2014 Season Countdown: #54 Ryan Glasgow
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| Ryan Glasgow (#96) |
Name: Ryan Glasgow
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 297 lbs.
High school: Aurora (IL) Marmion Academy
Position: Defensive tackle
Class: Redshirt sophomore
Jersey number: #96
Last year: I did not rank Glasgow. He played in eleven games and made 2 tackles.
Kudos to reader and frequent commenter Roanman, who said in last year’s 2013 Countdown wrap-up that he would put Ryan Glasgow somewhere between #54 and #68. On the other hand, I didn’t think he was worth ranking because I didn’t think he would play much. I was wrong, but I remain befuddled as to why I was wrong. The obvious answer is, of course, that Michigan’s coaching staff thought Glasgow was the second-best nose tackle on the roster once Ondre Pipkins got injured. But I’m not sure how a guy plays in eleven (11!) games at nose tackle and doesn’t make more than 2 tackles as a defensive lineman. Players who equaled or surpassed his production include Tom Strobel (1 game, 2 tackles), Richard Ash (8 games, 3 tackles), Matt Godin (7 games, 3 tackles), and Anthony Capatina (5 games, 2 tackles). Whenever I noticed Glasgow on the field, it seemed to be that he was getting pushed downfield or getting turned; at best he would earn a stalemate.
Ah well. What does 2013 matter? We’re talking about 2014 now! Brady Hoke is no longer the nose tackles coach, and maybe a change of scenery will do the position some good. He will still help out, of course, but Mark Smith has taken over defensive line coaching duties. Pipkins is scheduled to return from his ACL injury suffered mid-season, and he would be counted on to start if healthy. Redshirt freshman Maurice Hurst, Jr. made a splash in the spring, redshirt sophomore Willie Henry can play either defensive tackle position, and freshman Bryan Mone will probably also play a role. My head is telling me that Glasgow should be relegated to garbage time duty, but evidence suggests that the coaches will still try to shoehorn him in there somewhere. Whoever ends up playing nose tackle can hopefully produce more than the 28 tackles and .5 tackles for loss that Quinton Washington, Pipkins, and Glasgow produced last year.
Prediction: Backup nose tackle