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Why bring it up in the media

Why bring it up in the media when the recruits in a few years won't even know it ever happened? 

lose/lose as many have said

even uconn is a bit of a lose/lose--the educated football fan understands they are an increasingly competetive program, but most would consider it a bigger embassment to lose than it really would be--not saying a loss is inevitable, it's unlikely

throw away games should be maximized with teams that have tradition, a brand, but aren't really that tough--your Clemsons, Texas A&M's

I didn't say it was his

I didn't say it was his average game: I actually said the opposite. One game doesn't a trend make, but to act like it wasn't a great game is speaking foolish.  It wasn't Vince Young Rose Bowl great, but those occured during his 3rd and 4th seasons. It was amongthe Big Ten's greatest Rose Bowl games as an indiviidual player.

 

If you think Michigan is in trouble if Denard averages 340 total yards a game , you have little faith in your team. I think they will fare quite well if he does. It's true he doesn't have the luxury of Ohio State's defense, but it will still be a banner year for Michigan if he plays at that level.

Your facts are your facts. It's a team game. He's been far from great to this point, to label him a disappointment is again silly. He's played 2 years and the team has fared pretty well during that time. We'll see how this season develops. I think the Heisman hype is premature at this point, but trying to judge dual threat qb's by passing stats is problematic at times. This season Denard could be great if his runs are timely, his passing fairly accurate, and he limits his errors. They encompass so much of the offense that a 190/110 game is far superior to a QB who throws for 300 because they also control possesion.

 

 

I agree, average game. He

I agree, average game. He only outgained Oregon by himself by 60 or 70 yards, only had the 2nd highest total yardage for a Big Ten player in the history of the Rose Bowl , and continued to move the chains and eat clock the entire 4th qtr which enabled them to control possesion by a 42-18 margin.

He did exactly what the blueprint is this season for Denard if he gets the nod.  If Robinson has average games like that , Michigan is in pretty good shape. Move the chains, eat clock, be accurate enough, and Michigan won't lose the TOP by 15 minutes a game.

One game isn't a trend, but it was a hell of a game.

I think it's a good situation

I think it's a good situation for UM to get Denard a lot of looks in spring.

The assumption that Tate makes giant leaps in his sophmore year is possible, but not assured. You're talking about a kid who came in that was as schooled as any HS QB in the country. Spending his last few years of HS in class half the time and his afternoons with QB coaches prepare a kid pretty well. From the first snap, it was obvious he was prepared. As the season wore on injuries and a tougher schedule took it's toll.

He'll improve, but there isn't the upside that one normally gets from high school tutelage to college level tutelage. He is what he is, a quick but not blazing, slightly undersized kid. He'll adjust to game speed better this year, but that he keeps making leaps might not be his trajectory. He threw a lot of interceptions even in high school. Many more Td's, but his vision and throwing lanes must have suffered on occasion from his height at a much lower level of football.

Denard was as raw as possible. If he had a weak arm rather than an inaccurate one, he wouldn't be worth the time. Strong arm plus tremendous speed is a dangerous combination. Given he threw lazers, they were simply to the opposition half the time, and the fact that he's a threat with his feet every single play, I think he's an exciting prospect.

You know RR understands that he needs to win, and that those wins are more likely to come early in the season. If you see Denard trot out early in the year, then that means he's made tremendous progress in accuracy and Michigan is a much scarier team. Either way, you can rest assured that RR will go with who he thinks can win, he needs w's. and if you trust your coach, you have to assume he knows what he's doing and what it takes to win.

First off, I'm a Buckeye fan,

First off, I'm a Buckeye fan, hence the name. I read the board almost daily, but usually keep my opinions to myself rather than be viewed as antagonistic. I post so rarely that I always forget my pw's and e-mail that I used and end up re-registering. Given my Ohio State undergrad, I'm sure that shocks you.

Glenville has always interested me, so I'll chime in. Glenville isn't a historic power in Ohio football, they are a coach- specific success story. When I was in HS we played Glenville and they were frankly horrible. Like 150-6 over 3 seasons horrible.

