Potential Non-Freshman Redshirts

Submitted by Marley Nowell on

2015 will feature the closest to a full 85 Scholarship roster that we have seen in many years. While non-freshman redshirts are rare (and the only I can remember were due to off the field issues) this could be a possibility with a new coach staff. Potential candidates include:

RB/FB S.Houma

Doesn't quite fit the mold of a blocking fullback and is blocked by depth at the HB position. Could be a potential TE/H-Back player in the future if given a chance to work on his receiving skills.

 

WR D. Jones

Has not really seen the field in his time at Michigan. Assuming we have at least a single TE on the field at all times the slot won't need much depth. Jones came in as a developmental prospect and was forced on the field by lack of depth. Would be nice to see him given a chance to work on his route running skills.

NT B. Mone

With Pipkins hopefully fully back from injury and solid depth at the NT/DT positions Mone may see his playing time decrease to the point where it would be good to get a redshirt on him. I kind of doubt this happening because he was able to see significant time last year.

WLB R. Jenkins-Stone

He may need the redshirt more than anyone purely from a physical standpoint. Would be nice to see if he can live up to his recruiting hype with a maxed out physique.

SS D. Thomas

Another hyped recruit (especially in 2013 Spring where we thought he would be slot ninja) who has all the physical tools to be awesome but needs time to develop his skills. His position is still up in the air as well so it would be good to identify exactly where he should be and drill him so he can be a excellent contributor down the road.

 

Redshirt Mobile Out. GO BLUE!

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Braylon_Edward…

January 22nd, 2015 at 2:00 AM ^

Mone is just too good to redshirt no matter who's healthy and who's not at DT/NT. He's a beast. Dymonte is an interesting one because he could really use a redshirt to settle into a new position (for good) but I think in the right spot he's also too good to redshirt. The others I see pros and cons for both sides.

Joined: 07/27/2014

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JR's Flow

January 22nd, 2015 at 2:08 AM ^

How often do often do non-freshmen non-injured guys get redshirted? I really don't see any of those guys getting redshirted. All of those guys sans Mone played big time ST minutes.

Joined: 11/26/2010

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joeyb

January 22nd, 2015 at 2:17 AM ^

It won't happen. If they are talented, they will see the field. If they aren't talented enough to see the field, then you let them finish their degrees without extending their eligibility. Redshirting these guys means fewer recruits going forward.

Joined: 10/12/2008

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Sinsemillaplease

January 22nd, 2015 at 3:32 AM ^

but its undeniable that we have guys with talent that could've done with a more competitive coaching staff and better development of their skills. There are like minimum 5 guys that we have now who have underperformed because of not being developed. I mean.... we've seen several players leave the program and show out at their next desitnation.

Joined: 01/01/2011

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GoBLUinTX

January 22nd, 2015 at 7:51 AM ^

At some point the player has to be responsible for his own development.  Take Peppers, Cole, and Mone for instance.  All true freshman, all were as or more prepared to play college football last fall than many of the more senior players.  I don't care the HS, those players essentially developed themselves.

Joined: 12/02/2013

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joeyb

January 22nd, 2015 at 10:59 AM ^

Houma is a senior this year. An extra year of development under Harbaugh isn't going to help him see the field in 2016. Let him finish his degree and allow ourselves an extra recruit next year.

Da'Mario Jones is a junior. He's currently tied for 3rd string with a sophomore behind a senior and a sophomore all of whom were higher-rated recuits. If he redshirts, he's not likely to see the field over the next two years. Let him finish his degree and allow ourselves an extra recruit in 2017.

Mone is good enough to be on the field going forward. If he gets injured early in one of his seasons, he can redshirt.

Jenkins-Stone is good enough to see the field this year. Having 4 seniors as potential starters at LB is going to be ridiculous this year.

Dymonte Thomas will see the field this year as a second string or he will be behind Wilson, Peppers, Clark, and Hill. Even with Wilson leaving after this season, if Thomas ends up falling behind all of those guys, he's not going to see the field going forward other than special teams or as a sub.

