Michigan Football: What About the Cupboard - Offense

Posted at 7:15am — 12/26/2014

Michigan Wolverine Football: What About the Cupboard? — Offense — Part I

When Jim Harbaugh, or Plan B From Inner Space, takes over as Head Coach of Michigan Football in the next few days, the celebration will be giddy, the optimism will climb, the synergy will be noticeable, and the axis tilt will be somewhat restored. Immediately afterward, a reality will set in that Michigan has placed one logical cog in place, but many other factors must be addressed to ascend upward. There will be much more than the hiring of just one coach/leader/personality to improve Michigan. A great staff will need to be assembled, a system put into place, and recruiting restored. Before all of this, however, it may be of use to take a look at what talent is returning to Michigan that will be available to the new coach. The short answer is plenty of players on both sides of the ball.

The right assistant hires will be needed, make that critical, to put into place a very coherent methodology that identifies and accomplishes program objectives. This was described months ago here as the mechanist taking over. Athletic Director Hackett has done his homework, but his job goes beyond the process of hiring. He clearly will harp on increased player development, the most disappointing aspect of Coach Hoke’s otherwise positive approach to players and staff.

The defense did improve in some regards the last two years, the offense not really so. Quarterback play and the failure of some highly recruited offensive linemen to play well, or even make the starting lineup, ended up negating opportunities to advance. Special team coverage was at best average. Both kickers are gone, the quarterback is gone, the coordinators will almost certainly be gone, although it should be noted that both are excellent people with a track record of success. Their merits are noteworthy, still, that is not the debate as to keep or not to keep any current coordinator. Mattison, a loyalist and all-around good guy, is likely fed up even if a new coach would approach him, and Nussmeirer will flee the city limits quickly, most likely to a high profile location in Gainsville, Florida taking over the offensive coordinator job with them.

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Michigan’s situation can be likened to a revised nursery rhyme below:

Old Father Harbaugh (insert other hire if needed) Went to the cupboard,
To give the poor team a win;
When he got there,
The cupboard was indeed not bare,
And so the poor team and new coach had a chance.

The cupboard is not bare, it is not stacked with high four stars and five star talent across the board. But the talent level is better than the pessimists would harangue and not as good as the optimists might levy.

Part one of this series focuses on what the new staff has to work with on offense. A stocking, or cupboard, if you will, or even the proverbial glass, is truly about half full. As of right now with no transfers, departures, guys being done after 4 years, injuries, etc… We have 20 of the 22 on the two deep on offense returning (losing Devin Funchess who declared for the NFL draft and Devin Gardner using up all his eligibility).

The offensive line and line coach Darell Funk have born the brunt of some scathing criticism the last three years; patience, as is the nature of the 2014 instant gratification crowd, ran past thin to microscopic. Techniques of the linemen were questioned and used as recruiting fodder by opponents. Michigan has struggled since the late 2000’s to establish any type of control or power running game. Michigan also struggled to run effectively out of a spread under Coach Rod. Without two superb athletes, future Michigan legend Denard Robinson and, when healthy, Devin Gardner, the Michigan running attack was a true non-factor excepting one good year by Fitz Toussaint.

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I join a few others on the staff in concluding that the offensive line showed some progression during the second half of the season. Defined, progression is opening some holes, versus none, missing fewer assignments, and getting to locations a little quicker and with better angles. The inability to sustain blocks or push defenders back in power situations remained obvious. When blocks are not angled correctly, are late, or not sustained in zone reads, the play can get blown up pretty bad, especially when teams are aware of the weaknesses and shoot gaps.

There is a good group of talent on the offensive line. Fans have dismissed this unit as being overrated and opined that the coaches did not properly evaluate talent. The truth is few schools would not have been gleeful with the haul Michigan made in quick domino order in the 2013 class, and everyone wanted 2012 recruit Kyle Kalis.

Kyle Kalis has suffered injuries, bounced back and forth in acquiring starting positions, and like the other linemen garnered the tag of underachiever. He is a class kid that takes his life far beyond football. He may be a true right-brain thinker, the type people incorrectly label with negatives. But, the phrase “thars gold in them thar hills” applies to Kalis and the younger linemen of 2013. Someone has to mine it into a product.

Kyle Bosch hit some seriously tough times in 2014 after a 2013 freshman season where he was inserted into the starting lineup because of the failures of veterans. His future looked bright and the assumption was made that Bosch would be a solid starter. Coach Hoke made a sound move in putting Bosch in a position where he was forced to reconcile his life and adjust. If he rejoins the team in good fashion with a positive attitude, based on sound lifestyle and applied work, Bosch can still be a solid starter.

At one time, Chris Fox was almost as highly thought of as Bosch. His obstacles have been injuries and conditioning. Michigan’s coaching staff was extremely happy to sign Patrick Kugler. Shoulder surgery for an offensive lineman can be devastating; practice time, strength, and system immersion basically are put one year in arrears. Shoulder surgeries can take a long time to heal and are painful. Kugler will get a mulligan with the “new regime,” as will all of the line group, starters and non-starters alike.

Jack Miller always seems to slowly progress, not regress. He will be in the middle of any center competition. Jack probably could best be described as an average to slightly above average Big Ten lineman last year. He brings smarts, perseverance, loyalty, and toughness. Jack still needs to increase strength and master maintaining blocks, but at least finally he is not a constant focus of criticism or a clear liability. Those who routinely criticize centers are welcome to first understand the demands of the position.

Michigan has hit a gem in Mason Cole, excluding injury or bizarre circumstances. Although he was only a true freshman, running backs running the zone outside stretch to the left side found some relief this past season for gains of over a couple of yards, a figure all too common for the running game in previous years, subtracting quarterback contributions.

Guys like Erik Magnuson and Graham Glasgow may progress with new coaching; there are no guarantees. Guys like Samuelson will get second looks, a phenomenon that always occurs with new coaching.

Michigan has a clear need at right tackle, enough said.

Part II on the offense will be later today talking about the skilled positions.

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Written by GBMWolverine Staff — Doc4Blu

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