Tons of talent and experience returning in 2018

struggles on the road, but I think a big factor will be the road games that happen to fall at night.

That opener at Notre Dame could be a night game (other openers of note are Bama Louisville, and if Jackson stays you know they will hype that matchup, Auburn Washington)

And, obviously with Fox flexing games, Sept 29 (Northwestern) and Oct 20 (Sparty) are real possibilities to be played at night.  Now, going to Evanston should not be a daunting task, but the games between those two have been "good" of late.  

Looking at 2018 games individually, We should have a reasonable chance to win every single one. The teams we play next year are not the same as this year. ND will have a brand new O line, OSU a new qb, PSU graduates 8 starters on their D, etc. I'm not saying we will win all of them, but if you look at each matchup on its own it doesn't look so daunting. Having said that, if this team doesn't start improving then we will lose 11-15 games.

As I posted in another thread the people pissed about “not winning now damnit!” are misplacing their anger towards this years team. This was going to be how this year went outside of the MSU game which is inexcusable. In many ways ‘15 and ‘17 were destined to be kinda similar years with ‘16, ‘18, and ‘19 being years the team should be top tier playing for a conference championship. The way I look at it ‘16 was a missed opportunity. 100% should have beaten osu and been 11-1 minimum. ‘18 and ‘19 are the years. Period. That doesn’t mean NC or bust that means they should be a top 10 team all year, winning 10-11 games (before the bowl), winning most big games and fighting for a playoff spot. I really think most of us are still pissed about last year which unequivocally should have beaten tosu and Iowa and been 12-0. It was a hugely missed opportunity.

What makes me even more optimistic than this list is the list of players that will STILL be eligible to return the year AFTER NEXT! ...when the schedule tilts back in our favor. I think 2018 is the close-but-no-cigar year...and 2019 is the year to watch. $0.02

It begins to get irritating seeing people bitching about a season in which we knew it was going to be a rebuilding year. Most posters on here that are rational predicted a 8-4 or 9-3 type season, and now that we are going to get that season, people are losing their shit. Listen, there are reasons to be upset about how the game went down yesterday. Personally, I find the O-Line play yesterday and RB blocking quite atrocious that left our future at QB with a concussion. However, I do understand we lost 19 starters from the year before.

People want to bring up how OSU won it all in Urban's 3rd year and how Urban got to the playoff returning 6 starters. However, our program simply is not at that level. Urban's situation coming into Columbus in 2012 was light-years ahead of the program Harbaugh inherited. Harbaugh inherited marignal recruiting classes from 2014 and 2015, those who would be seniors and juniors on this team.

We cannot fast forward time, we cannot make Freshmen, RS freshmen and Sophomores from the 2016 and 2017 classes play like 3 year starters. We cannot expect DPJ to be Sammy Watkins when he is inserted into an offense that is practically brand new. We cannot expect Brandon Peters to be Andrew Luck we he is operating in a new offense that returned no one. It is going to take time, it is a process.

Does it suck losing these games? Sure. It is ok to complain about play calls and perhaps the development? Absolutely. However, for anyone to call for Mike Leach to take over are certainly misguided and I have taken a mental note of all of you. Harbaugh is the best coach we have had in a while and the best we could have.

 

Go Motherfucking Blue.

If you’re a fan and you didn’t see this season coming (we all knew it was since 2014) nobody can help you. So if you’re bitching about records against top whatever or records against rivals pull your head out of your ass and get your shit together.

My enthusiasm is tempered by the fact that the two most critical problems--OL and QB play (hamstrung by OL gaffes)--will feature the same cast next year. I hope there is a quantum leap in OL play next season, but I am skeptical. Our QBs get blown up by biffed blocking assignments and DL running free for at least the last 2 seasons. I hope I am wrong, but I fear more of the same for the foreseeable future.

Losing Cole and Kugler is bigger than losing Hurst and McCray IMO. Losing Khalid Hill and Poggi is not a small loss either. That's a lot of leadership and size to lose. I'd like a big RB to emerge, we have 3 slashers in Higdon, Evans, and Walker. I think there will be some attrition and maybe a guy or two will leave that are surprising. Brutal schedule, but OSU loses Barrett finally. They might not be as good. Penn State will be taking a big step back. Wisky will be really good still. Sparta returns everyone and have the best returning QB in the conference, in my mind they should be the division favorites. ND won't be quite as good, but that's a tough road game.

I am not taking anything away from Wiscy because they appear to be legit this season but it's slightly annoying that they didn't have to play 3 of the top 5 B1G teams in the conference.  East >>> West.  We go through the B1G murderer's row each and every year and it can wear a team down, especially a young one like Michigan.

