Tag: Ricky Barnum

Poll Results: Who will be Michigan’s starting left guard?

Redshirt freshman Chris Bryant might be the front-runner for the LG job

Last week I asked the question, “Who will be Michigan’s starting left guard against Alabama?”

This poll is a little obsolete now that it has been announced Rocko Khoury will not return.  Barnum, the leading vote receiver in this poll, is now the front-runner for the center position.  So guess what?  There’s a new poll about the position on the left sidebar.  But here’s how much things can change with the loss of one player:

Ricky Barnum: 29%
The fifth year senior is a 6’3″, 292 lb. guard/center has been about as injury prone as a football player can be throughout his career.  He has appeared in only nine career games and started three (at left guard) in 2011.  The coaches have praised his ability to get out and run, which seems to indicate that he should stay at guard, since centers don’t run very much.  However, insider indications suggest that the coaches want him to win the starting job at center and will give him the first shot to do so. [EDIT: The previous sentence is clearly obsolete now.]

Chris Bryant: 18% (tie)
Bryant is just a redshirt freshman going into 2012, but coaches are reportedly enamored with his abilities, especially as a run blocker.  He appears to be the reason the coaches want Barnum to win the center job, so they can plug Bryant in at left guard.  He was listed at 6’4″ and 341 lbs. as a true freshman, but I would expect him to be a little lighter entering the upcoming season.

Kyle Kalis: 18% (tie)
Going even younger, Kalis is an incoming freshman.  He stands 6’5″ and 305 lbs., which gives him adequate size (Barnum and right guard Patrick Omameh were both less than 300 lbs.).  Kalis is the highest rated offensive line recruit in the freshman class and the odds-on favorite as the most likely of the freshmen to play in the upcoming season.  Due to a lack of linemen in recent classes, at least one true freshman is almost guaranteed to be on the two-deep, unless a walk-on emerges.

Patrick Omameh: 18% (1 fewer vote than the two above players)
Omameh, a redshirt senior, has started for all or parts of the last three seasons at right guard.  It strikes me as surprising that people think he will move to the left guard position, but I guess anything is possible.  Omameh is a 6’4″, 299-pounder who struggled early last season, but seemed to improve late.

Michael Schofield: 13%
Schofield is listed as an offensive tackle, but he started nine games in 2011 as a replacement for the injured Barnum.  With few true threats to replace the departed Mark Huyge at right tackle, it seems unlikely that Schofield will stick at left guard unless there’s a major rejiggering along the offensive line like, say, Omameh to right tackle.  While Kalis and incoming freshman Ben Braden are both expected to begin their careers at right tackle, they seem like long shots to start from Day 1.  At 6’7″ and a listed 299 lbs. (although I have heard Schofield is a bit heavier now), he seems a little tall to remain at guard.

Other: 0% (2 votes)
I would be interested to know which player(s) were being considered with these two votes.

Poll Results: Who will be Michigan’s starting center in 2012?

Rocko Khoury (#63) has a chance to win the starting center job in his final season

Last week I posed the question, “Who will be Michigan’s starting center against Alabama?”  Here are the results of the poll:

Rocko Khoury: 44%
Fifth year senior Khoury has played sparingly in his four years on campus.  He has, however, made two prominent forays into the lineup.  He subbed in for David Molk against Iowa in 2010, when Molk suffered an injury on the first offensive snap of the game; then Khoury filled in for one series in the 2012 Sugar Bowl before the again-injured Molk returned in hobbled form.  Khoury played admirably in the first and questionably in the second.  Khoury has been second on the center depth chart for the last couple seasons, so it makes sense that he would be the heir apparent to Rimgton Award winner Molk.

Ricky Barnum: 28%
Also a fifth year senior, Barnum started a few games at left guard in 2011.  Unfortunately, Barnum has suffered numerous injuries throughout his career.  Whether in spring practice or the regular season, he’s suffered a significant injury ever since he was a redshirt freshman.  Barnum played some center in high school and has taken snaps throughout his college career, although he has yet to snap the ball in a regular season college game.  Early reports are that Barnum will get the first shot to win the starting center job this spring, but that doesn’t necessarily mean much.  Michael Schofield, Barnum’s replacement at guard last season, played well and could slide in as the starter at left guard (or right tackle) if Barnum wins the starting snapper’s job.

