Name: Mike Morris
Height: 6’6″
Weight: 292 lbs.
High school: Belle Glade (FL) American Heritage
Position: Defensive end
Class: Redshirt junior
Jersey number: #90
Last year: I ranked Morris #48 and said he would be a backup defensive end (LINK). He started four games and made 17 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 0.5 sacks, 1 interception, and 2 pass breakups.
TTB Rating: 81
Morris broke into playing time in 2021 after being almost a complete unknown. He had only played one game in 2020 and redshirted in 2019. As a 6'6", 276-pound defensive end - who probably would have morphed into a tackle under Don Brown - he lined up in a variety of spots and showed his versatility. At times he would come off the edge like the 2021 version of Aidan Hutchinson (though not as effective). At other times he would line up as a blitzing linebacker, a la an old-school Shawn Crable. He never made any wow plays, but by the end of the season, I got comfortable seeing him out there and trusting that he wasn't going to be taken advantage of.
Now with Hutchinson gone, Michigan needs a new edge rusher. Morris has put on 16 pounds since last year, which makes me think he definitely won't be the guy to take Hutchinson's role as the primary pass rusher. That rush will probably have to come from somewhere else. But the scuttlebutt out of practice is that the 292-pound Morris will line up everywhere, from nose tackle to 3-tech to 5-tech to 9-tech. His athleticism at that size may be in question, but practice hype suggests he will play a ton and be used all over the defensive line. He may not be the most exciting player, but his deployment will be interesting to watch this season.
Prediction: Starting defensive end; 40 tackles, 3 sacks
So way early returns on my defensive line predictions are not good.
ReplyDeleteMason Cole increasingly is looking like he could be Eddie Vanderdoes ... hopefully without the knee thing ... as he just got named a starter in the base defense. This is just unbelievable to me and even if he falls short of that way lofty outcome, you have to start believing in our ability to identify football talent.
Julius Welschof has disappeared from all conversation concerning the defensive end position and may even be gone as seemingly he has ceased to even exist around here. Was he the guy displaced from a schollie by whatshisname from Alabama/Houston/somewhere?
I am really liking our D Line, Morris increasingly looks like a 3 tech 5 tech combo guy. We are going to be big all across the defensive line with the one exception being Kris Jenkins who is no longer undersized at this level, he's just not big. I think you're gonna struggle running the ball against us, regardless of who runs in, or out. We should have multiple fresh options from one end of the line to the other to stuff your running game with. Now we have to find some sacks and if we do, we could be very good on defense, and dominant is not outside the realm.
Mason Graham. Lol. Although I'd take Mason Cole again in a heartbeat.
DeleteYeah welshof ommision is a surprise. Harbaugh Might have forgot him, out maybe he is hurt. I can't imagine he's just not in the conversation at all.
DeleteRoanman, very forgivable error—not only do they share a first name, but Mason Cole was also the last true freshman to be a starter on the line before Mason Graham (obviously OL vs DL, but still).
Delete—Joby
@Joby there were a few on the OL since including Zinter, Bredeson, Ruiz
DeleteYes, you’re right. To clarify, I meant a day 1 starter. IIRC, Zinter, Bredeson and Ruiz all started a few games into their freshmen seasons, but not the opener.
Delete—Joby
Gotcha. FWIW I'm not sure Graham will start against CSU. Harbaugh named probably over 30 "starters" including 6 DL (3 interior/3 edge). Jenkins was the first guy named on the interior with Graham a starter in the "base". I don't think we'll see a ton of "base" with CSU being an air raid team. Here is who I expect to see on the first defensive play:
DeleteMorris/Jenkins/Smith/Upshaw
Mullings/Colson
Turner/Green/Sainristil/Moten/Moore
Harrell is another option at Edge but I think they'll reward the senior. Ditto in the secondary with Sainristil where Paige was also listed as a starter.
Mullings sounds like he would be an injury fill-in for NHG.
Who knows though. Harbaugh called Jenkins the "end" and Graham the "tackle" so maybe that means something. Being "multiple" means we should have several part-time starters again this year.
One thing I'm sure about is that the defense will start 11 guys on Saturday, not 15 or 16 guys. That's not allowed.
Morris would have been an anchor under Brown.
ReplyDeleteI think he's a position change guy at this point because harbaugh lumps him with the edge guys and doesn't include him in the 3 interior "base" where he was last year. Smith Hinton Morris is now Smith Jenkins Graham. Hutchinson is now Morris.
Morris is a key guy regardless and I could see a leap from him. But all these flips and late additions to Edge concern me.