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Note- This was supposed to be written last week. I had allotted time Friday night to write this, but was sadly interrupted by the fact that there is NO WIFI ANYWHERE IN MORGANTOWN, WEST VIRGINIA. Yes, I was in the home of the Mountaineers where my alma mater came thiiiis close to one of the biggest wins in program history. Still, I apologize for the lateness of this post.
(Previously on the countdown: Number Five, Number Four, Number Three, Number Two)
THE REDSHIRT FRESHMAN
Kyle Kalis, Offensive Lineman; 6'5, 302
Because duh. Kalis comes into the season with mountains of hype after locking up the RG job at some point in spring when he abruptly chose to stop making freshman mistakes. Since then, he has had a vice like grip on the job despite the numbers of young players looking to take it away from him. Couple that with his recruiting profile and a Taylor-Lewan-but-guard career path becomes the trend. Based on what I saw from him on Saturday, it seems as though Kalis will actually be able to stand up to that kind of hype this year.
THE FRESHMAN
Dymonte Thomas, Safety; 6'2, 190
After watching Saturday's game, it's become clear to me that I should have had Channing Stribling in this countdown somewhere, but I still can't justify putting him here instead of Thomas. Thomas had a Denard-esque entrance to his Michigan career, making as big a play as he possibly could during his first snap. While it was somewhat surprising to see Furman trot out in place of Gordon (instead of Dymonte), chances are Furman's hold on the backup job will cave once Dymonte grows a bit. It could also be that the coaches want to make sure he has a firm grip on his responsibilities as a nickel back before they thrust another position on him.
EITHER WAY. The leash on Thomas Gordon is somewhat long now, but if he goofs and Dymonte improves, it could quickly shrink. Gordon is a solid player, but he'll never be quite as gifted. Assuming Dymonte is the heir apparent at the SS position, the coaches will try to incorporate him more and more into their gameplans as the season wears on. One bad game and Gordon could be out of the lineup.