MGoPodcast 13.0.a: All the Fun Things
1 hour and 17 minutes
The Sponsors
Thank you to Underground Printing for making this all possible. Rishi and Ryan have been our biggest supporters from the beginning. Check out their wide selection of officially licensed Michigan fan gear at their 3 store locations in Ann Arbor or learn about their custom apparel business at undergroundshirts.com.
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This episode however was recorded at Prentice 4M, on the other end of The Bridge, started by a couple of readers to have the perfect, affordable, safe, and clean living/renting/working space near campus.
1. Quarterback & Running Back
starts at 1:00
We try to convince Brian to care about football by showing him all the wonderful things. Like Cade McNamara is the guy but his ceiling is…Shea Patterson? J.J. McCarthy is a much better floor. Not much from Bowman. But hey, running backs! Haskins is a Dude, way too good for Charbonnet to stick around. Corum is everything we desire in a running back. Picking out roles for Edwards makes it fun, as long as we can not think about how the backs were misused last year.
[The rest of the writeup and the player after THE JUMP]
2. Wide Receiver & Tight End
starts at 27:44
Ronnie Bell is he, but also the man who led the country in average YAC in 2019. Cornelius Johnson is an easy breakout candidate. Daylen Baldwin had legit Ohio State interest. AJ Henning inherits the Giles Jackson role, while Sainristil is the Jeter of the offense: coaches hype him every offseason, yet to see it. Don’t sleep on Roman Wilson either. Tight end is thin unless the new wave of guys from nowhere appear, but All could have huge upside if he’s only more like the guy who caught everything before he learned to block.
3. Offensive Line
starts at 46:04
They clearly wanted Zinter to move to center but since that didn’t happen it’s Vastardis and both of Trente Jones and Karsen Barhart are waiting to get on the field. Not a terrible situation, really—Stueber can play and Hayes is locked in at LT, and they love Zinter, and the all-out melee at LG that Keegan won should mean he’s pretty good. We disagree re: Moore.
4. Raw Takes and How it All Fits
starts at 59:36
What is speed and space? It’s Ronnie Bell leading the country in YAC.
MUSIC:
- “Wolf Like Me”—TV on the Radio
- “Pegasi”—Jesca Hoop
- “Ghosts”—Ted Leo
- “Across 110th Street”
THE USUAL LINKS:
Some of the nails aren’t so rusty.
August 30th, 2021 at 8:05 AM ^
A Brian sighting!
August 30th, 2021 at 8:13 AM ^
The preview podcast and Brian is back? And I thought this game week couldn’t get any better. Stoked to listen!
August 30th, 2021 at 8:20 AM ^
I haven’t pressed play yet, but I’ve never been more excited to listen to Brian’s grumpy ass tell us how we’re gonna suck.
August 30th, 2021 at 9:18 AM ^
I'm halfway through and this is accurate unsurprisingly. I can't say he's totally wrong though. I feel like he's a little too pessimistic and Seth is a little too optimistic. I think Brian is too down on Haskins. He could totally be All Big Ten. That stat about 6.5 ypc or whatever it was given the crappy OL and poor QB play is pretty amazing really. I've been one of the people sad about Charbonnet leaving, but he was definitely playing 2nd fiddle to Haskins. Haskins is like Deveon Smith but faster, which is maybe not the compliment some would think, but I liked Deveon more than most people here I feel like. Explosion is nice, but it's always good to have a chain mover at RB.
August 30th, 2021 at 9:39 AM ^
Haskins is a less aggressive Matt Forte. He might play on Sundays.
August 30th, 2021 at 2:53 PM ^
Deveon was a great college player, and when we had a more conventional pro offense he was an engine for it. Not a superstar, but great at moving the chains.
August 30th, 2021 at 10:50 AM ^
Just finished. Brian definitely had his Debbie Downer hat on but it sounded like everyone was having a good time!
August 30th, 2021 at 2:52 PM ^
Upvote. Honestly very happy for Brian. But the negativity of the podcast makes me give it a hard pass. Constant negativity is just as inaccurate as constant positivity.
August 30th, 2021 at 8:22 AM ^
Looking forward to listening. Welcome back Brian.
I may be just irrationally optimistic, but I think Cade could very good this year. The sample size was small but I think in every game he played in he was effective -- very good against Rutgers, fine against Wisconsin, and if I recall he was something 5-6 passing against Penn State before the injury (he played less well when he came back but was physically limited).
August 30th, 2021 at 9:18 AM ^
if we can run the ball we can be good and the QB's won't be constantly under pressure.
O-line HAS to perform
August 30th, 2021 at 9:23 AM ^
It was his apparent take charge attitude on the field and also pressing the coaching staff to get the damn play called quicker...
August 30th, 2021 at 8:23 AM ^
This may be the craziest thing i have said about a UM player, but i am sticking to it and fight me over it!
Corum is a poor man's Barry Sanders. Yes, i think he will be that good this year.
August 30th, 2021 at 8:25 AM ^
Barry Sanders' sophomore year:
111 rushes. 640 yards. 8 TDs.
