Running Back Situation (Issac & Smith)
Take it away, Aquaman.
http://thisismichiganfootball.blogspot.com/2012/03/running-back-situation.html
Who wouldn't be happy with either guy? However, it would be nice to have the top rated quarterback and runningback in the Midwest for '13.
Isaac
March 12th, 2012 at 10:29 PM ^
what she said.
March 12th, 2012 at 11:27 PM ^
What the llama said.
OH MY @#$!@#$! WHERES THE @#$!@#$! BALL!!@#$!@$!@$!@#
I know this isn't following the comments but I've wondered this for a while. Are punters allowed to wear receiver's gloves? That play makes me wonder. If I were a punter I would want to make sure that didn't happen to me.
Wiem, że to nie w wyniku uwag ale Zastanawiałem się to na chwilę. Czy gracze mogą nosić rękawice odbiornika? Że gra sprawia mi zastanawiać. Gdybym punter chciałbym się upewnić, że nie doszło do mnie.
March 13th, 2012 at 10:32 AM ^
It's a Polish thing, you wouldn't understand.
first served I guess, I mean whoever wants to be here more is the guy I want.
what HE said.
I am still confused on the coaches choice to keep Shallman as a tailback. Two complementary backs are interested in Michigan and Shallman has shown ability on the defensive end.
Same. Shallman, if in the backfield at all, is a fullback or an H back. I said it a while ago that it boggles the mind to envision Sione Houma at fullback blocking for Wyatt Shallman at runningback. He could easily figure in as a defensive end/linebacker hybrid, as well.
March 12th, 2012 at 10:17 PM ^
you must be too young to remember bunch and hoard in the same backfield.
March 12th, 2012 at 11:28 PM ^
Now that was a wrecking ball backfield.
March 13th, 2012 at 12:51 AM ^
Shallman- Mike Alstott?
It's especially confusing when you watch Shallman's highlights. His highlights don't show him breaking any tackles. What other reason do we want a 260 pound tailback other than to plow through some defenders?
That's what I see as well. Smith, on the other hand, is a tackle-breaking machine. I just don't get the notion that Shallman is going to be an effective RB at BCS-level competition. Fullback, maybe. I think he's better suited to being a TE myself. For a TE, he'd have good speed and it appears as though he's got decent hands.
And if anybody's blocking for anybody else, Shallman should be clearing holes for Houma, not the other way around. Houma has the speed to take it the distance; Shallman doesn't.
Let's maybe give these 16 year olds 18 months to get on campus and see what they have...
They want an earth mover back there, it's gonna be fun to watch.
Hopkins was pretty effective as a goal line threat. I see shallman as the same type of player. A luxury goal line back.
Especially that trick play where he threw the ball backwards to Denard as he was tackled.
agree one bit at all about Hopkins the guy was pretty bad at short yardage runs. He fumbles way too much, and against ND if Denard wasn't paying attention that comeback never happens. He moved to FB cause he wouldn't have seen the feild any other way unless he cured his dropping the pigskin on the field.
He got much better as a full back as the season went on. He drew a lot of attention diving over the goal line on Denard pa's and Fitz smashs. You can at least see what Borges has in mind with Houma and Shallman.
Rotating/Choosing between Isaac and Smith > Having a "neat" play to call twice a game. Those little sets aren't going to kill MSU or OSU, and who's really concerned with what we call against anyone else in the Big Ten. They're not going to stop anyone anyways.
Maybe they promised him a shot at it if he would commit. He seems like a pretty talented all-around athlete, strategy could be to give him his shot, and if it doesn't work out move him elsewhere. If he's so poorly-suited for tailback he should realize that by his spot on the depth chart and switch, or, if he's actually good / useful then we keep him at TB.
March 13th, 2012 at 12:22 AM ^
I think Isaac wants to be THE running back in this class at whichever school he goes to. If Deveon picks Michigan soon, we might be out of it for Isaac. I don't really know, though.
I watch Smith every Friday night during the season...I feel like he is a good RB who if he had breakaway speed would be elite..Isaac does have the breakaway speed but he runs very upright and i think Smith will be more durable due to his low running style... I think either will get the job done so im fine with whatever happens.
For what its worth Smith plays the same competiton as Toussaint played and having watched alot of both id say Smith is better at this time than Fitz was..and thats not a knock on Fitz
Funny you mention Fitz, because that is who Isaac reminds me of. Except better. His tape is unreal.
March 12th, 2012 at 10:03 PM ^
The Marcus Allen comparison is the best I've heard. Allen had more of an upright running style and seemed to survive just fine. He even dated OJ's ex and lived to tell about it.
March 13th, 2012 at 12:20 AM ^
So did McGuffie.
March 13th, 2012 at 12:22 AM ^
McGuffie dated OJ's ex?
March 13th, 2012 at 12:36 AM ^
Gosh dang it, I knew that was going to happen, lol. McGuffie ran upright too. I'm not sure about his ex but that sounds more Sandusky style.
March 12th, 2012 at 10:05 PM ^
Could you elaborate? The only comparison I see is that they are both really good. From what I've seen they could not be any different.
every time i've seen smith in person he reminds me of a slower maurice clarrett in high school. vision/cut backs are elite. always seems to get an extra 3 yards where there's nothing.
Man, after watching a guy like Adrian Peterson run upright all of these years, I sure would hate to have a guy like that in our backfield.
that is the reason people are mentioing the running style. The arguement is that running style leads to injuries and Peterson is a perfect example. I mean...has he ever finished a full season since he start college. He has missed tons of games.
March 13th, 2012 at 10:11 AM ^
robert smith is another one who couldn't stay on the field but was very effective when healthy
Any one of the current RBs we have offered would be just fine with me and would easily be the highest rated back we have landed in quit some time. Funny how that gets lost in all of this.
Will Steve be joining this site or at the very least get a link for his twitter/page on the sidebar? I recall this post from weeks past and didn't know if there has been an update,
http://mgoblog.com/mgoboard/hello-aquaman
I really enjoy his interviews and think he is a great compliment to Ace.
Keep up with the good work.
#freeSteveLorenz
Smith will be a Wolverine. We'll play against Isaac in the Rose Bowl.
I've gotten the impression that he really wants to visit USC (I mean, who wouldn't?), but I think if we lose him, it'd be to Notre Dame.
I used to think ND was the main competition, especially considering his high school, but he supposedly wants a pro-style offense and ND sounds like they are behind UM and USC.
if Isaac is #1 on the coaches board i dont see them taking Smith this early in the year.
The coaches would take Smith's commitment, which is why this whole debate has come up infinite times this week.
im sure Smith is a great back but it would be ashame to possibly be out of it for Ty by the end of March. Ill be happy with either guy,i trust the coaches.
Hoke and Co. are off to a fast start because they aren't joking around and the Recruits take them seriously. If a recruit wants to visit, they know the status of their position before hand. I really would like to see Isaac in a winged helmet, but if they take Smith first because Isaac wasn't ready, It solidifies that the coaches aren't blowin smoke up their asses. Every year they stick by that, thhe more we will see early recruiting dominance.
March 12th, 2012 at 10:26 PM ^
His film isn't as jaw dropping as Issac's, but the idea of him playing for ohio or sparty makes me uncomfortable. If we don't get him I really hope he ends up out of conference.
I haven't seen Smith's tape, but I watch Isaacs a couple of days ago. Its insane, he is never caught from behind throughout the whole 12 minutes of him running past people for 30-50 yrd TDS. He is 6-3 220 as a high school junior, and with pretty good hands to judge from the video.
He is just too good of an athelete to not get on board if at all possible.