January 2nd, 2023 at 2:52 PM ^
Bummer.
January 2nd, 2023 at 2:52 PM ^
Linebacker is a position we can't afford many losses. We have no depth at all.
January 2nd, 2023 at 2:57 PM ^
Stop.
This is seriously so annoying that people do the hand wringing about depth after every transfer announcement. You do realize we’re currently over 100 scholarships right now, right?
We play 2 LBs and we have Colson, NHG, Rolder, Hausman, possibly Barrett and 5 other LBs.
We are fine. Attrition happens.
January 2nd, 2023 at 3:04 PM ^
Yeah well all i read from coyote and others all year was how bad rolder is. Still dont know about barrett coming back, and who knows what happens with nhg? Nobody said a damn thing about even what happened, let alone what the prognosis is. Thats a TON of uncertainty. Forgive me.
Edit* And as far as the true freshmen, you're basically replacing a guy with a full year in the program with someone just coming in. Ive also seen from coyote how pollard isnt that great either.
January 2nd, 2023 at 3:55 PM ^
Yeah well all i read from coyote and others all year was how bad rolder is.
Yeah because true freshmen linebackers suck. It’s a hard position to play, especially in this defense. Rolder also saw the field while Spurlock took a redshirt so…
Michigan will have at least two (up to 4) linebackers with starting experience for two spots. PLUS Rolder who saw the field as a true freshman. Settle down.
January 2nd, 2023 at 4:02 PM ^
FWIW Coyote DIDNT spend "all year" talking about how bad Rolder was. This was pretty much your text book "Internet Double Down". Further, if you're (the commenter) actually down on Rolder, a guy who was actually playing as a true frosh in real games, why do you even have an opinion of Deuce Spurlock? Losing someone who wasn't good enough to beat him out should be a good thing in that kind of obscuro world view, no?
In actuality, he was a true frosh LB who had a promising season. He beat out Mullings (perhaps you saw him move over to offense) by the Penn State game. And he was graded with ups and downs by this site all year and was the third leading snap guy by the time we were playing Ohio. All world? No. Good enough to be seeing meaningful snaps against real opponents as a TF LB? Yes.
January 2nd, 2023 at 6:19 PM ^
Someone then should remind coyote that Rolder is a true freshman and that he's seeing the field now, is astounding.
January 2nd, 2023 at 3:46 PM ^
Thank you! We're gonna lose roughly a dozen players to the portal between now and August. It's the way it goes. The only reason to get annoyed is when a key player bolts. And that will happen, no doubt. But no reason at all to be surprised when guys buried on the depth chart leave.
January 2nd, 2023 at 4:45 PM ^
With the portal, depth charts can go out of wack real quick. Deuce was already behind quite a few, and with Hausmann transferring that's another that'd be ahead. Most of the portal additions are going to play meaningful minutes(except the QB Tuttle). I think if you have anyone who just finished year 2 or 3 that really hasn't played, I wouldn't be surprised if they transfer.
January 2nd, 2023 at 8:16 PM ^
lol, we'll live.
EDGE: Derrick Moore / Braiden McGregor
3. Taylor Upshaw
4. TJ Guy
5. Aymeric Koumba
ILB: Junior Colson
2. Nikhai Hill-Green / Ernest Hausmann
4. Jimmy Rolder
5. Micah Pollard / Jaydon Hood
7. Semaj Bridgeman
8. Hayden Moore / Jason Hewlett
ILB: Michael Barrett
2. Nikhai Hill-Green / Ernest Hausmann
4. Jimmy Rolder
5. Micah Pollard / Jaydon Hood
7. Semaj Bridgeman
8. Hayden Moore / Jason Hewlett
EDGE/OLB: Jaylen Harrell / Eyabi Okie
3 Josaiah Stewart
4. Joey Velasquez
5. Kechaun Bennett / Tyler McLaurin
7. Breeon Ishmail
January 2nd, 2023 at 2:58 PM ^
Got the kid coming in from Nebraska, Rolder, NHG, Colson, Pollard, J. Hood, and Bridgeman, Moore and Hewlett coming in. Ofcourse it's possible Barrett is back too.
