Tag: 2019 season countdown

2019 Season Countdown: #80 Phillip Paea

Name: Phillip Paea
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 296 lbs.
High school: Berrien Springs (MI) Berrien Springs
Position: Offensive guard/defensive tackle
Class: Redshirt sophomore
Jersey number: #58
Last year: I ranked Paea #70 (LINK). He played in two games.
TTB Rating: 68

Usually as a college football player, I don’t refer to you as a journeyman. Most college players play for one school or a maximum of two over up to five years.

I will make an exception for journeyman Phillip Paea. Not because he has played for multiple schools, but he leads a nomadic existence. One day he’s camping out with the big uglies that make up the offensive line, and the next day, he’s hanging out with the dogs on defense. Michigan’s coaching staff can’t decide where he fits best or what hole he plugs, so he constantly bounces back and forth between offensive guard and defensive tackle.

I am on the record as saying that he has the most potential on the offensive line, but the defensive tackle position lacks experienced bodies. Where he plays this season is anyone’s guess.

Prediction: Backup hog/dog

2019 Season Countdown: #81 Adam Shibley

Name: Adam Shibley
Height: 6’1″
Weight: 228 lbs.
High school: Cleveland (OH) St. Ignatius
Position: Linebacker
Class: Redshirt sophomore
Jersey number: #45
Last year: I ranked Shibley # (LINK). He played in two games.
TTB Rating: N/A

Shibley was a good looking high school prospect who came to the Wolverines as a preferred walk-on. He was a two-time Scout Team Player of the Week in 2018, and he was named Co-Scout Team Defensive Player of the Year, too. Michigan tossed him in on special teams against Nebraska and Florida last year.

This year Shibley is unlikely to play a major role for Michigan, but he has shown that he’s capable of earning his way on the field in small roles. He’s blocked at inside linebacker by several high-profile recruits and more experienced players, but special teams might be his path to more playing time.

Prediction: Backup linebacker, special teamer

2019 Season Countdown: #82 Adam Fakih

Name: Adam Fakih
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 227 lbs.
High school: Detroit (MI) Country Day
Position: Linebacker
Class: Redshirt sophomore
Jersey number: #41
Last year: I ranked Fakih #104 and said he would be a backup linebacker (LINK). He played in one game.
TTB Rating: N/A

Fakih is in a tough spot as a backup linebacker on a team that doesn’t take its top linebackers off the field very much. But he’s doing work on the scout team, where he was named Scout Team Player of the Week twice during the 2018 season.

Coming out of high school, I thought Fakih could be a plugger at inside linebacker. He won’t be relied upon to play heavily this year, but he played some special teams against Nebraska last year, and he might see some snaps this year in the right situation. Either way, he’s a good program guy.

Prediction: Backup linebacker, special teamer

2019 Season Countdown: #83 Brad Robbins

Name: Brad Robbins
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 206 lbs.
High school: Westerville (OH) South
Position: Punter
Class: Redshirt sophomore
Jersey number: #3
Last year: I ranked Robbins # (LINK). He redshirted.
TTB Rating: 70

Robbins had a decent freshman season in 2017 when he averaged 40.4 yards per punt. All-Big Ten Honorable Mention honors followed that season, and he seemed to be on the path to a solid career. Then he injured his back, and the wheels came off (at least at Michigan). Walk-on Will Hart took over the punting job and was booming kicks every single week, to the point where that 40.4 yards per punt looked paltry.

Now Robbins is in the transfer portal and won’t return to Michigan. I already had him in the queue to be ranked here at #83, so here he is. Barring something unforeseen, Hart will be the starting punter again, with George Caratan as the likely backup.

Prediction: Transfer

2019 Season Countdown: #84 Cade McNamara

Name: Cade McNamara
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 202 lbs.
High school: Reno (NV) Damonte Ranch
Position: Quarterback
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: #12
Last year: McNamara was a senior in high school (LINK). He threw for 2,995 yards, 39 touchdowns, and 6 interceptions.
TTB Rating: 65

McNamara is the State of Nevada’s all-time leading passer with 12,804 passing yards and 146 passing touchdowns. He threw for over 2,000 yards and 17 touchdowns as a freshman. Of course, he did play his high school football in Reno, Nevada, which is not exactly a football hotbed. The numbers are still impressive, though.

What appears to set McNamara apart from other players is his ability to improvise, make throws on the run, and change his arm angle. He claims a 4.81 forty, but his speed does not stand out, and his arm strength is just so-so. In some ways he has a similar game to Shea Patterson, but Patterson is a notch above in every category. You may notice that I gave McNamara a TTB Rating of 65, which is the first time I have rated him. I do not think he will reach a point at Michigan where he’s looked at as a top-notch starter.

Specifically for this season, McNamara should not be needed. Patterson has one more year of eligibility, and even with the departure of Brandon Peters, it would take injuries to Dylan McCaffrey and Joe Milton before McNamara would see the field. It’s rare that a fourth quarterback is needed, so I expect a redshirt.

Prediction: Redshirt