WE'LL BE BACK
This should probably be a snowflake post but fuck it. We'll be back.
JJ knows he didn't play his best. I was there. Last minute tickets on ticketiq were not the answer, find a Michigan fan and venmo or zelle that shit last for the best deal. Fuck the scalpers.
I'll be back Donovan will be back. Blake might be back. JJ will be on a mission. Let's go Blue.
I saw a lot of Michigan players trying to repeat their iconic image of last year's Georgia's loss by watching the opposing team's celebration ceremony. But the staff ushered them inside. JJ was the last to leave the field. JJ cares. JJ will takes us to the promised land.
January 1st, 2023 at 1:48 AM ^
Will we though? You don’t get many opportunities to play a decent but not great team for a spot in the title game. With Michigan’s recruiting struggles and Corum likely gone, this feels like a high point for Harbaugh (at least for a while).
Good season. Such a disappointing finish.
January 1st, 2023 at 1:57 AM ^
Why do yall keep saying TCU wasn't a great team that's whY the team thought too and 51 points later we loss. They played their hearts out all season. Have to start getting a shootout mentality from here on out. Forget about clock management and let the kids be free its 2023 OUTSCORE THE OPPOSITION. Last man with the ball win unless u OSU and shank it left
January 1st, 2023 at 3:13 AM ^
Don't worry, Coach Jim forgot about clock mgmt a long time ago
January 1st, 2023 at 11:50 AM ^
It's not that they aren't a great team, it's that we're comparing it them to the juggernauts that we'll usually encounter. Georgia last year was on a completely different level and you have to wonder if Alabama will be back to that level soon.
January 1st, 2023 at 3:27 AM ^
I'm sorry but Tcu is a great team. Maybe not super elite, but a great team nonetheless. Tcu has been opportunistic all year and our squad shot themselves in the foot. Tcu took advantage like great teams do.
The loss hurts but everyone acting like we lost to Purdue is embarrassing.
January 1st, 2023 at 7:50 AM ^
I really don’t think theyre that great. Michigan shouldve beat them by 14-21. I think Georgia will do what we couldnt
January 1st, 2023 at 9:11 AM ^
Totally agree. TCU is not great. They squeaked by a bunch of very mediocre teams all season. If Michigan and the refs are even competent - not good, just competent - Michigan wins easily. They will score some points on Georgia, but Georgia will not make the same mistakes. Georgia will win by at least 20. Watching TCU and Georgia play - well, it's a very different level of football.
January 1st, 2023 at 12:28 PM ^
Same could’ve been said after last season losing hutch and ojabo. The program is in a great place.
January 1st, 2023 at 1:50 AM ^
Whatever. Talk is cheap; that’s why we’re so good at it.
January 1st, 2023 at 3:14 AM ^
Put your pacifier away ya big baby
January 1st, 2023 at 1:54 AM ^
Maybe? How did the iconic moment from last year end up working out? The players caring isn’t enough. We heard the same troupe all year. What’s the reason now? This was a business trip not fun like last year. I am not saying this to put anything they did down winning a championship is hard and I believe they did their best, put players “locking in” and going full Tim Tebow is overrated. In basketball one player can carry you, but in football it takes the whole team AND coaches.
January 1st, 2023 at 1:56 AM ^
I don’t question JJ’s drive, ability, or play. Pick six throws aside he played a heck of a game and should hold his head high, dug the team out of the hole a lot.
That said, I don’t like all the talk. Prove it on the field. Stuff like the smash-fest thing and big promises can backfire. I have memories of revenge tour promises only to get our teeth kicked in by Ohio State.
Maybe I’m too old-fashioned but I’m more of the opinion that you keep this sort of thing in house.
January 1st, 2023 at 3:02 AM ^
We curb-stomped OSU on their own field (in what was supposed to be a revenge game for them), won a second straight B1G Championship, and completed a perfect regular season. Let's not go overboard here. The TCU loss sucked, but we've come a long way from the "Revenge Tour" days.
