Toussaint, Woolfolk, Gordon and Herron all practiced
Fitz Toussaint, Troy Woolfolk, Cam Gordon and Brandon Herron all practiced today. At this point in the week it appears all will be available for Saturday's game.
September 13th, 2011 at 8:03 PM ^
Let's hope they don't have to see very many snaps anyway.
September 13th, 2011 at 9:37 PM ^
I'd like Cam to get some decent playing time. He needs the game time experience.
September 13th, 2011 at 8:06 PM ^
a tailback (not named Denard) make a statement on Saturday.
September 13th, 2011 at 8:10 PM ^
Didn't smith make one with that critical run at the end of the 4th? Didn't fitz make one against western? I think it should be fitz and smith getting the bulk of the carries. And please no more shaw / Hopkins.
September 13th, 2011 at 8:22 PM ^
And didn't Shaw some how not lose 5 yards when the offensive line decided to be a seive on a up the middle run for one of the hand offs during the ND game? I don't know why everyone is writing off Shaw so quickly. If someone actually blocks for him I think he can do fine. There is a reason he was tied with Fitz going in to the Western game.
September 13th, 2011 at 8:37 PM ^
Shaw was basically given a free TD by our offensive line on that play against Western. He ran through a gigantic hole and was never touched. Good for him, but it didn't offer much predictive value as to how he'd do against better defenses.
September 14th, 2011 at 10:17 AM ^
The Fitz run was exactly the same. No one within a mile of him when he made his long run. Before that run I think Fitz's YPC average was below 4. I understand people are excited about the prospect of what Fitz can be (if he stays healthy), But after watching Shaw last year break tackles and carry defenders on his back for touchdowns (before he got injured) I don't know why people are down on him.
I just find it strange that people think there is a lot that is predictive about Fitz and his one long run, but Shaw's should be taken with a grain of salt. Again, Fitz averaged less than 4 YPC before that one run.
September 14th, 2011 at 12:19 PM ^
He also had some very nice goal line TDs that were, like, a yard a piece. Those bring the YPA down quite a bit, but without those few yards we wouldn't have TDs. Just ask Hopkins how those goal line runs are. Shaw is faster, but at this point it seems like Fitz is a more complete back.
September 13th, 2011 at 8:29 PM ^
shaw has one cut and he's off to the races ability, but he isn't so good at finding holes and shifting his weight to make good cuts. IMO, he needs a different kind of blocking than what our OL can provide against a quality opponent.
September 13th, 2011 at 8:42 PM ^
But outside of Fitz' gift of a run which he didn't take to the house, he really only had one other impressive run. Shaw really hasn't had an opportunity to show much else. I think the gap blocking scheme is better for Shaw, it allows him to hit a hole fast and go. The problem is the offensive line hasn't opened up holes for him outside of his 1 TD. Other than that play it's pretty much been Shaw on his own. I personally don't think he's been much better or worse than Fitz from the small sample size we've seen of him, I think he still needs more carries to get a real feel of where he is at and everyone shouldn't be so quick to write him off.
September 13th, 2011 at 8:50 PM ^
The main difference is that Shaw's a senior and has had opportunities before, and Toussaint hasn't. We have a general idea of what Shaw brings to the table. We don't really know when it comes to Toussaint.
September 13th, 2011 at 10:08 PM ^
I think this system fits better than any system Shaw has been in to date. I also think that players improve from year to year and that Shaw may very well be the best back Michigan has this year (as he often appeared last year before he got hurt). Remember that he seemed to run hard in the Illinois game. He isn't Carlos Brown disguised.
September 13th, 2011 at 8:19 PM ^
Smith made a statement if you consider making one play a statement. Granted, it was a huge play that we needed and he made a great play without the help of our OL. Also that was a technically a pass play so that is why RB not named Denard only had 10 yards.
September 13th, 2011 at 8:46 PM ^
The screen pass for the TD or the play he took out 2 ND players in the hole and Denard ended up with a 10-12 yard run?
September 13th, 2011 at 8:49 PM ^
I was talking about the screen pass. I gotta go back and see that block. Do you remember which quarter it was when it happened?
September 13th, 2011 at 8:55 PM ^
Denard pulled the ball back and went to the left of Smith. Smith then effectively cut off #5 and another ND guy while Denard slipped through. It wasn't a bone crushing hit but he did get the job done.
September 13th, 2011 at 10:56 PM ^
Smith should be in when we need a blocker or someone to catch a pass out of the backfield. Between Shaw and Fitz as an actual running back... I lean pretty strongly toward Fitz but the jury is still out IMO.
September 13th, 2011 at 11:30 PM ^
especially since Smith made the play in a huge way. As I've said in other threads, I would ideally like to see a return to a run game-based approach to EMU, assuming their D is not totally geared to stop the run. 200 yards of production from the non-Denard tailbacks seems like a reasonable benchmark to expect, assuming my hypothesis about the re-emphasized conventional run game is correct.
