The latest edition of INSIDE THE FORT, including plenty of football news heading into a big game at Wisconsin, some basketball recruiting and much more …
Starting with this week’s game at Wisconsin, one in which neither fans of the Badgers nor Michigan seem to have a whole lot of confidence. Those as close to the Wisconsin team as you can get say this team is “different” than past Paul Chryst squads, probably the worst they’ve seen, not connected and lacking offensively.
The blocking up front has been suspect, to say the least, and quarterback Graham Mertz does not have his teammates’ confidence as a player or a leader.
There’s no ‘elite’ back, either, though there have been times the Badgers have moved the ball on the ground.
“[Chez] Mellusi ran for 121 yards against Penn State,” one Badgers source noted. “Against a smaller [Eastern Michigan] front, they ran for 352 yards. They think they can run the ball Saturday against Michigan’s front.”
We told you two years ago that the Badgers coaches were challenging their line to beat up a Michigan defensive line they called “the worst you’ll face all year” (ouch), according to a person in the pregame locker room. They aren’t going so far this year, but it’s clear they believe they can move the ball on the ground, protect Mertz and let their elite (to date) defense do the rest.
Michigan needs all hands on deck, and that means a healthy Josh Ross. The redshirt junior was begging to go back in during the second half of last week’s game — while we expect him to play, he’s banged up and probably going to stay that way for a while.
But there’s a difference between being ‘hurt’ and ‘injured,’ and unlike some past Michigan stars who were looking for reasons not to practice/play, Ross is desperate to be on the field and lead his teammates into battle … and he will.
There was significant drop-off when he went out last week in terms of communication and physical play. Kalel Mullings will be solid, in time, but there were a few plays in which he simply wasn’t physical enough. Junior Colson is going to be a stud and Nikhai Hill-Green made some huge plays after struggling earlier in the game, and they’ll be an outstanding duo … in time.
Right now, Ross is as important to the defense as any one player, and that includes safety Dax Hill and end Aidan Hutchinson … well, at least right up there with Hutchinson.
****
About safeties, people continue to ask us about Jordan Morant and ‘what’s up with him.’ We asked a few people inside to fill us in, and here’s what we got:
“Inconsistent so far,” the first one said. “But people forget … this is only his second year in the program. He’s got potential, and sometimes the light goes on a bit later for kids … takes them a while to learn the defense or to play against this type of speed.”
“He’s just hasn’t been very good yet,” another added. “He’s shown flashes, but nothing yet that ‘wows’ you and doesn’t have that consistency.”
That’s where Rod Moore has excelled and why he’s seeing time. He’s picked up the defense quickly, has made plays on the ball consistently (we told you about his two picks in a scrimmage several weeks ago) and has a bright future, even if he’s struggled a few times in games.
On offense, people want to know exactly what happened with offensive guard Nolan Rumler. While he showed potential, he never really felt ‘at home’ in Ann Arbor, according to some observers, and when Zach Carpenter left, he was also ready to bolt. Word has it folks close to him back home made him stick it out, but the writing has been on the wall and was especially this spring when he didn’t earn a starting spot.
He clearly has some talent, and former Michigan All-American Jon Jansen was one particularly impressed with him and the way he played ‘angry.’ Unfortunately, we’ll never get to see it in Ann Arbor.
Also, those worried about the run-run-run strategy against Wisconsin … we don’t share the angst. Nor do we believe that the second half of the Rutgers game is what this team is really about, and neither do folks in the building. They were stunned that folks (ahem) expressed serious concern that this team might struggle the way recent past teams have.
We’ll see soon enough what this team is about during road trips to Madison and Lincoln (Nebraska) next week. Win a couple, you’re firmly in contention. Win one and you’re okay … lose them both, and yikes.
****
More football …
While there’s angst from the Michigan side of things heading into this one — and for good reason — it’s important to take a look at things from a Wisconsin perspective. Remember, sometimes we get too wrapped up in our own ‘bubble’ and only view things through a Michigan lens.
The Badgers struggled last season and have been trending in the wrong direction since the second half of the 2019 campaign, with a 9-9 record during that stretch. It’s certainly not as bad as Michigan’s situation after the MSU game last season, when it became clear major changes were going to be made once the season ended, but BadgerBlitz.com’s Jon McNamara tells us the writing on the wall is there and that head coach Paul Chryst has some thinking to do about his program going forward.
