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Which position group is the key to our success this year?

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August 26th, 2009 at 9:37 AM
#1
wolverine1987
wolverine1987's picture
Joined: 07/07/2008
MGoPoints: 11613
Which position group is the key to our success this year?

Which position group will you be watching the closest this year (with either anticipation, dread, or both)? And which position group do you believe is the key to our success this year (defining success as 7-5 or above)?

QB would be the easy choice, and it may be true as well. D-line has depth issues, DB's were poor and gave up huge gains, and it's fair I think to say that the LB's were meh. The O-line was lost, especially early season, before improving late, and the WR's likely were not given enough chance to be difference-makers given woeful QB play. There is reason to believe each group should improve, some markedly, barring injury.

With the disclaimer that obviously we need all groups to step up, I will say that D-line pressure and stoutness against the run is the key*. Given a new scheme, freshman likely to play in rotation in all defensive position groups (plus Stevie Brown at a new position), and what is likely (at the beginning of the season) to be a precarious level of confidence given last season, that's my choice.

*I could make perhaps a stronger argument that O-line play is key, but assumed that would be the majority view, so there you go.

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August 26th, 2009 at 9:39 AM
#2
Thorin
Joined: 04/07/2009
MGoPoints: 15192
QB /thread

QB

/thread

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August 26th, 2009 at 9:39 AM
#3
LJ
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Joined: 07/05/2008
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In this offense, I think the

In this offense, I think the answer to this is QB almost every single year--and definitely this year, since the position is such an unknown.

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August 26th, 2009 at 9:41 AM
#4
me
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Joined: 12/26/2008
MGoPoints: 2309
The OL is the key I think.

The OL is the key I think. If there able to open holes for the RB's they are going to to take pressure off of the QB's. UM can't lead the nation in plays going for less than a yard and I think that starts up front.

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August 26th, 2009 at 9:45 AM
(Reply to #4) #5
BlockM
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Joined: 07/03/2008
MGoPoints: 28426
Yup. QB is (obviously)

Yup. QB is (obviously) important, but without our OL making siginifcant steps forward it doesn't mean anything. Our running game is going to carry us almost completely at least once or twice this season I think, and that doesn't happen without great OL play.

Good OL -> Good running game -> Easier passing -> Actual spread offense.

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August 26th, 2009 at 10:43 AM
(Reply to #4) #6
ATLGo_Blue31
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Joined: 07/23/2009
MGoPoints: 0
I Agree

OL plays a huge role in making this exciting offense work. As stated the OL was lost last year and this year with the experience I think we will have much better play from our QBs and RBs

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August 26th, 2009 at 10:57 AM
(Reply to #4) #7
MichIOE01
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Joined: 11/19/2008
MGoPoints: 105
Agree

The entire offense is built on the OL. If they can't do their job, it doesn't matter how good your QB, RB, or WRs are.

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August 26th, 2009 at 12:52 PM
(Reply to #4) #8
MGoBlue22
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Joined: 02/09/2009
MGoPoints: 268
I agree

OL is the key. We need to give Tate/Denard time to throw and give the RBs holes to run through.

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August 26th, 2009 at 9:49 AM
#9
UM Indy
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Joined: 03/05/2009
MGoPoints: 4968
OL

The offensive line is the single most important group on a football team every year, but especially this year with a young QB. Establishing a running game is essential to take the pressure off the QB. When the running game is working, it softens the D up and allows the QB to capitalize on opportunities downfield. If we go old school and run over everybody for 300-400 yards a game and never have to throw it, fine by me because that will equal a lot of wins.

And from everything I'm reading, it seems likely that much improved OL play can be expected.

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August 26th, 2009 at 10:32 AM
(Reply to #6) #10
Thorin
Joined: 04/07/2009
MGoPoints: 15192
The OL was decent by the end

The OL was decent by the end of '08 but we still lost to NU and got blown out by OSU. It doesn't matter if we bring back Hutchinson, Backus and Long, if DEATH is our QB, we will lose.

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August 26th, 2009 at 10:56 AM
(Reply to #6) #11
James Burrill Angell
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I concur - The Offensive Line has to come through

With a freshman quarterback behind center (more than likely) the line has to buy him time to minimize his mistakes. PLUS with all the speed we've got the line has to open holes for our backs and buy time for the receivers to get open.
Further with the speed of the no-huddle and the number of three-and-outs we had last year, the defense spends too much time on the field and the players get tired and can't play effectively regardless of how talented they are. With the defense's lack of depth pretty much across the board, the offense has to stay on the field and produce and that won't happen unless the line keeps people off the QB and opens holes for the RB's.
The Offensive line play will be crucial.

