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.
Not get smoked by OSU.
Beat MSU and PSU.
Playing a full conference schedule in safe conditions. Sure, Washington would be nice, but I’d happily settle for a 9-game season and a victory over OSU.
Be better than we've been under harbaugh. 2016 but with more speed more excitement and a better job at finishing the job. Don't lose stupid games. Actually run a spread up-tempo offense. Run the ball in a dominant fashion! Beating Penn State Wisconsin Washington Michigan State in Minnesota by shutting them down and running the ball down their throat.
My goal for the season is to make the playoff. This is a change from all other years where I would say the goal is to win the Big Ten. I actually think making the playoff is more likely than beating OSU (sigh). Granted, 11-1 with a loss to OSU isn't a lock for the playoff but there would be a decent chance.
Also successful would be beating OSU and/or winning the Big Ten and not making the playoff.
Oh and good to excellent QB play would sure be nice.
Beat OSU, win the league.
Have Gattis become the next Joe Brady/Lincoln Riley
Defense lays waste to most and treads water against the elites
Break the bowl losing streak
Attend at least two games in person.
I also would like them to wear these on the road and win once this year
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If the change back to white pants had been followed by immediate success, beating OSU, making the playoff, etc., I would be for keeping them. Literally if we had just beat OSU in 2016 in them I would be for keeping them. I would have associated them with a positive feeling. I don't "dislike them," I think the all white uniforms are pretty sharp as a standalone look. However, instead of associating positive feelings with them, I have began to associate them with disappointment, particularly with our road performances as of late.
Put side by side, the maize (yellowish) pants are objectively a better look, IMO. This is the point where I would change back if I had the call.
I kinda like straight up alternating both of them. I hate the all maize look from 2017 Florida.
All white looks weak IMHO and in most cases they play like crap in them. Bring back maize pants. Hell, mix it up with blue pants. But the all white needs to go. This isn’t 1976 Jimmy.
I’m not sure you know what objectively means.
Beat OSU.
Win the Big Ten.
Neither one is happening.
11 Wins including the bowl = success
10 Wins = push
9 Wins = let down
8 Wins = coach goes on the hot seat
Win over Ohio State no matter the record = priceless
The only way I see Michigan winning only 8 games or less is if there is a rash of injuries to key players. I hope this not the case. But Harbabugh will not be on the hot seat. Though he may start looking to the NFL if he feels Michigan is just stuck as an 8 to 10 win per season team.
Beat osu, win big ten
Zero Harbaughfense, 100% Gattispeed
I dunno how contradictory those are? By Habraughffense I more meant, like, his tinkering with the run game and getting fun / mean things going there. I don't mean, like, 7 step drops and fullback dives on second-and-7.
Harbaughfense I think of the Stanford pic where there are 40 fullbacks.
I would like to see some evidence the staff recognizes the era of football we are currently in. This evidence would come in the form of occasionally trying to score quickly, not dicking around at the end of the half and being forced to attempt 50+ yard FGs because they were more concerned with killing the clock than scoring, if a team is begging them to throw the ball that they go ahead and do it, not worrying about killing the clock until late in the fourth quarter, and moving a bit towards a bend but don't break defense.
Considering that very few <21 year olds have had serious issues with the virus and most have been asymptomatic, I really wouldn't be concerned. I'd be more concerned if they got the flu which kills more younger adults than the Wuhan Covid virus.
But, I'll consider having any season a success regardless of the team's record. I just want to watch college football.
Would love to see your work on that. It is certainly true at younger ages, but I think in the 15 to 2 year old age bracket the number if deaths are quite similar if we start to approach 200,000 deaths. The risk of both is relatively small (they are much more likely to die in a car accident than of either the flu or covid,
Providing the season runs as planned (whatever the hell that might be), I want a win over OSU. Preferably a big, huge, blowout win. But in the event of a loss, I want an actual competitive game in that cess pool. I mean, 4 quarters competitive to where either team can win. Like 2016 competitive. Not another blowout, with or without caveats. Not another face kick. I'm pretty well conditioned to dong punches (like a bad spot), but full-on face kicks are not something I want to be part of...
1-11, only victory vs Ohio State.
Whoever the QB is being 1st or 2nd Team All Big.
If they play (big IF) this team is going 8-4.
