Michigan Football: Coach’s Corner — Kenny Demens — Linebackers — Wolverine’s Spring Football — GBMWolverine Evaluations
Posted at 6:00am — 7/8/2012
Michigan Football: Coach’s Corner — Kenny Demens — Linebackers — Wolverine’s Spring Football — GBMWolverine Evaluations
GBMWolverine Football Spring Evaluations: Position-by-Position — Player Profile.
GBMWolverine readers: Here is a brief overview of Kenny Demens and GBMWolverine’s analysis concerning his progress this spring in our opinion.
Note: We will not evaluate every player on the team and with this position group (Linebackers) we will not evaluate #27 Al Mike Jones because we didn’t get a good read on him this spring. If you would like to chat about this player bring them up on the message board or send us an e-mail request.
Reminder: Also noted that we didn’t attend every practice and realize things happen during those fifteen practices, but our evaluations are based on what we seen first hand and in our opinion and not what we hear like just about every other site out there that relies on second, third hand information to make their evaluations of the players during the spring.
Losing from 2011 (Team #132) on scholarship: #34 Isaiah Bell who left the team, #42 J.B. Fitzgerald, #51 Marell Evans, and #58 Brandon Herron. #94 Jordan Paskorz has moved to tight end and #97 Brennen Beyer to defensive end.
Coming in for 2012 (Team #133) on scholarship: #35 Joe Bolden and #49 Kaleb Ringer (already on campus for spring football), Royce Jenkins-Stone and James Ross.
Commit for 2013 (Team #134) on scholarship: Michael McCray and Ben Gedeon.
Kenny Demens
Height: 6’1
Weight: 248
Number: 25
Position: Linebacker
Year: Red-shirt Senior
City/State: Oak Park, Michigan
High School: Detroit Country Day
High School Coach: Dan McClean
Recruiter: Ron English
It seems as if Kenny Demens is one of those players that fans say sure has been around the program for a long time. We all know that players can only be associated with a program as a player for five years, six years if an additional medical redshirt is granted.
Demens was recruited as a run stuffer and hard hitter with some limitations of playing in space and coverage skills. He has worked hard and improved from being just part of the linebacker group to a contributing veteran.
One reason that Michigan’s current fifth year seniors may fit the above description of being around forever is that Demens and a few others have played under three head coaches (Carr, RR, and Hoke) and four defensive coordinators (English, Shafer, Robinson, and Mattison).
When Kenny steps on the field for the Alabama game he will be a four-year letterman and will have started his 21st game at middle linebacker. He has seen significant time in nearly 40 games. Kenny will likely play more than 50 games, starting over 30. This is quite impressive for a player that has went through and adapted to so many changes in scheme and philosophy at Michigan since arriving on campus.
He is the best run defender amongst the linebackers and continued to be, in our opinion, this spring.
Kenny is very good at making plays between the offensive tackles, especially when running backs are coming right at him up the middle. His style is being physical against the run.
Lateral movement and overall quickness, as a combination, is still a negative from what we observed this spring, and, as stated, as a middle linebacker Kenny is somewhat limited.
Demens did show better coverage in the passing game, but it is still not a strength and as in the past this limitation is something to watch if other teams try and exploit his coverage with a skilled tight end when they play Michigan.
Regardless of a less than prototypical skill set, Kenny Demens must be considered a strong asset to the Michigan team. He is a good leader, a good listening, a very hard worker, and gives all with the tools he has. And given the right circumstance, Kenny Demens will smack an offensive player hard.
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Written by GBMWolverine Staff
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