Kornacki: Wolverine Freshmen Coming On Fast
8/30/2016 12:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 30, 2016
By Steve Kornacki
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- It's been awhile since an incoming freshman football class has come to the University of Michigan and commanded the kind of respect from upperclassmen that the Class of 2016 has earned. Wolverine head coach Jim Harbaugh loves them, too, and said Monday afternoon (Aug. 29) that many of the 26 scholarship freshmen are "coming fast" up the depth chart.
Ben Bredeson could start on the offensive line at the all-important left tackle position, and defensive end Rashan Gary is good enough to push senior co-captain Chris Wormley for playing time. Harbaugh said cornerback David Long is "going to be an outstanding player" and has praised slot back Chris Evans, kicker Quinn Nordin and others.
Michigan senior cornerback Jourdan Lewis compared the arrival of Gary to that of current junior linebacker Jabrill Peppers. And in doing so, Lewis touched on the essence of this class.
"When Jabrill came in," said Lewis, "you could tell that he came in ready to compete. But when you see this '16 class, all of them are ready to compete. They're all super competitive and want to get on that field right now. That's something Coach Harbaugh is bringing to this program. He's bringing in young guys who want to push people, and that's something that is a big change from when I was getting recruited.
"Some of the guys in my class needed time to develop and become better. But these guys are pushing for time right now, and it's so unreal. You can say Rashan headlines that class, but all of those guys compete. It's refreshing to know we have such depth."
Keep in mind that Gary, from Paramus (New Jersey) Catholic, and Long, of Los Angeles Loyola, are pushing players on a defense that last season ranked first nationally in passing efficiency (94.6 rating), fourth in total defense (280.7 yards per game) and sixth in scoring defense (16.4 points per game).
"David Long, I'll tell you this, covered a 'go' route in yesterday's practice as good as it could possibly be covered," said Harbaugh, adding that Long is competing very well at the point of the catch. "He's going to be an outstanding football player."
Lewis said, "He covered a whole bunch of routes really well. It's exciting to see those guys go out and compete."
The All-America cornerback added that freshman cornerback Lavert Hill, who is from Detroit King and whose brother Delano Hill is expected to start at safety, has also been a strong factor in practices.
Harbaugh detailed the maturation process of the freshmen.
"It's continuing right now," Harbaugh said. "It's raging on, and every single freshman was in summer school. That's a great way for them to get their feet on the ground, get some (academic) credits and take advantage of knowing the landscape. We wanted them full immersed in that this summer. They get a great foundation for themselves academically, and football-wise we didn't spend a lot of time with them.
"When they came to practice, obviously they didn't know 10 different blitzes or 75 pass concepts. But we wanted to see what they could do athletically. Can you track a ball? Can you receive a catch? Can they run, change direction, play with balance, play with vision. So, we felt after going through the first two-and-a-half weeks that there were quite a few players who were tracking to be in the two-deep, in the three-deep, and since then, in the last 10 days, we've tried to catch them up on the system, schemes offensively and defensively and kicking game, and they're coming fast. There's no question about it. It's a competitive fall camp -- there's no question about that."
-- Jourdan Lewis on the 2016 freshman class
Bredeson, from Hartland (Wisconsin) Arrowhead, has a chance to become only the second Wolverine to start an opening game as a freshman at left tackle, where he's battling talented sophomore Grant Newsome.
"Practices rage on, and competitions rage on," said Harbaugh, "and you want guys who put themselves in a position to be ready for the opportunity. Ben is in that position. He's very close. I certainly wouldn't anticipate not playing for Ben Bredeson. He's acquitted himself very well right now."
All-America tight end Jake Butt added that Bredeson is going to be "a star" for the Wolverines. He has a shot at left tackle because Mason Cole, who also started as a freshman, moved from that spot to center.
Nordin is competing with senior Kenny Allen primarily in the placekicking and kickoff roles. Harbaugh said Allen is "solid" as the punter and could fill all three roles, though he'd prefer Allen not to have that heavy of a work load.
"Quinn Nordin is pushing in terms of the kickoffs and the field goals," said Harbaugh, who also commented on the "good job" walk-on kicker Ryan Tice is doing.
Freshman quarterback Brandon Peters isn't going to beat out John O'Korn or Wilton Speight (Harbaugh said he has chosen the starter but isn't currently revealing the choice), but he's coming along very well.
"He's great," O'Korn said of Peters. "Physically, he's a very gifted athlete and a very gifted thrower. He's got all the tools, and I think he's going to be a great player here whether that's this year or two years from now or three years from now. Whenever that is, he's going to play great and play really well. Every part of his game since the spring has improved."
Speight said: "Peters has done an amazing job. He came in in the winter (January), and that's a lot. I did that, and it's a shock, a culture shock, and he adjusted well, played a lot in the spring game and hit a lot of wide receivers, carried that momentum into the off season.
"Every fall camp for a true freshman is tough, but when you've got this NFL playbook thrown to you, it's tough. But he's adjusted well and has taken all the punches and kept walking. He's been looking really good."
Tight ends Devin Asiasi, Nick Eubanks and Sean McKeon have all impressed their new teammates.
"The competition's been awesome," said Ian Bunting, who backs up Butt at the TE position. "They're great athletes, great football players, and it's just making everyone better. They are pushing everyone to be better and bringing a lot of good energy and play."
Evans and freshman receivers Kekoa Crawford, Eddie McDoom and Nate Johnson also have turned heads.
"Chris Evans is a heck of an athlete," said sophomore receiver Grant Perry. "He's been killing at the running back position with just his shiftiness, and I think he picked up the playbook the fastest out of the freshmen, and that's really propelled him to really make an impact. He's been killing it in practice.
"He's been adding a good quickness. De'Veon (Smith's) a good power back and so is Ty (Isaac). He adds a Reggie Bush effect, a lightning-like effect."
The freshman receivers all bring one standout element to the offense.
"McDoom is lightning fast," said Perry. "The guy's got wheels. Nate is really shifty and athletic. Crawford, he's a playmaker. He goes and gets the balls when we ask him to."
Senior cornerback Channing Stribling added on McDoom: "I can cover guys, but he's fast. You give him a step, and he will go. He's catching the ball well."
Senior wide receiver Amara Darboh noted: "A lot of the freshmen are big and fast. They're all doing really good things. I'll tell you what's caught my eye about all of them is that they're confident and quick guys. That says a lot about them."
Harbaugh wouldn't be pinned down on an exact number of freshmen who will play but said Sunday (Aug. 28) on his TV show, "Inside Michigan Football," that "10 easy" could make the two-deep roster, which has yet to be released.
Two-way lineman Michael Onwenu; linebackers Devin Bush, Elysee Mbem-Bosse, Devin Gil, Carlo Kemp and Josh Uche; defensive linemen Michael Dwumfour and Ron Johnson; safeties Khaleke Hudson and Josh Metellus; running backs Kingston Davis and Kareem Walker; and offensive lineman Stephen Spanellis also are beginning to stake claims on future playing time.
While Bredeson (6-foot-5, 310 pounds) appears to have the best chance of anybody in the class to start, Gary (6-5, 287 pounds) should be joining him in making an impact on the other side of the line.
"He's going to be real good," Butt said of Gary. "I'm saying that with full confidence. He's going to be a problem this year and for years to come. He's an athletic freak, but to have that kind of motor is special."
Gary will wear No. 3, and Bredeson has No. 74. Long will wear No. 22. Look for them to be on the field Saturday (Sept. 3) in the season opener at Michigan Stadium with Hawaii, but others will be following them into action, sooner rather than later.
