Exit Quintin Somerville
Michigan loses a second defender:
Throw your #4sUp for Quintin Somerville!#GoBruins | @quintinn_2 pic.twitter.com/CqXVFy1mhf
— UCLA Football (@UCLAFootball) December 16, 2020
I jumped the gun in the Jennings post because I was under the impression this had already happened; it had not. Somerville steadily fell over the course of his recruitment and may have been in line for processing in an earlier, less defensively bereft Harbaugh class. In this one he was a 6'1", 260-pound DE who could project inside. That means Michigan has lost literally the only potential DT in the class a year after signing just Kris Jenkins.
There's a lot of speculation that the defensive defections mean that there's going to be a major overhaul on that side of the ball whether Harbaugh returns or not. That seems like a logical inference from here. The problem is that rebuilding this defense is a multi-year project and when next year's defense is hardly better than this year's, that project is likely to be aborted as Harbaugh is shot into the sun and Brian Schottenheimer replaces him.
Upcoming events:
- 1:40 PM: Donovan Edwards commits
- 4 PM: Xavier Worthy announces final decision
- 8 PM: Ja'Den McBurrows announces final decision.
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December 16th, 2020 at 11:53 AM ^
Hire Hoke at DC
Bring in upperclassmen tranfers at DT.
Also, WTH happened to Mazi Smith and Chris Hinton???
December 16th, 2020 at 11:53 AM ^
"The problem is that rebuilding this defense is a multi-year project"
Feels like the staff are going to have to try to rebuild in one year through the transfer portal.
December 16th, 2020 at 12:02 PM ^
To that point, DT and CB don't seem to be what we have solved for regardless of the coaching staff. I feel we will be reading the same season preview regarding the D and watching the same results on D next year unless that portal comes up absolutely huge.
December 16th, 2020 at 12:19 PM ^
Or maybe have kept Mattison?
December 16th, 2020 at 12:39 PM ^
he took title and money, you can't really blame that, I would leave my job this afternoon if someone offered to pay me 2x my salary so he was never going to stay
December 16th, 2020 at 12:20 PM ^
Funny thing about Mazi and I’ll admit I didn’t pay enough attention to see how many plays he got, but:
He absolutely blew up an olineman and crushed the RB on a particular play (don’t remember which game), then they took him out the very next play and didn’t see him after that.
December 16th, 2020 at 1:22 PM ^
I recall seeing the same thing happen with Hinton. I swear our d-line guys must get more tired sprinting back and forth to the sidelines than they do actually playing the game.
December 16th, 2020 at 12:23 PM ^
Hoke's defense at Oregon was, uhh, not good. I'll pass. Now, if you'd like to bring him in as DL coach and 'Crootin Coord, okay - I'd be good with that. But not as the DC.
Shaun Nua happened to Mazi Smith and Chris Hinton.
Edit: WTF just happened? This was supposed to be a reply to Bo Harbaugh's post above. Please read it accordingly - it'll make more sense!
December 16th, 2020 at 12:44 PM ^
Hoke would be a great DL hire. That’s about it.
December 16th, 2020 at 12:53 PM ^
Same, I double-replied thinking I had replied to the wrong comment. The formatting on this website is fucked.
December 16th, 2020 at 12:51 PM ^
I don't know if you're speaking tongue-in-cheek, but Hoke seems to be back in a pretty good spot where he fits in as a head coach of a G5 program with low expectations. I'm pretty doubtful he would leave that position to become a DC at a program that fired him as head coach. Even then, I'm doubtful of his ability as an outright DC at a P5 program based on our limited data at Oregon and Tennessee. He'd be a solid D-line coach I bet. He WAS a good recruiter though, and the guys definitely loved playing for him.
I 100% share your sentiment on Smith and Hinton.
December 16th, 2020 at 12:57 PM ^
Is there any evidence Hoke is actually a good DC? I think he's one of the country's best DL coaches / recruiters and he gets Peter Principled beyond that
December 16th, 2020 at 1:10 PM ^
Not only was Hoke a horrible DC, but he’s also a head coach already. Why would he take a step down to be a DC?
December 16th, 2020 at 1:35 PM ^
Why would Hoke leave sunny California as the San Diego St head coach, for Ann Arbor ? Have some perspective. No matter how much he loves the school, he got fired.
December 16th, 2020 at 2:32 PM ^
I wouldn't hire Brady Hoke to be the custodian at my school...although he looks the part.
December 16th, 2020 at 11:55 AM ^
There’s really only one announcement I care to hear right now. When is Warde Manuel scheduled to announce?
