Michigan Football Spring Practice Notes, Observations
Michigan football has put two days in the books at IMG Academy in Florida. Here’s what reporters are noting and observing so far.
With Michigan football‘s spring practice schedule in full swing down at IMG Academy in Florida, reporters who made the trip are offering some very interesting notes and observations.
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The Wolverines have obviously drawn a lot of heat recently because of their trip, which falls right on the school’s spring break.
SEC commissioner Greg Sankey expressed his concern with having players practicing during the time when they’re supposed to be on break, although photos from players at the beach suggest there’s as much fun as there is business going on. Then Arkansas coach Bret Bielema and Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio had a brief exchange on Twitter that was probably meant to poke fun at what Michigan’s doing.
Despite the shade being thrown, Michigan’s out there doing it, and there are already many interesting talking points.
Here’s what we’re being told:
Michigan’s got its offensive line
It doesn’t look exactly the same as it did last year without center Graham Glasgow. The first-team arrangement for the first two days has been as follow, from left to right: Gran Newsome, Ben Braden, Mason Cole, Kyle Kalis, Erik Magnuson.
With that formation, Cole is stepping inward to center to replace Glasgow, and Newsome is filling Cole’s spot at left tackle. According to MLive, Patrick Kugler also got looks with the first-team unit at center and both guard spots, but it’s a safe bet that Michigan has its starting five, even if they’re not in that exact arrangement.
With no pads, it’s hard to judge what it’s actually going to look like, but with it being so early anyway, we still have a while before evaluations actually mean anything on the offensive line.
Quarterback is up for grabs, but O’Korn looks like the favorite
On Monday every quarterback on the roster got a chance to work with the first-team offense. When the 11-on-11 drills came, the rotation was: John O’Korn, Wilton Speight, Shane Morris, Alex Malzone, Brandon Peters and walk-on Garrett Moores. O’Korn, Speight and Morris worked exclusively with the first- and second-teamers.
Nobody looked very sharp, though, which might have had something to do with the receivers being without Jehu Chesson (who appears to be rehabbing a right knee injury) and a secondary that features Jourdan Lewis and Channing Stribling.
Both made impressive interceptions and didn’t let the quarterbacks get anything downfield. Michigan’s only consistency was found underneath with completions to running backs and tight ends.
On Tuesday the quarterback play was still teetering up and down, but O’Korn did eventually look like the best option, which is pretty much what we’ve expected to be the case.
He demonstrated at least decent accuracy when throwing into traffic, and even if his long ball isn’t there yet, he’s got weapons like Jake Butt, Amara Darboh and Jehu Chesson (knee) at his disposal.
Jabrill Peppers is now a SAM linebacker
For most of the day Monday, Jabrill Peppers was lined up in the box and playing the SAM linebacker position. Not safety. Not nickel. Linebacker. He was blitzing and covering tight ends and running backs.
For now it looks like Michigan is putting its fastest player and Big Ten Freshman Player of the Year in the box a lot more often. That doesn’t mean he won’t still be roaming on defense and making plays all over the place.
Getting Peppers in the box makes a lot of sense because of how slow Michigan’s linebackers were last season and how much room he’ll have to make players, in theory, because of what’s going to be another dominant defensive line. Defensive coordinator Don Brown’s SAM linebacker at Boston College last year recorded 17 tackles for loss and 6 1/2 sacks. That could be Peppers this season, and he’s a superior athlete.
“I just think we’ve got to give this guy a bunch of jobs,” Brown said Tuesday evening. “He’s a dynamic athlete and we’ll keep him around the line of scrimmage and let him do a bunch of stuff. Whether he’s covering (receivers) or in certain personnel groups playing linebacker-type stuff.
“Our SAM is kind of a hybrid.”
Brown also noted that with Peppers at the SAM spot, he can change personnel packages quicker against spread offenses because the SAM linebacker never really leaves the field.
When Michigan went bigger with its defensive package, the linebacker became Ben Gedeon (MIKE), Mike McCray (SAM) and Noah Furbush (WILL).
Other notes
Chris Wormley stands at an impressive 6-foot-5, 303 pounds, and he’s only getting stronger and faster. He won his heat in a 30-yard sprint, beating running back Ty Isaac.
Redshirt freshman Reuben Jones moved from defensive end to inside linebacker during bowl prep, and he’s getting a lot of attention from Brown. He’s not there yet, but it looks like something that could develop really well.
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Wide receiver Drake Harris missed Monday’s practice with the flu, but on Tuesday he was making plays down the field in one-on-one drills.