Hi everyone. First time posting. In light of Harbaugh's recent statement that the freshmen DTs are close to contributing, I thought it would be useful to see how Chris Hinton performed against Rutgers backups in garbage time of a blowout win.

Obviously, that is not representative of most of the rest of Michigan's competition, but I looked for opponent-invariant details that might give us some insight into what to expect down the road. Some pics weren't available, since the video graciously provided by ldevon1 was no longer available due to copyright.

Hinton got in on the last two drives (really, just one drive and one play) of the game for a total of six plays, so the sample size wasn't large. He played 3T the entire time.

Spoiler: I thought Hinton looked quite good in this very limited sample size. I had him for three +2 plays, one +1, and one -0.5. He fires off the snap faster than virtually anyone else on the line and showed strength and flashed a literal heads-up play at the end. It bodes well for him getting a larger number of snaps in the next few games, unless the coaches wish to preserve his RS. Snap review follows. 

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Snap 1: 2nd and 5, Rutgers 20. Hinton @3T near RG, 6:25

Rutgers sends the TE in motion to be a lead blocker and runs a pin and pull, pulling the C and RG. Hinton is engaged by the RT, whom he pushes a yard into the backfield (+1). This makes the C redirect upfield and unable to make a useful block. RB tackled by Gray. (no pic)

Snap 2: 3rd and 1, Rutgers 24, Hinton @3T near LG, 5:45

Hinton runs a stunt with the DE (Upshaw, I think), who crosses in front of him. He engages an H-back at the LOS and knocks him back a yard just as the back sweeps by him. This impedes Gil's backside pursuit a bit; it doesn't matter since Barrett has sniffed it out, but not quite in time to prevent the 1st down. 

Snap 3: 1st and 10, Rutgers 26, Hinton @3T near RG, 5:04

Rutgers fakes the jet. As the QB and RB mesh, Hinton stands up to a double team from the C and RG, and, ever-so-briefly a triple team from the LG too, and goes nowhere (+2). It constricts the hole, allowing for a fairly easy fill by a S for a 3 yd gain. 

                            Hinton is getting doubled here, goes nowhere

Snap 4: 2nd and 7, Rutgers 29, Hinton@3T near RG, 4:20 

Hinton fires off the ball cleanly and WAY before the rest of the line, impressively chucking the RG (+2) to the ground; play is a jet sweep away from him (the one Hill disabled for a TFL, with cleanup from Gil), but this would have blown up an interior run. 

                           Hinton is the DT already fired into the RG

Snap 5: 3rd and 10, Rutgers 26, Hinton@3T near RG, 3:40

Sitkowski drops back. Hinton drives the C back about 4 yards (+0.5) and almost helps pay off the impressive bend and rush from Uche, who has Sitkowski dead in his sights and about to have a crunching sack; however, Uche gets around at 10 yards, which allows Sitkowski to step up at the very last second and find the lane vacated by Uche's rush. Now there's a ton of space. Hinton isn't going to shut down all of this, but the C does manage to keep him on the C's right to make the space all the larger (-1). Sitkowski manages to scramble and slide for 3 yards, tackled by Anthony, forcing the punt. 

                          How is this not a RAWR sack for Uche? Hinton at the 21 yd line

Snap 6: 1st and 10, Rutgers 20, Hinton @3T near RG, 0:17

Rutgers runs a zone read with no read since it's the end of a blowout. Hinton fires into the RG, again before the rest of the OL and DL. Hinton fights through the RG block, keeps his head up and sees the back coming. He again chucks the OL and makes the tackle on the RB himself (+2) with Barrett there to get a TFL at the 18, until the back squirts forward for 2 yards (no pic). 

We just had a game column where we discussed how two people can have incredibly different experiences of the same ostensible reality, so YMMV. In that light, what were your impressions? Did you see promise for this year and beyond?