What this basically comes down to is that you don't extend eligibility for guys unless you think there is a chance that they become starters. If there is a good chance that they become a starter, then you're going to get them playing time.

Joined: 10/12/2008

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getsome

January 22nd, 2015 at 10:51 AM ^

exactly, championship programs play talented kids early, redshirt special development cases, and otherwise cycle kids through quickly with limited redshirts.  if theyre not starting or projected 2-deep, then it should be very rare for them to 5th years - firm handshake and graduate em.   

guys like stone and dymonte thomas deserved much better coaching than coach and his staff and i feel bad theyve suffered bc of it.  but if they cannot earn PT then they need to cycle though as quickly as possible so some young athlete from texas or florida or wherever can use the roster spot to make plays immediately

Joined: 09/07/2013

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wolverine777

January 22nd, 2015 at 2:18 AM ^

mone. he is #beastmode. there is no way he r edshirts. im expecting great things from him this year. especially that he has a whole year in a college weight room under his belt. i honestly think that he is gonna be another Terrence taylor.

Joined: 01/20/2015

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ken725

January 22nd, 2015 at 3:49 AM ^

this could be a possibility with a new coach staff
Did Harbaugh do this in the past? Non-freshman redshirts are so rare that I would say players are more likely to transfer.

Joined: 10/26/2008

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UofM626

January 22nd, 2015 at 4:11 AM ^

HOUMA! He is gonna surprise a lot of people this year! He is a Thumper and it's just what Harbaugh likes. He's gonna be a monster WATCH! Wish he could of got the rock a few times to show his stuff. Just my take

Joined: 01/02/2012

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rob f

January 22nd, 2015 at 6:20 AM ^

to seeing this staff being able to redshirt those freshmen that need it.  We're finally at the depth level needed that it can be done going forward.

Joined: 11/11/2010

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tbeindit

January 22nd, 2015 at 7:13 AM ^

There's no way in hell Mone redshirts. To be honest, he might even beat out Pipkins. I love Pipkins, but has he really shown that much more than a true freshman Mone? Both are solid options and both will play. A lot.

Joined: 01/27/2011

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m1817

January 22nd, 2015 at 7:13 AM ^

The future is now.  If a non-freshman is capable of contributing, play them now.  There is no guarantee that if a player redshirts, that they will stay for a fifth year.

Joined: 01/15/2011

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Mr Miggle

January 22nd, 2015 at 7:34 AM ^

I don't see any reason to think so. In fact, I'm concerned we'll have fewer than normal.

Aside from having a faulty premise, it's still a crazy idea. You're taking seniors and juniors who see the field regularly, at least on special teams, and ask them to sit for a year. Are you going to guarantee them a starting job the next season? Why would the coaches even think they would earn them? Why is Jenkins-Stone, for example, going to progress more under the new staff than the other LBs?

New coaching staffs don't look for unorthodox ways to keep underused or underperforming upperclassmen around longer. They prefer to bring in and develop their own recruits.

Joined: 10/07/2010

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DaRiddla95

January 22nd, 2015 at 8:23 AM ^

I would think attempting to redshirt a non freshman (excluding medical redshirts) would just cause them to transfer.  I think once freshman year passes, its the players that tend to request redshirts at that point (Rich Rod's first QB at Zona did that).

Joined: 12/22/2010

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MichiganG

January 22nd, 2015 at 10:54 AM ^

Your premise makes very little sense.  We're running low on available scholarships, so take players who underperform and keep them around longer so there are even less scholarships available?  Mr Miggle got this totally right - if anything, new staff is much more likely to want to bring in freshmen who they can mold from the beginning instead of underperforming upperclasssmen.

Joined: 05/20/2012

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SDCran

January 22nd, 2015 at 1:34 PM ^

That still pisses me off when certain schools get scholarship reductions of 2-3 per year. That isn't a penalty since most schools are often below the 85 mark. I mean I can imagine some schools could even win a national championship while being under those minor reductions.

/rant. Back on topic now

Joined: 01/27/2010

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