First off, like I said after the gam, almost every impact play was made by an underclassman or returning player. Here's a video showing as much
Speight didn't have a great game but did enough to win, and we have yet to see a year 2 progression under Harbaugh & staff here at UM, so I look for him to take that 1st team all big ten type step.
Evans at 5'11 200 pounds, is going to be a star IMO, and I really don't understand why people say he can't be an eveydown back in college, this isn't the NFL. People his size and smaller have become everydown backs at the Power 5 level. Ameer Abdullah -Neb, while Mike hart was thicker his FR year I believe he played at 5'9 202, Jamaal Charles played under 200 at Texas and I'm sure there are plenty of more. It comes down to toughness and making the correct read, picking up a blitz etc. Deveon Smith was in most of the game because he was a"great pass blocker" imo that isn't true. I rewatched every game this year, but I recently watched IU, OSU and the FSU game and he struggled picking up the right man. Vs IU he missed a few blocks but on 1 play he missed a block where Okorn had to avoid a rusher and he broke a tackle and ran for a 40 yard run that got UM going but if that was Speight that's probably a sack. Vs OSU smith missed several blockes 1 led to a sack and the other led to a pick 6. And vs FSU he once again missed at least 2 blocks that led to sacks. The biggest reason smith kept getting the call at RB was his ability to pass block so said everyone, well he was avg at best in doing so and he was by far their worst runner, that's why I was so confused when he kept getting so many rushes in every game. Maybe Evans, Issac and Higdon were worse then Smith at blocking, but I think with Wheatley continuing to go with smith that may have cost UM the FSU game. I look forward to seeing what Chris Evans, Hidgon, Isaac and Walker can do next year
Khalid Hill is a devastating blocker he crushes defenders souls lol, on that Evans TD run he destroys that LB that sprung Evans for the TD. He's a great catcher and he can be moved around the field at TE, FB and HB I look forward to seeing what he can do in 2017.
McDoom and Crawford didn't do much vs FSU but I expect them to make a big step in the spring.
Bunting looked good in replacing Butt as a TE pass catcher if he can add a little weight/strength and become an avg blocker he has all big ten potential.
Asiasi and Wheatley both played vs FSU, they are already better blockers then Butt and Bunting if they can perfect their route running this could be a special unit.
Onwenu imo has AA potential depending on how well he can pass block,when I went back to rewatch the games and in almost every game that he got In Michigan burst a 40+ yd run and almost every time it was up the backside of Big Mike Onwenu. I think the OL gets better due to graduation no offense to Kalis and Braden (awesome Michigan men) just weren't consistently good enough, Mags will be missed though. Bredeson starting most of the year I can only see him taking a big step in 17. Ruiz looks like he can start from day 1, but I prefer it to be at Guard because I think coles best position is C. They just need someone to step up at RT, whether it's Ulizio, JBB or a freshman in Filiaga.
Defense - The defense will obviously take a step back but how much remains to be seen. I believe everything starts upfront and if they can find depth on the DL, I think we see another top 10-15 defense.
Mettelus looked good for his 1st start and it being the orange bowl, he's a big hitter.
Lavert Hill played well too, he did have hat PAss interference call against him but he played that almost perfectly he, looked back he was stride for stride with WR, but the ball was under thrown. He also played a pick play great, FSU WR tried to bump Hill and Lewis, and Hill went over top of the player and stayed with HIs man and the play resulted in an incomplete pass. Watson and Kinnell played good too.
McCray started to come on at the end of the season IMO and he played well vs OSU and FSU and got that INT that turned the game around.
Mone is another player that started to play really strong the last two games of the season. If he can continue to play like that going into next season and throughout the season the DL will be just as good. Especially since Hurst has 1st rd draft pick potential. His initial burst off the LOS is rediculous, it's one of the fastest I've ever seen. Gary had a good freshmen year imo considering he didn't start and who he was playing behind. He also played well vs FSU, I saw more of Gary, Mone, Hurst and Winovich later in the season and they more then held their own.
Conclusion - I look for the offense to take another step forward, I look for Speight to take the reigns of the offense and with him returning and the stable of Rbs and WRs (unproven yet talented) and TE's, I believe they can be elite in 2017.
The defense will be young but with a front 4 of Gary, Hurst, Mone and Winovich, they are probably the best in big ten, but will need to find quality depth behind them in order to be great in 2017. LBs McCray and Bush will be as athletic as we've had in a long time but we'll obsiously take a ste back at he viper position but I do think whoever plays the viper position will have different responsibilities as what peppers had.
If Clark gets a 6th year that will go a long way into how successful the secondary will be, because he can play almost every position. Levert Hill, David long just need experience as they have the talent. Kinell and Watson have a ton of experience and they will push all the young guys to stay up on their game. Khaleke Hudson will have a say in the rotation too imo.
Lastly Don Browns defenses throughout his career have gotten better in their 2nd year due to familiarity to his play calling or whatever it may be they just have gotten better in year 2. However, I don't think this defense will get better after losing all of those SR's and the quality of the SRs they will lose, but the defense has the talent and athleticism they just lack the experience, and I think it will help the defense with this being the 2nd year in don browns system.
I can't see these 8-4, 7-5 predictions that some are predicting. That Florida game will be key in getting off to a fast start next year.
Florida
Cincinnati
Air Force
@Purdue
Bye
MSU
@Indiana.
@Penn State.
Rutgers
Minnesota
@Maryland
@wisconsin.
Ohio State
If they beat Florida week 1, where are we going to lose 4 or 5 games? @psu and @wisc will be tough but I believe we win 1 of those games and then it comes down to the OSU game and Barrett doesn't scare me and they are once again losing a lot of talent, will they be able to reload 3 years straight?? Only time will tell..
