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| Matt Godin (#99) - image via MWolverine.com |
Height: 6'6"
Weight: 283 lbs.
High school: Novi (MI) Catholic Central
Position: Defensive tackle
Class: Redshirt sophomore
Jersey number: #99
Last year: I ranked Godin #37 and said he would be a backup strongside end. He played in six games and made 3 tackles.
Believing Godin would be the primary backup to Keith Heitzman last season, I ranked the towering defensive end a little too high. He played sparingly throughout the year and did not make much of an impact. Reports surfaced that he would have played more, but a nagging back injury limited him during the season. Chris Wormley took a lot of the snaps that might have gone to Godin, and Brennen Beyer also spent some time at strongside end late in the year.
This year Godin seems to have recovered from his injury, and he should be able to play a little more consistently. Starting 3-tech tackle Jibreel Black has graduated, and redshirt sophomores Willie Henry, Wormley (also a defensive tackle now), and Godin should battle for the majority of the snaps. Henry may also play some nose tackle, which could draw Godin into the lineup a little more frequently. Godin does not appear to be a penetrator or pass rushing threat, but he plays with good leverage - despite being the the tallest defensive tackle on the team by two inches. I expect to see him in the rotation quite often, but he won't fill up the stat sheet.
Prediction: Backup 3-tech defensive tackle
Godin and Glasgow got a lot of snaps with the 1st defensive unit in the spring game. I think those two are basically in the same boat - they both have the makings of solid, rotational players. But I expect DT's like Pipkins, Hurst, Henry, and Wormley to be a little more difficult for opposing OL to handle. Of course UM is playing a lot of spread teams in '14, which tend to wear out the DT's quickly. So Godin could be a back-up and still see a lot of snaps this season.
ReplyDeleteI'm a little more skeptical of Godin than you. Maybe he develops like other DLmen have under Mattison, but it probably won't be for another year or two till he makes an impact. For now, he's just a guy. He'll probably play just because he's been around a few years, but I'd be surprised if he starts or has a meaningful role that can't be filled just as capably by a Glasgow, Hurst, or one of the other backup types. DL is deep, so I'd put the next-in-line backup at other weaker positions ahead of him (e.g., Clark has a decent chance of starting, Miller probably WILL start at least one game) . But who knows - with all these young guys fighting for a role anything can happen.
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