What to Watch in the Spring Game

Tag: Julius Welschof


1Apr 2022
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What to Watch in the Spring Game

Will Johnson

The spring game will be shown on the Big Ten Network on Saturday, April 2, at 12:00 p.m.

Here are a few things I’ll be curious to watch:

WHO TAKES OVER FOR HASSAN HASKINS?
Michigan needs to replace its leading rusher and toughest back in Hassan Haskins, a 6’1″, 220-pounder who is off to the NFL after rushing for 1,327 yards and 20 touchdowns in 2021. The Wolverines have two very talented running backs left, Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards, but neither one has proven to be a bruiser or short yardage back. They have home run speed but were listed at 200 and 202 pounds, respectively, last season. Redshirt freshman Tavierre Dunlap (6’0″, 222) might be able to step into the role as a big back, but does he have the instincts and power that Haskins showed? Michigan doesn’t need a leading rusher – that will be Corum or Edwards – but they need someone who can pound the ball inside.

Hit the jump for more.

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1Aug 2021
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2021 Season Countdown: #35 Julius Welschof

Julius Welschof (image via Twitter)

Name: Julius Welschof
Height:
6’6″
Weight:
286 lbs.
High school:
Miesbach (Germany) FOS Altoetting
Position:
Defensive tackle
Class:
Redshirt junior
Jersey number:
#96
Last year:
I ranked Welschof #67 and said he would be a backup defensive tackle (LINK). He made 6 tackles and 0.5 sacks.
TTB Rating:
78

After redshirting in 2018 and playing in just one game in 2019, Welschof became a rotational player in 2020. An athletic big man, Michigan used him in pass rush situations, lining him up at defensive tackle and having him loop and stunt. When forced into action against the run, he did not perform well. I still have nightmares of him getting pushed around against Wisconsin.

There has been positive buzz about him this off-season. How much value should those rumors get? I don’t know. I do know that if I were putting together a 3-4 defense, I would really like having a 6’6″, 290-ish pound guy playing 4i. The biggest question is whether Welschof has improved at defeating run blocks (down blocks, combo blocks, etc.). If Shaun Nua has not improved those skills, then Welschof will probably remain a sub-package guy.

Prediction: Backup defensive tackle

23Nov 2020
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Michigan vs. Rutgers Awards

Giles Jackson (image via Wolverines Wire)

Let’s see more of this guy on offense . . . Cade McNamara. I wasn’t quite ready after the Wisconsin game, but now I’m ready. Quarterback Cade McNamara should be the starter going forward. He went 27/36 for 260 yards, 4 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions, and he also ran in 1 touchdown. This happened after starter Joe Milton was 5/12 for 89 yards.

Hit the jump for more.

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8Jul 2020
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2020 Season Countdown: #67 Julius Welschof

Julius Welschof

Name: Julius Welschof
Height:
6’6″
Weight:
278 lbs.
High school:
Germany somewhere
Position:
Defensive tackle
Class:
Redshirt sophomore
Jersey number:
#96
Last year:
I ranked Welschof #49 and said he would be a backup defensive end (LINK). He played in one game.
TTB Rating:
78

Michigan was very inexperienced on the defensive line last year once the team got past the top five guys (the starters plus Mike Danna), so that artificially elevated Welschof into the top 50. Now without losing much along the defensive line except tackle Mike Dwumfour, Welschof settles back down to where he should have been in 2019, right here in the 60s.

Welschof is supposedly bigger and stronger this year and looking like an interior defensive lineman. Word is that he could be bound for nose tackle. He does not appear to be in the running to start, but he could work in with the second unit. We have seen very little of him to make much of a judgment, but the buzz around him makes me think we might start to see some flashes of his athleticism and strength this year.

Prediction: Backup defensive tackle

16Jul 2019
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2019 Season Countdown: #49 Julius Welschof

Julius Welschof (image via Wolverines Wire)

Today is the last day of Amazon Prime Day (LINK):

Name: Julius Welschof
Height:
6’6″
Weight:
275 lbs.
High schoool:
Miesbach (Germany) FOS Altoetting
Position:
Defensive end
Class:
Redshirt freshman
Jersey number:
#96
Last year:
I ranked Welscholf #82 and said he would be a backup defensive end (LINK). He redshirted.
TTB Rating:
78

Welschof is one of the more intriguing prospects in recent years. It’s not often you land a football prospect from another country – and when you do, it’s normally Canada. But in the 2018 class, Welschof came out of nowhere to end up signing with the Wolverines. I thought he would get a few snaps against the likes of Rutgers just to show that Michigan can pull guys from non-football-playing countries and still be better than them, but he ended up redshirting.

He was listed at 253 lbs. last year, and this year he’s reportedly up to 275 lbs. Bruce Feldman detailed his athletic abilities in the 2019 “freaks” list for 2019 (LINK). Michigan lost a bunch of defensive line pieces in the past year, particularly at defensive end (Rashan Gary, Chase Winovich, Reuben Jones, Ron Johnson), so that catapults some guys up the list, including Welschof. I don’t think Welschof will go from redshirting to actually being a good Big Ten player, but I think he will almost be forced into action due to the inexperience on the depth chart. Aidan Hutchinson, Kwity Paye, and Mike Danna should be the big pieces of the rotation, but Michigan needs one or two other defensive ends to step up, whether it’s Welschof, Luiji Vilain, or someone else. Vilain’s injury history says to me that Welschof needs to be ranked here in the top 50 when he should ideally be somewhere in the 60s.

Prediction: Backup defensive end