What would be a successful season for you?
With kickoff approaching (in theory -- only two months away!), I typically try do a "setting expectations" exercise for myself. It's really useful during the season, so I can judge M not by the last few games but by what seemed good from the outset.
Here's my exercise for that, would love your thoughts. I think these are high expectations, but not unreasonable.
COVID:
- Nobody on M is hospitalized with COVID.
- M follows medical guidelines fully, instead of trying to dance around the rules.
- M is vigilant about the fan experience, seriously limiting seating in the Big House (or having 0 spectators) consistent with medical guidelines.
Offense:
- We keep doing Harbaughfense (sic?) run game stuff.
- The QB controversy is clearly resolved.
- The QB makes the correct decision on read options so they become a useful part of our game.
- The QB has pocket presence.
- We use more traditional power stuff (Ben Mason and I-Form!) in short yardage.
- The H-Back position gets serious play (Chris Evans? Jackson or Sainristil?)
- Nico Collins draws > 10 DPI and is drafted within the first two rounds.
- We get > 75 yards out of the slot receiver position every game.
- The O-Line is not a liability.
- Steuber and Mayfield are + OTs.
- One of the waterbugs is All Big-Ten.
- We actually use tempo.
Defense:
- Hinton and Smith become + DT's. At least one of them gets early-entry hype.
- Same, but for Adian Hutchinson at the edge.
- At least one of the "build-a-DT's" gets playing time, and I'm not unhappy with how they did.
- Cam McGrone's instincts develop and the Devin Bush comps bear fruit.
- Dax Hill is all All Big 10 safety.
- The third corner situation gets sorted. (Gray and Thomas and ???)
Total:
- We win every game but OSU and (one more).
- We are competitive in every game, including OSU.
- No clear vulnerability/weakness emerges that we gnash our teeth about (e.g. Watson during the OSU game, crossing routes, thin DT position, running read stuff where the QB always gives, etc.)
- Josh Gattis gets noise as a possible HC.
- We boatrace Mel Tucker.
Actually taking the field at Washington on opening weekend....
Anything beyond that is gravy.
Yes. End thread.
Yep. Football of any type would be a sign of America beginning to move forward. I'll take that even if it means an 0-12 season.
Well I hope you get that 0-12 season, I really do.
I’d be overjoyed if we got in a full big ten schedule even if Washington didn’t happen. Not only would that mean we’d get to watch lots of good football, it would mean that Covid was largely under control.
"...it would mean that Covid was largely under control."
Or that we're ignoring it as best we can (like we do with the flu). I'm good with either measure, so long as we're truthful about it. Stop the political games, admit it for what it is, and find a path to move on with things...
Here are some scenarios that are not political where it might be difficult to play a game:
1. Hospitals are at the point that ICUs are largely full and elective surgeries are being cancelled. As is happening in the Houston area right now and has happened in multiple states since this began. This could very well involve local restrictions to large events that could preclude football.
2. A team has a significant number of players test positive and other players in quarantine who were in close proximity such that they can’t field a team.
3. 1 team is in an area of very low prevalence, the other is in an area of high prevalence and there are travel restrictions
Any or all of these things seem to me likely scenarios that could derail individual games. While the measures taken will be made by politicians and will likely be politicized that doesn’t mean that the people making the decisions are doing so as part of a political game (some of them may be, but many are just trying to do their jobs).
I know it's unfair, unrealistic, etc, but a successful season is beating OSU and losing no more than two games. That's the standard for a good season.
Just to highlight how in the weeds we've been, that outcome would still probably be considered a failure for tOSU, Alabama or Clemson.
This is the answer. THEEEEEEEEEEEE ohio does lose a game a year, this year it needs to be against us. This will be harbaugh's 6th attempt at it and we are not a B1G also ran like Rutgers / Maryland / Purdue, etc., so people need to have some expectations of him and his coaching staff to get this done.
You had me at season.