January 1st, 2023 at 1:56 AM ^
I just hope we let JJ loose next year. I really believe he has Heisman talent. He was pretty spectacular tonight for a first year starter, even with the huge mistakes. Remember when we were worried he couldn't hit a deep ball? Think we can put that to bed. His spectacular plays were more spectacular than the Heisman candidate QB on the other side. Unfortunately his bad plays were much worse. A little more of the spectacular, and a little less of the bad, and we're back next year.
January 1st, 2023 at 1:58 AM ^
Everyone keeps hoping for a change in offensive style. It isn't coming.
January 1st, 2023 at 4:21 AM ^
It changed slightly from last year to this year. I'm hoping the evolution continues as JJ progresses. I don't expect an air raid offense or anything, but I do think the passing game can get more vertical and more aggressive -- especially with the playaction shots downfield. And with more trust, I think JJ can make more plays for us in the redzone. The designed-run/pass/scramble triple threat is too good to just consistently waste downs handing the ball off and running into a wall down there.
January 1st, 2023 at 9:00 AM ^
I too, would love it, and I too think both JJ and the offensive line have it in them. I do worry about our receivers though. Our top two are moving on, and Andrel Anthony doesn't look ready to replace them. How many times can JJ dump it off to our tight end?
January 1st, 2023 at 9:27 AM ^
Our "top 2" are a guy with the dropsies who rarely is open and a possession receiver.
Our wr talent is severely lacking. Maybe it's because we teach them 50/50 blocking vs running routes, but JJ couldn't find anyone last night on many plays. And this has happened a lot.
He stares down one guy or the te and forces it in.
The wr room is deep, yes, but in average talent. I hope the young guys can step up, but we just don't utilize them in a way that let's them be stars.
All this to say... Losing those guys isn't the kiss of death to me. They were good blockers and that's what Jimmy wants. Find the next ones.
January 1st, 2023 at 2:33 AM ^
Harbaugh will never allow JJ to throw first. His offenses are built around the running back. Slow boring time consuming drives. That’s how he runs the offense. When you get down against a good team that type of strategy will never win a national championship. The big ten was not a good barometer to test our defense and we have no 2 minute drill. I feel bad for the kids they seemed like a very cohesive group.
January 1st, 2023 at 7:09 AM ^
If that’s the case better start recruiting the RB position better then. If Blake doesn’t come back and Edwards heaven forbid gets dinged next year who do we have? Mike Hart really hasn’t recruited well at Michigan. Go Blue!!
January 1st, 2023 at 9:16 AM ^
Absolutely - playing a linebacker at running back is not a good solution (duh). The RB room looked like a strength of this team but it became a liability when Corum's season ended. The la
January 1st, 2023 at 3:04 AM ^
What's encouraging is that JJ is only a sophomore. A multi-year starter upperclassman JJ doesn't make the mistakes that first-year starter sophomore JJ made today. The future is bright.
January 1st, 2023 at 9:00 AM ^
Define "let loose"... If you think aggressive downfield throws like a Big 12 offense, give it up. The passing game has to fit within Harbaugh's run first mindset. What I'd like to see is a new passing game coordinator that can bridge the differences between Pep Hamilton's NFL route tree's based on what the D is doing and Gattis' college based all pass all the time Air Raid knockoff. But I'm not sure that unicorn exists...
A new pass game coord is a hard requirement, though. Neither Matt Weiss nor Sherrone Moore are pass game experts - they both have only ever worked the run game. Someone with Gattis-like ideas that is comfortable working within the run-first playbook has to exist, right? JJ needs help from better route tree's that use more of the field. He also needs permission to run more often than just emergency moments when you're already down 18 points and have to scrap the game plan you came in with because it sucks.
January 1st, 2023 at 1:58 AM ^
Blah blah blah. The o line will not be as good. The offensive style won't change. I doubt we're back. Committee isn't giving the big ten two teams next year.
