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| Cordova (TN) St. Benedict's Jordan Wilkins |
Isaac was clearly the top running back prospect on the coaches' board, so where do the Wolverines go from here? Well, they already have Warren (OH) Howland running back DeVeon Smith and Novi (MI) Catholic Central jumbo running back Wyatt Shallman. Both are solidly considered 4-star recruits, they can both play a role at Michigan, and both seem to be strongly committed to Michigan. What Michigan seems to lack in those two guys is a gamebreaker. They're both grind-it-out types who can break tackles or score near the goal line, but neither appears to have the speed and agility to go 80 yards on any given play.
The two names that pop up most frequently are Richmond (VA) Hermitage running back Derrick Green and Cordova (TN) St. Benedict tailback Jordan Wilkins. While Green claims 4.37 forty speed, that kind of acceleration and explosion isn't apparent on his highlight film. The 6'1", 215-pounder looks more like a between-the-tackles power guy than a big play guy. With Smith and Shallman already in the fold for 2013, taking a commitment from Green would seem a bit redundant.
Wilkins, on the other hand, looks a lot more like Isaac. The Tennessee product has more lateral agility than Green, can catch the ball out of the backfield much like Isaac, and has the ability to break the big one. While I don't know that I can justify saying that Wilkins is faster than someone who claims a 4.37 forty, comparing junior film of Wilkins and Green makes the former look like the big-play guy that Michigan should be seeking.
Outside of those two guys, who both have offers, the pickings get a little slim. There aren't a great deal of options in the midwest, and reaching outside of the midwest is always a tough pull. Chelsea (MI) Chelsea tailback Berkley Edwards is a Michigan legacy and the younger brother of wide receiver Braylon Edwards, but he's small and probably not the feature back that Michigan really wants. Otherwise, he would have been offered already. Pickerington (OH) North's Godwin Igwebuike is the teammate of 2013 tight end commit Jake Butt and has an offer from Wisconsin, but again, he's not a threat to take it the distance. The only other big-time running back prospect in the Big Ten imprint appears to be Philadelphia (PA) Imhotep's David Williams, who has offers from Nebraska, Notre Dame, Ohio State, and Penn State. Williams doesn't have a Michigan offer and it could very well be too late to get a foot in the door.
It seems most likely at this point that Michigan will once again go without an elite level running back in the 2013 class, which continues the trend that arguably started in the 2010 class. Fitzgerald Toussaint, a 2009 recruit, was somewhat highly touted but not really a national recruit. One might even make the argument that you would have to go all the way back to 2008, when Michigan snagged the highly sought after Sam McGuffie, to find an elite running back in a Michigan recruiting class.
My thoughts exactly. Another year, another whiff on a game breaking running back. If Laquon Treadwell commits elsewhere this will also be yet another year without a gamebreaking WR. It's tough to complain, obviously, with the job the coaching staff has done so far on the recruiting front but for some reason in recent history Michigan has come up short repeatedly on these two positions. Not sure why.
ReplyDeleteIf McGuffie is the archetype, then give me a Smith, Shallman (Rawls, Norfleet, Johnson) anyday. The pre-occupation with a guy "that has the ability to go 80 yards" is misplaced in this age of football and especially with this staff. Get our backs to get 5 yards gashes consistently and this team will do great things. Ingram wasn't an 80 yard guy, nor Richardson. A lot of 4.6 guys bust 40, 50, 60+ yard runs throughout the season and by the way, a lot of that is a function of downfield blocking. Another complimentary body type/style of back would be great but we don't have to have this mythical Walter Payton either to win and win big.
ReplyDeleteTrent Richardson: 71 yards against UNT, 76 yards against Ole Miss, 57 yards against Auburn, 61-yard catch against Arkansas, 65 yards against Tennessee in 2010. He had at least one 20+ yard run in every game last year except Kent State and Tennessee.
DeleteWe all know McGuffie didn't pan out. I'm not suggesting he was the best back in years, just that he was the most highly touted. I liked Toussaint more coming out of high school, and Toussaint is a guy who can break the big one. He also just happened to have the best rushing season of any Michigan running back in several years. As a pure runner, he's better than Mike Hart or Chris Perry (although not necessarily as good of a blocker).
We don't NEED a gamebreaker to be successful, but it wouldn't hurt. And there's no Julio Jones in the fold, either. You can be successful with a team that churns out yards and gets a lot of first downs, but sometimes it helps to have a guy at RB or WR who can break a big one, too.
You think that gamebreaking skill players are "misplaced in this age of football" when the college game is going full speed AWAY from 3 yards and a cloud of dust? What football are you watching? It's more relevant than ever that teams have a big-play guy. Despite the recruiting of mammoth OL, the idea that this staff is fully MANBALL is pretty off-target.
DeleteIn addition, we lack a consistent big-play receiver. The big plays have to come from somewhere, and Denard and Toussaint won't be around much longer.
