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Position depth concerns

G

GrizWin99

Well-known member
What positions are you most concerned about heading into the summer?
I am most concerned about:

Center(Liam Brown, Declan McCabe, Michael Ray, Dillon Botner)

Can Brown make the switch and play Center as well as he plays Guard?
Is Declan ready to be a full-time starter?

I would like an experienced transfer to come in to compete.

D Tackle(Pat Hayden, Kellen Detrick, Noah Kaschmitter, Jareb Ramos, Sloan McPherson)

Can this room stay healthy? We ask our DT’s to do a lot.
Hayden will be a good player for 1 year, who is ready to make the leap and solidify the room going forward?

I would like a big bodied (265lb+) transfer to come in to compete with 2-3 years of eligibility remaining.

O Tackle(Brandon Casey, Cannon Panfiloff, Michael Ray, Dillon Botner)

Brandon Casey and Cannon Panfiloff were Awesome last year and will have another outstanding season. Who is ready to step up behind them?

Will the football gods allow us to stay healthy?

I like our starters, and I like our incoming Freshman. I think our backups are unproven, but can be very effective. I still would like to bring in a transfer with multiple years of eligibility remaining.

QB (Ah Yat, Fife, Huot, Vidlak, Sliter)

Ah Yat has the “it” factor, but is he ready to take the reins?
Fife was brought in to compete for the job, but needs to learn the playbook. How will he progress over the summer?
Can Vidlak improve? Does he look to transfer? I hope he locks in and competes.
Has Huot taken the next step? After a great spring he has been running with the 2’s. After a great scrimmage, he has the hype. Can Huot push for the job? He is the only QB with a large frame, and he moves well.

I think our QB room is great and is built to get the ball to our explosive playmakers. In doing so, our QB’s have very similar traits and I would be open to bringing in a younger QB that is large and can provide the +1 in the run game. We focused on having gunslingers at the position and we do, but it would be nice to add a runner to balance out the position even if he is primarily used on the scout team.

Realistically, some of these positions will not have an addition between now and August 31, and we will be okay. Young guys continuously step up and make names for themselves, it is the essence of college football. Can our unproven talent come in and compete at an elite level? 138 days to get better… Go Griz!
 
While there may be depth issues, I don't see any at this time. Time will tell. There are lots of good players at every position, it looks like to me. At this point, this may be the fewest depth issues I've recalled, maybe ever. To me, the bigger issue is how good are the top several players at each position. I am not disagreeing with the OP.
 
mthoopsfan said:
While there may be depth issues, I don't see any at this time. Time will tell. There are lots of good players at every position, it looks like to me. At this point, this may be the fewest depth issues I've recalled, maybe ever. To me, the bigger issue is how good are the top several players at each position. I am not disagreeing with the OP.
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Biggest unknown is QB, IMHO--and I'm not insinuating there's a "depth" issue. But there's certainly an experience issue. All the rest have returning starters to help break in the newbies.
 
AZGrizFan said:
Biggest unknown is QB, IMHO--and I'm not insinuating there's a "depth" issue. But there's certainly an experience issue. All the rest have returning starters to help break in the newbies.
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Yes, UM needs a good qb to emerge. This year, I think we've got the position surrounded. Better than last year. Fife does have some experience at starting and playing, but not in this system, I assume. It will be a good competition. There should be good or pretty good depth. But, someone has to emerge and play well, or maybe 2 of them. McDowell staying would have helped, but then I'm not sure Fife would have come.
 
mthoopsfan said:
While there may be depth issues, I don't see any at this time. Time will tell. There are lots of good players at every position, it looks like to me. At this point, this may be the fewest depth issues I've recalled, maybe ever. To me, the bigger issue is how good are the top several players at each position. I am not disagreeing with the OP.
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I agree generally that there is solid depth throughout, which I like a lot. I would say, you can never have enough linemen on both sides, and until we (or more importantly the coaches) know what is at QB, that may be a need as well. I am interested to see how many enter the portal (is it?) this week. That may change my thought a bit.
 
AZDoc said:
I agree generally that there is solid depth throughout, which I like a lot. I would say, you can never have enough linemen on both sides, and until we (or more importantly the coaches) know what is at QB, that may be a need as well. I am interested to see how many enter the portal (is it?) this week. That may change my thought a bit.
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The portal opens tomorrow April 16-30
 
mthoopsfan said:
Yes, UM needs a good qb to emerge. This year, I think we've got the position surrounded. Better than last year. Fife does have some experience at starting and playing, but not in this system, I assume. It will be a good competition. There should be good or pretty good depth. But, someone has to emerge and play well, or maybe 2 of them. McDowell staying would have helped, but then I'm not sure Fife would have come.
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Do we even know what this “system” is going to look like? There’s not a QB on the roster with Clif’s running ability, so I would presume the offense will look considerably different than in ‘23…
 
QB is my biggest concern because it’s the most important position on the field, and we have a stable of unknowns at said position. Fife had a good game or two at Fresno. Ah Yat had a few good plays. We’ve witnessed what Vidlak has. Huot’s last start was in AA Montana HS ball a few years ago. The other kid I don’t know anything about. So, yeah, I hope we have something at QB. Guys can develop at different times, so maybe we’ll get a breakout year from one or more of them.
 
