Michigan Vs them (OSU) - Tweet of an Insider
There is a lot of focus on recruiting, but less on how we fall behind the top 5 level due to our athletic program overall. There are many reasons beyond the direct efforts and evaluations of the football staff that lead to big signing classes of elite players. I’m not on the “bagmen” train, I think we have to improve our culture and our marketing. Rogers spent a lot of time with our program and while he lacks specific detail that seems to be a product of being behind in every way.
https://twitter.com/_tyrogers_/status/1207311375917293568?s=12
December 18th, 2019 at 10:03 PM ^
This is dumb. Or I’m dumb. One has got to be true.
December 18th, 2019 at 10:18 PM ^
Both could be true .
December 18th, 2019 at 10:42 PM ^
They are not mutually exclusive concepts.
December 19th, 2019 at 1:11 AM ^
And the fact that he got that part wrong is very telling ?
December 19th, 2019 at 1:01 PM ^
dumb in a way
December 19th, 2019 at 8:31 AM ^
Steve Lorenz said he wasn't at all missed at Michigan, and that if you told him this guy was going to visit Ohio State, he'd have bet $1,000 he would tweet something exactly like this.
December 19th, 2019 at 10:07 AM ^
Guy tweets it on early signing day #coordinated
December 18th, 2019 at 10:05 PM ^
I know people are bashing him on twitter but that’s a serious indictment. We probably knew this but yea it’s clear we are way behind them in every single way
December 18th, 2019 at 10:20 PM ^
It's hard to take him seriously when you see how he has conducted himself during and before this. It is clear he left on bad terms with other people in the program, especially the graphics department and Aaron Bills.
I see both sides of this. I do think Michigan's graphics and video team could use a boost, and I also did not think their recruiting day profiles were stellar this year IMO. But I don't think the impact and difference is as big as he makes it out to be, and I think the media and fans make a bigger deal of these presentations than the actual recruits themselves. And I think the graphics team has done some good work in the past so I think it is unfair to make generalizations on their work based on one project which is what Ty Rogers seems to be doing here.
December 18th, 2019 at 11:44 PM ^
As someone who works in that industry, I hate to say it, but OSU has the best graphics team in the country. Their ex-creative director Samuel Silverman really did a great job and their team hasn’t missed a step since he left. Michigan’s graphics used to be better at the start of the Harbaugh era (Signing of the Stars era) but they’ve really plateaued since. This year’s recruiting graphics (with the trading cards) were fine; I just question basing the entire concept of a day specifically for Gen Z teenagers on a reference to a Baby Boomer hobby.
As for Aaron Bills, he doesn’t really get involved with others the design community, so I don’t know him at all.
December 19th, 2019 at 2:41 AM ^
Are you making the argument that OSU signs better recruiting classes because of the AD graphics departments at the two schools?
December 19th, 2019 at 9:23 AM ^
Literally not at all what he said. I think you're willfully ignoring the point he is making.
December 19th, 2019 at 12:03 PM ^
No, simply that it's an area in the program that Michigan can improve a lot.
For example, OSU went with an augmented/virtual reality theme yesterday:
CJ Stroud ➡️ Officially a Buckeye‼️ Welcome, @CJ7STROUD#GoBucks #XXclusive pic.twitter.com/HGpc0TbMEy
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) December 18, 2019
Texas did something similar, but pulled it off a little better than OSU:
Motion work for NSD was done in a 3D space utilizing player branding and lighting effects as well. Loved this challenge. This one features new QB signee @Hcard7. ? pic.twitter.com/AtfFUwalEe
— Matt Lange (@mattjlange) December 19, 2019
My personal favorite, Kansas, came up with this pop art style, similar to ESPN's College Basketball package (notice how every player has his own custom background pattern and styling):
Excited about the direction of the program #Hail20ldKU #RockChalk pic.twitter.com/vlzlMhgcQS
— Kansas Football (@KU_Football) December 19, 2019
Even MSU's was pretty entertaining with a mashup of Apple Apps:
Creative approach from Michigan St.@_BlazeWatson_ @MSU_Football pic.twitter.com/3u3yZA9MRw
— Juke (@jukedesign) December 19, 2019
Michigan's was... fine?
