2023 Michigan Season Thread

[Cincydawg]

Is there anyway H ends up in hot water after this season?  (Barring something off field).

10-3?  11-2?  14-1???  Maybe only the first starts some background murmurs?

[Temp430]

Hot water?  No, but there's always the NFL.

[Mdot21]

Is there anyway H ends up in hot water after this season?  (Barring something off field).

10-3?  11-2?  14-1???  Maybe only the first starts some background murmurs?

Jeem is back to the NFL soon. That's why he doesn't care about making a deal with the NCAA imo.

[Mdot21]

prediction: Michigan will be much better rushing the passer at EDGE this season than they were last. They were just OK at that last year. I think they're going to be pretty good at that this year.

They'll have four guys rotate two spots in Jaylen Harrell, Braiden McGregor, Derrick Moore, and Josiah Stewart. 

Jaylen Harrell (6'4, 245) is a returning starter who had 7.5 TFLs and 3.5 sacks last year in 2022 as his first season as a starter. He's very stout against the run- showed flashes as a pass rusher and should only continue to get better in Year 2 as a starter. 

Braiden McGregor (6'6, 267) is the most talented of the entire bunch, has been compared to Aidan Hutchinson. McGregor has the NFL prototype height/length/build. McGregor was an early 5* 'croot that finished ranked in the top 100 in the 247Composite (ESPN recruiting service kept him at 5* despite the injury in HS) who missed his entire HS senior year and his entire true frosh year and part of his RS Frosh year at Michigan because of injuries. Last season in 2022 was his first real action back on the football field since his JR year of high school- and he made 3 starts and had 5 TFLs and 2.5 sacks. If there's a breakout candidate on that defense this year- it's him. 

Derrick Moore (6'3, 258) was the MVP of the HS All-Star Under Armor Game and a top 50 player overall in the 247Composite in the 2022 class - and he showed why as a true frosh last season. Moore had 2 sacks appearing 14 games in the EDGE rotation. He's dropped 18 pounds from a year ago and has reshaped his body and has been their best pass rusher all spring ball.

Josaiah Stewart (6'1, 245) is the transfer portal kid from Coastal Carolina- where he starred as a true frosh and soph in 2021 & 2022- and set the single season program record there with 12.5 sacks in 2021. He's a bit on the small side but he's got the quickest first step and get off of any of the four. He'll be used mainly on obvious pass rush situations and on exotic blitzes- very similar to the way Josh Uche was used. 

This is a better edge room than they had going into the season last year.

[Mdot21]

Jeem says he's got 4 starting offensive tackles and that Karsen Barnhart has been having the best fall camp so far. Karsen Barnhart and LaDarius Henderson have been at LT and Myles Hinton and Trente Jones have been at RT. 


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ShPrN5XPwg

[FearlessF]

no excuses

the offense should set some Big Ten records

[Mdot21]

no excuses

the offense should set some Big Ten records

don't know about B1G records because OSU probably has lots of those- but if this offense doesn't shatter Michigan records for offense- which admittedly is a low bar (M's offensive record books are a joke- seriously)- then something is seriously wrong. They have all the pieces any team would be envious of except for gnarly WRs- but their WRs are more than good enough to win with- Cornelius Johnson and Roman Wilson are both experienced, talented more than capable outside at WR. They need a guy to step up in the slot and some young guys to come along to provide depth- but basically everywhere else on offense they are stacked. OL will be very experienced, talented and deep. TE duo of Colston Loveland + AJ Barner should be excellent- especially if Loveland makes the kind of jump everyone inside that program thinks he's about to- everyone saying he's Jake Butt 2.0. They have the best 1-2 punch at RB in America plus a sleeper 3rd back who was the star of the spring and who I think is going to be a stud in the future in true frosh Ben Hall. And they are returning a very talented QB that was a former 5* 'croot who had a good rookie season and should only get better and grow- and if he makes the kind of leap most QBs make in Year 2 from Year 1- sky is the limit for that offense.

there is really no excuse for Jeem not to turn JJ loose and let 'er rip.

[Mdot21]

3* true frosh WR Fredrick Moore...been making a lot of noise as a huge surprise in fall camp....been showing out and turning heads...don't think anyone thought he'd look so good so fast. Could be one to watch as Michigan needs other WRs behind returning upperclassmen Roman Wilson and Cornelius Johnson to emerge. 


https://twitter.com/UMichFootball/status/1692674353044087235?s=20

[Mdot21]

Jeem is talking about putting back-up QB Alex Orji at kick returner this year and says he believes Orji could be an all-time great kick returner. LINK.

