A look ahead to 2016 (schedule)

Submitted by James Burrill Angell on
First time I looked ahead at next year's schedule. Next year we go to 9 conference games (and consequently only 3 non-Conf). Next year the non-conference is pretty weak (Hawaii, UCF, Colorado). The conference on the other hand gets rough. We pick up a home game with Wisconsin and then play road games at Iowa, MSU and OSU (yes that's road games against the top three 2015 conference teams). Yeesh. At least the team will get a softer start to the season to gear up for a grueling conference schedule.
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alum96

November 28th, 2015 at 8:05 PM ^

No.

Only losses in 2 deep on offense are fullbacks, Jake, Glasgow, and potentially Butt if he declares early.

He is the only guy I see on this team going to the NFL early.  Guys like Henry, Wormley, Lewis are not projected rounds 1-2 right now which is where I'd assume you'd leave.  Butt is looking 2nd round right now.

On D the biggest loss IMO is Wilson although Dymonte Thomas really has been looking better the past 3 weeks and today until getting hurt.  We lose the entire LB corps and the BUCK DEs.  The LB corps and making sure someone like Hill or Thomas is not a major drop from Wilson are the main things to take care of next year.

And finding an aussie punter.

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michiganman001

November 28th, 2015 at 8:05 PM ^

15-0, National Championship, Peppers wins the Heisman But seriously I think it comes down to Iowa, MSU, and OSU like we've said. Wisconsin could be tough, but it's at the big house and Wisconsin hasn't looked great this year. I still don't think Iowa is that good this year (hope they beat msu tho) and I don't think they are that good next year. MSU loses Cook, but it's almost every year now in which we say that they won't be as good and they are. OSU is OSU. I say 10-2 and maybe 11-1 if bounces go our way

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Ghost of Fritz…

November 28th, 2015 at 8:33 PM ^

heading way up in 2016.  

OSU, MSU, and Iowa will all suffer significant drops in quality.

MSU is actually not as good this year as they were last year.  Next year they will drop substantially. 

Iowa is rarely terrible, but to expect that they will be great again next year seems unrealistic.  This is Iowa's best year in 8 decades.  

OSU loses a TON.  Their starting line-up will be gutted. Sure they will reload, but that does not mean that they will be nearly as good as on 2014 and 2015. 

Michigan needs to find a solution at LB, hope that O'Korn is the real deal, and hope that Jake Butt returns.  Re: O'Korn, seeing how much Rudock's passing improved in 2015 suggests the Harbaugh will get the most possible out of whoever ends up as the QB.

Don't forget the 2015 red shirts.  Can't wait to see what they do with Wheatley next season. 

M will have the most seasoned starting line-ups in the Big Ten East. 

People need to look at the jump from year one two year two with Saban at Alabama and Carroll at USC.  Neither Saban not Carroll came close to 9-3 in year one.  By year two they had huge jumps.  Harbaugh will do the same. 

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Rabbit21

November 28th, 2015 at 8:45 PM ^

Wisconsin doesn't really worry me anymore, they were not great this year and I just don't see their QB issues getting solved. Besides we owe the evil cheese heads for the pain of the Bert years.

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JayMo4

November 28th, 2015 at 9:03 PM ^

Wisconsin had a lot of trouble running the ball against any halfway decent defense this year, and they have to come up with a new QB.  They're probably going to look a lot like Penn State this year, if Penn State didn't have Hackenberg.

Would that team worry you?

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Jimmyisgod

November 28th, 2015 at 9:26 PM ^

OSU is always loaded, they will be again.

MSU is not going to be as good as this season, but their injuries did allow them to develop a lot of depth.  Their defense will be really good next year, their O line too, and they have a nice set of RBs and TEs.  If they can get one of their QBs to develop they could be really good.  But I think they only haave 1 very ewxperienced WR returning, that will be big for them.

Do they fall back?  Well, they will be favored to make the playoffs next week, so probably, but they are still going to be really good and maybe win 10 games and the game is at their place.  It's a coin flip game for us.

