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| Elliott Mealer |
Height: 6'5"
Weight: 310 lbs.
High school: Wauseon (OH) Wauseon
Position: Offensive line
Class: Redshirt senior
Jersey number: #57
Last year: I ranked Mealer #58 and said he would be a backup offensive guard. He played in 13 games on special teams, 7 of them on the offensive line.
Much like tight end Brandon Moore (profiled yesterday), Mealer has one last chance to establish himself at Michigan. He has been a key backup for the past couple seasons, but he's been unable to crack the starting lineup thus far. Back in the spring, Mealer was once again "passed over" by Joey Burzynski at left guard, just like he was last season by Ricky Barnum and Michael Schofield. My theory (as mentioned previously) is that the coaches needed Mealer to play tackle in the spring, since there were essentially no backups at the tackle positions, whereas there are two or three capable backups at guard.
Going into the 2012 season, I expect to see Mealer starting at left guard, but I don't think he has a stranglehold on the position. Burzynski may not be a viable Big Ten starter in the long run, but I do think he provides competition. Many people think Kyle Kalis will make a push and/or eventually start at left guard, but offensive line coach Darrell Funk stated in the spring that Kalis would start working at right tackle. While Kalis is the freshman lineman most ready to play, I think people underestimate how difficult it is to start on the offensive and defensive lines as a true freshman, especially without enrolling early. This is going to be a close race, which is why Michigan's starting left guard is all the way down here at #26, but I think Mealer's going to hold onto the job. And if he doesn't, he can back up almost every position on the line.
Prediction: Starting left guard
Elliot is a prime example of a man that stayed the course. He went through alot of adversity and I'm sure his career isn't what he thought it would be but he kept fighting. He is a true example of Bo's "those who stay will be champions". I hope he starts he's put in his time. Its a good example for the younger players to see him go through five years and finally be rewarded.
ReplyDeleteIt would seem odd to me that the coaches would change their mind from the Spring re: OT depth. If Mealer was needed there in spring, he's probably still needed there now. The presence of Freshman shouldn't change that dramatically. I don't think the coaches have that much faith in any freshman to step in at OT, even Kalis.
ReplyDeleteI think Mealer's so valuable as a depth guy that they'll keep him in that role, unless he clearly establishes himself as a superior option to all other OG candidates.
Why would you keep a guy as a depth guy if he's the best starter? Depth at each position matters less than your starters. If he's the best LG, Mealer should and will start.
DeleteThe difference between the spring and September 1 is that the coaches won't have to worry about running a full #2 line out against Alabama. They'll only need the first line. If you run Mealer out at LG in the spring, then your second unit tackles are going to be extremely crappy and you're not going to be able to get anything done.
I think this debate will be pretty much settled in a few days when we get practice reports.
DeleteIf the candidates for LG are similar then it doesn't much matter much who you pick. You don't get much benefit from choose A over B if A is only slightly better. However, if Mealer is significantly better than the other options for backup tackle, and he can keep practicing there, that gives Michigan a significantly better line up if/when a starter needs to be replaced.
DeleteIf an OT is hurt and Mealer is the starter at LG, then Mealer has to slide over to a position he hasn't been practicing at AND someone has to replace him at LG. So now you're worse off at two positions instead of one.
I think generally you play your best 5 guys, but you also have to have a contingency plan in place for each starter getting hurt. When the coaches weigh those contingency plans they might value having Mealer come off the bench as a 'sixth man'. There is almost zero chance of all 5 OL starters staying healthy all year.
This is all moot if Mealer is significantly better than the others, but I haven't seen any evidence to indicate that's the case.
What do you think they did with Schofield last year? They practiced him at right tackle. He had never played guard before, but when Barnum went down, he moved to left guard and started most of the year. They didn't just insert the next guard. They inserted the next best guy, even if it was at a different position than what he was used to playing.
DeleteIf Mealer's the best LG, you play him at LG. If the RT goes down, you either put Mealer at RT and someone else at LG...or you put in the next best RT, whoever's better.
They're not going to keep their #5 guy on the bench just because he MIGHT be able to step in sometime down the road if someone gets hurt. That's just not how it works.
Well the difference there is that Schofield is a much better player than Mealer and the other options that Michigan had last year. I'm not sure that a similar gap in ability exists between Mealer and Bryant or Burzynski. You seem pretty convinced that Mealer is the clear cut choice as the best 5th linemen, but I think the coaches are being honest about the battle being undecided still - indicating the talent level is close.
DeleteAre you sure that Schofiled wasn't one of the 5 best linemen last year? He's part of why I think Mealer could be used this way. Huyge and Schofield battled for much of the 2010 season and into the preseason of 2011. I think the coaches saw essentially two equal options at RT and put the more versatile player on the bench. Schofield would have entered in as the top sub for LT, RT, LG, or RG. I think Mealer will resprise that role, and in that role it's not a matter of 'MIGHT be able to step in' but 'WILL step in".
