Posts under: Blog

5Aug 2023

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2023 Season Countdown: #44 Jeffrey Persi

Name: Jeffrey Persi
Height: 6’8″
Weight: 320 lbs.
High school: Mission Viejo (CA) Junipero Serra
Position: Offensive tackle
Class: Redshirt junior
Jersey number: #79
Last year: I ranked Persi #43 and said he would be a backup offensive tackle (LINK). He started one game at left tackle and played in all fourteen games.
TTB Rating: 82

Persi is a mammoth backup offensive tackle who would have already been starting on many past Michigan teams. The fact that he has only started one game through three seasons on campus is a testament to the depth that Michigan has built on the offensive line, not to mention the steady contributions of Ryan Hayes over the past few seasons. Persi was a backup and played on special teams, and he got a chance to start his first career game against Rutgers last season when Hayes was hurt.

I recently posted about Myles Hinton (LINK) and it was a toss-up between the two regarding whom to rank higher. I think Hinton has more upside, but there are some things to clean up from his time at Stanford. Meanwhile, Persi still looked in the spring like he has some filling out to do. And when you’re 6’8″, there’s just a lot of physical maturation that needs to take place. He seems like a guy who should probably be playing close to 330 lbs., and maybe that time is coming. Anyway, if La’Darius Henderson, Trente Jones, and Karsen Barnhart all depart after 2023, it seems likely that Persi and Hinton will be starting in 2024 at left tackle and right tackle, respectively.

Prediction: Backup offensive tackle

5Aug 2023

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2023 Season Countdown: #45a Myles Hinton

Name: Myles Hinton
Height: 6’6″
Weight: 340 lbs.
High school: Norcross (GA) Greater Atlanta Christian
Position: Offensive tackle
Class: Senior
Jersey number: #78
Last year: Hinton started seven games at right tackle for Stanford.
TTB Rating: N/A

Hinton was in the class of 2020 and ranked as a 4-star, the #6 offensive tackle, and #74 overall in that class. He’s the son of former Northwestern and NFL offensive tackle Chris Hinton and the brother of former Michigan defensive tackle Chris Hinton, Jr. Myles spent the past couple seasons starting most of the games for Stanford, with 16 starts and some injury issues in that span. Pro Football Focus gave him some pretty terrible grades, but he played for a pretty terrible Stanford team, so maybe that had something to do with it. On film Hinton has a lot of potential, but that doesn’t mean he always executed his assignments.

I don’t expect Hinton, who will be eligible through 2024, to be a starter in 2023. He’s a pure tackle, and Michigan has three starter-quality players at tackle already with Arizona State transfer La’Darius Henderson and returnees Trente Jones and Karsen Barnhart. All three of those guys could be gone after this season, and Hinton could very well be in line to start next year. But for now, I think Hinton is probably one of the best backup tackles in the Big Ten, at least. And I know I’m getting ahead of myself, but I would not be surprised if he’s an All-Big Ten player in 2024.

Prediction: Backup offensive tackle

5Aug 2023

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Jo’Ziah Edmond, Wolverine

Nappanee (IN) Northwood cornerback Jo’Ziah Edmond committed to Michigan on Tuesday. He flipped from Purdue and also had offers from Baylor, Kentucky, Ole Miss, and Wisconsin, among others.

Edmond is listed at 6’1″ and 180 lbs.

RANKINGS
ESPN: 3-star, 76 grade, #112 ATH
On3: 3-star, 87 grade, #57 ATH
Rivals: 3-star, 5.7 grade, #43 ATH
247 Sports: 3-star, 88 grade, #48 CB

Hit the jump for more.

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4Aug 2023

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Thoughts on Big Ten Expansion

First of all, I’m not a college football writer. I hate talking about the business side of the sport, NIL, TV rights deals, etc. I’m a kid at heart who loves sports and hates the business aspect.

But I do love the games. The tradition. The uniforms. The clashes of playing styles. Air Raid vs. smash-mouth. Option vs. pro style. David vs. Goliath.

So if you want a discussion of how this opens up the Seattle TV market and increases the payout for the people in Piscataway, go somewhere else.

Otherwise, hit the jump.

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4Aug 2023

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2023 Season Countdown: #45b Hudson Hollenbeck

Name: Hudson Hollenbeck
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 208 lbs.
High school: Collierville (TN) Collierville
Position: Kicker/punter
Class: Redshirt freshman
Jersey number: #90
Last year: Hollenbeck redshirted at Mississippi State.
TTB Rating: N/A

This seems like an appropriate place to slot Hollenbeck, who is in his first year at Michigan after transferring from Mississippi State. (Sadly, Mississippi State head coach Mike Leach passed away toward the end of last year.) Hollenbeck went to Starkville as a walk-on and comes to Ann Arbor as a walk-on. The Wolverines landed him and expect to use him as competition for kickoff duty. He fancies himself as a punter, where he will be battling with Tommy Doman, who is the expected starting punter and probably would have been handling kickoff duties if not for the arrival of Hollenbeck.

Right now it seems that Michigan has four specialists for three jobs, with Louisville transfer James Turner expected to kick field goals, Doman expected to punt, and then Hollenbeck and freshman Adam Samaha trying to get in where they fit in. I expect Samaha to be the odd man out in 2023. Hollenbeck says he’s kicking the ball 70-75 yards on kickoffs, which should be good enough for pretty consistent touchbacks. My guess is that he will be the kickoff specialist, but the other options reduce his individual importance for this season.

Prediction: Starting kickoff specialist