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| Sione Houma |
Height: 6'0"
Weight: 220 lbs.
High school: Salt Lake City (UT) Highland
Position: Fullback
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: N/A
Last year: Houma was in high school. He struggled with injuries but ran 93 times for 790 yards (8.8 yards per carry) and 8 touchdowns.
Final TTB Rating: 66
Houma is going to be an interesting case study for Michigan, because he's essentially a high school tailback. Highland runs an option offense and used him as the primary ball carrier whenever he was healthy. Whereas Michigan used to employ big, bruising fullbacks who weren't much of a threat to run the ball, Houma is a West Coast-style fullback - a guy who can run the ball once in a while, catch some passes out of the backfield, and block. Michigan hasn't really used much of a true I-formation fullback since Obi Oluigbo in 2007.
As for the 2012 season, I don't think the Wolverines will really need Houma's services. The starting fullback is Stephen Hopkins, backup tailback Thomas Rawls can play there, and then there's a walk-on option in redshirt freshman Joe Kerridge. Typically, a team doesn't need to use more than two fullbacks in a season unless there's a significant injury. Meanwhile, Michigan learned toward the end of last season that Denard Robinson operates better out of a shotgun spread offense. With the loss of Kevin Koger and no heir to the position, Michigan's best choice for a base offense will likely be a spread look with one tight end; multiple tight ends will require putting multiple guys on the field who aren't "the best eleven." Without a capable tight end, the I-formation becomes ineffective and a fullback becomes harder to use. That means Houma should have the luxury of redshirting, bulking up, and learning the ways of the college football world.
Prediction: Redshirt
Is Hopkins really going to be the "FB". He's definately added some bad weight this spring and fumbled his way out of RB consideration but does that make him a "FB"? Is Kerridge just a tough-nosed walk-on? What ceiling does he have in your opinion. I like Houma but I wonder how you have a FB that will be smaller or same size as some of your RB's. That is going to be an interesting backfield over the next few seasons
ReplyDeleteWell, Hopkins was the FB last year. I'm not sure why that would change, unless Hopkins completely ate himself out of shape. I know he put on some bad weight, but I don't imagine he'll still be too chunky to play come September.
DeleteKerridge was a pretty well regarded walk-on, but he tore his ACL as a senior and I think that limited his opportunities to play elsewhere. He's not super athletic, but he is a more traditional fullback. He's very capable to play in the I-formation, but he's not a West Coast fullback in the Larry Centers/Tom Rathman mold.
At times we saw the shotgun last year with either two backs or a back and a tight end off the line. Do you think that Houma would be used in that role more than say Kerridge or Hopkins?
ReplyDeleteHouma isn't an H-back type, I don't think. I'm not sure if that's what you're asking. He could be in the split back shotgun next to the QB, or he could be the I-formation FB. But I wouldn't expect to see him as Borges's "U-back."
DeleteIs Houma really 220 lbs? He looks lighter than that in the photo.
ReplyDeleteI understand the ranking here, but I think Houma has a respectable chance to play - perhaps moreso than some reserve DB's. With TE and WR talent down a bit, I could see Borges trying to get some productivity out of the FB spot. The coaches are not enamored with Hopkins and he is not targeted in the passing game. Houma should be a better receiver and runner than Hopkins. Hopkins was 3 yards and a cloud of dust even in high school. He just adding fumbling to his repertoire in college.
FB's should have a bigger role after Shane takes over for Denard. They may still fight over scraps in 2012.
He is according to Andrew's interview:
Deletehttp://touchthebanner.blogspot.com/2012/03/sione-houma-answers-your-questions.html
I'm not sure what makes you think Houma will be a better receiver (or runner) than Hopkins. Houma didn't catch the ball much in high school, and Hopkins played against better talent in high school.
Hopkins' HS tape to me looked similar to Shallman. Lots of tough, 5 or 6 yard gains, not really able to break loose in the secondary. Houma looks significantly faster than those two guys to me, albeit against weak competition. Receiving skills comment is just a hunch. I can remember only a couple throws to the FB last season and they were both to Hopkins' back-up. So my assumption is that Hopkins is not a legit receiver. Houma is TBD, but I can't imagine Borges recruiting him unless he had a feeling the kid could catch OK.
DeleteHopkins broke plenty of big plays in high school. He was a stud there, everyone forgets that when they get excited about the next big recruit.
DeleteI don't think the FBs have to have great hands, they just have to reliably catch swing passes out of the backfield. Borges wants a versatile FB who can block but also provide an occassional threat as a runner and pass-catcher.
Off the top of my head, I think you're wrong, Lankownia. He averaged about 5.8 yards a carry as a senior, IIRC. I've seen lots high schoolers with better production. Good player? Yes. Stud? Meh.
DeleteWell, he was a 3-star, but he had offers from Stanford and TAMU. He carried the ball a lot, so his average wasn't the greatest, but he's in one of the better leagues in the country too.
DeleteMy point was he was much higher regarded than Houma as an offensive threat.
I am basing my comments on the three FB's on their HS highlight tapes. Hopkins was your prototypical HS workhorse. I saw no ability to get to the edge or bust through the secondary, which is not a good sign for a HS RB, good competition or not. Maybe I watched the wrong tape. I found RR's targeting of him to be strange at the time and I am not surprised he was not able to make his mark at RB, despite depth problems the last couple years. Perhaps Hopkins is a better between-the-tackles runner than Houma, although that is moot. But I have little doubt that Houma is faster and more natural in the open field.
