September 14th, 2013 at 9:24 PM ^
Do you want him to say that they expect to lose a couple games before they are even played, and therefore the goal isn't to get the NC. Realistically, this team isn't ready to reach those heights yet, but that doesn't mean your mindset isn't to win every single game. How dare Devin and the team be confident that they are going to win every game on the schedule. Now there is a fine line between confidence and overconfidence, which was certainly evident today. As we saw last year with ND reaching the NC game, anything can happen and just because is highly unlikely it doesn't mean the team should set their goals lower.
September 14th, 2013 at 10:45 PM ^
I expected him to echo what Hoke always says ... that is, the team's goal every year is the Big Ten championship. Hoke never addresses the NC question ... he always points to the Big Ten championship. That was my key point.
I suspect Gardner's comment was simply a slip of the tongue.
But ... if it was a reflection of some kind of dream of marching to a NC, then it would have been a telling indicator of some misplaced bravado. And to the degree today's game poured cold water on that, then good. It needed doing.
Hoke's point -- and I agree 100% with it -- is make the goal the Big Ten championship. Achieve that and then talk about the NC. Because sure as hell if you don't achieve the first you won't get to talk about the second.
September 14th, 2013 at 11:08 PM ^
Ten schedule, your already out of the NC picture. How many times did they seem to happen with Carr's teams in his last several years? I really don't understand your comment, the goal is to win every game which requires a team to be confident in their ability entering each game. Is this team good enough to realistic think they will go undefeated from a fan's perspective? Not yet. That doesn' mean that it shouldn't be the goal before the season starts though. You have to win the non-conference games, before getting to any conference games. That has to be the mindset, otherwise you end looking past non-conference games and having performances like we got today.
I just thinking your reading way too much into this, the goal is to win every game. Gardner was simply expressing the fact that his played today amost cost his team the oppurtunity to do just that.
September 14th, 2013 at 11:51 PM ^
I said up front I thought his comment was mostly likely a mis-statement. I think Devin meant to say Big 10 championship.
In simple terms -- a team who thinks they're good enough to march to the NC is a team that's likely to overlook a game like Akron. But a team that understands nothing is given to them is a team that goes out and plays every game as if everything is earned and nothing is entitled.
September 15th, 2013 at 12:08 AM ^
difference between confidence and overconfidence. Being overconfident today does not mean that you shouldn't be confident heading into each and every game. We are just going to have to agree to disagree, because as I said the non-conference schedule comes before the Big Ten title. If your goal is simply winning the Big Ten, those non-conference games may take on less significance, therefore the tendency to overlook them. You can't argue that overlooking non-conference games didn't become a problem in the latter stages under Carr. I don't want to return to that again.
September 15th, 2013 at 1:10 AM ^
I have agreement and disagreement with portions of what you wrote. But it's late. As you say, we'll agree to disagree.
September 14th, 2013 at 8:10 PM ^
September 14th, 2013 at 8:20 PM ^
Although the performance was awful Saturday I have to give credit to Hoke and the staff for staying positive and conducting themselves admirably on the sidelines as I have seen awful behavior from other coaches in similar situations.
Better this:
Then this:
or this:
September 14th, 2013 at 9:06 PM ^
September 14th, 2013 at 8:27 PM ^
September 14th, 2013 at 9:54 PM ^
Hoke's recruiting and Mattison's turnaround in 2011 on the defense were nothing short of remarkable. Michigan is recruiting better than they ever have in the modern era. With all of that being said, Hoke is a glorifited recruiter and clearly gets outcoached whenever there's a formidable coach on the other side. Of Hoke's 22 wins (including today), 17 have come at home. We've won 5 games away from Ann Arbor in 2 years including the Sugar Bowl. Hoke and Mattison are D-line guys and yet is easily our weakest unit on the defense. We can not get pressure unless we bring 6 guys on an all out blitz. That is disturbing. Similarly, O-line is the weakest unit on offense. FItz gets met in the backfield EVERY time he touches the football. There have only been a handful of carries where it can make the LOS untouched let alone 4 yards downfield. Mattison has yet to hold a team under 350 total yards this season. I really think the game is starting to pass him by. Mattison did great with the 2011 turnaround but the game has passed him by.
September 14th, 2013 at 10:45 PM ^
September 14th, 2013 at 10:53 PM ^
September 15th, 2013 at 7:17 AM ^
That might be because we are slowly rebuilding the talent level in A2 one year at a time? Two full classes signed one in 2012 and one in 2013. Young, athletic talent, not experienced. You can not replace experience and you can't magically teach it all you can do is wait for it to occur. This is where we are since the start of the 2007 season, and why we have not seriously challenged for the B1G title since 2006. This team went 8-5 last year, and they are not suddenly going to 13-0. This is going to be a slow and painful process with some gains and some brilliant plays and some oh my God moments like pick 6's and getting beat deep by wide outs and safety derps and what not. Inconsistancy is the hall mark of young teams. Grow up, understand where you are in the process, and be realistic. 9-3 seems about right. We are at least 1-2 years away from having the talent level that people like you associate with the brand name of Michigan football.
September 15th, 2013 at 9:23 AM ^
September 15th, 2013 at 11:28 AM ^
With all of that being said, Hoke is a glorifited recruiter and clearly gets outcoached whenever there's a formidable coach on the other sideReally? You think Brian Kelly outcoached him last week? I think most people would agree that Kelly, despite being a jerk, is a good coach.
September 14th, 2013 at 10:59 PM ^
September 15th, 2013 at 7:38 AM ^
We Won but sure felt as Lewan stated....a loss...so Woss.
I say we never ever scheduled a team that starts with letter A!!!! Alabama, Applacian State, Akron...please lets move onto Connecticut.
Go Blue! I am still a fan.