2008 Must Suck

Submitted by mstier on

With such demoralizing losses, we've all been analyzing and scrutinizing the team and coaching staff.  One conclusion many have come to is that we are trying to put a square peg in a round hole.  These players weren't recruited to play in the spread, so why is RR forcing them to?

Here is the problem with that logic:  eventually we will HAVE to change.  If we decided to run a more pro-style set which conforms to the skills/experience of our upperclassmen, then we might win another game or two.  But if we do that, then all we're really doing in the long run is teaching these new freshman a pro-style set when we want them to learn the spread.  That wouldn't be smart now would it?

Eventually, this team will have to go through the transition.  It might as well be now with such a talented incoming freshman class.  Waiting till later is just shooting yourself in the foot. 

Change is tough, but I'd rather do it now than later.  This year MUST suck for things to get better.

MGoBoard

lunchboxthegoat

October 12th, 2008 at 2:29 PM ^

Amen.

If I had a dollar for everytime I heard someone blast RR for not designing his system to fit his talent atm I would probably have enough to pay for this years tuition. 

people want to paint him as a bad coach because he's basically forfeiting a season to shorten the learning curve... it may not be the strategy everyone wants, but it will pay off in the end. We don't want to be going through four or five mediocre seasons before our break out, now do we?

Joined: 10/07/2008

MGoPoints: 4865

60blue

October 12th, 2008 at 2:56 PM ^

I have been trying to tell people this since the first loss.  Well, I guess that is all season now...  Nobody wants to look past the short-term to see the long-term benefits.  Hell, thats the main reason we are in this "economic downturn" to begin with.

Joined: 06/30/2008

MGoPoints: 618

West Texas Blue

October 12th, 2008 at 3:08 PM ^

People only look at things in the short term, not the long term.  Look at the mortgage crisis; many people took out loans that were interest only for first few years or had favorable ARM loans.  These loans had ridiculously low payments for the first few years; people loved them, bought them up like crazy, and lived like all was good and dandy.  When those mortgages reset and and the payments double and tripled, they were fucked. They never looked ahead to the future.  So I expect the same with sport fans; they only look at short term and not at long term.   Stay the course; Michigan football will be back.

Joined: 06/30/2008

MGoPoints: 1845

Blue Balls

October 12th, 2008 at 4:20 PM ^

"We'll have to suck it up for the 2008 season", and I might also say don't get your hopes to high for the 2009 season as well.  I would still consider this season a success if we win the last game on our schedule.  If I were Coach Rod, I would tell the seniors that as disappointing as this season is for you seniors, (and little hope for a bowl possibilty) that they still have the opportunity to beat OSU.  This should be a goal for this team, to continue to work hard in practice and get ready to play OSU. With Players like Martin,Odoms, Shaw and McGuffie,Michigan's  program will see better days. not to mention the great class of recruits on their way to Michigan.     

Joined: 07/02/2008

MGoPoints: 226

ShockFX

October 12th, 2008 at 4:36 PM ^

The seniors that returned bolstered their NFL draft position.  Jamison, Taylor, even Will Johnson have NFL 2nd day potential at worst.  Trent, I really don't know.  Physically he's got it down, but I don't know if it's the scheme or what.  I have a feeling he'll blanket the shit out of Robiskie on the 3rd Saturday in November.

Joined: 07/16/2008

MGoPoints: 4073

formerlyanonymous

October 12th, 2008 at 5:48 PM ^

what i did find odd about the sharp article was it ended with state bashing.  what's up with that?

Wasn’t becoming the first local Big Ten team to skulk into the Motor City Bowl always Michigan State’s destiny?

Joined: 06/30/2008

MGoPoints: 38964

GNM

October 12th, 2008 at 7:40 PM ^

I think we all saw at Auburn this year what happens if you don't commit totally to a new offense, but rather try and half-ass it to soften the transition.  Fail

Joined: 09/15/2008

MGoPoints: 43

West Texas Blue

October 12th, 2008 at 11:27 PM ^

Yes, because you know, the high powered OSU offense with Pryor and Wells scored no offensive TDs against Purdue while at home.  What common problem do Michigan and OSU have? Both have shitty offensive lines.  Until Michigan's OL comes together and QB play becomes competent, we'll continue to struggle; we don't have a dynamic playmaker like Pryor to save alot of plays through his legs and athleticism.

Joined: 06/30/2008

MGoPoints: 1845

JimBobTressel-0

October 13th, 2008 at 12:41 AM ^

At this point I'm just hoping the small fast bastards like Odoms, McGuffie and Shaw will outrun OSU's linebackers and leave em huffing and puffing. That and the no-huddle catching them off guard. Speed is our ally now.  We have to use it.

Our D-Line now has the muscle to match Wells; it'll be up to the linebackers to play their asses off and keep Pryor in check.

 

If we can force Pryor to pass, it'll be a good thing.

Joined: 08/27/2008

MGoPoints: 939

Anonymous Coward (not verified)

October 13th, 2008 at 1:39 AM ^

At this point, it looks like we'll be lucky to go 3-9 for the season.  I can understand the need for a "rebuilding season", but this is Michigan for God's sake.  Losing 5 games is "rebuilding".  Losing to a bottom-of-the-MAC team is just completely unacceptable.  You can't blame the Toledo loss on graduating players.  We had far more talent than they did.  This is entirely on the coaching staff.

The whole "wait for 2010" mentality is flawed at best.  When we end up dead last in the Big Ten, our recruiting will suffer beyond repair and Michigan will be a joke for years to come.  I just hope we don't wait 3 or 4 years to fire RR and BM and go back to what Michigan is known for.

Joined: 12/12/2017

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