On the matter of Michigan's defense, we are not changing to any specific scheme. If you would like to make an analogy to the video game NCAA 08, Michigan's playbook would be called "Multiple D." Our new defensive coordinator has already announced that we will not be a scheme-orientated defense. We'll run plays out of the 4-3, 3-4, 3-3-5, and so forth next season. He believes that schemes are overrated, any scheme looks good if you tackle well and disrupt the offensive timing. What he will do, however, is attack the offense. Blitzes from everywhere, linebackers, corners, safeties, he's going to bring pressure, and when need be the house. A telling statistic of this is back at Stanford. The year before he coached, Stanford was 111th in the nation in sacks. His first season there, they moved all the way up to 11th. Granted his overall defense looked pathetic, but he was at Stanford where they don't have all the talent in the world, and they teams like Oregon, USC, and Cal on their schedule.
Sportsbuck28;1076248; said:
Morgan Trent returning should really put the fear of God into Michigan fans..
Do you think that Cissiko could challange Trent for a starting job next year?
Trent returning shouldn't put the fear of God into us. Trent being lousy in 06 was warranted. When you are a WR/CB all your high school career then you stop playing CB for 2 years, you'll lose your feel for the position. That's what happened to Trent. He came to Michigan as a WR, and was there his Fr, RS Fr seasons. However, during spring ball of his RS So there was a depth issue at CB, so they moved him there from WR. He had only a summer of CB training, plus whatever he remembered from HS to go on his first year (2 years ago), and so he understandably sucked it up. Knowing that fact didn't stop me from hating him when he sucked it up, but it was to be expected. Last season was his only 2nd out of 4 years in college of being a CB, so he improved a little bit. This year will be, to say his "Junior" season of being a CB, when players typically break out. I don't expect big things out of him, but I don't really think he'll be as bad as most people are making him out to be.
As for Boubucar Cissoko, he is going to come in and compete for time in the nickel. He's being looked at as a nickel corner this upcoming season when we go to the 3-3-5. It's been announced that the 3-3-5 will usually come in on 3rd down, or whenever the situation warrants it. It's Harrison's spot right now, and Michael Williams last season was Harrison's understudy, but he's going to be a safety this year. Williams was a tweener position last season, where he was a slot CB/FS.
BuckeyeBill;1076177; said:
Just a philosophical question about RR. I wonder how much of his success at at WVU can be attributed to Stewart? Before their bowl game, I wouldn't have given it much thought, but now I wonder. They sure didn't seem to be missing their head coach. This is not meant to be a flame on UM, because I really don't know. But it will be interesting to see how he does over the long haul in the B10. I suspect that for several years he may have more success than people expect, it seems to happen frequently to new coaches. But then the rest of the league begins to adjust to their style of play and the wins don't come as easily
I'm not trying to take anything away from WVU's bowl victory, it was a huge win for them and their program, but I don't neccesarily believe that you can attribute it to Stewart. He was originally the QB Coach and ST Coach for 6 seasons before this year when he became the Tight Ends Coach and Assistant Head Coach. During that game, he wasn't calling the plays on either side of the ball. Calvin McGee who was leaving for Michigan after the game, called all the amazing calls on offense, and Casteel's simple but effective gameplan on defense won him the game. I'd attribute the game moreso to the assistant coaches then to Stewart, not trying to take anything away from WVU. That being said, next year they'll still be good because they have White and Devine. The way we'll find out if Bill Stewart is for real, is in 2-3 years when he has to get his own recruits.
SNIPER26;1075846; said:
Our defense SHOULD improve, seeing as how we have our entire DL coming back, 1 LB, and half of our starting secondary. If I had to guess, our D will look something like this.
DE- Brandon Graham
DT- Terrance Taylor
DT- Will Johnson
DE- Tim Jamison
OLB- Jonas Mouton
MLB- Obi Ezeh
OLB- Marell Evans/Brandon Logan/Freshman?
CB- Donovan Warren
CB- Morgan Trent
FS- Michael Williams
SS- Stevie Brown
In addition, Brandon Harrison will hold down the nickel, we have some youngsters who will likely see some time on the DL. LB could be a serious question mark, even with Ezeh improving at the end of the year. This COULD be a strength of this team.
Here's my assessment of Michigan right now.
DE: Brandon Graham
DT: Will Johnson
DT: Terrance Taylor
DE: Tim Jamison
Significant Playing Time: DE Nick Perry (If we get him) DT Marques Slocum, DT John Ferrara , DE Greg Banks
Our DL Coach Bruce Tall has already announced that we will have a rotating D-Line next season. He likes that hustle that Michigan's D-line exerted next year, and said the line's goal will not be to just hog up blockers, but to get pressure on the QB themselves. He'll have fresh DL by him on the sidelines to rotate in and out during the game, to keep them quick and up tempo the whole game.
WLB: Jonas Mouton
MLB: John Thompson
SLB: Obi Ezeh
Significant Playing Time: MLB Brandon Logan, MLB Austin Panter, and 3 out of the following: OLB Brandon Herron, OLB Marcus Witherspoon, OLB Taylor Hill, OLB Marell Evans, OLB J.B. Fitzgerald.
This will be an interesting position for Michigan next year. We have ALL the talent in the world here, but only two players have had significant playing time here. Thompson lost his starting job to Obi Ezeh last year, but with no experience he'll more then likely get his MLB spot back, and Obi will move to the outside. Mouton was a safety coming in, but grew out of the position. Austin Panter was highly touted coming in last year, but disappointed in off-season practices and redshirted. All of the (backup) OLBs have major speed, but with the biggest of them being J.B. Fitzgerald at 225, size will be an issue. If their not part of the OLBs that play, they'll more then likely redshirt.
CB: Morgan Trent
CB: Donovan Warren
FS: Michael Williams
SS: Stevie Brown
Significant Playing Time: CB Brandon Harrison, CB Boubucar Cissoko, SS Artis Chambers SS Charles Stewart, SS Brandon Smith
This will be interesting for Michigan. Williams came in as a corner/FS, Stewart came in as a corner and is at safety right now, Harrison came in as a corner and played FS part of his career here. This is the position I feel unsure about concerning the safeties. (as in who's starting) One thing we'll know for sure is that this position will be up for grabs in camp, they all are. We have 4 different safeties on the team (Brown, Chambers, Stewart) who can play at either position. I'm nearing the end of writing and it's starting to become incomprehensible, so I'll just stop here lol. I'll post about Michigan's schedule and all that good stuff later.