I know this is a bit unfair, but it's going to be hard to be happy with the season unless we beat Ohio St. and/or win the Big Ten. Otherwise it's going to be yet another offseason of everyone mentioning how long it's been since we beat Ohio St. or won the Big Ten any time they talk about Michigan football. I remember a time when that wasn't the first thing anyone mentioned when talking about Michigan football, it was nice.
That's true, back in the day we never spoke about how long it had been since we won the B1G or how long it had been since we beat OSU. Never.
Because the time frame for one or both events happening was usually measured in months, not years.
Or years, not decades.
We also used to be able to tie for the B1G, which can't happen anymore. So just because there are now 14 teams and divisions anda championship game, winning the B1G is more difficult and will be much less commonplace than every era before.
I think we're to the point that no season can be construed as a success unless we beat Ohio State for once. Maybe if somehow you go 11-1 with an OSU and get to the CFP somehow, but even that feels hollow. This program is stuck until we can start beating Ohio again
I’ll continue to disagree with this. I think if Maryland beat osu a couple years ago sewing the east for UM, it would have been a positive step for the program allowing them a legit story for recruits. “We’re still building. We’re still getting there. Now we need you to get us over OSU.”
Any new achievement under Harbaugh can be seen that way, even in year six. Win the big ten while losing to OsU is still getting better and can be used to recruit.
“If Maryland.....”. Blah blah blah
You have a lot of expectations. I only have one.
Putting a freeze on that constitutional two-term limit in Russia?!?!?
I know Putin is public enemy number 1 for half the country for boogeyman reasons now, but from a dispassionate viewpoint he did great things for Russia in his first 10 years as President, considering where they were when he took over.
He makes Washington's willingness to step down after 8 years even more remarkable.
Well, if you ignore the apartment building explosions that helped him consolidate power, sure.
He is no choir boy that's for sure. But Russia in 1999 was not a good place. Their economy was in shambles, the government was so corrupt the Russian mafia was ashamed and they were fighting a secession war in the Caucasus. Russia was nearly a failed state that our government was paying to buy nukes from in fear they would fall into the wrong hands.
10 years later they were back to being a world power. And it was mostly because of Putin. I'm impressed with what the man accomplished in those 10 years. I would have been even more impressed if he stepped aside in 2008 like Washington did for us.
You should read "The Man Without A Face", it might change some of those thoughts. Also worth reading is "Red Notice".
And calling Russia a "world power" is a bit off. It's a highly corrupt country run by a mafia-like group. The head of that group is a thug who literally tries to have people murdered (and has). Not sure if "impressive" is the word that comes to mind.
Meh. Sounds a lot like America these days.
Just googling the books and reading the blurb tells me enough not to bother to read either of them. I lived through the era, I don't know about you. I watched the former Soviet Union's disintegration occur with joy. Until it became a little scary how much ordnance was laying around being sold to the highest bidder (which was usually us, thankfully). And how much of a power vacuum was being left behind without their existence.
Putin stopped all that. And no, Russia is no Soviet Union. But they are a world power, chiefly on the back of their natural resources and what they can afford because of those resources; 1000's of nukes and other military assets and their willingness to use those military assets.
I suspect once Putin dies Russia will fade away to be Canada with nukes and endemic corruption. Had he passed on the torch like Washington, maybe they would be a functioning democracy like ours? We'll never know.
You lived through the era? You mean in Russia? Watching the nightly news from America doesn't constitute living through something. I don't doubt he helped the economy but also weird you think they'll be more corrupt and less powerful after Putin. Like they're just incapable of being a functional country without him. Russia has major advantages over Canada in being a world power. They have like 5 times the population and geographically have more influence on the rest of the world. But I'd also argue they're not as strong as you think. They're mostly a global power by being the most outspoken defenders of despotic regimes.
I haven't watched the nightly news for any longer than it takes for whoever controls the clicker to get sick of me bitching about it since I was 10. I read things. A lot of things. I form an opinion based on those things.
Russia hasn't proven they are capable of being a functional country without a strongman type, no. They may have been in 2008, thanks to Putin. But we didn't get to find out. Also thanks to Putin.
