Early Look at Next Year: The D-line looks like a problem spot
Turning the page on this awful end to the year:
An under discussed aspect of the Harbaugh era has been the number on misses in d-line recruiting, particularly in the interior. In the last two games, a lack of a consistent pass rush killed us. This was particularly acute from Kemp, Mone, Marshall and Dwumfour.
With the Solomon transfer (and Hudson who should have stayed at D tackle dammit), we're looking at:
Dwumfour
Kemp
Jeter
Myers, I guess
Paea possibly moves back
And lots of snaps for Mazi and Hinton.
This seems like a problem. Thoughts?
December 30th, 2018 at 11:23 AM ^
I have no doubt that we will have a solid defense that can feast on most of our schedule based on the fact that Brown fielded an elite defense with shit-ass Boston College talent. With that said, the lack of DTs is concerning. The fact that we couldn't create pressure up the middle was a large part of why Florida and OSU lit us up IMO.
December 30th, 2018 at 12:06 PM ^
This is where I am at. We are back to the days when 8-4 is the absolute bottom. Between "being Michigan" and Brown's scheme, there will always be enough guys to out-talent at least 2/3 of the schedule.
The problem is a lack of pass rush and a lack of edge-management (setting it, QB contain, wheel routes, etc) have been bone-crushing against teams with a pulse for all 3 of Brown's years.
The coaches know the front 7 looks as weak on paper as we do. There better be some scheme adjustments or creative blitzing to create pressure or the axe will have to fall.
December 30th, 2018 at 11:23 AM ^
The D will be fine .. This is Harbaughs best chance if he doesn’t beat OSU at home then he needs to get fired
December 30th, 2018 at 11:33 AM ^
After what happened yesterday and vs OSU I don't know how anyone can say the D will be "fine." They have a major talent issue and play almost exclusively cover 1. They don't force opposing QB's to make any reads. Brown's defense has been figured out and he sure as shit better adapt or it's going to be a long year. Time to move to a cover 3 or cover 2 defense. This single high safety crap with a mediocre DL ain't going to be good news. Ryan Day and Dan Mullen ate Don Brown's lunch and it was easy for them because Brown played one defense the entire game and all they had to do was make simple checks at the line to get into the right plays. It was so sad watching.
December 30th, 2018 at 1:11 PM ^
You’re right that Brown needs to make some coverage adjustments. But the problem defensively yesterday was the running game.
December 30th, 2018 at 11:38 AM ^
What's your definition of fine? Good enough to beat run of the mill Big Ten teams? I agree. Good enough for us to beat top 10 teams while still running our current schemes? Then you must have your head in the sand.
December 30th, 2018 at 12:49 PM ^
I agree with you 100 percent about Harbaugh being fired if he don’t beat OSU
December 30th, 2018 at 11:24 AM ^
Call me crazy, but I trust Mattison more than Brown.
December 30th, 2018 at 11:30 AM ^
Mattison seems to have lost his curveball too honestly. How many times are our dline men gonna run up the field only to lose contain and let the QB scramble for 30 yards? One of the commentators pointed out last night how Bama stays abreast of where Kyler Murray is and doesn’t push nearly as high up
Larry Johnson at OSU has been outcoaching him too.
December 30th, 2018 at 11:46 AM ^
I totally agree. Mattison has given this school his all, but he's slowing down. Time for someone new.
December 30th, 2018 at 2:08 PM ^
I believe Al Washington is the DL coach-in- waiting whenever Matty retires. AW played DL when he was in college.
December 30th, 2018 at 2:48 PM ^
I totally agree. I think that retirement should be now.
December 30th, 2018 at 11:27 AM ^
Kemp, Dwumfour, Jeter and probably Mazi will be the rotating four guys.
It gets really interesting after them, though. Usually DT’s don’t stay healthy for a full year.
December 30th, 2018 at 11:36 AM ^
Hinton will play too - at least 5 guys in the mix
December 30th, 2018 at 11:43 AM ^
Two true freshman, two guys that are small and played average at best this year, and another guy who couldn't crack the rotation despite an obvious need for more depth. This should scare the shit out of everyone.
December 30th, 2018 at 12:08 PM ^
Every year it is the same old complaints—Hurst turned a corner and became a beast. Dwumfour turned a corner and realized his ability. People on here complain about underclassman being flops when those guys are third stringers converting from DEs, packing on 40 to 50 pounds in some cases, when those players had higher ranked, bigger, and older guys in front of them.
Mone was a freshman starter years ago—a highly ranked guy was a 340 pound space eater from the start. There is nothing wrong with Smith and Hinton being in the rotation if they’re good enough and big enough.
Those Bama DTs are huge—they must major in eating protein.
The whole point of college is to develop every year. Of course, if you felt you were as smart and good at your major and understood it all as a freshman and sophomore, good for you. Yet, I highly doubt this blog is made up of instant college 4.0 gpas—even those who were academic stars in high school.
Harbaugh’s staff has work to do with the players, yes. But there is so much instant, short term trashing of players’ abilities to develop that most have barely seen outside of garbage time in a few games.
December 30th, 2018 at 3:16 PM ^
And every year we lose to OSU and fail to win the B1G so I'm not sure what you're getting at.
December 30th, 2018 at 11:28 AM ^
Meh. All of the rotation guys can improve a little. Smith looks like he will be able to contribute a lot early given his size, strength, and explosiveness and Hinton could be a situational guy like Hutchinson was. Jeter and Kemp are key.
December 30th, 2018 at 11:31 AM ^
The last couple years have conditioned me to believe that offense will be the issue.
