How does Lewan coming back change your expectations for next year?

I like your style, Dude.

Agreed. For me the biggest question mark is now the development of the interior linemen. I was pleased to see that the whole line seemed to improve between OSU and South Carolina. If the new guys can create holes for Derrick Green, the sky's the limit.

I have the same concerns with the running game but for some reason I think the youngsters are going to really tear it up and the new starting offensive linemen are going to allow our downhill game to at least improve.



Do t get me wrong , 12-0 is lofty but looking at the schedule and the possibility of ND losing Kelly I really like our chances.



I think talent wise we are as good or better then anyone on our schedule.

  Don't be surprised to see Smith force his way onto the field next year, even if Green comes here and Fitz is back. The kid is good, a lot of power to him, with some speed to go along with it.

I think our fans are consistently overlooking Deveon Smith as a possible early contributor.  He just had a monster senior year.  Green will be a very awesome addition to the class, but we are pinning too much on one recruit.  I have seen too many savior RBs come and go (Baraka, Fargas, and McGuffie) and seen many less heralded recruits thrive (Perry, Hart) to simply pencil in Green as the starter.  

I think you are spot on.  We have too many holes to be filled with players that lack experience to feel confident, including QB.  While Devin got a great start on getting experience, behind him are two players who are suspect, Bellomy because we saw him in the Nebraska game and Shane Morris who didn't play much last year due to mono and is a freshman. We have to hope Devin stays healthy.

I stopped counting chickens a few years ago.  Anyone think Dee Hart would be relegated to his position on Alabama?  Countess, Toussaint, etc......lots of ifs. Green hopefully will choose us and be the second coming, but until I see it, I see potential issues.  Ditto for WR.

A couple of teams we play are also pretty good. Ohio, ND, etc.

Lewan staying will be a very big help, but he is only one piece of the puzzle, albeit a big one.

I'd rather be surprised than disappointed.

** I agree Blue-Chip.  Schedule is favorable, but hard to predict a 12-0.  I would love to see Green sign, and am stoked to have Taylor Lewan back 

ND, OSU, and NW on the road don't look much (if any) better than 50-50 as of now, and MSU and PSU on the road and Neb at home are potential trouble. Iowa on the road is usually trouble but they were a MAC level team this year.

The odds of a 0- or 1-loss regular season and conference title look a lot better than they did this time yesterday.

Absolutely unless they get a big name hire.

I am no OSU apologist; I hate them, just to be clear.  Having said that, they too won 12 games last year. Like ND, those wins were lucky in some cases, good breaks in others, and poor competition pretty much across the board. Having said that, there is something to be said for going 12-0. OSU won't be a roll over game. I think it will be highly contested, a potential paring of two 11 win teams. OSU's schedule is just as flimzy as Michigan's next year. It will be interesting to see how the season shapes up.

I for one think that Taylor's contribution could potentially account for .6777777 of a win next year.  Yeah, that much.

No, but not having four first year starters on the line just might.

I think you have to look at what Lewan's return means in the grand scheme of the offense.

Had Lewan left, UM would probably have to replace him with Schofield.  Either Braden or Magnuson takes the RT position, and then you're counting on Kalis and either Bryant/Byrzinski/Bars to produce at the OG positions, with Miller at C.  That might work, but what if those interior line prospects don't produce like we're hoping?  What if we have an injury or two in there?  

WIth Lewan returning, we have all the above players, plus Schofield who is proven at both RT and OG.  So you not only have two OL positions solidified, plus another body worth of depth, but you have more flexibility in case of an injury or performance issue.   

Agree about two, but I'll say he's worth a win next year.

Just like with Jake Long, 3rd and 1 is going to be a run left...then again with Borges...?

I definitely think you're right there. For some reason looking at the schedule I find it to be very much in our favor.



The games people are worried about I have thought about often.



I don't think PSU has the horses to score enough to beat us.



I think northwestern is going to be a tough one but I think our defense is going to be better and I think that's the difference.



We get Nebraska at home and again I think our defense and record at home are the big differences in that contest.



Notre dame under the lights and possibly with a new coach but definitely with a lot of new players makes it a very winnable game. If we don't have turnover fest part two then I think we pull off a close win.



Ohio is at home. I have a feeling they will be unbeaten once again. I'd rather not play them twice but I have a feeling we will. I'd rather lose the first and win the second but in all honesty if our offense is as good as it has the potential to be and AL doesn't have any brain farts then I like our chances in both games.



In all likelihood 11-2, 12-1 season prior to the bowl is the most likely outcome. However 13-0 is very attainable if we are able to come together and execute in big games. I really think by game 4-5 Devin will be the qb we all thought he could be.