UMaD

January 20th, 2015 at 6:18 PM ^

People who say articles are "great" are not reliable evaluators of online content.  95% of "great article about" are just what you said - fluff. 

Just how it is. People will say great article about things that are less informative than a random tweet.

 

Joined: 07/02/2008

MGoPoints: 4960

LSAClassOf2000

January 20th, 2015 at 2:38 PM ^

"The great thing about that staff -- they have an identity, and they're going to impart it on you. That's something we didn't have at Stanford, and when Harbaugh got there. He said, 'This is what we run, this is how run it, and other teams are going to have to adjust to us.'"

You know, almost as entertaining as the quotes from Harbaugh himself are ones like this from former players who have worked with him and some of the other coaches in the past. It makes me that much more exicted to see how spring and fall practices, things even before the season, will start to pan out. 

Joined: 01/07/2011

MGoPoints: 130603

Tater

January 20th, 2015 at 2:41 PM ^

I like the prediction of a "quick turnaround."  I have been saying it all along; Hoke was a great recruiter and the cupboard is well-stocked.  I don't think ten wins is out of the question for the coming season and we might get "surprised" by even more.

Joined: 08/13/2008

MGoPoints: 30584

maize-blue

January 20th, 2015 at 2:47 PM ^

Agree. I think 7 or 8 wins would almost be a disappointment. This roster does not need to be "re-built". You can always add nice pieces but there is more than enough in place to win now.

Joined: 01/10/2013

MGoPoints: 44662

turd ferguson

January 20th, 2015 at 3:20 PM ^

I think the "cupboard is stocked" argument is tricky.  Based on recruiting profiles (and retention), I agree that we're stocked.  But I worry that our guys have been developed poorly relative to guys in other programs.  Getting great raw athletes out of high school is helpful - and Hoke's staff excelled at that - but a lot of the guys on today's roster are probably behind where their recruiting profiles and experience suggest they should be.  In that way, our cupboard might not be as well stocked as it seems.

This is probably more of a concern for our upperclassmen, who don't have much more time to develop, than our younger guys. 

Joined: 12/09/2009

MGoPoints: 26493

alum96

January 20th, 2015 at 3:56 PM ^

Any coach who could fix the D was set up to win big in 2011 - you had Denard returning, Fitz, some good experience on the OL and decent WRs.  The D was the issue.  Mattison fixed that and away we went in 2011 with some breaks such as OSU being down.

Then I think any coach in 2012-2013 would have had some issues with a meh line in 2012 and a bad line in 2013. 

I know some are not sold on the OL in 2015 and I dont expect them to be great but they are all returning starters with guys like Kugler and Dawson (and Magnuson) ready to challenge.  That is a huge advantage.  They should be average plus at worst.  OLs win games - OSU has had excellent ones the past 2 years (Warriner is Drevno south), MSU has had very good ones the last 2 years. 

We did lose our 2 best players (probably) on D to graduation but its an experienced 2 deep - need to fix the S position.  And get production out of the DEs - the rest is set.   If Devin was 1 year younger and we were bringing back 2013 Devin with Jim Harbaugh coaching him in 2015 with all the other data points the same, people's expectations would be off the charts as the only thing we'd be lacking was WR experience.

So its an interesting situation -which is why Hogan not transferring sucks.  This could have been a very good year right off the bat with a returning experienced QB who was above average.  So it's more like 2008 in that 1 regard in terms of lack of QB.  But more like 2011 in a lot of other regards.

And Drevno and Baxter to me will be the 2 guys who make the most difference right now and in the long run.

Joined: 04/28/2012

MGoPoints: 82400

The_Mad Hatter

January 20th, 2015 at 2:41 PM ^

a Michigan run the same play over and over again, knowing that the opposing team can do nothing to stop us.

This having to wait 7 more months for football is some serious bullshit up in here.

Joined: 12/01/2014

MGoPoints: 5945

DealerCamel

January 20th, 2015 at 2:44 PM ^

Isn't that what did Stanford in against Michigan State?  Fourth and 1, you knew exactly what was coming.

