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| Back when Terrence Talbott was #22 |
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 178 lbs.
High school: Huber Heights (OH) Wayne
Position: Cornerback
Class: Junior
Jersey number: #37
Last year: I ranked Talbott #71 and said he would be a special teams contributor. He played in two games on special teams but didn't accrue any statistics.
Talbott is already a junior, even though it feels like he should be a redshirt freshman or sophomore. One of the victims of the great cornerback migration back in 2010, he played as a redshirt freshman despite being unready. I would argue that Rodriguez burned Talbott's redshirt unwisely, but I can't blame Rodriguez here like I do for Devin Gardner and William Campbell - Michigan did actually need help at cornerback. So now Talbott's a junior, and some suggested he was pushing starter J.T. Floyd at the boundary corner position in the spring. By the April 14 open scrimmage, Floyd was the #1 guy, but it may be a situation to watch.
Floyd had a significant injury in 2010, but otherwise, he has been healthy. As a fifth year senior and two-year starter, it's unlikely that he gets unseated at this point, despite some struggles late in the season. But the news about Talbott's emergence suggests that if another injury occurs or if Floyd gets tired, he may have a capable backup ready to contribute at a helpful level. I don't think Talbott is waiting in the wings to become a star, but he does play the run well, which is very important for a boundary corner in this defense.
Prediction: Backup cornerback
Credit TT for hanging in there. He was an RR recruit and it was rumored that he was offered primarily in an effort to attract his DL brother. His brother has already quit, and TT was passed up by Countess. Nonetheless, the kid appears to be sticking it out. I agree that he is not a star but he is good enough to warrant snaps. It's nice to see the UM secondary developing depth. Seems like it has been thin forever.
ReplyDeleteActually, he played as a true freshman in 2010, not a redshirt freshman.
ReplyDeleteI my humble opinion this is way too high. Talbott's a clear backup that Michigan has plenty of alternatives to. This seems like a complication arising from that terrible case of, now chronic, HateFloyditis you contracted a couple years back.
ReplyDeleteAnd who are these numerous backup boundary corners? We have a bunch of field corners and not many boundary guys, which is why we're recruiting a ton of boundary corners for 3013.
DeleteWell, I think this question brings up a more general issue about positions. I understand that field corner and boundary corner are different but ultimately, a CB is a CB. Some positions are basically the same thing and the differences between them are marginal: The two ILB spots, MIKE and WILL spots, the 3-tech and 5-tech, LG and RG, RT and LT, the 'slot' WR and outside WR, flankers and split ends. In short, all the talk about Gallon being a slot and Morgan being a WIL and Floyd being a boundary, while interesting information in terms of scheme, don't mean much to the actual depth chart if somebody goes down with an injury.
DeleteI mean, in an ideal world, sure you want this prototype to fit each of the subtle distinguishing features of each position, but in reality you're trying to play your best 11 guys and certainly within a specific position group like CB you're trying to play your best 2.
Generally, I don't choose to make a big deal about these things and view the positions, especially at backup as being flexible. My reasoning is that every season guys move around. Our entire DL switched positions this spring. Half our returning linemen moved. People like Martin and Van Bergen and Schofield get the job done wherever they're asked to play. So, going back to CB, if Floyd gets hurt and the next best CB available isn't a 'boundary corner' then Countess will do that job capably and the field corner will be Avery or Taylor or Hollowell or...who were we taking about again...ah yes...Talbott.
Positions are overrated. I'm not saying Devin Gardner is going to start at Fullback, but there are a whole bunch of positions where there's a great deal of overlap in skills - cornerback is one of them.
If the positions are interchangeable, then why did Talbott get so many reps in the spring? Why didn't the coaches sub in Raymon Taylor or Delonte Hollowell? That's fine if you put in Countess at boundary corner, but then someone has to step in on the field side...and Talbott might be just as good at BC as Taylor or Hollowell would be at FC. And Richardson is probably too small to factor in.
DeleteYou're talking about practices where the staff is focused on player development. You're right that Talbott could end up being the 3rd best corner (though I doubt he passes over Avery) but I'm arguing the gap between him, Taylor, and the others is unlikely to be large given what we saw in games, recruiting profiles, etc.
DeleteI think you're reading too much into the spring...but I probably said the same when Denard surpassed Forcier so, obviously, I could be wrong.
You know, slot receiver/wide receiver, Spread/Pro quarterback, WLB/SLB, OT/OG. There's really no difference...
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Anyways....Glad to see Talbott stuck it out and is competing. He and our young backfield playing as hard as they have been will be so vital to our success in 2012. I have a lot of respect for them making as many mistakes as they did last year and still not letting up and improving last year.
I said LT and RT are the same not T and G, but those are similar too. People switch around all the time, Schofield being the latest example.
DeleteSpread and Pro QBs are the same too. Most Pro QBs come from spread offenses now. Obviously Pat White wasn't going to do well for Wisconsin and Jon Navarre wasn't going to do well under Rodriguez, but those are extremes. Drew Brees and Cam Newton will be alright in any scheme.
There is no difference between a slot and wide receiver unless you have an offense featuring 4-wide extensively. Otherwise, receivers block, run routes, and catch.
WLB and SLB are different (like OG and OT) but still similar. WLB and MLB are very similar - Mattison said they're the same thing basically.
I take it you've never played any of those positions you think are so similar. They're not. Will and Mike, LT and RT, LG and RG, slot and flanker, etc all have different on the field responsibilities. Not trying to convince you since you seem set in being wrong.
DeleteSo much for Terrence Talbott...
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