Spring Practice Dates
Spring football is just a couple of weeks away. The plan is to start around March 17th. Michigan’s Pro Day is currently scheduled for Mar 15th at 8 am. There will be an open practice/Fanfest April 6th and the spring game will be on April 13th at 5pm.
NCAA rules mandate a 34 day window to complete 15 practices including any spring games. Examination days and/or spring breaks do not count against your 34 day window. Film study and a couple of other activities do not count against the practice days either. As most of you already know, the team will not practice in S. Africa when they travel in May.
A couple of spring notes. Luiji Vilain will be nearly 100% for the first time in a very long time. Chris Evans will continue to be suspended from football activities by the University, not by the football team. Mike Danna will be an interesting player to watch to see where exactly he fits in.
Luiji Vilain. There’s a name I haven’t heard in a long time. The more bodies on the D Line the better!
Thanks umbig11!
Any news on Zach Abercrumbia?
Ditto. Great to get inside insights from umbig11.
Charbonnet out all of spring?
He will be limited and 100% by summer.
Time out! What happened to Charbonnet?
I believe he had a lingering injury from high school which required surgery. Somebody correct me if i am wrong. I believe it was his knee.
Knee, minor surgery.
Thanks, umbig. Is Danna with the team for practice now? I never knew how grad transfers after the winter semester started go.
If Vilain can be a two deep guy this year, that’d be amazing. Really hope he can have a career.
Hutchinson, Vilain, Uche, Paye and Danna are a really really solid rotation at the DE spots.
I thought I read Danna still had Spring classes at CMU to graduate and would not be on campus until the summer.
Correct, just a general comment. Not tied to spring practice.
So probably a dumb question, but will the team still get 15 practices in, or are they sacrificing some practice time by going on their trip?
You said there is a 34 day window, so was just curious. If they still get 15 practices in while still going on their trip, that should hopefully quiet some people who don’t think they should be going.
They will get all 15.
I've never understood the people that complain about those trips. Even if the team misses a few practices, who cares? Are a few practices in March really going to affect play in October? No. There is no relevant argument that they would. There is no relevant argument that spring trips interrupt football, either, let alone lead to the team being unprepared for a season that starts 5 months after the trip completes.
Just people trying to find fault with Harbaugh anywhere they can.
You just hope the practices they may miss aren’t the days they were going to work on covering slants
Too *@#*&&$##π×¢¥¶%+&#** soon
I think some time away can be an overall positive for focus and morale. These kids work their asses off and face a lot of pressure. A little time away does not hurt. These trips are genius.
Is Peters going to practice?
Yes.
So Shea, can you give us more details on this Speed in Space concept?
Rooting for Peters.
Probably never will play at M, but will in the pros.
He better transfer soon then because I can’t remember one QB in recent memory who had a decent career in the NFL without at least having one decent/good season in college.
Some info, although a little dated was that he will be here through the spring, graduate and head to Purdue where his girlfriend attends school.
Matt Cassel? I guess it's how you define "decent", but Cassel has earned a NFL paycheck for many years after his USC back-up duties ended.
Matt Guttierez another,,,got a super ring w pats.
I'm still a little bit sad that Guttierez never got a chance to play at Michigan. Gutz simply had the misfortune of getting banged up just a few days before his first start after being named starting QB by Lloyd. Chad Henne instead got that start as a freshman and never gave up the position.
Guttierez woulda been a good one.
Just because you land on the best team by blind luck doesn’t mean you did anything meaningful in the NFL. Hence his career stats of 2/2 for 18 yards in NFL games. Horrible example you’ve chosen.
What I implied with my first comment is that it’s a rare feat to make it to the NFL even if you have a ton games and experience under your belt. It’s much harder when you don’t.
Brad Johnson? I think he had something like 7 total starts at FSU.
Football
FOOTBAW! (FIFY)
I enjoy this time of year. Spring practice is back (though I barely pay attention to it, anyway, as all I really care about is news about injuries). The basketball tournaments are soon upon us. The good weather is nearly here.
