What concerns you, and what makes you excited about the team this year?
I'll start with my concerns
1. the secondary - Michigan's best CB Troy Woofolk is a converted SS. JT Floyd is Michigan's second best CB and he backed up Cissoko last season. Losing Warren will definitely hurt us in games vs top WR's. I think the CB situation is shaky at best. Cam Gordon has made some noise in practice, but is a bit of an unknown until he gets some legit PT. Kovacs is a very good run support safety but struggles in coverage.
How will they respond in big games? Do you confidence in them vs ND, and teams that will test them deep?
2. special teams - specifically the kicking game. ive barely heard anything positive about the kickers from spring ball until now. im worried that the kicking game could be the difference in a couple games this season. how bad would it be for RR if Michigan put themselves in a position to win 8 games+, but blew a couple games with missed kicks.
3. running backs - you may be surprised that i singled these guys out. im not saying Michigan doesnt have talented RB's, they do, but Michigan is missing an impact RB. no, teams dont necessarily need an impact RB to win games, but in this offense its crucial to have a consistent playmaker back there.
think about the difference on the field last year when Minor played or didn't play. Minor provided a similar spark that really propelled this offense when we needed it to. i just dont see a guy that can step up and play that role yet. i know we have talented back ups, but theyre still young, and relatively inexperienced as anything other than situational players.
you cant act like losing Brandon Minor, Carlos Brown, and Kevin Grady won't have an impact.
my hopes are that the staff adds more to the passing game, because i dont think the staff can rely on any particular back like they did BMinor. an improved OL and 2nd year QB's should help as well.
What is your take and what are you concerns going into the season? What excites you about the team this season?
will be a impact back.
I still want to see what Touissant can do, and we've all already seen what Smith can do. Here is to hoping he is 100% come September.
We might not know right away who our RB is, but by the time the Big Ten season rolls around, I promise you we'll have a good RB. Whether it be Shaw, Toussaint, Smith, Cox or Hopkins (or maybe someone like TRob), we'll have that situation settled.
Youth! The continued melding in of freshmen. I understand the inherent benefits of youth with experience down the road it terrifies me that for RR 3rd season we are once again excited about how many freshmen are going to take the field this fall.
Powerhouse football machine down the road, prevacid taking gut feeling now.
An experienced offensive line that will blow people off the line and steamroll people in the second level. Oh, and this guy:
Concerns, in order of concern:
- Safeties
- CBs
- Non-Mouton LBs (for some reason I feel like he will unleash hell)
- Molk's knee
- Vincent Smith's knee
- Place kicking
- Wideouts
- Right tackle
- Left tackle
- Punting
- Tate's shoulder
- Denard's ability to throw the ball to Actual Michigan Players
Excitements, in order of excitement:
- Denard's legs
- Tate to Tree FTW
- Shaw
- Actual zone read plays
- Death Roh
- Will Campbell commanding double teams
- Mike Martin housing fools
- Obi playing like a senior
- Cam Gordon
- Steph Hopkins busting Greg Jones's jaw
I've said this before and I'll say it again. Mouton will wreck shit this year. Sam Webb thinks that if he plays this year like he did in spring he'll be all-big ten. Watch the spring game, every play he's playing at 110% effort, making the right reads, and tackling solidly. More importantly, he looked like he really knew what he was doing dropping into pass coverage. He made plays all over the field, I'm really pumped to see him play this year.
Mouton would be a great guy to step up for his senior year. He has so much talent, that if he put it together, he could be one of the best LB's in the Big Ten. And with the other guys in our front 7 (6?) we will have a powerful front unit.
The DB's, that's where the real question mark is.
and Ezeh plays to his potential we might have a really solid Big Ten LB corp. You know Roh is gonna bring his game regardless.
Agreed. I really think Ezeh and Mouton will step up. I'm more concerned about our secondary.
Excitement: Offense
Accurate. Concise. +1.
Concern:
How the fuck am I going to make it through the next two months?
converted. He moved to safety last year out of necessity. Started half the games at safety and half at corner. His first two years, he was strictly a corner. He knows the position.
The big concern is depth in the secondary. If the starters stay healthly, I think we'll see improvement from this unit despite the loss of Warren. Possibly substantial improvement.
Kicking game? Yeah, everyone has your concerns.
RBs will be fine, but not spectacular. But the running game will be very good because of Denard. Most explosive player Michigan has and he'll get his opportunities.
I have alot of concerns.
#1 - Tate keeping TO's to a min. / DROB making right decisions and both staying healthy
#2 - We have #'s at RB but I wanna see how it shakes out on the field.
