Tag: 2020 season countdown

8Jun 2020

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2020 Season Countdown: #89 Peter Bush

Name: Peter Bush
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 220 lbs.
High school: Newport Beach (CA) Corona del Mar
Position: Running back
Class: Fifth year senior
Jersey number: #45
Last year: I ranked Bush #75 and said he would be a backup tight end (LINK). He played special teams in all thirteen games and made 1 tackle.
TTB Rating: N/A

Bush has had quite the journey through the football world. A high school quarterback, he played linebacker initially before moving to fullback to tight end to running back. The switch to running back in 2019 was mostly because the team got rid of the fullback position, but Bush has never really been in the discussion at running back, even when there was a slew of injuries in the spring.

Nothing much should change this year. Bush will probably play special teams, and the addition of Chris Evans – who missed the 2019 season due to suspension – will keep Bush tethered to the bench when the offense is on the field. Special teams should remain Bush’s best opportunity to make his mark.

Prediction: Backup running back, special teamer

7Jun 2020

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2020 Season Countdown: #90 Caden Kolesar

Name: Caden Kolesar
Height: 5’10”
Weight: 196 lbs.
High school: Westlake (OH) St. Edward
Position: Safety
Class: Redshirt freshman
Jersey number: #40
Last year: I ranked Kolesar #100 and said he would redshirt (LINK).He played in three games.
TTB Rating: 60*

Kolesar is that rare walk-on with a TTB Rating. Why? Well, when Kolesar committed to Michigan, it was unclear whether he was picking the Wolverines as a walk-on or a scholarship player. As you can see, I was not a fan of him as a scholarship player, but a 60 isn’t a bad score for a walk-on. Kolesar played in three games, preserving his redshirt status.

The fact that Michigan threw Kolesar out on the field as a true freshman walk-on suggests that they see him being a contributor going forward. Early walk-on play can be a little misleading (see: Carl Myers), but playing is better than not playing. It’s rare that a walk-on finds time late in his career after never seeing the field in the first two seasons. The path to being a Jordan Glasgow or Nate Schoenle usually begins on special teams.

Prediction: Backup linebacker, special teamer

6Jun 2020

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2020 Season Countdown: #91 Adam Shibley

Name: Adam Shibley
Height: 6’1″
Weight: 225 lbs.
High school: Cleveland (OH) St. Ignatius
Position: Linebacker
Class: Redshirt junior
Jersey number: #45
Last year: I ranked Shibley #81 and said he would be a backup linebacker and special teamer (LINK). He played in ten games and made 1 tackle.
TTB Rating: N/A

If you read the post about Adam Fakih yesterday, you can pretty much cut and paste it here for Shibley. Shibley was Scout Co-Defensive Player of the Year in 2018 and is a talented walk-on, but there probably won’t be much playing time available for a coaching staff that doesn’t rotate in many backup linebackers.

It looks like another year of special teams work for Adam & Adam.

Prediction: Backup linebacker, special teamer

5Jun 2020

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2020 Season Countdown: #92 Adam Fakih

Name: Adam Fakih
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 228 lbs.
High school: Detroit (MI) Country Day
Position: Linebacker
Class: Redshirt junior
Jersey number: #41
Last year: I ranked Fakih #82 and said he would be a backup linebacker and special teamer (LINK). He played in eleven games and made 3 tackles.
TTB Rating: N/A

Fakih is one of several talented walk-on linebackers on Michigan’s roster, and there have been years – not good years, but years nonetheless – where some of these guys would have been pushing for playing time. Instead, Fakih was limited to special teams, where he made 3 tackles on the kickoff team.

I expect more of the same for Fakih in 2020. Michigan has plenty of talented scholarship linebackers to handle the regular defensive duties, but Fakih’s role on special teams should remain consistent.

Prediction: Backup linebacker, special teamer

4Jun 2020

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2020 Season Countdown: #93 Jared Davis

Name: Jared Davis
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 202 lbs.
High school: Frankenmuth (MI) Frankenmuth
Position: Safety
Class: Redshirt junior
Jersey number: #23
Last year: I ranked Davis #97 and said he would be a backup safety and special teamer (LINK). He played in one game on special teams.
TTB Rating: N/A

Davis did not see the field during his first two years on campus, but last year the fruits of his labor showed when he played in the blowout victory over Notre Dame. For his efforts in practice, he was named Scout Special Teams Player of the Year.

Maybe Davis’s time will come this year. Fellow walk-on safety Louis Grodman (5 tackles in 2019) has run out of eligibility, perhaps opening up a spot on special teams for someone like Davis. There will be others battling for playing time, of course, but Davis seems to be ascending up the special teams depth chart. He may not see the field on defense, but I would expect #23 to be running downfield on some kickoffs in 2020.

Prediction: Backup safety, special teamer