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| Wexford (PA) North Allegheny offensive guard Patrick Kugler committed to Michigan (image via 247Sports.com) |
Kugler is a 6'5", 280 lb. lineman. He claims a 5.1 forty, a 300 lb. bench, and a squat of 415 lbs. North Allegheny's team went 14-1 during his 2011 junior season.
Ratings:
ESPN: 4-star OT
Rivals: 4-star OT, #54 overall
Scout: 4-star OG
247 Sports: 4-star, 92 grade, #20 OT, #190 overall
Kugler was reportedly stopping by Michigan as a side trip when the main target of the trip was to head to Michigan State's junior day. He never went to MSU, though. After visiting Ann Arbor on Friday and meeting the coaches, he fell in love with the coaching staff and decided to commit.
I have yet to find any highlights of Kugler, so it's difficult to see what his strengths and weaknesses are. What we do know is that his older brother Rob signed with Purdue in the class of 2011; Rob redshirted as a true freshman. His father Sean has been the offensive line coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers since the beginning of 2010, so we can assume that he has instilled a solid foundation of technique in Patrick. The eldest Kugler also spent a few years as a Detroit Lions assistant coach in the early 2000s.
For lack of my own scouting report, here's what Bob Lichtenfels says about him over at Scout:
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| Kugler is a technician and he is nasty. He finishes his blocks and always plays to the whistle. He has great feet and gets to the second level as well as anyone. Very dominant at the point of attack. he is equally adept at run blocking and pass protection. He is very cerebral and is rarely in bad position. Very good knee bend and deceptively athletic. Needs to fill out his frame more, but that will come with age and experience. |
Feet
SizeIf and when highlights of Kugler appear, I'll offer my own thoughts on his game.
This is absolutely ridiculous, but at this point, Michigan has concluded its recruiting of the offensive line for the class of 2013. Unless one of the 2013 kids decommits or if there's unexpected attrition, the coaches wanted five linemen and got five linemen . . . and they accomplished that task more than eleven months prior to National Signing Day.
The only other Michigan recruit from North Allegheny High School was linebacker/defensive end Chris Rogers in the 2004 class, who never played for Michigan and ended up at Penn State instead.
I think you mean Patrick Krugler.
ReplyDeleteTouche.
DeleteThunder you were right and 07:38 AM is incorrect. It's Kugler... and it seems as though he's a bad mamma-jamma. Scout reports that he's a commit.
ReplyDeleteYeah, it was a joke carried over from an MGoBlog thread. Kugler is the correct spelling, and Anon was just messing around.
DeleteSounds like a great get. From that Scout evaluation, he's got Center written all over him - right? Cerebral, coaches son, technician...but is he too big?
ReplyDeleteTo play the (extremely premature and silly) game of assigning each recruit to a specific OL position...your best pal LTT is a lock for Tackle, Fox (since he's 6'6 already) is probably another tackle, Bosch and Dawson are probably guards (but could try center as well), and Kruglrerk is the favorite for center. Always nice for the pieces to fit (at least seemingly).
Have to be impressed with the OL recruiting. Other than Garnett, Elmer and Fisher, Hoke and staff have been getting most of the elite guys they've had a realistic shot at, and some guys they probably shouldn't have had a shot yet. No one's going to bat a thousand, but this staff, in terms of OL recruiting, has come way closer than anyone could have reasonably expected.
I'm impressed...and relieved.
The 2013 OL is still probably going to be a significant weakness due to youth/inexperience, but it sounds like talent won't be a problem. And if you want to be an optimist, you can envision a scenario where Tackles Lewan and Schofield return for their senior years, Guards Bryant and Kalis prove to be brutally efficient maulers, and Jack Miller proves to be sufficiently competent at Center. Furthermore, most of the skill position guys are likely to be veterans (Gardner, Toussaint, Hopkins, Jackson, Gallon, Dileo will all be Seniors).
It's a long way off, and much could change, but I'm quickly turning around from being pessimistic about the 2013 offense.
I would guess Kugler is the most likely fit for center, yes, but we'll see. I don't think he's too big. Some sites list him at 6'5", some say 6'4". Usually heights are overestimated, so I'm guessing he's actually 6'3" or 6'4". He also seems like he would be the guy most ready to play the position from an intelligence/experience standpoint.
DeleteI'm not too worried about the offensive line for 2013. We've got some good talent. I would be very surprised if Schofield leaves early. Lewan is the bigger concern, but we'll see.
The X factor with Lean is how well he does next season. If he does well enough that people talk about him as a legitimate award candidate or All-American regardless of whether he actually makes it? He is probably gone.
Deleteotherwise he is probably back. Even if he plays at a high level.
I just finished reading the entire 'LTT - TTB' disagreement thread on MGoBlog. That place is trending in the wrong direction. You don't seem like the type that would change your writing style based on what is an overreaction of the (apparent?) masses on MGoBlog, but don't. That was one of the worst threads I have ever read on that site.
ReplyDeleteTypical MGoBlog commitment thread:
Commenter 1: SUNSHINE. UP. MY. ASS. NOW
Commenter 2: MOAR
Yep. People only want "honest analysis" if it leaves out all the negative stuff. Anyway, I'm glad you agree that it was a terrible thread. It was kind of a pain in the ass.
DeleteAgreed. One blog full of "Brian-speak" is plenty. Love the blog, hate the cultish following. DO NOT WANT.
ReplyDeleteThunder when are you giving our recruits ttb ratings
ReplyDeleteI know I asked this question in a previous thread, but do you like the coaches' strategy of filling up with very good players early with elite players like Pocic and Tunsil still on the board? Granted we can probably take these elite players if they want to come, but in essence by filling out our class so early we may be gifting the elite players who have a longer timeline to teams like tOSU don't you think? Or is it a bird in the hand argument?
ReplyDeleteI must have missed your previous comment. Sorry.
DeleteA bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. I don't think Michigan should turn down players like Bosch, Tuley-Tillman, etc. with elite guys on the board. Tunsil is a complete longshot, and Pocic is approximately equal to most of the guys Michigan has taken. I would rank Pocic ahead of Dawson and perhaps Tuley-Tillman...but Dawson might be able to play center, and Pocic can't. If you wait around for elite guys, sometimes you end up having to take your third or fourth level options because those kids you leave hanging build relationships elsewhere.
I suspect the coaches would accept a sixth OL commitment, but it would need to be someone really special. As of now, with no further commitments and no further attrition, there would be 13 scholarship OL in the fall of 2013, which is fewer than the ~15 OL the coaches have said they want to have.
ReplyDeleteYou can't fix all of your depth woes all at once (since it sets you up for a similar problem 4-5 years later), but I think they'd take a sixth next year. Heck, I think they were prepared to take six THIS year, if both Jordan Diamond and Joshua Garnett had committed, and there is probably a scholarship still waiting for Alex Kozan if he wants it.