December 16th, 2020 at 1:44 PM ^
That’s not happening.
December 16th, 2020 at 11:55 AM ^
Somerville, Jennings, and McBurrows gone means that there is major defensive staff shake up
December 16th, 2020 at 11:58 AM ^
I don't know. The DT issue may be the one that buries them. However, we've seen in the past that a really competent staff can get a defense back to serviceable. They need a new Dline coach and the LB's were all over the place this year. I'd keep Zordich and bring in some new coaches who are hungry to recruit as well. I guess my point is that getting back to level seems within reach for Michigan. I think some better scheme and coaching at safety and LB and DL would go a long way to getting Michigan back to 25 in S and P defense.
I'm actually more concerned about the offensive doldrums. Warriner has always had guys get better, but the scheme and plan this year were pretty inconsistent. I'd have loved Gattis to turn Michigan into Alabama with receivers putting up gaudy numbers, but it hasn't been that :/
December 16th, 2020 at 12:46 PM ^
A good DC and good DL coach could do some great things with Mazi and Hinton.
December 16th, 2020 at 3:17 PM ^
I'm not a spread guy; and I hate all the swipes about supposed 'modern' offenses.
That said, when Gattis offense is run by McNamara it's a different beast than what it is under Milton. I have no idea why, and it kind of kills me because I love Milton, but it is. Also, towards the end of last year when they started incorporating some Harbaughruns into his offense it helped quite a bit (mainly because Shae wouldn't run for whatever reason. Also, no, this doens't mean 'HARBAUGH RUNS THE OFFENSE IN DOUBLE SECRET!' Just that it looks like he showed Gattis some of his running tricks and they worked).
I almost would like to see a decent WR coach to help out guys run better routes, use their speed to get separation, and catch the ball more consistently.
Non Sequitor: I wonder if Milton looks more successful if Nico comes back. 'Just throw it in the 4 yard area around him and you're good, Joe...'
December 16th, 2020 at 12:00 PM ^
Shruggie Emoji. He always felt like a guy who would fill space at best. I'm much sadder about losing Jennings to Maryland of all places as I thought he really had something at DE, just didn't see it with Somerville.
December 16th, 2020 at 12:01 PM ^
Was really hoping this was an "Exit" post for coach Nua
December 16th, 2020 at 12:03 PM ^
I hate to admit it, but I thought the same thing when I saw the page pop only to be disappointed
December 16th, 2020 at 1:15 PM ^
It’s essentially the same thing if it makes you feel better
December 16th, 2020 at 4:09 PM ^
It does, thank you.
December 16th, 2020 at 12:03 PM ^
The D Line recruiting over the past couple years is sadly reminiscent of the O Line recruiting in the latter days of Rich and the QB recruiting at the end of the Hoke era.
Seems like there's always one position group that serves as the canary in the coalmine that things are about to implode.
December 16th, 2020 at 12:14 PM ^
Personally, I think it is the scheme. Brown goes after developmental "tweeners" for the DL to support his desired 3-4 front. Problem is if he can't develop man-size DTs from his tweeners, B1G OLs will just push that scheme all over the field. Might need to clean house at defense, go back to 4-3 bad-ass B1G type attack. Likely need a new DC who can hit the transfer portal hard for DTs, LBs and CBs, or next year is going to be bleak.
December 16th, 2020 at 12:31 PM ^
Brown's scheme, and the way he calls a game, would be fine - IF he recruited the players he needs to run it. Specifically, top rated CB's and DT's. He's getting the LB's and Safeties he needs (not that they were coached worth a shit this season), but that's not enough.
That point made, he is not recruiting the talent he knows he needs - and that is worthy of being fired.
December 16th, 2020 at 12:18 PM ^
Agreed, but I suggest we have two canaries this time: cornerback recruiting has been pretty dismal the last couple of years too.
December 16th, 2020 at 12:48 PM ^
CB would have not been quite the issue this year if Ambry had stayed with his decision to play the season. Then maybe the younger guys would be ready for next fall.
December 16th, 2020 at 12:59 PM ^
I'll keep beating the drum that the DL was Elite when Hoke and/or Mattison were around and it tanked right after their guys were gone. We still have good ends this year, but there are no DTs anymore. We had a great run of good ones for a while there
December 16th, 2020 at 12:06 PM ^
Losing commits always sucks but this guy does not seem like someone who is going to play a major role in any quick fix.
