Sunday, January 6, 2013

Under Armour All-America Game analysis

Shane Morris did not perform well in the Under Armour All-America Game but the potential is there for a good future
David Dawson, OG: Dawson wore #55 and started at right guard.  He earned a reputation as a nasty run blocker during the week, but it's tough to run the ball in these games because running the ball is largely about repetition, timing, and teamwork.  Part of his pass blocking technique is to lean on people without moving his feet, which will have to be fixed before he can set foot on the field in college.  The fact that he earned a starting spot speaks well for his talent, but he wasn't a standout.

Patrick Kugler, OG: Kugler wore #57, started at left guard, and also was named a team captain.  He looked good when pulling and also seemed to be the best pass protector of the three future Wolverine offensive linemen in this game.  There was an ugly busted blocking assignment that allowed a sack, but it looked like Kugler was expecting a double-team that his linemate ignored.

Shane Morris, QB: Morris wore #12 and was the #2 quarterback.  He showed a strong arm - perhaps the strongest in the game - but he made some inaccurate throws and bad decisions.  He threw one pass into the arms of Vonn Bell that should have been picked off and returned for a touchdown, and later he got suckered into throwing a corner route against Cover 2 when Vernon Hargreaves III was sinking back in coverage; the throw to the flat was open and could have been completed.  However, Morris did have one of the better throws of the game on a fade route to LaQuon Treadwell in the endzone that should have been caught, but Treadwell allowed Hargreaves to rake it out at the last second.  Morris showed a little bit of mobility in getting out of the pocket, and he's quick enough to be effective on rollouts, but he'll never be a significant threat as a runner and took a highlight-reel shot in the open field from Oregon-bound linebacker Matthew Thomas.  Overall, he finished 2/10 passing for 23 yards, 0 touchdowns, and 1 interception.  He also carried the ball 2 times for 1 yard.

Henry Poggi, DT:
 Poggi wore #17 and started at defensive tackle.  He showed some quickness early in the game, pressuring PSU-bound Christian Hackenberg into an early checkdown, and grabbed a fumble recovery on a botched shotgun snap.  He also has very active hands and doesn't allow himself to stay blocked.  Poggi is still pretty thin for a defensive tackle, and I doubt he can put on 30-ish pounds of good weight in the next eight months to contribute this season.  Overall, he and Kugler had the best performances of the group.  Poggi finished with 1 tackle, 1 fumble recovery, and 2 quarterback hurries.

Logan Tuley-Tillman, OT: Tuley-Tillman wore #72 and was a backup offensive tackle.  He did okay in pass protection at times, but he generally stands too high and is susceptible to the bull rush.  Then when he gets ready for the bull rush, defensive ends can run around him.  He needs to adjust quicker.  There was one screen play called to the left where he let his guy run right past him untouched, which forced the quarterback into a hurried throw and an interception (that should have been a pick six).  However, when he chooses to do so, he moves his feet well and his wingspan allows him to keep defenders out of his body.

Here's a boxscore for the game.

13 comments:

  1. Any chance that you update your player rankings now that the entire evaluation period is done? I'd find it a bit hard to believe if you still think Dawson will be an average starter. Then again, your rankings and not mine.. and I respect your rankings. Overall, just curious to see how all of these guys stack up in your eyes.

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    1. I will update the player rankings, but not until after the 2013 class is signed. The reason is that, in my evaluations, new commitments in the same position group could affect other players. For example, getting an elite guy like Derrick Green could affect the ratings of Wyatt Shallman and DeVeon Smith. If I re-ranked the players now, I'd have to do it again in three or four weeks.

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  2. To further pound one of my favorite meme's. I think it's gonna be a good thing having a 295 lbs Poggi as a redshirt senior.

    As pumped as I am about Hurst, Poggi has been one of the guys I've wondered about. As a coaches kid at his size I was thinking maybe, big for not outstanding high school competition, coached up, maybe not that athletic, but I thought enough of him in the game to go back and look at his little bit of film.

    Even if Poggi can't gain his way into a BIG three, at 6'4" or even 6"3 if they're lying, with his pretty good quickness I'm thinking now that he could make a nice strong side DE at a hard 275-80. I'm liking him a lot better this morning.

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    1. Agree with this. People like to project specific positions, but a kid like Poggi is going to find a spot, probably wherever the team needs him most.

      Hurst and Poggi both seem like real good pickups.

      The secondary and the offensive skill positions are where Hoke and staff need to pick up recruiting.

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  3. Poggi has consistently been talked about as a very technically sound and fairly athletic kid. I don't know where you get the "big for not outstanding high school competition" from though, as Gilman plays one of the hardest schedules in the country. This past season they played Cincinnati Moeller, Our Lady of Good Counsel, and Don Bosco Prep to start off their season.

    I agree that its possible he can't put on enough good weight to be a great player at 3-tech and at the very least he could be a great SDE.

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    1. Poggi said in an interview (and I have no idea where I saw it) that coaches were putting him at SDE at first, most likely until he fills out and moves inside. I agree with you, and think he'll be good at both spots.

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    2. Apologies for missing on that strength of schedule thing. About the only posts i routinly skip around here is that high school season update. I'm pretty sure I got the rest of it though.

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  4. Do rivals and scout take these games in to account and change their rankings? I forget, but i think they gave pipkins his 5th * after his AA game

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    1. Yes, they do. I believe all the recruiting sites will do at least one more update.

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  5. With Poggi, Wormley, Strobel, Heitzman and Godin all between the 3- and 5-tech; Hurst, Henry and Pip at the 1-tech, you've gotta be pleased with our depth at those positions in the coming years. That's quality depth there.

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    1. Yeah, I'm pretty happy with Michigan's defensive line for the next few years.

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    2. Have to acknowledge that some of these guys aren't going to pan out or change positions. Recruiting those kind of heavy numbers is the best strategy for coaches to ensure that they have a quality unit.

      Unfortunately, with limited scholarships, the numbers come at the expense of other positions.

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  6. Morris is the opposite of Gardner, in that he LOOKS like he is running fast, but isn't covering much ground very quickly.

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