January 15th, 2024 at 2:31 PM ^
A), what does DE's return mean then?
B) IF Harbaugh leaves, as long as we lockdown Sherrone as HC and keep the staff together - there should be a level of continuity that doesn't result in a rebuild. This D next year will be another special one. The O will be different but still has a stable of running backs, two returning TEs, and while the OL and receivers are young they've had time on campus and in-games. This O has ?s but if Moore is HC, I think '24 should still be special
January 15th, 2024 at 2:37 PM ^
If Harbaugh goes expect about half the staff to go too so that would amount to a pretty significant but not total rebuild. Hasn’t really happens with the pat decade of nation champs as the coaches at Clemson, Georgia and bama stayed after winning titles. Hate to say it bjt this scenario would be more like when urbz got fired and went to Jax.
January 15th, 2024 at 3:38 PM ^
Your'e right about the championship level schools but David Shaw, Ryan Day, Coach O all kept it together for a few years at the level it was handed to them
January 15th, 2024 at 2:39 PM ^
Newsome is next man up as OL coach. I wouldn't be surprised to see Sherrone give up that role regardless of what happens HC-wise.
January 15th, 2024 at 6:32 PM ^
Really excited for Coach Newsome’s career arc. He’ll likely be the OL coach here at age 27 (!) and have five years of positional coaching experience by 30 (!!)
January 15th, 2024 at 2:15 PM ^
Would've loved to see a full season of him starting. Go get em big fella.
January 15th, 2024 at 2:29 PM ^
Same. Outside of JJ's decision, this is one of the few declarations to date that I thought could go either way and have a huge impact on next year. It's possible a full season starting would have vaulted his draft stock, but he might have accumulated enough film over the last 4 games to go for it.
January 15th, 2024 at 2:33 PM ^
yea I'm thinking his calculus is similar to JJ's - won the natty, proved what he did on the field, probably got good tape from 6th OL and the stretch run (basically Maryland onwards - so 5 games with starter-type snaps). Probably mentally ready to take the next step after being on campus that long and proving himself a champion
January 15th, 2024 at 2:37 PM ^
One difference is Trente Jones would have been returning for a 6th year. His entire class is gone except for maybe Quinten Johnson, and he has his degree. If the feedback from NFL was good enough, it was time to go.
January 15th, 2024 at 2:49 PM ^
If he gets drafted 5-7th rounds he'd definitely have made more in NIL by staying, with the very reasonable possibility he improves his draft status by a round or more.
Otoh if he really did put enough on tape in ~5 games to get drafted 1st-4th he made a good decision. Guess he said BET on the latter, while I'd personally bet on the former...🤷♂️
EDIT: There are some vast discrepancies in this thread about what Michigan players get in NIL if the low end statements are even close, enjoy this Championship everyone!
But I will concede that if Trente makes an nfl roster at all he'll probably exceed his NIL opportunities at Michigan. *But* while losing the chance to improve his value in the next draft...
January 15th, 2024 at 3:06 PM ^
If you can find me a website that has Trente graded in the top 30 for tackles in the NFL Draft, please link. The odds of him getting drafted are super slim
January 15th, 2024 at 3:53 PM ^
I will BET you Trente gets drafted. As I have said, this move was a poor business decision in my opinion. But I reject the notion he won't get drafted at all.
Perfect Niner OL candidate, round 5-7 depending on how he tests.
January 15th, 2024 at 4:28 PM ^
I hope so, for his sake. But there are some good players in the top 25 OTs in this draft. And Trente is on zero lists that I've read. He'll have to beat out some good ones to get drafted.
January 15th, 2024 at 6:38 PM ^
Look, I'm already being negged for saying Trente shoulda stayed, so why not get some from the other side too?!
If he's not on draft lists it could be because he only started 3 games?
But he did pretty damn well in them - I'd probably feel better with Trente than with Ryan Hayes, being honest!
He'll get drafted, but late...
