Pre-Snap Read - UM#29
http://www.presnapread.com/no-29-michigan/
Edit: Quotes:
Offensively: the transition from pro-style to spread is far more difficult than the move back. Most of the attention has been paid to Robinson’s transition, but whether he’ll produce shouldn’t even be a question.
bottom line: eight wins, if not nine, a far better product, impassioned play, hope for the future...
'Dream season' is 11-1, 'nightmare season' is 4-8
The article seems less concerned with how Denard will do and moreso with how the RB situation will play itself out. Not much faith in the secondary, even with Woolfolk back. But pretty confident in DL improvement.
August 5th, 2011 at 11:21 AM ^
Good point. I think Northwestern is actually going to surprise some people this year and Persa gives them a lot at qb and Fitzgerald will continue to turn them around.
I just think that Michigan will drop a couple games on the road, and I could definitely see it being Iowa beating us rather than Illinois. But I do have confidence that UM matches up better against MSU this year than any of the three last years. Greg Jones leaving really hurts their defense, and while they have a strong leader in Cousins returning, I don't think the offense will have the trouble scoring against them.
Your last point is key. All the games on the schedule look winnable, and I think keeping momentum between the matchups will be a huge part of a successful season. Since UM has its three toughest matchups at home, it will be important to not drop games on the road. So if we do come out on top in East Lansing, that does make sense that the team beats Illinois and NW.
I think their explanation is pretty simple: they expect us to be at our best for Sparty and possibly looking ahead when we play NW and Illinois. That's not implausible.
As much as I want to win now,i don't really have high expectations for this year. i would be extremely pleased with 8-9 wins this year.
Next year is when I reply expect to see the improvement! And by the third season we should be legit contenders in the big ten and nationally!
August 5th, 2011 at 10:31 AM ^
If we win 8-9 games next year, that IS improvement. And if we win 9 games next season we will most likely be in competition for the B1G Championship. So although you claim to not expect much, your first year expectations require you 2nd and 3rd year goals.
August 5th, 2011 at 11:20 AM ^
You are right in that 8-9 wins will be improvement. But the OP simply said that he would be "extremely pleased" with 8-9 wins, not expecting or anticipating that to be the case. I think he has a nice, healthy dose of skepticism, a show-me mentality going into the season that more of us should have. Based on the talk out there (and the recruiting class thus far), 2nd or 3rd year goals would be closer to national championship talk. I think it is important to go into the season expecting 6-7 wins - that would be equivalent to last year and is very realistic given the entire coaching change and overhaul of the defensive and offensive schemes. People underestimate the gravity of those changes, I think.
August 5th, 2011 at 10:49 AM ^
I see us going 8-4 realistically, but I think we are capable of beating everyone on the schedule.
August 5th, 2011 at 12:05 PM ^
The only thing I really want to happen this year is to beat tOSU.
August 5th, 2011 at 12:55 PM ^
I want to see a change of attitude on defense. We'll win our fair share of games. My biggest expectation is to see a defense that is in the right place at the right time and plays like they own the opponents...whoever it is. I want hard-nosed, smash mouth, 3rd down takeover, run stopping, pass knockdown dominating defense. They have the talent and the experience to play like that. If they play defense, the game will fall in place for them.
Think about last year for a moment. If Denard would have gotten the ball a few more times a game, how many more wins might we have seen? Give that guy the ball and watch him make plays. It's going to be better this year! Go Blue!!!
I'm okay with anything above 5 or 6 wins as long as we beat MSU and possibly tsio. I've got 2 years left here at U of M and I don't know what I would do if I had to leave with less than a 50% winning percentage against MSU.