Tag: Nick Eubanks

5 players to watch: Michigan football at Rutgers

Michigan football is trying to fix things after losing again to Wisconsin. Who are the five players to focus on this week against Rutgers?

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When it rains, it pours, as the Wolverines continue to slide down further in the rut they are in this season.

Last week, Michigan lost 49-11 to No. 10 Wisconsin at home and fall to 1-3 on the year, a thing nobody was expecting to see heading into this week’s game against Rutgers.

Michigan comes into the game this week with the same record as its opponent. Rutgers is 1-3 as it is on a losing streak itself, with its last win coming against Michigan State on opening week. Now, three weeks later, both teams can’t seem to get it done no matter who it goes up against.

Michigan surprisingly lost its rivalry game against Michigan State; it couldn’t handle a red hot Indiana team, and the team couldn’t make Wisconsin look like a team that hadn’t played in three weeks. Rutgers, on the other hand, has had some challenges as well. Rutgers also lost to Indiana, then had to take on the Buckeyes and put up a better fight than in years past, then lost to the former worst team in the Big Ten, the Illinois Fighting Illini.

This game is a doozy for both teams as each team wants to finally get back into the win column after being on the other end for the past three weeks. Michigan needs this win more than Rutgers, as losing to the Scarlet Knights would be the biggest loss under head coach Jim Harbaugh, and it would speak louder than any of the previous losses this year. Rutgers has seemed to be improved despite the record, and getting a win over the Wolverines could change the tide for them. What five players should you focus on when the lights turn on and the two schools battle Saturday night?

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Michigan players confident team will ‘bounce back stronger than ever’

After a stunning upset in Big Ten Week 2, the Wolverines are sure they’ll get back in the winning column against the Hoosiers on Saturday.

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ANN ARBOR, Mich. — At the moment, Michigan football fans are still in meltdown mode after losing at home to rival MSU on Saturday. It was a game that the Wolverines were predicted to win — and win big — with ESPN FPI having a 90-plus percentage in the maize and blue’s favor.

Fans and some, mostly national, media are saying that head coach Jim Harbaugh’s days in Ann Arbor are numbered, with the loss being viewed that unfavorably. Given the expectations for that game in particular, and with it being a rivalry game, it’s a fair question to ask — can Harbaugh get the job done?

But Harbaugh tempered the expectations placed on him back when he was hired, saying he makes no guarantees. Were the expectations for him too high, given what Michigan has been as a program well before he arrived?

“I definitely think that Coach Harbaugh is held to a high standard,” fourth-year linebacker Josh Ross said. “That’s just how Michigan is and that’s just the pedestal that us in the program are put on – and it’s a blessing. That’s how I feel about it.”

But is that fair? Ross demures: “I think it’s not as – I don’t know. No comment on that.”

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While fans are lighting their proverbial torches and sharpening their pitchforks, that doesn’t appear to be the mood in Schembechler Hall.

Fans have the luxury of proclaiming the season over and tuning out. The team cannot do that, however — not if it wants to claim some semblance of success this year. It must galvanize, as there are still seven promised games left in 2020, barring any COVID-related cancellations.

Ross is aware of what was supposed to happen on Saturday, but there’s nothing he can do to change the outcome. Whatever happened is in the past, and now he’s focused on making sure he and his teammates are ready for what comes next.

“We definitely suffered a tough loss, we definitely did,” Ross said. “But at the end of the day, us as players, we all we got. We gotta emphasize that to each other, just communicating and talking – we all we got. We’re just gonna continue pushing forward and bounce back stronger than ever.”

With No. 13 Indiana up next, there are, again, no guarantees.

The Hoosiers are usually the underdog, unranked against a highly-ranked Michigan team. However, this week, Indiana finds itself with the same AP-ranking that the Wolverines had before Big Ten Week 2.

If Michigan wins, then it could be on its way to salvaging the shortened season after unspeakable calamity. Lose and it’s a national punchline, with no one but itself to blame.

“That’s the only thing that’s gonna get the sour taste out of our mouth is to win the next game,” fifth-year tight end Nick Eubanks said. “That’s how everybody’s mindset is right now. Especially during this season, with COVID – anybody can get beat. It’s up to us to being able to fine tune the details and being able to execute.”

