Ex-Wolverine Updates: Pre-season 2015

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24Aug 2015
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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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23Aug 2015
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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

22Aug 2015
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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