mike morris

Michigan picked up their second EDGE commitment of the cycle over the weekend, during Michigan's last big recruiting weekend of June before the dead period. The commitment was from one Dominic Nichols, a 4* EDGE prospect from Oakdale HS and Ijamsville, Maryland. Let's give Mr. Nichols his hello: 

GURU RATINGS 

Nichols is a 3* to three of the four outlets and is right on the cusp of 4* status to the composite. On3 is the highest on him, but it's not like there's a terribly dramatic difference between the high end and the low end. All four sites have Nichols between 28th and 39th in their DE rankings and on our five-star scale, between 3.64 and 3.96. Nichols ranks as a 3.5* to our composite and in the historical database he falls 58th out of 88 EDGE prospects since 1990. As for the measurables, everyone agrees Nichols is 6'5", with his weight somewhere between 240 and 255. 

[AFTER THE JUMP: Mike Morris 5.0?]

Hello, fan of an NFL team. MGoBlog excruciatingly scouts every Michigan play, and scores them to inform our coverage. Since mi atleta es su atleta now, here we share what we're sharing. Previously: TE Luke Schoonmaker, C Olu Oluwatimi, OT Ryan Hayes, NT Mazi Smith, CB DJ Turner II, K Jake Moody

QUICKLY: Powerful and versatile OLB/DE/Rush DT.

DRAFT PROJECTION: 4th-5th Round.

NFL COMP: Chris Wormley. Even if Wormley hadn't played at Michigan this would be the comparison, since Wormley was drafted by the Ravens, and picked up by the Steelers, to play the same position in the same system as Morris.

WHAT'S HIS STORY? The position was called "Anchor" and we trusted Don Brown knew what he was doing whenever he offered a prospect there. Kaleb Ramsey, Harold Landry, and Zach Allen did it for him at Boston College. Chris Wormley, Rashan Gary, Kwity Paye, and Aidan Hutchinson all starred in turn at the role, a kind of strongside DE-plus whose job it was to soak up attention from the tight end and tackle so the system's safety-sized SAM (a Matt Milano, Jabrill Peppers, or Khaleke Hudson) could spend an extra beat in coverage then fly down to collect what spilled.

With Brown's hit rate at the position already well established, nobody batted an eye when Brown raided FSU for the high-3-star son of former Seminoles star (and recruiting coordinator) Mike Morris. Junior had been committed to the Noles since his freshman year of high school, but Texas A&M had purchased Jimbo Fisher, FSU's interest was partly a courtesy to his father, and Morris had expanded to a reported 6'6"/250, stalling his projections as schools wondered if he was maybe more of a tackle. An offer to play an outside tweener position was too good a fit to pass up. On our end the recruiting comp was slam dunk Chris Wormley because,

Wormley was a jumbo strongside end with the ability to play three-tech. He was a premiere tight-end mauler and superior run defender as an anchor; as a rusher he was useful but not explosive.

Since the tight ends had Paye and Hutchinson to deal with, Morris was put into development. Another son of a pro, Taylor (son of Reagan) Upshaw, drew into the lineup over Morris when the stars were both hurt in 2020. Since Upshaw was a B run stopper with absolutely zero pass-rushing ability, that reflected poorly on the rest of the depth chart. The few backup snaps that Hutch allowed to slip by him in 2021 were split among several candidates, Morris among them, but grading suggested the job should be Morris's only. He was also carving out a niche as Michigan's quasi-DT in Mike Macdonald's 5-2 sets, averaging 25 snaps a game and altogether starting to look like another Don Brown hit.

Mike's name shot to the tip of Michigan tongues in spring 2022. For one, Hutchinson had been joined in going pro by breakout rush edge David Ojabo, and "Who's going to rush the passer?" became the program's #1 panic point. For two, Mike was the younger brother of Mimi Bolden-Morris, the first female GA at any Power 5 program. The consensus was Mike Morris was going to replace Aidan Hutchinson, and while he wasn't going to be a gamebreaker, he was clearly a team leader, an effectual pass-rusher, and one of Michigan's best players. Had he not been the only good option at edge, Morris probably would have also been able to keep that 3rd DT job, which went to Upshaw. It played out pretty much how it was scouted: Morris was excellent against the run, effectual, though mostly a bull-rusher, on passing downs, and several notches above anyone else. He also began demonstrating an uncanny knack for timing bat-downs.

This was a Problem until mid-November, when Morris, still inexplicably on the field in garbage time Nebraska, got his ankle rolled trapped under Upshaw. Fortunately for the Wolverines, While Morris tried to go in the Fiesta Bowl, he was clearly playing hurt, and had to come off the field. That shouldn't be held against him, but when you're only the starter one year and you miss Illinois, Ohio State, the B10 Championship, and the Playoff game, it's going to be.

