cesar ruiz renders you

Previously in this series covering the 2010s: Favorite Blocks, QB-RB-WR, TE-FB-OL, Defensive Line, Linebacker, Secondary, Worst Calls, and Dumbest Plays so might as well do the flipside.

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10. Martin and Van Bergen, Coaches at Large

2012 SUGAR BOWL

Football hmmm… [Eric Upchurch]

The press got word after the 2011 Ohio State game that senior DTs Ryan Van Bergen and Mike Martin had been given the green light by their coaches to make the line calls for each play, including when and how to stunt. That in itself wasn’t highly remarkable; the modern Michigan equivalent of RVB’s position, the Anchor, makes line calls for the defense today. The reason it goes down in the lore of these guys is they got so good at it.

They were also the two who lined up and dove into the A gaps to stop VT’s hurry-up 4th and 1 sneak, called the slant that got Frank Clark in to intercept a screen pass, and the slant that got Jake Ryan inside the tackle then chasing inside out on the ensuing rollouts. RVB was doing it on a broken foot too.

-Seth

[After THE JUMP: Glasgows be here]

As expected/hinted at/hoped against all year, Michigan's star center announced he's leaving early for the NFL

All Glory To The Most High LOVE pic.twitter.com/DG0S3bVI51

— King Ruiz 〰️ (@_OverCees) January 3, 2020

Ruiz came to Michigan as the rarest of prospects: a five-star center who'd actually played center in high school. Cesar pipped Michael Onwenu at right guard late in 2017 and took over at center the last two season, over which time Michigan's previously manifest interior pass protection issues suddenly disappeared. How much of that was Warinner and growth from Bredeson/Onwenu, and how much was due to the preparation and line calls of Ruiz is impossible to tell from film. Also impossible to tell: how much of Ruiz's tendency to move too quickly to the linebacker level was Michigan's scheme versus Ruiz's decision-making.

That tendency is probably why Ruiz didn't become the Rimington finalist we projected him to be this season. His strong film against Alabama's Raekwon Davis, Michigan State's Raequan Williams, Penn State's Robert Windsor, and Ohio State's hoard of hellbeasts should be enough to ensure at least a 3rd round pick, while his natural athleticism could see him leap to the 1st, where some analysts already have him. I don't know how the Colts are fixed for centers these days but the Indiana and Notre Dame games from this year will stick out as Ruiz's most dominant performances.

It does make the decision of former backup C Stephen Spanellis to grad transfer this offseason more of a blow. To that: bowl practice observers reported redshirting freshman Zach Carpenter was taking second-team snaps last month. Combine that with a bunch of fall hype from the coaches and it's a fair bet Carpenter is now the leading candidate to follow Ruiz. Fellow 2019 recruits Nolan Rumler and Jack Stewart were also potential centers as recruits, and preferred walk-on Andrew Vastardis, who's been involved in various position battles for a few years, played some center in garbage time this year as Spanellis was repping at guard case he was needed.

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Matt's relocated the bus to Pioneer this year, BTW, and invites everyone to stop by and say hi. There's beer. I mean, obviously. Matt. Matt and beer: a good pairing.

FORMATION NOTES: The return of McKeon resulted in more two TE sets, and what's this? A fullback? A fullback.

Kudos to ABC director for his wide shots and frequent overhead replays.

SUBSTITUTION NOTES: Mostly the usual at QB and OL, with Milton and McCaffrey getting in late. Hayes was used as a tight end in a nameless 80 jersey for a couple goal line snaps. Second-team line remains Hayes/Filiaga/Vastardis/Spanellis/Hongiford.

RB rotation was mostly Haskins/Charbonnet with Wilson getting in towards the tail end of competitive time; Turner and Van Sumeren got some late action. Mason got 5 snaps as a FB/TE.

Eubanks was still TE1 in terms of snaps, because he sticks on the field for passing downs. McKeon got about half the snaps; All got some 3 TE snaps in the redzone and the occasional live-fire snap outside. Bell/Black/DPJ/Collins split WR snaps about evenly, with Sainristil added as pretty much an equal member to the quartet. Jackson and Johnson got some garbage snaps.

[After THE JUMP: a steamrolling]