2019 Michigan Season Thread

[Anonymous Coward]

Wilton Speight gives a boldly honest interview about Michigan past and future. Spoiler: though he seems to hold his tongue as best he can, he thinks Pep Hamilton is below-average at coaching.

On Gattis:

• “I actually think after talking to people around here, they’re kind of moving in that (Chip Kelly-type) direction with Coach Gattis,” Speight said Friday after working out at Michigan’s Pro Day for NFL scouts. “I can’t wait to watch that. That’s going to be super entertaining. Big things for the guys here.”
• “The way they recruit here, you could run any offense as long as you’re calling the right plays and letting the quarterback rip it around the field,” Speight said. “From everything I’ve read, and everything I’ve heard this past week, that’s the plan. My brother, Jess, he seems extremely fired up for what’s to come. When you’ve got Donovan, Tarik and the rest of the guys, they’re going to do huge things. I’m excited to watch them.”
• “I’m excited for the team, I’m excited for Josh Gattis to be here. Can’t wait to see what they do next year.”

On Shea:

• “I thought with what they asked him to do, he did a really good job,” Speight said of Patterson’s performance last season, his first after transferring from Ole Miss in December 2017.
• “I don’t know what he has to prove,” Speight said. “I saw an article he tweeted out, ‘Is Shea Patterson the answer for next year?’ because Dylan played well. There’s all kinds of speculation at all times -- it was clear when I was here, and it was clear once I left. Shea’s a baller. He’s going to lead the team next year. I wouldn’t be surprised at a Final Four (playoff) appearance.”

On Pep:

• “I know he (Shea), and I’m sure Michigan nation, are very excited for the handcuffs to maybe come off and Shea can rip it around the field. I remember that same type of scenario once Jedd (Fisch) left (as pass-game coordinator, replaced by Hamilton), it was like, ‘God, I feel I could do a little bit more.’ I’m not saying anything that’s a secret. I think everyone knows that. Harbaugh made the right moves. I think I saw a hashtag, speed in space. I’m going to be watching, tuned in to every game next year.”
• “It is what it is,” he said. “The same guy in 2016 and 2017, I didn’t change who I was. It was definitely a little bit different. That’s why I was able to get back to my ways in 2018 and let it rip. I’m very excited for Shea to do the same thing.”

On whether Harbaugh is lying about revolutionizing the offense or giving it all to Gattis:

• “The one thing about coach Harbaugh is if he said something, that’s what’s happening,” Speight said. “He doesn’t have that DNA in him to be sneaky or say something he doesn’t really mean. If it comes out of his mouth, that’s what’s happening. If he said he handed the keys over to Josh Gattis, then the keys have been handed over.

[Anonymous Coward]

Sounds like Luigi Vilain may be the healthiest he's ever been for a football camp. Music to my ears. Of course, Michigan doesn't have a DE problem, but we've been clamoring for this kid to get better forever.

[Anonymous Coward]

The big 2019 questions for Michigan, aside from the mysteries around Gattis, are:

The upper echelon sore spot on the roster:

• DT: Can 2019 Kemp and Dwumfour be significantly better than their 2018 selves, which were better than the Big Ten average but far from the recent Michigan standard (Hurst, Henry, Glasgow, etc.)
• Where's the DT depth behind Dwumfour and Kemp? And for a team that's used to a minimum rotation of 4 "co-starters," how many can we rotate and at what level?

Mid level sore spots:

• Who will replace Higdon at RB - how good can that guy be and how'll he be used?

• Devin Bush was perhaps the greatest LB in Michigan history, certainly in modern history. How does Josh Ross replace him?
• Can sophomore McGrone be the guy to finally push Devin Gil (smart, strong, but slow) off the field at the other LB spot?
• Last year's CBs were sensational. Levert Hill returns but David Long, who was one of the best producing CBs in the country last year, leaves. Looks like he'll be replaced by Ambry Thomas, who we have a surplus of excited energy about. How will that go?
• Who's the new nickel?

Points of relative neutrality:

• What's to become of FB - and, therefore, Ben Mason and Ben VanSumeren - in the new offense?
• What's to become of the TEs, of which Michigan is still wealthy (Eubanks, McKeon, Mustafa, and Schoonmaker), in an offense that looks to underutilize them in both phases?
• Who will win the other Tackle position - Mayfield? Stueber?

[Cincydawg]

Notre Dame has a rather daunting schedule in 2019.

[Mdot21]

Agreed re: QB, WR, OL.  But I thought basically every RB is gone (Higdon, Evans, Samuels).  Isn't it just Tru Wilson and the freshmen?