Like last year's son-of-a-pro/classmate Chris Hinton, there was a strong consensus outside of the program that Morris should put another year on film, and as with Hinton that conflicted with vibes from a program treating him like they were already on borrowed time. Morris clearly made a mistake in trying to compete in the Combine while clearly still injured. A smart enough GM shouldn't have trouble identifying what Morris is, though. He's the Anchor.

POSITIVES: Powerful and very quick-witted 3-4 DE who can dominate at the point of attack and make life easy on his linebackers. High motor, team leader, scion of a football family who carries himself like a pro. Versatility to play DT, could be a plus NFL pass-rushing 3-tech as well as a 4i or 5-tech. Great feet and length destroy stretch zone blocking. Can drop into coverage. Height and vertical contribute to a lot of batted passes.

NEGATIVES: Was miscast as Michigan's best pass-rusher (out of necessity). Can play outside but needs to be a bull-rusher and back-protector. Tweener who's more valuable to 3-4 schemes. End of the year injury robbed NFL of the tape they most wanted to evaluate, and was clearly still hampered at the combine.

Every year there is one Michigan Football game that, despite watching the entirety of the game, I have no recollection of anything that happened within a few days of its conclusion. I can confidently say that the game against Nebraska that occurred today will be this year's game. There was never a moment where Nebraska felt like they were in the game, Michigan's offense was a mundane mix of ground-and-pound and out-of-sync passing, and the Wolverine defense overwhelmed Nebraska's subpar quarterbacks. This game included very few notable plays, just a routine hamblasting of a bad team by a good one *yawn*. Thankfully, sleepy is good when you're on the right side of it. 

Nebraska got the ball to open the game and on 3rd & 6 during the first series, they got what would be their longest play of the game, a 30 yard pass from QB Chubba Purdy to WR Marcus Washington in between Michigan's CB DJ Turner and S RJ Moten. That play got the Huskers quickly into Michigan territory, but like nearly every Nebraska drive to follow, it fizzled out in the span of a few plays. A false start on 3rd & 1 backed them up, and Purdy was sacked by Junior Colson to end the drive. 

Michigan got the ball and asserted themselves very quickly. JJ McCarthy hit Ronnie Bell for a 25 yard completion and otherwise the drive was mostly on the ground. Blake Corum rushed it six times, Donovan Edwards carried it three times, and a DPI call on Nebraska got the Wolverines to the goal line, where Corum punched it in from two yards out for his 17th TD on the season. Of note on that drive, Michigan was faced with a 4th & 2 at the Nebraska 31 but a Corum plunge up the gut converted it with little trouble. 

The game then entered a dry period, with five drives between the two teams resulting in a grand total of one first down. Nebraska was unable to make much of anything happen, with one drive sputtering after a false start and another ending when Michael Barrett made a nice tackle on a TE just short of a first down. That part was not surprising, but Michigan's offense entering a rut for a few drives was. Michigan's first drive of this period ran into trouble when Garrett Nelson, the only Nebraska player we starred on the FFFF diagram, toasted RT Karsen Barnhart and sacked McCarthy. A blitz on 3rd & 13 got the job done to finish the drive. 

[Patrick Barron]

The second drive of this period of the game merits more discussion. Looking to jumpstart the passing game, Michigan decided to dial up more vertical passes. On first down, McCarthy looked deep for Andrel Anthony but the ball was overthrown (Anthony had little separation too). On second down, McCarthy again looked deep, this time to Cornelius Johnson. It seemed like the receiver had a play on the ball but couldn't come down with it. On third down, McCarthy targeted Ronnie Bell on a crosser that was dropped. A frustrating sequence for a passing attack that has struggled in recent weeks and hasn't found its groove on the deep ball since the non-conference. 

After Nebraska's third drive during this dry period, the game livened back up. To get out of the offensive rut, Michigan returned to its bread and butter on offense, going back to the ground and building the pass off the run. Corum got Michigan going and McCarthy made an intermediate throw to a wide-open Colston Loveland before a play-action TD to Ronnie Bell, also wide open. 14-0. 

Nebraska's best drive of the game came right after. Chubba Purdy scrambled for a first down and then connected with Alante Brown on 3rd & 6 for another pickup. Michigan's Taylor Upshaw would get flagged for a roughing the passer penalty to get the Huskers deeper into Michigan territory and one more Purdy scramble on 3rd down moved the chains again. On that play, though, Purdy awkwardly slid down before taking contact and would be injured, forcing third string QB Logan Smothers to come in. The drive stalled after that and a 37 yard FG barely made it through the uprights for Nebraska's only points of the game. 