?: Get to know Roman Wilson ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/CJdvhDBoqX
— Michigan Football (@UMichFootball) December 18, 2019
I love Michigan, but I don't think it's a stretch to say they are objectively a full step or two below what other creative departments are turning out.
December 19th, 2019 at 12:35 PM ^
Syracuse's were pretty good, too. I liked the super hero angle. Of course it's not going to be the deciding factor for a recruit, but those little things do add up.
December 19th, 2019 at 2:05 PM ^
For sure! I believe the artist who illustrated those comic book covers is the same one who used to work with Garrett Fishaw on the MGoFish recruiting stuff.
December 19th, 2019 at 12:45 PM ^
I'm too old to know how much this stuff matters to kids, but after going through all of those in order, by comparison UM's was actually sort of embarrassing. Like... wedding slideshow basic. They couldn't even be bothered to find pictures that didn't hide the first highlight.
Hopefully it doesn't matter much to future recruits, because that one particular bit of media is definitely a step (or five) behind.
December 19th, 2019 at 2:19 PM ^
Personally, I would be embarrassed if I were representing the University of Michigan and everyone else was producing much better quality work than me.
As for how much it this means to kids these days, who knows. Really, I think they just want something cool to share with their friends on Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter. These kids have worked their whole lives to get to this point, give them something cool they can share.
One area to watch in the future is the personalized branding of your players. Remember what Rashan Gary did with his own personal logo? With the NCAA allowing student-athletes to profit off their own likeness, helping your players develop and manage their own brands will become a big deal. I know Texas and Oklahoma created individual logos (like the Jumpman/LBJ/TB12) for each player in their class. Helping your athletes profit off their likeness and providing professional brand management services would be a pretty big draw to any recruit.
December 19th, 2019 at 2:54 PM ^
I think its safe to say Harbaugh's "Signing of the Stars" was cutting edge creativity that was the best in the country at welcoming newcomers to Michigan football. Did that move the needle at all? No. Evidenced by the fact it is no longer done. How many kids have Michigan signed that said they did so because they saw the signing day special from a few years ago? I say all that to say, who gives a flying fuck about graphics on twitter. It has absolutely no impact on recruiting. In theory you could make the argument it helps the most die hard fans learn about the kids, which ok. But that's a small portion of the fanbase.
tl;dr: this topic is dumb and has no effect on recruiting whatsoever.
December 19th, 2019 at 4:04 PM ^
How many kids committed to Michigan because of the new weight room and Schembechler Hall renovations? How many recruits did Michigan get because they went back to Jordan/Nike? How many 5-stars did Michigan get because of the overseas trips? On their own, the answers are zero, zero, and zero.
You could make this argument with any aspect of any program. No kid is going to go play for a school ONLY because of the uniforms, the number of fans in attendance, or how new the freshman dorms are. Consumers make decisions based on the product that they believe will best help them meet their own goals and values.
I'm not arguing that the Signing of the Stars itself was a wild success, just that it presented Michigan in a forward-thinking and modern light. Having poor graphics isn't the end of the world, but you're allowing the program to be perceived through an unflattering lense for no reason. Michigan's football program should be doing everything in their power to shake the public image that they are behind the premier programs in the country. If you don't understand how optics and messaging shape public perception, then that's your loss.
Also, weird how Michigan's two highest-rated recruiting classes of the modern era took place in the Signing of the Stars era, and since they stopped, Michigan's recruiting classes have taken a hit. Surely there's no correlation there at all.
December 19th, 2019 at 10:12 AM ^
You're a censored idiot
December 18th, 2019 at 10:05 PM ^
Specific details? He says nothing other than Michigan is way behind OSU. I don't think we need twitter to tell us that amazing fact. What is the root cause though? Bagmen? Academics? S&C? Coaching? Facilities? What is it?
December 18th, 2019 at 10:13 PM ^
1) They are a traditional power.
2) They pay the players.
3) They are Ohio's team because Ohio's pro history is shit.
4) They have one rival who they obsess over regardless of how successful they are vs them. I wish Michigan could match this, but we have MSU to worry about as well.
