Turning the Corner

Submitted by Ziff72 on

One of the things I don't think most fans appreciate and I know the MSM doesn't even understand is the difficulty Michigan faces in turning the corner.  

We were still every teams Super Bowl this year despite all of our struggles.  Teams are even more excited top play us because they see a great chance at victory as well.  Ohio st is the only other team that gets this treatment in the Big Ten, but while those teams "get up" for OSU deep down they know they don't have much chance so you see a lot of teams implode once they get down.  We might have been 9-2 or 10-1 right now if this exact team was dressed in green and white.  

Once we get up and rolling in terms of overall talent and teams fear us again we should have an easier time. but getting there is going to be that much tougher, because of who we are.

There are a lot more factors other than playing Michigan but look at some of the teams that we played this year.

UConn- After we beat them down they spiraled out of control, but they have since gained their footing and lead the Big East

ND-They spiraled out of control as well before their late surge to get bowl eligible.

Ind- Lynch was "All In" against Mich after that they have been even more awful than usual.

MSU- They have continued on, but they were terrible the week after against Ill and haven't played well since then

Iowa-Eh they've been all over the map.

Penn St.-They've been ok but they did fall down 21-0 to NW the week after.

Ill- They tanked against Minn enough said

Pur- D. Hope can coach because they kicked the Spartans ass before imploding.  I lost a lot of money on the assumption they were all done and couldn't score anyway.  Quite an impressive performance considering their injuries.

Just a thought when you get depressed about our lack of progress.  Our progress is going to come in chunks not little bites.

 

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BlueintheLou

November 26th, 2010 at 6:18 PM ^

We might have been 9-2 or 10-1 right now if this exact team was dressed in green and white.

No. If this defense was green and white, we still would not have that record. Too much youth. Too much raw. Just no.

Joined: 09/13/2008

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Ohioblueblood

November 26th, 2010 at 7:14 PM ^

Why do we keep talking about every team except shitty ass osu....we are 17 hours and counting and god darnit we need some more shit talking about the suckeyes...not Auburn not Michigan state but Michigan kicking osu asses tomorrow to put an end to all this negitive bullshit.....

Joined: 09/03/2009

MGoPoints: -661

Waters Demos

November 26th, 2010 at 6:31 PM ^

True, but I think the OP has a good point in noting that M is everyone's superbowl.  You don't go around with the winningest program without everyone else taking note/aim - even if your current year/team/defense is disappointing.  Even in these "down years," everyone else sees it as their opportunity to avenge years of head-to-head losses. 

One could argue ND, for all its tradition, still gets the same balls-to-the-wall superbowl treatment despite many more years of mediocrity than M has suffered recently. 

A fortiori, M still gets that treatment, perhaps more so.  Absent this, perhaps there are a couple more wins.  Who knows?

Joined: 08/19/2010

MGoPoints: 3522

tabfan19

November 26th, 2010 at 7:12 PM ^

You beat me to it, but I agree. The better teams - Iowa, Wisc, PSU -- don't feel that way about Michigan.  But I do think the OP is right -- we get much better games from the bottom half (ie, Indiana, Illinois, and unfortunately didn't play Minn or NW) because we're the 'Big Bad'.

Joined: 11/05/2009

MGoPoints: 57

Zone Left

November 26th, 2010 at 7:24 PM ^

Coaches are ultra-competitive and don't give up on a couple games a year in the hopes of scoring an upset against a downtrodden power.
<br>
<br>Illinois certainly gave PSU (and OSU) better games than they gave Michigan. Indiana had a senior laden offense and Michigan fucking sucks at pass defense.

Joined: 07/03/2008

MGoPoints: 16428

RONick

November 26th, 2010 at 6:42 PM ^

I'm as "all in" as anyone around these parts and still defend RR to be the coach next year time and time again (no matter the outcome tomorrow).

However, I think that we have too many major problems with this defense to think that "getting up" for Michigan is the difference with our record.

I hate Ohio.  Go Blue!

Joined: 02/04/2009

MGoPoints: 763

energyblue1

November 26th, 2010 at 7:23 PM ^

will get the defense on the right track.....getting something a defensive coordinator can really work with in the defensive backfield besides swiss cheese will work wonders....

 

getting a couple dlineman big enough to play bigten football will work wonders..., getting those dlineman in front of lbers to allow them to get to plays before they get ran over, might actually help...  just a thought....

btw, teams should get up to play Michigan....and that is no excuse for Michigan either...uhmmm well we were their superbowl......guess what, this is michigan and you get to play 11 superbowls before you get to the biggest game of the yr for any program of any sport....

Joined: 03/19/2010

MGoPoints: 5287

Tater

November 27th, 2010 at 12:50 AM ^

This has been more like a slow curve than a sharp corner.  I agree, though, that Michigan is almost every team's Super Bowl every year, though.  Purdue, Illinois, MSU, OSU, Minnesota, and Wiscy all play their best games against Michigan, and consider it to be a "rivalry game."

 Around next year at this time, I have a feeling most of us will feel that the corner has been officially "turned." 

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