Having a full season thru The Game would beat my expectations.
Once students are back on campus and the line at Skeeps is all the way down the street to the Cube, my fear is players will start testing positive and the tracing / quarantine begins. I guess they could shutdown all bars, but they can't stop a college campus from partying. Social distancing is the antithesis of the college experience.
10 regular season wins and a bowl win.
We beat OSU.
A successful season is beating OSU. Full stop. Nothing else matters.
Win the Big 10
My biggest QB goal is hitting deep throws over the top. Most of shea’s deep throws were jump balls underthrown (sometimes on purpose), but never that deep post in stride for a 60 yard TD. Only throw I can think of over a defense was DPJ vs MSU 2018. You hit it a couple times throughout the season, safeties back up, opens up more of the field to establish the run game. Until brown proves otherwise against Day, Michigan needs to be prepared to either take the Army approach and milk as much clock as possible for that game, or to score 60+ on the buckeyes. 30-40 points most likely won’t beat them, at least not the last two years. I really hope brown figures it out this time.
Given the past 15 years, I'd be happy if the team loses no more than one game and wins the bowl game.
Just having a season. I want football so badly
What I expect in five years:
At least one 11-2 season or better
Beat OSU once or twice
Go to Indianapolis at least once
I really don't think that's asking too much. It's year six.
Lol.
1. Actually having a season
2. Beating 2/3 of MSU PSU Wisconsin
3. must retain the LIttle Brown Jug
4. Sigh... it'd be nice to beat that team down South, but probably not gonna happen...
WI and PSU will be at home and revenge games, I sure the hell hope we can beat these two teams at home.
MN will be a tough road game, more so because Michigan does not play well on the road at night (this will be one of those night road games), but we have more talent and should keep the jug.
I just hope OSU does not embarrass us again like the past two games.
Hoping for an 11-0 season, where COVID cancels The Game and the postseason. Michigan then claims at least a share of the Big Ten title and people will whine less about Michigan's shortcomings against Ohio State and in bowl games*. Would be even more hilarious if OSU loses a game because they overprepare for a game that doesn't happen.
*From the way NFL-bound players value bowl games by sitting out in them, fans should adjust the value they place in them.
At this point, a successful football season is having any season at all. But beyond that:
Beat OSU. Don’t care how bad a game it is or how ugly it is. Just find a way to do it, and if you can’t find a way, make a way. Then, just take MSU to the cleaners and beat them down in front of their own fans.
Beyond that, I don’t care. Don’t care if it means we go to the Pinstripe Bowl and play Syracuse.
If you can’t beat OSU, then make an NY6 bowl and beat a non G5 team. Anything else, season is a bona fide failure.
I could live with 12-1,12-2, 13-2 or 14-0
Anything less than a Big Ten championship is a failure.
That said, there are varying degrees of failure - some more successful/acceptable than others.
If we could have a BTN season with TV only and severely kick Sparty’s ass. Just trying to have realistic hopes.
Win the conference. I'd obviously love a win over OSU but that is not a hard requirement for success to me.
A road win against the hated team down south along with a win in Indy. We have to take the Big Ten championship. This would put us in the playoffs. Never going to give up on that dream.
Go into the Shoe and get a w.
Beat OSU & Get to Indy...nothing more, nothing less.
1-11 with an OSU win.
To Play.
A successful season for me starts with the quarterback being comfortable enough with the offense and his reads to be able to take advantage of what the defense gives them. When a corner is providing the boundary wideout ten yards of cushion, let's take advantage of that and get the ball to him quickly. When there is room for the quarterback to trot eight yards and safely go out of bounds on a run play with a read, let's do that. There are many plays where the defenses's weak point is not as evident, and in those cases, I would like a quarterback that knows where his receivers are going to be and is able to look through his progressions. Whomever wins the QB battle has had time to learn the system, and I believe Michigan has enough weapons on offense to shred anybody with competent quarterback play.
Don't ask Indiana how this works, but I figure if you play a team a bunch of times in a row you have to win eventually right? If our offense is a fully evolved pokemon by the end of the season, I think we have a shot!
As many games as are played Wins to 0 Losses!
Go Blue!
11-2 w/ NY6 bowl win, same bar every year, hasn't been met yet.