December 18th, 2019 at 10:29 PM ^
Harbaugh won't beat OSU until he knocks the Lions from their perch as Michigan's team.
December 18th, 2019 at 11:51 PM ^
LOL, the fords long ago knocked the lie-downs from their porch as Michigan's team.
December 19th, 2019 at 12:22 AM ^
I think we have to self own our opportunities as well. In 2016, Meyer realized their offense was no longer on the leading edge of college football. In 2017 he hired San Francisco‘s quarterback coach, who modernized their offense and is now the head coach of the program. Harbaugh made a similar move, but it was after beating his head against the wall for far too long. There is a big difference between being leading edge and following trends. Our strength and conditioning program, recruiting, (personnel ID, recruiters and graphics) medical care, all of it has to be elite. Look at where Hartline and Hafley rank(ed)nationally.
We make jokes about online classes while they are pumping out more academic All-American’s and Campbell Award finalists. Harbaugh can be innovative, remember satellite campus? We have room to continue to improve innovation in every aspect of our program. There is no silver bullet, it’s the 100’s of little things that lead to the end result.
December 19th, 2019 at 2:49 AM ^
Difference is, Urban hires a young coach who a worked for former assistant (Adazzio) and a close confidant (Chip Kelly) then puts him with Kevin Wilson who has been innovating the same base offense Urban built his entire philosophy on for 30 years. Day takes over, retains Wilson, sprinkles in some Gundy-influence with Yurchich, puts a Tressel guy(Hartline) in the mix. The cohesion and lineage is absurd.
Harbaugh, an ardent and successful WCO/Pro-style guy hires a longtime James Franklin position coach with zero play calling experience who wants to run an antiquated mid 2000’s spread and the only guy on staff who has any play calling experience is Ed Warriner who was unceremoniously fired at baggage claim just before Meyer hired Day to replace him.
It isn’t the graphics department that makes the disparity.
December 19th, 2019 at 6:47 AM ^
This is somewhat true, but very dismissive and openly derogatory against Harbaugh. JH went with seasoned professionals to upgrade Michigan's offense several times. Jedd Fisch seriously upgraded the offense from the mess Hoke left behind. He left for the NFL and was replaced by experienced assistants that were expected to keep continuity. Drevno Peter Principled himself right out of town. Pep Hamilton was brought in from the NFL to install a passing scheme that could have shredded college defenses. But he proved that he couldn't teach it, couldn't modify it for his personnel, couldn't get the right personnel to run it, and wasn't aggressive enough with it. Pep was an abject failure as a college coach. After several tries to maintain continuity, Gattis was brought in to install a more college friendly offense. And the recruiting focus changed accordingly - for the third time in five years.
You're absolutely correct that continuity is a HUGE part of OSU's success, and Michigan's failures (for lack of better term). The reason why, though, is not Harbaugh's doing. Meyer stepped into 11 years of consistent high level performance and schemes that his philosophy fit to a 'T'. Harbaugh has had to rebuild from 8 years of tire fire in dumpster performances, and the shit PR that came with it. H'e tried hard to find a formula that brings success, and stay with it. He's got that on defense with Brown. Hopefully, Gattis has built that foundation for offense.
Consistency with what works is how you build a top 5 program. Yet, a lot of people here want to keep changing coaches in the hope that a unicorn walks through the door and magically gets the team to go 30-0.
December 19th, 2019 at 9:50 AM ^
Fact is, UM hired the purported QB whisperer, and in year 5 it’s OSU with the three of the top WR recruits in the country. 9/100 vs. UM’s 1, heading into year six, with Meyer gone.
UM is at a crossroads (it’s decision time on Harbaugh’s tenure), but anyone who thinks staying the course feels like anything close to just right has them maize and blue blinders on, tight.
The NFL must be calling. And I wouldn’t be surprised if the agent, at least, is listening.
December 19th, 2019 at 10:01 AM ^
There is no "crossroads" here, at all. If you really think Warde Manual is considering firing Harbaugh to start over with everything, nobody can help you. If you really think the fanbase can rise up to make Warde consider firing Harbaugh, I'm not sure what to tell you. If you really think the football alumni are strongly in favor of firing Harbaugh to the point where Warde would consider it, dude, I don't know what you're smoking.