Pretty decent depth, for now.
January 2nd, 2023 at 3:00 PM ^
Or it's not... just depends on how the crumbling cookie crumbles I suppose.
Back - Colson
Back - Rolder
In - Hausmann
? - Barrett
? - NHG (We assume back but what about this situation isn't weird?)
Back? - Moten (Is the position switch during the bowl permanent?)
Plus... Bridgeman, Hewlett, Moore and Ishmail (Class of 23)
January 2nd, 2023 at 3:24 PM ^
I was at the game right behind the Michigan bench. NHG was in street clothes (a Meechie hoodie in fact) and was doing the player coach thing injured guys (with heart) do. He was totally engaged and seems locked in. He was probably less than 100% and felt like he couldn’t bring his A game. Doesn't seem weird at all.
January 2nd, 2023 at 3:35 PM ^
Weird = Near the end of preseason JH referred to NHG's injury as a "soft tissue' injury and it was thought that he would be back hopefully by game one, or more likely game two. He even dressed for Hawaii. Then "probably more like game 4" was a report on an "insider" board. With another update saying "likely by Nebraska."
None of it panned out. He sat the entire season with the only update really being "soft tissue" then later "nagging" injury.
Maybe that doesn't seem weird to you. Seems weird to me. Not suspicious. But weird. Also, until he's actually playing, with no other details about it (not expecting details), I'm also not super confident saying he'd be playing football again.
January 2nd, 2023 at 4:11 PM ^
While I hope that I'm not misremembering, I thought someone "in the know" posted mid-season that NHG was dealing with a nagging hamstring issue that he retweaked at some point in practice. Seems roughly similar to what bothered DPJ. Just for what it's worth.
January 2nd, 2023 at 4:37 PM ^
Injuries are weird in general. You can easily retweak an existing injury if you come back too early, even if you’re feeling great at the time. Soft tissue injuries are no different.
January 2nd, 2023 at 8:03 PM ^
1 2ee what you did there.
January 2nd, 2023 at 4:52 PM ^
NHG was out for the year and will be back near the end-middle of spring ball. You’re being irrational. Colson and NHG are the starters next year. Chance Barrett is back and rotates some with them. Rolder was a freshman who got some run. Freshman linebackers suck terribly. The fact Rolder got any run means he’s a dude. Plus the guy coming in from Nebraska. Potential a safety moves to linebacker. Michigan only plays two linebackers and they have 3-5 depending on what happens with Barrett and how fast Nebraska kid picks up the defense.
How’s this to brighten your day….don’t be surprised when another linebacker transfers. There’s another candidate who is likely to leave. I mentioned in another thread that some guys would be leaving after the playoff and then some after spring ball. Most of the guys leaving the staff already knows. Some will see where they’re at after spring ball. But again don’t be surprised if another linebacker transfers.
January 2nd, 2023 at 2:53 PM ^
Hate to see the young fella leave, but wish him the best in his future search
January 2nd, 2023 at 2:56 PM ^
Wow. Shocker there. Seemed to have a lot of upside.
January 2nd, 2023 at 2:57 PM ^
so begins the offseason shuffle, hold on tight
January 2nd, 2023 at 2:58 PM ^
Bizarre, he's a 2022 who was barely inside the top 1000, you'd think he'd have a bit more patience. If we hadn't added Hausmann with buzz being Barrett is likely back I'd be more concerned.
January 2nd, 2023 at 4:54 PM ^
People say Michigan pushed him out. I wouldn’t use that terminology. I would say it was more like after the season they let him know he most likely was a special teams player for his career and they didn’t see him moving above that. The staff doesn’t “push guys out” so much as they are willing to be honest with a guy and let the guy decide his future. Harbaugh would love to keep everyone, especially now with NIL and scholarships not really being a problem. But some guys want a chance to start. They also understand that.
