GBMWolverine: Coach's Corner -- Michigan Football -- Vincent Smith -- Spring Evaluations

Posted at 6:00am — 4/29/2011

GBMWolverine: Coach’s Corner — Michigan Football — Vincent Smith — Spring Evaluations

GBMWolverine Football Spring Evaluations: Position by Position — Player Profile.

GBMWolverine readers: Here is a brief overview of Vincent Smith and GBMWolverine’s analysis concerning his progress this spring with the new system.

Note: We will not evaluate every player on the team and with this position group (running backs); we will not evaluate #14 Teric Jones (injury), #18 Jihad Rasheed, and #32 O’Neil Swanson. If you would like to chat about these players bring them up on the message board, in chat on Monday nights or send us an e-mail request.

Coming in: Thomas Rawls (Flint Northern) and Justice Hayes (Grand Blanc) at the running back position this fall.

Losing: Michael Shaw, and John McColgan.

Vincent Smith
Height: 5’6
Weight: 180
Number: 2
Position: Running Back
Year: Junior
City/State: Pahokee, Florida
High School: Pahokee

Overview:

Vincent Smith might not be the biggest running back around, but he is a tough little back and will fight for every yard he can get. We love Vincent’s attitude and he gives it all on the field.

Vincent now seems to be back 100% after the freshman year knee injury and he seems to be noticeably quicker this spring.

Strengths:

We love the edge Vincent brings to his game he has a take no prisoners attitude.

Again it appears his knee is finally sound and Vincent Smith is noticeably quicker than last season. It can take a good two years to completely recover from major knee surgery.

Vincent also runs hard for the 170-180 pounds he carries and has that toughness about him that allows him to master skills that most could not at his size.

He is not the best overall athlete or the fastest running back, but he always gives his all.

We expect Vincent to be in the running back mix for playing time and getting carries each game because he has something the other running backs do not at this stage.

Needs Work:

Vincent’s size is a factor in this new offense.

As a result, Vincent, probably more than any other running back, might suffer with the transition to a more powerful running game featuring an in between the tackles type of offense.

With his size he does a decent job of pass blocking, but still needs to improve, especially when trying to go up against much larger defensive linemen.

Vincent, like all running backs on Michigan’s roster needs to be more consistent.

Contributing This Year?

If Vincent can show that his style can work in this offense, he could be a different kind of back for Michigan, that is, a specialist in third down situations being used in the flat. Vincent has done well when Michigan is in a situation where passing or running is equal, such as first down.

He is currently battling for the #1 running back spot with no clear-cut favorite coming out of spring football practices.

After each practice this spring it seemed as if a different running back had a better day than the others, so it is going to be crucial for somebody to become consistent and overtake the other group members.

We see Vincent getting many reps/carries this year with the starters and believe the coaches are going to be looking for the “hot hand” and go with whoever that might be for a certain game.

Final Thoughts:

Vincent Smith is one of those players anyone should be glad he is on your team. He is not the biggest or fastest, but he gives everything he has in such a small package.

Coaches can use that as motivation, not only to Vincent but to others as well. The message is that if this guy can do it so can you.

Vincent will provide added depth to a position group that has seen many injuries over the past several years.

So, everyone in the running back stable needs to be ready to go at any time.

As we stated under the quarterback final thoughts, here is another new (and quite different) offense to learn and another new coaching staff from whom to absorb the necessary knowledge and technique. This is tough on players, especially with limited access prior to spring practices and only having fifteen practices in the spring to get acclimated to the new scheme.

We will see the biggest improvement, not only with Vincent, but the entire team, during the summer workouts and fall camp.

Competition in a coach’s eyes is a beautiful thing with Coach Borges (OC), Coach Jackson (RB) and Coach Hoke (HC).

Vincent, Smith, Michael Shaw, Michael Cox, Fitzgerald Toussaint, and Stephen Hopkins pushing each other during the spring practices and beyond will only make them better, especially with the opportunities of summer workouts, film studies, and fall camp.

All these running backs have demonstrated a history of putting in the time to get better. This spring all of the running backs have shown improvement, they just need to be more consistent and try to separate themselves from the others.

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Written by GBMWolverine Staff

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