, Beyer, and Hollowell). Along with what we have on the offensive side of the ball we will have 37 of the 44 players on the two deep coming back. That has to be one of the best in the country just on numbers alone. We are not saying they are good/great players, but just by numbers alone should help with depth/talent issues.

    Just like on the offensive side, the cupboard is not close to being bare. The new staff should find good talent, decent depth, and players willing to work and learn. There are thorns in the small bundle of roses. The speed factor is not top-shelf, the best player, Jake Ryan has graduated, there is still little fear in Michigan’s front four pass rush (even with multitudes of effort to create this phenomenon), and the defensive backfield still gives up big yardage plays (even though at least this year the backs were within the TV screen range).

    The brightest area, perhaps, is that the front four has toughened up in stopping the run, discounting the easy long run by Elliot in the Ohio State game. So, how good can this group be in 2015? The simple and most likely answer is pretty good, but probably not elite.

    Credit must be given to Coach Smith for bringing this group along the past year. Chris Wormley, to this observer, had some good moments. He is now nearly 300 pounds, athletic, and long. His potential is still upward, that is, the ceiling has not been achieved.

    Taco Charlton, much like Chris Wormley, has had to deal with instant expectations of greatness, justified or not. Many do not realize that it takes the young ones (boys) some time to compete with the elders (men). This year is critical to their future shot at the NFL, now placed as a chance but nothing remote to a certainty. Taco is very smart and possesses good perception. How consistent he will be next year is an unknown, but the journey starts with strength training and mental toughness intensity.

    Bryan Mone seems like the real deal and held his own as a true freshman. He may still be growing. Of all of the linemen, he may have the highest ceiling concerning strength. How much of his talent can be invested in pass rushing is a valid question. If Michigan cannot beat a team on the edge, the only two options left are up the middle and by blitz packages. Blitz packages have both reward and risk results.

    Willie Henry clearly contributed last year. Willie is nowhere near all league level yet, but he mixes it up in middle and uses his decent combination of quickness and strength. If he, like the other young members of this group, gains sufficient strength to overpower offensive linemen, then Michigan will have a nice luxury the next two years.

    Ondre Pipkins has to get healthy, and let us place the hope forward that he enjoys a great 2015. He has yet demonstrate his full ability through bad luck as much as any factor.

    Maurice Hurst is yet another young defensive lineman that has enough size, skill, and now experience to place himself in position for playing time. It is somewhat strange that with the combination of guys inside, minimal pass rushing has resulted.

    Matt Godin is a little bit of an enigma, but Greg Mattison has heaped some positives his way. He is tough, consistent, but has had bad moments in edge defense and is not a big factor in pass rushing results. He is the type of player every coach wants around, as such he will figure into next year’s plan, regardless of coach and scheme.

    Brennen Beyer has graduated and Mattison indicated he has a shot at the next level.

    Mario Ojemudia came to Michigan with the per-expectation by some that he would be the answer to Michigan’s edge rush inability. He is somewhat of a lightweight and has been beat many times at edge leverage in run defense. Regardless, he is high energy and capable of pulling a David Harris type of turnaround.

    Both of the Glasgow brothers seem to love playing football and hitting people, and they are not even prison guards. Like his brother, Ryan has progressed from nameless walk- on to seeing meaningful playing time. He seems to understand the game very well and just plays, without drama or incident.

    We will see what Lawrence Marshall brings to the table next year. At the very least, he should fit into the rotation and see snaps. Lawrence is a little bigger than Supermario was at the same stage of career.

    The linebackers are a little more problematical than the defensive line. Ryan is gone and the unit continues to hear complaints about overall speed and coverage ability. Take heart, with today’s skilled players and offensive schemes, based on getting any match-up advantage, plenty of teams would like to have faster linebackers.

    Joe Bolden has plenty of experience, football knowledge and desire to play the game. From the very start our GBMWolverine group has stated that Joe would be a solid performer who did not have elite speed or athletic talent. He is an above average university linebacker and has enough versatility to play more than one position. Joe is an asset to his program, discounting his stakeout at the not OK Corral.

    Desmond Morgan is another probable inside possibility, assuming he returns from injury ready to go. He is no longer a lightweight, but certainly is not the Godzilla size middleman programs pursue. Coaches have always spoken highly of Morgan and it is simple to infer that his absence hurt the overall defensive effort. His weakness is being in space one on one against a superior athlete.

    Several other returning players have demonstrated adequate performance. Royce Jenkins-Stone and James Ross III came to Michigan as highly touted local products. Both have had good moments and demonstrated weaknesses. Stone is very athletic and Ross is tough. Ross is small, and somehow Stone does not lock down a permanent starting job. There is potential and with a new Head Coach both players will have motivation to put the best effort forward.

    Ben Gedeon has toughness and athletic talent. He is another Michigan linebacker who could turn the corner and develop into a top performer; could is both optimistic and pessimistic.

    Many hold out hope that Mike McCray can be a higher-level Big Ten linebacker. He does have size and good instinct. McCray seems to be better once in a game situation. His coverage potential is similar to the rest of Michigan’s group.

    Losing Ferns hurts the next group of ascending linebackers and leaves Jared Wangler, Chase Winovich and Noah Furbush as the future. The likely destination for all three this year is spot play and special teams.
    There is the possibility that one or more safeties move to outside linebacker, Jeremy Clark certainly being, at the least, a consideration to be within such a conversation.

    The defensive back situation hinges on Jabrill Peppers emergence. He is big and athletic and the best prospect in several years in Ann Arbor. Hopefully he stays healthy and comes out on fire.

    Blake Countess struggled some in the new coverage. How much Blake has come back from his Alabama injury remains unknown. Every defensive back gets beat one time or another but Raymon Taylor stretched every definition of getting beat to another level. Any observer can see the meaning of the above statement and no microscopic analysis of Taylor’s defeats need be documented. He was placed on a island that opponents invaded. Taylor was the guy the opponents isolated when a third and long, or must big game play was a must.

    Jourdan Lewis may be the answer to giving UM a nice corner/nickel combo with Peppers and Countess.
    The safeties, like the corners, had bad moments. But watch any weekend of football and an observer will see plenty of defensive backs getting beat. It is the nature of today’s game. The answer is to minimize the damage with good play by top athletes.

    Jarrod Wilson was solid, but after him, no one came close to standing out. Clark and Stribling may have to stay at safety because of a need for reasonable backup.

    The exodus of the 2015 commits has taken away two promising talents. So, that avenue of help is on hold, assuming neither has a change of heart.

    There is talent and hope for this unit. It will need to be well coordinated and will not be a dominating group. But with some improvement from the back four, things could look upward.

    Written by GBMWolverine Message Board Staff — CoachBT, Doc4Blu, and ErocWolverine

    Go Blue — Wear Maize!


    Twitter: @ErocWolverine
    Message Board: GBMW Message Board
    Site: GBMW Front Page
Working...
X