All Things SkunkBear

[Riddickulous]

Official starting OL per Hoke:

LT - Mason Cole, true freshman, very highly rated prospect but shocking you'd start a true frosh at LT.
LG - Erik Magnuson, another elite prospect out of high school, started at guard last year and was mediocre
C - Jack Miller, unheralded prospect, Mike Golic Jr. level center
RG - Graham Glasgow, mediocre player last year on their bad interior, former walkon
RT - Ben Braden, 3 star prospect in HS with decent Big Ten offers, not much to say on him

So basically you replaced two NFL players with two very unproven guys, one being a true frosh. And the interior OL doesn't exactly seem to have gotten better. If we don't get pressure for days, our DL sucks.

That is a TERRIBLE line on paper.

 

[Whiskeyjack]

Can't play MANBALL with a weak OL.

 

[dublinirish]

seriously Kyle Kalis ain't even starting any more? didn't he start as a true frosh?

 

[BGIF]

Michigan Football Media Day: Brady Hoke Press Conference | ChatWolverines.com

8/10/14

On any players that have surprised them in the first week ... "Erik Magnuson, maybe not a surprise, but he's done a good job. Ben Braden -- he's a very good athlete. He hasn't played a lot obviously, but fundamentally we see him. Jack Miller has done a nice job in there at center.

On settling on a starting rotation on the offensive line and how long it will take them to develop with the running game ... "I think sometime next week, middle of the week or end of the week, we'll settle in a little more with what we want to look at and do as far as the top five guys. Darrell (Funk) and Doug (Nussmeier) have done a nice job of rotating the guys in who we think really have an opportunity to be in that first group. I think as we go through it and the improvements they made from the spring and what they did through the summer, they're taking that to the field. That's been a real positive for us.

On whether offensive lineman Mason Cole could see snaps this season... "I think he has a very legitimate chance. If you ask our coaches, I think we all felt that way. He's a little different as a freshman, and I attribute that to his high school coach and the program he was in at East Lake. He really has done a nice job. He comes every day, works hard, he's physically better now than he was in the spring. Is he still 18 years old? I think so. But he's done a nice job."

On true freshmen pushing for playing time ... "I think Mason Cole is one of those guys.

 

[BGIF]

Michigan's offensive line (finally) starting to take shape | Detroit Free Press | freep.com

8/14/14

... Michigan coach Brady Hoke said Thursday there is more clarity.

He confirmed that Ben Braden at right tackle and Jack Miller at center are secure at their spots, while the left side has leaders with true freshman Mason Cole at left tackle and Erik Magnuson at left guard.

“That’s how we’d go into it,” Hoke said, if the season opener was today.

David Dawson at left tackle and Kyle Bosch at guard are pushing them, with Graham Glasgow able to pop in most of those spots, though he’s suspended for the first game.

The only position that sounded undefined was right guard, where Kyle Kalis has played well much of camp but has missed a few recent days with a back injury, including the scrimmage. Hoke said that was his spot until the injury, “no question.”

...

 

[BGIF]

'13 OLine Starts Returning

Glasgow 9 C, 4 LG
Kalis 9 RG
Bosch 3 LG
Braden 0
Magnuson 4 RG,3 LG
Miller 0, (4 C in '12)

 

[BleedBlueGold]

Yet somehow they'll play out of their minds and ND will make them look like world-beaters. Seriously, Fuck Michigan.

 

[rocket66]

Yet somehow they'll play out of their minds and ND will make them look like world-beaters. Seriously, Fuck Michigan.

Yup. Every. Single. Year.

 

[Bogtrotter07]

Every single year under Kelly we have played a 3-4 with passive, two-gap defensive line.

I am serious. One of our big contributions to U of M wins was our defensive scheme.

1) As Alabama clearly stated multiple times (by multiple sources, players and coaches) ND's defense was predictable. This allowed other opponents like Michigan to do things they couldn't against a more aggressive defense.