CDAGRIZ said:
QB is my biggest concern because it’s the most important position on the field, and we have a stable of unknowns at said position. Fife had a good game or two at Fresno. Ah Yat had a few good plays. We’ve witnessed what Vidlak has. Huot’s last start was in AA Montana HS ball a few years ago. The other kid I don’t know anything about. So, yeah, I hope we have something at QB. Guys can develop at different times, so maybe we’ll get a breakout year from one or more of them.
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We really didn't know last year either. I would say more concerns last year at this time.
 
Griz til I die said:
When the transfer portal window opens tomorrow, don’t be surprised if another McDowell esque QB jumps in and we make a run at one or multiple guys. Something to keep an eye on!
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CDAGRIZ said:
Correct. We didn’t know last year and ended up rolling out the third string QB for too many games, one of which we lost. That sucked.
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That did suck. But we also had a brand new OC. This year we have a year under that system and all QB's have gone through Spring Ball. Last Spring no Cliff, no Ah Yat etc. Much more experienced O Line. big depth at RB, every receiver is back, Grossman back. Much better circumstances all around on offense now.
 
UncleRico said:
That did suck. But we also had a brand new OC. This year we have a year under that system and all QB's have gone through Spring Ball. Last Spring no Cliff, no Ah Yat etc. Much more experienced O Line. big depth at RB, every receiver is back, Grossman back. Much better circumstances all around on offense now.
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I totally agree there was likely more uncertainty last year. I’m just saying there’s a lot of uncertainty at QB this year as well. The positions you listed above tend to support that view.
 
CDAGRIZ said:
I totally agree there was likely more uncertainty last year. I’m just saying there’s a lot of uncertainty at QB this year as well. The positions you listed above tend to support that view.
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I don't think there is that much uncertainty. I really like Ah Yat and Hout and I think Fife brings that veteran reliability if needed. I think Vidlak would look much better this year with a more veteran line, better running game, more veteran receivers and 15 games under new OC. Just as Cliff would have benefited from that if he stayed.
 
UncleRico said:
I don't think there is that much uncertainty. I really like Ah Yat and Hout and I think Fife brings that veteran reliability if needed. I think Vidlak would look much better this year with a more veteran line, better running game, more veteran receivers and 15 games under new OC. Just as Cliff would have benefited from that if he stayed.
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I guess I always go back to what sample size we’re dealing with when it comes to games played. I will never be certain about someone whose last start was in AA HS ball years ago and was buried on the depth chart since. Like I said, guys develop at different rates, and I’m hopeful one or more of them remove all doubts.
 
CDAGRIZ said:
I guess I always go back to what sample size we’re dealing with when it comes to games played. I will never be certain about someone whose last start was in AA HS ball years ago and was buried on the depth chart since. Like I said, guys develop at different rates, and I’m hopeful one or more of them remove all doubts.
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Would anyone have predicted Cliff playing well when he couldn't see the field at Central Arkansas? Or split time at a JC. Or threw what 5 passes at University of Lousisana? A red shirt year and one year on the bench is not buried on depth chart. He got bigger and stronger during that time. Hout was the highest ranked player in Montana his senior year. A 3 star (even though they mean nothing). He was being recruited by Oregon St., Fresno St.. NDSU etc. Or Ah Yat described as the most college ready QB out of high school they have ever seen by Griz coaches. Or a QB that has lead a team from behind for wins in key Mountain West games and was 11-12 in relief vs USC. Cliff got his opportunity and he did well with it. But he didn't do S#$t before that. That is college football. You get a few years and somebody new steps up. Griz have a loaded group on offense and three (maybe four) capable guys that can play. Only uncertainty is which one will it be.
 
UncleRico said:
Would anyone have predicted Cliff playing well when he couldn't see the field at Central Arkansas? Or split time at a JC. Or threw what 5 passes at University of Lousisana? A red shirt year and one year on the bench is not buried on depth chart. He got bigger and stronger during that time. Hout was the highest ranked player in Montana his senior year. A 3 star (even though they mean nothing). He was being recruited by Oregon St., Fresno St.. NDSU etc. Or Ah Yat described as the most college ready QB out of high school they have ever seen by Griz coaches. Or a QB that has lead a team from behind for wins in key Mountain West games and was 11-12 in relief vs USC. Cliff got his opportunity and he did well with it. But he didn't do S#$t before that. That is college football. You get a few years and somebody new steps up. Griz have a loaded group on offense and three (maybe four) capable guys that can play. Only uncertainty is which one will it be.
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No, of course not re: Clif. I think we agree. We had uncertainty last year because we didn’t know what we had, right? I think there is also uncertainty this year because we know what we have in Vidlak, Ah Yat probably has too small a sample size to know, Huot hasn’t played in college, and Fife sounds like a wild card. One of them will step up. I have a good feeling about it, but I can’t say I’m certain. I hope that makes sense.
 
CDAGRIZ said:
No, of course not re: Clif. I think we agree. We had uncertainty last year because we didn’t know what we had, right? I think there is also uncertainty this year because we know what we have in Vidlak, Ah Yat probably has too small a sample size to know, Huot hasn’t played in college, and Fife sounds like a wild card. One of them will step up. I have a good feeling about it, but I can’t say I’m certain. I hope that makes sense.
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Makes sense. If I were to bet I think Griz could see 1,2 or 3 early one. Which I know will cause angst with Griz fans but might be best approach long term.
 
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