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August 26th, 2009 at 9:49 AM
#12
msoccer10
Joined: 08/29/2008
MGoPoints: 1754
Offensive line

They are in most years with most teams, and I think this Michigan team is no exception, the most under appreciated and most important unit on a team. With a good to great offensive line, a poor running back or poor qb can still have success, but not the other way around. Taking it further, with a good offense, a poor defense can be hidden and protected. Therefore, I think its the o line.

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August 26th, 2009 at 9:51 AM
#13
kjydmd
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Joined: 05/04/2009
MGoPoints: 134
Won or Lost in the trenches

I am a firm believer that a game is either won, or lost in the trenches. If you don't have a serviceable O-Line, or a solid D-Line, you more than likely will not have a successful season.

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August 26th, 2009 at 9:52 AM
#14
bouje
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Joined: 09/30/2008
MGoPoints: 4703
For Defense

It's gotta be safeties. We haven't had good safeties... in... years? Not only that but there was a walk-on in the two deep.

So on D for me it goes:

S
LB
CB
DL (no worries here unless injuries *knock on wood*)

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August 26th, 2009 at 10:24 AM
(Reply to #9) #15
MGoScene
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Joined: 02/26/2009
MGoPoints: 625
we haven't had good safeties...

...since marlin jackson switched from cb to fs in 2003, and he paired with ernest shazor at ss.

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August 26th, 2009 at 10:46 AM
(Reply to #14) #16
bouje
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Joined: 09/30/2008
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But Marlin was better at CB and he moved to S out of

necessity. Shazor was over-rated and had one huge hit that won us a game. He wasn't a great safety even though he was an AA (as evidenced by him not panning out in the NFL).

MJ on the other hand is still a great player and is still playing at CB his natural position.

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August 26th, 2009 at 11:23 AM
(Reply to #18) #17
MGoScene
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Joined: 02/26/2009
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true that marlin was a better

true that marlin was a better cb, and shazor did not pan out in the nfl, but they were a good combo in 2003: they had 12 tackles combined plus a tfl in the notre dame shutout, and they had 9 tackles combined in the ohio state win.

i'm saying marlin was a better safety than others since him (even though he was a better cb than safety). and wouldn't you say that winning a game with one tackle is pretty impressive? how many safeties have done so since?

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August 26th, 2009 at 9:58 AM
#18
Route66
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Joined: 10/15/2008
MGoPoints: 1405
D-line

Being a O-line lover it is hard for me to say the D-line is the most important this year.(The heavies on offense are always the key but here is why I say D for this year)

If our D-line can create pressure consistantly, there will be less for our d-backs/linbeackers to deal with. The less big plays they have to make, the more the offense will be on the field. So in order for the offense to throw up 50/game, which I think they will be capable of, the D will have to be off the field.

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August 26th, 2009 at 10:18 AM
#19
Hemlock Philosopher
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Joined: 02/12/2009
MGoPoints: 5017
The Trenches

kjydmd is right on. No matter how good your QB, WR and RBs are, if they don't have time to throw or get open or don't have any space to run, they will not be very successful. Same goes on D. If you have lock-down DBs, but the DL cannot get pressure, someone will come open eventually. Every season, the lines are the most important part of the team.

For us to be successful this season, I would say DL, OL, QB and DB in that order.

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August 26th, 2009 at 11:15 AM
(Reply to #11) #20
Koyote
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Joined: 09/17/2008
MGoPoints: 346
You and kjydmd are right on

You and kjydmd are right on the money in my opinion. The majority of games are won and lost in the trenches.

That being said, I would rate OL just slightly ahead of DL. A dominant OLine can do wonders for the running game and really help out a young QB. Not to mention eat up the clock keeping the entire D fresh and potentially getting the opposing offense out of sync. Plus eventually, we do need to get points on the board to win the game. So I would go:

1a. OL
1b. DL
2. QB
3.DB

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August 26th, 2009 at 10:24 AM
#21
GRBluefan
Joined: 02/13/2009
MGoPoints: 7198
For me it...

is safety play first and foremost. We have no depth there, and it has been our achilles heel for a long, long time. We need them to step it up if we want to avoid getting gouged on D.

QB and OL are obviously more important positions in the grand scheme of things, but I have a higher comfort level in Tate/Denard and our existing OL than I do in our safety play.