I'd rather be the Patriots - completely unpredictable.  One week your leading rusher is Tom Brady, the next week your running backs go crazy and run for about a thousand yards.

Joined: 07/25/2012

MGoPoints: 7598

Chitown Kev

January 20th, 2015 at 3:01 PM ^

I was watching a bit of the '96 The Game last night. You'd have thought that OSU would have learned from '95 but when it got down to crunch time, Chris Howard and the UM OL line pretty much did the same thing that Biakabatuka on the OL did in 1995 and there was noihing that OSU could do about it.

 

Joined: 10/01/2011

MGoPoints: 4970

HimJarbaugh

January 20th, 2015 at 5:56 PM ^

This so much. I remember Chris Perry running all over MSU for like 200+ yards in 2003 and you could see their defense was just exhausted. It was a sign of control. Same thing with most of AT's time as the starter.

And those defenses. After seeing the futility of the last two Michigan offenses, there is nothing more frustrating to see than being completely dominated by a defense.

Joined: 12/23/2014

MGoPoints: 4292

JoeyFootball19

January 20th, 2015 at 2:44 PM ^

Last Year I couldn't even give my season tickets away for the Maryland or Indiana game. This year I have a countdown for each event. NSD, Spring Game, Fall Camp and Opening Game at Utah. Its crazy how 1 coach and his staff have given a fan base a huge shot in the arm. Excitement like I havent felt since 2006.

Joined: 08/26/2014

MGoPoints: 1100

DFW_Michigan_Man

January 20th, 2015 at 2:44 PM ^

and I am absolutely ecstatic about this hire.  Can't wait to see how the offensive line comes together through the Spring and into Fall Camp.  Its not as if there is a lack of talent, the issue has been with the development under the previous staff.

Joined: 09/20/2013

MGoPoints: 1568

Baughlieve

January 20th, 2015 at 2:56 PM ^

"I enjoyed my time with him," Goodwin said. "He's got a lot of passion for the game for coaching and teaching. You can tell he really loves his job and what he's doing and improving guys. As a player, you want to know that the guy who is coaching you wants to get the most out of you. He wants you to always get better and never get comfortable where you are. It's easy for a guy who knows he's good, it's easy for him to get complacent. You need a coach who will stay on you, and that's what he does."

Joined: 11/22/2014

MGoPoints: 5753

StephenRKass

January 20th, 2015 at 3:48 PM ^

I've been thinking about Drevno, and about all the staff, as I wonder who is most important. I've come to the conclusion that this is (mostly) the wrong question, inevitably leading to the wrong answer.

The right answer is "nobody." That is to say, nobody is the most important. The team itself is the most important. "The team, the team, the team" is the answer. There's a little more nuance than that. Harbaugh is the most important. But he is the most important because of his focus on the team. He gets that the team is the most important, that everyone has a critical role to play.

You already see that in the coaching staff, in two ways. First, there is a lot of balance and excellence. I am thrilled with both Drevno and Durkin (and with Mattison, and Wheatley, and the rest.) But the second way goes deeper. I think having Baxter on special teams is huge. Having Jay is great, not just because of the tight ends, but because he apparently is great at scouting and film work. Having Tobert will help the strength and conditioning. Having his father on board, along with several retired coaches, is great.

I love football because it is such a team sport. Yes, there are superstars, and there are standouts, both on the team and among the coaches. But everyone has to contribute. This is what I see Harbaugh bringing to the table, and I believe it has the potential to make a huge difference.

Joined: 07/15/2008

MGoPoints: 23006

leftrare

January 20th, 2015 at 4:22 PM ^

"We're going to be tough.  We're going to be physical.  We're going to have an identity."

 

Doesn't this sound like the same spiel every new OL coach or OC gives?  Not criticizing the coaches, per se, rather the gist of the article is "water is wet" kind of stuff.

 

Joined: 06/30/2008

MGoPoints: 3213