Bloomfield Hills (MI) Brother Rice quarterback Alex Malzone
Alex Malzone - QB - Bloomfield Hills (MI) Brother Rice: Malzone threw for offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier earlier this week and was invited to campus. At least six other teams were there to see him throw, and a visit scheduled so quickly hints to me that an offer could very well be on the way. I did a scouting report on Malzone back in January, along with some other quarterbacks.
He would be a serviceable QB. Not ideal measurements, but could blossom. I worry about his mobility for his size. I don't know where I heard he was pretty slow footed, but that could be developed too. He has the time to develop with Morris and Co. ahead of him.
How did we swing and miss on the Alabama transfer? Did you hear any details you can discuss Magnus?
If you watch the Malzone tape you will see he is not fleet of foot but he does move around the pocket really well. He feels pressure and adapts nicely. In fact, Gardner could use some of that in his game.
I didn't hear a whole lot on the Lindsay transfer other than he wasn't admitted to the graduate program. Remember that this isn't an average undergrad transfer, and it's tough to get into grad school at Michigan. Supposedly, his academics just weren't in order.
I wonder if Nussmeier looks at Malzone and sees a bit of McCarron in him? From reading the scouting on Malzone in your link, it seems there are some similarities -- not the most imposing QB, but has a certain command that might translate to fewer mistakes.
We need to take a QB each year and Malzone is a decent one, although not a 5* super recruit. I remember Brian Griese was not highly thought of either but ended up a very good QB for us and our last National Championship QB. Had a few years in the pro's as well. Not bad for an underwhelming prospect.
The "problem" with a Griese-like prospect is that he was more of a game manager. I know people hate that term, but it was never Griese's job to sit in the pocket and throw the ball 40 or 50 times a game. We had a power running game and an awesome defense when he won the national championship. If you count on that type of guy being your quarterback, then you're also dependent on the defense being top-notch and the running game clicking.
Agreed. '97 was a bit of an outlier. In order to hang with more talented OSU teams going back to the John Cooper days, UM has relied on its passing game, in particular the ability to play catch-up and run crisp two-minute drills. UM needs to get back to stocking NFL arms. It is getting harder to win with the game-manager QB's every year. We saw that in bowl games last year. In both the MSU/Stanford and Wiscy/S.Carolina games (both pretty even matches), the winning teams had QB's who could take risks and make plays, while the losers had game managers who could not put the defense on their heels.
Well you can't sign a 5 star quarterback every year, and although Wilton Speight doesn't fill that mold that could open interest in a higher ranked quarterback next year, when he (that 2016 quarterback) arrives at Ann Arbor he'd have a senior quarterback ahead of him and a full year to be ready to challenge Speight and Malzone for playing time in 2017 which I'm sure should be alluring, and even if he doesn't win the job that should mean that the starter is better than him, UM started Navarre for 4 years and he did a decent job despite him not being that highly regarded as far as I know.
It's likely that the next QB will need to bide his time. I see Speight and Shane as both having competent passing skills and at least decent intangibles. One of them will win the job in '14 (if not earlier) and hold it for 2-3 years. So there is some appeal to taking a QB in the next class who loves UM and won't mind being an understudy for a couple years.
He would be a serviceable QB. Not ideal measurements, but could blossom. I worry about his mobility for his size. I don't know where I heard he was pretty slow footed, but that could be developed too. He has the time to develop with Morris and Co. ahead of him.
ReplyDeleteHow did we swing and miss on the Alabama transfer? Did you hear any details you can discuss Magnus?
If you watch the Malzone tape you will see he is not fleet of foot but he does move around the pocket really well. He feels pressure and adapts nicely. In fact, Gardner could use some of that in his game.
DeleteI didn't hear a whole lot on the Lindsay transfer other than he wasn't admitted to the graduate program. Remember that this isn't an average undergrad transfer, and it's tough to get into grad school at Michigan. Supposedly, his academics just weren't in order.
DeleteI wonder if Nussmeier looks at Malzone and sees a bit of McCarron in him? From reading the scouting on Malzone in your link, it seems there are some similarities -- not the most imposing QB, but has a certain command that might translate to fewer mistakes.
ReplyDeleteMcCarron has a better arm.
DeleteWe need to take a QB each year and Malzone is a decent one, although not a 5* super recruit. I remember Brian Griese was not highly thought of either but ended up a very good QB for us and our last National Championship QB. Had a few years in the pro's as well. Not bad for an underwhelming prospect.
ReplyDeleteThe "problem" with a Griese-like prospect is that he was more of a game manager. I know people hate that term, but it was never Griese's job to sit in the pocket and throw the ball 40 or 50 times a game. We had a power running game and an awesome defense when he won the national championship. If you count on that type of guy being your quarterback, then you're also dependent on the defense being top-notch and the running game clicking.
DeleteAgreed. '97 was a bit of an outlier. In order to hang with more talented OSU teams going back to the John Cooper days, UM has relied on its passing game, in particular the ability to play catch-up and run crisp two-minute drills. UM needs to get back to stocking NFL arms. It is getting harder to win with the game-manager QB's every year. We saw that in bowl games last year. In both the MSU/Stanford and Wiscy/S.Carolina games (both pretty even matches), the winning teams had QB's who could take risks and make plays, while the losers had game managers who could not put the defense on their heels.
DeleteWell you can't sign a 5 star quarterback every year, and although Wilton Speight doesn't fill that mold that could open interest in a higher ranked quarterback next year, when he (that 2016 quarterback) arrives at Ann Arbor he'd have a senior quarterback ahead of him and a full year to be ready to challenge Speight and Malzone for playing time in 2017 which I'm sure should be alluring, and even if he doesn't win the job that should mean that the starter is better than him, UM started Navarre for 4 years and he did a decent job despite him not being that highly regarded as far as I know.
ReplyDeleteIt's likely that the next QB will need to bide his time. I see Speight and Shane as both having competent passing skills and at least decent intangibles. One of them will win the job in '14 (if not earlier) and hold it for 2-3 years. So there is some appeal to taking a QB in the next class who loves UM and won't mind being an understudy for a couple years.
Delete"One of them will win the job in '14 (if not earlier) and hold it for 2-3 years."
DeleteI'm assuming you mean 2015, not 2014.
Right! It takes me a half a year for my mind to catch up with the calendar.
Delete