2018 Michigan Season thread

[Mdot21]

nice fluff piece article from Michigan247 site on RS Frosh LT James Hudson.

https://247sports.com/college/michigan/Article/Michigan-football-coaches-excited-by-offensive-lineman-James-Hudsons-special-potential-120211482/

Hudson was a 4* recruit from Ohio, came in as a DL and was flipped to OL almost immediately. Bill Greene- one of the top Ohio guys at Scout/247 loved him as an OL recruit said he was special, thought he was just OK at DL. Lots of the "insiders" have said he's the most talented OL on the team for the past year plus. Apparently up to 6'6, 302 lbs. We'll see if any of that hype comes to fruition this fall.

[847badgerfan]

Greene is pretty tuned in. He gets a lot right so it wouldn't shock me with this kid. I just think a RS year is good for OL and DL if at all possible.

A RSF at 6-6, 302 can look a whole lot different than a true F.

[Mdot21]

5 pre-camp predictions.

1) Shea Patterson will win the QB job.

2) Aidan Hutchinson will crack the two deep and be in that DL rotation as a true frosh.

3) Ambry Thomas will be the nickel CB and essentially get starter minutes. Michigan will have the best 1-2-3 punch at CB in the conference with Hill-Long-Thomas.

4) starting OL will be Juwann Bushell-Beatty at LT, Ben Bredeson at LG, Cesar Ruiz at C, Mike Onwenu at RG, and John Runyan Jr at RT.

5) Nick Eubanks will leapfrog Sean McKeon. He's just way more talented than McKeon. He was ahead of McKeon early but got injured last year which let McKeon get all those minutes. Eubanks and Zach Gentry on the field together in two TE sets could be a nightmare for defenses.

[Mdot21]

Greene is pretty tuned in. He gets a lot right so it wouldn't shock me with this kid. I just think a RS year is good for OL and DL if at all possible.

A RSF at 6-6, 302 can look a whole lot different than a true F.

agree 100%. OL's and DL's should redshirt. Unless you have a DL like Bosa or Gary who you know is just going to be their for 3 years and then off to the 1st round- then there's no point in redshirting them imo.
Hudson might wind up winning the LT job down the line, but sounds like he's still a year away and that 5th year senior Juwann Bushell Beatty who has a lot more experience will probably be the starter day 1 vs ND.

[Cincydawg]

Chickens are nervous animals,

[847badgerfan]

Chickens are nervous animals,

Heh. I read that too.

[ELA]

CTE is a bitch

[Anonymous Coward]

Heh. I read that too.

Haha. Mgoblog called it a crypto-Lamarckian perspective. I liked that.

[Anonymous Coward]

nice fluff piece article from Michigan247 site on RS Frosh LT James Hudson.

https://247sports.com/college/michigan/Article/Michigan-football-coaches-excited-by-offensive-lineman-James-Hudsons-special-potential-120211482/

Hudson was a 4* recruit from Ohio, came in as a DL and was flipped to OL almost immediately. Bill Greene- one of the top Ohio guys at Scout/247 loved him as an OL recruit said he was special, thought he was just OK at DL. Lots of the "insiders" have said he's the most talented OL on the team for the past year plus. Apparently up to 6'6, 302 lbs. We'll see if any of that hype comes to fruition this fall.

I can't take that leap. I don't think any offensive lineman has more potential than Cesar Ruiz - much less one who hasn't started yet. I also think Hudson is a promising prospect, full stop.

[Anonymous Coward]

Greene is pretty tuned in. He gets a lot right so it wouldn't shock me with this kid. I just think a RS year is good for OL and DL if at all possible.

A RSF at 6-6, 302 can look a whole lot different than a true F.

James Hudson had his redshirt OL year in 2017. He might be ready. But first he'll have to beat out a couple guys. Those guys (Bushell-Beaty and Stueber) may not be as physically impressive, but they also may know the nuances better. Should be a great Fall battle. If you believe Shea is a lock, then this is by far the most important battle remaining on the whole team. 

[Anonymous Coward]

5 pre-camp predictions.

1) Shea Patterson will win the QB job.

2) Aidan Hutchinson will crack the two deep and be in that DL rotation as a true frosh.

3) Ambry Thomas will be the nickel CB and essentially get starter minutes. Michigan will have the best 1-2-3 punch at CB in the conference with Hill-Long-Thomas.

4) starting OL will be Juwann Bushell-Beatty at LT, Ben Bredeson at LG, Cesar Ruiz at C, Mike Onwenu at RG, and John Runyan Jr at RT.

