Hello: Casey Hughes

Submitted by Djrobinson007 on
DB transfer from The Utah Utes. Via his Twitter. Good to add some depth in the secondary. Go Blue!
MGoBoard
Football

Fezzik

January 21st, 2018 at 6:45 PM ^

A LB vs a speed RB/slot is always a mismatch unless your LB is a freak athlete. McCray is actually pretty good in coverage. He was much better than people give him credit for. This is a mismatch the uber aggressive Don Brown defense creates against us. McCray and Bush even lined up at CB multiple times this year.

Joined: 09/11/2015

MGoPoints: 5552

Pretty toney

January 21st, 2018 at 7:06 PM ^

Idk about that he was good against the run but was beat almost every time in coverage ........I understand that is a mismatch but this is why you see the staff getting guys that can run at lb singleton Anthony Mccgrone Reese are a different type of athlete that can play in space.....safety is the only real area of concern on d which in my opinion is why they are loading up on guys who can cover....

Joined: 08/14/2017

MGoPoints: 44

Fezzik

January 22nd, 2018 at 2:02 PM ^

I may be wrong but I only recall McCray getting beat badly on wheel routes when in coverage. Otherwise I still would say he is at minimal above average in coverage and was always in good position. I am probably higher on McCray than most but I am also high on the young guys we brought in to replace him. Between Ross, Singleton, and Anthony I'm feeling real good.

I agree about safety. I'm not worried about the position but it was our weakest spot on a very strong D.

Joined: 09/11/2015

MGoPoints: 5552

bronxblue

January 21st, 2018 at 6:15 PM ^

It's actually only a couple people who are baffled. But they are loud and often repeat themselves. Yeah, this is a totally reasonable pickup. They are basically getting a starter from a very good pass defense for a year so that they have fewer glaring depth issues at two spots on the roster where the drop-off from the starters is steep.

Joined: 11/22/2008

MGoPoints: 171903

CalifExile

January 21st, 2018 at 6:26 PM ^

We have 5 returning starters if you include Watson along with Hill, Long, Kinnel and Metellus. Backing them up we have Thomas, St. Juste, JKP and Woods, with Hawkins possibly moving ahead of one of them. That seems like pretty good depth. Then you add in the 4 commits we already had in the class and we're at 14 scholarship players. That's an abundance of depth and also has the virtue of being balanced going forward.

Meanwhile, we are very thin at DT and will be thin at OG in a couple of years, especially if the remaining spots are filled by OT types, which seems likely. At DT we have Mone and Lawrence who will probably be gone after next year with only Solomon and Dwumfour having shown signs of filling the need. At OG you have Bredeson and Onwenu who are both true Sophomores. Ruiz may be the C with all 3 spots backed by Spanellis  and a bunch of guys we hope will work out.

People are baffled by these additions because it seems that this isn't a position of great need and will necessarily result in positions of need going unfilled.

Joined: 03/02/2010

MGoPoints: 12625

CalifExile

January 21st, 2018 at 10:00 PM ^

Paea may end up at OG. Johnson hasn't shown anything yet after 3 years. Irving-Bey may be a DE. Myers is a preferred walk-on. 247 composite has him at the #95 player in Michigan in 2016. If I read 247 right he had no other offers. Maybe he's Ryan Glasgow 2.0, but don't bet the house on it. That leaves Jeter. We have high hopes for him, as high as the hopes we had for Marshall. Here's hoping. But that's still just 1 guy to back up Dwumfour and Solomon after next year. You should take a DT in every class.

Analysis: John Calipari says Kentucky is ‘fine’ after Florida loss, but is it?

Joined: 03/02/2010

MGoPoints: 12625

Pretty toney

January 22nd, 2018 at 8:53 AM ^

Peae is not a guard he will be at nose tackle behind Solomon he isn't moving positions staff has already said this..... To much size and very athletic jeter is inside at 3t that gives you 4 young interior guys who we no can play.....I agree on Johnson getting late early.....irving bey is still a freshman and Carl Meyer just provides depth .....of course you want a d tackle every year but they will be fine as long as they land 2-3 next year they have enough for the next couple of seasons...

Joined: 08/14/2017

MGoPoints: 44

Blue in Paradise

January 22nd, 2018 at 12:40 PM ^

NT is the question here.  We need at least 1 NT in 2019 and maybe 2 if it looks like Solomon will be jump to the NFL after year 3 (I expect he will be good enough to do this).

SDE and 3T are nearly interchangable in Don Brown's defense and we have a LOT of SDE both on the roster and in the 2018 class.  Add in Chris Hinton in 2019 and those positions are stocked with potential dudes.

WDE is also stocked with Ron Johnson, Luigi Villain, Kwity Paye all playing behind Chase this year.  Stephen Herron will replace Chase on the depth chart in 2019 so we will still be 4 deep.

Joined: 08/14/2016

MGoPoints: 36985

Bodogblog

January 21st, 2018 at 7:21 PM ^

This is a good review.  But Hawkins is moving to Viper. 

