Name: Giovanni El-Hadi
Height: 6’5″
Weight: 315 lbs.
High school: Sterling Heights (MI) Stevenson
Position: Offensive guard
Class: Fifth year senior
Jersey number: #58
Last year: I ranked El-Hadi #14 and said he would be a starting offensive guard and second team all-conference (LINK). He started all thirteen games and was named Honorable Mention All-Big Ten.
TTB Rating: 84
Last year I said it seemed like El-Hadi had been around forever, and just now he's entering his fifth year. I also predicted he would be Second Team All-Big Ten, and that was way off, too. So maybe I'm a bit aloof when it comes to El-Hadi.
El-Hadi had mostly played left guard early in his career, but last season he switched to the right side to make way for Northwestern transfer Josh Priebe to start at left guard. Both of them had pretty forgettable seasons. And that was the case for most of the offensive line. It was a pretty ugly year overall except when Kalel Mullings was stepping through tackles in the backfield and turning them into 20+ yard runs.
Now El-Hadi is back at left guard, and my hope is that he plays better as a result. Just like with Evan Link switching back to left tackle (where he played in high school) from the right side (where he played most of last year), I think being comfortable with the footwork, hand placement, eyes, etc. can help an offensive lineman. El-Hadi has been named a captain for the upcoming season, and he pairs with fifth year senior center Greg Crippen for some good experience on the interior. I'm not going to go as far as saying El-Hadi will be an all-conference player in 2025, but he should be improved and the offense overall should look better under new offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey.
Prediction: Starting left guard
I hope he improves because last year he missed blocks & got pushed around far too often. Disappointing for a guy with recruiting hype & loads of time in A2
ReplyDeleteThunder, with Norton starting at RG, we don't have a "Harball" interior OL
DeleteDo you see us shifting to a Lindsey, Outside Zone run game?
Did we have a "Harball" interior last year?
DeleteSwapping out Priebe (306) with Norton (312) while adding experience and weight to Crippen and El Hadi would seem to indicate the line is bigger and more likely to be effective running power.
Not expecting a return to Harbaugh football with a light TE room and focus on big receivers but it would seem like the OL is one area where there is hope for a run game more similar to Sherrone's 21-23 and less like Campbell's 24.
No, and that was a problem. We had Mullings, who was able to grind through contact and give us SOMETHING on offense. Edwards could not & did not
DeleteDuring the Bowl, Marshall replaced Mullings (r0cK s0liD), and Hall replaced Edwards
I used to be high on El Hadi, but he couldn't move DTs, and missed blocks when pulling. Is that because he was on the wrong side? We'll see. Crippen is ... not the strongest Center we've had. I'll believe Norton can move B1G DL when I see it
Sounds negative, but on paper it's actually WORSE. On the outside we're left with Link, who was the worst of the bunch and Sprague, a RSFr with upside
Last year wasn't just crap QB/OC/WR. Our OL wasn't good either
#lAnKoToMy (iYkYk)
Got it, it's not really about Norton.
Delete#essay
Norton is 1/3 of the Interior OL genius
Delete#namechange
#l#lAnKoToMy (iYkYk)
#outsmarted
You introduced the clause "genius"
Delete"Thunder, ****with Norton starting at RG*****, we don't have a "Harball" interior OL"
Was it going to be "Harball" whatever that means with Efobi? Was starting Efobi going to trigger a cascade of moves swapping out Crippen and El Hadi too? No
No.
NEYBY!
-IYKYK
P.S. Donovan Edwards ran for a higher YPC behind the mediocre '24 line than the excellent '23 line and did it by only rushing for more than 40 yards once. He also outperformed Mullings ON THE GROUND in 4/5 games leading up the OSU game when he got hurt.
The exception was Northwestern where Edwards ran 10 times for 65 yards with a high of 24 yards. Boom Bust (LOL) Mullings had a 47 yarder and 1 drive with 3 carries for 70 yards but otherwise ran 9 times for 22 yards.
I don't think Michigan is going to run a ton of outside zone. They might run some (and I hope they do), but inside zone/duo is going to remain the staple running play.
