Fall Camp Tracker Update: Guys And Dudes + OL Intel
During fall camp, Michigan defensive coordinator Don Brown is back at it again with his creative way of praising U-M defenders on social media. Brown likes to dub certain athletes either a "Guy" or a "Dude" after practices, and this is Wolverine Digest's quick translation of what that means:
If someone is having a solid, quality outing but does not necessarily dominate in the game or practice, that type of effort earns the athlete "Guy" designation. But if a Wolverine is able to rise to the occasion and stands out with a truly impressive effort, then Brown describes that as the work of a "Dude."
Three weeks ago, Michigan was still continuing to practice on a regular basis in case the 2020 season was resurrected, and that is exactly what happened. Since that time, Brown has been working with the defense to prepare them for Week 1 against Minnesota and then eight consecutive weeks of football after that without a bye week.
Here is a breakdown of who has shined so far in Brown's estimation:
| Name | Position | Guy of the Day awards | Dude of the Day awards |
|---|---|---|---|
Jalen Perry | Cornerback | 1 | 0 |
Daxton Hill | Safety | 1 | 0 |
Aidan Hutchinson | Defensive End | 1 | 1 |
Makari Paige | Safety | 1 | 0 |
Adam Shibley | Linebacker | 1 | 0 |
Adam Fakih | Linebacker | 1 | 0 |
Mike Morris | Defensive Line | 1 | 0 |
Julius Welschof | Defensive Tackle | 1 | 2 |
Phil Paea | Defensive Tackle | 1 | 0 |
Keshawn Harris | Cornerback | 1 | 0 |
Sammy Faustin | Safety | 1 | 1 |
Vincent Gray | Cornerback | 1 | 0 |
Luiji Vilain | Defensive End | 0 | 1 |
Josh Ross | Linebacker | 0 | 1 |
Cameron McGrone | Linebacker | 0 | 1 |
D.J. Turner | Cornerback | 0 | 1 |
Christopher Hinton | Defensive Tackle | 0 | 1 |
Brad Hawkins | Safety | 0 | 2 |
Out of that group, it is clear that Julius Welschof, Brad Hawkins, Aidan Hutchinson and Adam Fakih have risen to the occasion so far as that group has earned multiple shoutouts from the Michigan DC. However, the fact that there is a fairly even distribution of players receiving these awards speaks to the level of competition at practice. If multiple guys are standing out on each day, that just gives U-M a better chance to field a deep team when it actually matters this fall.
Offensive Line Rumblings
Entering the 2020 season, Michigan will be fielding one of the best defensive end units in the Big Ten if not nationally. Last year, Kwity Paye showed that he was a force on the edge, and another offseason of hard work has only benefited the impact pass rusher so far. The same can be said for Aidan Hutchinson.
Word out of Schembechler Hall is not only has the defensive line looked stout, but their dominance has actually made it difficult to grade the offensive line performance. One of Michigan's largest hurdles this season will be adequately replacing an offensive line that lost four starters from a year ago.
Replacing that kind of depth is a difficult task, but U-M offensive line coach Ed Warinner is more than prepared to meet the mark. In a couple seasons in Ann Arbor, Coach Warinner has been one of the better assistant coaches on the Wolverines staff, and the four draft picks from April help reinforce that. Based on interviews from Ryan Hayes, a general group of blockers seem to have separated themselves already, but the U-M defensive line has experienced a wealth of success. So, that will be an important area to watch as Michigan approaches its Week 1 contest on the road against Minnesota.
What do you think will be the strongest position group on Michigan's team this season? What do you expect the team's starting secondary to look like? Let us know!
