2013 Season Countdown: #70 Russell Bellomy

Tag: 2013 season countdown

20Jun 2013
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2013 Season Countdown: #70 Russell Bellomy

Russell Bellomy (image via AnnArbor.com)

Name: Russell Bellomy
Height: 6’3″
Weight: 213 lbs.
High school: Arlington (TX) Martin
Position: Quarterback
Class: Redshirt sophomore
Jersey number: #8
Last year: I ranked Bellomy #49 and said he would be the #3 quarterback. He went 4/21 passing for 46 yards and 4 interceptions; he also ran 12 times for 16 yards.

Bellomy entered the 2012 season as the #2 quarterback on the coaches’ depth chart, but he was basically the #3 guy. With primary backup Devin Gardner bumped out to wide receiver while Denard Robinson kept hold of the quarterback reins, Bellomy entered the opener against Alabama when Robinson got a little dinged up; things did not go well as his first career pass attempt was picked off. Things got worse when Robinson got hurt again in the second quarter of the Nebraska game. Bellomy had as many completions – three – as interceptions. Gardner moved back from wide receiver to play quarterback for the remainder of the season, and Bellomy sat out due to an undisclosed “injury,” which may have been a concussion or perhaps to his pride.

This spring Bellomy tore his ACL, so he’s had a tough year. He had no shot at surpassing Gardner for the starting job, but when the young Texan returns, he may find himself beyond freshman Shane Morris and/or walk-on Brian Cleary. My biggest concern with Bellomy is that he lacks the arm strength to push the ball down the field and therefore checks down very quickly, making it very easy for defenders and opponents to play against him. Arm strength is somewhat overrated because there are plenty of quarterbacks who succeed despite not having cannons attached to their shoulders, but there’s a certain threshold one needs to meet, and I’m not sure if Bellomy can get there. No prognosis has been given for Bellomy’s return, but his torn ACL buddy Jake Ryan is projected to return in October 2013; whoever the primary backup is prior to that point is likely to hold that spot for the remainder of the regular season, whether it’s Morris or Cleary.

Prediction: Third-string quarterback when he returns from injury

19Jun 2013
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2013 Season Countdown: #71 Jourdan Lewis

Jourdan Lewis (left) with Dymonte Thomas, Derrick Green, Jake Butt, and Chris Fox

Name: Jourdan Lewis
Height: 5’10”
Weight: 170 lbs.
High school: Detroit (MI) Cass Tech
Position: Cornerback
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: N/A
Last year: Lewis was a senior in high school. I gave him a TTB Rating of 84.

Lewis committed in February 2012 and turned into a pretty high profile recruit, despite a lack of reported offers. He participated in Nike’s The Opening last summer and was selected to the U.S. Army All-American Bowl. Lewis earned a lot of praise for his ability to break on the ball and stick with receivers, but like most Cass Tech cornerbacks of recent vintage, he’s about as physically imposing as Towelie.

It might be a good idea for Lewis to redshirt, but Michigan has taken two other slight cornerbacks from Cass Tech in the past two years, and both have played. In fact, if you come from Cass Tech, you’re practically guaranteed to play as a true freshman (see: Will Campbell, Delonte Hollowell, Royce Jenkins-Stone, Teric Jones, Terry Richardson). It might be special teams or garbage time or as an injury replacement late in the year, but my guess is that he ends up on the field. If I were playing a video game, though, I would totally redshirt him.

Prediction: Special teamer

18Jun 2013
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2013 Season Countdown: #72 Delano Hill

Jourdan Lewis and Delano Hill at Nike’s The Opening

Name: Delano Hill
Height: 6’1″
Weight: 200 lbs.
High school: Detroit (MI) Cass Tech
Position: Safety
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: N/A
Last year: Hill was a senior in high school. I gave him a TTB Rating of 69.

Hill was an Iowa commit without a Michigan offer for a long time, but he finally got offered in December and committed a few days later. The thing with Hill was never about his measurables (he has good size, a good 40 time, good leaping ability, etc.) but the question about him from Michigan’s end seemed to be about his playmaking ability. For such a good athlete at a pipeline high school, it was odd to some that Michigan didn’t show much interest earlier in the process. They made up ground in a hurry, though.

Michigan’s coaches told Hill that he would get a shot to play cornerback – presumably slot corner or maybe boundary corner – but most people seem to think he’ll end up as a strong safety, including yours truly. With his size and speed, he could very well end up playing on special teams. And as the team tries to develop safety depth for once Thomas Gordon graduates, I think Hill might see some time on defense in garbage time situations.

Prediction: Special teams action

17Jun 2013
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2013 Season Countdown: #73 Khalid Hill

Let’s have another debate about which actor he resembles and/or how old he looks:
Khalid Hill (left) with Jake Butt and Jaron Dukes.

Name: Khalid Hill
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 235 lbs.
High school: Detroit (MI) Crockett
Position: Tight end
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: N/A
Last year: Hill was a senior in high school. I gave him a TTB Rating of 60.

Hill was a bit of a surprise offer and committed in February 2012. Michigan’s coaching staff offered him as a U-back, the “move” tight end/fullback that guys like Devin Funchess, Ian Bunting, etc. play or will play. He’s built a little differently than those guys, though. Shorter and stockier, he’s perhaps a bit more pass-catching fullback than traditional tight end. Think Larry Centers or Keith Byars, the latter of whom went to Ohio State, so forget I said that.

I could see Hill’s season going either way – a redshirt or some time as a backup. He didn’t enroll early, but he’s already stout enough to hold his own in limited time. As a pass catcher, he’s more advanced than Michigan’s fullback options (Joe Kerridge, Sione Houma) but less so than Funchess. I think Michigan can find a small role for him this season, get him a little experience, and have a wide array of tight end/U-back/fullback options in 2014 and beyond.

Prediction: Backup U-back

16Jun 2013
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2013 Season Countdown: #74 Kristian Mateus

Kristian Mateus (#70) blocks Jake Ryan a couple spring games ago

Name: Kristian Mateus
Height: 6’7″
Weight: 306 lbs.
High school: Ada (MI) Forest Hills Central
Position: Offensive tackle
Class: Redshirt junior
Jersey number: #70
Last year: I did not rank Mateus. He played in three games as a backup offensive tackle.

Mateus is one of those walk-on guys who has taken a few years to develop, and he finally seems to be rounding into serviceable form. After not seeing the field in 2010 or 2011, he played in three games as a redshirt sophomore, including games against Big Ten opponents Illinois and Iowa. While both of those games were blowouts, that’s still a pretty decent achievement for a walk-on who’s been sitting behind a likely first round pick (Taylor Lewan) for the past few years.

Lewan is still here, and so is right tackle Michael Schofield, so Mateus probably isn’t in danger of competing for a starting job this fall. He is, however, a seasoned backup with good size. He probably does not have the athleticism, leverage, or strength to be a viable long-term option, but the backup tackles are still young and undersized, so Mateus might be able to help in a pinch.

Prediction: Backup offensive tackle