The 4 freshman DBs have almost nothing to do with 2018 depth, at least we hope.  So what you describe above is a 2-deep.  Which means one injury puts M in a scary, scary spot.  Why wouldn't you take an experienced DB?  They want to win next year.  

In terms of the other roster spots, that's done.  There aren't any other recruit targets there.  Would you pick up a kid who's not very good just to have a body?  People keep asking to take a flyer... why?  They'll have to make up in the 2019 class with guys who are ready to go. 

M has guys with positional flexibility in terms of Paea and Irving-Bey.  They're also running a 3 man line frequently.  Losing Tyler Friday was big though, no doubt. 

Joined: 06/08/2010

MGoPoints: 26674

CalifExile

January 21st, 2018 at 10:58 PM ^

I can understand taking Hughes for an immediate impact. I have trouble thinking that 5 freshmen DBs is a good idea. That isn't criticism of any of the 5 DBs, just an observation about positional balance. The early signing period has changed things quite a bit but I've got to believe there are still talented recruits out there who could fill a position of need.

 

Joined: 03/02/2010

MGoPoints: 12625

bronxblue

January 21st, 2018 at 5:56 PM ^

Never hurts to have a speedy, starter-ish guy from a top-15 pass defense. I do wonder if we'll see some roster changes in the next month or so.

Joined: 11/22/2008

MGoPoints: 171903

Sparty Doesn't Know

January 21st, 2018 at 6:05 PM ^

I,for one, hoped for more in late January than beating out Missouri and West Virginia for a lightly regarded player and bumming an average grad transfer from Utah.

Like other posters said, I really hope this doesn't mean they are missing on the rest of the 2018 recruits.  A lot of the 2015 and 2016 guys will be out of eligibility or going pro after 2018 and it really doesn't seem, on paper at least, that the 2018 class is up to that level.  These grad transfers will be headed out the door as well, so it's not like moves like these help the future and gaps in the classes.

 

Joined: 01/11/2018

MGoPoints: 2234

MRoseBowl89

January 21st, 2018 at 6:24 PM ^

I think what others have said about adding depth with experience makes sense. It's good to be in a position to give the incoming freshman time to grow and mature.

Welcome to Michigan, Casey!  

Joined: 06/23/2017

MGoPoints: 75

We are back

January 21st, 2018 at 6:28 PM ^

I know nothing about his game, but the voices in my head tell me a dB grad transfer is not very good, if he was he would be going to the draft. On that note I hope I’m wrong

Joined: 12/17/2015

MGoPoints: 13419

BoFlex

January 21st, 2018 at 6:30 PM ^

I really don't follow Utah football all that closely, but if Casey Hughes was a starter/starter-ish for them... Why would he transfer from being the starter at P5 program to another P5 program where he will most likely be behind 2 established starters in Hill and Long?

Was Hughes being passed up on Utah's depth chart? I don't know a good place to look up snap counts to see if Hughes was progressively losing snaps as the season went along. I guess that would make sense then for him to want to leave, and get a fresh start at Michigan.

Joined: 05/30/2011

MGoPoints: 5284

MichiganUte

January 21st, 2018 at 7:01 PM ^

I am a Utah season-ticket holder. For his sake, I am very happy that Casey Hughes landed at Michigan because it is a great opportunity for him. However, he is not a star despite starting 11 games last fall for the Utes. He was likely in a battle to keep his starting job next year because Utah is adding a couple of 3-4 star juco corners and has an upcoming 4 star sophomore-to-be who were going to seriously challenge him. Nonetheless, he has 4.4 speed, played in a system that emphasizes man coverage, is a solid tackler (typical of Whittingham's players) and started on the #21 overall defense per the ESPN FPI. Solid player but not spectacular. .

Joined: 12/09/2009

MGoPoints: 87

MichiganUte

January 21st, 2018 at 10:13 PM ^

Scottwood, great question. I would say he can guard the average slots Michigan will face well enough but he won't do much for you against the all-Big Ten slots. He is a better tackler than cover guy, as I recall. I suspect Michigan will bring him off the bench in nickel packages. I wish I could say he is a star, but he was really the #2 corner and #4-#5 overall DB for Utah. When he announced he was leaving, I thought he was going to a Mountain West Conference program to be a star. I am surprised he landed at Michigan.

Joined: 12/09/2009

MGoPoints: 87

Quailman

January 21st, 2018 at 10:03 PM ^

I know you just want to be negative like a lot of other people, but just because a kid is a JuCo doesnt mean he's not good and not good enough to beat out another solid player. Jarret Stidham, Isaiah Buggs, Kendall Sheffield, those were all JuCo guys who came in and took a spot. They might be the top dudes, but the point is sometimes those kids are very talented and come in and make an impact. 

Joined: 08/30/2013

MGoPoints: 19814

big john lives on 67

January 22nd, 2018 at 12:36 AM ^

If Don Brown finds a piece that he likes, I have no problem with Michigan adding said piece. Like the Patriots making surprise waiver pick ups, Don Brown often will know how to use certain players in ways that maximize their raw talent.

Joined: 02/15/2009

MGoPoints: 3973