Posts by: touchbann_adminuser

2014 Season Countdown: #43 Dymonte Thomas

Dymonte Thomas

Name: Dymonte Thomas
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 191 lbs.
High school: Alliance (OH) Marlington
Position: Safety
Class: Sophomore
Jersey number: #25
Last year: I ranked Thomas #33 and said he would be Michigan’s nickel corner. He made 7 tackles and blocked 1 punt.

Thomas was an Army All-American, enrolled early in January 2013, got lots of hype, and was pegged as the starting slot corner going into the fall. In the season opener again Central Michigan, he won the Brandon Herron Award, which is given out once every today to reward a guy who plays very well in a season opener only to fall off the face of the planet. Thomas made brief appearances for the rest of the season, but fellow freshman defensive backs Jourdan Lewis and Channing Stribling kept him off the field while Blake Countess would move into the slot in nickel situations.

Brady Hoke said this off-season that they would be moving Thomas to safety and letting him concentrate on one position, which indicates that things were moving a little too quickly for him last year. Indications are that he has been getting reps at free safety, which scares me in much the same way as it did with the now departed Josh Furman – anytime you move a guy back in the defense, bad things are likely to happen. Thomas, a high school linebacker, should be playing nickel corner or in the box as a safety. The starting free safety will be Jarrod Wilson, but the strong safety situation is unsettled – Delano Hill appears to be the front-runner with Jeremy Clark as another option. I place Thomas here because he could play either safety position, he could help out at nickel corner if there’s a need, and he can also be a valuable asset on special teams with his speed, athleticism, and physicality. I believe his physical assets are unmatched by any defensive back on the team besides Jabrill Peppers, but it remains to be see how exactly he fits.

Prediction: Backup safety, special teams ace

Video: Rising Stars 4th of July Holiday Shootout Highlights

This workout took place over the Fourth of July weekend and included a bunch of Michigan players and products from in-state, including Jabrill Peppers, Devin Funchess, Maurice Ways, Damon Webb (Ohio State), Tim Cason (Purdue), etc.

2014 Season Countdown: #44 Delonte Hollowell

Delonte Hollowell

Name: Delonte Hollowell
Height: 5’9″
Weight: 175 lbs.
High school: Detroit (MI) Cass Tech
Position: Cornerback
Class: Senior
Jersey number: #24
Last year: I ranked Hollowell #39 and said he would be a backup cornerback. He made 2 tackles and 1 fumble recovery.

Hollowell entered the 2013 season looking like a backup corner and special teams player, and that’s exactly what he was. Blocked for playing time by incumbent starters, he played sparingly. In perhaps an odd pattern, he has 6, 4, and 2 tackles during his days in Ann Arbor, plus 1 fumble recovery each year.

Hollowell enters the 2014 season in the same spot. Starting corners Blake Countess and Raymon Taylor return, and sophomores Jourdan Lewis and Channing Stribling played more defense than Hollowell last year. He will also probably be looking up at freshman Jabrill Peppers. I rank Hollowell slightly higher than Stribling because of his knack for special teams coverage and scooping up fumbles. He will probably be the third-string slot corner, which is like saying he’s the backup holder – he might play there, but it’s really difficult to predict. Regardless, Hollowell has proven to be a feisty tackler and does not seem to be a liability when he’s on the field, so he could be a capable injury replacement if Armageddon were to take place in the defensive backfield.

Prediction: Backup cornerback, special teamer; 0 tackles, 1 fumble recovery

2014 Outland Trophy watch list

Alex Kozan is on the Outland Trophy watch list

The 2014 Outland Trophy watch list was released on Thursday. The Outland Trophy is given to the nation’s best interior lineman. Included on the list are:

Jack Allen – C – Michigan State
Michael Bennett – DT – Ohio State*
Evan Boehm – C – Missouri*
A.J. Cann – OG – South Carolina*
La’El Collins – OT – LSU*
Jack Conklin – OT – Michigan State
Carl Davis – DT – Iowa
Sheldon Day – DT – Notre Dame*
B.J. Finney – C – Kansas State
Jake Fisher – OT – Oregon*
D.J. Humphries – OT – Florida*
Kaleb Johnson – OG – Rutgers
Alex Kozan – OG – Auburn*
Josue Matias – OG – Florida State
Andrus Peat – OT – Stanford*
Brandon Scherff – OT – Iowa
Brandon Shell – OT – South Carolina*
Donovan Smith – OT – Penn State
Max Tuerk – C – USC*
Laremy Tunsil – OT – Ole Miss*
Brandon Vitabile – C – Northwestern
Cody Whitehair – OG – Kansas State
Torrian Wilson – OG – UCF*

2014 Jim Thorpe Award watch list

Blake Countess

The 2014 Jim Thorpe Award watch list was released this morning, and there are a number of notable players on the list for Michigan fans. The award is given to the nation’s top defensive back. Charles Woodson (1997) is the only Wolverine who has won the award.

Ibraheim Campbell – S – Northwestern
Blake Countess – CB – Michigan*
Su’a Cravens – S – USC*
Kurtis Drummond – S – Michigan State*
Kendall Fuller – CB – Virginia Tech*
Vernon Hargreaves III – CB – Florida*
Jordan Lucas – CB – Penn State
Trae Waynes – CB – Michigan State

*Offered by Michigan