DeleteThanks Thunder
DeleteFor lAnKt0bY, Guard is part of the Interior OL, lAnKt0by ... and yeah, the ceiling with a 4star who has been with the program 3yrs was more promising than an FCS transfer who didn't look good in spring
Now lAnKt0bY values YPC ... not even lAnKt0bY agrees with lAnKt0bY
Edwards admits struggling in 2o23. You have said 2o24 was worse ... not even lAnKt0bY agrees with lAnKt0bY
Mullings was our OMVP, named co-Bo Schembechler Player of the Year, and offensive player of the game for six times. His heroic production led to passing The Don. You can try to massage details, but the totality of facts are against your foolish attempts to make a point
#exposed
#bored
#lAnKat0bY (iykyk)
I just read this at MGo:
"Not to dump on Donovan Edwards, but man was it frustrating the last couple years when Michigan would get something blocked up right and Edwards wouldn't find the hole. His variability led to explosive touchdown runs but also long-yardage situations Michigan was hard-pressed to deal with, particularly last year"
Wave your white flag lAnKt0bY!
WRONG AGAIN STAN THE CEILING IS HIGHER WITH NORTON THAN EFOBI. FOR A GUY WHO SPENT YEARS OBSESSING ABOUT REPS IN GAME AND IGNORING PRACTICE DEV, TO NOT PAY ATTENTION TO NORTON BEING ALL AMERICAN AT A LOWER LEVEL WHILE EFOBI PLAYED ZILCH ON A MEDIOCRE OL AT MICHIGAN. WELL....#NEYBY
DeleteBOTH ARE JUNIORS AND NORTON IS BETTER AGAIN
MORE BAGGING ON EDWARDS BUT GONNA STRAIGHT UP IGNORE BOOM BUST RESULTS FROM HAYES. 14 FOR 44 IF YOU TAKE AWAY THE 2 LONG ONES. EVERY BACK IS BOOM BUST. EVERY POSITION MATTERS
HEY LOOK HE FOUND A QUOTE! COOL OPINION BRO! GLAD SOMEBODY AGREES WITH YOU?
WAS MULLINGS !BENCHED! MIDESEASON OR NOT? DID EDWARDS OUTPLAY MULLINGS ONCE ORJI LOST HIS STARTING JOB OR NOT?
#SORRY ABOUT THE FACTS
#STAN VALIDATION
#HIU
#I WONT BE BACK TO READ THE RESPONSE BUT I KNOW STAN WILL SEE THIS. XOXO
Hahaha, I'm so "boring that I was 1) worth a NY resolution; and 2) worth breaking it
DeleteAnyway, you're confusing "ceiling" with a coaching decision coming out of camp. Last year you had similar OL personnel gripes ... not even lAnKt0bY agrees with lAnKt0bY
You'll read this ... and reply. Too thirsty not to
#notbored
#obsessed
#lAnKt0by
The OL got a failing grade and if we are honest, it has been trending down for 2-3 years. UM was able to hide a lot of recruiting and development issues by hitting on transfers. Not sure why Newsome got the OL job, he appears to be in way over his head and not ready. UM is not a place to learn on the job and his pay reflects a well seasoned, proven coach, which he is not.
ReplyDeleteOn a more positive note, the recruiting has been much better the last two years, and Moore hired another OL coach to help. I guess it pays to be flush with cash that we can hire a coach to coach our coach but we need to see a step increase in our OL performance or people need to given the firm handshake.
Yep I'd say it's too early to judge Newsome after 1 year. He was universally praised prior to his first season, as a TE coach. Keep in mind his first season under an incompetent OC, and a rookie HC. OL development takes time so the jury is still out IMO. No question last year was bad but when you change out all your starters some struggles should be expected. The staff handled it very poorly though so questions are warranted. So is some patience and hopes for better in '25
DeleteYes I share the optimism and hope in El Hadi to finally deliver on his potential and be a physical force on the inside. I don't think Crippen or Norton are going to be shoving too many people around so El Hadi has to do some of the heavy lifting. Being named a captain is encouraging and I'd like to see that leadership emerge with some proverbial "mean streak" being evident on the field.
ReplyDelete