January 15th, 2024 at 4:39 PM ^
Ryan Hayes, two-time all Big Ten second team, went in the seventh round. I think Trente is a great guy, and may even make a good pro, but he'll go undrafted.
January 15th, 2024 at 3:06 PM ^
Agreed. Trente, JJ, and McGregor are the surprises to me. Mcgregor and Trente because it seemed to me that dominating for a full year would help their draft cases immensely. JJ, moreso just because I thought he loved Michigan and the college life enough to run it back one more year. The other ones have not been a surprise. Very happy Moore stayed. If Makari follows suit, I will be very, very excited about next year's defense. Even if he doesn't, I will still be very excited. Will just need to figure out an offense that works for us and establishes an identity pretty quickly.
January 15th, 2024 at 2:15 PM ^
Damn, this is one I was counting on coming back. Hope Gentry is ready.
January 15th, 2024 at 2:17 PM ^
So right now:
Hinton - El-Hadi - Crippen - Priebe - Gentry?
January 15th, 2024 at 2:21 PM ^
Persi is an option as well.
January 15th, 2024 at 2:31 PM ^
As we saw this year, it helps to have more than 5 ready to play, especially in the Harbaugh/Moore offense.
January 15th, 2024 at 2:34 PM ^
Raheem is in the mix both at Center and I'd imagine Guard
January 15th, 2024 at 2:39 PM ^
Maybe if he’s been quietly ascending as a talent. He didn’t look great when pressed into duty last season.
January 15th, 2024 at 3:56 PM ^
Raheem too.
I think Trente shoulda stayed, but there are plentiful (much less experienced) options.
January 15th, 2024 at 2:18 PM ^
Should be fully Herbertized by fall, I should think.
January 15th, 2024 at 8:31 PM ^
At some point guys on who we signed 3+ years ago out of HS who have been marinating for years on end will want to play.
January 15th, 2024 at 2:16 PM ^
Damn. One full year as a starter and he could really improve his draft stock IMO, but good luck. Great job filling in all year.
January 15th, 2024 at 3:06 PM ^
He's shown plenty of tape and I believe he'll be drafted higher than most people think. He might be a guard at the next level. The dude is strong and moves people.
January 15th, 2024 at 4:07 PM ^
That would be interesting. Before he was injured in the 2022 season, his weakness was pass protection against fast DEs--not good at all. Seemed okay when he filled in at tackle after Barnhart slid over to guard because of Zinter's injury. If Jones plays at guard, then he wouldn't have as many pass-protection issues he'd have to improve.
January 15th, 2024 at 4:12 PM ^
Exactly. Watch tape of Bama and Washinton where essentially he shut down 3 DEs that were considers 1st and 2nd round picks in this year's draft(Dallas Turner, Bralen Trice, Braswell)
I mean, we didn't hear any of those guys number called in the last two games and with Trente being the newest linemen, any coach worth their salt would have sent their best pass rusher against the "weakest" link.
Fact is Trente probably starts on almost every single team we played except for us.
Honestly, I think the coaches missed on not having him start the year at RT instead of Barnhart. Jones, IMO, is a much better tackle.
January 15th, 2024 at 2:16 PM ^
Seriously loved watching him this season and his interview on Sam Webb. Best of luck to him, I am sorta surprised but also think he could be excellent at the next level
January 15th, 2024 at 2:22 PM ^
RBs look strong, WRs have showed some but are young, TEs are loveland and bredeson - again strong.
OL is Hinton and 4 new starters, all with time on campus. And QB is a big ol' ? with Orji, Denegal and JD competing. O will likely take a step back, OL hopefully stays a strength and we can lean on Mullings/Edwards and company to pave some.
January 15th, 2024 at 2:28 PM ^
line is something like
Hinton-Raheem-Crip-Priebe-Persi
Gio-Gentry as 6th OL/TE, Raheem also backup C
not a lot of starts but a good amount of time on campus and a group i'm comfy with, but yea I expect O to struggle a bit more next year
January 15th, 2024 at 2:38 PM ^
El Hadi is starting over Anderson.
