Future of Michigan football

I think the program is in good hands with Rich Rodriguez and I honestly don't think there's a coach in the country that can do what he can offensively. With a medicore to decent defense I think he could take us to competing for a national championship again. At the same time, I think Harbaugh could take us to competing to national championships again as well. Not only that, he would unite the other whiny piss ass half of our fan base that hated Rich Rod before he even got to Ann Arbor. And while I'm not a subscriber to the "OMG HES NAT A MEESHEGANE MAN" mentality, I would like to see our fan base more united and not have half of it hoping for losses.If Rich Rod is fired after the bowl game I'd assume that's because we already have a commitment from Harbaugh. I think Rich Rod has one more year to put us in the top 10 at the end of the season, however the window for hiring Harbaugh probably won't last that long, so if Harbaugh was hired January 1, would I be upset? Absolutely. Would I still be optimistic about Michigan football and have Harbaugh's backing 100% Absolutely. Thoughts?

First of all, here's what's going to happen coaching-wise this off-season...and I've got a good source on this.

...Michigan is not Harbaugh's dream job.  I guess he's super competitive with his brother, and he wants to go to the NFL because of it.  Still though, Dave Brandon is going to do all that he can to get him here over the next month.  If he can't, Rich Rod will be signed to a two year extension; and Greg Robinson will be replaced.

...Now, recruiting over the next month is going to be TERRIBLE.  Brandon not stepping up and endorsing Rich Rod, or signing someone else, is going to kill our chances with some of the early-enrollees that we're still in on.  But, regardless, Rich Rod or Harbaugh, we're going to have quite possibly THE best offense in the entire country, and a vastly improved defense next season.  I think that we'll be right in the heart of the Big10 race.

2011 Depth Chart:

DEFENSE:

NT: Martin(Sr.), Washington(So.), Ash(Fr.)
DT/DE: VanBergen(Sr.), Talbott(Fr.), Heninger(Sr.)
DE: Black(So.), Wilkins(Fr.), Watson(Sr.)...Rock(Fr./R.S.)
DE/OLB: Roh(Jr.), Paskorz(Fr.), Ryan(Fr.), Herron(Sr.)...Beyer(Fr./R.S.)

...DL should be solid.  Martin, if he returns, is a stud.  VanBergen is solid.  Should be better back inside.  Black has shown some promise.  Should improve as a soph.  Roh is good.  Should improve as a junior.  And then there's a lot of young and talented depth now as well, with Washington and all the redshirt freshmen - Ash, Talbott, Wilkins, Paskorz and Ryan joining the ranks.  No real immediate needs in recruiting, but we definitely need to add some developmental guys at DT.  Jernigan/Cooper/Johnson.  Don't feel particularly good about any of those guys.  Need to land one though.  This Rob Trudo guy seems like a last ditch effort.

MLB: Demens(Jr.), Bell(So.), Leach(Sr.)...Jones(Fr./R.S.)
SLB: Fitzgerald(Sr.), Jones(So.), Hawthorne(So.)
WLB: C. Gordon(So.), Robinson(So.), Furman(Fr.)

...LB's could be solid with some new coaching.  Demens is solid in the middle, we know that.  Should be even better as a junior.  Fitz has shown some flashes.  Should be better as a senior.  Cam Gordon, I think, is going to be bumped down to LB in the new 4-3 or 3-4 scheme.  He should be better as a sophomore.  Robinson and Furman are both exciting new comers to the position.  Either could start, and be good.  Jones has shown some flashes as well.  Recruiting wise, Lamar Dawson could be an immediate impact guy if we get lucky.  Other than that, it's all developmental guys.  Morgan I think we're going to get.  Frost is a 50/50 guy.

