Hopkins

[wheels002]

Just opens up another spot for Team #134!

 

[wlvrnstlr4life]

This does kind of sound the alarm on RB depth next season.

We have Deveon Smith (3 star) and Wyatt Shallman in this recruiting class so far.

Deveon Smith is a high 4* and is one of the top 15 backs in the country.

 

[deathroh]

I don't expect to get another Denard (those kind of athletes only come around once every 10 years) but I would expect that we could find someone similar to the many RB's Michigan has had even in the past 10-15 years. We need someone who can make a play and doesn't rely on a fantastic line to do so.

Mike Hart is about the only guy Michigan has had like that since you've been watching football.

 

[thewolverines24]

Mike Hart is about the only guy Michigan has had like that since you've been watching football.

Perry and A-Train could make people miss and make something out of nothing as well, but they obviously weren't as shifty as Hart.

 

[deathroh]

Perry and A-Train could make people miss and make something out of nothing as well, but they obviously weren't as shifty as Hart.

Ahhh, I don't agree. Perry was Mr. 3 yards until I run into somebody and fall down until he finally started doing some things his senior year. But even then I don't think there were too many times when he created something out of nothing. Thomas did have a little side-step juke to his game, but it's kind of hard to judge him with the ridiculous line he was running behind. He is the reason I said "just about"....but 97-00 is stretching the limits of M&B's limited knowledge of Michigan football anyway.

 

[zyxt9]

weatley might have but injury prevents us from ever knowing for certain. a-train could at least plow through and make a hole, just didn't have that juke requirement to find the hole beside the spot he was running into so he had too much bull and not enough gazelle, which is why his pro career was so limited.

jamie morris? i remember him having ability to juke and run over some guys even though he was smallish, kind of a bigger, faster, more ellusive Mike Hart. that's my recollection, but that was a long time ago, so could just be my mind playing tricks.

 

[rumseyhouse77]

The RBs have been very frustrating. Blocking may be part of the problem, but it seems to me that often the RBs hestitate at the line and start shuffling their feet only to be tackled for no gain or a loss. Of course it may be that there just isn't anything there, but when you only need one or two yards you have got to hit the line, keep your legs moving, and drive forward. In 40 years of watching Michigan football I have never seen such a poor RB corp.

 

[deathroh]

weatley might have but injury prevents us from ever knowing for certain. a-train could at least plow through and make a hole, just didn't have that juke requirement to find the hole beside the spot he was running into so he had too much bull and not enough gazelle, which is why his pro career was so limited.

jamie morris? i remember him having ability to juke and run over some guys even though he was smallish, kind of a bigger, faster, more ellusive Mike Hart. that's my recollection, but that was a long time ago, so could just be my mind playing tricks.

Biakabatuka fit the bill...I didn't go back to him or any further.

Yeah, I was going to mention Thomas' pro career, but that's not completely fair.

I didn't have the pleasure of watching Morris..

 

[zyxt9]

i think how they transition to pros is an indicator of actual talent. morris arguably had the best pro career of any UM RB. unfortunately, UM RBs haven't traditionally made much noise in the pros.

 

[thewolverines24]

Ahhh, I don't agree. Perry was Mr. 3 yards until I run into somebody and fall down until he finally started doing some things his senior year. But even then I don't think there were too many times when he created something out of nothing. Thomas did have a little side-step juke to his game, but it's kind of hard to judge him with the ridiculous line he was running behind. He is the reason I said "just about"....but 97-00 is stretching the limits of M&B's limited knowledge of Michigan football anyway.

Doing some things? Like winning the Doak Walker and finishing 4th in Heisman voting? I agree about not doing anything until his Senior year, but that year he was the best RB in the country.

 

[MAIZEandBLUE09]

Mike Hart is about the only guy Michigan has had like that since you've been watching football.

Despite what you said in the post below the one I quoted, I do know things about Michigan football pre-2000, however, detailed roster information I do not. I do know that Michigan has had quality backs for most of the last 20 years. I'd even argue that Minor/Brown were better than Toussaint/Rawls. This seems to be one of the worst total RB groups that I've seen while watching UM football. And with the injury to Toussaint, it makes it even worse.

 

[motown1958]

The current running backs arent great but this oline was one of the weakest Michigan has put on the field in a long time. Lewan was the only good player on the line and he isnt Jake Long, Steve Hutchinson, Jeff Backus but he might be close as a senior.

 

[deathroh]

Doing some things? Like winning the Doak Walker and finishing 4th in Heisman voting? I agree about not doing anything until his Senior year, but that year he was the best RB in the country.

Yes, those things, among others.

 

[thewolverines24]

I just hope we don't see a large dose of Vincent Smith running up the middle in the bowl game. Please god do not let that happen.

 

[deathroh]

Despite what you said in the post below the one I quoted, I do know things about Michigan football pre-2000, however, detailed roster information I do not. I do know that Michigan has had quality backs for most of the last 20 years. I'd even argue that Minor/Brown were better than Toussaint/Rawls. This seems to be one of the worst total RB groups that I've seen while watching UM football. And with the injury to Toussaint, it makes it even worse.

I don't disagree with any of that.

 

[Michchamp]

best Michigan RBs I've seen in my game-watching career (started in 1990):

1. Biakabatuka
2. Wheatley

3. Mike Hart

4. Anthony Thomas
5. Chris Perry

eh...

6. Ricky Powers
7. Brandon Minor (I think he could've been A LOT better if we hadn't hired RR)

 

[MAIZEandBLUE09]

best Michigan RBs I've seen in my game-watching career (started in 1990):

1. Biakabatuka
2. Wheatley

3. Mike Hart

4. Anthony Thomas
5. Chris Perry

eh...

6. Ricky Powers
7. Brandon Minor (I think he could've been A LOT better if we hadn't hired RR)

And of all those players mentioned, I'd bet almost every single one of them could have been at least decently productive this year, even with our offensive line woes. The fact that Toussaint and Rawls could not do a damn thing all year, even against the worst teams, was shocking.

 

[Michchamp]

And of all those players mentioned, I'd bet almost every single one of them could have been at least decently productive this year, even with our offensive line woes. The fact that Toussaint and Rawls could not do a damn thing all year, even against the worst teams, was shocking.

I don't think it has as much to do with the quality of the OL as it does with the lack of consistency in the scheme & how that affected what the RBs would be doing.

If I was an RB, I wouldn't like the read-option type stuff as much as I would like just being handed the damn ball and told which hole to hit.

 

[thewolverines24]

i think how they transition to pros is an indicator of actual talent. morris arguably had the best pro career of any UM RB. unfortunately, UM RBs haven't traditionally made much noise in the pros.

Who is the last good/great NFL RB from the Big 10? There hasn't been one in over a decade.

 

[deathroh]

I don't think it has as much to do with the quality of the OL as it does with the lack of consistency in the scheme & how that affected what the RBs would be doing.

If I was an RB, I wouldn't like the read-option type stuff as much as I would like just being handed the damn ball and told which hole to hit.

They did the same thing last year and Toussaint was very productive.