Name: Jeremy Gallon
Height: 5'8"
Weight: 171 lbs.
High school: Apopka High School in Apopka, FL
Position: Slot receiver
Class: Redshirt freshman
Jersey number: #10
Last Year: I ranked Gallon #52 and suggested he'd help out on returns. He redshirted.
Gallon, a high school single-wing quarterback, came to Michigan with a lot of hype but was reportedly out of shape as a freshman. He's an excellent athlete and a strong, slippery runner. But he's also somewhat new to the job of running routes and catching the ball, having been almost exclusively a ballcarrier in high school.
Gallon is now a member of perhaps the strongest, deepest position on the team - slot receiver. Starters Martavious Odoms and Roy Roundtree return, and Kelvin Grady contributed 10 receptions; Terrence Robinson will also be vying for playing time after playing sparingly as a redshirt freshman. With all of that depth, one backup is almost indistinguishable from another. While I think Gallon will be a very good player before all is said and done, he doesn't figure to earn a ton of playing time in 2010. Once again, his best opportunity to see the field will be returning kicks and punts. But it remains to be seen how big of a need that will be, since Darryl Stonum set a record for kick return yardage in 2009. Gallon will likely play some role in returning punts and kickoffs, but that contribution may be minimal.
Prediction for 2010: Part-time returner, spot duty at slot receiver
Great countdown! I'm wondering if Gallon or T Rob will find a niche at slot in 2010 due to their running abilities/speed? UM could be relatively weak at RB this year. And Odoms and Roundtree are good receivers, but not really burners. Just speculating that the coaches may try to work Gallon/TRob into the running game more (reverses, misdirection, etc.) now that they have better speed at slot and weaker RB's. The spring game obviously did not show much, but I nonethleess came away impressed with the way Gallon moves.
ReplyDeleteRunning back is one of the deepest positions, aside from slot. We don't have many game breakers as far as we know, but we're definitely not weak.
ReplyDeleteI think Gallon will be a utility player and someone who they use for a variety of trick plays. I agree that he doesn't see the field much this year as a traditional slot receiver though.
ReplyDelete@ Painter Smurf
ReplyDeleteI do think that we'll see some more versatility between the slot receivers/running backs this year. The coaches are going to have to get more creative without Minor and Brown as running backs. Minor was someone who could move the chains at will. Cox, Shaw, and Smith are somewhat unknown quantities right, especially with Smith coming off a torn ACL. Kelvin Grady is supposedly going to get a shot at earning some running back reps, and word out of spring is that Terrence Robinson might as well. Gallon brings the same sort of capability.
In short, yes, our slots will get some carries this year.