Snapshots: Dylan McCaffrey vs. Notre Dame/Maryland

Posts by: Thunder


8Jun 2020
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Snapshots: Dylan McCaffrey vs. Notre Dame/Maryland

Dylan McCaffrey (image via Wolverines Wire)

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This is another post evaluating Dylan McCaffrey and whether or not he should win the starting job in 2020. You can find the first post here (LINK).

As a reminder, I awarded grades on the following scale:

  • +1: Good play that not everyone can make
  • 0: Average play that an average player can make
  • -1: Poor play

PLAY 1 (LINK): This is a slant (or snag) RPO where McCaffrey is reading the backside inside linebacker. When the linebacker comes up to support the run, McCaffrey pulls the ball from the running back’s belly, resets his feet, and throws to the slot receiver (Giles Jackson). It’s the right read, albeit for a moderate gain, and the play is made more difficult because right guard Stephen Spanellis whiffs on his block. McCaffrey throws the ball accurately despite being hit by a defensive tackle.
McCaffrey grade: +1

Hit the jump for the rest of his performance against Notre Dame and then Maryland.

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7Jun 2020
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2020 Season Countdown: #90 Caden Kolesar

Caden Kolesar

Name: Caden Kolesar
Height:
5’10”
Weight:
196 lbs.
High school:
Westlake (OH) St. Edward
Position:
Safety
Class:
Redshirt freshman
Jersey number:
#40
Last year:
I ranked Kolesar #100 and said he would redshirt (LINK).He played in three games.
TTB Rating:
60*

Kolesar is that rare walk-on with a TTB Rating. Why? Well, when Kolesar committed to Michigan, it was unclear whether he was picking the Wolverines as a walk-on or a scholarship player. As you can see, I was not a fan of him as a scholarship player, but a 60 isn’t a bad score for a walk-on. Kolesar played in three games, preserving his redshirt status.

The fact that Michigan threw Kolesar out on the field as a true freshman walk-on suggests that they see him being a contributor going forward. Early walk-on play can be a little misleading (see: Carl Myers), but playing is better than not playing. It’s rare that a walk-on finds time late in his career after never seeing the field in the first two seasons. The path to being a Jordan Glasgow or Nate Schoenle usually begins on special teams.

Prediction: Backup linebacker, special teamer

6Jun 2020
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2020 Season Countdown: #91 Adam Shibley

Name: Adam Shibley
Height:
6’1″
Weight:
225 lbs.
High school:
Cleveland (OH) St. Ignatius
Position:
Linebacker
Class:
Redshirt junior
Jersey number:
#45
Last year:
I ranked Shibley #81 and said he would be a backup linebacker and special teamer (LINK). He played in ten games and made 1 tackle.
TTB Rating:
N/A

If you read the post about Adam Fakih yesterday, you can pretty much cut and paste it here for Shibley. Shibley was Scout Co-Defensive Player of the Year in 2018 and is a talented walk-on, but there probably won’t be much playing time available for a coaching staff that doesn’t rotate in many backup linebackers.

It looks like another year of special teams work for Adam & Adam.

Prediction: Backup linebacker, special teamer

5Jun 2020
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2020 Season Countdown: #92 Adam Fakih

Adam Fakih (image via Wolverines Wire)

Name: Adam Fakih
Height:
6’2″
Weight:
228 lbs.
High school:
Detroit (MI) Country Day
Position:
Linebacker
Class:
Redshirt junior
Jersey number:
#41
Last year:
I ranked Fakih #82 and said he would be a backup linebacker and special teamer (LINK). He played in eleven games and made 3 tackles.
TTB Rating:
N/A

Fakih is one of several talented walk-on linebackers on Michigan’s roster, and there have been years – not good years, but years nonetheless – where some of these guys would have been pushing for playing time. Instead, Fakih was limited to special teams, where he made 3 tackles on the kickoff team.

I expect more of the same for Fakih in 2020. Michigan has plenty of talented scholarship linebackers to handle the regular defensive duties, but Fakih’s role on special teams should remain consistent.

Prediction: Backup linebacker, special teamer