SS: Kovacs(Jr.), Johnson(So.), T. Gordon(So.), Simmons(Jr.)
FS: Woolfolk(Sr.), Vinopal(So.), VanSlyke(Sr.), Williams(Sr.)
CB: Floyd(Jr.), Christian(So.)...Crawford(Fr./R.S.), Brown(Fr./R.S.)
CB: Avery(So.), Talbott(So.)...Hollowell(Fr./R.S)

...DB's should at least be better.  First of all, Woolfolk returns.  Based on what we have going on right now, pre-signing day, I'd guess that we put Woolfolk at FS.  Floyd and Avery are better at corner than Vinopal is at FS.  Kovacs is probably the early leader at SS, but, he's going to be pushed hard by Carvin and Vinopal - who should both be better as sophomores.  Floyd should be better as a junior.  Avery, Christian and Talbott should all be better as sophomores.  Crawford, Hollowell and Brown are all added to the position.  This is one area where we really need immediate impact recruits.  Walls, Lyons, Clinton-Dix, Williams, Moore?  Need to get at least two of those guys.  Blake Countess would be a nice bonus addition also. 

OFFENSE: 

QB: Robinson(Jr.), Forcier(Jr.), Gardner(Fr.)...Sousa(Fr./R.S.)

...If Robinson improves as much from year 2 to year 3 as he did from year 1 to year 2...we WILL have the best offense in the country next season.  Tate, if he returns, is a solid backup.  Gardner will hopefully surpass him.  Recruiting wise, I get a feeling that we prefer this Cardale Jones kid to Sousa?

RB: Hart(Fr.), Smith(Jr.), Shaw(Sr.), Hopkins(So.), Toussaint(So.), Cox(Jr.), Jones(Jr.)
FB: McColgan(Sr.)

...I think that Hart steps right in and starts.  The RBs we have right now just aren't at his level.  Should be a great new dimension for us.  Smith is a solid backup.  Shaw moves to third string...maybe even fourth, as Hopkins adds a different element to the position.  Toussaint, Cox and Jones...eeh...all left in the dust I guess huh (how about Jones to DB, Cox to LB?).  Recruiting-wise, sounds like we're going to take Rawls if he qualifies, and I like that.

WR: Hemingway(Sr.), Stokes(Jr.), Miller(Fr.), Williamson(Fr.)
WR: Stonum(Sr.), Jackson(So.), Robinson(Fr.)...Conway(Fr./R.S.)
SR: Roundtree(Jr.), Grady(Sr.), Gallon(So.)...Hayes(Fr./R.S.)
SR: Odoms(Sr.), Robinson(Jr.), Dileo(So.)
TE: Koger(Sr.), Moore(Jr.)

...Everyone's back here.  4/5 senior starters, one junior starter.  Everyone should be a year better, not much else to say there.  Lots of depth next season with all the redshirt freshmen being added, along with newcomers Conway and Hayes.  Recruiting-wise, Jack Tabb's important at TE.  MUST get someone there.  Lucien's sort of a long-shot at reciever, but we might land him.

C: Molk(Sr.), Khoury(Jr.), Pace(Fr.), Miller(Fr./R.S.)
LG: Barnum(Jr.), Campbell(Jr.)
RG: Omameh(Jr.), Mealer(Jr.)
LT: Lewan(So.)...Fisher(Fr./R.S.)
RT: Huyge(Sr.), Schofield(So.)...Posada(Fr./R.S.)

...OL should be better.  4 returning starters.  Shouldn't be much of a drop-off from Schilling to Barnum/Campbell.  Schofield might be able to beat out Huyge too.  Recruiting-wise, Bryant is sounding iffy now.  Hobbi is an outside shot.  Might end up with James Elliot though.

SPECIAL TEAMS:

K: Gibbons(So.), Broekhuizen(So.)
P: Hagerup(So.), Broekhuizen(So.)
KR: Hart(Fr.), Gallon(So.)
PR: Hart(Fr.), Gallon(So.)
LS: Pomarico(Sr.), Glanda(So.)

...Should be better here as well.  I really hope they give Hart a shot returning kicks and punts.  He'd be a huge improvement over Gallon there.  I also really hope that we either add a stud kicker somehow (scholarship or walk on?), or that Gibbons gets his head out of his ass and starts kicking.