Michigan football: Pre-Spring Preview, Part II, linebackers
By Joel Greer
(Note: This is the second in a series of potential starters for this fall’s Michigan football team. Here, we’ll look at the linebackers. Previously we examined the defensive backs. This is a link to that article).
Head coach Jim Harbaugh’s first Michigan football team will feature either basic defensive schemes: the 4-3 or 3-4.
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In theory, the 4-3 is best at pressuring the quarterback without resorting to blitzes from linebackers or defensive backs. Michigan primarily ran the 4-3 during Brady Hoke’s regime but while the run was handled fairly well, the front four rarely bothered opposing quarterbacks.
Forced to blitz
To get pressure, ex-defensive coordinator Greg Mattison was forced to dial up a variety of blitzes, often leaving holes in the defensive backfield.
The 3-4 is designed to disrupt the running game by confusing blocking schemes and also helping in pass coverage due to the extra linebacker. In addition, the ends are normally more similar to tackles.
New Michigan defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin, who worked with Harbaugh at Stanford from 2007 to 2009, spent the last five years with the Florida Gators.
Personnel, (according to mgoblue.com), will dictate which base defense Michigan leans on. Mattison, who was retained to coach the defensive line, was a proponent of the 3-4 when he was with the NFL Baltimore Ravens, and of course coached the 4-3 at Michigan since 2011.
The starters
If Michigan uses the 4-3, it’s almost a given that seniors Desmond Morgan (MIKE), James Ross III (SAM) and Joe Bolden (WILL) will be the starters. The trio have 62 starts between them, Morgan with 31, Ross with 17 and Bolden with 14.
Morgan, who missed most of last season with an injured arm, returns for his fifth season with 229 career tackles.
The MIKE (middle linebacker) must fill the shoes of Jake Ryan, who last season was named the team’s most valuable player, finishing his career with 267 tackles.
Like Ryan, Morgan is a sound tackler who is built more for power than speed. Listed at 6-1, 232 lbs. Don’t be surprised if Morgan reports to spring practice in the neighborhood of 245.
Returning to the SAM (strongside linebacker) will be Ross, whose tackles dropped off from 85 during his sophomore season to just 32 last year. While it may appear that Ross’ performance suffered, the reality is he moved over from WILL, where he was more involved in the running game.
When Ryan was moved from SAM to MIKE a year ago, it was for the same reason.
Blue Chipper
There should be little concern over Ross mastering the SAM second time around. He came to Michigan in 2012 as a 4-star recruit from Orchard Lake St. Mary. He was named to the Detroit News Blue Chip List as a senior, the 2011 Detroit Free Press Dream Team and the RivalsHigh 2011 All-American Team.
Other than Bolden‘s 102 tackles, he became famous last season for slamming a spike into the Spartan Stadium turf before the annual rivalry game in East Lansing. Intended to be momentum builder for the Wolverines—well we all know the final score was 35-11 in favor of Michigan State.
Little Brother
Of course, MSU cried foul, saying Michigan disrespected them. Sounds a little confusing because because MSU lost all their respect in the late 1970s when Spartan coach Darryl Rogers called Michigan fans, “arrogant asses.” Wolverine fans made light of it, but the Spartans are still irked over Michigan running back Michael Hart’s 2007 joke about “little brother.”
All Hart did was rush for 600 yards in four straight Michigan victories over the Spartans (2004-07).
Bolden, who is also expecting a banner senior year, also has impeccable credentials. He participated in the Under Armour All-American Game and was selected to the All-Ohio first team as a prep senior.
Ben Gedeon, Mike McCray and Royce Jenkins-Stone were the position backups at the end of the 2014 season. Gedeon, who was credited with 17 tackles a year ago, should give Bolden a run for his money in the next several weeks—leading up to the Spring Game April 4.
There may, of course, be a few surprises. Watch for juniors Dan Liesman and Allen Gant, redshirt sophomore Michael Wroblewski, and a trio of redshirt freshmen (Jared Wangler, Chase Winovich and Noah Furbush) show their stuff at spring practice.
Gant’s father (Tony) played safety for Michigan from 1982-86, while Wangler’s dad quarterbacked the Wolverines from 1977-80).
True freshman Tyrone Wheatley, Jr is scheduled to play either defensive end or tight end, but there’s also a possibility he could play one of the outside linebacker positions. Wheatley’s dad, who recently accepted the running back coaching job, was an outstanding U-M rusher from 1991-94 gaining 4,187 yards, fifth on the all-time Michigan list.
Here’s a possible pre-spring linebacker depth chart: