Desmond ranks Michigan SIXTH on his Power Poll ballot
Desmond Howard's Power Poll ballot: he has MICHIGAN ranked 6th in Nation... SIXTH. pic.twitter.com/DNcxetWkur
— PickSix Previews B1G (@PickSix_BigTen) August 21, 2014
ICYMI: Desmond Howard might have been a BIT biased on his ballot: http://t.co/nzlYu1NVq5 pic.twitter.com/AAfDbf9a7y
— LostLettermen.com (@LostLettermen) August 21, 2014
August 21st, 2014 at 10:38 PM ^
I'm going to get negged for this for sure, but after 2012, I was pulling my hair out watching Borges play-call. I started to wonder how he ever had any success. There was NO ONE happier that Borges got canned than I was. Especially now in light of the news that Devin never had to identify a MIKE. That is just insanity.
August 21st, 2014 at 11:29 PM ^
August 21st, 2014 at 2:46 PM ^
If for no other reason, than his punt return vs Ohio.
Returning SR QB, All conference WR, 1(?) starter lost on the defense, OSU lost their starting qb, ND lost 4 very good players and gets Golston after having a year away from the game. If Michigan goes injury free this year, and gets a couple bounces then anything can happen.
I'm almost(ed-not at all) positive that's what he was thinking as he analyzed his selection deeply and thoroughly.
August 21st, 2014 at 2:53 PM ^
Even before ND lost those players, @MSU/@OSU were the only probably losses IMO. ND lost at lot of talent so I figured we could handle them. With braxton out that seems more toss-up ish leaving only @MSU as a probable loss, all 11 other games we should be favored or at least even.
August 21st, 2014 at 2:50 PM ^
There is absolutely nothing wrong with Desmond's ballot.
August 21st, 2014 at 2:52 PM ^
August 21st, 2014 at 3:38 PM ^
was that he apologized later on. Probably with a network executive's gun near his head, just out of frame.
August 21st, 2014 at 2:52 PM ^
I feel like there was a big high on the boards leading up to the scrimmage about this team, then after the reports and video of the OL people went all doom and gloom again. We haven't even seen a game yet! There are some things we know. We have talent. We have a new schemes on both sides of the ball. Lets see how that plays out. Until we doom happens in an actual game I'll believe this team is going to the B1G title game this year.
August 21st, 2014 at 2:54 PM ^
the panel is made up of Jimmy Valmer, a Heisman Trophy winner, Radio Troll and a woman. He seems to be the only credible analyst.
August 21st, 2014 at 3:25 PM ^
Sports are soooo hard to understand. Let's take away womens right to vote, they can't be trusted to make political decisions either....
August 21st, 2014 at 3:42 PM ^
and I suppose you go to Doris Burke for all your breaking news? Chill out. Change your avatar to a woman if you want to change the world
August 21st, 2014 at 10:00 PM ^
Here it is.
The worst post on the internet.
August 22nd, 2014 at 12:41 AM ^
and then you jumped the shark of hyperbole.
August 21st, 2014 at 2:55 PM ^
the o line develops. I could see us winning the B1G and creeping up.
August 21st, 2014 at 3:04 PM ^
This team could be very good. I'm more excited about this season than I have been in a long, long time.
August 21st, 2014 at 3:36 PM ^
August 21st, 2014 at 4:16 PM ^
Both coordinators have won National Championships in the last 7 years.
August 21st, 2014 at 5:39 PM ^
August 21st, 2014 at 3:07 PM ^
In Desmond's defense, he was one of the few people predicting an abysmal 2008 season after he visited the team's practice. I remember an interview in 2008 where he said he came home from watching Michigan practice and told his wife that Michigan would be lucky to win 6 games. His wife told him he was being overly dramatic.
August 21st, 2014 at 3:06 PM ^
Desmond's prediction stands in pretty stark contrast to the MGoUsers who envisioned Michigan going 3-4 in the first 7 weeks. Some of our fans need a hug.
August 21st, 2014 at 3:09 PM ^
Maybe because Desmond, as an ex-player/legacy, is granted deeper access inside the program than most others he's seen the heart and soul of this team that others have overlooked.
Remember when he basically told Michigan fans not to expect much from the team in 2008? He knew then what he was looking at, and knows now what he's seeing.
Yeah, prolly a "homer" call, but that's not been Des' M.O. as a broadcaster -- at least not from what I've seen. Rather than everyone laughing at his call, I think it should make everyone sit up and really take notice.
August 21st, 2014 at 3:31 PM ^
As you and another poster have mentioned, Desmond didn't sugarcoat it when he talked about the 2008 team. Gives me some hope that he's seen/heard enough to think this team has some nice potential.
August 21st, 2014 at 3:09 PM ^
Not that off base. I don't think we're going to be 6th but 31 is way too low. That would mean people expect us to go 7-5 again. I'd put us around 22. I'm only really concerned with our OL. I think our defense will be 2006 good.
August 21st, 2014 at 3:11 PM ^
Not that off base. I don't think we're going to be 6th but 31 is way too low. That would mean people expect us to go 7-5 again. I'd put us around 22. I'm only really concerned with our OL. I think our defense will be 2006 good.