“There’s a portion of the fanbase who are starting to question the direction of the program,” McNamara said. “Since Wisconsin’s loss to Ohio State in the 2019 Big Ten title game, the Badgers are 5-7 and have lost seven consecutive games to ranked opponents. The last time U-W beat a team that finished the season over .500 was Minnesota in 2019. Wholesale changes likely aren’t coming, but head coach Paul Chryst will likely have to make some difficult decisions this offseason.”
Now to the matchup itself ...
The Badgers are relatively healthy heading into this one. The biggest development on that front this week was regarding senior cornerback Faion Hicks, who left the Notre Dame game early with an injury and was listed as ‘questionable’ at the beginning of the week. Hicks practiced all week long and is expected to give it a go, revealed McNamara.
There are a few more bumps and bruises, with the following players being listed as questionable: Freshman running back Braelon Allen, sophomore fullback Quan Easterling, junior tight end Jack Eschenbach, senior safety Tyler Mais and senior linebacker Mike Maskalunas.
“Maskalunas is the No. 3 inside linebacker while Eschenbach is a needed receiving option behind Ferguson at tight end,” McNamara said of the significance of the injuries.
Wisconsin has had its fair share of struggles, but it might have the matchup edge in terms of strengths and style of play. As noted frequently throughout the week, the Badgers top the nation in rush defense, yielding just 23 yards per game, and have given up just four defensive touchdowns in three outings.
“Wisconsin’s defense will give it a shot to win on Saturday,” McNamara opined. “With that, I like that matchup for the Badgers if they can eliminate chunk plays through the air. In the end, though, there’s only so much you can ask that unit to do.”
That’s a lot of pressure on the Badger defense, one of the reasons why the writer picked Michigan to win by a touchdown.
There’s been a lot of talk on the Michigan side of things about the offense needing to be more creative and redshirt freshman quarterback Cade McNamara having to play a ‘good’ to ‘really good’ game. On the Wisconsin side, the game may rest in the hands of sophomore signal-caller Graham Mertz, Jon McNamara said, who could take some pressure off that defense by managing the game well, at the very least. That’s easier said than done, of course, with Mertz having more interceptions than touchdowns in his career, including three pick-sixes this season.
“Wisconsin wins if Graham Mertz doesn’t turn the ball over and is able to connect on open throws,” McNamara said. “Even if Mertz plays an average game, Wisconsin likely beats both Penn State and Notre Dame.”
****
A quick recruiting note on 2024 Saline (Mich.) High four-star quarterback target CJ Carr, the grandson of former Michigan head coach Lloyd Carr and son of former U-M signal-caller Jason Carr.
Last week against Ann Arbor (Mich.) Skyline, Carr threw four touchdowns in the first half before being taken out of the game as his team was winning in blowout fashion. He was happy with his performance, but noted there were some things to clean up. He was also excited that head coach Jim Harbaugh and quarterbacks coach Matt Weiss took time out of their Friday night preparation before the Rutgers game to see him play.
Weiss is starting to build a great bond with Carr. That began at the Eastern Michigan prospect camp, continued at the Michigan prospect camp, where Carr said he and Weiss spent some quality time together (he was able to learn a lot) and has carried throughout the time in between.
As you might expect, Carr has attended plenty of Michigan games through the years, but the Sept. 11 game against Washington was extra special. He was a visitor, in the facilities and on the field before the game, and thought the atmosphere was ‘electric.’
It’s early in the process and Carr wants to enjoy it, but Notre Dame is also in strong consideration. He really likes Irish offensive coordinator Tommy Rees, enjoyed his visit to South Bend last month and plans to return at some point.
And one more recruiting note …
Our EJ Holland has been all over this, but elite tackle Josh Conerly Jr. of Seattle Rainier Beach is so high on Michigan that if some of us were to put in a futurecast, it would be U-M with a confidence level of nine. He loves U-M, and as we noted here after the spring, he and his father were so blown away after the first visit that they immediately set up a trip for the Michigan -Washington game.
Suffice it to say, that experience all but sealed the deal.