Go Blue!!!
Speight didn't have a great game but did enough to win, and we have yet to see a year 2 progression under Harbaugh & staff here at UM, so I look for him to take that 1st team all big ten type step.
Evans at 5'11 200 pounds, is going to be a star IMO, and I really don't understand why people say he can't be an eveydown back in college, this isn't the NFL. People his size and smaller have become everydown backs at the Power 5 level. Ameer Abdullah -Neb, while Mike hart was thicker his FR year I believe he played at 5'9 202, Jamaal Charles played under 200 at Texas and I'm sure there are plenty of more. It comes down to toughness and making the correct read, picking up a blitz etc. Deveon Smith was in most of the game because he was a"great pass blocker" imo that isn't true. I rewatched every game this year, but I recently watched IU, OSU and the FSU game and he struggled picking up the right man. Vs IU he missed a few blocks but on 1 play he missed a block where Okorn had to avoid a rusher and he broke a tackle and ran for a 40 yard run that got UM going but if that was Speight that's probably a sack. Vs OSU smith missed several blockes 1 led to a sack and the other led to a pick 6. And vs FSU he once again missed at least 2 blocks that led to sacks. The biggest reason smith kept getting the call at RB was his ability to pass block so said everyone, well he was avg at best in doing so and he was by far their worst runner, that's why I was so confused when he kept getting so many rushes in every game. Maybe Evans, Issac and Higdon were worse then Smith at blocking, but I think with Wheatley continuing to go with smith that may have cost UM the FSU game. I look forward to seeing what Chris Evans, Hidgon, Isaac and Walker can do next year
Khalid Hill is a devastating blocker he crushes defenders souls lol, on that Evans TD run he destroys that LB that sprung Evans for the TD. He's a great catcher and he can be moved around the field at TE, FB and HB I look forward to seeing what he can do in 2017.
McDoom and Crawford didn't do much vs FSU but I expect them to make a big step in the spring.
Bunting looked good in replacing Butt as a TE pass catcher if he can add a little weight/strength and become an avg blocker he has all big ten potential.
Asiasi and Wheatley both played vs FSU, they are already better blockers then Butt and Bunting if they can perfect their route running this could be a special unit.
Onwenu imo has AA potential depending on how well he can pass block,when I went back to rewatch the games and in almost every game that he got In Michigan burst a 40+ yd run and almost every time it was up the backside of Big Mike Onwenu. I think the OL gets better due to graduation no offense to Kalis and Braden (awesome Michigan men) just weren't consistently good enough, Mags will be missed though. Bredeson starting most of the year I can only see him taking a big step in 17. Ruiz looks like he can start from day 1, but I prefer it to be at Guard because I think coles best position is C. They just need someone to step up at RT, whether it's Ulizio, JBB or a freshman in Filiaga.
Defense - The defense will obviously take a step back but how much remains to be seen. I believe everything starts upfront and if they can find depth on the DL, I think we see another top 10-15 defense.
Mettelus looked good for his 1st start and it being the orange bowl, he's a big hitter.
Lavert Hill played well too, he did have hat PAss interference call against him but he played that almost perfectly he, looked back he was stride for stride with WR, but the ball was under thrown. He also played a pick play great, FSU WR tried to bump Hill and Lewis, and Hill went over top of the player and stayed with HIs man and the play resulted in an incomplete pass. Watson and Kinnell played good too.
McCray started to come on at the end of the season IMO and he played well vs OSU and FSU and got that INT that turned the game around.
Mone is another player that started to play really strong the last two games of the season. If he can continue to play like that going into next season and throughout the season the DL will be just as good. Especially since Hurst has 1st rd draft pick potential. His initial burst off the LOS is rediculous, it's one of the fastest I've ever seen. Gary had a good freshmen year imo considering he didn't start and who he was playing behind. He also played well vs FSU, I saw more of Gary, Mone, Hurst and Winovich later in the season and they more then held their own.
Conclusion - I look for the offense to take another step forward, I look for Speight to take the reigns of the offense and with him returning and the stable of Rbs and WRs (unproven yet talented) and TE's, I believe they can be elite in 2017.
The defense will be young but with a front 4 of Gary, Hurst, Mone and Winovich, they are probably the best in big ten, but will need to find quality depth behind them in order to be great in 2017. LBs McCray and Bush will be as athletic as we've had in a long time but we'll obsiously take a ste back at he viper position but I do think whoever plays the viper position will have different responsibilities as what peppers had.
If Clark gets a 6th year that will go a long way into how successful the secondary will be, because he can play almost every position. Levert Hill, David long just need experience as they have the talent. Kinell and Watson have a ton of experience and they will push all the young guys to stay up on their game. Khaleke Hudson will have a say in the rotation too imo.
Lastly Don Browns defenses throughout his career have gotten better in their 2nd year due to familiarity to his play calling or whatever it may be they just have gotten better in year 2. However, I don't think this defense will get better after losing all of those SR's and the quality of the SRs they will lose, but the defense has the talent and athleticism they just lack the experience, and I think it will help the defense with this being the 2nd year in don browns system.
I can't see these 8-4, 7-5 predictions that some are predicting. That Florida game will be key in getting off to a fast start next year.
Florida
Cincinnati
Air Force
@Purdue
Bye
MSU
@Indiana.
@Penn State.
Rutgers
Minnesota
@Maryland
@wisconsin.
Ohio State
If they beat Florida week 1, where are we going to lose 4 or 5 games? @psu and @wisc will be tough but I believe we win 1 of those games and then it comes down to the OSU game and Barrett doesn't scare me and they are once again losing a lot of talent, will they be able to reload 3 years straight?? Only time will tell..
Go Blue!!!
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