August 21st, 2014 at 5:54 PM ^
Although I only joined the board last year, I'd been lurking for 5-6 years. My main apprehension in joining the fracas was how negative folks are about the program. Granted, we haven't had much to be optimistic about.
Despite the OL, team 135 is probably the closest to "Michigan Football" that we're gonna experience since 2006. A Senior QB, that will give eveything he's got including his foot. Loads of talent at the skill positions, albeit unproven. The defense also has as much talent and depth than it's had in the last decade easily. I have no doubt the D will be elite by December.
Every year a team that noone is expecting rises from the ashes and puts everything together for a magical season. Does anyone remember '96? Yeah, you probably don't because it sucked! Noone expected a 5th year senior who hadn't done much with a marginal receiving corp and no stand out running back to run the table. If the team believes, they can make it happen. The defense made up for any deficiencies we had on offense that year.
I believe the team will go 10-2 in the regular season. There could easily be a 2 game variance there, so 8-4 or 12-0 is also in the realm of possibility. These guys are gonna put it together sooner or later, why not this year?
August 21st, 2014 at 3:16 PM ^
Real recognize real. Also, ball don't lie...
August 21st, 2014 at 3:16 PM ^
August 21st, 2014 at 3:18 PM ^
August 21st, 2014 at 3:21 PM ^
But... I rank Desmond's porn stache #1
August 21st, 2014 at 3:43 PM ^
What about his '91 fade?
August 21st, 2014 at 3:29 PM ^
I think he did this just to get reaction.
August 21st, 2014 at 8:48 PM ^
In 2008, the Steelers had one of the worst offensive lines in recent franchise history. But they had every other piece. The skill players made plays, the defense did what they do, and Pittsburgh won the Super Bowl by just barely blocking enough and having a mobile QB who could buy himself time while looking downfield.
You heard it here first. Michigan wins the Super Bowl.
August 21st, 2014 at 3:44 PM ^
August 21st, 2014 at 3:45 PM ^
August 21st, 2014 at 3:55 PM ^
This team can be in the top ten by the end of the season. It could even end up in the playoffs. The schedule is setting up nicely due to personnel losses at ND and OSU.
I am still not convinced that the last few years of MSU aren't a aberration; Dantonio took advantage of the sabotage of RR's tenure to build a very un-Sparty-like team. Now he is recruiting against a full-strength Michigan and the talent level is going to be more in line with the Sparty "standard" for the last thirty years.
I think the Wolverines will go 2-1 or 3-0 for their three big road games this year. The rest of the schedule looks winnable. They won't underrate Utah. PSU will be a revenge game. There is no Wiscy or Nebraska. The game that worries me the most is in Evanston.
I wouldn't be surprised to see an 11-1 Michigan team play for the Big Ten Championship this year. I am not saying it will happen, but it is very possible.
August 21st, 2014 at 4:28 PM ^
As a Michigan fan, naturally I am a pessimist. So I hope Desmond is right more than I actually agree with him. But even if it were just a case of him being a homer, I wouldn't care because he's our homer. And he's done too much good for me to fault him on any prediction. Godspeed.
August 21st, 2014 at 5:02 PM ^
Howard can be a homer if he wants. Hell, I'll join him.
/aside, thanks for the channel.
August 21st, 2014 at 4:29 PM ^
August 21st, 2014 at 5:20 PM ^
August 21st, 2014 at 5:37 PM ^
August 21st, 2014 at 5:55 PM ^
He's a homer, but he's OUR homer.
August 21st, 2014 at 6:41 PM ^
I have a seminary degree, so you can pretty much take that to the bank.
August 21st, 2014 at 6:51 PM ^
I don't remember people saying we were going to be amazing on D last year. A lot of people thought we would be good but not amazing. We had lost a ton of starters. This year we bring back everyone, bring in the nation's # 2 player, and have a bunch of young players get older that will push for playing time.
August 21st, 2014 at 7:40 PM ^
August 21st, 2014 at 7:42 PM ^
I love Desmond and how he proudly reps his alma mater, but c'mon the F on man!
I don't think even the biggest of we Michigan slaps could ever even entertain this as a notion of even faint reality.
No block = no rush = no win in B1G
August 21st, 2014 at 7:56 PM ^
August 21st, 2014 at 8:29 PM ^
I believe that we will win. I believe that we will win. I believe that we will win. I believe that we will win. I believe that we will win. I believe that we will win. I believe that we will win. I believe that we will win. I believe that we will win. I believe
August 21st, 2014 at 9:21 PM ^
August 21st, 2014 at 11:50 PM ^
Two of the three games we predicted to be a challenge (ND, OSU, MSU) are shaping up to be less than we thought. Wins against ND and OSU are certainly achievable which leaves us with a tough game in EL, which we could very well go into 7-0 and coming off a bye week. PSU and Northwestern are the next hardest games after those three. We could very possibly go 10-2 but could very easily have two more or two less wins. I'm predicting that the worst we can possibly do (unless wheels fall off) would be 8-4 but we could also get it together and go 12-0 and into B1G championship. Des may be a homer, but he's not stupid. This guy has probably seen more of this team than any of us has and may just see a spark that could take us into the top ten by the end of the season.