2) This is exactly how a situation would occur that has been discussed many times; when less talent trumps more. For example, even though we won the Navy game last year, their offensive line beat our defensive lines' asses embarrassingly so, and caused us injuries that cost us during the balance of the season, (e.g., Pitt loss, maybe even Stanford.)

3) With the offensive limitations last year and Greg Mattison teeing off on them, ND's offense couldn't even help the defense by keeping them off the field. This year should be different when discussing our offense.

Even though Michigan has an offensive coordinator that can walk on water (b.s.), an aggressive defense will finally expose their line's weaknesses, which we didn't remotely do last year; but, all kinds of teams with less talented defensive fronts did. (Not talking MSU or OSU, even, think UMAS.)

If we can change it up on offense, keeping our offense on the field, (it would be interesting to know the last time we dominated time of possession with U of M), and our defense went off on their work in progress (offensive line), and actually put some pressure on Devin Gardner, it will be a totally different outcome. Guaranteed. I betcha.

 

[BGIF]

Every single year under Kelly we have played a 3-4 with passive, two-gap defensive line.

...

If we can change it up on offense, keeping our offense on the field, (it would be interesting to know the last time we dominated time of possession with U of M), and our defense went off on their work in progress (offensive line), and actually put some pressure on Devin Gardner, it will be a totally different outcome. Guaranteed. I betcha.

9/10/11

'11 ND 37:01 UM 22:59
'12 ND 26:41 UM 33:19
'13 ND 25:56 UM 34:04
'10 ND 25:51 UM 34:09

 

[Bogtrotter07]

9/10/11

'11 ND 37:01 UM 22:59
'12 ND 26:41 UM 33:19
'13 ND 25:56 UM 34:04

Thanks, BGIF! '11 was the year we came roaring out of the blocks and gave it up twice at the end. That is really believable. What about '10, the game Crist had the vision, (issue)?

 

[ab2cmiller]

Brady Hoke On Why Toughness Eludes His Team ‘I Wish I Had The Answer’ « CBS Detroit

Evidently Hoke has no clue why his team lacks toughness.

 

[Bogtrotter07]

Poor marshmallow man! Needs moar chicken!

 

[BGIF]

Thanks, BGIF! '11 was the year we came roaring out of the blocks and gave it up twice at the end. That is really believable. What about '10, the game Crist had the vision, (issue)?

We gave them an 8 minute handicap about the same as we did in '12 and '13.

'10 ND 25:51 UM 34:09

 

[rocket66]

Every single year under Kelly we have played a 3-4 with passive, two-gap defensive line.



I am serious. One of our big contributions to U of M wins was our defensive scheme.



1) As Alabama clearly stated multiple times (by multiple sources, players and coaches) ND's defense was predictable. This allowed other opponents like Michigan to do things they couldn't against a more aggressive defense.



2) This is exactly how a situation would occur that has been discussed many times; when less talent trumps more. For example, even though we won the Navy game last year, their offensive line beat our defensive lines' asses embarrassingly so, and caused us injuries that cost us during the balance of the season, (e.g., Pitt loss, maybe even Stanford.)



3) With the offensive limitations last year and Greg Mattison teeing off on them, ND's offense couldn't even help the defense by keeping them off the field. This year should be different when discussing our offense.



Even though Michigan has an offensive coordinator that can walk on water (b.s.), an aggressive defense will finally expose their line's weaknesses, which we didn't remotely do last year; but, all kinds of teams with less talented defensive fronts did. (Not talking MSU or OSU, even, think UMAS.)



If we can change it up on offense, keeping our offense on the field, (it would be interesting to know the last time we dominated time of possession with U of M), and our defense went off on their work in progress (offensive line), and actually put some pressure on Devin Gardner, it will be a totally different outcome. Guaranteed. I betcha.

Agree with this. For whatever reason it seemed Diaco went with a passive approach every time he faced UM and Navy. I'm so ready to move past that

 

[IrishLax]

Diaco was VERY aggressive against UM last year. It got us toasted. He never once went back to that blitz-happy man-coverage scheme after that game.

