Monday, February 23, 2015

Michigan releases spring 2015 roster

Brady Pallante is a fullback now. Brady Pallante is not #23.
Michigan released its spring roster on Monday as the Wolverines begin spring practice on Tuesday (LINK). Here are some notable updates to the roster.

Ian Bunting: Bunting is up to 6'7" and 243 lbs. Michigan needs help at tight end this fall, so 243 lbs. is a good sign of him developing physically. He should be up over 250 lbs. by the fall.

Brian Cole: Cole, a true freshman early enrollee, is wearing #81. He's listed at 6'2", 200 lbs.

Ross Douglas: Douglas was recruited as a cornerback, moved to slot receiver, moved to running back, and now is back at corner. Still wearing #29, he is now listed as Ross Taylor-Douglas.

Derrick Green: Green is listed at 5'11" and 234 lbs.

Ty Isaac: Isaac is listed at 6'3" and 240 lbs.

Alex Malzone: Malzone, a true freshman early enrollee, is wearing #12. He's listed at 6'2", 218 lbs.

Brady Pallante: Pallante came to Michigan as a nose tackle prospect and is now listed as a redshirt freshman, 6'0", 276 lb. fullback wearing #45.

Terry Richardson: Richardson is listed as a redshirt junior cornerback and is finally nearing close-to-acceptable weight at 174 lbs. at 5'9".

Matt Thompson: Thompson is a new addition as a walk-on quarterback from Cincinnati (OH) Indian Hills. He's listed at 6'5", 214 lbs. as a redshirt freshman. Here are Thompson's Hudl highlights from his senior year (LINK). His delivery is a little bit wonky, but he doesn't look too bad for a walk-on. He's not a bad guy to have available for running a scout team and such. It also looks like he's hit a growth spurt since high school.

Ryan Tice: Tice is a 6'1", 177 lb. walk-on who enrolled early out of Saline (MI) Saline. I mainly note this because Michigan graduated both their punter and kicker, so Tice might be competing for one of those jobs, along with walk-on Kenny Allen (punter) and 2015 signee Andrew David (kicker).

8 comments:

  1. Has Pallante ever played fullback? Not that it matters much.

    Noah Furbush at 217 lbs. is going the wrong way.

    There really should be no excuse for our offensive line going forward. Braden at 6'6" 331 oughta be just mauling people. A more physically mature Magnuson at 296 will hopefully push at LT. I'm pulling hard for Chris Fox to be healthy at 303, and Dawson at a more mature 309 should be knocking people off the ball. We have plenty of size and years now, we should be hurting people up front.

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    1. Ross and Jenkins-Stone are both way bigger.

      I'm recanting on Furbush, he did pick up 7 from the 2014 roster, the way he played on film had me thinking he was way heftier.

      I'm sure he's a great kid and all that, but I will be delighted to never hear Ben Pliska's name again at a press conference having to do with who's looking good out there on the OL.

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  2. TTB, how do you feel about Palante as a FB?

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    1. I'm not a big fan of the move. We have two senior fullbacks (Kerridge, Houma) and a redshirt sophomore (Shallman) who was a highly touted recruit. Meanwhile, we might be a little thin at nose tackle beyond this year with Pipkins being a senior. I wouldn't mind the idea of seeing someone like Pallante being a part-time fullback (short yardage situations, etc.), but that appears not to be the case here. Guys don't generally play fullback and moonlight as nose tackles; it's the other way around.

      So unless the coaching staff sees absolutely zero future for him on the defensive line, I think he should stay on defense. That's not to say that he can't have an impact on offense, because he understands leverage as a wrestler and he would be a load for linebackers/defensive ends to handle. But he probably won't be much of a threat as a runner/receiver, and he was not known for his speed coming out of high school.

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    2. Well, let's face it, Pallante was not a guy with huge potential at DT. He was and probably would remain undersized, and not terribly athletic. Whether we're thin or not, having him ever play significant time at DT would mean we're hurting. He has a better chance to make SOME impact at FB, IMO.

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  3. Drake Harris at 6-4 174lbs needs to be putting on some pounds unless he's planning to just run past defenders.

    Ty Isaac at 6-3 240lbs is going to crush people if he is as fast as advertised. That is not the guy a you want to be tacking all day.

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  4. Brian Cole 6'2'' 200 lbs. That's a gotta be a typo

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  5. Residents of Indian Hill are generally overly litigious a-holes and would not appreciate you pluralizing their land form.

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