Stay.Classy.An…

December 14th, 2016 at 1:45 PM ^

not that you have the answer. But did you discuss anything other than the video with him? Like why he chose Michigan over the schools? Video was awesome man, keep up the good work! You working with any other of our "future" commits?

FanNamedOzzy

December 14th, 2016 at 4:11 PM ^

Not really, honestly. This video had a super quick deadline - so I only talked to Tarik briefly and did a lot of communication with his dad. Got notice on Monday afternoon that he needed a vid for Wednesday morning, so there wasn't much time for anything but video talk.

In general I have casual conversations with the recruits, but I don't usually ask too many "Why did you choose Michigan" type questions.

CMH requested a video this past weekend for one of the visiting recruits...which he (the recruit) really really liked, but that likely won't be released unless he commits. Working with some other guys who are already a part of the class, but no more pure "commitment" type vids yet.

BakkerUSMC

December 14th, 2016 at 3:14 PM ^

It seems Michigan has the most success with large, possession-type receivers (Braylon, Avant, Darboh come to mind quickly..) besides Desmond Howard, who was the last successful speed/slot - based receiver we've had? Not too many come to mind

TrueBlue2003

December 15th, 2016 at 2:07 AM ^

and they often are because you can just throw fades to the outside. Braylon was a major deep threat because he had good speed and could high point the ball, so he would not be considered a strictly receiver in college. Junior Hemingway and probably Funchess fall into this category of tall guys that aren't short route guys but they weren't as fast and Braylon.

Gallon, Breaston and Roy Roundtree were sort of speed slot guys in that you want to hit them on the run whether on a post or a slant but they were short so you'd throw fewer fades to them (although Gallon could jump so high and high point the ball that we started throwing him a lot of fades). McDoom seems like he's next in line here.

Chesson and Manningham fall in between the previous two categories because they were(are) tallish enough to run some fades but also fast enough to go deep and versatile enough to play some slot and run slants, etc.  Def not strictly possession receivers.

Possession guys are typically slower but great route runners with great hands who run a lot of 5, 10, 15 yard routes for first downs, hence calling them possession receivers.  Taller is better but you can be a Drew Dileo/Julian Edelman/Odoms type if you're quick in your breaks and catch everything.  Avant, Darboh before this year (he added a deep element to his game this year) and Marquise Walker also fall into this category.

If you're asking about purely fast deep threats, I just don't think the game is played that way anymore. Instead of just going to your fast guy on a bomb every ten plays, teams get them the ball in space on shorter screens and slants and let them run after the catch more.  Gallon and Chesson being good examples. Super fast but used a lot of different ways.

Btw, I just read that Desmond only had 62 catches for 985 yards his Heisman winning season.  My has the game changed in just 25 years.  The top receivers nearly double those numbers now.

LSAClassOf2000

December 14th, 2016 at 3:56 PM ^

Yes indeed I think Gallon and Odoms both played extensively and well at slot when they first saw the field extensively, and then I seem to recall that they were used a bit differently once Hoke came on the scene.

That's kind of how the Patriots were supposedly going to use Gallon, I think, but of course he spent the 2014 camp on the "physically unable to perform" list for the most part and was let go just before the season. I think he plays in Japan now.