Unless he straight up decides to leave on his own accord, he's going nowhere - regardless of whether you, I, or the gas station attendant next door gives a rats ass either way.
Remaining consistently good while improving areas that need to be improved is the only way to get to the level we want to be at. Continually blowing it up every 4-5 years is a great way to be a Hoke-ish 5-7 every few years. Fuck that. Nobody wanted, or expected, 0-5. But would you prefer 5-7 on the season, with no hope of anything else? I doubt it, you'd be bitching more than you are now!
December 19th, 2019 at 11:04 AM ^
Then he extends 0-5 (15/16 now?) into the future, because if preciou$ khaki pants can’t wrangle better than one top 100 recruit in year five vs. NINE for the other guys (sans Meyer), this will rinse/repeat until both the Harbaugh brand and UM brand are shells of themselves.
My bet is Harbaugh is coaching in the NFL next year. Or Warde gives him a limp contract extension full of UM outs. If he pushes in all of UM’s chips, again, he’s nuts.
I simply refuse to join the “If Harbaugh Can’t Do It, No One Can” cult, sorry. If he leaves, one way or the other, so be it.
A win over ‘Bama would be impressive. It’s well past time for a big one, it would be nice to see. Would restore some momentum. But I guess it doesn’t matter to the cult though, does it? I’m sure they’d rationalize their way out of another loss. Cheaterz. Online courses. Etc.
Go Blue. Khaki, I really don’t care about.
December 19th, 2019 at 12:33 PM ^
I'm not on that cult train, but I am realistic about which way the program would go if he left - down. Odds are, it goes way down from where it's at today, with little hope of climbing back up. You favorite coaches - Meyer, Saban, Swinney, etc - to replace JH are not coming here. Ever. You'd have to pick from the same litter of coaches that Harbaugh comes from (Super Bowl coaches, NFL-sought coaches, proven track record of success everywhere, able to unite the entire fanbase (lest we have a repeat of Rich Rod) - it's a small list). Can you reasonably tell me that any of them would have Michigan in a better place? Perhaps someone would, but who? And when?
December 19th, 2019 at 3:30 PM ^
It's very difficult to say. Of course. UM is between a rock and another loss to OSU right now. Post-'Bama something has to happen though (the aforementioned "crossroads"). Because you can't let ANY coach try and recruit with only two years left on a contract. Crazy. That's just dooming the whole program.
But if 'Bama beats UM, which if you're being a realist, is the most likely scenario... firing Harbaugh looks bad (UM will likely take a black-eye in its coaching search, for sure), extending him will look bad (extending a guy who can't win the big games?!) and him leaving for the NFL looks bad (it must mean UM is a lost cause, etc.).
Of the three choices, IF 'Bama spanks UM, firing Harbaugh MIGHT be the best thing for the UM brand. Not easy. But it says, the PROGRAM wants to be better. It WANTS to beat OSU, win B10 titles, etc. ASAP. And no one is bigger than that goal. Harbs had his shot.
But IF UM surprises (most everyone) and wins, it makes extending his contract for a spell look A LOT better. To steal a line from Lord of the Rings... hope is kindled!!!
Of alternate coaching options do I know the sure thing? No. No one does. Harbaugh wasn't a sure thing. Nobody is, but that's the game. You choose your best bet and roll the dice. But doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result starts to look like, well, insanity.
This bowl game is huge to me. We'll see.
December 19th, 2019 at 7:18 PM ^
This post is gold!! #facts
December 19th, 2019 at 8:41 AM ^
He also hired a high school coach to get Jabrill Peppers to commit. Now, turns out the guy is a decent coach (afaik), but that's a happy and unexpected bonus.
December 19th, 2019 at 11:57 AM ^
Peppers committed to Hoke.
December 19th, 2019 at 12:16 PM ^
Regarding this part of your argument: We make jokes about online classes while they are pumping out more academic All-American’s and Campbell Award finalists.
