Posts by: Thunder

2015 Season Countdown: #7 Willie Henry

Willie Henry scores a touchdown against Utah

Name: Willie Henry
Height: 6’3″
Weight: 311 lbs.
High school: Cleveland (OH) Glenville
Position: Defensive tackle
Class: Redshirt junior
Jersey number: #69
Last year: I ranked Henry #15 and said he would be a part-time starter at defensive tackle. He started six games and made 20 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, and 1 interception, which he returned for a touchdown.

Henry showed flashes of being pretty awesome in 2013, but he was an inconsistent backup. Rumors floated about last spring that he let some of his success go to his head, and he found himself as a third-stringer during the spring. Multiple coaches have said that the only limitations for Henry are the ones he places on himself, and reading between the lines, that meant he needed to step it up in the Department of Work Ethics. He played in just nine games last season and started six, but he was still highly productive with 5.5 tackles for loss  (tied for 5th on the team), 3 sacks (tied for 5th), and 1 interception (tied for 2nd). That amazing interception came against Utah when he leaped at the line of scrimmage, snagged the ball between his two paws, and trucked the overwhelmed quarterback on his way into the endzone. Not many defensive tackles can make that play, and the last time we saw a defensive lineman do something like that, he grew into a 3rd round pick despite legal troubles (that was Frank Clark in the 2011 Sugar Bowl, in case you’re wondering).

When putting together this list, I found that I started to get a little terrified once I got to Henry at #7 and above. The loss of players at #8 and below can be dealt with if necessary, but anyone from Henry and up would be a debilitating blow to the team. That was the case even before nose tackle Bryan Mone was lost for the season (unofficially) with a lower leg injury.

Henry has mentioned that he was playing defensive tackle and defensive end, and he was reportedly starting at strongside end in the students-only practice this past weekend. That does not exactly mesh with my expectation that Chris Wormley will start at defensive end, but Michigan is so solid at the strongside end and tackle positions that a little rejiggering here or there is not too concerning. The scary part is what happens if more guys lose time to injury. Henry is a big-time player who could be an early entrant into the NFL Draft. He’s 6’3″, 311 lbs., can run, can play low, can blow up offensive guards on the regular, etc. It may be interesting to see how he fares against taller and longer offensive tackles, but I think he has the athleticism to do well there, too. I said last year that Henry could be Michigan’s best defensive tackle since Mike Martin; the only thing missing is consistency of effort. Hopefully the new coaching staff, as well as holdover Greg Mattison, can bring that out of him.

Prediction: Starting defensive tackle; 50 tackles, 9 tackles for loss, 4 sacks

Ex-Wolverine Updates: Pre-season 2015

Former Michigan running back commit Damien Harris is battling for playing time at Alabama

Well, the making of this post included my baptism into the annoying world of WordPress. There are some nice things about WordPress, but I really missed Blogger yesterday morning when I worked on this post from approximately 5:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. – with intermittent breaks for necessities – only to have 50% of it disappear into the ether.

Former QB Russell Bellomy: Bellomy’s coach at the University of Texas-San Antonio, Larry Coker, says that Bellomy is in the running . . . to win the #2 job (LINK). That says a lot about Bellomy’s talent level. If you disagree, consider that the entrenched starter, Blake Bogenschutz, went 22/39 (56.4%) for 282 yards, 0 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions last year.

Former OG Kyle Bosch: Bosch, who received a waiver to play this year after transferring to West Virginia in the off-season, is in a battle to start at offensive guard or potentially tackle this fall.

Former TE commit Pharaoh Brown: Brown, who suffered a nasty knee injury last season, will likely be the starter at tight end again this fall for Oregon. As a junior in 2014, he made 25 catches for 420 yards and 6 touchdowns.

Hit the jump for news and notes on 19 more former Michigan commits, signees, and players.
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2015 Season Countdown: #8 Mason Cole

Mason Cole (#52)

Name: Mason Cole
Height: 6’5″
Weight: 287 lbs.
High school: Tarpon Springs (FL) East Lake
Position: Offensive tackle
Class: Sophomore
Jersey number: #52
Last year: I ranked Cole #58 and said he would be a backup offensive lineman. He started all twelve games at left tackle.

Cole surprised a lot of people – including me – when he rolled out there as the starting left tackle on opening day in 2014. A highly touted offensive lineman who performed well against elite players in the 2014 U.S. Army All-American Bowl, he was expected to be an offensive guard who would need some time to bulk up and learn the nuances of the game at the next level. Instead, his spring game start at left tackle turned into a very unique situation where the Wolverines started a true freshman, blind-side tackle for every game of the year. Perhaps most amazing was the fact that Cole didn’t look too much out of place, and he was part of a line that improved significantly in many categories. A tip of the cap should go to Cole and his high school coach, because while many other Michigan linemen looked confused over the past few years under Brady Hoke and offensive line coach Darrell Funk, Cole was pretty adept at putting together all the moving parts into a puzzle he could understand.

Now he’s a grizzled veteran as a true sophomore. Even with a new coaching staff, Cole has been pretty steadily involved as the left tackle. This spring the coaches flirted with moving him inside to center, but snaps were reportedly an issue and the experiment did not last long. Erik Magnuson, who I thought would be the left tackle last year, is now at right tackle after spending half the season playing guard last year. There are no other contenders for the left tackle position, and an injury to Cole would likely mean a flip of Magnuson to the left side with someone like Logan Tuley-Tillman moving in on the right. Left tackle is a tough position to replace, but Cole does not seem to be the difference-maker just yet to warrant placing him higher on the list. I expect a solid performance out of him once again.

Prediction: Starting left tackle

MLive: Observations from Michigan’s practice

Michigan held a football practice that was open only to students, and one student wrote up a piece for MLive (LINK).

Hit the jump for some pictures and a video of Lizzy Conway, who is known mostly for her backside.

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2015 Season Countdown: #9 Jarrod Wilson

Jarrod Wilson

Name: Jarrod Wilson
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 210 lbs.
High school: Akron (OH) Buchtel
Position: Safety
Class: Senior
Jersey number: #22
Last year: I ranked Wilson #7 and said he would be the starting free safety with 60 tackles and 3 interceptions. He started ten games with 50 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 1 forced fumble, and 2 pass breakups.

I looked upon Wilson as a difference-maker last year and suggested that he might be in line for some all-conference honors. I was a little confused about how the safeties were deployed last season, because Wilson seemed to be employed almost as a fourth linebacker rather than a deep safety. With the options at safety last year, I thought he would be the best option to roam center field. The defense wasn’t bad, but the Wolverines lacked an enforcer in the middle, and the corners opposite Jourdan Lewis had issues throughout the season. He had an 11-tackle game against Michigan State and a 9-tackle effort against Minnesota, but since he was deployed mostly in the underneath zones, he was not heavily involved in defending the pass.

I think Wilson has some versatility with his ball skills and tackling ability. The new staff has been playing him as a free safety, and he is pretty much a guarantee to start in the defensive backfield. The other safety is a bit of a question mark at this point (will it be Jabrill Peppers or Delano Hill?), but Wilson is solid back there and should be able to get the defense set up properly. With Peppers or Hill blitzing off the edge or playing on the slot receiver, Wilson should benefit from a solid blitz package and front seven on the way to making some plays up the middle of the field. Several of the Big Ten’s best safeties moved on to the NFL after last season, so I think Wilson could slide onto some all-conference teams. I have been waiting for him to break out with a good year, and this is his last hurrah in a winged helmet.

Prediction: Starting free safety; 60 tackles, 2 interceptions