DeleteHopkins main problem has been fumbling. He's been fairly effective otherwise, but yeah...he's not a game-breaker, obviously. I think RR always saw him as a potential short-yardage guy or even an Owen Schmiddt type.
DeleteThis may or may not say anything about their abilities, but everyone recruited Hopkins as a RB and everyone is recruiting Houma as a FB...to me that indicates something about their speed and open-field ability.
Forgive my lack of technical knowledge, but what you're describing sounds a lot like the role BJ Askew had. Is this the type of role you're envisioning for Houma? Granted, Askew probably touched the ball a lot more than would be typical of the position, but could be a similar type player.
ReplyDeleteYes, they could be pretty similar players. Askew eventually saw some time at tailback, and I don't expect that Houma will ever earn that role, but the fullback version of Askew is similar.
DeleteNice post. I agree that it's going to be interesting to see how he's used in the long-run. This year, I'd be shocked if he didn't red-shirt.
ReplyDeleteI have some hopes for him, and the 2-back west-coast offense sounds interesting, but I think that in the end, these coaches will use 3rd WR and 2nd TEs more than FBs. We'll see in a couple years.
The reason I say that is, for all the talk about 'power', which has people envisioning Wisconsin or Stanford pro-style offenses, Gardner and Bellomy are not pro-style type players. I think we'll see the spread influence stick for at least another 2 or 3 years, long enough that Borges might get used to its benefits. Everyone assumes Morris is going to be a Henne-type but I'm not sure things will work out that way in the end.
The whole "manball" meme is hardly accurate. Borges is flexible, but is an established West Coast guy. That's not exactly manball and certainly not Wisconsin or Stanford (or Alabama).
DeleteAgree that the talk about "power" is just Hoke's message. It ties into toughness, etc. Borges is definitely not beholden to running into a wall if it is not working.
DeleteForget Gardner and Bellomy. Gardner is going to blow up at WR and Shane will pass Bellomy pretty quickly once he is on campus.
P-Smurf, I've seen too many highly rated QB recruits get passed over (e.g., Dreisbach, Henson, Guttierez) to say anything about Morris with any certainty. I've always thought Bellomy sounds like a guy who will be productive for Michigan -- and I don't think Gardner's going to move to away from QB until theres 3 other QBs around.
DeleteWho passed up Henson? The senior Brady when Henson was a freshman? Who passed up Gutierrez? The freshman who took over when Gutierrez busted his shoulder?
DeleteAnd who passed up Dreisbach? Griese and then Brady after a career full of injury?
DeleteHenson and Gutierrez came in with at least as many accolades and hype as Morris. Between them they produced one season (2000) of full-time starting for Michigan. Regardless if its due to ability, competition, injury, or whatever else - the hyped recruits didn't produce at nearly the level of what people expected. The same thing could easily happen to Morris - he could get hurt, he could get beaten out by a 2014 recruit, he could fail to pass a unheralded veteran above him. I'm just saying it's way premature to say the Michigan offense is going to change for a guy who hasn't started his senior year of high school yet.
DeleteLank, Morris is also walking into a completely different QB situation than either Henson or Gutierrez. There's also no Steinbrenner gunning after him for another sport.
DeleteWhatever. Things don't work out as planned. Driesbach was a stud but got hurt and was replaced by a walk-on and beat out by a kid (Griese and Brady, but still). Henson expected to play immediately but couldn't beat out the relatively unheralded Brady. Guttierez got hurt and could never unseat Henne, so he transferred. (Both Guttierez and Driesbach played in the NFL, so it's not like they're bad players) Forcier was on track for 6 heisman trophies before he got replaced by a guy some people still want to be a WR and then he flunked out. Gardner may switch positions. And that's just a list of recent QBs at Michigan. The list of recruits that fail to meet expectations at other schools and positions is endless.
ReplyDeleteEven if you set aside the possibility of injury, Morris could sit 2 years behind Gardner, play for one year, then go pro. Do you change your offense for a guy who starts one year? Bellomy could be more effective than Morris. So could whatever '14 recruits we bring in.
I'm just saying, Michigan fans are going a little nuts with expectations for Morris. What happened with Henne (4-year starter) was unprecedented and not likely to be repeated anytime soon. I'm glad he's coming to Michigan, he's a dream recruit, but that guarantees absolutely nothing.
Bellomy is not Tom Brady...even the college version.
DeleteI think it's two totally different things for a player to be hampered by injury versus getting straight-up beat out. Your first comment implied those players just got beat out by people who shouldn't have been better. That why we're looking at you sideways.
I didn't intend to say it was due strictly to merit. But in the end, it doesn't matter - the point is that who we expect to produce as a recruit frequently doesn't pan out. Michigan's recent QB history is littered with examples of people no one expected to do what they did:
DeleteGriese - walk on, Brady - expected backup who nearly transferred, Navarre - DE stolen from the lower-tier of the Big10, Henne - expected backup to Guttierez, Robinson - expected backup to Forcier or WR/DB, etc.
No one is Brady, just like no one is Woodson. But I recommend taking a lesson from lowly regarded players like Griese and Brady before you judge people like Bellomy - production comes from unexpected places. Guys who we think are going to be career back-ups often end up playing big roles.