Academic wise, all you need to be an Academic All American is a 3.0 GPA. That's pretty easy to do when you look at A) What Ohio State Players are Majoring in and B) The Academic rigors of Ohio State. Michigan by far and way is a much better academic institute and has some pretty ridiculous Academic Standards.
Case in point: Our Undergraduate B School (Ross) and the classes you need to take to apply (Econ 271, 272; Accounting 1 and 2). There is a reason so many kids when to Washtenaw to take those classes over the summer rather than take them at Michigan: They were way easier. My Fraternity had advisors come and meet with us (early 2000's) and both had MBA's (University of Colorado and University of Iowa) and were stunned how much harder our Undergrad B School assignments were than what they did in their respective MBA programs.
My point is, Michigan's standards are much harder than Ohio State. If all our players went to Ohio State, they would have more AA"s than the current Ohio State roster and it wouldn't be close
There is a reason Michigan is consistently a Top 5 Public University and Ohio State can't even break into the Top 100.
December 19th, 2019 at 8:46 AM ^
1. So's Michigan
2. Familiarize yourself with Marty Blazer
3. On Saturdays, sure; but you're sorely underestimating the Browns' reach in Ohio.
4. Obsess? Third trip to the playoffs in six years.
December 19th, 2019 at 12:26 PM ^
Clemson and Bama go every year. And OSUs second trip clearly they did not belong. Oklahoma is on their 3rd trip as well.
December 20th, 2019 at 10:27 PM ^
Is this what you have to tell yourself to justify losing 17 out of the last 19? Jesus you guys are pathetic.
December 19th, 2019 at 6:26 AM ^
It's hard to beat the cheaters
December 19th, 2019 at 2:10 PM ^
It’s everything. Like literally every facet you could think of. Programs like Ohio State, Alabama, and Clemson are committed to be the very best in every possible way. And I do mean EVERY way. Some program has a smoothie bar? We’re gonna have one and it’s going to be the best. Michigan isn’t there yet, and neither are many other “top” programs.
All three of those programs have a maniacal approach to being the absolute best in their own unique way. LSU is joining that list too with what Coach O is doing. Michigan doesn’t and you see that play out in a variety of decisions they make up and down the program.
And Ty’s point of view wasn’t coming from a graphics standpoint. He was at Ohio State recently for a video shoot and saw a lot more than graphics. Inside look at their facilities, resources, and how they conduct themselves. That’s where the “way behind” statement came from.
December 18th, 2019 at 10:15 PM ^
Ty Rogers is a douche. Jealous that graphic designer Aaron Bills has the clout that he couldn't get when he did have a job as a M's video creative guy.
tl;dr his series of tweets is to egg on Aaron Bills to respond to him. It all started when he got butthurt that the current video guy unfollowed Rogers on twitter and he tweeted his displeasure mentioning Aaron by name.
December 19th, 2019 at 12:42 AM ^
Cant speak to anything w Bills, but I don’t think he’s jealous of Michigan. Most video guys do freelance, but there’s not a huge market for what he does outside of the college game. Pro teams have their own staff and players don’t need a full-time videographer. People who have worked with him think he’s good, but he’s claiming he’s Cam’s video guy. He filmed like two things lol. He obviously feels the need to self promote to stay relevant.
December 19th, 2019 at 4:04 PM ^
You can't out yourself as a clueless teenager faster than using the sentence "he obviously feels the need to self promote to stay relevant."
God speed to you if you think the masses will always be lining up to purchase your work. You'll need it. Maybe you can be the next Van Gogh - utterly in shambles while you're alive.
December 19th, 2019 at 6:20 AM ^
Informative... I don't know how you know what you know, but you should definitely be on some UM related payroll. Also, was the 1st time that the tl/dr was longer than the original statement.
December 19th, 2019 at 6:40 AM ^
December 19th, 2019 at 7:00 AM ^
No, thanks. That's why I come to the blog - you guys on Twitter are pretty good at translating relevant stuff!
December 20th, 2019 at 12:53 PM ^
I followed Ty Rogers on instagram for a time and I can tell you his number one subject, by far, is Ty Rogers. Dude's in love with his own image.
December 18th, 2019 at 10:16 PM ^
Who?!