Did this game change your expectations for 2014?
Going into Saturday's game, it's pretty safe to say the overwhelming majority of us predicted we'd be crushed. The fact that we came 1 play away from taking a 1-point lead with 37 seconds left against the #3 team in the country tells me this is probably the best coaching job by the staff all year. But does that change the way you feel about 2014?
After Iowa, I saw quite a few predictions for 6-6 or 7-5 at best. Obviously Michigan has a brutal schedule and we just can't seem to find a way to win against good teams on the road. Does this performance give you hope for something better?
I don't want to seem like a Debbie Downer, especially after the utter heartbreak we all experienced yesterday, but I find it hard to believe this really changes anything. Borges's job is probably safe (though it may never have been in doubt anyway) and I still believe the guy is a terrible play-caller and game-schemer in general. Unfortunately, it looks like Hoke is putting all his eggs in Borges's basket, and it's very possible that the bottom falls out next year. But I don't claim to be a great football mind or have the foresight of The Knowledge, so I'm curious to know what the rest of you all think...
December 2nd, 2013 at 11:07 AM ^
Well hard evidence is tough to state. The hard evidence probably showed UM being 10-2 or 11-1 right now after the notre dame game, but after being 7-4 the hard evidence probably showed UM getting blown out by osu.
Sometimes I think we dissect it too much. When i was workign as an athletic trainer at BG I heard meyer say a couple things over and over...dynamic talent and experience wins 99% of the time. That is also how I do my sports betting for college...trutfhully it usually pans out well. Not always...but usually.
There was major coaching issues there that caused UM to lose to some teams that do not have more dynamic talent and/or experience than.
But generally year in and year out that simple equation tells a lot; team with more dynamic talent combined with more experience wins. When I look at the schedule I see UM getting more talented, and the current talent more experienced. I see a team that will have more experienced talent than 10 to 12 of the teams they will play. The 4 "toss up games" are based on road games and the upredictability of 18-22 year olds. Hence my 9-3 at worst but should be 10-2.
December 2nd, 2013 at 5:25 AM ^
December 2nd, 2013 at 7:06 AM ^
Before Saturday I expected Michigan to go 15-0 in 2014. After Saturday, I expect Michigan to go 15-0 in 2014.
December 2nd, 2013 at 9:25 AM ^
Road schedule is brutal.
There is no hard evidence right now that OL coaching is what it needs to be—we're left with hoping that our struggles are purely and only a result of youth.
Nor is there any hard evidence IMHO that our S&C staff is building the strength that we need, especially on the OL and DL. Again, we're left with the explanation that seeing our OL and DLs get pushed back frequently at the snap is due solely and only to our youth.