Next season

Submitted by michgoblue on
As most have pointed out in the myriad threads, this season is over. Aside from the OSU game, none have much relevance aside from hopefully stopping the slide that we are on. While I don't agree with the numerous posters who say that they will no longer watch, no longer wear M gear or no longer spend or donate money, I was hoping to start a thread about reasons for optimism for next season.

I really want to avoid having this tin in to a discussion of Hoke, Borges, Funk or coaching change. For purposes of that goal, lets just assume that next year we will be coached by hoke, mattison, and a middle of the road, manball-oriented, u exciting but fairy competent offensive staff. Basically, the best case Borges.

So, why are you positive on next season?

Here's my attempt:

1. The D has been pretty good this year. Given how many drives opponents have, you can argue that the d has been very good. There have been periods of inconsistency, but that is to be excepted of such a young team. The good news is that just about the entire D should be back. All a year older and stronger and more experiences. Also, next year some of our big 2011 / 2912 recruits should be ready to contribute significantly.

2. WR position. Yes we lose our best receiver in gallon, but man am I excited to see funchess as an Older, more refined received. He is going to be such a dominant force. Add in Chesson (who has steadily improved throughout the season and has a ton of upside), Darboh (who had a ton a preseason hype) and some f the incoming players and this skill group should be really strong for us.

3. TE. Butt is contributing well as a true freshman at a tough position for a true freshman to play. Given another year to grow and develop, he is going to be very good.

4. Devin, the run game and the OL. Here's my thinking. We lose Lewan and scoffield. So we should be worse, right. Guess what? That would be impossible. We literally cannot be worse on this front. At worst, we are the same, but if there is even a slight improvement in the line, we could be significantly better on offense.

Thoughts? Opinions?

JT4104

November 10th, 2013 at 2:39 PM ^

In all honesty.....while I see where you are coming from the fact of the matter is at this point I think you can't assume anything about next year until you know what members of staff are coming back.

treetown

November 10th, 2013 at 2:52 PM ^

Agree - too early to over think things. Lots of things can happen during the post bowl break.

Oh one thing, I know a lot of people are down right now and may not go to the OSU game because that has the portends of a real nightmare. So if you are a regular ticket holder and aren't going to the game, please sell or better yet, gift them to a UM fan. Someone who may not be able to go to the game or has never been to the stadium. Let them go and enjoy the fun aspects of visiting the stadium. If you are hosting Thanksgiving maybe some of the out-of-town crowd might want to check things out. PLEASE do not sell them to a OSU fan.

Thank you.

Wolverine Devotee

November 10th, 2013 at 6:26 PM ^

Upsets and the underdog playing up to their competition is nothing new in this rivalry.

ohio was awful in 1999, was leading for quite awhile and Michigan had to come back and win 24-17.

In 2002, Michigan hung around and had a chance to win it at the end.

A win is a win. 

True_Blue

November 10th, 2013 at 2:41 PM ^

I'm not excited for next year.  Have you seen our schedule?  It's going to be incredibly difficult.  We play ND, MSU, NW, and OSU on the road, as well as Utah, and Penn State at home.  I dont think that favors Michigan.

True_Blue

November 10th, 2013 at 2:48 PM ^

I'm afraid I have to agree with mGrowOld.  Due to our youth and schedule next year, I think 2015 is our best shot at being dominant (and even relevant), we wont play ND, we have MSU, and OSU at home, and our away games are going to be Maryland, Minnesota, Indiana, and Penn State. 

Leonhall

November 10th, 2013 at 5:55 PM ^

Our schedule is difficult, although lewan and schofield have been decent, I'm not as worried as I once was. Honestly, neither have had a good year, IMO. Granted the new starters may not be as efficient right away, but it's hard to believe our line as a whole could be worse.

trueblueintexas

November 10th, 2013 at 8:35 PM ^

Not to pick on you leonhall, but every season preview this year said there was no way the line could be worse than last year. Every preview. Sadly we found out that was not true. I'll leave you with this quote from an old Garfield comic: Every time I think I've hit bottom, someone throws me a shovel.

Leonhall

November 10th, 2013 at 9:16 PM ^

Right, I will never listen to hype again. I never understood those though who thought this years line would be better, we were going to have 3 new starters, that typically is never good. Still if this experience is worth anything, maybe it will help for next season. At least magnusson is getting PT, albeit, a different spot, hopefully Kalis comes back, and between he and Bosch or Dawson, we are better in the middle.

funkywolve

November 10th, 2013 at 9:18 PM ^

That was the consensus - the oline in 2013 can't be as bad as 2012.  Unfortunately for 2014 we lose far and away our two best olineman and return a bunch of guys who haven't looked any where ready for big time college football.  It might be better but I'm not expecting much improvement from the oline next year.

