We are not as far away as people think
I'm just as bewildered as you guys about how we managed to stay with this OSU team for 3 quarters despite looking like total crap for the other games besides Appalachian State.
But I think it comes down to talent and playing to their potential, and we have it. Gardner played well for the most part that day. For some reason Hoke could get everyone to play well for the OSU game as shown by 2013 as well.
Now we have Harbaugh who will get everyone to play that way for every game. It all comes down to the QB and WR positions for 2015 though.
January 1st, 2015 at 11:31 PM ^
but they are each losing their best coordinator this offseason. Will be interesting to see how they are affected by that.
January 1st, 2015 at 11:30 PM ^
January 1st, 2015 at 11:55 PM ^
IMO, the non-conference schedule is a bit tricky. Utah and BYU aren't 'blue blood' programs that are good every year but they will both probably be good next year with each possibly pre-season Top 25. MSU and OSU are solid programs and will be tough. However, if you look at recruiting rankings UM has done way better on the recruiting trail then everyone in the Big Ten except OSU. If Harbaugh and his staff can make a solid impact in their first year I'd like to think 5 or 6 wins in conference play should be the floor.
January 2nd, 2015 at 12:15 AM ^
The difference between the top and the bottom of the big 5 conferences is not what it used to be. There are no walk-overs anymore like there were 20 years ago.
January 2nd, 2015 at 12:52 AM ^
if you look at how school's in the Big Ten have recruited over the last 4-5 years, OSU and UM are head and shoulders above everyone else in terms of the high school talent they have signed. OSU has lost one conference game in 3 years under Meyer. They are 25-1 and have over a 400 pt differential in points scored vs poinst scored against them in those conference games.
January 2nd, 2015 at 12:54 PM ^
It's not about recruiting it's about offensive schemes and the spread offenses. Indiana can put points on anyone without talent. You don't have to line up and be bigger and stronger than the other team any longer. Putting guys in space evens the playing field. It has nothing to do with recruiting prowess. If it did we'd be killing MSU.
January 1st, 2015 at 11:31 PM ^
We are soft, players have not made plays and have been underachievers.
Harbaugh has to teach them how to win,
Staff has to outcoach peers.
Do we have raw material? In a lot of positions, yes we do, but this program needs a massive dose of Harbaugh attitude, and, more importantly, to back it up by making plays.
January 1st, 2015 at 11:49 PM ^
The Harbaugh attitude is the key here. I think we have the players at WR and DB to get it done. A healthy Peppers and Drake Harris will help a lot there.
January 2nd, 2015 at 12:00 AM ^
As Brady would say, " we just have to execute"...
January 2nd, 2015 at 12:19 AM ^
Agree, but those positions have all been recruited well. It's just a matter of whether we can get them to produce. Morris was recruited by Bama. Harris, Lewis, and Peppers all had an OSU and Bama offer. Granted Harris has been injured and it's likely Chesson, Darboh, and Canteen that will be our WRs. But, Lewis and Peppers should be our DBs. Lewis should be very good next year and hopefully Peppers is healthy. I agree they haven't produced and/or been healthy at the level that the players on Bama and OSU have, but there are guys in place that on paper are just as good.
January 1st, 2015 at 11:31 PM ^
game that i am
January 1st, 2015 at 11:33 PM ^
January 1st, 2015 at 11:47 PM ^
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January 2nd, 2015 at 12:02 AM ^
but yeah, the SEC west isn't having that great of a showing in bowl games.
Not sure how terrible their non-conference was. Auburn went to Kansas St. LSU played Wisky on a neutral field. Bama played WVU on a neutral field. Arkansas went to Texas Tech. Ole Miss played Boise St.
January 1st, 2015 at 11:34 PM ^
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January 1st, 2015 at 11:41 PM ^
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January 1st, 2015 at 11:35 PM ^
January 2nd, 2015 at 1:01 AM ^
Fickell 6-6
Urbz 12-0
Urbz 12-2
Urbz 13-1 (and not done yet)
There is no reason, with our home slate we can't compete for a B1G title. I think Utah and BYU will be tough for a young offense learning a new system. Maybe. Kinda. Like how the Buckeyes lost to Va Tech before their steady improvement?!?!
January 2nd, 2015 at 9:11 AM ^
January 1st, 2015 at 11:38 PM ^
January 1st, 2015 at 11:39 PM ^
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January 1st, 2015 at 11:45 PM ^
January 1st, 2015 at 11:48 PM ^
It's not team speed, it's coaching. Our guys are not slow, they just haven't been put in positions to win. Highly rated recruits (which most of our guys were) do not lack speed.