Jack Miller: 26%
Miller will be a redshirt freshman in 2012.  Reports from practice have been positive, but the general consensus is that he needs to add weight and strength before playing.  Beating out a couple older and bigger players seems like an insurmountable task to me . . . unless an injury occurs.  And with Barnum ahead of Miller on the depth chart, that seems like a strong possibility.

Other: 0% (1 vote)
I would be interested to know whom this voter had in mind.  No other current player has snapped the ball in a game (in fact, Khoury is the only player with that distinction), and the only other current roster options seem to be redshirt freshman guard Chris Bryant and fifth year senior tackle/guard Elliott Mealer, who has also snapped the ball a bit in practice.  Anyone else would be a true freshman.

Offensive Line Preview: Michigan vs. Virginia Tech

Blake DeChristopher (left) is a four-year starter for Virginia Tech and head coach Frank Beamer (image via Washington Post)

MICHIGAN
Starters: Redshirt sophomore left tackle Taylor Lewan (6’8″, 302) has started every game this season and was voted Second Team All-Big Ten by conference coaches.  Redshirt junior left guard Ricky Barnum (6’3″, 292 lbs.) has started three games this season and remained #1 on the depth chart all season despite missing all or part of the other nine contests.  Fifth year senior center David Molk (6’2″, 286 lbs.) received every conceivable award for a center, including First Team All-America status and the Rimington Trophy, given to the nation’s top center.  Redshirt junior right guard Patrick Omameh (6’4″, 299 lbs.) has started every game this season.  Fifth year senior right tackle Mark Huyge (6’6″, 302 lbs.) has started every game this year.
Backups: The only backup to see significant playing time this season was redshirt sophomore tackle/guard Michael Schofield (6’7″, 299 lbs.), who actually started more games (9) than Barnum at left guard.  Schofield is a tackle by trade, but with Barnum consistently hurt, the coaches plugged him in and he’s essentially a sixth starter.  The next two backups appear to be redshirt junior tackle Elliott Mealer (6’5″, 310 lbs.) and redshirt junior center Rocko Khoury (6’4″, 287 lbs.), who have played in seven and four games, respectively.

VIRGINIA TECH
Starters: Fifth year senior left tackle Andrew Lanier (6’5″, 306 lbs.) is a two-year starter at left tackle.  Redshirt junior left guard Greg Nosal (6’6″, 297 lbs.) has started every game for the past two seasons and was Honorable Mention All-ACC in 2011.  Redshirt sophomore center Andrew Miller (6’4″, 290 lbs.) has started every game this season.  Fifth year senior right guard Jaymes Brooks (6’2″, 307) is a three-year starter and two-time Second Team All-ACC selection.  Fifth year senior right tackle Blake DeChristopher (6’5″, 311 lbs.) is a four-year starter with 50 career starts, was a First Team All-ACC selection and earned the ACC’s top award for offensive linemen.
Backups: True freshman Caleb Farris (6’3″, 309 lbs.) has played in four games as a backup offensive center.  Redshirt junior Michael Via (6’7″, 292 lbs.) has played in eleven games as a backup guard and center this year, and also has past experience at tackle.  Redshirt junior Nick Becton (6’6″, 326 lbs.) has played in every game at offensive tackle.  Via and Becton appear to be in line for starting jobs next season.

THE TAKEAWAY
Michigan’s starters average a shade under 6’4″ and about 294 lbs.  Virginia Tech’s starters are a shade under 6’4″ and about 302 lbs.  In addition to size, the Hokies also have a slight advantage in experience, with an average experience level of 4.4 years; Michigan’s starters average 4.2 with Barnum counted as the starter and 4.0 if Schofield earns the nod.  It’s a slight advantage, but an advantage nonetheless.  Virginia Tech’s linemen have 158 starts total, or 31.6 on average.  Michigan’s linemen have 123 starts among them, or 24.6 on average.  That means the average Hokie lineman has started for half a season longer than Michigan’s, and if you look at the following list, the only position Michigan has an experience advantage over VT is at center, where Molk’s 41 starts and Rimington Trophy hold an obvious edge over redshirt sophomore Miller:

Lewan: 21 starts
Barnum: 3 starts
Molk: 41 starts
Omameh: 28 starts
Huyge: 28 starts

Lanier: 27 starts
Nosal: 28 starts
Miller: 13 starts
Brooks: 40 starts
DeChristopher: 50 starts

Michigan might have more talent due to playing in the Big Ten, but experience is a key component in offensive line development, so . . .