Make plays in key situations. Win every game. Play like champions. I don't concede any game to any team.
Actually playing the sport.
Peace, health, and happiness on Earth. Oh yeah, and beat Ohio State. Unfortunately those seem like they're all equally difficult to attain.
A successful season would be getting to go to the apple orchard/pumpkin patch this fall. If football happens to be on when I get home that would be cool too.
Two losses at most. A close loss to OSU in Columbus, like 45-41. A win in a NYD bowl game.
Sad isn’t it that we’re hoping for a close loss to OSU?
After the 2016 loss, a game we should have won in Columbus, I thought we would beat OSU at home the next season. However, we did not have a decent QB. O'korn was a disaster in the OSU game. If we would have had Shea in that game we would have beaten OSU. We had them on the ropes there in the 2nd QTR. This season one of the young QBs will win the starting job and in 2021 have that much more experience. Still worried about the the defense but I think a high scoring offense will finally give Harbaugh a home victory over OSU in 2021.
Yeah, but we had Shea in 2018 and 2019, and neither time did we almost beat them, so.
Yes, but I think OSU was overall a weaker team in 2016 and 2017. They transformed into elite status when Meyers' high star recruits made their starts. It will be very difficult to beat them in the future unless our recruiting takes a step up but that probably will not happen until we make the playoffs. So we are kind of stuck in that good team but not elite team status.
I'd like to see Michigan accomplish two things against Ohio State. Hold them under 42 points and lose by less than 21 points.
Sad. So sad. So very sad.
There is only one thing that will make a successful season. We all know that isn’t happening.
That was Bo's requirement for a successful season. I think the earliest this could happen will be at home in 2021.
"I think the earliest this could happen will be at home in 2021."
You really put yourself out on the edge with this statement!
I'm hoping that Dylan or Joe with a year of starting under their belt, will become the QBs that can make those key plays to upset OSU at home in 2021. Otherwise it will be JJ as QB at home in 2023.
I am 40 years old and don’t expect to see another win over OSU the rest of the life. Day is a better coach than Meyer. Michigan will never get this figured out.
At this point, having a season at all. Even if we do get boatraced by you guys, that would be better than not having any football to watch all fall.
Edit: in terms of season results for MSU, I'd say win 6 games. This year's team likely won't be as good as last year, but last year's team underachieved and should have been 8-4 were it not for two idiotic defensive play calls on 4th and 15+. I think it's fair to put this year's target where last year's team ended up, considering last year's team fell short.
The schedule is... not ideal. I'd like to extend a big middle finger to whoever gave us @Iowa, UM, OSU, @Indiana, and Minnesota in consecutive weeks. Even so, NW, @BYU, Toledo, Miami, @Indiana, Rutgers, and @Maryland are all winnable, and maybe we can steal one @Iowa too.
With the lack of experience on both the O and D lines I’m not expecting much.
10 win season. Improved speed everywhere. Exciting QB play. Win a game we aren't favored in.
I think there will only be 2 games we are not favored in @ Washington and @ OSU. I think we have a better chance @ WA. If the OSU game is close and we can win NYD bowl game that would be a successful season.
Favored currently against Washington
Be competitive with OSU and PSU and only lose one conference game. Or if we lose two or more conference games and three or more games overall, still win at least 8 games and beat OSU. I'll happily take a close loss to OSU for winning the remainder of the schedule or happily take a 3-4 loss season if we beat OSU. But, another 9-3 season and a blowout to OSU will feel shitty.
On fans (and I realize this is easier to say as a non ticket holder) my hope is that we allow:
1. Any student season ticket-holder that wants to be there to come. I can’t imagine this significantly elevating risk of spread as students will have plenty of contact already in dorms, inevitable other gatherings etc. An outdoor environment is probably the best place for them to gather and giving them outlets like this that give them as normal a college experience as possible may even help with compliance of other social distancing requirements.
2. Have a clearly separated section for friends and family of players, coaches etc and allow each a small number of tickets.
3. Allow boxes in a way that is consistent with state requirements for bars