Let’s see more of this guy on offense . . . Drake Johnson. Much like last year, it seems like Drake Johnson (10 carries, 55 yards) is the only guy who can infuse life into the running game right now. For whatever reason, Ty Isaac and Karan Higdon did not participate in Saturday’s game, and Derrick Green (3 carries, 4 yards) is still just a guy. Meanwhile, starter De’Veon Smith (9 carries, 16 yards) is just limping along at this point. I’m unimpressed with Michigan’s options at the position, but there isn’t anyone new coming through the door just yet.
Hit the jump for the rest of the awards.
Let’s see less of this guy on offense . . . De’Veon Smith. It doesn’t take an expert to see that Smith goes limping off the field once or twice a game. I also don’t see the explosiveness – relatively speaking – that I saw from Smith just before the ankle injury. It would have been nice if he could have rested this week (and in future weeks) to get ready for the home stretch against Indiana, Penn State, and Ohio State. Unfortunately, this looks like an injury that might linger all year like Devin Funchess’s ankle issue last year. On the bright side, Smith is significantly more mentally focused than Funchess. Hopefully Michigan can beat Rutgers next week with Johnson, Green, Isaac, and Higdon.
Let’s see more of this guy on defense . . . James Ross III. It seems that instead of moving someone large like Ben Gedeon to Buck linebacker, the coaches have looked to Ross (6’1″, 232 lbs.) as a potential answer after Mario Ojemudia tore his Achilles. Ross did not have a great game despite good numbers (9 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 1 sack), because he’s new to the position and forgot his responsibility a couple times. But he packs quite a punch for a compact player, and I think he can hold up at the point of attack against most opponents. If he gets more reps there, I think he can be better than Royce Jenkins-Stone, who is nothing more than a decent run-stopper.
Let’s see less of this guy on defense . . . Delano Hill. I know this off-season Michigan was glad to have three starting-caliber safeties (Hill, Jarrod Wilson, Jabrill Peppers), but Hill seems like the weak point of the secondary. I am struggling to see what he really brings to the table. He does not excel as a tackler or a coverage guy, he once again went for the strip instead of the tackle against Mitch Leidner (similar to Trevon Pendleton’s catch-and-run for MSU), and he sometimes doesn’t seem to be moving with 100% effort. I’m not sure what the best rotation is in the secondary, but Dymonte Thomas – despite his dropped interception that resulted in a big play for Minnesota – provides just as much as Hill.
Play of the game . . . the goal line stand to end the game. I’ll include both plays. On play one from the half-yard line, Minnesota ran a throwback pass that fell incomplete because of a) good coverage and b) two unblocked blitzers. On play two, the defensive line stoned quarterback Mitch Leidner’s quarterback sneak attempt from under center. All Minnesota need to secure the win was about 12 inches of real estate, and they couldn’t get it.
MVP of the game . . . Jabrill Peppers. Peppers played 92 total plays on offense, defense, and special teams. He ended up carrying the ball 4 times for 16 yards and 1 touchdown; made 3 tackles with 2 pass breakups on defense; returned a kickoff for 43 yards; and returned a punt for 41 yards. For a defensive player, 100 total yards, 1 touchdown, 3 tackles, and 2 pass breakups is a good stat line.
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I know I’m gonna be in trouble for saying this, but i’m in agreement with regards to Hill and Thomas. Thomas seems to be gaining a handle on the safety position, is starting to be pretty consistent in his routes, angels and is arriving with the ball rather than chasing.
I think Hill is and will be a real good player.
that last thing was a weak effort at avoiding a phone call.
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I love Peppers, but 92 plays!? He should ironically be on your “Let’s see LESS of this guy” category, but for reasons that are not Peppers’s fault and more of an indictment on the rest of the offense (i.e., I wish we didn’t need him for 92 plays, but apparently we do).
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That would be pragmatic, not ironic. I agree – it was too much.
I think there is an argument that if we are ahead of Rutgers early Peppers should head to the sideline and somebody like Thomas, Clark, or Lyons should get more snaps.
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I’ve always been a fan of Ross. He’s not as big, but–to my eyes–he analyses plays quickly, he’s quick to the ball, often in the right place to MAKE PLAYS (!!) and tackles well. Maybe, he’s getting blown out of the play when I don’t see him (I’m not a skilled-enough viewer to notice these things, unless they’re obvious).
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LSMOTG Offense: Jake Rudock. Get better Jake – we need you. Also – Hill and Newsome. Hill can catch, Newsome can block. Play em. Healthy Smith. (Agree with Thunder he should rest up vs Rutgers if possible.)
LSLOTG Offense: Speight, hobbled Smith, Green, Poggi (who has not impressed me all year), Peppers (don’t overdo it).
LSMOTG Defense: Gedeon. I think Ojemudia is being missed. I’m really surprised they put Ross at Buck, though it does make SOME sense, I agree that Gedeon would make more.
LSLOTG Defense: Bolden. F it, I’m joining up the bandwagon a year and a half later. Ross and Gedeon seem to offer just as much.
On Thomas: I agree that the guy is improved. He hasn’t made a mistake for a few weeks now and that’s a great sign for next year, but he is also playing a limited role. I think Hill is a good run supporter, solid tackler, and pretty good in coverage. He has messed up a few times, but Thomas has proven in the past to be quite unreliable. Improvement is good, but I don’t think a few weeks of not screwing up means he’s automatically better than Hill.
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Did Ty Issac get busted for something besides the fumbles? I know he’s not the popular choice but he did have our longest run this year by a RB.
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Isaac most certainly IS the fan-favorite popular choice for big time RB.
…Or at least he was. I think Drake Johnson may have passed him.
That I can stomach because a) he earned carries based on what he did last year b) he’s getting praise based on his play, rather than recruiting hype and c) he’s from AA! and a great story coming back from injuries, not getting recruited, etc.
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MGoVideo doesn’t have the every snap thing up yet, but the entire game is there.
I still don’t get the angst. Minnesota defensive kids sold out their bodies for the hit the entire game. Remarkably I think they were bringing it tougher late than they did early. The play on which Smith left limping in the second half is probably the easiest single example, as two kids came in just real hard, with a lot of intent. It was like a Michigan/MSU game, maybe harder. Minnesota will not hit like they did against us as a team, or even individually for that matter, for a good long time.
I am both pleased and proud to be able to say that on the final touchdown drive, Speight did the thing that I thought i saw on his senior year high school video. He placed three straight balls to the spot where only his guy had a shot at it: down at the knees to Butt, up and away to Chesson for the TD and almost too far up and away after sucking in the linebackers by coming down the lane and finishing with a real pretty dish to Darboh, for the two. I’m real encouraged about our depth at QB and the upcoming competition for the job coming up next spring and fall.
As a matter of fact, I think you have to be heartened at the improvement across the board and not just in comparing this team to last year’s team, but in this team as compared to this team, pick a week.
I haven’t revisited my opinion on Thomas/Hill yet. I will.
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Minnesota did that crap last year, too. That’s why I don’t feel sorry for them even if they lost their coach due to illness. They want to knock out our starting QB and RB (usually easiest targets) in order to disable our offense. B1G refs really have a problem. Officiating is very bad.
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Hitting with intent ain’t crap. It is the nexus of football.
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