#justbitching

But the lack of depth started to show as the game wore on. The talent will still be there and the depth will only get better from this piont forward. 

Only thing that concerns me is offensive identity/coaching.   The different coaching styles do not seem to compliment each other well.  Drevno wants to go with big formations and overpower people and pep wants long developing pass concepts.  Pep got ran out of Indy for getting Luck killed on long developing pass plays. I fear he will do the same to Peters.  I don't think the Oline is as bad at pass pro as Pep makes them look. 

 

 

I find these arguments to be sooo very tiring. Every year has to be "the year." This is where the rubber of recruiting and development hits the road. There is just too much of the unexpected, too much random variation, and too many expected injuries to spend a season looking to the next season or the one after. It's part of the coaching staff's job, especially one that is touted to be elite, to not let any one year be an afterthought from the beginning. 

This coaching staff has not brought the advantage that is implicit in its pricetag. Maybe it will in the future. I think, however, that the floor has risen in college football, while the ceiling hasnt, and Michigan just can't seem to climb that ladder to elite status. Nobody is afraid of Michigan anymore. Michigan is not out-powering anyone anymore. Hell, Michigan doesnt even seem to be out-coaching anyone anymore. It doesnt have the advantage it used to have. And I just dont see it changing. 

This is indeed reason for optimism.

Right now we're in a situation with Hoke's weak last class and Harbaugh's first rushed recruiting.

There's nothing wrong with our schedule next year. To be a champion, you win big games.

we need better offensive coaching or the talent will not be taken advantage of

No doubt about it Jim, er...Duval.

Keep the recruits coming though. We need MOAR recruits, especially offensive linemen and safeties.

Those who stay will... get to hear wait till next year again.

4th best program in the Big Ten East

I agree with the OP. Michigan will be a better, more experienced team next year. The prediction most made looking at how young the team is was that it’d be an 8-4 or 9-3 year. There’s a good reason for that, and it’s not something to panic over. I do think that Fisch may have been a difference-maker, but it’s awfully hard to say, given the O-line play. The O-line has been the problem all year, and I think it will improve next year.

Ok cool but I swear if we have to hear “wait until next year” in 2018 I’m gonna lose it!!

I'm not sure you understand the scale of a "light year".

I hope we play better next year. The defense is plenty good this year if the offense worked even half-well. Too many possessions for the other teams have led to a worn out D late in the game.

Sometimes returning players can be a negative if they have hit their ceiling, but they usually have a fairly high floor. The position I am most worried about is safety. We are okay there, but have been exposed a lot lately. I don't see us getting a ton better there next year. McCray and Hurst are big losses on defense. I hope Winovich comes back. Our DL could be a weakness without Winovich.

You could have all these guys returning, but if the OL play does not improve, it really doesn’t matter.

I think the defense will take a step forward, even with the loss of Hurst and McCray. But if we see more or less the same play with the OL next year that we have had this year, I would expect at least three or four losses, and definitely losses to ND, MSU, and OSU.

Next years team will be the most talented Wolverines team in 2 decades. The big concern is Pep. I just don’t think he’s the right fit with the other offensive coaches on the team. If you look at the team by position group rather than by individual players, they will be better in every group outside of interior defensive line and be a very complete football team. QB - Peters has the poise of a vet in the pocket. If he doesn’t get injured, he shows the potential to be Michigan’s best QB since Henne. RB - They are returning 3 guys with different strengths who compliment each other well. They will be better assuming Walker keeps improving. FB - Will be better because Mason looks like a FB for Michigan’s ages. WR - Biggest weakness this season will be their strength next year with a healthy black. TE - Entire group will be better with experience. Offensive line - . I think Bredson moves to left tackle and Michigan’s offensive line is the best it’s been in many years. They’ll still be able to maul up the middle. Right tackle will get better due to experience or replacement if JBB doesn’t progress. They have some good young lineman in the pipeline. Defensive line - only group that takes a slight step back if guys leave early for the NFL. They have talented replacements and Gary should be a monster and top 10 pick next year. Solomon has looked really good as a freshman. Linebacker - Could have the most athletic group of LBs in college next year. They’ll replace their slowest LB with an athlete and Hudson and Bush should only get better. Secondary - 2nd most improved group behind the receivers. They’ve held up really well this season despite youth. Mental mistakes have hurt them but those should decrease due to experience. There is no excuse for Michigan to not win the Big 10 next year. Their schedule is tough but on paper, this team will be the most stacked it’s been in a long time. If they fall short, it’s due to coaching.