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| Michael Schofield (#75) |
Height: 6'7"
Weight: 300 lbs.
High school: Orland Park (IL) Sandburg
Position: Offensive tackle
Class: Redshirt junior
Jersey number: #75
Last year: I ranked Schofield #42 and said he would be a backup offensive tackle. Schofield started 10 games at left guard and played in all 13 games on special teams.
At 6'7" and around 300 lbs., not many people expected that Schofield would play guard at Michigan. In fact, when he came in for the injured Ricky Barnum early last season, it was the first time in his life that he had played guard. Barnum suffered a lower leg injury that kept him from getting back to full strength, and Schofield played fairly well in his stead. One might expect that someone with Schofield's height would struggle on the interior, but he used his athleticism (he was a high school hurdler) to pull and maneuver through traffic.
The guy blocking Schofield's path at right tackle (Mark Huyge) has graduated now, and the dearth of non-freshman tackles requires that he move back to the perimeter. That opens up a hole at left guard now that Barnum has moved to center, but Schofield can't be the answer there anymore. Many people think Michigan's pair of tackles is its best in years. Taylor Lewan holds down the left tackle position and might be an All-American and/or a future first round draft pick, and Schofield has a chance to develop into a very good tackle over the next couple seasons. Jake Long never had a strong tackle on the opposite side, so perhaps the 2000 season (Jeff Backus at LT, Maurice Williams at RT) was the last time Michigan was this good in the perimeter of the line. It's imperative that the two tackles stay healthy, or else freshmen will likely have to step in there.
Prediction: Starting right tackle
Poll results: Schofield got 35% of the vote for #11, while Thomas Gordon was first with 39%.
To these:
ReplyDelete"Many people think Michigan's pair of tackles is its best in years."
"Jake Long never had a strong tackle on the opposite side, so perhaps the 2000 season (Jeff Backus at LT, Maurice Williams at RT) was the last time Michigan was this good in the perimeter of the line."
For all of the black clouds associated with the Rodriguez regime, I think it's quite interesting that, through recruiting, he appears to have started something of a resurgence for UMich in that area (to the extent that Lewan is an NFL prospect and the other three upperclass guys are all well-regarded to some degree).
Other than Jake Long, David Baas, and one other guy (Guynes?), there hasn't been much (at least in terms of NFL staying power) in the last 10+ years.
Guynes? He barely played in the NFL. What about Jeff Backus, Steve Hutchinson, Maurice Williams, and Jonathan Goodwin?
DeleteI think Rodriguez did a good job of recruiting offensive linemen because he recruited good athletes who were able to bulk up, rather than stiff guys who were already developed. Hoke seems to have recruited guys who are both athletic and bulky.
I think he means the players at Michigan in the last 10 years haven't gone on to the NFL. The 2000 and 2001 OL class was more than a decade ago.
DeleteSince then, no one has hung on much other than Long, Baas, Schilling maybe Molk will...
As for Hoke's OL recruiting - we'll have to wait and see, but not very long. Next season it'll be mostly on them.
The 2000 OL is one of the greatest ever assembled - not just for Michigan but in College Football. 4 of the 5 started in the NFL - as rookies - and the 5th guy graduated a year later and eventually became an All-pro. Backus and Williams were both 1st round picks.
ReplyDeleteHard to know if Schofield and Lewan can match that - Lewan looks likely to go in Round 1 and Schofield (to this homer, anyway) seems to have that kind of upside. BUT...this is his first season starting and he's moving over from guard. Right tackles are 'supposed' to be road-grading run-blockers and Schofield's best asset is his mobility.
Rodriguez really knocked OL recruiting out of the park, though obviously the way the '10 and '11 classes worked out - Michigan is paying for that now on the depth chart.
As for it's ranking, if he really is the 1st-round-NFL-caliber player we think he might be, this might even be a little low. Considering the coaches will have an emergency on their hands if he is hurt - they'll have to start either a true freshman, an untested walk-on, or a loser of the battle at LG. Maybe I'm underestimating the freshmen, but the situation screams panic to me. I think it might hurt more than plugging Gardner in for Robinson... I don't even know what the 2nd unit tackles would look like in a blowout situation...probably walk-ons for now.
The coaches potentially have Mealer to play RT, and they also potentially have Kyle Kalis. And I still think Omameh has the ability play tackle if the coaches think a backup guard is capable (Burzynski, Bryant, a freshman, etc.). There are several potential options at the position. They might not be good options, but Perry Dorrestein and Mark Huyge both started at right tackle for pretty decent offenses. Outside of the left guard, the other four offensive linemen are in the top 11 most important players. I'm not sure how much higher Schofield could go.
DeleteDorrestein and Huyge were OK...as seniors. As underclassmen they were terrible and both played a part in the train-wreck '08 line (though Huyge was too young to really take any blame - which is just my point).
DeleteMealer is probably around that caliber of a player, but he's practicing at guard. I know you're extremely confident in Kalis being ready, but to me he's still an unproven true freshman....and I've never understood the Omameh to tackle thing at all. He is tall, but his game doesn't seem like it translates well to tackle to me, and he's never played the position. It'd be a sign of desperation.
He is pretty high up, but I think, given his all-conference potential and his backup situation, he could be in the top 5. I can only think of two or three guys who go indisputably above him in terms of importance...maybe I'm underrated the gap between our starting secondary and backups though.
I agree that this is too low, I have Schofield at #3 as I think he is more valuable than Barnum or Omameh. If he goes out, M has to put in someone who hasn't played a down going into this season. If Countess goes out, Avery is good enough to start (a relatively green guy moves into the nickel position, but that's less critical). Kovacs or Gordon go out, the backups have at least played. Ditto Toussaint.
Delete...and who with playing experience would step in for Barnum? Or Omameh? Center is a much trickier position than right tackle. Omameh's backup is Chris Bryant, who has never played, or a freshman.
DeleteIf that's your only logic, then it seems to have some holes in it.
" Michigan has several options to back up Barnum, including Miller, walk-on Joey Burzynski (who played some center last season before working in at left guard this spring), and fifth year senior Elliott Mealler (who has snapped the ball sporadically in practices the past few seasons and will also be competing at left guard). " - Thunder
Delete"Michigan's only two non-freshman offensive tackles are their starters, Taylor Lewan and Michael Schofield. Outside of those two, options are limited to freshmen, walk-ons, or guys who are expected to play guard like Elliott Mealer and Patrick Omameh. Braden might not be any better than those walk-ons as a true freshman" - Thunder
Fair point that Michigan has, essentially, 4 proven OL, and anything beyond that is questionable, but it's pretty clear that the interior of the line has more depth than tackle. After the top 4, the next 4 or 5 guys are all practicing on the interior. If one of the tackles go down, it is time to panic. If (when?) Barnum goes down Michigan has a replacement who could/should be able to step in. OL depth is bad all around but it's awful at tackle.
IMO, Schofield is in the top 5, depending on heavily you weigh the QB and RB positions. Lewan's obviously ahead, and I think Will Campbell is too, but beyond that, you'd be hard-pressed to find a guy that will be harder to replace than Schofield on this team. Just my opinion...