Michigan Football: Projecting Wolverines' Post-Spring 2-Deep Depth Chart
One quick glimpse during spring is all Michigan fans get before a summer’s worth of speculation. Then it’s on to camp, which provides a few more weeks of guessing prior to the actual start of the season.
Following their spring game April 4, the Wolverines have their share of issues and concerns to address before flying out west to play Utah Sept. 3. So far, there are a handful of starters and twice as many players with untapped potential.
Figuring out the depth chart is just one of coach Jim Harbaugh’s tasks. Luckily, he has a reasonable amount of time to really think about who’ll take the field and lead the way for the new-look Wolverines in 2015.
As of now, junior Shane Morris appears to be the No. 1 quarterback. But his job isn’t safe. Jake Rudock arrives in May, and the Iowa senior transfer didn’t switch schools to sit on the bench.
He’s been with the team for a year, but Ty Isaac has yet to carry the ball on game day. Will he threaten juniors Derrick Green and De’Veon Smith for a top spot? Karan Higdon, a 3-star recruit, is set to enter this fall. He could be an early contributor to Michigan’s revival in the backfield, maybe even as a true frosh.
The receivers aren’t set in stone, so there’s room for a shakeup in regard to that group. However, the picture for the D-line, linebackers and secondary has become a little clearer following the exhibition.
Based on this past season’s starters, impressions from the spring game and the potential of incoming players, this slideshow will predict the two-deep rotation as the Wolverines enter the post-spring offseason and careen into summer workouts.
Quarterback
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QB: Jake Rudock/Shane Morris
Morris needs more time to mesh with his receivers. He needs more starts, too. He has just two of them, one of which was a complete disaster versus Minnesota in 2014. The 6’3”, 204-pounder wasn’t great during the spring game, but he showed enough to claim the No. 1 job until Rudock comes to town.
Once that happens, it could be all but over for Morris at Michigan. The junior’s window isn’t getting any bigger. Rudock was recruited by Wolverines passing game coordinator Jedd Fisch, giving him an in with the staff, and probably sees an opportunity for the taking in Ann Arbor.
Following the spring game, redshirt freshman Wilton Speight tweeted that he needed to get healthy. The 6’6”, 234-pounder isn’t out of the mix yet and has plenty of time to earn a shot at a starting role, but Rudock appears to be the right guy to start the Harbaugh era. It’s difficult to deny his 25 starts in the Big Ten in favor of unproven underclassmen.
And that includes Zach Gentry, a 4-star QB who arrives this summer, and Alex Malzone, a true freshman who started for the Maize Team during the spring game.
When it comes to speculation, Rudock seems to have enough going for him to be the favorite.
Wide Receivers/Tight End
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X: Amara Darboh/Jaron Dukes
Y: Jehu Chesson/Maurice Ways
Slot: Freddy Canteen/Brian Cole
TE: Jake Butt/A.J. Williams
Judging by the spring game and their returning stats, Amara Darboh, Jehu Chesson and Freddy Canteen are the Wolverines’ top three receivers. But Brian Cole may challenge for Canteen’s perceived role as No. 1 slot man. Maurice Ways could give Chesson or Darboh a run. The same could be said for Dukes, who had a 14-yard touchdown catch during the spring game.
At this point, the Wolverines are in the process of self-evaluation. Summer training and team camp will ultimately decide who’s who in 2015.
At 6’6” and 250 pounds, Jake Butt is the man at tight end until someone says otherwise. Whether as a sideline, middle or downfield option, Butt should bounce back from his ACL injury with an exemplary junior year.
Running Backs/Fullback
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RB 1: Derrick Green/Ty Isaac
RB 2: De’Veon Smith/Green/Isaac
FB: Joe Kerridge/Wyatt Shallman
Harbaugh teams have always had a powerful one-two punch. That’ll be the plan for this year, so expect heavy doses of juniors Derrick Green and De’Veon Smith, who each run at roughly 5’11” and 230 pounds and have proven extremely effective when at full capacity.
But they've been wildly inconsistent for two years, which may give Harbaugh enough reason to look at other options.
During spring availability, Smith said that he felt “more explosive” due to better conditioning, noting that he had improved his core muscles. More importantly, he spent time watching film from 2014 during the offseason. He’s intent on running with more purpose this fall, he said.
Until Isaac, a 6’3”, 240-pound junior, takes the field, his potential and place in the ranks will be debated on message boards and in comments sections across the Web. So feel free to do so here. The USC transfer has ideal size for a Harbaugh power back.
And speaking of power, expect to see more fullback action in 2015. That position is being revamped in Ann Arbor—look no further than Joe Kerridge for proof of that.
According to Shane Morris, Kerridge has great hands, some of the best among the ball-carriers, actually. The 6’0”, 249-pounder converted a 4th-and-short during the spring game with a nice grab on a swing route and could provide the backfield with a bit of added versatility this season.
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The O-Line
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LT: Mason Cole/Logan Tuley-Tillman
LG: Ben Braden/Blake Bars
C: Graham Glasgow/Patrick Kugler
RG: Kyle Kalis/Juwann Bushell-Beatty
RT: Erik Magnuson/Bushell-Beatty
The O-line will be a major focus this season. Formerly of USC, new offensive coordinator Tim Drevno has an uphill climb ahead, there’s no arguing that. However, he happens to have the footwear for the job—an 11-year coaching relationship with Harbaugh.
The pair has teamed up for success at Stanford and San Francisco. One of those fronts helped RB/FB Toby Gerhart finish second in Heisman voting in 2009 and the other helped running back Frank Gore do Frank Gore things for the 49ers.