Advantage: Virginia Tech

Michigan vs. Purdue Awards

Mike Martin tore through Purdue’s offensive line all day Saturday

Let’s see more of this guy on offense . . . Fitzgerald Toussaint.  Getting only two carries against Michigan State was a tad ridiculous, but Toussaint is clearly the best pure running back on the roster.  He can hit the homerun, he can run over people, and he can make people miss.  As long as he stays healthy, the job seems to be his.  The coaches keep saying that nobody has stood out from the rest of the pack, but maybe that’s because the whole group is pretty good.

Let’s see less of this guy on offense . . . a backup lineman.  Things are starting to get a little hairy on the offensive line.  Both Ricky Barnum and Taylor Lewan are banged up, and with the bye week in the rearview mirror, they won’t get any significant amount of time to heal up before the end of the regular season.  Michael Schofield is the top backup at guard and tackle, but the thing about Schofield is that he can’t play both guard and  tackle at the same time.  Hopefully Lewan visits Miracle Max and gets a magical healing potion soon.

Let’s see more of this guy on defense . . . Blake Countess William Campbell.  I was going to make a case for Countess, but it turns out he’s going to be the starter against Iowa, at least if reality falls in line with the depth chart that was released on Monday.  So I’ll throw my hat in the ring for Campbell.  Campbell has done a nice job this year, and while he hasn’t been a consistent playmaker, guys like Will Heininger and Nathan Brink aren’t doing anything special, either.  My starting defensive line would be Ryan Van Bergen, Mike Martin, Campbell, and Craig Roh.

Let’s see less of this guy on defense . . . J.T. Floyd.  I know some people think Floyd is playing at a high level, but I just don’t see it.  He’s a tentative tackler and doesn’t make enough plays for my tastes.  I will admit that Floyd has improved since last season, but that’s not saying much.  Countess and Courtney Avery have surpassed him, in my opinion.

Play of the game . . . Toussaint’s 59-yard touchdown run.  He took a pitch going left, made seven Boilermakers miss, and then turned on the jets to leave everyone in the dust.  It was the type of run that Michigan fans haven’t seen from a running back in years.  Carlos Brown never made that many people miss, Brandon Minor would have lowered his shoulder and run over a couple dudes, and Mike Hart probably would have been caught from behind.  Hopefully there’s more where that came from in the weeks ahead.

MVP of the game . . . Toussaint.  Mike Martin (7 tackles, 2 sacks) is a close second, but Toussaint’s output (20 carries, 170 yards, 2 touchdowns) was the highest for a running back since Hart back in 2007.

2011 Countdown: #16 Ricky Barnum

Ricky Barnum (#56)

Name: Ricky Barnum
Height: 6’3″
Weight: 292 lbs.
High school: Lake Gibson High School in Lakeland, FL
Position: Offensive line
Class: Redshirt junior
Jersey number: #56
Last year: I ranked Barnum #48 and said he would be a backup offensive guard.  He substituted at guard in 2 games and at tackle in 1 game.

Barnum was a highly touted recruit coming out of high school in 2008.  His role in college so far has been somewhat limited, partly by injuries and partly by four-year starter Stephen Schilling, who has since moved on to the San Diego Chargers.  Another issue has been size – in three seasons he hasn’t been heavier than 282 lbs., which will change this year.  Additionally, Barnum played offensive tackle in high school and has practiced at four different positions in college: both guard spots, left tackle, and center.  Those are a lot of things to overcome, but now he’s a redshirt junior and has been running with the first unit since the spring.

Barnum is a good pass blocker with excellent feet.  He’s lower to the ground than most defensive linemen, which allows him to keep leverage, but he’s quite undersized for a Big Ten offensive guard.  Head coach Brady Hoke would like to return to a power running game at Michigan, but that might be difficult with a front five that’s somewhat lacking in size.  Even the biggest of the bunch is barely over 300 lbs.  Due to the lack of size up front and a quarterback who excelled in the spread offense last season, it seems that Michigan might be headed for more of a spread look than Hoke wants people to believe.  If that’s the case, then Barnum should be a decent fit at left guard.  But if Hoke lines up and wants to play smash-mouth football game after game, the lack of size on the interior might prove quite daunting.  The Wolverines can still run power like Hoke insists they’ll do because he has two guards (the other being Patrick Omameh) who move extremely well, but expect to see more finesse than the road graders you’ve seen in Michigan’s highlight films from the ’90s and early ’00s.

Prediction: Starting left guard