Persei is such a project, I'll be shocked if he is starting.
January 15th, 2024 at 2:57 PM ^
Persi is going to be a 5th year senior. If he’s not ready now, he never will be.
Personally, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him starting at LT with Hinton starting at RT.
January 15th, 2024 at 2:44 PM ^
Raheem has never gotten more PT than Gio so i wouldn’t expect that now. Gio, Crippen, and Priebe will be your interior. Myles will have one of the tackle spots. The favorite for the other right now would be Gentry with Tristan Bounds in the mix as well. Next 3 off the bench would be Raheem, Persi, and Bounds
January 15th, 2024 at 2:36 PM ^
TE needs one more guy to step up to replace Barner. Loveland will be All-American level. Bredeson is a great FB/TE blocker. But need one more guy to step up (or come in via the portal).
At QB, barring a transfer, I like the idea of Orji and Davis both getting PT in sorta the Florida Leak/Tebow set up.
January 15th, 2024 at 3:25 PM ^
The only problem with that would be that UMs pocket passer is the freshman and the change of pace runner is the upperclassman.
January 15th, 2024 at 3:49 PM ^
Omg they’re not gonna start those QBs. They will get a transfer.
January 15th, 2024 at 2:17 PM ^
From 6th man to NFL starter.
January 15th, 2024 at 2:18 PM ^
Has there ever been a year when so many fans have been waiting for decisions? Sign of a great season to have so many players at the higher end. Good luck to Trente....a great player who stepped up when needed.
January 15th, 2024 at 8:33 PM ^
We brought back a huge amount of juniors so this year is unusual.
That said this is the new college landscape - free agents every single kid. Could transfer, go pro, return. Every kid.
January 15th, 2024 at 2:19 PM ^
Jones already has elite tape at RT. Couple that with the departure of literally all of his contemporaries, and it makes total sense that he too would choose to head out.
January 15th, 2024 at 2:23 PM ^
Is there any precedent for a college backup OL turning into an NFL starter? Not that he doesn't have ability, but I don't think many NFL teams give UFAs fair shakes to win jobs
January 15th, 2024 at 2:42 PM ^
If it weren't for COVID, another season wouldn't have been an option. Trente Jones has been here for 5 years, got his degree, played a huge role in winning a national championship. Hopefully, he weighed any feedback he got about draft prospects into his decision. I don't think it is a given he will be a UDFA.
January 15th, 2024 at 8:33 PM ^
There are UDFAs who have 10 year careers in the NFL.
January 15th, 2024 at 2:23 PM ^
He has elite tape but not much of it. That's the biggest reason why many of us thought he'd come back. He'll get drafted now, but could have been much higher if he put together a full season starting.
Regardless, he's gonna be great at the next level. Somebody out there is getting a hidden gem at RT. Hopefully the Lions in the middle rounds. Slide Sewell over to LT after Decker leaves.
January 15th, 2024 at 2:48 PM ^
He basically got starter-level snaps his last 5 games, right? Came in for Maryland, came in again for The Game, and then started the 3 post-season games and looked especially excellent in 3 of the most watched games of the season.
January 15th, 2024 at 2:19 PM ^
6 Offensive Linemen going pro this season, dang. This one is a bit of a gut punch, but what more can you ask of Trente? He hung in year after year, and then balled out en route to the championship. I hope he goes high in the draft and has a great NFL career.
January 15th, 2024 at 2:21 PM ^
I don't understand this one. He wasn't playing because he was kind of a turnstile. Then he came in and played great for 3 games. Is that enough cachet to get drafted?
January 15th, 2024 at 2:24 PM ^
He wasn't playing because he was injured last year after beating out Barnhart. By the time he came back Barnhart had locked down the job and they didn't want to change it out this year (though they should have). Plus he has discussed the mental side of things he has been working on.