Michigan got the ball with just over 4 minutes remaining in the first half and proceeded to go on a methodical drive, staying mostly on the ground again. Blake Corum and CJ Stokes carried the weight, with Donovan Edwards exiting due to an undisclosed medical reason, but McCarthy did make a good throw to Roman Wilson to convert a 3rd down. Michigan showed no interest in picking up the pace despite the clock ticking down, and Jim Harbaugh opted not to use his timeouts. Michigan picked up a 4th & 1 and then dilly-dallied their way into the red zone but ran out of time to get it into the end zone. A 30 yard Jake Moody field goal made the score 17-3 at halftime. 

[Bryan Fuller]

The second half, as in every Michigan game in B1G play this season, was better than the first half. The Wolverines began to eat much more time of possession than they did in the first half and shortened the number of drives. Indeed, there were just seven full drives in the second half, with an eighth beginning with under a minute to go in the contest. The first two were punts, Michigan's ending when McCarthy sacked himself out of field goal range in Husker territory.

That was frustrating but Michigan would get a TD, TD, and FG on its other three drives of the second half. The second Michigan drive saw Ronnie Bell finally make a play, scooping up a diving catch before it hit the turf, and then McCarthy punched in the TD with a 3 yard QB keeper (with an assist to a thunder-block from Corum on the play). The third Michigan drive was when Michigan began to hand off more to CJ Stokes, as well as Isaiah Gash, marching into Husker territory. On 2nd & 6 from the Nebraska 29, McCarthy hit Ronnie Bell, who rushed, spun around, stayed in bounds, then scampered down the sideline to the end zone. But before he could cross the goal line, he fumbled, the ball rolled into the end zone, a mad scramble ensued, and Andrel Anthony fell onto it just before it touched the backline. TD, 31-3. 

Nebraska's drives in the second half were completely forgettable. The visitors had to scratch and claw to get a first down and in total, finished with 43 yards on 22 plays in the latter 30 minutes of play. It was as painful to watch as it sounds. Michigan's defense was a ton better and Logan Smothers could not get the offense going. Perhaps the most notable event on that side of the ball in the second half was Michigan's Mike Morris getting rolled up on and hobbling off to the medical tent. Wolverines fans have to hope he will be back to full strength soon. 

Michigan's final drive of the game was the one with the backups, Davis Warren replacing McCarthy at QB and plenty of other second-teamers making their way into the game. They gained 43 yards on 9 plays, a nice catch by Loveland and some good hard runs from the likes of Stokes, Gash, and Leon Franklin again put Michigan in Nebraska territory before the drive wrapped up. With under 90 seconds to go in the game, Jake Moody lined up from 43 yard away and split the uprights to make the lead 31, a very important number for the betting folk. Nebraska got the kickoff and ran the clock out, leaving the final score at 34-3. 

This also happened [Patrick Barron]

There's really not all that much to say about this game. It happened, Michigan was a lot better, they covered the spread, the end. Michigan dominated in expected fashion, with 26 first downs to 8 for Nebraska. They outgained their opponents 411-146 overall and on a per-play basis 6.0-3.0. Michigan's passing game was disappointing and that will likely incur most of the discussion, but as anticipated, they blew the Huskers off the ball in the running game. Michigan as a team ran it 49 times for 264 yards (5.4 YPC) with 2 TDs. Game, set, match right there. Corum's 162 yards will help further his Heisman case, while Stokes played quite well in backup RB duty. McCarthy was 8/17 for 128 yards and 1 TD, while Warren was 2/3 for 19 yards. Ronnie Bell was by far the most targeted receiver, with eight targets and four catches on those targets for 71 yards and 1 TD. 

For Nebraska, the numbers are pretty grim. Purdy was 6/11 for 56 yards before exiting while Smothers was 4/8 for 15 yards. Purdy was Nebraska's top rusher with 39 yards, while RB Anthony Grant gained 22 yards on 11 carries (2.0 YPC). Total dominance. Washington's one catch went for 30 yards while the other 9 catches went for 41 yards combined. Ho hum. 

Michigan is now 10-0 for the first time since 2006 and thus the first time in the Jim Harbaugh era. They join Ohio State as the only 10-0 teams in the B1G and one of just four in the country (pending TCU's game tonight). The Wolverines are now barreling towards an all-time matchup in The Game, but there is still one more contest in between, as Michigan must take on Illinois next weekend at the Big House. The Fighting Illini's star has faded after back-to-back losses against MSU and Purdue, now 7-3 on the season. That game time is not yet announced. There is no content after the jump.