Too soon.
thanks, umbig11. Always great reading your informative posts.
Go Blue!
Thanks umbig11 - question on the FanFest: any chance fans will get to tour the new football complex?
Thank you for sharing.
What I'm watching for:
- DE. Plenty of talent, not much experience, and a transfer. Will be fun to see who emerges
- DT. Good, young players, but nothing proven and not much depth.
- LB. Who will replace Bush? This should be a position of strength. Hudson should be the player we hoped for in 2018.
- CB. Who will rise to the top? Should be another strong spot in 2019.
- S. Will there be more speed here?
- OL. Needs to be a strength of this team if we're going to compete for trophies in 2019. Will a new OC and offense stunt their growth? Will it mesh with Warinner?
- QB. The battle for the back-up roles will be very interesting.
- RB. Can Wilson and Turner step-up? Will Haskins emerge? I'd predict at least one surprise at this position--a guy who is off the radar that earns some playing time. Charbonnet's injury status may limit his participation.
- WR. We have the talent, and hopefully now the system, to dominate any opponent with our pass-catchers. Should be fun to watch.
- TE. The evolution of this position will be fascinating. We're recruiting fewer of these and will use them differently...can McKeon become a game-changing player? Will Eubanks continue ascending?
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- DE. Agreed.
- DT. Agreed.
- LB. Ross will replace Bush, this one is obvious. Question is can McGrone challenge for a starting spot over Gil. Either way, at minimum he seems to be inline to be the #3 LB like Ross was last year.
- CB. Again, this one seems obvious. Hill came back. So It's Hill and Ambry Thomas. There should be a good battle for Brandon Watson's snaps. Vincent Gray seems to be next up there.
- S. Duh - Dax Hill runs a 4.3 and he may move to VIPER after Hudson's gone (a mistake IMO), but he's a S next year.
- OL. You're not going to get the answer to this question in the spring, but I highly doubt it. Year 2 with Warriner should pay off big, especially for the young OL like Mayfield, Hongiford, Filiaga and Stueber.
- QB. Peters is gone, he's just practicing to improve and stay in shape until he gets his degree...so McCaffrey is your backup. McNamara and Milton battle for #3, but I doubt we'll ever know who wins that battle until the time comes to put one of them in a game...and even then, they'll probably split reps (McNamara can play in 4 games next year and keep his redshirt).
- RB. Let's hope so. Has Haskins officially moved back? Charbonnet's injury is a huge blow.
- WR. THIS is what we need to watch for, will we actually use these guys like we should. This is the only thing I'm concerned with this summer. Move DPJ to the slot and keep him on the field with Black and Collins at almost ALL times.
- TE. Don't see this changing other than the fact that the offense will be changing. We have known commodities in McKeon and Eubanks. Muhammed and Schoonmaker are there to provide depth. Problem is. #SpeedInSpace doesn't mean 2-3 TE sets. IMO, we'll see the first two guys rotate in and out and play 3 WR sets the majority of the time. It's not like Eubanks is or will be an amazing blocker...even when we do get to short yardage, I could see someone like Ryan Hayes or whoever ends up being the 3rd OT come in as the 2nd TE.
I love football.
Thanks UMBIG11. Any other updates would be appreciated.
Most welcome. I will post a few over the next 2 weeks.
Are there anymore details about Fanfest and what it will involve?
I am curious about the LBs. Should be a interesting battle. And I know you will be watching that closely.
The Rb rotation is going to be interesting this spring, there will be some stuff going on that is unexpected to say the least.
Also there will be a new name pop up on the D line that will interest many of you.
I believe that Haskins will play on D as of right now
Some Rivals sources are still saying that Onwenu is a project and that he needs to control his weight. As for Bredeson, Runyan, and Ruiz, they are receiving a ton of praise for their winter conditioning efforts.