January 2nd, 2023 at 3:01 PM ^
This is clear evidence that JH is heading to Denver.....
J/K......
January 2nd, 2023 at 3:21 PM ^
Oakland still in play?
January 2nd, 2023 at 3:22 PM ^
more likely BACK in play... lol
January 2nd, 2023 at 3:21 PM ^
Too soon
January 2nd, 2023 at 3:05 PM ^
Too many young players think about lack of playing time. I guess he felt he was behind sever others, so decided to leave. I always say, next up!
January 2nd, 2023 at 3:07 PM ^
After reading back through his recruiting profile we had prioritized two other linebackers and felt confident we would get one or both and ended up getting neither. That is when Michigan cycled back around for Spurlock at the request of Courtney Morgan. He was definitely a plan B in his class. Sometimes those work out and sometimes they don’t
January 2nd, 2023 at 3:09 PM ^
This has been brewing for awhile. I posted this as a possibility back in early November. Dislikes Helow, quite a bit.
January 2nd, 2023 at 4:59 PM ^
Not sure how I feel about Helow. I thought he’d be a way better recruiter. So far I don’t see it. Staff likes him and obviously the defense has been good. But if I had to pick a weak spot I would say linebacker has been it. Recruiting and on the field. Not to say they’ve been really bad, but definitely stick out as the weakest as far as recruits and play on the field. I would say my guy Mike is probably the second worst recruiter after Helow, but he seems to get a decent bit out of his guys. It’ll be interesting to see how running backs are after Corum and Edwards, who Jay brought in.
January 2nd, 2023 at 8:25 PM ^
When Hart was at Indiana he had some good backs. I figured he would be able to attract some of the best backs in the country when he took the Michigan job. Haven't seen it so far. I recently saw a video with Sam Webb talking to a local guy who said he basically had to convince Hart to look seriously at Cole Cabana.
January 2nd, 2023 at 3:09 PM ^
"Deuces"
January 2nd, 2023 at 3:18 PM ^
Well, he will ride off into the sunset an undefeated 2-0 against t(tm)OSU and with not one but two B1G championships.
Not a bad career thus far. Godspeed young man.
January 2nd, 2023 at 3:54 PM ^
Which is incredibly impressive to do in six months on the team.
January 2nd, 2023 at 4:20 PM ^
Unheard of......
January 2nd, 2023 at 3:21 PM ^
FYI, as mentioned we are currently over 100 for scholarships so it’s reasonable to expect about 10 more of these announcements plus the NFL departures. So be prepared and don’t think the sky is falling.
January 2nd, 2023 at 3:24 PM ^
Man, student athletes seem to really think that God is super focused on what college they're planning to play football at.
A little ironic since they claim that it took a lot of prayer to pick their school and then they change course 8 minutes later.
Not bashing God, just bashing drole hyperbole
January 2nd, 2023 at 4:01 PM ^
If you think student athletes are exceptionally narcistic in their belief that God gives a shit about their lives you haven't met a whole lotta people. Lots of really bad things have come about because people think their deity has taken a specific interest in their futures, and choosing which college to attend is pretty low on that totem pole.
January 2nd, 2023 at 4:20 PM ^
Good luck young man.
January 2nd, 2023 at 4:54 PM ^
I worry about kids like this who were somewhat developmental prospects and jumping ship to wade through the portal waters. You have tons of experiences and talented players in there already and what are you hoping someone is going to back to your high school tape? I hope he lands in a great spot but it feels like it’s starting to be a real crapshoot for kids like Deuce in the portal
January 2nd, 2023 at 5:07 PM ^
Getting a Michigan degree and playing on the special teams sounds pretty awesome to me
January 2nd, 2023 at 5:21 PM ^
When they portaled in Ernest Hausmann this type of thing happens. He was a starter as a true freshman.
January 2nd, 2023 at 8:27 PM ^
Feel bad for Deuce. He was definitely a Plan B kid. Seemed pretty excited when he got his offer. Helow seems to be the weak spot on the defense.