This revenge/we'll be back shit is all talk
January 1st, 2023 at 2:00 AM ^
Yes.
The offensive system and junior high passing trees are not changing. I feel bad for the players. The coaching staff is not CFP calibre.
January 1st, 2023 at 9:09 AM ^
The coaching staff is elite, and they got this team -- with almost no four-and-five stars compared to OSU and Georgia -- to the national playoffs two years in a row. And our offense scored 45 points, while leaving a lot more on the table.
The reason we've upset Ohio State two years in a row, and won the Big Ten Championship Game easily, is coaching. Not just game-planning, but preparation, strategy, recruiting, and practice. You think we went 13-0 with bad coaches? Seeing as how these coaches got this team to the CFP two years in a row, I would say they are absolutely, and by definition, "CFP calibre"
Everyone's pissed now, and everyone's looking for someone to blame. But damn, watching this fan base turn on players and coaches after one loss can cause whiplash. If you want to go back to Rich Rod or Brady Hoke, or even Lloyd Carr (1997 aside), be my guest. I'll stick with 13-1 and a spot in the playoffs, thank you.
January 1st, 2023 at 4:22 AM ^
I mean ... they did get back. They just lost again.
January 1st, 2023 at 9:24 AM ^
Well, the OL wasn’t good enough to carry this team past TCU. It takes a whole team and some good luck to win it all.
Defense will be better (and TCU proved that it needs to get better) with a ton of experience in the secondary, more depth on the DL and actually some depth at LB.
Offense can improve even without Corum if JJ takes a step forward and Olu’s replacement is high quality.
Tough loss with some disappointing mistakes that didn’t happen in the first 13 games. Just need to beat OSU again in 2023 and take another shot at the CFP.
January 1st, 2023 at 2:45 AM ^
Crow and humble pie is always dry. 'Having Johnny Walker Black with mine..
January 1st, 2023 at 2:59 AM ^
I think we can be better next year . . . but the question is what do we have to do to get 5* talent. The Culture and Team stuff is great . . . but, I don't think we play Geogia as well as Ohio State did. Talent can travel too. And, we need more of it. JJ and Edwards and WIll Johnson can't play every position. We need more talent. I am from the class of 95 and I remember the chances that the Fab 5 had to win National Championships and never did. This is one that this team will surely regret. Now, truthfully, I blame the bad coaching and playcalling . . . how do we know that Harbaugh retools enough to improve on the performance of these playoff games? I hope he does.
January 1st, 2023 at 4:23 AM ^
Yeah, it's pretty hard to coach speed and talent. It's alot easier to recruit speed and talent and teach them the rest.
January 1st, 2023 at 7:15 AM ^
The forced optimism is growing old. Don't play dumb football, and you win. You played sloppy. Don't talk shit, walk it don't talk it before it even happens.
How can any Michigan player feel good about their performance today (except Josh Moody)?
January 1st, 2023 at 7:22 AM ^
you must be stinging pretty bad after we beat your tails twice in a row, and then you snatched defeat from the jaws of victory last night v. UGA. yeah, i bet that stings.
suggest you make a NY resolution to not be such a foolish troll, and stick by it. incidentally, how many days since you guys beat us in football....? it's a lot, like 1124 +/-. go blue!
January 1st, 2023 at 6:57 PM ^
Also "Josh Moody" ... this fucking guy.
January 1st, 2023 at 7:44 AM ^
Crappy way to end the season but in no way am I upset that we beat OSU and won a second big ten title in a row. Lots of things can happen in a CFB season so it’s hard to know when we will actually be back. It’s often going to come down to beating OSU which will be a 50/50 every year and then if you add in another possible loss in that year you won’t have a chance (unless they open up the playoff to more seeds) but it’s nice to be back in the upper echelon of the football teams again.