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August 26th, 2009 at 12:09 PM
(Reply to #13) #22
PhillipFulmersPants
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Joined: 01/06/2009
MGoPoints: 2140
Against WMU and ND ...

my eyes will be on this group, too. Weiss and Cubit both have experience starters at QB, and in ND's case, great receivers in Tate & Floyd. My guess is Michigan's secondary will be tested early, often, and deep. If that group holds up, it may bold well for their performance the rest of the year as I don't think they'll play any teams with better passing attacks. Illinois perhaps.

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August 26th, 2009 at 10:25 AM
#23
Elno Lewis
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Joined: 12/05/2008
MGoPoints: 1797
The one that...

dropped the ball elevnty brazillion times last year.

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August 26th, 2009 at 10:36 AM
#24
JewofM
Joined: 08/25/2009
MGoPoints: 101
QB

to me is the most important position as Rich Rod's offense needs to have the right type of QB to run the offense effectively. I personally am excited by the fact that Forcier is an accurate passer. He might not be very big and he might not have the strongest arm, but he can hit receivers and RBs in stride. To me this will be a huge difference as Threet might have had a big arm, but he was wildly inaccurate. I would love to see what our little slot ninjas can do when someone actually gives them a pass that hits them on the numbers in stride. That way they can come out of their break and head straight up field. I really think the improved accuracy will help the offense.

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August 26th, 2009 at 10:55 AM
#25
J. Lichty
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Joined: 06/30/2008
MGoPoints: 1378
you need competence out of every position group

I think the more important question is which group is the biggest question mark - that is qb and safety. Below replacement level performances there will not cut it.

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August 26th, 2009 at 1:11 PM
#26
WolvinLA
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Joined: 06/30/2008
MGoPoints: 873
I think OL is more important

I think OL is more important than QB. Sure, if we have TERRIBLE QB play, we won't win, but the same can be said for the OL. We could have Mike Vick at QB, but if no one blocks, he'll be no good. That said, with our receiving and RB corps that we have this year, if our QB play is adequate but our OL is fantastic, we will win. If our QB play is fantastic but our OL is just adequate, I don't think we'd be as good.

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August 26th, 2009 at 1:17 PM
#27
The King of Belch
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Joined: 07/21/2009
MGoPoints: 8
It's Obvious

Armchair coaches. If Rodrguez doesn't start listening to me, he'll end up coaching the 6th grade rodeo team in Farthing's Wench, Wyoming.

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August 26th, 2009 at 1:24 PM
(Reply to #27) #28
Wolverdore
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Joined: 06/30/2008
MGoPoints: 82
QB and ST

I think Quarterback and then a close second has to be Special Teams. If we can catch punts, we will be far ahead of last year.

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August 26th, 2009 at 2:02 PM
#29
ScoobyBlue
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Joined: 05/05/2009
MGoPoints: 224
D Backfield

Another vote for the defensive backfield. We need safeties that don't regularly give up big plays. CB is also important since we don't have much depth (back-ups with playing experience).

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August 26th, 2009 at 2:52 PM
#30
MichFan1997
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Joined: 08/04/2008
MGoPoints: 10334
You know

for the first time I can ever remember, I find some bit of mystery regarding ALL the groups on our team. I'd say RB clearly has the least mystery, but look everywhere else. The DL is being completely replaced, the LBs were all young, and the DBs were awful last year, but have a lot in the area of guru ratings. The entire offense intrigues me just to see what improvements were made. It's just...a very mysterious team to be sure.

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August 26th, 2009 at 4:05 PM
#31
FingerMustache
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Joined: 02/17/2009
MGoPoints: 953
other than QBs, i think the

other than QBs, i think the LBs will be the key to our success or our achilles heal. Our defense would have been dramatically improved had we been able to stop teams on 3rd and long, the majority of which were converted b/c of poor linebacker play. Also Ezeh needs to make quicker reads on the run and plug the holes quickly. If we can slow the run game and prevent 3rd and long conversions, I think our defense will be dramatically improved from last yr despite how our line or secondary play: the db's really couldnt possibly have played worse in 2008 and the Dline underachieved so terrifically that the same can almost be said for our line this yr...almost.

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August 26th, 2009 at 4:06 PM
#32
FingerMustache
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Joined: 02/17/2009
MGoPoints: 953
given more thought, i think

given more thought, i think special teams is both the group that I will be watching most closely and potentially one of the major keys to our improvement

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