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Over and over on Monday, Ross kept saying the team will bounce back. It was a statement of fact, not spoken as a casual opinion or a question of if.

Why is he so confident that the Wolverines can get back on track after the post-Minnesota freight train was so easily derailed on Halloween?

“Because of the type of guys we have on this team, the leaders we have on this team and the go-getters on this team,” Ross said. “We had a tough loss at the end of the day, but we’re gonna bounce back and we’re gonna have a great week and we’re gonna have a great rest of the season. I believe that, totally.”

Whatever Michigan intends to be, however strong or weak its resolve, we’ll know on Saturday. Keep a 32-year winning streak against the undefeated Hoosiers alive and your prize is top-tier Wisconsin. Lose and your legacy is that of a team that’s stuck in the mud, with little leverage to work its way back out onto dry land.

Jim Harbaugh updates Dax Hill, Quinn Nordin, Nick Eubanks injury status ahead of MSU

Looks like good news is coming this week for Michigan football with rival MSU forthcoming this Saturday.

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ANN ARBOR, Mich. — On Saturday, Michigan not only emerged from Minneapolis with a win, but did so mostly unscathed.

The key word being mostly.

Star safety Daxton Hill — who was solid in his play in the middle, as well as at nickel defending Rashod Bateman — left the game late in the first half and never returned. Harbaugh didn’t have an update on him after the game, other than he was still being evaluated. (Video above.)

However, on Monday, it appears that Hill will be all systems go for Saturday’s rivalry tilt vs. MSU at The Big House. Though, Harbaugh still was cautious about Hill’s status.

“I think he’s gonna be fine,” Harbaugh said. “We’ll know in the next day or so. But anticipate him practicing midweek, tomorrow or Wednesday.”

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Aside from Hill, neither tight end Nick Eubanks nor kicker Quinn Nordin played in the game. Eubanks didn’t travel, and Harbaugh said that they’ll know more about whether or not he’ll be available on Saturday shortly. “We’ll find out more about Nick today, tomorrow,” Harbaugh said.

As for Nordin, Harbaugh thinks it will be likely that he’ll be able to go on Saturday — which is a positive considering Jake Moody missed all three field goal attempts on Saturday.

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Michigan to be without one starter vs. Minnesota

The Wolverines will be without starting TE Nick Eubanks against Minnesota.

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MINNEAPOLIS — While Minnesota will be shorthanded on offense, so will Michigan in the season opener.

Per a team spokesman, the Wolverines starting tight end Nick Eubanks is out, and will not play against the Golden Gophers. Additionally, the maize and blue brought just two quarterbacks to TCF Bank Stadium — starter Joe Milton and backup Cade McNamara.

The Gophers will also be missing some key players, as both starters on the right side of the line appear to be out. Guard Daniel Faalele and tackle Curtis Dunlap have not been spotted and were not announced during the starting lineups at TCF Bank Stadium.

Stay tuned to WolverinesWire for more details.

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8 potential Chargers prospects to watch in matchup between Michigan, Minnesota

The matchup between Michigan and Minnesota will present a few prospects that could be on the Los Angeles Chargers’ radar.

The Big-10 kicks off their 2020 season today, which means there will be a handful of prospects on display to show their worth to NFL clubs.

Tonight, at 5:25 p.m. PT, Minnesota and Michigan are set to battle in primetime. There will be a few notable players from both teams that could be on the Chargers’ radar.

Michigan

OT Jalen Mayfield

The Wolverines have done a fine job at producing NFL offensive linemen throughout the years. Next in line is Mayfield, the 6-foot-5 and 320 pounder, mans the right tackle position but he is capable of being a blindside blocker. The redshirt sophomore struggles with speed at times, but he has the length and strength to neutralize power and control the point of attack as well as the athleticism and movement skills to flourish against the run and in motion.

EDGE Kwity Paye

You can never have too many pass rushers in this league, and with Melvin Ingram set to hit free agency after this season, the Chargers could be looking to add another dominate force to pair with Joey Bosa and Uchenna Nwosu. Paye, the 6-foot-3 and 271 pounder, is an explosive and speedy pass-rusher who wreaks havoc in opposing backfields. He needs to add more counters to the bag of tricks and continue to get stronger, but he has the skillset to be productive at the next level.

