2016 Season Countdown: #68 Michael Onwenu

2016 Season Countdown: #68 Michael Onwenu


July 3, 2016

Michael Onwenu (image via Rivals)

Name: Michael Onwenu
Height: 6’3″
Weight: 350 lbs.
High school: Detroit (MI) Cass Tech
Position: Offensive guard
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: N/A
Last year: Onwenu was a senior in high school (LINK).
Final TTB Rating: 78

Onwenu committed to Michigan in early June of 2015. He measured in at over 360 lbs. at one point, although MGoBlue now lists him at 350 lbs. I thought he looked more like a nose tackle, but Michigan apparently wants him on the offensive line, where he is expected to play guard. He played the position adequately in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl, and it’s not a bad idea because he’s pretty immovable at a squat 350 lbs., but he didn’t finish blocks in high school as much as I would have liked. This year it’s going to be tough for Onwenu to see much playing time. Not only is there a lot of experience returning on the offensive line, but Onwenu has work to do on his body and technique. However, the Wolverines need to groom at least three players to start in 2017, since Ben Braden, Kyle Kalis, and Erik Magnuson will all be graduating. With two of those players being guards, the coaches might want to get Onwenu some experience this season if they intend to start him next year.

Prediction: Backup offensive guard

17 comments

  1. Comments: 1364
    Joined: 8/11/2015
    WindyCityBlue
    Jul 03, 2016 at 9:36 AM

    We need to get our freshmen and RS freshmen O lineman as many snaps as possible this year. We still have major roster holes everywhere on the Oline, and need to have as many possibilities as we can for 2017. Hopefully Harbaugh will not be afraid to run up big scores early in the season and let young players (at all positions) get meaningful PT in the fourth quarters of games. That’s luxury we haven’t had in a very long time, and it’s hurt us.

    • Comments: 1863
      Joined: 1/19/2016
      je93
      Jul 03, 2016 at 11:30 AM

      Not disagreeing WCB, but we rarely saw that last year, even with a Bowl blowout. I would have expected our OL & Speight to get some snaps, but that just didn’t happen

      • Comments: 1364
        Joined: 8/11/2015
        WindyCityBlue
        Jul 03, 2016 at 4:07 PM

        We could get away with it last year, since we knew we weren’t going to be depending very heavily on younger players in 2016, but in 2017, guys in their second year on the field (and guys in their first, too) are going to be a much bigger part of the two deep, so we really need to get meaningful game experience for as many as possible. On top of that, it’s not only about getting guys ready for 2017, but also about keeping our starters fresh and as injury-free as possible for the games that really matter later in the season. I frankly thought that Harbaugh overused our starters, especially on defense, during our three-shutout run. It may have impressed some people at the time, but I’m not convinced that it didn’t do more harm than good in the context of the whole season. I’d rather pull our starters earlier, when we have a comfortable lead, even if it means that the final margin is not as large.

        • Comments: 359
          Joined: 8/11/2015
          GKblue
          Jul 03, 2016 at 9:21 PM

          Disagree WCB.

          Playing true freshman and redshirt freshman on the OL who haven’t proven they are the best at their position is a waste of a years eligibility. Remember that cohesiveness along the line takes time, that is part of the reason even in blowouts in non-conference games the OL starters stay in.

          • Comments: 1364
            Joined: 8/11/2015
            WindyCityBlue
            Jul 04, 2016 at 11:00 AM

            Well, in the first place, you can’t “waste” a year of eligibility with a RS freshman, since the extra year has already been used. And I’m not talking about starting freshmen who aren’t the best, just getting them some meaningful game experience, if they are at all playable, giving the second stringers a start on developing “cohesiveness”, in preparation for the likelihood that they will be needed next year. Every team does that at pretty much every position on the field. And leaving starters in until deep in the the 4th quarter when they aren’t needed increases their chances of injury (which we absolutely can’t afford) to no purpose.

          • Comments: 3844
            Joined: 7/13/2015
            Jul 05, 2016 at 7:16 AM

            Personally, I think the coaches should probably get some playing time for anyone they intend to start in 2017. If that’s Juwann Bushell-Beatty or Jon Runyan or Ben Bredeson or Michael Onwenu, they should get in a game this year. Of course, maybe the coaches don’t know yet who will start, but they will probably have a good idea by partway through the season. If Bredeson is “redshirting” but they think he’ll be the heir apparent to Kalis, for example, then I think it would be a good idea to play him. And you have to get him in early enough in the year where you’re not playing him for one game before Ohio State. You have to throw him in there against some of the easier teams on the early part of the schedule; otherwise, it’s going to be a waste.

          • Comments: 6285
            Joined: 8/11/2015
            Lanknows
            Jul 05, 2016 at 3:42 PM

            Do you think the late playing time for Newsome was a waste?