Orji is a true sophomore QB listed at 6'3, 237 pounds and saw limited action in mop duty last year at QB. Orji is one of the best athletes on the roster and made Bruce Feldman's annual "Freaks List" of the most freakish athletes in college football at #50.

50. Alex Orji, Michigan, quarterback
There’s a bunch of other Wolverines we could’ve included in here in this spot: Blake Corum, who does 30 reps of 225 on the bench and also clocked a 6.39 3-cone and a 3.89 shuttle; Zak Zinter, who at 6-6, 325, vertical-jumped 33 inches and had a 4.44 shuttle; or Mike Sainristil, who had a 40-inch vertical and bounded up the reactive plyo stairs in 2.26 seconds, but Orji was who several teammates pointed to as their top Freak.
The 6-3, 237-pound sophomore quarterback ranks No. 1 on the team in its cumulative KPI score, which is made up of 48 Key Performance Indicators they use to track frame analysis: flexibility/mobility; strength/power; and agility/speed. Orji vertical-jumped 41 inches and did 2.34 in the reactive plyo stairs; broad-jumped 10-6; and did 3.97 in the shuttle and 6.65 in the 3-cone. On the field, the Texas native ran for two touchdowns and completed one pass in mop-up duty in 2022.




https://www.youtube.com/shorts/jI-UMYgUXLE

[FearlessF]

that's great if he returns a kick in a tight game and figure=s in a win

if he get's injured and then the team loses a game because of backup QB play it's not great

[Mdot21]

that's great if he returns a kick in a tight game and figure=s in a win

if he get's injured and then the team loses a game because of backup QB play it's not great

right now I think Orji is probably the 3rd or 4th string QB. Dude reminds me of an Anthony Richardson or Joe Milton. Mountain of a man, freakish athlete for a QB, very strong arm, but not the greatest passer....

[Mdot21]

Michigan/Jeem self-imposing a 3-game ban effective immediately apparently....very stupid. NCAA could turn around and say we don't care....here is more punishment. F the NCAA.


https://twitter.com/JoshHenschke/status/1693665153613545875?s=20

[Temp430]

I think this is a good move by Michigan's athletic department if viewed as an inoculation to protect next season where they play Texas in addition to the Big Ten games.

[Mdot21]

I think this is a good move by Michigan's athletic department if viewed as an inoculation to protect next season where they play Texas in addition to the Big Ten games.

won't matter. that schedule is brutal and 2024 is going to be a full-on rebuilding year.

Losing....

Kris Jenkins, DT - going to be a 1st rd pick if he has the kind of year he's capable of...dude is a mutant.
Blake Corum, RB - going to be an NFL draft pick, 2nd best RB they've had at Michigan in oh..decade plus...behind only.....
Donovan Edwards, RB (he's already said he's going pro after this year) - could be the first RB taken in the 2024 NFL draft
Mike Sainistril, NCB - dude is a team captain and hell of a player at the nickel...those high level slot corners are tough to find man....they got LUCKY he switched over from WR and was so freaking good- dude is a unicorn- that legit just shouldn't happen...he's got a legit NFL future and will get drafted.
OG Zak Zinter - might be the first guard picked in the 2024 NFL draft 
OG Trevor Keegan - surefire NFL draft pick at guard in 2024 NFL draft
OL LaDarius Henderson, OL Drake Nugent, OL Karsen Barnhart, and OL Trente Jones - all graduate - whether any of them are NFL draft picks- we'll see- I think a couple of them might be- but add those four into Zinter + Keegan- so thats basically all of your 2023 starters and 60% of the two deep and tons of starting experience- gone. 
Michael Barrett, LB - graduating- really solid college player and B1G starting caliber LB- but likely not an NFL draft pick imo. 

Guys who could skip their senior seasons and go pro with big seasons: 

JJ McCarthy, QB - has every NFL tool 
Junior Colson, LB - ditto 
Rod Moore, S - could go pro and has a shot at being a 1st or 2nd rd pick with a level up season- kid is legit the best safety they've had in like OH forever...
Makari Paige, S - ditto 
EDGE Braiden McGregor 
EDGE Jaylen Harrell 
EDGE Josiah Stewart