Correct. Higdon graduated and Samuels got kicked off the team. Evans is suspended and off the team, there is a small chance he could be back however. It's basically hot-shot true frosh Zach Chabornnet or bust. RB is slim pickings. Evans' academic issues really couldn't have come at a worse time for him. IF it's to be believed Gattis has full control and is changing the offense drastically- he'd have been the guy to benefit most outside of the WR crew. Evans' ability to make plays in space and run pass routes and catch the ball is as good as I've ever seen for a Michigan RB. Scratch that- probably the best I've ever seen from a Michigan back. Really huge blow if he isn't able to get back.

[Mdot21]

Sounds like Luigi Vilain may be the healthiest he's ever been for a football camp. Music to my ears. Of course, Michigan doesn't have a DE problem, but we've been clamoring for this kid to get better forever.

will be great for depth. Throw 10-15 pounds on Josh Uche and start him at the weakside and start Kwitty Paye at the strong side and the pass rush really shouldn't skip a beat despite losing Gary and Winovich. Aidan Hutchinson should take it up a notch in his 2nd year and back-up Paye. The key will be seeing if Uche can step his game up a notch and put on some weight and hold up vs the run. If Josh Uche does that- DE's will be A OK. It's the DT's that worry me to death.

[Mdot21]

This is the first or second offseason since maybe 2006 or 2003 that Michigan is favored by Vegas in every single game. I know opposing fans have the bias that Michigan is overranked in everything, but it's highly unusual this century for Michigan to be favored over OSU at all, let alone this much.

• -8.5 vs ND
• -6 @Wisconsin
• -13.5 vs MSU
• -6.5 @PSU
• -6.5 vs OSU

The offense has nowhere to go but up. Liked the hire of Gattis. Questions still remain just how much control he'll have and also- how will he do as the sole OC when it's all him now.
They are freaking loaded at WR. Shea is by far the best returning QB they've had since Henne and it's not close. TE room is still very good despite Gentry leaving early. OL will probably be the best and deepest in Harbaugh's tenure thus far. RB is a major ? mark however. Will Evans make a return? How will the hot-shot frosh Zach Chabornnet perform? Both big question marks.
The real question will be how that defense rebounds after having it's ass handed to them by Ohio State and losing Devin Bush, Gary, Winovich, and David Long.

[Anonymous Coward]

OL will be the best since David Molk was around, and with another leap, it's possible they could become as good as the unit from 2006/7. The 2019 tackles may never be elite draft picks like Jake Long** but this could be the best Michigan's been up the middle this millenium. Bredeson, Ruiz and Onwenu are a load. And I feel good about Bredeson and Ruiz continuously improving. The uncertain one is Onwenu. He's already a nimble planet and plays like it 50% of the time. Consistency is the thing and that's all condition. His challenge, though, is that (at 6'3 - 350) he can't afford to take any days off with his weight if he wants to improve his endurance.

**(Runyan doesn't have much of an NFL future. He's crafty, and his game is entirely fine against all but the top 10% of DEs. The guy starting opposite him could be an elite future NFLer, but we don't even know that guy's name yet, let alone ability, so for now I'm assuming they'll top out at "Big Ten average" and even then Michigan would have a great line by recent standards, albeit with this blemish).

[847badgerfan]

I just read that Chabornet is out for Spring with a knee. It's good to get mental reps, for sure, but there is nothing like contact to welcome kids to college football.

[Anonymous Coward]

@847badgerfan - Yup. Charbonnet had been playing (senior HS ball) with a mild meniscus tear and Michigan asked him to wait on the operation, so he could have a better doctor and be waived of medical fees.
And you're right about Spring ball being key for early enrollees. He'll miss that and therefore forfeit the slim chance he had to be the starter v. Notre Dame. But since he's arriving as third on the depth chart, it was a slim chance. He wasn't going to start that game. So what this really affects is his rate of ascension from Games 2 through 12. That trajectory is probably going to be lower now.

[847badgerfan]

Best to play 4 and save the year.

[Anonymous Coward]

Sometimes yes (especially with linemen). But it only works for players who can't leave early for the NFL (or who can't graduate and be drafted high after 4). 

When it comes to blue chip skill position kids "play em if you got em" is probably the best way for a coach to maximize his team's long term talent. Because just like 5 > 4, so is 4 > 3 and 3 > 2. 

The only reason not to play Charbonnet this year is if he isn't good enough.

[Hawkinole]

Is it truly legal under NCAA rules for a donor to buy an international vacation for possibly 100 plus football players and staff that is not offered free of charge to nonathletes? 

I realize it doesn't seem to have advanced Michigan football, but if we did that at Iowa, Wisconsin would be screaming.

[Mdot21]

Best to play 4 and save the year.

he's going to play this year, he's just going to miss spring ball unfortunately.
He was a 5*-ish RB. IF he's really that dude- he's not staying here 4 years anyway...so play him.