2014 Season Countdown: #66 Wyatt Shallman

Tag: 2014 season countdown

16Jun 2014
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2014 Season Countdown: #66 Wyatt Shallman

Wyatt Shallman

Name: Wyatt Shallman
Height: 6’3″
Weight: 243 lbs.
High school: Novi (MI) Catholic Central
Position: Fullback
Class: Redshirt freshman
Jersey number: #33
Last year: I ranked Shallman #85 and said he would redshirt. He redshirted.

Coming into his freshman year, there were varying reports on where Shallman would play. As expected, he redshirted, but he was seen at varying times warming up with the running backs and the tight ends (a position group that includes H-backs at times). He was listed by recruiting sites anywhere from 225 to 245 lbs., but the official roster had him at 243 lbs. this spring when he was working mostly with the tight end/H-back position group.

Not much more should be expected of Shallman this fall. Michigan’s top two fullbacks (Joe Kerridge, Sione Houma) return, and Michigan should be able to make do with their other tight ends, especially once Jake Butt returns. Shallman should find himself no higher than third on the depth chart, but at his size, he may be an asset as a blocker on punts or kickoff returns.

Prediction: Backup H-back

15Jun 2014
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2014 Season Countdown: #67 Tom Strobel

Tom Strobel (image via Scout)

Name: Tom Strobel
Height: 6’6″
Weight: 268 lbs.
High school: Mentor (OH) Mentor
Position: Defensive end
Class: Redshirt sophomore
Jersey number: #50
Last year: I ranked Strobel #64 and said he would be a backup strongside end. He played in one game and made 2 tackles.

Strobel came into the 2013 season as a combo strongside end/defensive tackle, but he has always seemed like a guy who would struggle to put on the weight necessary to play defensive tackle. Last year he played at 262 lbs., and this year he’s up to 268. That’s still a little bit light for the 5-tech defensive end spot that Michigan employed when their base defense was an Under. He played in one game as a redshirt freshman but made 2 tackles against the Chippewas of Central Michigan, so he acquitted himself fairly well.

Strobel is once again listed as a defensive end going into 2014, and I think that’s the position that fits him best. The strongside end in Michigan’s new base defense, the 4-3 Over, is more of an edge player who doesn’t require as much bulk. Senior Brennen Beyer is entrenched as the starter, and sophomore Taco Charlton looks to be the first man off the bench. Strobel would likely be the third guy in, although redshirt freshman Henry Poggi (who also has bounced between defensive tackle and strongside end) might have something to say about that. Poggi is more of a natural defensive tackle, though, so Strobel will probably see a solid amount of playing time to spell players or play some garbage time minutes.

Prediction: Backup strongside end

11Jun 2014
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2014 Season Countdown: #68 Kenny Allen

Kenny Allen

Name: Kenny Allen
Height: 6’3″
Weight: 230 lbs.
High school: Fenton (MI) Fenton
Position: Punter
Class: Redshirt sophomore
Jersey number: #91
Last year: I ranked Allen #79 and said he would be the backup punter. He punted 1 times for 51 yards.

Michigan has been in somewhat of an odd position for the past few years with three scholarship kickers on the roster, although it has paid off at times since at least two of them are knuckleheads. Punter Will Hagerup got himself suspended for the entire 2013 season and parts of every other year during his college career. Placekicker Brendan Gibbons got himself booted out of school for an alleged rape. The only one to keep his nose clean has been the backup to both positions, Matt Wile, who is reportedly a very good kid. Allen has been waiting in the wings for a position (and a scholarship), and his lone appearance in 2013 suggests he’ll be ready whenever the opportunity arises – he had a 51-yard punt against Central Michigan in the opener.

Now that Gibbons is off the roster, Wile will be the full-time placekicker, so that leaves the punting position to Hagerup, a former All-Big Ten punter. With Hagerup’s history of stupidity and suspension, there’s a good chance that Allen will be needed at some point – or at all points – to be Michigan’s punter. Whenever Hagerup finds himself moving on to the next stage of his life, Allen appears poised to become the next starter at the position.

Prediction: Backup punter until Hagerup does another stupid thing

10Jun 2014
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2014 Season Countdown: #69 Ross Douglas

Ross Douglas

Name: Ross Douglas
Height: 5’10”
Weight: 186 lbs.
High school: Avon (OH) Avon
Position: Running back
Class: Redshirt freshman
Jersey number: #29
Last year: I ranked Douglas #66 and said he would be a backup cornerback and special teamer. He redshirted.

Douglas enrolled early in January of 2013, which should have given him a bit of a leg up on some of the other freshman corners. By the time the season rolled around, however, he was behind fellow freshmen Jourdan Lewis and Channing Stribling. With a couple seasoned players at the position, Douglas sat out the year. After the hiring of offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier, the coaches moved Douglas to running back, a position he played successfully in high school. Without an emerging player at the position, they thought he might add an element of speed and provide some competition.

Now going into the 2014 season, it appears Michigan will have a plethora of options at running back going forward. Sophomores Derrick Green and DeVeon Smith return, and sophomore Ty Isaac (who may or may not be eligible this year) just transferred in from USC, which likely pushes Douglas further down the depth chart. He was unlikely to contribute much this year, anyway, but hopes of playing in the long-term may be dimming. In the short term, the scat back role can be filled by redshirt junior Justice Hayes. Douglas’s best bet for playing time is probably on special teams coverage, but Michigan has some older guys who are probably more suited to filling those roles. I expect Douglas to watch most of this season from the bench.

Prediction: Backup running back

9Jun 2014
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2014 Season Countdown: #70 Maurice Ways

Maurice Ways

Name: Maurice Ways
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 195 lbs.
High school: Detroit (MI) Country Day
Position: Wide receiver
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: N/A
Last year: Ways was a senior in high school. He finished as a 247 Composite 3-star, the #77 wide receiver, and #494 overall. He had 55 receptions for 1,261 yards and 16 touchdowns.
Final TTB Rating: 77

Ways had a bit of an underwhelming offer list when he committed to Michigan last April (Iowa, Pitt, Rutgers, some MAC schools), but for the life of me, I can’t figure out why he wouldn’t be a 4-star recruit to the recruiting services. Ways struggled with catching the ball early in his high school career, but that issue improved as he gave up basketball and concentrated on football. A tall guy with good leaping ability and speed makes for a huge catch radius. Either way, he enters a phase of his career where star ratings don’t matter anymore.

Ways is perhaps more physically ready to play as a freshman than the other two wide receivers in his class, but Freddy Canteen had the spring to get ready and brings an element of speed that is somewhat lacking in the experienced players. Whether Ways plays or not depends largely upon how deep the coaching staff wants to go with the receivers. At least one receiver seems to play each year with no discernible benefit (Junior Hemingway, Toney Clemons, Drew Dileo, Jeremy Jackson, Da’Mario Jones, Csont’e York, etc.), and Ways could be that guy in 2014. Canteen appears to have a definite role on the team, but the Wolverines replace three senior wide receivers from last year (Jackson, Dileo, Jeremy Gallon). The return of redshirt sophomore Amara Darboh from his foot injury fills one more spot, so Ways will find himself in a battle with the likes of York, Jones, and Jaron Dukes for scraps of playing time. It would make sense to redshirt him, but the most logical thing doesn’t always happen.

Prediction: Redshirt