The problem was that the blitzes were telegraphed and stupid, and our safeties struggled hard in that game.

 

[dublinirish]

Diaco was VERY aggressive against UM last year. It got us toasted. He never once went back to that blitz-happy man-coverage scheme after that game.

The problem was that the blitzes were telegraphed and stupid, and our safeties struggled hard in that game.

you are bringing back memories to me of Dan Fox blitzing :/

 

[]\/[GoBlue]

Official starting OL per Hoke:

LT - Mason Cole, true freshman, very highly rated prospect but shocking you'd start a true frosh at LT.
LG - Erik Magnuson, another elite prospect out of high school, started at guard last year and was mediocre
C - Jack Miller, unheralded prospect, Mike Golic Jr. level center
RG - Graham Glasgow, mediocre player last year on their bad interior, former walkon
RT - Ben Braden, 3 star prospect in HS with decent Big Ten offers, not much to say on him

So basically you replaced two NFL players with two very unproven guys, one being a true frosh. And the interior OL doesn't exactly seem to have gotten better. If we don't get pressure for days, our DL sucks.

If you watched the presser, and I wouldn't expect that you would, you would of seen that the question was: If you had to put a line out today, who would it be? Kalis is out with a back injury, and Hoke said he would be in if it weren't for that.

angelique @chengelis

Hoke said Kalis has been held out w back (doesn't sound major), would be a starter. Miller has edge at center over Glasgow (out 1st game)
6:37 PM - 14 Aug 2014

Still, there is not a Michigan fan that doesn't fear what is going to happen with our OL.

 

[PANDFAN]

If you watched the presser, and I wouldn't expect that you would, you would of seen that the question was: If you had to put a line out today, who would it be? Kalis is out with a back injury, and Hoke said he would be in if it weren't for that.



Still, there is not a Michigan fan that doesn't fear what is going to happen with our OL.

 

[PANDFAN]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Michigan O not blocking or running the football well n last nights scrimmage. Derrick Green now the 1 back? Really good D or bad news 4 O?</p>— Bill King (@BillisKing) <a href="https://twitter.com/BillisKing/statuses/501020859637968896">August 17, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[Bogtrotter07]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Michigan O not blocking or running the football well n last nights scrimmage. Derrick Green now the 1 back? Really good D or bad news 4 O?</p>— Bill King (@BillisKing) <a href="https://twitter.com/BillisKing/statuses/501020859637968896">August 17, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/kp9BJxFHDYI" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

2X the fun!

 

[ulukinatme]

I've been trying to check out MGoBlo to see what they're saying about their O-Line, but when I search for it in Google it keeps coming up with this:

 

[dublinirish]

Michigan dismisses WR Csont'e York from football program | MLive.com

 

[Bogtrotter07]

Michigan dismisses WR Csont'e York from football program | MLive.com

Formula : If number of stars, divided by the number of charges is equal or less than one, toss 'em! Banish them from Ann Arbor forever!

 

[Ironman8]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>LOL "<a href="https://twitter.com/nickbaumgardner">@nickbaumgardner</a>: Devin Gardner: "Before coach Nuss got here, I never had to identify a MIKE ... now I know where pressure's from.""</p>— Steve Lorenz (@TremendousUM) <a href="https://twitter.com/TremendousUM/statuses/502209369397002240">August 20, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>


.........

 

[IrishLax]

I mean.... what?

Although, we had Martin make our line calls... so is that what he means?

 

[NDdomer2]

still beat us....smdh

 

[ACamp1900]

Yet he'll be a heisman front runner the day after he plays ND...

 

[Whiskeyjack]

DickRod at least knew how to run an offense. But the fact that Diaco went 1-2 against Borges...

 

[ThePiombino]

still beat us....smdh

This...

DickRod at least knew how to run an offense. But the fact that Diaco went 1-2 against Borges...

...aaaaaaaaaand this.