****
Finishing up with some basketball and recruiting …
The team is back and practicing, and this squad is loaded with talent. That doesn’t necessarily mean it will be better than last year’s — Franz Wagner was a lottery pick for a reason, and some close to the program said people need to ‘pump the brakes on the upgrade at the point guard position’ talk (although DeVante’ Jones is good, in a different way) — but it’s already a tight group, and the young guys are ready and willing to learn from the leaders.
Your starting five heading into the season — Jones, Eli Brooks (who has been lights out all summer as a leader and a player at both ends), Caleb Houstan (‘elite shooter – let’s seen what happens when the popcorn is popping’), Brandon Johns and Hunter Dickinson.
Johns is the one they need to step up, especially as a shooter. They have had long talks about where they are when it comes to having enough shooters on the floor, and there are several possibilities. More than anything, however, they need guys like Johns to make huge leaps.
Dickinson might take the occasional triple, but he hasn’t been consistent and that won’t be his forte. Those close to the team aren’t worried about him trying to take too many to improve his draft stock.
“That’s not who he is, and Juwan would never allow it anyway,” he said.
On recruiting, five-star Californian and Frenchman Yohan Traore enjoyed his visit, but it ‘almost felt like a courtesy trip,’ according to some close to him. We’ve said we expect him to go ‘somewhere like Texas,’ and that somewhere appears to be Memphis (at least for now). Futurecasts are starting to come in for him to end up with coach Penny Hardaway, and this shouldn’t be much of a surprise.
Michigan will likely go all in on four-star Ernest Udeh Jr., and that starts with getting him on campus. This one won’t be easy, either. The Orlando Dr. Phillips star center is taking his first official this weekend, to UCLA — one of the schools many thought might land Traore — and he’s high on the Bruins.
Finally, four-star Gregg Glenn, another Floridian, is closing in on a decision, and he’ll pull the trigger for the Wolverines. There have been rumblings for a long time that wing Jett Howard, a four-star out of Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy and Juwan Howard’s son, might announce his pledge at the same time as his friend.
That wouldn’t surprise at all. Even if he doesn’t, though, we expect him to sign with U-M in the fall.
Glenn has been on an off the Wolverines’ recruiting radar, but he’s a take. Many analysts we’ve spoken with question it, but it’s clear this is a Juwan Howard decision, and he’s comfortable with it.
Starting with this week’s game at Wisconsin, one in which neither fans of the Badgers nor Michigan seem to have a whole lot of confidence. Those as close to the Wisconsin team as you can get say this team is “different” than past Paul Chryst squads, probably the worst they’ve seen, not connected and lacking offensively.
The blocking up front has been suspect, to say the least, and quarterback Graham Mertz does not have his teammates’ confidence as a player or a leader.
There’s no ‘elite’ back, either, though there have been times the Badgers have moved the ball on the ground.
“[Chez] Mellusi ran for 121 yards against Penn State,” one Badgers source noted. “Against a smaller [Eastern Michigan] front, they ran for 352 yards. They think they can run the ball Saturday against Michigan’s front.”
We told you two years ago that the Badgers coaches were challenging their line to beat up a Michigan defensive line they called “the worst you’ll face all year” (ouch), according to a person in the pregame locker room. They aren’t going so far this year, but it’s clear they believe they can move the ball on the ground, protect Mertz and let their elite (to date) defense do the rest.
Michigan needs all hands on deck, and that means a healthy Josh Ross. The redshirt junior was begging to go back in during the second half of last week’s game — while we expect him to play, he’s banged up and probably going to stay that way for a while.
But there’s a difference between being ‘hurt’ and ‘injured,’ and unlike some past Michigan stars who were looking for reasons not to practice/play, Ross is desperate to be on the field and lead his teammates into battle … and he will.
There was significant drop-off when he went out last week in terms of communication and physical play. Kalel Mullings will be solid, in time, but there were a few plays in which he simply wasn’t physical enough. Junior Colson is going to be a stud and Nikhai Hill-Green made some huge plays after struggling earlier in the game, and they’ll be an outstanding duo … in time.
Right now, Ross is as important to the defense as any one player, and that includes safety Dax Hill and end Aidan Hutchinson … well, at least right up there with Hutchinson.
****
About safeties, people continue to ask us about Jordan Morant and ‘what’s up with him.’ We asked a few people inside to fill us in, and here’s what we got:
“Inconsistent so far,” the first one said. “But people forget … this is only his second year in the program. He’s got potential, and sometimes the light goes on a bit later for kids … takes them a while to learn the defense or to play against this type of speed.”