#3 - Being able to stretch the field
#4 - LB play in general and depth considering this is the last yr for Ezeh and Mouton. It would be nice to see Demens, Bell and Jones get some time and show some promise.
#5 - JT Floyd and the Safety position.
#6 - I really hope that the TE's can catch the ball this year.
#7 - New Kicker and Punter
Why your top 3 concerns are about the offense... If anything the QB position can only get better from the past 2 years and being able to stretch the field should become more and more visible. The running game should improve significantly as well with Molk returning, Omameh starting (he's gonna have a breakout season, I can feel it), and some consistency in the O Line's blocking that should open up holes for even our untested backs.
My list isn't ordered by importance.
I just want to see all the improvements on the field before I take those things off my list that's all.
My concerns with stretching the field is with Stonum who has been inconsistant and Hemmingway who has found a way to be injured each yr. It's possible a Frosh comes in and grabs some time but I have concerns with those guys.
The OL alone should be able to get Michigan to a bowl game at the very least this year.
The only kicking we'll be doing in kick-offs and extra points. You don't need a punter or FG kicker when you score on every possession.
Besides the defense in general, I'm concerned about the special teams. I feel like we could lose a game we should win because we'll miss a field goal or two or Hagerup will shank one, giving the other team great field position.
Stretching the field, both us trying to do so and other teams doing it to us.
Excitement: QB
Running backs, a concern? Fred Jackson begs to differ. He thinks this is the best group of running backs assembled in one place at one time EVER. Vincent Smith is literally stronger than an F150, Fitz Toussaint runs a 3.3 40, and Mike Shaw has the ability to teleport.
Jackson told me Hopkins eats adamantium for lunch and shits lazer beams.
pisses rocket fuel.
and said he was also a really nice, intelligent-seeming guy. (Also clarified that his name is definitely pronounced Steffffen and now goes around correcting people who pronounce it Steven. I'm so proud!) I've always found it bizarre when a guy known for delivering punishment on the field is gentle off of it. I suppose a psych major might say he has found a release for his aggression quota.
I know, cool story bro and all, but I thought it was worth sharing.
I think the "cool story bro" mafia is played out, kind of stupid, and on its way out the door. That was an interesting story and I don't think the asterisk at the end was necessary. If your girlfriend met Hopkins at a party, just say it and don't worry about DBs trying to be hip and telling you it was a cool story.
You forgot to mention Mike Cox. Jackson told me that he literally broke a linebacker in half. I suggest that we henceforth refer to him as THE BATTERING RAM:
The best part is that it works on a couple of levels, if you're paying close enough attention to the actual design of a battering ram.
Concerns:
- Spur and Bandit: These are a rookie and a walk-on. Are they big enough to set the edge against a large lead FB? Are they athletic enough and smart enough to disrupt vertical seams? Is the Bandit athletic enough to play a deep half when asked?
- Mike and Will: Can they execute? Will they play hard the entire game? And I disagree with Sam Webb 100% on his claim that Mouton will be All-Big-Ten if he plays like he did in the spring game. If he plays like he did that day, our interior run defense is toast. I said this recently after the game, but if you can, go watch the two isolation plays right at Mouton when the offense is coming out from the shadow of its own goal posts. He played those absolutely horrendously. Now, I think Mouton can be an All-Big-Ten player, but not if he plays like he did in the spring game. I believe that Coach Robinson will have those guys ready to go by Sept. 4.
- Denard's decision making against well-coached, well-prepared, non-vanilla defenses. He did great--against our 2s playing base defense. No doubt he has improved vastly, and I think he should be the starting QB b/c he fits the scheme much better, but how will he make decisions when the bullets are flying?
- In general, defensive youth, lack of experience, and lack of depth.
- Lack of a sophisticated dropback passing game. This has been a criticism of Rich Rod's offenses, and against talented, well-coached defenses, a smart dropback attack will help.
Excitement:
- Denard running read plays and play-action passes. He will be electric and scare the crap out of opposing defenders and their coaches.
- Slots: Tay Odoms, Roundtree, Gallon, T. Rob...an embarrassment of riches.
- Tate Forcier playing smart like Drew Brees, Tom Brady, and Peyton Manning. This would make our QB situation a true two-headed monster, as "Hail to the Victors" suggests.
- D-line: Roh, Martin, Van Bergen, Big Will, etc.--they will make plays and the LBs will be free to do the same.
- Defensive scheme with the hybrid players and the incorporation of the odd stack, aka 3-3-5.
- Recruiting once we start winning.