TE Nick Eubanks

The tight end position could be addressed at some point in the draft because the future of Hunter Henry remains to be seen, Virgil Green is a free agent after this season and the usage of Donald Parham has been minimal this season. Assuming the Chargers keep Henry, Eubanks is an ideal compliment that could develop a role with the team. Eubanks isn’t used in the passing game often, but he has the ability to thrive in one-on-one situations against linebackers as well as the length and understanding of angles to get the job done in the run-blocking department.

WR Ronnie Bell

With Nico Collins, a projected Day 2 pick option out of the 2020 season, Bell will have his opportunity to shine as the No. 1 wideout. Bell, the 6-foot and 184 pounder, finished 2019 with 49 receptions, 758 yards and a touchdown. Bell is an exciting open-field athlete with speed and the twitched-up ability to be elusive. He is outstanding at tracking and going and getting it, but he does have lapses in concentration and dropped passes that need to be cleaned up this season.

Minnesota

WR Rashod Bateman

The Chargers could afford to bring an explosive element to the wide receiver position. Bateman, the 6-foot-2 and 210 pounder, led the Big Ten in receiving yards per catch (20.3) last season. A savvy route runner, Bateman has good play speed, strong balance and reliable hands to be a threat at all levels of the field.

OT Daniel Faalele

Even if Faalele wasn’t a prospect, you wouldn’t go without recognizing this man. Standing at 6-foot-9 and 400 pounds, Faalele is a giant human being. While he has a large stature, he is quite athletic and agile. He has the long arms, strong hands, and the mental and physical toughness that has been profoundly tested. He will have to keep that up against Paye.

OL Conner Olson

The Chargers need more depth along the interior part of the offensive line, and Olson would supply that since he has the versatility to play both center and guard. Olson, the 6-foot-5 and 310 pounder, is the ultimate lunch-pail worker with the competitive grit, base strength and IQ that translates well to the pro game.

CB Benjamin St-Juste

St-Juste is one of the more underrated corners in college football who could see a rise in his draft stock as the season goes on. The 6-foot-2 and 210 pounder has size, length, ball skills and aggressiveness to disrupt and be a playmaker at any given moment. In 2019, he recorded a 26.2% forced incompletion rate in 2019 — the eighth-best mark in the FBS, per Pro Football Focus.

Why Erick All is ‘going to be unbelievable’ at Michigan

Why senior tight end Nick Eubanks anticipates the second-year Wolverine will have an outstanding career in Ann Arbor when football resumes.

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ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Every year, when the new roster is released, there’s always an abundance of over-analysis that takes place, in regards to weight gained and weight lost. However, in the case of second-year tight end Erick All, perhaps his sizing up is not being spoken about enough.

According to the official listing, All is up 13 pounds from when he checked in with the team just prior to fall camp in 2019, adding size to what seemed to be a wide receiver frame. He still has all of those attributes that would make a solid wideout, but now in a tight end’s body, coming in at 242-pounds.

His teammate and fellow tight end Nick Eubanks sees big things on the horizon for All, noting why he could be unstoppable whenever he sees the field next.

“That kid is an amazing kid,” Eubanks said. “Off the field, on the field. I’ve never seen no tight end with his size, his speed, frame and the way he approaches each practice. The guy’s locked in every day. You can tell by the way he practices. Catches everything. He’s fast, he gets in and out of breaks. He’s not afraid to put his head in and make some blocks. I mean, he’s going to be unbelievable in terms of what he can do for this team and I think he’ll do a lot for this team. I can’t wait to see him develop as a player, too.”

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All didn’t see nearly as much time as anticipated as an early-enrollee who had gathered a ton of positive press in the spring of 2019. With just 117 snaps under his belt and a singular reception, no matter what he does whenever the Big Ten allows football again, will be a win.

Nonetheless, especially given that Eubanks’ own future at Michigan is uncertain with the 2020 season effectively canceled, All coming into his own is necessary for the Wolverines’ offense to remain on cue whenever football is able to resume.