Backing up Thurman Thomas.
Okay. I'll agree with you. I doubt he matches Sanders' 1988 season next year, but let's get through 2021 first.
August 30th, 2021 at 8:30 AM ^
Well, i don't really mean statistically. I am talking more rushing style. Low to the ground/center of gravity. Great agility. Strong lower body (Sanders had tree trunks!). Great vision.
Corum to me is the exact same runner as Sanders, but obviously a little worse at all the above. Which IMO is pretty damn good!
August 30th, 2021 at 9:20 AM ^
same body type I agree, not sure on running style though, no one could make the cuts and start/stop Barry Sanders could
August 30th, 2021 at 9:52 AM ^
oh, my.
i think corum will be outstanding, but...like i said, oh my. barry sanders wasn't the best pure runner in the history of football (fight me) because of speed / vision / body type agility. what made barry barry was that he could dodge three tacklers in a phone booth. blake corum will never have those kinds of moves, but that's okay. nobody ever will.
August 30th, 2021 at 2:56 PM ^
Barry was speed in space. But the space was ridiculously small and the speed was the speed of his cuts. I had season tickets to the Lions during the Barry era and it was amazing.
But I don't know if he is as productive in this era. I don't know he would get the touches when offenses want the more spread type passing attack. He'd be just as good. Just not as productive as a pure running back. And people would lose their freakin' minds over his negative runs and social media would be all over him. 'Another run to Barry! Stubborn! He lost 2 yards!'
August 30th, 2021 at 12:07 PM ^
Eh, no way. Barry was the best running back of all time.
August 30th, 2021 at 9:45 AM ^
I also think Corum is a stud but the Sanders comp isn't even close. The closest thing to Barry Sanders elusivity was Warrick Dunn, and it still was a mile away. Corum is a different type of RB. I'd say he's closer to Maurice Jones-Drew or that RB who played at Memphis and then in pros, forgot his name I think it was Williams. Heck, corum reminds me of Hart, on steroids. But not Sanders.
August 30th, 2021 at 10:03 AM ^
That is a good comp and you are right there is a wide gap between those two. Barry could have a handful of negative runs in a game and then bust a 50 yard run when he looked dead to rights.
I have been sad to see lots of retirements (Yzerman, Trammell, Whitaker, Thomas, etc..) but none bothered me like Barry's. Felt like he had a lot more to give.
That being said I am excited to see what Corum brings this season, but I will not put that "Sanders" hype/pressure on him.
August 30th, 2021 at 10:56 AM ^
Hmm. I stand second to no man on the Blake Corum hype but I don’t know if I can go there. The best comp is still Mike Hart but fast, which admittedly is high praise. Mike Hart with elite straight line speed would have been a top five draft pick.
I do think Blake takes the starting job at some point, unless his blitz pickup isn’t as good as Hassan’s.
August 30th, 2021 at 8:31 AM ^
THIS week!
And Brian's back! And affronted.
August 30th, 2021 at 8:33 AM ^
Alex Drain: a virgin voice?
August 30th, 2021 at 9:05 AM ^
Great to hear Brian again! Hope all is well
August 30th, 2021 at 9:12 AM ^
Epic amount of ennui from Brian here. BPONE to the max.
August 30th, 2021 at 9:19 AM ^
Brian! Actual football talk!!
August 30th, 2021 at 9:19 AM ^
With Brian potentially back, does that mean Preview week is a go!?
Glad to hear you on the podcast Brian
August 30th, 2021 at 9:36 AM ^
Oh God... my productivity...
August 30th, 2021 at 9:23 AM ^
Game week wouldn't be game week without the MgoPodcast! Thanks to Brian, Seth, and Team MGoBlog. Brian, I hope you are well and welcome back!
August 30th, 2021 at 9:36 AM ^
Brian, you start the podcasts by talking about your Uber driver.
August 30th, 2021 at 9:56 AM ^
Brian is in the BPONE and that is probably the correct place to be until the next head coach search is complete.
August 30th, 2021 at 10:03 AM ^
New head coach won’t matter. Michigan athletic department will never do what it takes to compete with OSU, Bama etc. I have given up on football and follow basically all the other Michigan sports.
August 30th, 2021 at 10:23 AM ^
OSU? Bama?
Seriously?
Dude, you're serious aren't you. Holy crap. That's amazing.
You do realize we lost to MSU and went triple-overtime against effin' Rutgers last season, right? Yet your floor for even following football is supposedly "not on par with two of the three most dominating programs of the last decade"?
But you're still here, commenting about a football preview podcast, trying to convince us how little you care?
You need a hobby, man.
August 30th, 2021 at 10:30 AM ^
Yeah, this is kind of where I'm at. Except OSU, Bama, Clemson saw the writing on the wall 20 years ago and started providing benefits and money to players, and have built their programs on the base of elite recruiting, support staffs, and coaching since then. UM has the money to do this as well, and there's a window to now do things more above the table, but the window is closing for a paradigm shift on the new college football power structures and UM doesn't seem to want to be on the forefront of it.
