Since Michigan has no game this week I thought I'd pose a question to everyone on here regarding what will happen with Michigan next year. I'm not looking ahead (too much), but I have wondered how RR will get everyone reps in the offense (the depth will be nice though).

QB's:
Forcier -- Freshman (Jan. enrollee)
Beaver -- Freshman (Jan. enrollee)
Threet -- Sophomore (will have started double digit game probably)
Sheridan -- Junior/Senior (good enough to start game 1 at least)
Cone -- Senior (too late to transfer?)
Feagin -- Freshman (will he get moved to another position or transfer?)

*What if Threet ends the year well and gets a great grasp on the offense and actually looks like a spread QB in the non-dual threat type of way*


RB's:
Minor -- Senior (heir apparent before RR arrived)
Brown -- Senior (everyone is still waiting for the Georgia speed to show up)
Grady -- Senior (has become a short yardage back for some weird reason)
McGuffie -- Soph. (could be a possible 4 year starter if he keeps up this pace)
Shaw -- Soph. (part-time RB and part-time Slot WR)
Cox -- Freshman (might transfer back home)
Horn -- Soph. (actually fits the offense well, but will never get carries)
Jones -- Freshman (Teric could be a Slot WR, word is he has great hands)
Smith -- Freshman (more Florida speed, but where does he ever get carries)
Touissant -- Freshman (tailor made for the offense and his h.s. clips show it)

*If McGuffie carries the load what happens to the 3 seniors next year and how do we find time for 3 more freshmen coming in to even see time or get a few reps*


WR's: (slot and outside mixed in)
Matthews -- Senior (Outside WR starter for sure)
Stonum -- Soph. (Outside WR with Olympic type speed)
Odoms -- Soph. (Slot WR that could be explosive)
Robinson -- Soph. (Slow WR that hopefully is an Odoms clone when he plays)
Clemons -- Junior (Another good slot/outside type)
Heminway -- Junior (look right above for description)
Savoy -- Senior (maybe he'll emerge)
Babb -- Junior (starting to get the offense slowly)
Rogers -- Junior (fast, but maybe he is a CB again soon)
Roundtree -- Fresh/Soph (recruited as an Outside WR, but isn't very big)
McNeal -- Freshman (talented Outside WR could learn from Matthews and take over eventually)
Gallon -- Freshman (Florida speedster in the slot)
Peace -- Freshman (weird 3 star offered at camp.........slot maybe?)

*13 guys next year plus all the RB's that will possibly be playing in the slot now or in the future provides a ton of depth, but how many of these guys will actually stick it out over 4 years if they are buried on the depth chart*


I guess my overall point is that it is nice to see RR bringing in "his guys" to fit his spread option and the depth will be a great feature to have for injury purposes, but how do we find time for all of these guys? I know that we have good position coaches that will do their jobs and find out who the real players are, but this seems like quite a logjam at least in the offensive sense for next year.

The QB position seems to be a huge logjam for next year IMO. For 95% of Michigan fans its a foregone conclusion that Forcier will simply show up in January, read his playbook, train with Barwis and run the team for 4 years. What if Threet plays well and wins the Big Ten or beats O$U or wins the bowl game (if we play in one) in huge fashion? What if Beaver comes in and IS the next Pat White (I wish)? What if Sheridan proves he is actually worthy of a real scholarship?

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To be fair..............How will Michigan State use their two studly incoming freshman RB's in their offense?

* Threet's improved each week, and there's no reason to think he's not going to get better as more games go by. That said, Forcier is still going to have a major advantage, not only because he's going to enroll early, but also that RR seems to like guys who fit his system and doesn't seem to show loyalty to guys who have more experience (example: Carlos Brown has gotten next to no carries despite being Hart's #1 backup last year). I think Threet will start '09, but I can't say for sure...


* RB situation is going to be interesting. There's so many people, and not enough carries, I think Toussaint is going to play, but guys like Gallon, V. Smith, and Teric are gonna have to red-shirt next year. Also, I wouldn't be shocked if fringe guys like Mike Cox & Avery Horn just decide to transfer to a JuCo, b/c it's obvious they have no true future here...


* WR situation- same as RB situation, guys like Hemingway & Clemons haven't shown anything so far (neither have really gotten a fair chance though). McNeal is going to play right away, IMO. Savoy has no business playing even this year...

I don't know why they moved James Rogers to WR, he has no future there...


* I'm not worried about MSU's RB's, Caper started out as a 5 star, and has since been moved down to a 3 star on Scout.com...
Baker's good, but let's face it, he's not going to be as good as Ringer is this year, so to expect "big things" right off the bat is premature. Plus they're best offensive linemen (Roland Martin) is graduating. Top that with Hoyer leaving, and MSU will just be typical MSU (5-7 wins, etc.)



* Future's bright

My guess is that Threet will go into the spring as the starter, but Forcier and Beaver will have every opportunity to take over and/or earn snaps and/or series as game situations dictate a slight change. They both would seem to have better running ability (though Threet has surprised), so their arms, leadership, and decision making will be the real test. In all likelihood, Sheridan and Cone will have seen their last snaps by the end of this year. Cone will probably stick around because the experience gives him a chance to either use whatever degree he might be going after (currently undeclared). Actually, I think he may play baseball too and I wouldn't be shocked if he left the football team to focus on hardball. Feagin better hope he can get into the mix as slot or DB.

For the RB's, of course McGuffie (barring injury) is the man. I get the impression that there will be a major effort to get Shaw a bigger ratio of the carries, assuming health and turnovers don't limit him. It's really hard to say how the upperclassmen can factor in. Their bulk seems to be all they have going for them. It wouldn't shock me if at least one transferred to a DII so they could play immediately and hope to throw up gaudy numbers as an NFL audition. Cox has surprised some by not yet transferring, but I'm not sure why he wouldn't. The 3 guys coming in next season (whether they are backs or slot) only make it more obvious that some of these guys have to go.

The WR's aren't as much of a problem, IMO. That depth plays into something I think RR will make an effort to do. I think we'll see 2-3 new WR's on every play so that our offense is insanely fresh throughout the game. I think the quality of the depth makes it so there isn't a Braylon or Marquis Walker (a guy that must be on the field for the offense to have any success). In the late 2nd quarter and much of the 2nd half, ideally we have guys blowing by winded DB's and LB's.


(as for State, last year proved they have no problem with 2 backs putting up big numbers. I imagine the one who proves himself better over the summer ends up with a 60-40 advantage in carries).

Baker's going to see the load for State next year, I'd be surprised if Caper gets 40% of the carries. They still have other guys like Leggett, Jimmerson, and Winston who could see some touches too...

Diesel, I think you said we need like 17 slot receiver/RB types to run RR's offense right? Was that for real?