Furthermore, isn't guard, generally speaking, the easier position? So Mealer, especially with his experience, could focus on working at tackle and then be plugged in at guard if that need arises? (like Schofield was last year).
I agree the coaches won't put the clearly 5th best guy on the bench, but if they have two #5 guys (5A and 5B), they're better off putting the more versatile one on the bench if he helps them manage injuries (or other attrition.)
So Lank, who's your starting left guard? Who is the 5th best lineman? You say "play your best 5," but then argue as if there's someone better than Mealer. You're also assuming an awful lot about the coaching staff and how they see their players.
DeleteI don't claim to know who the 5th best guy is, I'm claiming there is no clearly superior player right now. I'm taking the coaches statements about competition at the position at face value, meaning no one has distinguished themselves yet. I don't think believing the coaches public statements is 'assuming an awful lot', but it is an assumption.
DeleteForced to predict, I think that Bryant or ultimately Kalis will emerge as superior talents and play their way into the starting lineup at one position or another. I think, right now, the battle for LG is too close to call between Burzynski and Mealer. I don't think either player is great, so if Bryant or Kalis play well in August practices one of them may start against Alabama. I think there will be injuries to one or more starters and if one of those guys is a tackle, I think Mealer will be the top replacement.
By no means does that mean I rule out Kalis not being ready, Bryant not being ready, and Burzynski looking like the walk-on he in August. I think coaches do tend to favor seniors. So, if you forced me to say "give me a name for the starting left guard against Alabama" and forced me to bet my life savings on it, I'd bet on Mealer. But I think the chances of that happening are less than 50%. I don't think he'll be the starting LG by Ohio State.
...in other words, you pretty much agree with Magnus' evaluation and felt like raising a stink anyway. Good to know.
DeleteKeep in mind that Mealer is the #26 player on this list, even though I think he'll be a starter. I'm not saying he's irreplaceable, and his ranking suggests that not playing him would not have a hugely negative impact on the team.
Delete@BlastBeat
DeleteA) I'm not raising a stink. I'm having a discussion. When I raise a stink it's... stinkier than this.
B) Yes and No. I agree with Magnus' rank and most of his assessment, but I don't "expect to see Mealer starting at Left Guard" and don't expect him to "hold onto the job" even if he has it at the start of the season.
Put another way, Mealer is probably the 5th most important linemen, but I don't think he's the 5th best one. His versatility and experience are valuable to the team. He's a low ceiling high floor player for Michigan in 2012. Bryant and Kalis could be all-conference players or sit the bench the entire year.
If you're more comfortable simplifying that down to "you agree with Magnus", that's fine. Most of the time, I do.
The theory that Mealer did not start the spring at LG because he was doing OT duty too is possible, but I think less likely than the straightforward one. I've read post-spring comments from Borges, Funk, and a couple players which basically congratulated Burzynski for earning the start in the spring game, with no reference to Mealer "taking one for the team".
ReplyDeleteIn the Wolverine pre-season mag, Funk has a lot of comments about the freshmen and he actually says he likes Bars, Braden, and Magnusson all at OT. Bars at OT surprised me a bit. He does not comment on Kalis' position, but you know they are not putting all four guys at OT. This may contradict earlier comments, but I believe these interviews are from May/June, so these should be the latest public comments. If I were the coaches, this would be my strategy too. Plug Kalis at OG because he is the most likely of the FR to compete for the LG spot. Try the other three at OT in camp and the best two stay there, while the other guy moves to OG.
Let's face it... there have been a bunch of soft spots on the UM OL over the last four years and Mealer has never been in serious contention for any of them under two coaching staffs. If you see a 5th year OL finally start in his final season, usually he has either had major injuries or sat behind a really good player (especially at OC). Neither of those situations apply to a utility player like Mealer. I believe that Burzynski has truly passed him up. I still think Kalis wins the job. But of course, we will see in a few weeks.
I dunno about soft spots in the OL, PSmurf. There's no question the '08 line was a train-wreck, but that was too soon for Mealer to help, especially given his injury. The '09-'11 lines were progressively more productive. The OL has been a big part of what is one of the most effective running attacks in Michigan football history - especially given the lack reliability of the passing attack. The weakness has been depth, which Mealer could/should have helped with, but the OL 1st unit has been a team strength the last couple years.
ReplyDeleteThese are the guys Mealer was behind his junior year: Lewan, Schofield, Barnum, Omameh, Molk, Huyge. Most of those guys are NFL players, I'd guess, and Huyge was older. Like the WRs who have sat behind veterans the last few years, Mealer will be given his shot this year. If he's passed over as a senior, he'll have no excuses.
I do agree with you that the assumptions about freshman use and positions may not come to fruition as most expect.