Top Five Fall Camp Developments

The wire has been mostly silent in regards to Michigan football over the last month with the program in lock-down as it prepares to compete in the upcoming season. Taking what we've seen so far in media reports and one well-guarded students-only preseason warm-up, along with some rumors that have consistently been swarming around campus, and we've got some things that are worth talking about.

Drake Johnson (#20) returns.

5. No starting running back has emerged. While it is true that nobody has really separated himself from the pack just yet, there is no real cause for alarm. The state of the competition here is not really an indictment on how bad this position group has performed; it just shows how tough the competition is right now. Four different guys have just cause to vie for the starting job and the coaching staff is going to give everybody a chance to show 'em what they've got. Drake Johnson and Derrick Green both averaged around six yards per carry last season, while Ty Isaac did the same his freshman year at USC (2013). De'Veon Smith actually led the team in rushing yards and TD's last year and has reportedly been the most consistent, if unspectacular, player out of the group this off-season. Many fans and writers in the media keep expecting a guy to jump ahead of everyone else, but I am comfortable with what is occurring here. Having a stable of backs isn't the worse thing to ever happen. Besides, running the treads off one guy's tires like Ohio State did to Maurice Clarett doesn't interest me too much. Personally, I would prefer a running back-by-committee approach for much of the first half of the season so we can see what we've actually got in all those guys before we go into the toughest part of the schedule. The competition to be the starter here is going to be a marathon - it' not a sprint. We've got a long season ahead of us so let's not get too caught up in the depth chart just yet.

4. Bryan Mone is out with a broken ankle. This is one of those injuries that hurts at first and continues nagging you a little bit, but in the end it is one that the team is able to work through. Mone has a ton of promise and potential as a big-bodied defender at the nose, but it just so happens that the team is loaded up front on defense with Chris Wormley, Ryan Glasgow, and Willie Henry all returning as starters at tackle. We should expect to see more out of Maurice Hurst Jr and Mathew Godin as well. Both of those guys appear to be ready to contribute in major ways. Any way you slice it, this position is in good shape with or without Mone in the lineup. It is possible that he could return before the season is over, but it might be in everybody's best interest if he takes a medical redshirt. There is no real need to rush him.

Jake Rudock brings experience.

3. Jake Rudock is taking control of the offense. It's really of no surprise to anyone if Rudock eventually wins this competition and earns the start in week one. Although Morris has seemed to improve under Harbaugh and company, he still seems a little too erratic yet and could stand to gain more from standing on the sideline - at least for a couple games anyway. Playing quarterback is all about rhythm and having an ability to shake off bad plays. Devin Gardner couldn't dance and everything seemed to go straight to his head and remain therefor weeks. Needless to say, it cost the team a lot last season. Morris has the physical ability to do it all, but he doesn't seem to have all the confidence needed to pull off the moves in front of a hostile audience. Rudock is the safer pick going into Utah and I think most people would actually be shocked if Morris enters the first game as the starter. If he does, it's because Harbaugh truly knows something that the rest of us don't. While that could be true, when playing the odds it's a safe bet to say that Michigan will be trying to control the game in Salt Lake City with their offensive and defensive lines. The QB just has to not throw the game away and Rudock wasn't anything if he wasn't efficient last year, throwing 18 TD's to only five INT's.

2. Jeremy Clark is playing cornerback. While it isn't unusual to see coaches move guys like this around in an attempt to see what they've got in terms of talent and ability, this move is intriguing in a number of ways. First, consider Clark's size at 6'4" and 205 lbs. Those are extraordinary measurables for a corner, but it is fad that is gaining popularity with the success of guys like Richard Sherman, Brandon Browner, Antonio Cromartie, and Champ Bailey over the last decade or so in the NFL. It's a logical progression for the position considering how big receivers are getting these days. Clark himself proved last year that he can indeed compete in the Big Ten, having started six games at safety. I've praised him myself in past blog posts (Top Five Luxuries on the Wolverine's Roster - crazy4maizeandblue.blogspot.com) and consider him one of the top 25 returning players on the team. His switch to corner is of no real surprise to anybody in the know. The guy has skills and these coaches will get the most out of him.

Drake Harris (#14) is on the rise.

1. Some new names emerging out of the wide receiver group. Most of us fans are pretty confident with Amara Darboh projected to be the number one receiver this fall, but who exactly is going to fill the next few spots after him is a question that has been lingering all off-season. Alas, fall camp is over and we enter the first game week with Harbaugh throwing praise at former four-star prospect and one-time MSU commit Drake Harris. Nobody has ever really argued against Harris' elite athleticism and potential as a player. The biggest question thus far has been durability. If the weight he has gained this past year to get above 180 lbs is solid and he manages to avoid any more major injuries, the redshirt freshman out of Grand Rapids could have a break-out year. Lord knows we could use it! Another name that has risen this fall is Grant Perry. Perry, a true freshman, has shown the type of route-running and concentration they want at the slot position. He will get some opportunities to prove himself early on this season. Freddy Canteen's name has popped up again to cause some buzz around campus as he has apparently had a very good off-season. He could be the first guy in the slot. The most intriguing thing about Canteen, however, is the fact that he has been splitting time equally between corner back and receiver. His close bond with fellow second-year player Jabrill Peppers coupled with the emergence of Grant Perry is helping to facilitate such a move.