Back to the Future - 2011 Spring Football Wallpaper

Submitted by monuMental on

Like the football team, I'll be making a brief appearance this off-season before disappearing again until Fall.

The theme of the coaching search and press conferences over the last several months has centered around the idea that it's time to return the program to "Michigan Football" (demonstrative finger quotes here). Whether or not you believe that such a thing as "Michigan Football" exists and that the program has indeed drifted from that thing, the message is clear - moving forward, the team and the style of play will look different under Brady Hoke than it did under Rich Rodriguez. The question is, given our personnel (specifically a player whose name rhymes with Denard Robinson) how different will it look this year? Just how far back will Coach Hoke and his staff turn the clock? Will they force Denard into a scheme where he feels out of place, or will they shift their offensive philosophy to take advantage of his considerable talents?

I found an archival photo of Fielding H. Yost's first Michigan football team and thought it would be a great counterpoint to the "return to Michigan football" theme. Yost's 1901 team was dominant (11-0 record, 550 points scored - 0 points against) and depended on fast, efficient players to execute a "hurry up" offense to perfection. Stylistically, that sounds more like the offense we saw under Rich Rodriguez than what we should expect from new offensive coordinator Al Borges. Denard Robinson's style of play would have been a perfect fit for Yost's first "Point-a-Minute" team.

If Coach Hoke and Denard Robinson jumped into a DeLorean and turned the clock back to 1901, this modified team photo is what you might see hanging in Schembechler Hall today.

The image below is a preview only. You can get the widescreen, 4:3, iPad and mobile wallpapers at The Art. The Art. The Art!.



Back to the Future - Spring Football 2011 Wallpaper Preview



Back to the Future - Spring Football 2011 Wallpaper Preview


Back to the Future - Spring Football 2011 Wallpaper Preview

Comments

redwhiteandMGOBLUE

April 13th, 2011 at 9:36 AM ^

Thanks monuMental, things have changed drastically since we last saw you.

It's been a long winter and this is a welcome prelude into the Spring game.

Welcome back - not that you ever left...

 

mrtait82

April 13th, 2011 at 3:56 PM ^

I love these! I was sure to download every one last season and put them on my desktop for my home and work computers. look forward to seeing what you do this fall.

cjm

April 13th, 2011 at 5:04 PM ^

I was having SERIOUS withdrawal.  Thanks for feeding my addiction although it is a tease until the season and your weekly work starts again.

bluewave720

April 14th, 2011 at 6:10 PM ^

for temporarily forgetting that you win the internet anytime you want to.  It appears that you are only capable of 100% pure Colombian awesome.  

As usual, thanks. 

NoMoPincherBug

April 25th, 2011 at 5:28 PM ^

""Stylistically, that sounds more like the offense we saw under Rich Rodriguez than what we should expect from new offensive coordinator Al Borges."""

 

 

Sure...unless you count Mississippi State, Ohio State, Wisconsin, Michigan State, Iowa, PSU etc. as games that count for RR's vaunted offense last year.

In other words: Revisionist spin doesnt have to revert back to 1901 to be Bullshit.