Posts by: Thunder

Projected 2016 Spring Depth Chart: Defense

Jabrill Peppers

On Tuesday of last week, I posted a projected depth chart for the offense (LINK). Today I’ll take a look at the defense, which is expected to be a 4-3 with a defensive back-type player inhabiting the strongside linebacker-type role in some packages. With position previews forthcoming, I didn’t bother to elaborate on depth. Michigan is bringing in some early-impact guys on defense who should be the two-deep by the fall, but the roster is limited this spring since 22 of the incoming freshmen aren’t enrolled yet.

SDE: Chris Wormley (RS Sr.), Matt Godin (RS Sr.)

DT: Maurice Hurst Jr. (RS Jr.), Brady Pallante (RS So.)

NT: Ryan Glasgow (RS Sr.), Bryan Mone (RS So.)

WDE: Taco Charlton (Sr.), Shelton Johnson (RS Fr.), Lawrence Marshall (RS So.)

*SAM: Jabrill Peppers (RS So.), Chase Winovich (RS So.), Carlo Kemp (Fr.)

MIKE: Ben Gedeon (Sr.), Mike McCray II (RS Jr.), Reuben Jones (RS Fr.)

WILL: Noah Furbush (RS So.), Devin Bush Jr. (Fr.), Jared Wangler (RS So.)

CB: Jourdan Lewis (Sr.), Keith Washington (RS Fr.), Freddy Canteen (RS So.), Reon Dawson (RS Jr.)

CB: Jeremy Clark (RS Sr.), Channing Stribling (Sr.), Brandon Watson (RS So.)

FS: Dymonte Thomas (Sr.), Tyree Kinnel (So.)

SS: Delano Hill (Sr.), Jordan Glasgow (RS Fr.)

*Dependent on defensive package

What I’ve Been Reading

If you would like to support the blog and/or the Chad Tough Foundation, remember that this month, 50% of the revenue from Amazon purchases through TTB will be given to Chad Tough. You may also donate directly to Chad Tough by following this link (LINK).

Raylan by Elmore Leonard. Raylan was commissioned after the Justified series started airing on television, so the ideas in this book aren’t very fresh. If you have watched the series, you know pretty much exactly what goes down in the book. There are some minor changes, but it was kind of like reading the TV script. I still enjoyed it because Raylan is a fun character, and so are his backwoods Kentucky friends and enemies. But don’t expect any new shenanigans for Raylan Givens.

Hit the jump for more of what I’ve been reading.

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Spring Football Preview: Wide Receivers

Amara Darboh (image via KSL)

Projected starters: Fifth year senior Amara Darboh was Michigan’s leading receiver for most of last season, and he finished with 58 catches (#1 on the team), 727 yards (#2), and 5 TDs (#2). He returns with a spot virtually locked down, and he should be ready to go when spring begins. The latter cannot be said for fifth year senior Jehu Chesson, who had 50 catches (#3), 764 yards (#1), and 9 TDs (#1). Chesson was injured in Michigan’s bowl game and will likely miss spring ball while recovering from that undisclosed injury. Michigan did not get much production from the wide receivers behind them, but redshirt sophomore Maurice Ways, Jr. earned more playing time as the season went along, finishing with 3 catches for 40 yards total. If we’re going by trajectory, he would be the starter opposite Darboh this spring.

Hit the jump for more on the wide receiver position.

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Spring Football Preview: Offensive Line

Mason Cole

Projected starters: LT Grant Newsome (So.), LG Ben Braden (RS Sr.), C Mason Cole (Jr.), RG Kyle Kalis (RS Sr.), RT Erik Magnuson (RS Sr.). Newsome was the sixth lineman by the end of the season. Jim Harbaugh said recently that Cole would start getting snaps at center as soon as spring practices starts, those two developments seem to be related. Braden, Kalis, and Magnuson all started at those respective positions for the entirety of 2015.

Hit the jump for the rest of the offensive line preview.

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Attractive Michigan Girl of the Week