August 30th, 2021 at 12:42 PM ^
You really think OSU, Bama and Clemson just started offering benefits and money to players 20 years ago? I hate to tell you but benefits and money have been happening in college sports since the start.
College sports has always been corrupt, probably more corrupt when it exploded in the '20's and '30's. Yet Michigan has the most wins in college football history.
Leadership and coaching is the problem with Michigan.
August 30th, 2021 at 11:10 AM ^
What's it like being an invertebrate, Dean?
August 30th, 2021 at 11:48 AM ^
I agree with you about the Michigan AD, but I still think that a coaching change would be an improvement. Harbaugh has done a spectacular face plant lately that looks to be independent of the attitudes of the Michigan program as a whole. The Michigan program isn't culturally different from where it was when Harbaugh was 19-3 and showing enthusiasm on the sidelines. I have totally given up on ever competing with OSU or Alabama, but we shouldn't be looking at 8-4 as the team's "upside" like we are this year, as if Indiana and Michigan have traded places.
August 30th, 2021 at 10:57 AM ^
Isaiah Hole (WolverinesWire) has upped his game with high quality youtube videos. And he has Jake Butt doing Xs and Os after games. Season preview is up with Jake.
Isaiah is smart, but without the BPONE.
August 30th, 2021 at 11:08 AM ^
"BPONE" is the laziest cliche in the history of mgoblog.
August 30th, 2021 at 11:30 AM ^
If you ever have a counterpoint to a positive or concern about how something might not be so good then people call it BPONE, even if that concern is entirely warranted.
August 30th, 2021 at 1:33 PM ^
It just fits so well though.
August 30th, 2021 at 10:45 AM ^
I liked what I saw out of Cade in the Rutgers game last year but similar to Brian I worry he won’t hold up all year. Just think he’s to small. Feel like the offensive line is going to inconsistent too. Really curious to start the season to see how the others in conference are before I lose hope.
August 30th, 2021 at 11:04 AM ^
My concern going into the season is that we have the personnel to go zero tight ends and just spread the field with 4-5 guys running routes. As I've maintained, you can run the ball with that. A route that diverts a linebacker 20 yards away from the ball is every bit as effective as a perfectly executed block.
But Harbaugh's going to play our tight ends anyway because reasons.
August 30th, 2021 at 11:30 AM ^
I am going to try to make a case on the "optimistic" side of things....knowing that it is likely a fool's errand and should be heavily qualified by saying that we aren't going to be elite....okay....here goes:
If last year's chaos-year doesn't happen and we're coming off 2019 there would still be a bad taste in our mouth, but perhaps not as bad. If that were the case and this is a normal year, how would we feel about our offense coming back? We would still have the skepticism regarding the overall dysfunction of the program on this side of the ball - not something to sneeze at - but....
- QB - We have a returning game manager (Greise like?); a 5-star freshman (Henne?); a veteran with a lot of experience; and even a 4th stringer than the coaches like. At least there seems to be a high floor and depth.
- RB - Seems as positive as any recent past year
- WR - May lack a high draft pick, but plenty of depth and diversity. Not often you return a guy who's lead the team in receiving two years in a row.
- TE - Maybe a bit down....but some upside for a low-impact position group
- OL - Here's the key to the season IMO. Maybe they struggle with the new faces and new coaches....or maybe we're returning multiple starters, have depth guys who have seen the field, and have a bunch of young 4-stars.
My argument is that this offseason isn't much different than others that have given us reasons for excitement. So to me it comes down to QB and Gattis.
August 30th, 2021 at 12:12 PM ^
I have similar concerns. I’ve given up on a QB run threat. I don’t think the Harbaugh/Gattis combo will produce enough QB runs to force defenses really try to account for them. Cade is going to need to prove he can pass the ball to open up the run game for the RBs. I’m also looking for the Oline to keep Cade healthy.
August 30th, 2021 at 12:06 PM ^
I generally agree with the sentiment that there's a ceiling at QB but it's weird to say "Cade is like Brady or Brees" as if that's a negative. I also think comparing his performance in actual games to Alex Malzone's spring game performance is a bit unfair; I don't remember the same level of scrutiny being applied to Milton's complete lack of in-game performance coming into last year, though I do remember multiple people trying to make mountains out of that one time he sorta ran well against Wisconsin backups in a blowout.
Anyway, I think the offense will be solid but unremarkable; that's going to be the mantra for 2021.
August 30th, 2021 at 3:18 PM ^
Well to be fair, Brian was the main skeptic on Milton.
August 30th, 2021 at 3:18 PM ^
Brian and Seth are living in BPONE still. Their take on Cade isn't where it should be...Cade was a big time recruit that Bama wanted first, and is a real QB, not an elite athlete playing QB (Milton).
August 30th, 2021 at 3:20 PM ^
Not sure what you're listening to but Seth isn't in BPONE, certainly not regarding Cade.
August 30th, 2021 at 8:03 PM ^
I did... then he's toning his estimation down not to offend his employer, because it comes across as less.
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