“He’s just hasn’t been very good yet,” another added. “He’s shown flashes, but nothing yet that ‘wows’ you and doesn’t have that consistency.”
That’s where Rod Moore has excelled and why he’s seeing time. He’s picked up the defense quickly, has made plays on the ball consistently (we told you about his two picks in a scrimmage several weeks ago) and has a bright future, even if he’s struggled a few times in games.
On offense, people want to know exactly what happened with offensive guard Nolan Rumler. While he showed potential, he never really felt ‘at home’ in Ann Arbor, according to some observers, and when Zach Carpenter left, he was also ready to bolt. Word has it folks close to him back home made him stick it out, but the writing has been on the wall and was especially this spring when he didn’t earn a starting spot.
He clearly has some talent, and former Michigan All-American Jon Jansen was one particularly impressed with him and the way he played ‘angry.’ Unfortunately, we’ll never get to see it in Ann Arbor.
Also, those worried about the run-run-run strategy against Wisconsin … we don’t share the angst. Nor do we believe that the second half of the Rutgers game is what this team is really about, and neither do folks in the building. They were stunned that folks (ahem) expressed serious concern that this team might struggle the way recent past teams have.
We’ll see soon enough what this team is about during road trips to Madison and Lincoln (Nebraska) next week. Win a couple, you’re firmly in contention. Win one and you’re okay … lose them both, and yikes.
****
More football …
While there’s angst from the Michigan side of things heading into this one — and for good reason — it’s important to take a look at things from a Wisconsin perspective. Remember, sometimes we get too wrapped up in our own ‘bubble’ and only view things through a Michigan lens.
The Badgers struggled last season and have been trending in the wrong direction since the second half of the 2019 campaign, with a 9-9 record during that stretch. It’s certainly not as bad as Michigan’s situation after the MSU game last season, when it became clear major changes were going to be made once the season ended, but BadgerBlitz.com’s Jon McNamara tells us the writing on the wall is there and that head coach Paul Chryst has some thinking to do about his program going forward.
“There’s a portion of the fanbase who are starting to question the direction of the program,” McNamara said. “Since Wisconsin’s loss to Ohio State in the 2019 Big Ten title game, the Badgers are 5-7 and have lost seven consecutive games to ranked opponents. The last time U-W beat a team that finished the season over .500 was Minnesota in 2019. Wholesale changes likely aren’t coming, but head coach Paul Chryst will likely have to make some difficult decisions this offseason.”
Now to the matchup itself ...
The Badgers are relatively healthy heading into this one. The biggest development on that front this week was regarding senior cornerback Faion Hicks, who left the Notre Dame game early with an injury and was listed as ‘questionable’ at the beginning of the week. Hicks practiced all week long and is expected to give it a go, revealed McNamara.
There are a few more bumps and bruises, with the following players being listed as questionable: Freshman running back Braelon Allen, sophomore fullback Quan Easterling, junior tight end Jack Eschenbach, senior safety Tyler Mais and senior linebacker Mike Maskalunas.
“Maskalunas is the No. 3 inside linebacker while Eschenbach is a needed receiving option behind Ferguson at tight end,” McNamara said of the significance of the injuries.
Wisconsin has had its fair share of struggles, but it might have the matchup edge in terms of strengths and style of play. As noted frequently throughout the week, the Badgers top the nation in rush defense, yielding just 23 yards per game, and have given up just four defensive touchdowns in three outings.
“Wisconsin’s defense will give it a shot to win on Saturday,” McNamara opined. “With that, I like that matchup for the Badgers if they can eliminate chunk plays through the air. In the end, though, there’s only so much you can ask that unit to do.”
That’s a lot of pressure on the Badger defense, one of the reasons why the writer picked Michigan to win by a touchdown.
There’s been a lot of talk on the Michigan side of things about the offense needing to be more creative and redshirt freshman quarterback Cade McNamara having to play a ‘good’ to ‘really good’ game. On the Wisconsin side, the game may rest in the hands of sophomore signal-caller Graham Mertz, Jon McNamara said, who could take some pressure off that defense by managing the game well, at the very least. That’s easier said than done, of course, with Mertz having more interceptions than touchdowns in his career, including three pick-sixes this season.