December 30th, 2018 at 11:32 AM ^
Im expecting to see more attempts at the 3-3-5 to start the year which may actually be better for the players we have next year. Seems like we have a lot more LB's depth and younger guys who are very athletic and be used to cause pressure.
December 30th, 2018 at 11:34 AM ^
That would be hilarious given how awful Michigan was at playing the 3-3-5 this year.
December 30th, 2018 at 11:39 AM ^
LB depth? Sure didn't see it yesterday.
December 30th, 2018 at 11:48 AM ^
We have a lot of LB shaped players. Not to say that they're any good.
December 30th, 2018 at 11:50 AM ^
Don't worry, we have a baseball player, a basketball player, and a kid who lost his starting job at IMG coming in this recruiting class. We're good there. Recruiting rankings don't matter trust the coaches.
December 30th, 2018 at 12:07 PM ^
I actually like the potential of the baseball and basketball player. It's the IMG guy that looks slow .
December 30th, 2018 at 12:12 PM ^
The baseball player who lives 8 minutes from ohio state? Yeah, they wanted him so bad as football player that they offered him a baseball scholarship. They didn't even know he played football. But yeah, feel good about that.
December 30th, 2018 at 11:33 AM ^
Our defensive lines have gotten less pressure the more Hoke recruited players have left. Taco, Glasgow, Godin, and Wormley were a fantastic combo. This year's combo was never quite as good.
December 30th, 2018 at 1:15 PM ^
Severely underrated comment
December 30th, 2018 at 11:34 AM ^
Let's be real, a true freshman can surprise, if they hit the weights hard and have a good motor they can be better than a senior. So it's a wait and see really.
December 30th, 2018 at 11:36 AM ^
Two most important early enrollees: Mazi Smith for d line depth and Zack Charbonnet, given how much Harbaugh likes to run the ball. D line is thin next year and running back talent is thin too. RB rotation of Evans, Turner, and Charbonnet should be serviceable.
December 30th, 2018 at 11:41 AM ^
Turner looks like the real deal.
December 30th, 2018 at 11:52 AM ^
Based on what? 8 runs inside the horrible tackles for 2 yards total? The lost td was a good run, yes, but he still went out of bounds. So nothing i saw yesterday makes me think any of the backs are the real deal.
December 30th, 2018 at 12:09 PM ^
I think he can be as good as Higdon. Which is nice but isn't going to scare good teams.
December 30th, 2018 at 12:12 PM ^
Turner picked up Shea's dropped ball and then ran it into FG range, didn't he? That was a heads up play that the typical Michigan RB wouldn't make.
December 30th, 2018 at 12:15 PM ^
Ok, 1 heads up play that he turned a disaster into salvageable. If that's his calling card, we've got a long season ahead of us as fans next year. "Here shea, fumble it real quick so the running back can actually turn it into positive yards....."
December 30th, 2018 at 12:26 PM ^
I saw a kid with good feet, quickness and speed with a frame that looks good and will add strength.
December 30th, 2018 at 12:41 PM ^
Im probably being over critical of turner himself. Im probably including him in my negativity, which honestly, yesterday's game isn't a real measuring stick to forn a conclusion on him in either direction.
December 30th, 2018 at 1:10 PM ^
Gee, ya think? You shit on everyone. I hope you don't have children.
December 30th, 2018 at 1:14 PM ^
Ha, nice try bud.
December 30th, 2018 at 1:20 PM ^
I'm not your friend.
December 30th, 2018 at 1:43 PM ^
Got me there friend.
December 30th, 2018 at 12:45 PM ^
Turner will end up having a better career than Evans, but that's not saying much. At least he has an elite RB coach like Jay to depend on.
December 30th, 2018 at 11:38 AM ^
I'm sure we'll get pressure against most opponents and then get exposed by others.
December 30th, 2018 at 11:40 AM ^
I have no doubt the D will take a step back next year because the line is losing a lot. I also have no doubt that they will still be pretty good.
Im more worried about the O. Yesterday was a chance to preview the sort of pass-heavy offense we might expect to see next year. Instead it felt like more of the same. Like they didn’t even know guys like Collins, DPJ, Gentry, and Black existed. And they continually refused to use Shea as a running threat even though that was a primary reason they beat Wisconsin, MSU, and PSU.
I want Pep gone. I have a feeling Harbaugh is less involved with the offense than we think...at the very least he needs a college spread-type OC in his ear. Because this NFL style isn’t working...reminded me of the Hoke days under Gardener.
December 30th, 2018 at 12:32 PM ^
Pass protection was and still is the issue with the offense....need to recruit OL much better
December 30th, 2018 at 11:53 AM ^
Sure we have question marks on the DL but the emergence of guys like Hurst, Winovich, Glasgow and others can happen when you add another year in the program.
Opportuniy is there. Guys need to step up.
December 30th, 2018 at 12:01 PM ^
What befuddled me is that we cannot seem to get depths at the O/D line position after all this time? It’s the bread and butter of our playbook but after 4 years little improvement has been made.
Clemson benched 3 d-liners and one being an all american and future NFL but didn’t seem to affect much.
???
December 30th, 2018 at 12:09 PM ^
Do you notice the size difference of d lineman on these elite teams? They are big and athletic and pressure damn near every time. The only reason our interior lineman had any success this year was due to end play being pretty good. This will all change in 19.
December 30th, 2018 at 12:34 PM ^
That is the problem with Vilain being injured, Solomon transferring, Hutchinson not making an impact and having two extremely developmental players in last years class. Not many teams can miss like this and field a deep team. Clemson and Alabama haven't had misses. That is why they are consistently good.
The offense looked poor because of how awful the oline played. The tackles were terrible. 5 sacks and a crap load of pressure. The game was lost because the lines played like crap.