Sounds like we are on the same page. Looking at some of those runs by Richardson ... downfield blocking and great burst/acceleration were the key. Not pure track speed. He's faster than Ingrahm (although Ingrahm had a freakish 10 yrd split). For a RB I would prefer a great 10, ball security, power, and vision. Many long runs are busted D assignments or the runner has a great angle advantage. Many RB's in the pros break a long run every couple of games - against DB's that average 4.4 or better. I would really favor the balls-out speed for a receiver first since there the ability to separate is huge.
DeleteWarren (OH) Howland :)
ReplyDeleteI hope somehow the coaches can get Jordan Wilkins damn that boy is big and fast. I can see him in the maize and blue doing great things in the B1G
ReplyDeleteWilkins has the potential to be elite and very productive in our offense, and your correct, very similar in style to Ty, its just hes a lesser ranked recruit at the moment. Also, Godwin Igwebuike is under the radar. I think he has great agility and the speed to absolutely take it the distance, and he reminds me of Fitz on several plays....I think either is viable, but Wilkins would be such a solid addition to this class....any chance of getting his thoughts soon?
ReplyDeleteWilkins has the potential to be elite and very productive in our offense, and your correct, very similar in style to Ty, its just hes a lesser ranked recruit at the moment. Also, Godwin Igwebuike is under the radar. I think he has great agility and the speed to absolutely take it the distance, and he reminds me of Fitz on several plays....I think either is viable, but Wilkins would be such a solid addition to this class....any chance of getting his thoughts soon?
ReplyDeleteIgwebuike is not a Michigan-caliber player.
DeleteAndrew (mostly) and I don't typically talk to recruits in the current recruiting cycle. All of Andrew's interviews come from guys who have already committed/signed. However, other sites have talked to him recently, and he does not seem inclined to come to Michigan.
Good post. I'd say McGuffie is the last big recruiting get at RB. Toussaint was pretty typical for what UM gets, though the last few years have been more 3 stars than 4.
ReplyDeleteRegarding Edwards being "small and not a feature back" - The coaches seem to agree, but it's self-fulfilling. I've seen way too many small backs succeed to buy the idea that you have to be big to be effective. I won't pretend to know how good Edwards is, but he's very fast and I think this team could use that. But you can wait on him. And that's what the coaches should do, IMO. Right now he has one offer outside of the MAC and it's only Minnesota. If the coaches want someone else, go that route first.
I'm just not buying into the 'power' argument at RB. To me, that's about blocking and strategy. Wisonsin did just as well with Michael Bennett (a small track guy) as they did with Ron Dayne. Michigan will do just as well with Lou Rawls or Dennis Norfleet. Just have to find a guy who gets the job done, regardless of style. Power, speed, multi-dimensional...I really don't care. They just have to find a good back for after Toussaint leaves.
With Norfleet, Hayes, and Johnson, we really don't need a guy like Edwards. Especially with that offer list.
DeleteThere's a difference between being small and playing small. Also, it's Thomas Rawls.
Johnson's more of a straight-ahead runner, so I'd lump him in with the Rawls group of 'big' backs. To me, Johnson sounds like a (very poor man's) A-Train -- a guy with a ton of straight ahead speed, but who needs the OL to open big holes for him to be effective. He'll take what the OL gives him and make the very most of it, including some big plays, but don't ask him to wiggle around and make his own yards. Sometimes you need guys who can do that too.
DeleteNorfleet or Hayes may end up at WR. We'll see. But there's a lot fewer of those guys than big backs.
Who was the last big play breaker we had? Tyrone, Anthony, maybe Tim? Those were both big, powerful dudes (tim did have speed). We don't seem to get speedy backs all that much. Michigan has always focused on o-line size, strength and skill and then put a tough back behind it.
ReplyDeleteCarlos Brown.
DeleteWheatley was big, but also the fastest of that bunch. Or maybe you missed those Rose Bowls.
DeleteI agree! Michigan backs have always been the power guys who are durable and can run between the tackles. This should be no surprise that we aren't getting the flashy, speedy guys.
ReplyDeleteFor every Hoard, Bunch, Thomas, and Wheatly, there was a smaller quicker back like Mike Hart, Jamie Morris, and Jon Vaughn.
DeleteMichigan's staff would obviously like a guy like Ty Isaac (modern day Tyrone Wheatley) and guys like Deveon Smith (Anthony Thomas). You don't have to choose between the two. Both style can fit what this staff wants to do. Berkely Edwards, not so much. Norfleet was a final day offer because we had available scholarships, but talent-wise he is on a completely different level than Edwards. There is plenty of depth at RB, even if Shallman ends up moving elsewhere. Using the scholarships on the DL or at other positions needing some depth (2 QB's in 2014?) would be a better use IMO.
ReplyDeleteWheatly and Thomas were both like Isaac - tall and very very fast. Thomas was a very highly regarded recruit. Smith isn't a good comparison.
DeleteYou're the type of fan who would have complained about the recruitment of Mike Hart or Jaime Morris.
The problem at RB isn't depth, it's finding a guy who is an impact player. They have plenty of straight-ahead bulls...they need people who can get outside the tackles and make things happen.
That said, I agree that a few other positions should be a bigger priority.