Concerns:
- Turnovers - this is huge, and killed us at key times last year. It's chaotic and can't be schemed out, so while it's always a big concern, with a young team like this, one tiny shift in momentum can throw things into a tailspin. Please see the Purdue game for evidence of this. You could also lump in the lack of turnovers generated by the D: we need more picks and forced fumbles.
- The Linebackers - Ezeh and Mouton looked out of place last year at many times, and Mouton's inability to chase down Kirk Cousins (I mean really, wtf?!?!?) killed us in the MSU game. If that doesn't improve dramatically, we're going to have trouble closing gaps in the line and stuffing the run...not to mention when TE's release from the line ala the Iowa game. Our safeties aren't good enough to step up, and our linebackers aren't good enough to drop back. It was a bad situation, and something that can be exploited repeatedly. My hope: Ezeh and Mouton mature rapidly, stay injury free (supposedly Ezeh was suffering from an undisclosed and nagging injury for most of last year), and the youngsters start pushing upwards.
- Adversity - this is a team that has shown over the past two years, with few exceptions, to be a team that does not tolerate adversity well. I'm sure this has to do with youth and lack of a strong, vocal leader on both sides of the ball, but I can think of numerous situations where the wind was knocked out of our sails and the team nosedived. That can't happen, so that means limiting big plays, limiting turnovers (I'm going to belabor this point), and avoiding jaw-dropping stupidity (like taking 20 yard sacks on first down from the opponent 10 yard line). Without a galvanizing voice on the team, something major like losses to UConn and ND could spell complete disaster for the year, or something as simple as a fumble on the goal-line to MSU could mean a three-peat for the Spartans. Michigan's not good enough to overpower all of their opponents, and they're not old enough to shrug things off, so they need to play smart and effective football, and leaders (however young) will need to rise and inspire greatness (Roh, Ezeh, Tate, and Denard...we look to you).
Excitement:
- Key Talent - there are four players on this team that will be a driving force in each game we win this year: Craig Roh (bigger, stronger, faster), Mike Martin (the most talented defender we have, and will be called upon to put up some stout numbers), Denard Robinson (either as a half-time QB or a home run hitter...he's just too good not to see the field), and Martavious Odoms (probably the smartest football player on the team. He always seems to be one step ahead of the play, and knows exactly where to be). There are other skilled players, to be sure, but this is the core on offense and defense that gets me excited...especially Odoms. Big first downs, game winning touchdown grabs, homerun springing blocks...the kid does it all and in such a tiny frame. I loved him as a fumble prone freshman, and I was practically starry eyed watching him play his guts out as a wounded Sophomore. Roundtree may have the better hands, Stonum may have the better speed, and Hemingway is the better jumper...but Odoms is the best WR on the field.
- The Trenches - This will be a team that, in my opinion, will own the trenches. Our offensive line has all of the tools, talent, and experience to become one of the best in the Big-10, and will undoubtedly spring some big runs if the key moving parts can remain healthy. The D-line will be fast, nasty, and big...and will actually feature depth this year. Van Bergen was a beast at times last year, Martin is amazing, Roh was astounding as a freshman, and Banks/Sagesse/Campbell are all poised for potentially decent to very good years.
- The Coaching Staff - Rich Rodriguez is one of the best coaches in the United States. I have stopped caring what fans say, what non-fans say, what the media says, and what fringe elements say...the man is a great coach. Remember your excitement in December of 2007? Well nothing has changed, except he's gotten a huge talent upgrade. If you're skeptical of this team in July of 2010, think back to July 2008 when you were wearing your "IN ROD WE TRUST" shirt, smashing your keyboard with your giant sweaty hamfists talking about how Justin Feagin + Nick Sheridan = A black Tebow and a white Leak. You didn't honestly believe it then, and you sure don't believe it now. Now the team has Antonio Bass reborn in Denard, and a reasonable Jim Harbaugh facsimile in Tate, and those same people from 2008 are hamfistedly decrying our chances! There is a spark here, and we must remember RichRod will cultivate it! I'm more "all in" now than I've ever been. I spent money I don't have to see every game at home...my money is officially where my mouth is this season.
- Comedy Option - Parallels and metaphors drive college football, right? Well, 2008, the stadium was just girders and scaffolding, a complete work in progress, totally unusable...just like the team. 2009, the stadium looked great from the outside, but once you got inside, it was hollow and purposeless...just like the team. 2010, renovations are complete, even OSU fans on the Somethingawful forums love the upgrade, and we are poised for greatness. Can't you just hear Musburger making too much of the parallel in your head as you read this?
So that's it. I realize it was too long, but July is a tough month for the football deprived.
