The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/641955
FROM OUR READERS baugh is doing is making these stories last all offseason and will continue to build our momentum. Wolverines1141 • Rashan Gary has the size already, but what separates him from the rest of our defensive line is his athleticism. When you're quicker and faster than your opponent, you're going to play. Although his technique can be im- proved on, no one thinks it will be holding him back from playing. Strength is not an issue either. I think he plays heavily, and probably starts sooner than later. I would set the over/under on sacks as a freshman at five. BMiller11 • Come fall, I think Gary is rotating at defensive tackle and/or strong-side defensive end. He won't have the early enrollee experience, so any time he earns in the non-conference is going to have to be earned quickly. He won't know the scheme, so down and distance may dictate his snaps. It's tempt- ing to say situational pass rusher, but I'm not sure how that works. Taco [Charlton], [Chris] Wormley and [Maurice] Hurst make a very nice three-man pass rush. He's not a nose tackle, so he's strictly subbing in at the other three spots, assuming Don Brown is using a traditional 4-3. People were yowling at Gary's low profile on [ TheWolverine.com's] spring depth chart, but I'm not so sure that it's really so far off. From game one, it's fair to think that he might well go in ahead of [Garrett] Miller. Moving ahead of [Lawrence] Marshall as a pure pass rusher is another possibility, but less purely a given. By year's end he may be taking [Matt] Godin's snaps, too. However, after spring ball, there's going to be some men in there who have earned their shot. Gary will make an impact, but I don't see him getting a ton of playing time straight away. martyk • In almost 50 years of following recruiting, Gary is as good as I've seen. Some analysts have rated [Jadeveon] Clowney and others ahead of Gary, but based on measurables only. Gary beats Clowney hands down on tech- nique, motor and just pure want-to. If he doesn't start the first snap of the season it will because of an injury or in deference to our senior-studded roster. His preferred and best position is strong-side defensive end. He is powerful, has a great first step, good (not great) speed for the outside and does something it took Ryan Van Bergen 3.5 years to learn — dips his shoulder on the pass rush which crosses a left tackle's arms, causing the offensive lineman to lose all leverage.