September 13th, 2011 at 8:21 PM ^
Agreed. Who was that sporting the number 1 jersey?
September 13th, 2011 at 8:24 PM ^
Did you bother to read the words below the video? Stonum is wearing #1 as a scout team WR. He is pretending to be this guy:
http://www.emueagles.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=3371&path=football
September 13th, 2011 at 8:47 PM ^
I think any statements meant to be made by an RB should be saved for next weekend. This weekend I'd be disappointed if they didn't make one.
September 13th, 2011 at 8:49 PM ^
A statement against Eastern??? srsly? Is that even possible? Sounds oxymoronic to me. I'll assume you didnt know we were playing them this week :)
September 13th, 2011 at 8:06 PM ^
I wonder how bad Herron's injury was? I'm not sure how Hawthorne is going to grade out in the UFR, but I wouldn't mind seeing him out there more often.
What do we do about Cam Gordon? We all saw how effective Jake Ryan is when he is allowed to rush the QB. It will be interesting to see how this all play out. Is it possible to swith Cam to WLB and split reps with Hawthrone and Herron?
September 13th, 2011 at 8:37 PM ^
I'm not sure what the solution is, but I do know Ryan has had a knack for getting to the QB, but not shown the ability to play the pass.
Perhaps, dropping him down in place of Heininger/Brink on passing downs and running with MM, Black, Ryan, and RVB on the line with Cam/Demens at LB and then Floyd, Woolfolk, Kovacs, Prison Abs, and either Robinson or Avery with Demens or Cam coming off in dime packages.
Hawthorne/Herron could split plays evenly depending on the situation at WLB and come off the field on passing downs.
So, essentially...
NT-Mike Martin/Quinton Washington
DT-RVB/Campbell(on running downs)
SDE-Heininger or Brink/RVB (on running downs)
WDE-Roh/Black/Ryan (2 of 3 on passing downs)
MLB-Demens/J.B.
SLB-Ryan/Cam (on running downs)
WLB-Hawthorne/Herron
CB-Woolfolk/Avery/Floyd(Nickel)
SS-Kovacs/M-Rob(Dime)
FS-Prison Abs/Carvin
September 13th, 2011 at 8:47 PM ^
This may sound crazy, but I thought BWC flashed some potentional on Saturday. Why not on some plays have:
SDE: RVB
NT: MM
DT: BWC
WDE: Roh/Black
With all that hype coming out of camp of how Heininger and Brink were playing well, I'm disappointed in their production. I guess you can't expect much out of walk-ons not named Kovacs.
Like you said I guess on passing downs we can get Ryan on the line and takeout BWC until he shows us that he can get constant pressure in the backfield.
September 13th, 2011 at 9:18 PM ^
What has Roh done, that Heininger and Brink haven't? He had 0 tackles in two games.
September 13th, 2011 at 9:41 PM ^
Pretty sure I saw Roh a couple times in the ND game making tackles.
September 13th, 2011 at 10:07 PM ^
Craig has zero stats recorded in two games thus far. I guess he may have a few QB hurries, if you considered that a trackable stat, but no tackles.
September 14th, 2011 at 2:43 AM ^
He was around some tackles. He has not had any definitive solo tackles yet. I guess I am just holding onto hope that Roh will turn it on in the coming weeks.
September 13th, 2011 at 8:07 PM ^
Woolfolk has a broken bone in his hand. That's gotta be tough playing DB with that...at least he's not a WR but still.
September 13th, 2011 at 8:08 PM ^
If he has a cast, it will just give him something bigger to bat the ball away if EMU trys to pass the ball.
September 13th, 2011 at 8:37 PM ^
Tough to make an interception though.
September 13th, 2011 at 8:47 PM ^
That is why we have Kovacs.
September 13th, 2011 at 8:18 PM ^
OMG SOMEONE IS WEARING #1!
<br>
<br>/commence speculation
September 13th, 2011 at 8:28 PM ^
Who is it?
September 13th, 2011 at 8:48 PM ^
Stonum... for being the best scout team wr. /shrug.
September 13th, 2011 at 8:30 PM ^
I wouldn't hate simply sitting the 4 of them for Eastern to ensure their all as healthy as possible for a much tougher test in SDSU
September 14th, 2011 at 8:32 AM ^
if Troy needs some cleats with more ankle support (and maybe Cam too), and if Fitz needs to bigger (thicker) '80's shoulder pads.
September 14th, 2011 at 10:01 AM ^
seems beat up
September 14th, 2011 at 10:51 AM ^
should start...just like last year. He's more versatile, smarter, a better pass catcher, a better blocker and more shifty than anyone else we have. He also very rarely loses yardage because he doesn't dance around in the backfield or try to reverse field or anything stupid like that.
We keep talking about how much more potential the other backs have but they have yet to show it. Fitz and Shaw are basially Carlos Brown - fast, not that shifty, but always injured. Games against MAC opponents and DII teams do not count. Smith finds a way to score against the best defenses.