Did you ever wonder what might have been? Example: Sam McGuffie

Submitted by BubbaT33 on

Have you ever wondered what might have been for a guy like Sam McGuffie? If he had not been used as "Mister All World Everything?"  Right out of the gate . . . just think if he had stuck around and been given time to develop.  Just thought I would ask.  Seemed like a nice guy and wish him the best!

grumbler

March 1st, 2012 at 9:15 AM ^

I seem to remember that he suffered two concussions, and left because (the story goes) Michigan's policy is that a third concussion ends your playing days (and no school would play a player medically DQ'ed by another school like that).  If what I recall is correct, there was no way McGuffie was going to be around.

Agree that he seemed like a nice guy who deserved to succeed, even if not at Michigan.

UMdad

March 1st, 2012 at 9:24 AM ^

One guy I liked was John Anes.  I think depression or something caused him to drop out, but he was a Mike Alstott type that I had hopes for.

Wolverhampton

March 1st, 2012 at 9:49 AM ^

I think to me Pryor is the biggest one.  With Pryor, Year 1 of the Rich Rod era would have been way more successful (6-6?) and in future years would only have gotten better.  Our defense in Year 1 was way better than it was under GERG, but our offense was not so good that first year.  He was pretty much the perfect QB for that system at the perfect time and we came in second for his services.  The downside of course is what NCAA implications could have come along with him, but it would have prevented the worst years of the Rich Rod era from being so bad.

Tater

March 1st, 2012 at 10:16 AM ^

Brady Hoke just went 11-2, and some moron is "celebrating" his first 100 points by using his inaugural post to complain about the previous coaching staff?  

The only conclusion I can make here is that people who are still whining about the past when this team appears to have such a good future do it because they are "habitual bitchers" or "congenital whiners."  Either way, it's very low-quality, and something that would look more at home at RCMB or 11W.

unWavering

March 1st, 2012 at 10:24 AM ^

Get off your high horse.  He's just playing a game of "what ifs" during the offseason.  You got anything better to talk about?  These aren't necessarily supposed to be aimed at the previous coaching staff, but include things from the Carr and Moeller eras too.

Examining the past is always interesting, and while I think most would agree that we have a very bright future ahead of us, that doesn't mean we can't speculate about the past.

Gitback

March 1st, 2012 at 10:41 AM ^

anyone use a sports message board on a sports blog in order to pass away the time in the off season by shooting the breeze about "what ifs" and whatnot. 

You're all taking up valuable bandwidth with this pointless rehashing. 

StephenRKass

March 1st, 2012 at 10:59 AM ^

But there is one and only one quote for this thread . .

If coach would've put me in fourth quarter, we'd have been state Champions. No doubt in my mind.

Yeah, and if pigs had wings, they'd fly.

  • If McGuffie had succeeded
  • If Morris had stayed, or Manny
  • If Webber hadn't called for a timeout
  • If Bass hadn't gotten injured
  • If Jeff Casteel had been Defensive Coordinator
  • IF Henne hadn't been injured
  • If Les Miles had come
  • If Harbaugh had come

There are millions of hypotheticals. Don't forget that there are also millions of negative hypotheticals.

  • If the last minute pass from Miller to Posey was a completion
  • If Gibbons didn't hit the Field Goal in the Sugar Bowl.
  • If VT's kicker DID hit the field goal.
  • If Robinson misses his free throws against Seton Hall in 1989
  • If ND covers better, Gallon and Roundtree don't catch passes in the last minute.

 

BrokenRhino

March 1st, 2012 at 10:49 AM ^

This thread has been really great. 

My What-if has to be The Horror. What-if the team hadn't forgotten to show up for the game. How many starters were sitting out? It seemed like a lot. 

Oh well. All those terrible memories are why we are where with Hoke. So there is a little silver lining.

 

Victor Hale II

March 1st, 2012 at 11:22 AM ^

Individual player/career "what if" has to be Antonio Bass. What a shame.

As for in-game gaffe "what ifs", I'll go with Braylon Edwards dropping the ball (pick one).

JediLow

March 1st, 2012 at 12:18 PM ^

Another "what if" - What if it hadn't been raining the week before the Game in 2006? I remember the field at the Horseshoe coming apart each time one of our players tried to make a cut (which was a lot more than Ohio... we didn't have the greatest speed, but we were elusive).

And... what if Mike DeBord never heard of running left? Imagine how great the Henne/Hart offenses would have been.

Needs

March 1st, 2012 at 1:05 PM ^

The defensive collapse against OSU in 2006 wasn't a matter of English lacking knowledge of how to defend the spread, it was that poor recruiting had left our secondary paper-thin. Once Adams or Barringer (can't remember which one) got hurt in the first quarter, we couldn't even play a nickle, far less the dime we should have been in. English was left with a choice between playing Johnny Sears or Chris Graham. Neither was remotely up to the task.  That defensive collapse should go on recruiting rather than strategy.

sdogg1m

March 1st, 2012 at 12:28 PM ^

I was waiting for someone to mention him. I remember watching him play in 2005 and thinking that I had never seen a player in Michigan history like him. I have no doubt in my mind that Michigan would have won a National Championship (possibly 06) if he the chance to play out his career.

His injury hurt the team more than any other decommit or transfer.

Gitback

March 1st, 2012 at 1:54 PM ^

Through a mutual friend I know that Antonio is doing quite well, working out in Baltimore.  Has a younger brother garduating from Lumen Christi this year. 

Gitback

March 1st, 2012 at 9:43 PM ^

not sure.

I do know that Antonio got his degree, got a "great job" in Baltimore and is living out there.  He'll be back this year for his brother's graduation.  I guess his brother plays a little football as well. 

810steveo

March 1st, 2012 at 3:31 PM ^

Michigan would of went undefeated and beat tressel and clarrett, Heisman finalist, and they would of played Miami in the Fiesta bowl who would of won toss up. Willis McGahee wouldnt blew his knee probadly, Drew Henson would of went to the Houston Texans first overall pick the Lions would of got David Carr who might of played better for the Lions.  

jmblue

March 1st, 2012 at 3:49 PM ^

In three seasons of college football, Sam McGuffie has rushed for 486, 883 and 158 yards, respectively.  (He suffered a season-ending injury midway through the 2011 season, but even before then his production was down.)  It appears that he is a decent player but not the superstar he was billed as in high school.  He probably wouldn't have beaten out Toussaint.

Ron Utah

March 1st, 2012 at 4:10 PM ^

And Toussaint did not have anywhere near the same level of hype as McGuffie did when he came in.  This is just one example of how recruiting talent doesn't always turn into wins, and yet another reason I love the current staff so much.  Instead of dealing with "What Ifs" with kids that don't pan out, this staff was able to take a pretty bad roster (for Michigan) and turn into an 11 win team.  There's no doubt we won't always get all the 5* players (though the '13 class is pretty ridiculous) but we'll get quality kids that will be well-coached into better players and men.

Toussaint shows what great coaching can do with a player that has been mediocre.

Frank Drebin

March 1st, 2012 at 4:14 PM ^

What if Kelly Baraka didn't like the lettuce so much. I still remember talking to members of that defense on how he was breaking 1st stringers ankles for the scout team during the bowl practices. He was an amazing talent with track speed and great agility. I think he could have put up ridiculous numbers in the early 2000's behind our lines. Such a waste of talent.

Sione's Flow

March 1st, 2012 at 10:43 PM ^

What if Brady Hoke was hired immediately after Lloyd Carr retired and Rich Rod had never taken the job?  We would've been denied the talents of Shoelace which would have royally sucked, but where would the program be at now?