How many years have we all talked about MSU falling off big time?  They aren't going anywhere and will be a threat to us every season as long as Dantonio is there.

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Coldwater

November 28th, 2015 at 9:16 PM ^

How did Michigan rush the ball better last season at the shoe with the same RB's, same OL, but younger, less experienced, and with Funk as position coach?

Drake Johnson had a great game going last season down there before he tore his ACL. And today he barley sniffed any playing time.

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columnatedruins

November 28th, 2015 at 9:36 PM ^

That road schedule... attrition/graduation... new QB... tsio & Sharty reloading... all point to next year as probably much of what we saw this year, record-wise.  I'm thinking 9 wins O/U

BUT HEY we're not losing to teams we are SUPPOSED TO BEAT anymore.  2017 we'll get our rivals back in the Big House & some of Harb's recruits will be salty (including a QB with a couple years' experience).  Could be one of our best years ever.

A 3-loss year in 2016 doesn't scare me as much as the impending threat of losing Durkin to a HC position elsewhere.

 

 

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Chitown Kev

November 28th, 2015 at 10:09 PM ^

and we have a schedule like the B12 teams this year.

I expect Michigan to compete for the playoffs next year. And with the ease of the schedule, some of the recruits and younger players should get plenty of reps (esp. with the OOC schedule) that I'm not that worried about 2017.

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Saint_in_Blue

November 28th, 2015 at 10:14 PM ^

It's going to get worse before it gets better folks. We still have no playmakers besides Peppers. We still won't have a running back. We're going to have ANOTHER transfer QB leading this team. The defense is going to take a step back after replacing ALL the linebackers. And not to mention any changes on our coaching staff that may take place (ie Durkin to Maryland (I know it won't happen, but he is interviewing)).

And top it all off with a BRUTAL SCHEDULE (thanks Delany) and I can see a very similar result like this season. Losses to MSU and OSU again, plus one more to either Wisky or Iowa.Could very easily lose to both, though.

I know a lot of people are saying that MSU loses too much, but they're going to have talent and leadership where it counts.....at QB. They have two very capable backups in O'Conner and Terry. Both are seniors next year and HAVE EXPERIENCE. Another factor is that we play them later in the season when they've had time to gel. So any new guys they put in place will be in full swing by that time of the season.

OSU simply reloads. They'll just plug more 4/5 stars inplace of their departing 4/5 stars.

My prediction for next year is 8-4 (5-4) in the regular season. We go to the Alamo Bowl to play Texas (assuming they keep Strong) and win to finish 9-4.

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CoachBP6

November 28th, 2015 at 10:40 PM ^

Loss at Osu is virtually guaranteed. Iowa and MSU are both winnable as is Wisconsin. Likely finish 10-3 with bowl game.

2017- same thing no better than 10-3



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dmuthalovinmase2

November 28th, 2015 at 10:49 PM ^

Wow... I'm holding out any predictions for the season until April, who knows Brandon Peters could be the real deal and we could get a flood of blue chips... who freaking knows... I think this team will be a step better than they were this year. While IDK if MSU, Iowa, and Wis will be. Not to mention OSU has to replace Elliot and half of its defense. Can't lose hope damn near 300 days away from opening kickoff

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bo_lives

November 29th, 2015 at 1:31 AM ^

but I'm starting to feel like this is the new normal. OSU and MSU are the new "Big 2" and the rest including Michigan are the "Little 12". If MSU wins next week it'll be the third year in a row the winner of the OSU-MSU game wins the Championshiop.

This board is still living in the 90s. Pretending Michigan isn't a huge step below those programs in this day and age. Anyone under the age of 25 can hardly even remember a time when Michigan deserved to be on the same field as OSU. I grew up rooting for Michigan, graduated from there (twice), and moved on. I was in 7th grade for their last great victory over OSU.

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bo_lives

November 29th, 2015 at 10:50 AM ^

just calling it like it is. I have a lot of hope for Harbaugh, but the situation is what it is. OSU and MSU are at such an elite level right now that even if Michigan does make it to that point within 5 years, the games will still be 50/50. In the meantime it's hard not to forsee more losses on the way.

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