5) Nick Eubanks will leapfrog Sean McKeon. He's just way more talented than McKeon. He was ahead of McKeon early but got injured last year which let McKeon get all those minutes. Eubanks and Zach Gentry on the field together in two TE sets could be a nightmare for defenses.

I'd call #1 and #3 locks unless something weird happens. 
For Hutchinson, I'm excited about him, but whether he goes weak or strong side, his path to the field is crowded. I really doubt he hits the two-deep. But with the new redshirt rules, he will still get plenty of snaps.
For the OL, I think that's a really great interior. However, Spanellis may beat out Onwenu. Along with JBB/Hudson, that's the last true OL battle remaining (Bredeson, Ruiz and Runyan are the lockiest locks).
For McKeon, maybe. But I liked him last year. Eubanks has seniority and athleticism but he hasn't been productive yet (I get it though - injuries). In any event, I'm really excited to see Gentry in an offense with a real QB. That opportunity was stolen from us last year.

[Anonymous Coward]

I keep thinking Michigan has great RB depth, but they keep recruiting as if they don't believe it themselves. I think Karan Higdon was great last year and that, sure, Chris Evans can't hold up as a bell cow but at 12-18 snaps per game, he's perfect in the role of lightning. And then they have Samuels/Turner/Haskins/Taylor/Barrett.
Anyway, Keegan Jones from the 2018 class was set for Navy but changed his mind and it appears Michigan wants him seriously...though he would be a grayshirt as he could not enroll until January. 
And since Michigan is now at 83 or 84 scholarships, they definitely have the room.

[Mdot21]

I'd call #1 and #3 locks unless something weird happens.
For Hutchinson, I'm excited about him, but whether he goes weak or strong side, his path to the field is crowded. I really doubt he hits the two-deep. But with the new redshirt rules, he will still get plenty of snaps.
For the OL, I think that's a really great interior. However, Spanellis may beat out Onwenu. Along with JBB/Hudson, that's the last true OL battle remaining (Bredeson, Ruiz and Runyan are the lockiest locks).
For McKeon, maybe. But I liked him last year. Eubanks has seniority and athleticism but he hasn't been productive yet (I get it though - injuries). In any event, I'm really excited to see Gentry in an offense with a real QB. That opportunity was stolen from us last year.

Donovan Jeter, Lawrence Marshall, and DIB have all moved inside. Who are the guys ahead of Hutchinson at WDE or SDE? Guys with little or no experience themselves- true soph Kwity Paye who barely played last year and RS Frosh Luiji Villain who was hurt last year and the incredibly mediocre Carlo Kemp. Hutchinson is going to be too good to keep on the bench. Villain is still rebounding from an injury and Kemp honestly kinda sucks. After the reports of his play during the Army Bowl practice and his performance in that game- I'd be surprised if Hutchinson doesn't leapfrog Kemp & Villain.
As far as the Spannellis talk goes, really think that's just the coaches trying to light a fire under Onwenu's ass. Onwenu is the most physically talented guy on that interior. His conditioning has been terrible and he hasn't kept himself in shape. I'll believe Spannellis wins the job when I see it.
McKeon and Eubanks came together in the same class. I thought McKeon was pretty mediocre last year. I just don't see it. He's not that talented or good in my opinion. Gentry on the other hand? Now that is a special talent. Super athletic and long. Eubanks has that same kind of athleticism, probably even faster, and he flashed it in the first couple games of the season before getting hurt and having to miss the rest of the season. Not sure McKeon gets many snaps if not for that injury to Eubanks.

[Mdot21]

I keep thinking Michigan has great RB depth, but they keep recruiting as if they don't believe it themselves. I think Karan Higdon was great last year and that, sure, Chris Evans can't hold up as a bell cow but at 12-18 snaps per game, he's perfect in the role of lightning. And then they have Samuels/Turner/Haskins/Taylor/Barrett.
Anyway, Keegan Jones from the 2018 class was set for Navy but changed his mind and it appears Michigan wants him seriously...though he would be a grayshirt as he could not enroll until January.
And since Michigan is now at 83 or 84 scholarships, they definitely have the room.

Higdon should have a big SR year and Chris Evans is electric as hell and if they ever learn to use him properly he could be a big star on the college scene imo.
But after that they have a bunch of guys, but no one truly special in my opinion.
I really like Michael Barrett, he's super talented and versatile- and he's actually been practicing with the defense and special teams as well as the offense. He could very well up on defense before it's all said and done. O'Maury Samuels is an athletic freak of nature so he might be the one to watch in the future. Those are the only two I look at and say, OK they belong. The other backs they've recruited on that roster are pretty ordinary imo.

Their 2019 class looks pretty damn good though. Zach Chabornnet and Eric Gray are both big-time RB prospects.