            • Comments: 3844
              Joined: 7/13/2015
              Jul 05, 2016 at 3:55 PM

              Newsome played in four games, starting with Minnesota. So he was available for 6 of the 13 games once they burned his redshirt, or practically 50% of the season.

  2. Comments: 9
    Joined: 5/3/2016
    Qotho1
    Jul 03, 2016 at 10:53 PM

    Thunder, how would you rank him if he came in strictly as a DT?

    • Comments: 3844
      Joined: 7/13/2015
      Jul 04, 2016 at 7:27 AM

      In the countdown? I probably wouldn’t change his ranking much, or perhaps I’d put him a bit lower since we have three good nose tackles already.

      As far as TTB Rating goes, I’d probably give him around an 85-89.

  3. Comments: 6285
    Joined: 8/11/2015
    Lanknows
    Jul 05, 2016 at 3:41 PM

    I don’t believe in playing an OLmen just to get their feet wet. For an OLmen there is such a huge difference between 5th year and a true freshman that I wouldn’t want to sacrifice that option for a marginal gain in playing experience. Most development is going to take place in practice, not a handful of backup snaps.

    Carr red-shirted Long, Rodriguez Lewan, etc. Typically even if a kid is expected to start they use their freshman year to focus on development.

    While we will lose 3 starters, that is not an insurmountable number to replace. It would be a really bad sign for the older backup OLmen and probably induce some transfers if you are giving developmental snaps to multiple freshman who are not as good. In other words, I think Michigan needs to nurture some of the other guys too, even if they aren’t seeing them as the most likely starters.

    That said – I do expect one freshman OL to play this year because I have serious doubts about our OL depth . I have no clue if Bradenson or Onwenu, but those are the 2 that seem most likely. If Dawson steps up I think we can red-shirt everyone, but I think the coaching staff might want a freshman ready to step-in if an injury hits the OL.

    I’m more worried about OT than OG, because Newsome hasn’t won the job yet and Magnuson could always swing inside if needed (I have less confidence with Braden going back outside).

    • Comments: 3844
      Joined: 7/13/2015
      Jul 05, 2016 at 4:02 PM

      FWIW, I’m not sure the coaches were totally counting on Lewan starting in 2010. He didn’t begin the season as the starter. I appreciate the value of a fifth year, but oftentimes, guys who are good enough to start as freshmen/redshirt freshmen/sophomores aren’t going to last five years. I think that has increasingly become the case over the last several years, when more and more underclassmen are entering the NFL Draft. If the coaches think he’s going to start in 2017, there’s a very good chance he won’t be in Ann Arbor beyond 2019 (his redshirt junior/true senior year).

      • Comments: 6285
        Joined: 8/11/2015
        Lanknows
        Jul 07, 2016 at 1:18 PM

        It was 6 years ago so my memory may be rusty. I thought Lewan started every game.

        I don’t believe in red-shirts for most positions, but I think OL (physical) and QB (mental) are exceptions where development time is critical.

        You could be right about early-departures but we haven’t seen it too much at Michigan with OL so far.

      • Comments: 6285
        Joined: 8/11/2015
        Lanknows
        Jul 07, 2016 at 1:52 PM

        In balance the loss of the potential 5th year and risking transfers from older players offsets the marginal development gains from garbage time snaps.

        IMO, the only way it makes sense is if you think the guy is an injury away from playing time THIS YEAR.

        • Comments: 3844
          Joined: 7/13/2015
          Jul 07, 2016 at 3:26 PM

          I guess that’s a good point. I sort of said that with the thought that if a guy is likely a starter next season, he’s probably close to the top of the heap this year, too. It’s unlikely that someone would leap from fourth-string to first-string in one off-season.

          • Comments: 6285
            Joined: 8/11/2015
            Lanknows
            Jul 08, 2016 at 1:08 PM

            I don’t disagree with that. I would just say that the definition of “4th string” may vary. I think a distinction can be drawn on the OL between the depth chart that exists for a given game and for a long-term injury. Furthermore, I would argue that the depth chart may look different depending on the Position that the hypothetical injury would occur.

            With the positional versatility of our OLmen there are a lot of different scenarios that could result in different depth charts.

            I think you TRY to keep a red-shirt on a freshman unless they are going to make a significant contribution on meaningful snaps. I think Newsome did that last year and I think all of the burned red-shirts we’ve seen have been for meaningful snaps (not just developmental.)

    • Comments: 359
      Joined: 8/11/2015
      GKblue
      Jul 05, 2016 at 4:09 PM

      Well reasoned and well said Lanknows, esp with respect to 1st paragraph. Agree with the rest as well. Any freshman playing time that burns a shirt will be earned time in a position of need as determined by Drevno and JH not the fanbase.

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