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| Richard Ash (#54) (image via Scout) |
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 301 lbs.
High school: Pahokee (FL) Pahokee
Position: Defensive tackle
Class: Redshirt sophomore
Jersey number: #54
Last year: I ranked Ash #47 and said he would be a backup defensive tackle. He played in three games at nose tackle but didn't accrue any statistics.
Ash was sprinkled throughout the season in 2011, showing up against Minnesota, Purdue, and Virginia Tech. Despite Michigan being pretty thin on the interior of the defensive line, he couldn't find his way onto the field consistently. There was quite a bit of rotation at the end positions, but it was mostly Mike Martin and Will Heininger in the middle with a little bit of William Campbell. Coming out of high school, Ash had a reputation for playing best when he was lighter (around 245 lbs.) and his performance tailed off as he added weight. Now hovering just above 301 lbs., I wonder if he has adjusted to that additional weight yet.
The opportunity and the need are there for Ash this season. Starting nose tackle Mike Martin graduated, and senior Will Campbell, whose play hasn't matched his potential, presumably will be the new starter at NT. Incoming freshman Ondre Pipkins has the size to play immediately, but freshmen on the defensive line are usually overmatched initially. Unless Pipkins can break tradition and be an effective interior player as a rookie, then someone like Ash, Quinton Washington, or Ken Wilkins needs to hold the point of attack. Ash has the best combination of size, quickness, and experience to be Campbell's primary backup.
Prediction: Backup nose tackle
Apologies to the person whose comment I deleted accidentally.
ReplyDeleteHow do you see Ash and Q splitting their playing time? Both exclusively NT, or you think either/both are capable of playing 3-tech? And you think Ash will come on before Q almost regardless of which spot because he's better?
ReplyDeleteI think Ash is mostly a NT and Washington is more of a DT. Ash is probably bound to get more snaps and I wouldn't be totally surprised to see Washington depart after this year, kind of like Khoury.
DeleteWhat kind of production do you think we see out of Ash? I don't think Ive seen anything to suggest that he will be a serviceable player.
ReplyDeleteI think you're underestimating him a bit. I think he can be pretty solid, and you might see him flash a bit this year. He's not a future star, but I think he could be a full-time starter at some point.
DeleteQuick question, I've noticed that the Dline back-ups have been given less importance in your countdown than the DBs. It's your list not mine I'm not questioning you, just curious why? Even if Ash isn't as talented as Talbott or Avery, with the need for the Dline to be effective, why isn't he more important?
ReplyDeleteI noticed too that the Dline backups as a group are well down the list of the top 40-50 players, (those that are likely to be on the two-deep and make the majority of the impact this year), as compared to backups at other positions. It is somewhat symptomatic of the kind of talent and player development hole that RR (and to a lesser extent LC) dug and that we have to work to get out of before this program can compete consistently at the highest level. Too many of our backups right now will never be more than backup-caliber players no matter how long they're here. Brink, Ash, Washington, Heitzman and Wilkins, for example. If you look at a program like Alabama, even their backups are Really Good Players, who are just waiting for the Really, Really Good, high NFL draft pick guys ahead of them to leave, so that they can have their chance to be Really, Really Good Players. That's why they can lose a bunch of first round draft picks and still have the makings of a championship caliber team this year.
DeleteNot Magnus, but I can tell you why Avery is more important... the guy played approximately 40% of the snaps last year in the nickel package. Ash is only an important player if he makes a significant improvement, which is probably unlikely. If he does not make that jump, his spot in the rotation will be filled by freshmen sooner or later.
DeleteAvery is virtually a starter. As for Talbott, I think we're pretty thin on game-ready talented corners. While the defensive line is likely to be a weak spot no matter who is on the field, there's bound to be a considerable drop off from the two-deep at CB to the other guys. But Brink/Heitzman/Ash/Wasington/etc. are all kind of muddled.
DeleteComparing Michigan to a program that over-signs, abuses the medical redshirt system, and cuts players like the NFL is asinine. Our DL is especially thin on experience this year, but you don't need NFL talent 3-deep to be successful.
DeleteComparing to Alabama is appropriate considering WE PLAY THEM.
DeleteAsh looks the part to me. Unlike QWash, I think Ash has the potential to be a solid player. He carries himself like a decent athlete. Speculating that his problem is softness and/or laziness. It's now or never for him. There should be snaps available on the interior DL this season. Even if Big Will becomes a legit starter, he won't be able to play a ton of snaps like Martin and RVB did. Black will need breaks too because he will be carrying a lot of extra weight this fall.
ReplyDeleteI don't agree that 'it's now or never'. Campbell and Washington hadn't done much of anything through their first 3 seasons and they're still around to prove their abilities. Ash still has time, but it would be nice for us fans if he stepped up this year (obviously).
DeleteThe backups like Q Washington, Ash, Brink, and others should be decent enough at playing "catch" getting off blocks, and stuffing the run. The problem we're going to run into is with pass rush. Mattison will need to be pretty creative with the blitz packages when the backup front 4 are in this year. Thank God he is, and we have 3 Dline coaches on the staff.
ReplyDeleteI think that's a good point about pass rush. It's a VERY muddled situation right now along the DL because the presumed 'starters' are lighter guys for their position after shifting down a spot. The guys who, I at least, would think of as more likely to be run-stoppers like Washington and Brink are considered reserves. Normally you'd sub in pass rushers...that's why I initially thought Brink would start somewhere and Black would come off the bench as an interior pass-rusher (guess I was wrong.)
DeleteLast year, the senior starters played heavy minutes and there were basically 2 subs (Black and Campbell) for the three DL position (I'm viewing WDE as more of a RLB position, even though I think Black played that spot a good bit behind Roh. This year - Beyer, Clark, and Ojemudia are no threat to play anywhere else along the DL). This year, it could be very different. There may be much more rotation with an emphasis on energy, since the starters effectiveness has taken a huge step backward (presumably).
If we're talking about getting the best four pass rushers on the field you'd think Black, Clark and Ryan make the most sense with probably another DL in there - Ash could be that guy. Or not. He's young but hasn't come in for much hype yet. I was surprised to see him listed ahead of Washington, since Q seemed to be ahead last year. I hope Thunder and the rest are right about Ash - his emergence would be a good thing for Michigan since he came in with a relatively impressive recruiting profile, I'd like to see him realize his potential.
Washington and Brink weren't adept at stopping the run last year, so I'm not sure why we would be confident in their run-stuffing abilities this season... Brink will likely be bigger, I guess, but Washingto will probably not mature much physically. He is what he is at this point.
DeleteNone of the returning players were good at it, at least not at the position they're playing this year. Black has been weak against the run, Campbell has been weak period (though there have been flashes of good to great play), Roh has been solid but is moving from WDE to SDE, and the WDE is going to be manned by a converted LB.
DeleteI think Washington is likely going to expand his role from last year and I don't remember him ever being productive as a pass-rusher. From that, I assume his value (whatever it may be) comes as a run-stuffer. Brink, since he's a walk-on, I'm assuming is a less athletic gritty-type of player who will be more effective against the run as well.
Like I said - the situation is very muddled. If you think those 2 just aren't good enough period - fine. But maybe we can agree that if they play it's not going to be due to their pass-rushing prowess?