Josh Metellus and Mo Hurst with Great INTs in Week 8
A couple former Wolverines had great defensive plays over the weekend. Against the Packers, Josh Metellus made a great play on a Jordan Love pass, ripping it away from the receiver and returning it to the Packers' red zone where they'd score the next play:
Link to Play on Youtube(Thanks NFL)
In the later game between Seattle and Cleveland, with the game tied at 17, Mo Hurst dropped back into shallow coverage over the middle, tipped a pass and then brought it in. Amazing play that showed how athletic he is. I must admit, I didn't realize he was re-signed by the Browns as he was cut before the season but I am happy he was re-signed and contributing to that stout defense:
Link to Maurice Hurst's Interception
October 31st, 2023 at 8:32 AM ^
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/ibv9jHhODbE This one seems to work
October 31st, 2023 at 8:43 AM ^
Thank you! I tried to edit OP to change to this link but couldn't get it to work.
October 31st, 2023 at 8:37 AM ^
Very happy for Josh Metellus. Think he's someone who would have thrived in our current system, but fans hated him unnecessarily towards the end of his career for some failures that weren't really his fault against Ohio St.
October 31st, 2023 at 9:35 AM ^
He thrived under Don Brown's system too. I think claiming "fans hated" is a bit hyperbolic. I think fans were simply upset with some of his missed plays/the system against OSU's death machine.
October 31st, 2023 at 10:40 AM ^
I think the shallow end of the MGoBlog readership will never forgive Metellus for the dropped interception against OSU in 2017. By their way of thinking, he would've slalomed 90+ yards through both teams and made it 21-0. Michigan would have had momentum.
This was early in the second quarter, by the way. No chance of a team with superior firepower coming back from that, right?
An equally likely outcome is UM going three-and-out from around the ten yard line, punting, and OSU scoring a few minutes later, making the score 14-7 ... early in the second quarter.
October 31st, 2023 at 11:29 AM ^
Listen, I don't think the criticism he received was fair, but my seats are in section 38 and that play is scorched into my memory: he would've had to slalom through nothing but air had he caught that ball. It was a 14 point swing in a game that Michigan had ALL the momentum in.
The outcome wasn't guaranteed, but 21-0 sure as hell would've been nice.
October 31st, 2023 at 12:22 PM ^
I don't see a ton of air here:
He's against the sideline leaning backward a little bit. I don't think it's reasonable to assume that he'd waltz into the end zone 90+ yards away.
October 31st, 2023 at 12:22 PM ^
Interesting
October 31st, 2023 at 12:23 PM ^
I just posted a picture.
October 31st, 2023 at 2:34 PM ^
I don't remember fans hating him over that. I think most people just saw it as an example of how we seemed to be snakebitten against OSU.
October 31st, 2023 at 8:39 AM ^
As a native Clevelander, I also didn't realize Hurst was on the roster until well into the season. I had to check the roster online after seeing him in a game just to confirm. I am super happy to have him on my team. That INT was indeed stellar for a lineman.
October 31st, 2023 at 8:39 AM ^
I guess the lesson I learned here is that Josh Metellus is a pretty good player if he’s in a defensive scheme where he isn’t asked to stay in man to man coverage on crossing routes.
October 31st, 2023 at 10:38 AM ^
I think you're onto something, here. It's almost like recognizing your players strengths & weaknesses is an important part of a team's success.
How far we've come from Brown's schemes.
October 31st, 2023 at 10:41 AM ^
I see the humor, but I'd suggest that Metellus is pretty good, period. He's lasted several years in the NFL.
October 31st, 2023 at 9:58 AM ^
Mo Hurst?
Nice!
October 31st, 2023 at 10:16 AM ^
Mo still has the belly rub working! Love to see it.
October 31st, 2023 at 11:07 AM ^
I never would have guessed Josh Metellus would have turned into a very likely 8-10 year NFL player. Real nice job by him.
October 31st, 2023 at 12:58 PM ^
Am I the only one who didn't think Metellus had the speed to make it in the NFL? Especially after he got burned deep in that PSU game. Really glad to see him proving me wrong and having a great career
October 31st, 2023 at 2:27 PM ^
I think speed/acceleration is less critical as a deep safety than any other position in the secondary. Technique, anticipation, etc. can mask deficiencies in athleticism, especially when playing a deep third or deep half (i.e. cover 3 or cover 2)
I'm just an internet person with an obscure Sexual Harassment Panda as his avatar, so could be wrong.