drew singleton

Previously: Offense, Last Year. Resources: My charting, RU game notes, RU roster, CFBstats

Rutgers has a system defense, so if you read this you'll learn what a Stunt 4-3 is. Then on Saturday you'll be able to point at the nose tackle lining up at a weird angle, and explain why he does that, and then say something smart about NFL history. It won't make you popular, but if you're really into knowing things for the sake of knowing things, you were never going to be popular.

The film: Indiana, whose offense is actually a decent comp for ours, sorta. Next year maybe.

Personnel: My diagram:

PDF Version, full-size version (or click on the image). Bell got his star, Milton did not, two OL cyaned.

Even more than the offense, Rutgers built their defense out of other peoples' players. You'll most lament starting 3-tech #99 Michael Dwumfour (+24/-8.5), whose Nelsonesque zeal for barging into the enemy's backfield works well for their system. #11 Drew Singleton (+2/-0, +0/-4 coverage) is the rotational backup LB after . We also got to see second-string DE #71 Aaron Lewis on the field quite a bit. He looks long and strong, and likely to justify Don Brown's recruitment of him for years after Brown's SDE scouting is no longer a Michigan asset. They're a bit more circumspect about their Buckeye contingent. DT-ish DE #55 Malik Barrow (+2/5/-1.5) stopped at UCF to cover his tracks. Cornerback #21 Tre Avery changed his name from Kareem Felder when he transferred in 2017. Starting boundary (free) safety #7 Brendon White (+2/-3, +0/-4 cov) stays off-screen unless absolutely necessary.

[After THE JUMP: Players Rutgers actually recruited]

Per Steve Lorenz:

247Sports confirmed with Michigan spokesman Dave Ablauf on Wednesday afternoon that second-year linebacker Drew Singleton has asked for and received a release from the program.

[Bryan Fuller]

Previously: Podcast 10.0A. Podcast 10.0B. Podcast 10.0C. The Story. Quarterback. Running Back. Wide Receiver. Tight End And Friends. Offensive Tackle. Interior Offensive Line. Defensive Tackle. Defensive End.

Michigan returns two All Big Ten performers who were true sophomores a year ago and has a third guy who they're so hyped about that they're inventing a position for him, more or less. Weakside linebacker? Eh... it'll be fine.

VIPER: I HEAR THE VOICES IN MY HEAD THEY TELL ME TO TACKLE PEOPLE IN THE BACKFIELD ESPECIALLY IF THEY'RE GOPHEEEEEEEERS

Rating: 5.

HOPE YOU DIDN'T NEED THAT STERNUM [Bryan Fuller]

Look, man: it's a credibility issue. Recent events related to folks named McDoom and Norfleet may have dented the air of impregnable correctness and certainty this site lives up to on a daily, nay, hourly basis. So this is not a tooting of one's own horn. It is merely... a reminder of the trust you willingly and thankfully put into this site:

Yeah, Jabrill Peppers is gone. I'm not sweating it. I'm wearing a KHALEKE HUDSON [recruiting profile] fez, waving a Khaleke Hudson flag, and writing a PhD dissertation about Khaleke Hudson's senior highlight reel. Anyone who's read this site for a hot second knows its staff comprises the biggest Hudson fan group outside of his immediate family, and if he takes off like Michigan hopes he will they're going to have to really up their game at Christmas.

You probably shouldn't listen to us when the topic is an offensive skill player who should have gone to Oregon. But.. eh? Eh? Eh? Pretty good right?

Hudson stepped into Peppers's shoes with barely a hiccup. He was a lethal blitzer, sure tackler,—just three misses on the season—punishing hitter, and ... uh... largely untested cover guy. While his headline numbers were propped up by a desperate/dumb gameplan from Minnesota that led to an all-time program single-game TFL record, his play over the course of the season was as elite as the shiny TFL and sack numbers imply.

He missed zero tackles in run D, making 45. His pressure rate of nearly 30% is top ten nationally amongst returning back seven players. His 21 run stops leads returning Big Ten safeties. And he graded out better than Peppers, per PFF. This site had a difficult time deciding whether Hudson or Devin Bush was dreamier for much of the year.

Don't let the Minnesota game cloud your memory. Hudson wasn't just a free runner. He was capable of jetting past blockers who couldn't match his get-off...

#7 OLB to top of line

...and able to redirect inside OL worried about said get-off:

#7 OLB to top of line

And anyone who remembers Brandon Harrison can appreciate Hudson's ability to close under control when he is in fact given a free run:

And tackling? This guy's got more tackles than Michigan's entire roster /weeps in corner

[After THE JUMP: my bad on the tackles joke you guys]