January 1st, 2015 at 11:54 PM ^
January 1st, 2015 at 11:54 PM ^
January 2nd, 2015 at 12:24 AM ^
Canteen doesn't look slow IMO, he just looks thin. Drake Johnson doesn't look slow, although I don't know how confident I am that he is ready next season. We also get Ty Isaac next year. I agree though that Darboh and Chesson so far haven't shown a ton of playmaking ability as WRs. I'm hopeful either Canteen develops some or Drake Harris is healthy next year.
January 1st, 2015 at 11:40 PM ^
January 1st, 2015 at 11:47 PM ^
January 1st, 2015 at 11:54 PM ^
January 2nd, 2015 at 12:49 AM ^
January 1st, 2015 at 11:41 PM ^
January 1st, 2015 at 11:47 PM ^
January 1st, 2015 at 11:48 PM ^
January 1st, 2015 at 11:55 PM ^
January 2nd, 2015 at 12:08 AM ^
January 2nd, 2015 at 12:58 AM ^
January 1st, 2015 at 11:47 PM ^
January 1st, 2015 at 11:48 PM ^
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January 1st, 2015 at 11:53 PM ^
Yes, I do think Harbaugh's confidence, charisma, intensity, etc. will give the team a sense of confidence that will help them to play better that Hoke et. al for whatever reason couldn't. And, yes we have enough talent that if we play our best we can play with anybody on a given day. But, that's on a single day. We haven't shown that we have the talent to do that consistently.
Maybe the QB position will make big strides this offseason. Maybe the offensive line will take a big step forward and get a consistent running game going. Maybe we will develop a recieving downfield threat. Maybe our DBs will turn the page. And, maybe we will develop a consistent pass rusher up front. I mean the talent is in place to do that. We have a highly rated Morris with all the phsyical tools and a highly thought of Speight. We have a lot of highly rated offensive lineman and a lot of returning starters on the line with a crap ton of talented backs and Ty Isaac coming into the mix. Darboh and Chesson are upperclassman, Canteen has impressed, and Harris is a really highly rated recruit. The combination of a healthy Peppers, Lewis, and Countess seems great on paper with a senior Wilson. And, Charlton, Henry, Pipkins, Wormley, and Ojemudia all as upperclassman seems like a quality d-line with quality backups at every spot except maybe WDE.
But, that's a heck of a lot of maybes that were very inconsistent in the past. In my mind we still have a ways to go before I am comfortable thinking we are all that close. It appears the talent is there, but getting it to produce consistently in so many different areas that it haven't done so yet is more than I'm willing to expect. I'll be pleasently surprised if I'm wrong, but I'd prefer to be cautiously optimistic.
January 1st, 2015 at 11:56 PM ^
Harbaugh maximizes talent, and he does it very quickly, if his track record at Stanford and the 49ers is any indication. I think it is ok to be optimistic.
January 2nd, 2015 at 1:35 AM ^
And that's because so much of the game is psychological. Attitude, desire, and intensity - something this team has lacked (with a few exceptions). Harbaugh's done a fine job instilling a winning mindset in short order at each of his gigs.
January 1st, 2015 at 11:57 PM ^
January 1st, 2015 at 11:57 PM ^
January 1st, 2015 at 11:59 PM ^
What we need most is skill position speed! Cole will help as well as Ty, but we have to get more speed at the skill postions and we are right there.
January 1st, 2015 at 11:59 PM ^
I agree to a certain extent. Sure, Michigan's kept it close with OSU the past couple years. But State has been a completely different story.
I would say Michigan is quite far from the level of play for either team, just how quickly Harbaugh closes that gap remains to be seen (though I think it will come in due time). Today's games pretty much put into context the level of State/OSU success: no lead is safe when you're lined up against them.
State came back down three touchdowns in the fourth quarter. The last time a Michigan team could do that with the same degree of apparent ease was Braylon-fest. Even with OSU, they cut that Bama lead before half without blinking.
At least in the past two seasons, Michigan hasn't been able to turn the tide of a big game. Anything beyond a two touchdown deficit has seemed insurmountable.
January 2nd, 2015 at 12:03 AM ^
I hope you're right, but I think we lack the playmakers on offense in general and specifically at QB.
January 2nd, 2015 at 12:07 AM ^
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January 2nd, 2015 at 12:13 AM ^
I largely agree with you, but who next fall do you see as a threat defenses will have to account for on every play? I obviously hope several such guys step up, but it scares me.
January 2nd, 2015 at 9:45 AM ^
Oregon lizzards yesterday made me realize how far we have to go, at least speed-wise. However, not sure JH will want the type of men who are attracted to Oregon. I expect us to be a top 5 team for as long as JH is here and will be delighted with that so long as we beat sparty and bucknuts.
January 2nd, 2015 at 12:06 AM ^