Morning Roundup: August 11, 2019

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11Aug 2019
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Morning Roundup: August 11, 2019

Zach Gentry in high school

Zach Gentry says he tried to transfer when Jim Harbaugh wanted him to switch from quarterback to tight end (LINK).

I don’t know why a war of words is developing between Josh Gattis and Mike Locksley, but it is (LINK).

Ted Nguyen singled out former Michigan lineman Graham Glasgow:

This was a pretty cool moment for a guy who fudged his way into a tryout, slept on the beach, used up his last few dollars to get to the tryout, and didn’t even have good shoes to wear in the game until Odell Beckham gave him the cleats right off his feet:

Former Michigan cornerback Benjamin St-Juste is still upset that Michigan’s doctors thought he should retire from football:

10Aug 2019
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2019 Season Countdown: #21 Michael Dwumfour

Michael Dwumfour

Name: Michael Dwumfour
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 282 lbs.
High school: Wayne (NJ) De Paul Catholic
Position: Defensive tackle
Class: Redshirt junior
Jersey number: #50
Last year: I ranked Dwumfour #16 and said he would be a starting defensive tackle (LINK). He made 21 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, and 1 interception.
TTB Rating: 69

Dwumfour created some buzz over the past couple years, and we’ve all heard the comparisons by now: he’s another Maurice Hurst, Jr. If you’re another Hurst, you’re going to be a starter and make a bunch of plays, right? Well, Dwumfour played in every game (starting just two) and made 21 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, and 3 sacks. Maybe the Hurst comparison makes sense because of the comparative lack of size (Dwumfour is 6’2″, 282; Hurst was 6’2″, 280 on the roster as a senior). As a redshirt sophomore, Hurst made 35 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, and 3 sacks, so the numbers are somewhat similar, too, when you account for the fact that Hurst played more.

The 2019 season presents a huge opportunity for Dwumfour. Bryan Mone, Lawrence Marshall, and Aubrey Solomon are out of the way, and Dwumfour is the elder statesman of the defensive line. Ideally, I would like to rank Michigan’s starting defensive tackle higher in the countdown, but I can’t quite convince myself to do that. He hasn’t flashed in the way I would expect for a future star, and he has been very inconsistent. Injuries have also been a problem, especially in the off-season, and I think it’s hard to reach your potential when you’re always having setbacks. I acknowledge the possibility that Dwumfour could be a stud and explosively slice into opposing backfields regularly, but with him I’ll have to see it before I believe it.

Prediction: Starting defensive tackle

9Aug 2019
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2019 Season Countdown: #22 Tarik Black

Tarik Black (image via MGoBlue)

Name: Tarik Black
Height: 6’3″
Weight: 215 lbs.
High school: Cheshire (CT) Cheshire Academy
Position: Wide receiver
Class: Redshirt sophomore
Jersey number: #7
Last year: I ranked Black #9 and said he would be a starting wide receiver with 45 catches for 600 yards and 6 touchdowns (LINK). He made 4 catches for 35 yards.
TTB Rating: 82

Maybe I ranked Tarik Black perfectly last season. He broke his foot in fall camp – the second year in a row that a broken foot ruined his season – and wasn’t available for the season opener against Notre Dame. Michigan lost a fairly close game to the Fighting Irish. Black was projected to be a starter, and the dropoff in talent to Nico Collins and Donovan Peoples-Jones wasn’t too significant, but Black is almost certainly better than the other receivers who ran out there in 2018, such as Grant Perry and Jake McCurry. Black returned to action for the second half of the season, but he didn’t look like he was up to speed and was used sparingly.

It feels like a make-or-break season for Black in 2019. He tweeted out something in the off-season about this being his final year of college, so it seems like he has the expectation of playing in the NFL by 2020. Those are high hopes for a guy with 15 career receptions in two seasons. Furthermore, by all accounts he’s not a starter. The coaching staff reiterated recently that Mike Sainristil was the starter in the slot, and both Nico Collins and Donovan Peoples-Jones have locked up their starting roles on the outside, provided they get/stay healthy. That leaves Black as the “odd man out” even though the #4 receiver can get plenty of targets.

Will Michigan’s #4 guy get many catches? And perhaps more importantly, will Black be the #4 guy? Black has broken his foot twice in two seasons at Michigan, and the Wolverines have done pretty well without him. If he’s healthy, he can add another element to Michigan’s game and be a very good backup when Collins and Peoples-Jones need breathers. Not too far below Black, I ranked #5 receiver Ronnie Bell (LINK), who could be a key component of the offense if any injuries occur.

It’s frustrating that Michigan has a couple elite recruits (Black and Luiji Vilain) from the 2017 class who can’t stay healthy, but if they can get themselves right and make an impact in 2019, it could be a huge boost for this program.

Prediction: Backup wide receiver

8Aug 2019
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Morning Roundup: August 8, 2019

O’Maury Samuels

SITE/PERSONAL NEWS: In case you weren’t aware, I’m back to summer practices, two-a-days, etc. The site will keep going – countdown, recruiting, roundups, etc. – but I might just be a little less available. Keep the comments coming, though. I read every single one and respond when I can.

Former Michigan running back O’Maury Samuels has transferred to New Mexico State (he’s from Los Lunas, NM), but he’s not eligible to play this year (LINK).

Les Miles talked about never getting the opportunity to coach Michigan (LINK).

Hit the jump for more.

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