A resounding Go Blue! to you all.
this post belongs in Hail to the Victors 2010. Well done.
My concern is mainly the QB position and how much Forcier and Robinson will improve upon last season. Turnovers, as you stated, are the absolute key. I am also concerned about the secondary and living on the hope that Floyd, Turner and Gordon quickly become impact players.
I am excited to see which RB will emerge as #1. There hasn't been much buzz about Toussaint through spring practice but I have a feeling he will break out this season.
I am excited to see Odoms and Roundtree tear up and truck over opposing secondaries. I am also holding out hope that Stonum breaks out this season at outside WR. Can't wait to see how RR utilizes the talents of Koger and Webb this year.
Concern: We will lose more games than we win
Excitement: We can go 13-0
In a more general sense (since you all have adequately broken down positional/individual strengths and weaknesses)
CONCERN: That there isn't really any reason based on the last two years that we realistically expect to put up a LOT of wins with what is essentially the same cast of characters minus our running backs, and best defender from last year.
EXCITEMENT: That part of the reason we had two rough years was the fact we played a ton of extremely young inexperienced players who now are entering their second and third years of battle testing and experience with a system and coach who has, in fact won before.
1. Turnovers - UM was last in B10 and something like 115th in nation. This, imo, directly caused the 5-7 season and no bowling.
2. QBs health, mostly Tate. If Tate gets hurt and Drob's decision making does not improve, then it will be a painful season.
3. LBs and stopping the run - D was blamed for a lot last year but b/c of #1 above, they didn't get a chance on many possessions. If size improves in front 7, filling the gap and coming off blocks, then I will be happy.
Excited for September 4th and the start of CFB season.
Excitement: Roy Roundtree. I think he has a lot of potential to be an excellent wide-receiver given the hopefully improved qb play and the opportunity to contribute in 12 (13?) games instead of just the latter half of the season.
Worry: Linebackers and Secondary, as has been covered ad nauseum.
Concerns: Turnovers and a weak secondary may allow the less talented b10 teams to beat us!
Excitement: If we play well as a team, we should beat the mid and bottom wrung b10 teams and go on to a winning record. May be 7-5. If we're really playing well may be we will have a chance against OSU in the shoe!!!!
You know, this thread has been surprisingly jolly.
Big concern is the secondary, for the reasons you mention. Woolfolk is the only proven legit starter, although at least we have more options than last year. I think we'll be average or better at all the other position groups.
Excited to see how all the returning players will do with another year under their belts, especially the QBs and the DL who will no longer be playing out of position.
Excitement: The speed on this team.
I think the running back corps is a strength, among Shaw, Cox, Hopkins, Smith, Toussant, someone will step up.
I
EXCITEMENT: Watching young and inexperienced players gain maturity and confidence; watching veterans live up to their potential, both in skill and leadership; all of them working together and having a great time doing so. Excited that even with growing pains they'll be an exciting team to watch.
CONCERNS: That nothing but perfection will be enough for certain nay-sayers and that their voices will drown out those who understand patience and growth.
Oh, yeah. And kicking.
No question the main concern is the defense. Special teams, especially the kicking game, is also a concern. I'm not going to go into the specifics on what positions on defense are the concerns, I'm going to be pretty elementary and just say we need to allow less points. Last year, if you take away the Deleware St game, we averaged 26.5 points on offense. I believe this years offense will be good enough to tack on another 7 points to last years average, therefore averaging around 33-34 points a game. If you can average 33-34 points a game, you can win the national title. Now I'm not saying we will come close to winning the national title, but by averaging 33-34 points a game we should definetly win some games. The last time the offense averaged 33-34 points a game was in 2003 (35.4 points, not including bowl game). So if this years offense can put up around the same amount of points as 2003, the offense isn't the concern then this year (slight concern at rb). The big difference between 2003 and this years squad will be the defense. In 2003, the defense allowed 16.8 points a game. If we want to get back to michigan football, the defense must get better. Last year, not including the deleware st game, the defense allowed 29.5 points a game. Trying to predict the amount of points the defense allows this year is more of an unknown. I will be optimistic and assume the defense is slightly better and not on the field as long as last year and therefore will allow one less touchdown a game and average around 22.5 points a game. The lasttime, not including 2008, the defense allowed 22.5 points a game was 2004 (23.3 points/game, not including bowl game). In 2004, the offense averaged 30.8 points a game and finished 9-2 in the regular season. I believe this years squad will put up the points like 2003 and allow the points like 2004. I believe heading into the bowl season we will be 8-4, but would not be shocked if we are 10-2. It's all about the defense, rrod's offense will put up the points.