Ginn Sr. was well-liked and built one hell of a program by grabbing the better players and getting them to buy in. That he simply happened to be an Ohio State fan/ disliked UM was fortuitous for Ohio State, but irrelevant to the success. Those kids were always there, simply not all in one spot.

With all his success, I find it unlikely he changes his direction in where he sends his kids. His sway is much greater than the average coach because those kids went to Glenville specifically to play for him. It isn't a Catholic program with rich history, you go to get a ride to college and a chance at the grand prize if you're good enough. Add in that the relationship has made his son, and a few great players very wealthy men, it's unlikely to change. Whether that relationship makes him a wealthy man, I can't speak with authority. Either way, it's unlikely to change.

When it comes to Glenville players and UM and Ohio State, I always think it's a bit of metagame on both parts. If UM makes a play for a kid, it forces Ohio State to waste time making sure the relationship is still solidified. If a kid on occasion wastes UM's time feigning interest, that benefits Ohio State. I've seen a little of both through the years, but I think it's more the latter often.

Ginn Sr. is now closer to a very popular inner city preacher. Good guy, and very revered in that circle. That's a good spot for a guy who was simply a football and track coach, and is probably now a pretty wealthy guy. While there are far more Michigan fans in Cleveland than there are Buckeye fans in Detroit, it's still a heavily Ohio State area. To switch alliances would be unlikely, and probably be hard to do given his most successful alumni are all Buckeyes. It would take really pissing him off for that to happen.

UM has huge resources, and I guess the point is that trying with Glenville isn't a waste of time if you have unlimited resources, but grabbing another Ohio kid who is from a random Ohio school is far more likely than grabbing someone who Ohio State wants, that came specifically to play for Ginn Sr. at Glenville.

I don't know Ginn Sr., but I've met him a few times. I'm thinking he must be late 50's to 60. Given that he can make way more running clincs and other pursuits, given he may be wealthy from his son. etc., and given that switching ships and sending kids UM's way with a coach on a little bit of a hot seat is risky personally, I just find it unlikely that UM makes actual inroads there on more than a random kid.

He'll probably be done in a few years, the program may dissipate without him there and return to a bunch of great players spread amongst different schools. Then you go after them hard. I think it's kind of a waste of time to focus much there, or think it's going to change. We're still only talking 1-3 kids on any given year good enough to play for either of the programs, especially when kids are more often than not simply feigning, and playing the recruiting game.

So as an Ohio State fan, of course I wouldn't want Michigan to make inroads there, but unless there is a rift between Tressel/Ohio State and coach Ginn( which I'd likely have heard about), it's likely to be an isolated player, and not much cause for worry. That's simply my opinion knowing Ohio HS Football pretty well.

Good luck next seaon, except against us of course. I won't patronize you. If it isn't us, I'd surely rather it be you having success over some southern school, I'm a Big 10 guy. I don't take on the dark hatred of a Hayes, though I loved a side of him. True dichotomy, just crazy.

I'd like to see Michigan get back to Michigan, just not at our expense. With proximity and our respective states bleeding population and the economies struggling as they are, I'm starting to wonder if both states being up at the same time is possible for any true length of time. I couldn't believe when I read of all the grads here unable to find jobs. Being closer to 40 and more established, it actually bothered me tremendously to see kids with a UM degree struggling to find work. Hopefully it turns around and allows some kids to stay closer to home. Only the sick minded have schadenfreude moments mixing football and the real world.

Since Ohio has much more in-state talent, I think hiring RR was a wise gamble to try and grab from areas not traditionally Michigan hotbeds. It hasn't worked out so far, but we'll see if it comes to fruition as they grow up. If it doesn't work, at least you know what not to do next time. I liked the southern recruiting ties he had, they just haven't panned out to the degree that I thought RR+ the Michigan brand name would yield. The NFL thing dogs him a bit with the 4 and 5 stars I think.

In this great rivalry, it's a marathon rather than a sprint. I don't ever think Michigan is dead because of a bad stretch of the race. That's what makes it The Rivalry above all others, and why I'm reading UM football boards in March.