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| Allen Gant looked a bit like a linebacker in high school |
Starter Jake Ryan was lost for at least half the season with an ACL injury he suffered in the spring. Michigan has already moved junior defensive end Brennen Beyer, who played SAM as a freshman in 2011, back to the position. Beyer started at the "new" position in the spring game over fifth year senior Cam Gordon. The only freshman slated to possibly play the SAM position is Mike McCray II, who may be a little small, too.
I have always thought Gant was a little too stiff to be a long-term answer at safety, so the move to linebacker makes a little bit of sense. However, he's currently listed at 6'2" and 203 lbs., so even if he adds 5-10 lbs. this summer, he'll still be too light to be a viable option to replace Ryan anytime this year. Steve Brown held down a SAM-like position in 2009 at about 208 lbs., but Brown was a better athlete and playing in a different scheme.
For reasons unbeknownst to me, Beyer looks like the interim starter with Gordon a close second. Here's how things appear to shape up until Jake Ryan returns:
SAM: Brennen Beyer (Jr.), Cameron Gordon (5th), Allen Gant (RS Fr.), Mike McCray II (Fr.), Mark Lawson (RS Fr.)
As for what this move does to the safety position, I don't think it changes much. Fifth year senior Thomas Gordon is the likely starter at strong safety this year, and the heir apparent at the position is freshman Dymonte Thomas, who will quite possibly start at slot corner this fall. I also thought that Gant's classmate Jeremy Clark looked like a better safety option, so Clark may be the next man in at SS this fall. Redshirt junior Josh Furman also may be a backup option there, and incoming freshman Delano Hill will likely end up as a safety before all is said and done (Hill was told he would get a shot to play corner first). Here's what the strong safety position looks like, more or less:
SS: Thomas Gordon (5th), Jeremy Clark (RS Fr.), Josh Furman (RS Jr.), Delano Hill (Fr.)
Hopefully the August weigh-ins will put to rest the fears about McCray being too small for SAM. If you look at his highlights it seems clear that he is quite tall compared to most of the players. I guess 6'3" or thereabouts which is ideal for a SAM.
ReplyDeleteMaybe Beyer is the starter because Mattison selected him to be the starter. He might know a bit more than you.....
ReplyDeleteOh, really? You think Mattison knows more about football than me? Well, I guess we should never question politicians, entertainers, coaches, etc., because they probably know more about their professions than those of us who aren't in that field.
DeleteBeyer is ahead of Gordon? If so, that's a bit disappointing. A lot of insiders seem to be hyping Gordon so that made me hopeful. Beyer admits himself that he is not a LB and is just playing where needed. He is not a guy who looks good in space or who will make big plays, so we know what we have there. I guess Ryan can't heal soon enough.
ReplyDeleteWho said Beyer was the starter? News to me.
ReplyDeleteAs for Gant - I figured he or Clark would end up at SAM at some point. Not saying he will but it wouldn't surprise me if he moved back to safety next year like recent flip-backs Campbell, Avery, Beyer, Roh, Norfleet, etc.
Well, he started in the spring game. And he played over Gordon in 2011. That's better evidence than "Magnus/Thunder likes Gordon better" even though obviously I feel that way.
DeleteI was asking not arguing (plenty of time for that later!). Everything I've read/heard has said Gordon would start, so that was my assumption.
DeleteI would think Beyer would play more against power running teams and Gordon more against other teams. We'll need both of them, even with Dymonte Thomas presumed to be manning nickelback.
ReplyDeleteBeyer's big, but he's statistically a Heininger+ player as opposed to Gordon, who's shown in limited time that he can get into the backfield and blow stuff up to the outside.
DeleteHow are you measuring Beyer 'statistically'?
DeleteHeininger was a walk-on. I don't really recall Gordon blowing up many plays or making many plays in the backfield.