Michigan’s Nick Eubanks waiting to make NFL draft decision

The Wolverines tight end came back to finish his eligibility, but now he doesn’t know what to do.

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ANN ARBOR, Mich. — One Wolverine has seen enough, and apparently took off his winged helmet for the last time back on Jan. 1 as Michigan faced Alabama in the VRBO Citrus Bowl.

That was right tackle Jalen Mayfield, but what about those players who heavily considered entering the 2020 NFL Draft just to decide to stay on campus and find themselves without football in the interim?

Of those who came back for another year were tight end Nick Eubanks, defensive end Kwity Paye and wide receiver Nico Collins — none of whom had announced their intentions to stay, wait and see how things play out, if there is a spring season or not, or any of the other variables that are currently unknown.

But on Wednesday, Eubanks made known that he is in the wait-and-see camp, at least for the moment, especially since he did decide to come back and ride out his final year of eligibility.

“Personally, I think about that a lot, especially now because the season being postponed,” Eubanks said. “Right now I’m just gonna stick around and train for a couple amount of months then see what it goes from there in terms of me making a decision of whether or not – whether or not there’s a spring decision or not – I think I’ll make my decision by then and see where I go from there.”

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But what if there is no spring season and Eubanks has to wait until Fall 2021 to see the field again? Would he continue to wait and still strap on the winged helmet for another year? Or would he try his hand at the NFL?

Again, there are a lot of unknowns at the moment, and Eubanks doesn’t have the answers save to wait and see.

“That’s a common question I get asked all the time,” Eubanks said. “Not saying I have an answer, but I’m taking this time to soak in what I can do now and what’s available to me now. That’s a long thought down the road, too. Like I said, just to sit down with the older guys to make that decision, because basically, that’s who I’m gonna be around next year if there is one. I think about that a lot and I give that some heavy thought every time I walk into Schembechler Hall and just being around the team, you get that same sensation about coming back and just trying to give it one more shot, even if things don’t go well or do go well, that’s something I’d think about a lot.”

Eubanks’ lumping in his decision with ‘the older guys’ is curious, as it seems that it may end up being something of a group decision.

A member of the 2016 recruiting class, he and a handful of other elder statesmen — including some from 2017 and 2018 — will have some decisions to make.

As of right now, there’s a ton of uncertainty. Could a spring season be a reality or was it merely a carrot dangled in the wind by the conference to entice players, staff and fans to not revolt more than they already have? Given that no plans have been released just yet, and players and parents have been petitioning the Big Ten for answers and a potential season reinstatement, we’re short on answers there.

But Eubanks does note: yes, it may be either a group exodus once football starts back up again, or conversely, it could be a case where they all have their last hurrah in Ann Arbor.

“There’s not too many older dudes here, but I talk to guys like Carlo, Kwity and Aidan – guys like that – Chris Evans,” Eubanks said. “We talk about that and it might be something we’re sitting on in terms of us next year, whether there’s a season next year – that’s a long thought. But one day (we’ll) sit down with those guys and we’ll talk about it.

“That’s one thing – I don’t know for sure – and they’re probably thinking the same thing: they don’t know for sure whether the decision will come down to all of us. I personally think that one or two guys fall into one plan, I think others will follow. That’s how tight we’ve been the last couple years or the last couple months. I honestly don’t know what those guys are gonna do, but I do know one thing: once we come down to one decision and those guys make their decision, I think the rest will follow.”

Nick Eubanks shows off offseason improvement in new hype video

The Wolverines TE looks bulked up in an offseason hype video he posted on Instagram.

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Michigan has been displaced since March when spring ball was canceled just as it was set to begin due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Much, if not all, of the team is back in Ann Arbor now as voluntary workouts are set to begin June 22, but how do the players look now, especially those who had returned back home for the past several months to quarantine?

Well, to look at senior tight end Nick Eubanks — pretty good.

Eubanks is looking beefed up and ready to take over the starting TE position with Sean McKeon moving onto the NFL. He took to Instagram to show some highlights of a recent workout, presumably down in his native Florida.

Watch below:

(Warning: Foul language)