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| Ondre Pipkins |
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 308 lbs.
High school: Kansas City (MO) Park Hill
Position: Defensive tackle
Class: Sophomore
Jersey number: #56
Last year: I ranked Pipkins #31 and said he would be the backup nose tackle. He had 7 tackles and .5 tackles for loss.
Pipkins entered last season as a highly valued player, partly because nobody was sure what kind of nose tackle Quinton Washington would make. Washington turned out to be pretty solid, albeit unspectacular, so Pipkins didn't need to be splendid. That was a good thing, because he was very large and out of shape when he arrived on campus, and he never seemed to get his conditioning going during the year. This year he's listed at 308 lbs. and looked slimmer in the spring game, so hopefully he will be a little more explosive.
Fifth year senior Washington is back, so Pipkins will likely be a backup once again. I think he will be a very good player once he gets in shape, so that could make a solid one-two punch at the nose for Michigan this season. In addition to those two, Michigan has solid redshirt freshman Willie Henry who could play nose tackle if needed, so there are several options. Pipkins was mostly a space eater last season, but this season he should be a little bit more of a penetrator now that he's shed some pounds.
Prediction: Backup nose tackle
Magnus any chance we see Washington and Pipkins the field together? Could Washington bump to the 3? That would a lot of beef up the middle.
ReplyDeleteProbably for short yardage situations, but I keep hearing the coaches want a true rotation at DL so even the second string should get up to 40% of the snaps.
DeleteAs someone said above, I think they're better off rotating. On the goal line, they'll probably play together.
DeleteOndre is a potential star in my book. He has the talent and he showed good play his freshman year, which is a great sign. I don't necessarily think he'll start, so I get where the ranking is coming from, but I think by the end of the season he'll be playing more downs than not and I expect him and Q to lineup beside each other regularly by Nebraska and Ohio State.
ReplyDeleteI think he will be one of our top 5 impact defensive players. DTs are important players and Pipkins is one of our best. I don't see anyone being capable of replacing Pipkins in the DL rotation. While I like Henry I expect him to be several rungs below for now.
Henry will be interesting to watch this year. He has good size and on a few plays in high school he exploded into the backfield. Can't wait to see him play and see what he's got at this level of competition.
DeletePipkins was OK last year, but I'd have to consider him a mild disappointment for a 5 star recruit. The kinds of DTs who make the high rounds in the NFL usually show more, even early on. Hopefully his improved conditioning will make a difference. We need an impact player at DT, one who can draw some double teams. That opens all kinds of things up for other guys to make plays.
DeleteThink he was a disappointment for showing up and not taking it seriously with his weight but any kid who plays as a freshman on the line, either offense or defense is a stud in my book. Those are 18 year olds playing against 20-22 year olds. It's a shock from HS when your typical 300 lb dude is playing kids 225-230 at best as opponents and physically dominates.
DeleteI don't think most DTs kill it as freshman anywhere. In fact you hope you are deep enough in the trenches they don't even show up on the field until their redshirt year.
@Anon 1:50
DeleteDude, he was a true freshman playing behind two 4th year guys. He beat out 4 other freshman for playing time. Most times a freshman who can play without being an embarrassment he ends up being an above average starter. Pipkins is on track to be another Martin or Branch caliber kid - guys who looked solid as backups in their freshman years.
If he's a disappointment then the problem is in the expectations, not his performance.
Will you be doing a write up on George Campbell?
ReplyDeleteEventually, but I'm vacationing in exotic lands right now.
DeleteDamien Harris just committed to Michigan!
ReplyDeleteWhat the heck?! Appearantly Hoke and co. aren't recruiting anymore RB's for 2015. Bullshit, they could've got Hillman, Patrick, and Weber. Maybe they can recruit Weber as a slot receiver?
ReplyDelete^ They told Hilliman (2014) that they were done with '14 RB's.
ReplyDelete29 lbs off is a pretty impressive off season if you ask me.
ReplyDeleteThere is no way he is not more explosive than he was last year,
With lots of time to add power and quickness, I'm very enthusiastic about this kid's chances to be a dominate inside proesence.