“Wisconsin wins if Graham Mertz doesn’t turn the ball over and is able to connect on open throws,” McNamara said. “Even if Mertz plays an average game, Wisconsin likely beats both Penn State and Notre Dame.”
****
A quick recruiting note on 2024 Saline (Mich.) High four-star quarterback target CJ Carr, the grandson of former Michigan head coach Lloyd Carr and son of former U-M signal-caller Jason Carr.
Last week against Ann Arbor (Mich.) Skyline, Carr threw four touchdowns in the first half before being taken out of the game as his team was winning in blowout fashion. He was happy with his performance, but noted there were some things to clean up. He was also excited that head coach Jim Harbaugh and quarterbacks coach Matt Weiss took time out of their Friday night preparation before the Rutgers game to see him play.
Weiss is starting to build a great bond with Carr. That began at the Eastern Michigan prospect camp, continued at the Michigan prospect camp, where Carr said he and Weiss spent some quality time together (he was able to learn a lot) and has carried throughout the time in between.
As you might expect, Carr has attended plenty of Michigan games through the years, but the Sept. 11 game against Washington was extra special. He was a visitor, in the facilities and on the field before the game, and thought the atmosphere was ‘electric.’
It’s early in the process and Carr wants to enjoy it, but Notre Dame is also in strong consideration. He really likes Irish offensive coordinator Tommy Rees, enjoyed his visit to South Bend last month and plans to return at some point.
And one more recruiting note …
Our EJ Holland has been all over this, but elite tackle Josh Conerly Jr. of Seattle Rainier Beach is so high on Michigan that if some of us were to put in a futurecast, it would be U-M with a confidence level of nine. He loves U-M, and as we noted here after the spring, he and his father were so blown away after the first visit that they immediately set up a trip for the Michigan -Washington game.
Suffice it to say, that experience all but sealed the deal.
****
Finishing up with some basketball and recruiting …
The team is back and practicing, and this squad is loaded with talent. That doesn’t necessarily mean it will be better than last year’s — Franz Wagner was a lottery pick for a reason, and some close to the program said people need to ‘pump the brakes on the upgrade at the point guard position’ talk (although DeVante’ Jones is good, in a different way) — but it’s already a tight group, and the young guys are ready and willing to learn from the leaders.
Your starting five heading into the season — Jones, Eli Brooks (who has been lights out all summer as a leader and a player at both ends), Caleb Houstan (‘elite shooter – let’s seen what happens when the popcorn is popping’), Brandon Johns and Hunter Dickinson.
Johns is the one they need to step up, especially as a shooter. They have had long talks about where they are when it comes to having enough shooters on the floor, and there are several possibilities. More than anything, however, they need guys like Johns to make huge leaps.
Dickinson might take the occasional triple, but he hasn’t been consistent and that won’t be his forte. Those close to the team aren’t worried about him trying to take too many to improve his draft stock.
“That’s not who he is, and Juwan would never allow it anyway,” he said.
On recruiting, five-star Californian and Frenchman Yohan Traore enjoyed his visit, but it ‘almost felt like a courtesy trip,’ according to some close to him. We’ve said we expect him to go ‘somewhere like Texas,’ and that somewhere appears to be Memphis (at least for now). Futurecasts are starting to come in for him to end up with coach Penny Hardaway, and this shouldn’t be much of a surprise.
Michigan will likely go all in on four-star Ernest Udeh Jr., and that starts with getting him on campus. This one won’t be easy, either. The Orlando Dr. Phillips star center is taking his first official this weekend, to UCLA — one of the schools many thought might land Traore — and he’s high on the Bruins.
Finally, four-star Gregg Glenn, another Floridian, is closing in on a decision, and he’ll pull the trigger for the Wolverines. There have been rumblings for a long time that wing Jett Howard, a four-star out of Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy and Juwan Howard’s son, might announce his pledge at the same time as his friend.
That wouldn’t surprise at all. Even if he doesn’t, though, we expect him to sign with U-M in the fall.
Glenn has been on an off the Wolverines’ recruiting radar, but he’s a take. Many analysts we’ve spoken with question it, but it’s clear this is a Juwan Howard decision, and he’s comfortable with it.