Getting the most from Mason Cole, a sophomore left tackle, and Graham Glasgow, a fifth-year senior center, could set the wheels in motion for bigger and better things. Now that Jack Miller has moved on to life after football, the middle belongs to Glasgow, who is easily the best O-liner at Michigan.
That's coming from Miller, who discussed that topic during a recent phone interview. He'd know better than most. Better days are ahead for those in the trenches. Contrary to popular belief, players have made considerable strides in development, Miller said.
The Wolverines finished with the No. 14-ranked total offense in 2014. Much of that was due to a struggling O-line. Bushell-Beatty and Tuley-Tillman could push for starting reps as well. They’re among a few linemen who are stuck in second-string limbo.
The past is the past. For Michigan, the only thing to do is to trust in Harbaugh’s hires and watch the process unfold in camp.
D-Line/Linebackers
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D-Line
SDE: Mario Ojemudia/Chris Wormley
WDE: Taco Charlton/Lawrence Marshall
NT: Bryan Mone/Ryan Glasgow
DT: Wormley/Willie Henry
Linebackers
LB: Joe Bolden/Ben Gedeon
LB: Desmond Morgan/Gedeon
OLB: James Ross III/Royce Jenkins-Stone
Bolden, Morgan and Gedeon each flexed enough muscle during the spring game to be considered as Michigan’s top three interior linebackers. Bolden, a senior, had at least 12 tackles, while Morgan, a fifth-year senior, and Gedeon, a junior, contributed with a handful of takedowns.
Each of them made their way into the backfield on numerous occasions, which was great for them but not so great for the offensive lines. With 37 appearances and 18 starts, Ross III, a 6’1”, 232-pounder, has enough know-how to play at linebacker or OLB/nickel in certain packages.
With that said, Wormley, a 6’4”, 300-pound senior, showcased his pass-rushing prowess during the spring game. Charlton, a 6’6”, 273-pound junior, has been heavily praised by Greg Mattison for more than a year. Bryan Mone, a 6’4”, 325-pound tackle, has garnered his fair share of praise during the past year as well, prompting a positive outlook for his sophomore year.
As a whole, Coach Mattison’s D-line stands to be strength of the Wolverines defense this fall. His experience matched with the like passion and energy of new coordinator D.J. Durkin could set the Wolverines on track for defensive domination.
While at Florida, Durkin constructed one of the nation’s top defenses. Like Mattison, Durkin has fielded a top-15 defense in each of the past two years.
The Secondary
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Nickel: Jabrill Peppers/Channing Stribling
RC: Jourdan Lewis/Blake Countess
LC: Countess/Wayne Lyons
FS: Jarod Wilson/Delano Hill
SS: Peppers/Stribling
Peppers could fit anywhere, really. And by “anywhere,” Michigan coaches mean anywhere.
During spring availability, secondary coaches Michael Zordich and Greg Jackson each said that Peppers could play corner, nickel and safety, depending on the need and the package being utilized.
For now, Peppers has been tagged as a nickel, but that could change this fall, as the 6’1”, 205-pound redshirt freshman is bound to energize the Wolverines’ already-stout secondary.
Now on to the unknown factor among the defensive backs: Wayne Lyons, who is in the same boat with Jake Rudock and Blake O’Neill, a transfer from Australia. Conventional logic would suggest that Lyons didn’t give up his familiar spot at Stanford for a gamble in Ann Arbor.
He’ll move east once he finishes classes in Palo Alto this spring, and in all likelihood, the fifth-year senior will probably end up with a starting job at corner. In 2014, the 6’0”, 190-pounder had 30 tackles, earning a spot on Phil Steele’s All-Pac 12 Second Team, per GoStanford.com. In addition, he had four picks in four years with the Cardinal and was originally recruited by Harbaugh.
Lyons has potential.
And as mentioned earlier, he’s probably not transferring to play second fiddle. But Countess and Lewis each had decent spring games, so they’re staying put as the No. 1 corners in the equation until further notice. Plus, cracking the Wolverines' secondary won't be an easy task, even for Lyons. There are others, such as junior Dymonte Thomas and senior Jeremy Clark, who have shown enough promise to get first-rep looks this season.
Brandon Watson, a redshirt freshman, made a strong impression in the spring game. He could very easily fight for second-team reps before splitting No. 1 reps later this season. But for now, he's not being considered for the two-deep, though he's worth a quick mention.
Special Teams
7 of 7K: Andrew David
P: Blake O’Neill/Kenny Allen
P/K Returns: Jabrill Peppers/Dennis Norfleet
Holder: Allen/Alex Malzone/other QB
Snapper: Scott Sypniewski
Allen, a senior, recently broke his right hand in practice, so he can’t be the No. 1 right now, but he has a lot of leg that has yet to be unleashed. Now that Will Hagerup is gone, it's time for Allen to claim the job.
However, O’Neill didn’t travel from Australia to Michigan to serve as Allen’s backup. The battle for punter will be as intense as any other positional scrum during preseason camp.
As for place-kicking and field goals, there really is only one obvious option, and that’s Andrew David. The 5’9”, 165-pounder was the No. 9-ranked kicker of 2015, per 247Sports. At the moment, Michigan doesn’t have a go-to—but it will once David arrives this summer.
Peppers brings 4.4-second 40-yard speed. Norfleet can fly. Come to think of it, he's about due for a punt or kick return for a touchdown. Michigan could go the aggressive route and throw both out at the same time.
The ability to score six points seconds after a kick or punt is a nice luxury to have. Get ready for the Pep and Norfleet Show.
Follow Bleacher Report’s Michigan Wolverines football writer Adam Biggers on Twitter @AdamBiggers81.
Unless otherwise noted, all quotes and references were obtained firsthand by the writer via a press conference, press release or other media availability. All recruiting information comes via 247Sports.
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