January 1st, 2023 at 8:07 AM ^
would be nice to win a bowl game
we just lost to an inferior team with a trip to the NC on the line
too much hype and flag planting
January 1st, 2023 at 9:13 AM ^
You think we lost because of ... "flag planting"?
Sometimes teams lose. Sometimes teams lose to inferior teams. It happens. It seems to happen more to Michigan than to other teams. But it's not because we planted the flag at OSU.
(I wish we hadn't done that, frankly. I'll never understand taunting another player, or other fans. Take a win gracefully, compliment the other team, and move on. But it didn't cause us to lose this game).
January 1st, 2023 at 8:19 AM ^
JJ will need Heisman numbers and play execution next season for one. We'll need stud WR. I'd like to see Roman Wilson be the WR stud. If Blake does not return, maybe Cole Cabana can step in as RB2.
Also, learn from the mistakes made in this loss to TCU, ie-overcome extreme adversity. This is something TCU did all season. Am not saying Michigan needs to come from behind in nearly every game but they need to win in a shootout. I'm sure Penn Sate and OSU can be those teams in 2023.
January 1st, 2023 at 9:18 AM ^
What's wrong with Stokes at running back? I was impressed this year. Yeah, he made some mistakes, but for a freshman, that's to be expected. I think with Edwards and Stokes, we're in good shape.
(But I've never liked Mullings at running back. Let's stop that experiment right now).
January 1st, 2023 at 8:49 AM ^
It's amazing how fast this board can go from "we have the best coaches in the country" and "our players are so humble" to "these coaches are overrated" and "our players do too much talking."
January 1st, 2023 at 7:37 PM ^
The fan base is pathetic.
January 2nd, 2023 at 12:05 PM ^
Every single damn time. We're either the best team in the known universe or the worst team since the invention of football.
January 1st, 2023 at 9:03 AM ^
This team gave excitement, hope, and pride all season. Questionable officials calls, a few poor plays by JJ, poor coaching (4th down Loveland pass, lousy clock management), and a disrespected tough opponent killed us. Any one of these changes and we win this game. So sad and frustrating.
Harbaugh emulates Bo in both style of play (which is fine) and in bowl record. That needs to get improve or we have to get used to CFP disappointment and being happy with big 10 titles at best.
January 1st, 2023 at 9:04 AM ^
Just look at next year’s schedule and OSU losing Stroud. 13-0 next year is likely.
January 1st, 2023 at 9:06 AM ^
Fuck this. Until proven otherwise, Harbaugh and co. Can’t win bowl games. They had this game and kept giving TCU every opportunity to win.
January 1st, 2023 at 9:18 AM ^
Gotta stop staring down WRs and the online really really needs to stop shitting the bed
January 1st, 2023 at 10:10 AM ^
Yeah, we might get back but definitely won't be 7 point favorites ever again. Next time we won't be so lucky, it'll be Bama/USC/Georgia just to get to the final. We wasted it on TCU
January 1st, 2023 at 6:31 PM ^
That's what stings most... no slight to TCU, but the path to the championship game, in all likelihood, will never line up better than this year did.
January 1st, 2023 at 10:12 AM ^
A lot of you have forgotten what was coming out during the JJ/Cade QB competition. We consistently heard JJ had the better upside but that he was turnover prone. If you let him loose, like this game where it was done out of necessity, this may have been the norm. Maybe that's why the offensive playcalling was conservative this year and the team leaned heavily on Corum until he was hurt. We keep saying "why give it to Corum 30 times, we need to throw it more with JJ and let him loose!" Well, maybe this is what you get when you let him loose. The decision-making and pocket awareness needs to improve during this offseason. He's still very raw and far from a finished product. Having a go-to receiver emerge would help too.
January 1st, 2023 at 11:28 AM ^
That's on the offensive staff and Weiss that JJ can't read defenses even after this amount of time. Speight threw two back breaking interceptions against OSU too so maybe it is Jim.