DetroitBlue

November 10th, 2013 at 2:51 PM ^

Agreed. Next year is going to be ugly. Away games at ND, Ohio, state, and NW again. What does that say about our staff that we realistically have to look forward to year 5 to see any improvement? I've never had such little hope about this program, not even during the RR experiment.

M-Dog

November 10th, 2013 at 3:08 PM ^

"What does that say about our staff that we realistically have to look forward to year 5 to see any improvement?"

It's not great, but it does give us a clear indelible line of delineation.  Hoke is not going to be fired soon and even Funk and Borges will probably still be around.  OK, I can live with that.  We don't want to become ND.  We want to give every chance possible for the coaching staff to succeed.  

The 2015 season is that chance.  By the end of that season there will be no need for speculation, we will know for sure.  2015 lines up as the acid test:  favorable schedule, all Hoke's 4*/5* guys, experience and depth at every position, Morris' 3rd year in the system.  All the plausible excuses are gone.  

If it's going to happen, it's going to happen by 2015.  If that season is over and we're still posting threads about next year . . . it's time for a change.

 

I Like Burgers

November 10th, 2013 at 4:22 PM ^

Dude...hate to break it to you, but we're already ND.  Except maybe worse since they've been to a championship game.  The only thing we have to hang our hats on recently is sneaking our way into a BCS game.  And losing to Texas in the 2005 Rose Bowl is pretty much the lone highlight since the '97 team.

BlueSince5

November 10th, 2013 at 3:12 PM ^

The lack of hope has to do more with the fact that fans of this program have not seen improvement on the offense. In fact, it's been regression since ND. Why? We don't know because our coaches think everything is "good" and the play-calling is "good" and we just need a little better "execution". What would make anyone believe that an increase in age will make any of these players better? 

Blue in Yarmouth

November 11th, 2013 at 10:12 AM ^

You're saying we'll be worse. Thanks for that.

Honestly though, I can't understand how we keep going backwards as an offense and seemingly not at least remaining at a certain level. Why don't the staff go back to Miller at center, Glasgow at G and bring either Kalis or Bryant in at the other G spot (not that G spot). At least we actually gained positive yards with those guys in and we haven't played better competition (other than MSU). I mean, we gained yards on ND and they certainly have a better D than Nebraska. 

I can see why we were dreadful against MSU, but there is no excuse for what happened on Saturday and I have to think that if the line was playing at least as well as they were against ND then we could have at least gained positive yards on the ground, but this team is going backwards...How is any of this possible without our offensive staff being on the hotseat? It seems like the fans are the only ones willing to aknowledge what a train wreck this is and the fact that change is needed.

WolverineMaize93

November 11th, 2013 at 11:27 AM ^

I'm sick of this "wait till next year" crap. I have been "waiting till next year" since 2006. Enough is enough, Hoke and Borges are bringing this program down with their stubborness and refusal to make adjustments during games. I don't care about the recruits they're bringing in, becasue what good does that do, if we have rushed for negative yards in 2 consecutive weeks?? We need a new coach if you ask me, this is unacceptable.

SirJack II

November 10th, 2013 at 3:51 PM ^

Just tell yourself before every season: "I refuse to believe the inevitable hype coming out of Summer/Spring practice."

Remember how our O-line this summer was supposed to be a jump forward from last year's, what with all the highly touted recruits and whatnot? 

elhead

November 10th, 2013 at 6:47 PM ^

Yes. It has that commiserative quality to it that just feels so good on a Sunday afternoon. Kinda like I used to feel when my father would make me do chores around the house following a loss by the Detroit Lions featuring Milt Plum or whoever...

M-Dog

November 10th, 2013 at 2:52 PM ^

I actually think the OL will be better by the B1G part of the schedule next year.

Offensive Linemen are like the tires on a car.  One really good one does not make up for three really bad ones.  You are better off with four mediocre ones.

An OL without any stars but without the glaring weaknesses it has now will actually be a functionally better unit.  No good, but functional.

That's not going to make us B1G champs, but it will keep us from losing/almost losing to teams like NEB, PSU, UCONN, Akron. 

So that's progress of a sort.