And I don't agree that next years defense being equal with this years is accurate. Losing Paye is a huge loss but I can't imagine Hutchinson is going pro with zero junior film and he doesn't seem like a transfer candidate considering his bloodlines. The 3 big tackles will be back (Hinton, Smith, Jeter) and older/better. Same with all of the corners. Can't imagine McGrone goes anywhere considering the poor tape from this year. Losing Ross and Hawkins could be bad but there also may be upgrades already on the roster. The big wild card would be a Dax Hill transfer it seems premature to come to that conclusion.
We have a lot of defensive talent. A different scheme/defensive regime change could make a huge difference.
December 16th, 2020 at 1:00 PM ^
The 3 big tackles will be back (Hinton, Smith, Jeter) and older/better.
I hope so, but that exact same line was probably in the preview for this season and it didn't happen. I think our DT coaching has been poor lately. There is talent on the roster that isn't developing
December 16th, 2020 at 12:08 PM ^
The sense of dread about the defensive side of the ball is palpable. Wouldn't it be interesting if we get a great offensive haul in this class, then a stud DC and D Line coach that act as a talent magnet over the next several months? I know nothing, but the tea leaves are readable
December 16th, 2020 at 1:37 PM ^
All it takes is to get a grad transfer from say Clemson or Bama, who have ten each, to cover us... but this doesn't happen. Or find guys who aren't playing, and stuck behind stars.
December 16th, 2020 at 12:10 PM ^
It's quite wild that our prognostications about a multimillion-dollar football program hinge on the decisions of a set of 17 year-olds.
Not saying it's good, bad, or both. Just saying it's wild.
December 16th, 2020 at 12:16 PM ^
This is the least excited about a signing day I have been in years. Normally, there was the potential of an exciting add on at the end of the day. This year, it seems to be about minimizing the bad news and defections.
December 16th, 2020 at 12:27 PM ^
This is a really solid class on offense. Given all the turmoil this year, we are really lucky to sign it quite frankly.
However, we have major issue on defense. We need to fill our major holes with the transfer portal and add size in the front 7. We are getting pushed all over the field ... B1G OLs out-size and out-hit Don Brown's "tweeners". It doesn't seem that true NFL-minded DTs want to come to Michigan any longer and that makes Mongo sad.
December 16th, 2020 at 12:23 PM ^
What is Down Brown doing? Does he think he can run his style of defense without recruits? Ridiculous.
December 16th, 2020 at 12:55 PM ^
"Speed in space" is the new mantra on the defensive side of the ball.
"Space" because of our undersized DLs and because our severe roster limitations allow us to put only nine men on the field. "Speed" because... well, never mind. Just "space" then. "Space and space."
But nothing super creative blitz packages can't overcome.
December 16th, 2020 at 12:24 PM ^
Schottenheimer would be a totally awesome name for a dog breed.
"Yeah, I rescued this Schottenheimer from the humane society. He's totally loyal, but really likes humping legs"
December 16th, 2020 at 12:28 PM ^
They gotta dump Harbaugh at this point. Not gonna go through a season where excuses are made for the D because he lost recruits and another "Just wait till next year when the coordinator has all his guys and they learned the system!"
December 16th, 2020 at 12:36 PM ^
Nua has the Kubrick look in that photo. You know what that means according to Brian? Bad things. Very bad things.
December 16th, 2020 at 12:42 PM ^
I get the feeling that Nua's picture in Somerville's commitment flip post was done for a reason.
December 16th, 2020 at 12:49 PM ^
Are any scholarship O-lineman on the roster or in this class potential DT candidates? Also, are there any WRs willing to try the other side of the ball at CB? I know people think the staff has failed at recruiting, but one of Harbaugh’s signatures has been taking versatile players and finding the right fit on either side of the ball. There are examples abound at all his stops at the college level. The situation looks bleak right now, but wonder if any of the insiders on the board have insight on potential position switches.
Also, who are the prime candidates at both positions in the transfer portal? Is Michigan pursuing or is that a question for the new coach and/or coaches however things shake out?
December 16th, 2020 at 12:53 PM ^
They should offer Phil Parker the DC job. Ik he’s loyal to Iowa but he makes $600k. Michigan could close to double his salary and test his loyalty.
December 16th, 2020 at 12:58 PM ^
Plenty of room for surprises, but indications are that Harbaugh stays and Brown heads to the au reservoir. So who's the new D coordinator? We've had so much speculation about replacing Jimmy, but I have to page back three times through recent diaries to find mention of one candidate, Mike Elson of ND. Who else we got?
December 16th, 2020 at 2:05 PM ^
Chances are ND DC gets a HC job and Elson becomes ND DC.
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