Orange Bowl Preview: Michigan Defensive Backs vs. Florida State Receivers

Tag: Tyree Kinnel


29Dec 2016
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Orange Bowl Preview: Michigan Defensive Backs vs. Florida State Receivers

 

Travis Rudolph (image via Chop Chat)

I’ve been posting highlights of commits, top whatever lists, etc. on the Message Board (LINK), so check it out if you get a chance.


MICHIGAN

Starters: Michigan features a two-time First Team All-American in senior cornerback Jourdan Lewis (5’10”, 186 lbs.), who missed the first 25% of the season with a hamstring injury. He still ended up with 23 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 2 interceptions, and 12 passes defended (tied for #8 in the conference). He owns the school record for pass breakups and generally shuts down his receiver. On the other side is 6’2″, 175 lb. senior Channing Stribling (27 tackles, 3 TFLs, 1 sack, 4 INTs, 12 PBUs), a lanky corner who has struggled in the run game but has had good coverage most of the year. Senior free safety Dymonte Thomas (6’2″, 199 lbs.) has improved from some early-season struggles and ended the regular season fourth on the team in tackles with 61, along with 1 INT and 7 PBUs. Senior Delano Hill (6’1″, 215 lbs.) has 47 tackles, 3.5 TFLs, 3 INTs, and 3 PBUs. This is one of the top few secondaries in the country.

Key backups: Sophomore safety Tyree Kinnel (5’11”, 206 lbs.) is one of just a couple guys worth mentioning after a regular season that included 15 tackles and 1 TFL. He’ll spell either of the other safeties. The other guy is redshirt sophomore nickel corner Brandon Watson (5’11”, 203 lbs.), who was addressed with the linebackers and plays some on the outside. Watson is physical but not a great athlete.

Hit the jump for a look at FSU’s receiving targets.

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8Nov 2016
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Michigan vs. Maryland Awards

Tyree Kinnel

Tyree Kinnel

Let’s see more of this guy on offense . . . Grant Perry. Perry is Michigan’s fourth-leading receiver by yards, though he has just 6 receptions on the year. However, he has been a reliable target at slot receiver for both Jake Rudock and Wilton Speight over the past year and a half, and he’s a decent blocker. Unfortunately, he found himself in some trouble over the bye week a few weeks ago, and he appears to be working himself out of the doghouse. Michigan didn’t need him on Saturday, but it would be nice to have all options available down the stretch.

Hit the jump for more on Saturday’s win over Maryland.

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7Aug 2016
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2016 Season Countdown: #35 Tyree Kinnel

Tyree Kinnel (image via Rivals)

Name: Tyree Kinnel
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 206 lbs.
High school: Huber Heights (OH) Wayne
Position: Safety
Class: Sophomore
Jersey number: #23
Last year: I ranked Kinnel #71 and said he would redshirt if possible (LINK). He played in eight games on special teams.

Kinnel came to Michigan last year as one of those fairly highly ranked but boring safeties. The Wolverines didn’t have a ton of depth at safety, but they made the position work by only playing their top three guys with any regularity. Jarrod Wilson, Delano Hill, and Dymonte Thomas took the bulk of the snaps. Kinnel forced his way onto the field one-third of the way through the season, but only on special teams. When he burned his redshirt, Jim Harbaugh talked him up, saying that he earned his spot on the kickoff team. Other than running downfield a few times a game, though, nothing much happened.

Now with Wilson graduated and playing for the Jacksonville Jaguars, Hill and Thomas return as the front-runners for the safety positions. Thomas took some major strides forward during the second half of 2015, and Hill has been playing decently for a couple seasons. By default Kinnel would probably be the next man in, anyway, but he looked solid in the spring. The biggest flash I saw was when he jumped a route at the Ford Field open practice and returned it for a touchdown. Otherwise, he was boring and that’s okay for a safety. He’s solidly built at 5’11”, 206 lbs. and seems to have a good head on his shoulders, so I wouldn’t worry too much if he were to enter a game on defense. Beyond him, though, options become limited to moving Jeremy Clark back from cornerback, playing a walk-on like A.J. Pearson, or inserting a freshman like Khaleke Hudson or Josh Metellus. It’s tough to put someone this high on the list who hasn’t done much on the field yet, but it’s a very shallow position group.

Prediction: Backup safety

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28Mar 2016
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Ford Field Open Practice: Defense, Special Teams

Noah Furbush 793x

Noah Furbush

Yesterday, I posted my thoughts on Saturday’s practice regarding injuries, offense, and a few walk-ons to watch (LINK). Today I’ll address what I saw from the defense.

DEFENSIVE END
Depth: Chris Wormley, Taco Charlton, Chase Winovich, Lawrence Marshall, Reuben Jones, Carlo Kemp
Scoop: Wormley spent some time both outside and inside, and we already know what to expect from him. In fact, a lot of the starters seemed to be going about 90%, because going 100% would just be unfair. The defensive line was handling the offensive front pretty well. Charlton is a physical freak, and it looked like he spent some time at both Anchor (strongside end) and weakside end. Winovich was my surprise of the day, because he definitely looked like he belonged on the field. In fact, he was working so hard coming off the edge that a bit of a brawl started when Kyle Kalis chucked him to the ground after a play. Winovich uses good leverage and can bend well, and I think he’s going to see some time. Marshall didn’t do anything special, and I think he needs to add weight and become a strongside end; he just doesn’t have the quickness or instincts to be an edge rusher, in my opinion. Jones looked decent and competitive, but I think he’s probably another year or two away. Kemp has moved from linebacker – where he was a poor fit, in my opinion – to defensive end. In fact, both Jones and Kemp were working at linebacker in Florida, but neither one worked with the linebackers on Saturday. Shelton Johnson is nursing an injury and did not practice. Maurice Hurst, Jr. had an ankle injury that was making him gimpy, and he was playing some Anchor at times but was ineffective (more due to injury than a lack of ability).

Hit the jump for the rest of the defense.

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28Mar 2016
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Ford Field Open Practice: Defense, Special Teams

Noah Furbush 793x

Noah Furbush

Yesterday, I posted my thoughts on Saturday’s practice regarding injuries, offense, and a few walk-ons to watch (LINK). Today I’ll address what I saw from the defense.

DEFENSIVE END
Depth: Chris Wormley, Taco Charlton, Chase Winovich, Lawrence Marshall, Reuben Jones, Carlo Kemp
Scoop: Wormley spent some time both outside and inside, and we already know what to expect from him. In fact, a lot of the starters seemed to be going about 90%, because going 100% would just be unfair. The defensive line was handling the offensive front pretty well. Charlton is a physical freak, and it looked like he spent some time at both Anchor (strongside end) and weakside end. Winovich was my surprise of the day, because he definitely looked like he belonged on the field. In fact, he was working so hard coming off the edge that a bit of a brawl started when Kyle Kalis chucked him to the ground after a play. Winovich uses good leverage and can bend well, and I think he’s going to see some time. Marshall didn’t do anything special, and I think he needs to add weight and become a strongside end; he just doesn’t have the quickness or instincts to be an edge rusher, in my opinion. Jones looked decent and competitive, but I think he’s probably another year or two away. Kemp has moved from linebacker – where he was a poor fit, in my opinion – to defensive end. In fact, both Jones and Kemp were working at linebacker in Florida, but neither one worked with the linebackers on Saturday. Shelton Johnson is nursing an injury and did not practice. Maurice Hurst, Jr. had an ankle injury that was making him gimpy, and he was playing some Anchor at times but was ineffective (more due to injury than a lack of ability).

Hit the jump for the rest of the defense.

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