Exciting Tidbits
Reality Check - we have a top ten recruiting class right now, a kick-ass coach and tons of star-potential youngsters.
Excitement abounds
The stadium renovations (going to be loud!) and new practice facility (which will both be awe inspiring) will help recruiting even more next year.
We had an awesome recruiting class last year, with a ton of the kids redshirting. This means a bigger stronger faster meaner Roundtree, T-Rob, Omameh, Barnum, Smith, and Floyd to name a few.
Not to mention guys like Martin, Cissoko, Odoms, Shaw, Fitzgerald and Stonum all got a ton of experience by true freshman standards.
There is the potential to a top 5 recruiting class this year with a strong close (Campbell, Robinson, snake oil 1, snake oil 2).
Other reasons for excitement:
- Brandon Graham destroying QB's (fingers and toes crossed)
- Another off season of Barwisization
- Brandon Minor and Carlos Brown destroying safeties and linebackers next year (over-under on Minor-caused concussions is 3.5)
- Hemingway will be back
- Offensive line that will be big-ten caliber with depth
- Forcier and an improved/healthy Dual-Threet
- Jonas Mouton's potential & Obi Ezeh being another year better
- T-Rob and Gallon to help out Odoms
- About 9 months to figure out who can return kicks without fumbling (freshmen?)
- Incoming FG kicker that hits like a linebacker
- And of course - Zoltan
- Who are the top candidates to return kick-offs and punts?
- What incoming freshmen will have the biggest impact? (Update - Picking Tate Forcier is cheating...not really and I agree he will have a big impact, but could it be someone else? For instance, I don't know anyone that thought Odoms would have had as big an impact as he did. Another good question would be, who do you guys think will be the biggest 'sleeper' impact player in the class next year?)
December 30th, 2008 at 12:25 PM ^
I think Forcier has the biggest potential for making an immediate impact.. then again Gallon and Lalota look great as well.
December 30th, 2008 at 12:33 PM ^
You just made my day. Taking everything into account, and being an optimist about Forcier's development (starting next week, I think next year should be exciting.
Is it too much to make a comparison to John Beilien's first two years?
Kick of or Punts: Gallon
Impact: Gallon, Forcier (hopefully) and Will Campbell (I still believe)
December 30th, 2008 at 1:05 PM ^
The Beilein comparison is interesting
Especially on the recruiting front. A lot was made of Beilein not getting big name recruits, but look at how much Stu and Novak have contributed already. He knows what he likes in players and goes after it. I think RR and his coaches have the same type of game plan as far as getting the players that mesh with the attitude and system of the coaching staff. I think a lot of the freshmen and sophomores will have a big time impact next year.
Also - after learning the system and getting the guys to buy into it, it should start to become much more effective, like the basketball team on offense and with the 1-3-1 this year. I expect a huge leap forward with the whole 'fast guys playing fast' objective now that the guys have experience and won't have to think as much.
December 30th, 2008 at 1:13 PM ^
Agree 100% on learning the system.
We started out games well at times, but couldn't make the adjustments needed to keep defenses on their toes because we didn't know the system well enough.
December 30th, 2008 at 12:36 PM ^
Great entry.
I like Odoms(punts...because of his ninja quickness) and Booboo(kicks...just because he is a bad ass). Those two are going to be stars.
I think Tate will have the biggest impact.
December 30th, 2008 at 12:58 PM ^
Booboo is a bad ass - definitely on the all-uniform team with the towel and the arm bands! (no homo)
December 30th, 2008 at 12:59 PM ^
I am happy again.
December 30th, 2008 at 1:03 PM ^
And Spring football only a couple months away!
December 30th, 2008 at 2:01 PM ^
Tate Forcier will have the biggest impact, good or bad. And look for Gallon to do returns.
December 30th, 2008 at 3:37 PM ^
As much I have always supported Michigan Footbal regardless of the coach or the results, the last few weeks have been a head scratcher from a propaganda and misinformation standpoint. Your post reminds us all of the good things that Michigan Football has and virtually unlimited potential of this team and staff.
We (me included) all need to remember this is STILL Michigan and we are not the fiasco that is ND or what happened at Nebraska. The list you have provided stands as a resume of what is and will be for Michigan Football. Those who don't stay . . . be gone. The rest of us will enjoy the championships that are coming.
December 30th, 2008 at 6:02 PM ^
This is a very good post and something we need as we watch bowl games without Michigan in them for the first time in three decades. Here are my thoughts on this post....
---I like the comment about Beilein because I think he's helping RR indirectly by showing us what a year can do to a program in transition.
---The fact is, Michigan's offense started either five or six freshman for each game this year. I don't care what team you are or how good those freshmen are, that's a recipe for disaster.
---I think the biggest impact freshman (besides Forcier) will be a defensive lineman. They need depth there and someone is going to have to replace the guys from this year.
--- A lot of people are down on the QB position with Beaver departing and Threet struggling late in the year. To make you feel better, look up Ryan Mallet's freshman statistics sometime. His TD/INT ratio was the same as Threet's and he had a lower completion percentage. Oh, and did I mention that he had a veteran OL, Manningham, Arrington, and Hart around him along with a system he was suited for? Threet is never going to be dominant in this offense and maybe injuries will always dog him. But I think he can be good as he and the players around him develop.
--- I'm interested to see what happens with the Odoms/T-Rob/Gallon threesome next year. Who gets the bulk of the playing time? Who returns kicks?
--- I think Odoms takes a lesser role on offense but becomes the #1 PR. I don't think Gallon will return kicks - RR learned his lesson about using freshmen in that role this year.
--- I have no idea who returns kicks. No one showed they were competent in that role this year.
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